Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC 20240703 : vimarsana.com

BBCNEWS BBC July 3, 2024

Like mud brick, and nearly every one was damaged. Ten people here were killed and the survivors face sleeping out in the Cold Mountain air for a second night. As rescuers dig to find victims, families rush to dig Graves Islamic Tradition requires bodies to be buried as soon as possible. In the past few hours, moroccos king, mohammed vi, held an emergency cabinet meeting. The government has told local authorities to stockpile tents, food and drinking water. Authorities are also rushing to reinforce the National Stock of blood, and people have been queuing up to make donations. The bbc� s nick beake sent this report from the Atlas Mountains. First, the panic, as they run for their lives. We have just arrived we havejust arrived in we have just arrived in the project that has been worst affected. This is in the Atlas Mountains. We were greeted by the sight of an elderly woman wailing, tears streaming down herface, and that wailing, tears streaming down her face, and that is because already they have recovered 18 bodies just in this place alone. This is the hospital, and you can see some people are outside waiting for news of loved ones who have been treated. Lots of people are camping out for the night because they are too frightened to go back in, they are worried about aftershocks, they are worried that another earthquake will come. Just talking to some people here, they say they are desperately short of food and water and they really need supplies. The trouble is it is difficult to get up here. On our route up here, all the roads were strewn with rocks and boulders and other debris, and boulders and other debris, and that is difficult for rescuers but also for people from the ambulance service. Although we have seen some people from the red crescent just arrive here. It is night time now but as you can see, there is lots going on. They have been working overnight and at times they will be going very quiet here listening out for any signs of life, but as is always the case with dreadful earthquakes like this, there is a window to try and find people, and with every hour that passes, the likelihood of finding people alive really does diminish. Earlier, i spoke to journalist martin jay. He runs the newsite maghrebi. Org. He was inside his home in marrakesh during the quake. Martin thank you so much for being with us and for taking the time during a very difficult moment. Could you describe the situation where you are . Describe the situation where ou are . ~. ,. , describe the situation where ou are . ~. ,. ,. , you are . Well, i am at the foot hill at the you are . Well, i am at the foot hill at the atlas you are . Well, i am at the foot hill at the Atlas Mountains you are . Well, i am at the foot hill at the Atlas Mountains and | hill at the Atlas Mountains and you could argue it is one of the worst hit small towns in the worst hit small towns in the whole region, publishing of about 30,000 people. But today i am hearing reports of naught than more than 200 dead, and still a lot of people still being pulled out under the rubble. So it is interesting that in your report, we touched on what was going on in marrakesh, the old city, some of the older properties, but nick really now the focus for the moroccan government and its various departments and the gendarmerie and police and the police of cilia is to look at the deep south and such towns and small villages in the region where really the most damage has been done. find damage has been done. And martin, if damage has been done. And martin, if you damage has been done. And martin, if you would, just describe to us the moment when that earthquake struck, what you yourself experienced . Horror, actually. I dont think i have ever been so frightened and confused and vulnerable altogether. The sensation of having your bedroom shaking and the floor shaking underneath you while you are sort of still almost asleep is pretty terrifying. But, you know, within a second or two, i grabbed my wifes hand, i pulled her across the bed and we got the hell out as quick as we got the hell out as quick as we could, within one or two seconds, you know, rushing past an entire internal wall that had collapsed a metre in front of my bedroom door, so we literallyjumped over bricks literally jumped over bricks and literallyjumped over bricks and rubble which had burst through, made a huge hole in the wooden suspended floor in that side of the house. We got out immediately, and it still took a couple of minutes to sink in that we had experienced an earthquake. Living in morocco, you dont tend to think earthquakes can happen, it is not by those countries that you think too freely it would have earthquakes. A lot of people we interviewed today were completely confused, there is at the same thing, they were totally confused and frightened and very, very, very grateful to be alive and you know, to get out of that, when you consider the number of poor people today lost their lives of people who lost their families. I of people who lost their families. Of people who lost their families. I mean, utterly terrifying. Families. I mean, utterly terrifying, the families. I mean, utterly| terrifying, the description families. I mean, utterly terrifying, the description you are giving us there. And i wonder, speaking to those other people that have been affected, people that have been affected, people we know that have lost their homes, what are they doing now . You said they have beenin doing now . You said they have been in shock, but where are