Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC 20240704

In an apparent show of dissent during elections designed to confirm Vladimir Putin in the presidency. Allies of the late Opposition Leader, Alexei Navalny, had called on people to turn out at midday in moscow and other cities to spoil their ballots or vote for any other candidate. These were the scenes in moscow. There have been no Protest Chants the authorities warned that activists could be arrested. A Rights Monitoring Group in russia says more than 70 people have been detained. Vladimir putin is certain to win, giving him another six years in power. The kremlin has ensured he faces no credible opponent. Protests were also held at russian embassies abroad. Mr navalny� s widow, yulia, was among those queuing outside the Russian Embassy in berlin to vote. There have been demonstrations in the uk, france, tokyo and georgia. Lets go live to the newsroom and bbc monitorings russia editor, vitaly shevchenko. How much longer is there to go in the votes . It how much longer is there to go in the votes . How much longer is there to go in the votes . ,. , ,. , the votes . It is three hours before olls the votes . It is three hours before polls close the votes . It is three hours before polls close in the votes . It is three hours before polls close in the the votes . It is three hours before polls close in the russian the votes . It is three hours before polls close in the Russian Election| polls close in the Russian Election and as you say, richard, queues formed or got bigger at Polling Stations across russia, particularly in moscow, at around midday, which is when the opposition called on supporters of the late Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny to turn out and just be there. However, nobody held any political posters or charted any slogans so this event, and i hesitate to call it a protest even, it looks like a queue and state media shared pictures from Polling Stations showing all these queues saying, look, citizens are turning out to vote, and frankly, it is difficult to say who is in the queue to support Alexei Navalny and who is there to vote. You queue to support Alexei Navalny and who is there to vote. Who is there to vote. You touch on russian state who is there to vote. You touch on russian state media who is there to vote. You touch on russian state media there, who is there to vote. You touch on russian state media there, in russian state media there, in advance of the election, was where people in russia hearing about the boat and about the candidates on the ballot paper . Boat and about the candidates on the ballot paper . Ballot paper . About the votes. Yet again. Ballot paper . About the votes. Yet again. This ballot paper . About the votes. Yet again, this election ballot paper . About the votes. Yet again, this election is yet again, this election is presented in state media as a festival of boating. It is not about choice. The suggestion is that it is about validating or expressing support for the government policy. A festival of voting. Before that, for years, russians had been told about how effective President Putin is, so right now, state media dont even have to try very hard to convince people in russia to vote for Vladimir Putin. Now, convince people in russia to vote foeradimir putin. Now, all convince people in russia to vote for Vladimir Putin. Now, all these people who turned out at Polling Stations at midday, they will be going home shortly and the kremlin would be hoping that this is where it will end, this is where any signs of protest. , and tomorrow, russia is likely to wake up the same way it is likely to wake up the same way it is now, ruled by Vladimir Putin. This is where any signs of protest will stop. There is no organised opposition right now in russia and the kremlin is determined to make sure it stays that way. Pails the kremlin is determined to make sure it stays that way. Sure it stays that way. Polls close in around three sure it stays that way. Polls close in around three hours sure it stays that way. Polls close in around three hours time. Sure it stays that way. Polls close in around three hours time. How| in around three hours time. How quickly can reap the spot correct i expect result to be published . Exit olls will expect result to be published . E if polls will be expect result to be published . E. ; t polls will be published expect result to be published . E; ; t polls will be published this expect result to be published . E; t polls will be published this evening and we are hearing about exit polls in the far east of the country which of course a Vladimir Putin is firmly in the lead. How quickly can we expect results to be published . There are also preparations for a concert to be held in red square tomorrow evening which seems to be just a festive way of confirming Vladimir Putin at� s victory. He is expected address that concert so it seems that preparations are under way to anoint Vladimir Putin for a fifth term of office. {lita way to anoint Vladimir Putin for a fifth term of office. Fifth term of office. 0k, vitaly shevchenko, fifth term of office. 0k, vitaly shevchenko, are fifth term of office. 0k, vitaly shevchenko, are russia fifth term of office. 0k, vitaly| shevchenko, Are Russia Editor fifth term of office. 