they staying, if their homes have collapsed . They staying, if their homes have collapsed . That is a good question have collapsed . That is a good question. The have collapsed . That is a good question. The emphasis, have collapsed . That is a good question. The emphasis, i question. The emphasis, i think, on the operation has been getting, you know, Public Sector departments into these villages and into these towns, getting the army involved, and the air force sending helicopters around the atlas region, looking for the next disaster sewn. And i think, in the scramble to do that, they have been a few oversights and one of them is probably exam what you touched on, you know, a lot of people who have lost their homes havent got anywhere to go. We are hearing reports that there are motions in play to create Refugee Centres of some sort, shelters where people can get a bed and blanket and something to eat, but we havent seen that yet. And i think, i hope that the king and his advisers who are having meetings today to discuss the Bigger Picture on how to tackle this problem will actually include some programme which will quickly address the number of people who havent got homes. And also, there are an awful lot of people in morocco who are refusing to go back into their homes, just riff losing point blank because we have had warnings from the moroccan government today and from the us embassy that they will be further tremors today and this evening, so that has spooked an awful lot of people. So, you know, the situation is a bit up in the air and no one really knows what to do next. Martinj there, we thank you so much for sharing those insights with us, and do take care, thank you. World leaders have agreed on a joint declaration at the g20 summit in delhi calling for a durable peace in ukraine. The text says. All states involved in the conflict must refrain from the use of force for territorial gain. But theres no reference to russian aggression. It reads in part quote. We highlighted the Human Suffering and negative added impacts of the war in ukraine with regard to global food and energy security, supply chains, Macro Financial stability, inflation and growth. The text from last years summit reads in part. The g20 deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against ukraine and demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of ukraine. Live now to White House Reporter for the washington post, matt viser. Matt, i want to start with the declaration which used softer langauge on ukraine. The us was a signatory to that text. What does that say about us support of ukraine . Yes, i mean, i do think that there was a moment in some of there was a moment in some of the debate where it was seen by diplomats, including from the us, very important to have a joint declaration. But the trade off and having a joint declaration was to water down some of the language from just a year ago in bali that they had arrived at. 0fficials close to President Biden say it should not be interpreted as any backing away from support for ukraine, but it is an indication to the current global situation, indication to the current globalsituation, us indication to the current global situation, us officials said also pressed, their indian counterparts to invite president zelensky to address the forum, perhaps in a virtual nature, the way that he did a day a year ago, and i did not happen this time at this conference as well. So, i think we are hearing a little bit from ukrainian leaders some disappointment that the text was arrived at by diplomats here in new delhi. find was arrived at by diplomats here in new delhi. Was arrived at by diplomats here in new delhi. And on that oint, here in new delhi. And on that point. You here in new delhi. And on that point. You do here in new delhi. And on that point, you do have here in new delhi. And on that point, you do have to here in new delhi. And on that point, you do have to wonder, | point, you do have to wonder, and do we know whether President Biden� s advisers have heard at all from the ukrainians directly on this . We dont know ukrainians directly on this . Dont know at the moment. They are in close contact, i know from other instances, quite frequently. So i would imagine they have been hearing from their ukrainian counterparts some of the disappointing the language here. So it comes at a time when the Biden Administration is trying to pass a supplemental budget, they are trying to infuse more money into the war effort so it comes on the one side of some new Financial Support but on the other, may be symptomatic disappointment from ukraine. I want to talk about other relationships weve seen on the world stage at this summit. President biden appeared to once again try and strengthen the relationships with india once again and he shook hands with Saudi Crown Prince mohamed bin salman. Are we seeing a change in the biden adminisrtation� s Foreign Policy . You are seeing another aspect of their of reorienting against china, and i think they are willing to do things that may be in the past they would not have done. In the name of rearranging this area of the world. And you reference the handshake that he had with a crown sort of bringing to mind the fist bump that President Biden had a year ago injeddah that received a lot of criticism in the United States for President Biden seeming to overlook some the human right and Press Freedoms Issues that the United States has and he has had with saudi arabia in pursuit of oil negotiations. And here again you are seeing him shake hands with Mohammed Bin Salman in pursuit of a new deal that will link india and europe through the middle east, so that deal is quite significant from the United States perspective but the lengths that which they are going to do it, i think, will no doubt have some criticism at home, particularly eve of the september 11 anniversary of those attacks where families are already criticising President Biden. Briefly, if ou President Biden. Briefly, if you dont President Biden. Briefly, if you dont mind, President Biden. Briefly, if you dont mind, not President Biden. Briefly, if you dont mind, not have l President Biden. Briefly, if you dont mind, not have been said about the us seeking to court countries away from chinese influence, but i wonder is this going both ways . Are these countries looking to washington in the face of chinese rhetoric, particularly when it comes to issues over the South China Sea is, for example in recent months . Yes, i do think there example in recent months . Yes, i do think there is example in recent months . Yes, i do think there is a example in recent months . Yes, i do think there is a lot example in recent months . Yes, i do think there is a lot of i do think there is a lot of back and forth between United States and a lot of the countries. We should note that President Biden heading this morning, leaving new delhi en route to hanoi. To announce some new partnerships with vietnam. As part of this. And vietnam. As part of this. And vietnam sort of stepping closer towards an alliance with the United States, which is viewed quite significantly from this white house as another step in courting nations in south asia and reorienting against china. The White House Reporterfor the washington post, matt, thank you for being with us, good to talk to. The g20 also welcomed the africa union as a permanent member on saturday, in a historic expansion of the economic bloc. The african union, a body of 55 member states, now has the same status as the european union. This is the g20s first expansion since it formed in 1999. 0n the sidelines of the g20, leaders announced plans to create a modern day spice route linking europe, the middle east and india. The new rail and shipping corridor would help the flow of energy and trade by cutting shipping times, costs and fuel use. It will link middle east countries by railway to india by port. Staying in southeast asia, President Biden travels to vietnam after the g20. The us and vietnam are expected to declare themselves strategic partners, as a counter to beijings influence in asia. Earlier i spoke to our correspondent Laura Bicker In Hanoi and i began by asking her about that upcoming visit. This is called a comprehensive Strategic Partnership. What it really means is that vietnam and washington will have closer ties than ever before. Vietnam has three tiers when it comes to developing partnerships. Washington was in the lower one, now its going to be right on the top. That puts them level with both china and russia here in vietnam. For washington, there are many, many benefits. They are trying to counter chinese influence in asia. They are also trying to encourage businesses to so called � de risk� away from china. That means they could encourage more businesses to come to vietnam. That is already happening to some extent. There are also deals to be done on the likes of semiconductors and supply, for instance, when it comes to vietnam. And also weve been to a factory where they are making electric batteries for scooters. That is the kind of industry where vietnam believes it can start to lead the way in southeast asia. But when it comes to the United States, they are looking towards china and they are saying, look, we are here in your back yard doing a deal with your neighbour. So laura, talking about that Strategic Partnership then they are expected to sign, how significant do you think this pact is . A pact between two former foes, essentially . I think when it comes to. I have spoken to a number of analysts on this and they do say it is more symbolic than significant. But they say its huge when it comes to these ties between vietnam and of course the United States. Vietnam has managed to emerge from its brutal and bloody past. The two sides, america and vietnam, have also managed to create quite a close bond over the last 50 years and in the last few years for instance, President Biden has sent most of his cabinet. He has sent the defence secretary, he has sent his Vice President , he sent his foreign secretary. This is a deal they have wooed vietnam with and i think this is the culmination of all of that work when President Biden arrived here today and when he signs that comprehensive Strategic Partnership. There was a bit of talk that it wasnt going to be raised to that level, that only one tier was going to be raised, but it does seem that washington has managed to get the deal and encouraged vietnam tojoin forces. Laura, talking about those optics then, where do you think this leaves the relationship between vietnam and china . As i mentioned, we are right here in beijings back yard. I dont think this will mean that hanoi in any way will step away from its neighbour, china. They do have a very, very close relationship, but in recent months, for instance, there have been difficulties over the South China Sea, tensions have been raised. And last week, even here from State Media Reports that vietnamese fishermen where Water Cannoned by a chinese fishing vessel. And that has emerged in State Media Reports. So that is the kind of action that is taking, tension that is taking place in the South China Se

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