0k, vitaly shevchenko, Are Russia Editor for shevchenko, Are Russia Editorfor bbc monitoring. Thank you. Just getting dark there in moscow. Polls close in three hours time and as mentioned, there have been protests from around the world and we can bring you these pictures from the french capital, paris, banner is being held there with the eiffel tower in the background and meanwhile, an effigy of President Putin was burned in prague. Several dozen, mostly russian nationals, took part in the protest in the citys wenceslas square. Our correspondent, frances read, has been outside the Russian Embassy in london. Yeah, i think it is a very different picture here, actually, because while you are not allowed slogans or placards or anything like that, of that kind in russia, it is very different here in london, actually. If you have a quick look over my shoulder i would say we have Something Like well over 1,000 at the moment. It is very hard to get an exact figure, but that queue stretches back for well over a mile, probably two to four deep at a time and it is significant. And a lot of the people we spoke to today confirmed they are here for the midday protest. We have obviously only spoken to a sample so it is difficult to sayjust how many are here for that protest but a lot of people said they wanted to turn out in solidarity and confirmed they wanted to be here for that midday protest. Some really confirmed that. Some were a little guarded in what they were saying, obviously, but did confirm that that is exactly the intention they had today and that is why they were here today. The idea, of course, that these protests at noon were put forward by the widow of russian Opposition Leader, the late Alexei Navalny. Hed suggested it two weeks before his death and many people here really did want to support that. They are doing that, of course, in all voting time zones across russia but here at midday in london as well, of course, and i think that is why lots of people have turned out today. We will keep you posted on that story over the coming hours as people continue to vote in russias president ial elections. Sources in ukraine have confirmed to the bbc that its drones hit an oil refinery in Slavyansk Na Kubani In Southern Russia overnight. It comes as the governor of the Belgorod Region says one person was killed, and ii wounded in Ukraine Shelling there. The ukrainian source said refineries were being targeted to undermine the russian economy and its oil exports. Lets speak to peter dickinson, editor of Ukraine Alert at the atlantic council. He joins us from kyiv. Thank you for making the time for us, peter. Talk to is about ukraines strategy here and why it is focusing on russias Oil Refineries. Is focusing on russias Oil Refineries is focusing on russias Oil Refineries. ,. ,. , refineries. This is a relatively new development refineries. This is a relatively new development in refineries. This is a relatively new development in the refineries. This is a relatively new development in the war. Refineries. This is a relatively new development in the war. We refineries. This is a relatively new development in the war. We sawl development in the war. We saw attacks begin with long drones against russias oil and gas refineries in the new year, in january, and they have escalated in recent weeks and ukraine has been sending more drones and has been targeting Infrastructure Objects further away from ukraine and deeper inside russia and the goals seem to be threefold. The immediate and most practical implication of these attacks is to try and reduce the supply of fuel to the invasion force, to the tanks, trains, artillery that are active in ukraine, the Russian Military in ukraine. There is also the overriding goal, i suppose you could call it, of undermining russias economy, that oil and gas are the key engines of the russian economy and the president of ukraine, bloody minister lenski, has spoken about the need to strike at the most vulnerable points of the russian machine. Volodymyr zelensky. Vulnerable points of the russian machine. Volodymyrzelensky. I think the third point is to prove that ukraine can strike back and has the capabilities to strike back and will do so. fin the capabilities to strike back and will do so. ,. ,. , will do so. On the first two points ou will do so. On the first two points you mentioned, will do so. On the first two points you mentioned, the will do so. On the first two points you mentioned, the practical will do so. On the first two points i you mentioned, the practical matter of preventing fuel getting to Russian Troops and the second one of the economy and hitting russia in the economy and hitting russia in the pockets, how effective will the strikes be . The the pockets, how effective will the strikes be . ,. ,. , , strikes be . The short answer is we dont know strikes be . The short answer is we dont know yet strikes be . The short answer is we dont know yet. It strikes be . The short answer is we dont know yet. It is strikes be . The short answer is we dont know yet. It is still strikes be . The short answer is we dont know yet. It is still early dont know yet. It is still early days and ukraine has had a number, lets say that there are indications that these attacks are having an impact, beginning in march, was imposed a six month ban on exports of different types of gasoline which many have links to these attacks. They have also been signs of price rises for gas within russia so there are indications that these attacks are indications that these attacks are bearing fruit, as it were, a number of refineries that have been hit have reported stoppages in production but i think it will take some time before we get a better idea of how impactful this genuinely can be and it is still very early and ukraine is still working out how best to target while russia is still in a Learning Process of how to defend their refineries so it is probably a cat and mouse game which is still in its early stages and i think we will have a better idea in the later spring months, towards may and maybe early summer. fin a and maybe early summer. On a ractical and maybe early summer. On a practical level, and maybe early summer. On a practical level, how and maybe early summer. On a practical level, how is and maybe early summer. On a practical level, how is ukraine i practical level, how is ukraine doing this . Because we have seen the strikes on various plants dotted around russia. How, physically, does ukraine do this . Ukraine do this . Ukraine has placed a very significant ukraine do this . Ukraine has placed a very significant emphasis ukraine do this . Ukraine has placed a very significant emphasis in ukraine do this . Ukraine has placed a very significant emphasis in termsj a very significant emphasis in terms of its domestic military capabilities on the development of a more long range drawing capabilities. Ukraine, as is well known, is very heavily reliant on its western partners what a lot of its western partners what a lot of its Military Supplies but do supplies come with conditions. Many of ukraines western partners are seeing, we can provide you with weapons for use in ukraine alone. We do not condone the use of these weapons inside russia. So, ukraine has very much been focused on developing long range drones in order to be able to strike its targets within russia. We saw this in the early months of the war on a much smaller scale but i think what we are seeing now is the result of this long term strategic decision to prioritise the production of drones and ukraine has the capabilities to do that. The question now is really how big, what sort of volumes ukraine can produce and whether russia will be able to defend its Energy Input Structure effectively. Thank you very much, beat up. Energy infrastructure. Thank you very much, peter. The israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his determination to mount a Military Operation in the city of rafah in southern gaza, where more than a million palestinians are taking refuge. Mr netanyahu said that no International Pressure would stop israel from achieving all the aims of its war against hamas. Translation no International Pressure will stop us from achieving all the goals of the war, eliminating hamas, freeing all of our hostages and ensuring that gaza will no longer pose a threat to israel. In order to do that, we will operate in rafah too. Meanwhile, Health Officials in gaza say more than 60 palestinians have been killed in israeli bombardments overnight. The health ministry, which is controlled by hamas, said 12 members of one family were killed when their house in Deir Al Balah in the centre of the territory was hit. Ceasefire talks are expected to resume in qatar today, with an israeli delegation likely to join the negotiations, but its not yet clear when it might leave. Meanwhile in israel, families of the 130 or so hostages are urging the government to do a deal to free them before it is too late. 0ur Senior International correspondent, 0rla guerin, spoke to one israeli mother about the agonising wait for her son, who was taken when hamas attacked israel on october 7th. As soon as i turned my phone on, two consecutive messages came in that had arrived at 8 11 from hersh. The first of the messages said, i love you. And the second one immediately after said, im sorry. This is rachels son, Hersh Goldberg polin, 23 and much missed. Here he is in happier times with his parents. The american israeli is still a hostage in gaza. Five months on, his mother still in anguish. Every morning when i wake up, i make a concerted effort and say to myself, now pretend to be human, so that i can get up and try to save hersh, my son, and the other remaining 133 hostages. What i want to do is lay in a ball on the floor weeping, but that wont help them. Hersh was caught up in this horror when a Music Festival became a Killing Field on october seventh. He sought refuge with friends inside a bomb shelter. But hamas was at the entrance, throwing in grenades. Allahu akbar he was last seen surrounded by gunmen, his left arm blown off, as hamas loaded hostages onto a truck. Do you believe you will get him back . I really do. Hope is mandatory. And. I believe it and i have to believe it that he will come back to us. Thats what all the families cling to, the belief that their loved ones will be back. They keep protesting, keep pressuring the government to do a deal. A sombre count in hebrew of every day the hostages have been held. Rachel wants an end to the agony and not only for israelis. I feel that so many people are suffering, notjust those families of the 134, but there are thousands and thousands of gazan. Innocent civilians in gaza who are suffering. There is so much suffering to go around. And i would love for our leaders, all of them, to say, were going to do what we have to do so thatjust the normal people can stop suffering. Everybody� s going to have to give in. Theres no perfect scenario. And we need the suffering to stop. That is really mother speaking there to 0rla guerin. Now its time for a look at todays sport with hugh ferris. For the second time in two days, an fa cup quarter final was settled by two injury time goals and its chelsea who are heading to wembley again after they beat ten man leicester 11 2 at stamford bridge. The late goals came from Substitutes Carney Chukwuemeke and noni madueke after chelsea had let a two goal half time lead slip. An extraordinary 30 yard own goal from axel disasi and then a much more intentional goal from Stephy Mavididi Drew Leicester level. But the game swung back towards chelsea after leicesters callum doyle was sent off with the championship side eventually made to pay in the 92nd and 98th minute. That is football and that is the beauty of the fa cup and we are involved in the fa cup. Yes, of course, i think that most of all with really the serve and the qualification for the semifinal and we got that. That was deserved. The team kept calm until the end and thatis the team kept calm until the end and that is why the end was four two. Im so happy to go to the final. Shortly its the Blockbuster Quarter Final of the weekend. The stakes are usually high when Manchester United meet liverpool, but this time theres also a place in the last four and a trip to wembley on the line at old trafford. Patrick gearey is there. This is always a huge game but for these two sides its for quite different reasons. For liverpool, it is all part of a quest to win four trophies this season because they already have the efl cup in the bag and they are hoping to give manager jurgen klopp the Perfect Sendoff as he leaves liverpool at the end of this season. For Manchester United, though, it is their only hope of silverware from what has been a Difficult Campaign and manager erik ten hag will want an fa cup win to show proof of progress to the clubs new part owners. In terms of personnel, united should be stronger than they have been recently with rasmus hoyland, Harry Maguire and wan bissa ka all likely to be available. Liverpool should be able to count on mo salah, and he has this remarkable record against Manchester United with 12 goals in 13 games and one little not to illustrate how big this game is aside from the final, there has been more Broadcast Interest in this from around the world than any other fa cup tie. Manchester united versus liverpool always matters. After a big defeat for tottenham in the race for the premier leagues top four, aston villa are hoping to take advantage. They started the day in fourth, two points above spurs, but theyre losing at west ham by a goal to nil. Michael antonio with it. Theyre into the second half at the london stadium. Elsewhere Bayer Leverkusen can re establish a ten point lead at the top of the bundesliga. Theyre playing at freiburg. They lead by two goals to one. Meanwhile the fight for second place continues in Serie A Behind Runaway Leaders Inter who play napoli later. Juventus failed to go above milan after only managing a 0 0 draw with genoa. Milan have just started their second half at verona. Its finals day at indian wells. The world number one iga swiatek will play greeces maria sakarri later. Meanwhile in the mens draw, the two time grand slam champion Carlos Alcaraz has ended jannik sinner� s19 match unbeaten run to reach the final. The defending champion dropped the first set 6 1 in a match that was interrupted by rain, but took charge of the second and third this was the long rally on match point. Alcaraz is aiming to win his first title since wimbledon last year and is the first man to beat the Australian Open champion sinner in the singles this year. And thats all the sport for now. Thank you very much, hugh. To iceland next, where a State Of Emergency is in force in the south west of the country after the latest volcanic eruption on the reykjanes peninsula. The small town of grindavik has been evacuated, as has been the blue lagoon geothermal spa, one of the countrys most popular tourist destinations. Lava flows cut off one road overnight, but theyve since slowed down. The peninsula has seen increasing activity since december, with the local system of Volcanic Fissures erupting four times in as many months. Lets speak to 0ddur Thordarson, a journalist with icelands national broadcaster, ruv. Thank you very much for being with us and give it is a sense of the picture as it stands at the moment. Fortunately, as you said, everyone is safe and the town of grindavik was evacuated late last night as was the blue lagoon spa and staff work much to safety yesterday so no one was harmed. Staff were crushed. The latest reports are that the power of this eruption has decreased quite immensely since starting late last night. Staff were rushed to safety. We will probably see it diminish more in the coming hours and it will probably beat out and fizzle out in the coming hours and the next day. The the fizzle out in the coming hours and the next day. Th the next day. The the pictures we see a normally the next day. The the pictures we see a normally phenomenal the next day. The the pictures we see a normally phenomenal and l see a normally phenomenal and memorising photos and they are in some ways part of everyday life for you guys, and if someone lives in an area where tornadoes are common they usually have a decent basement and if they live somewhat with a lot of snow and ice, they probably have decent winter tyres on their car. How does someone live in preparation for regular Volcanic Eruptions . I think the small population helps us. We are in close contact with one another and we are in close contact with our authorities, the Civil Defence operate is, and Planning Evacuation Routes is quite simple in iceland, or it tends to be. So we have strength in our relatively small numbers so we are able to band together and Work Together and ensure that everyone is safe and sound once something of this magnitude happens. But they have been concerns, actually, about housing in iceland and whether or not they are safe. There are a number of cracks that lie under the bedrock upon Which Grindavik is built and the capital area as well. We will have to leave it there unfortunately. We are just running out of time. 0ddur Thordarson from the Iceland State television. Steve harley, who fronted the long running band, Cockney Rebel, has died at the age of 73. His best known song, make me smile, reached number one in the british charts in 1975. Harley had been forced to cancel performances last year after being diagnosed with cancer. David sillito looks back on his life. Youve done it all, youve broken every code. Steve harley and Cockney Rebel, and make me smile. It wasntjust a huge hit, it was one of those songs that never seems to have gone away. You spoilt the game, no matter what you say. And right from the beginning, there was a feeling about it. They always ask me, did you know at the time that it would be a big hit . Actually, we did think it would be. I knew the Managing Director of emi at the time who came to abbey road where i was mixing it. He said, number one. And i said to him, 0k, can i hold you to that . He said, yeah. Mr soft, turn around and force the world to watch the things youre going through. During his � 70s heyday, there was more than a touch of glam theatricality and single mindedness. Some of that determination grew out of his childhood. Polio had kept him in hospitalfor years. At three and a half years old, here, i caught polio. There was an epidemic at that time. They said, stephen wont live through this. But during those years in and out of hospital, he developed a passion for music, and after a spell as a journalist, he began trying out his songs at folk clubs before finally hitting the big time. But when his chart success began to slide, his attention shifted to another musical avenue. Sing once again with me. He was given the chance to record the single for andrew lloyd webber� s phantom of the opera, but he was devastated when he wasnt chosen to play the role for the west end. Youve done it all, broken every code. Nevertheless, he continued to perform. The effects of his childhood polio were lifelong, but onstage in the spotlight he said it was the one place he could forget it all and simply be steve harley, the rock star. 0oh ooh, la la la. Steve harley, the Cockney Rebel front man who has died at the age of 73. There is much more on all of the stories on the bbc news website and the bbc news app. I will be back in a moment. See you soon. Hello there. After a lot of cloud, rain and drizzle across england and wales to start the day, we have seen things improving as that cloud moves away into the north sea and before we see some further bands of Cloud And Rain Coming in from the atlantic, there is a bit of sunshine around through the rest of the day and those temperatures are higher than yesterday. Could make 17 degrees in the South East Of England and in the sunshine in the moray firth, possibly 15 degrees here. Still a few showers around, though, as we head into the evening, particularly across scotland. And weve got another band of rain moving into Northern Ireland, heading eastwards overnight. There wont be much rain on that at all and either side of that will have clearer skies. So it may well be a bit chillier than last night for england and wales and a few early mist and fog patches perhaps in the far south east. But you can see this band of cloud and whats left of the rain just dies out as it runs eastwards early on monday morning. So a lot of dry weather following with some sunshine. But then through the afternoon, the winds pick up in the irish sea, Northern Ireland and also in the far west of scotland. And we start to see some more rain arriving, but still mild on monday, temperatures widely 1a or 15 degrees. Weve got southerly winds ahead of that Weather System there. Thats going to bring some more rain, but mostly for the northern half of the uk overnight, clearing away quickly as that low pressure moves away on tuesday morning. And then were left with this Trailing Band of Cloud And Patchy Rain Heading Down towards southern parts of england, brightening up elsewhere with some sunshine. Any showers should tend to fade away. A little bit cooler for scotland and Northern Ireland on tuesday, still 1a or 15 for southeastern areas, but a bit of rain later in the day for the south west of england. That will move northwards overnight and into wednesday, perhaps across wales, northern england, south east scotland, a lot of uncertainty about wednesdays weather. Theres hardly a breath of wind. Much of scotland, Northern Ireland may well be dry. So to southeastern parts of england, where weve got the milder conditions hanging on here. But there is another Weather System to continue this very unsettled theme as we head overnight and into thursday. This one coming in from the atlantic, bringing some wetter weather for northern areas. By thursday, that should have cleared much of scotland and Northern Ireland with some sunshine for a while. And then increasingly light and patchy rain heads down across england and wales before it turns damp and cloudy later in Northern Ireland and western scotland. So weve got temperatures of 13 or 1a celsius. This is bbc news, the headlines. Yulia navalnaya, the wife of the late russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny has been in berlin at a protest against Vladimir Putin on the final day of voting in the president ial elections. There are queues at some Polling Stations in russia with opposition supporters taking part in a silent ballot box protest. Benjamin netanyahu defies International Warnings not to go into the densely populated rafah, he said no pressure will stop him from continuing his planned offensive. Ukraine has confirmed it hit an oil refinery In Southern Russia overnight, as part of a campaign to undermine the russian economy. The kremlin however said the strike and other attacks were timed to disrupt the Russian Election and a State Of Emergency in iceland after a fourth volcanic eruption in as many months. The village of grindavik is evacuated, only weeks after residents were allowed to return. As well as the popular blue lagoon. Here are some live pictures from jerusalem, in the coming months we are expecting a Press Conference to be held by the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and german chancellor 0laf schultz. 0laf schultz has been on a tour of the