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[00:00:10] MUSIC
[00:00:11] Live from London. This is BBC News.
[00:00:14] News. Power failure causes major major disruption across railways
[00:00:17] railways in the Midlands and the the north-west of England. New strikes
[00:00:21] strikes hit two refineries deep inside inside Russia as a wave of Ukrainian
[00:00:25] Ukrainian drones target the country.
[00:00:28] country. Iran says a deal with Oman Oman on the Strait of Hormuz is in
[00:00:31] in its final stages. What are the the details, though, of any deal?
[00:00:35] deal? And will the US agree? Calls
[00:00:38] Calls for an independent inquiry inquiry into a military base in North North Yorkshire, where four young
[00:00:42] young women have told the BBC they
[00:00:44] they were sexually assaulted and
[00:00:48] and harassed and can Gianni Infantino Infantino remain as Fifa president?
[00:00:51] president? Uefa has insisted they
[00:00:53] they will still boycott the World
[00:00:55] World Cup. Well, let's return to
[00:01:02] to that breaking news of the last last hour here in the UK getting
[00:01:05] getting reports of major disruptions disruptions right across the railways
[00:01:09] railways due to a power failure, failure, according to National Rail.
[00:01:12] Rail. It's impacting services in in the Midlands, in Greater Manchester
[00:01:16] Manchester and the northwest of England. England. However, the disruption
[00:01:18] disruption could spread much further further and is expected to last until
[00:01:21] until the end of the day. So what what train lines are we actually
[00:01:25] actually talking about? Let's go go through those. Those affected
[00:01:27] affected include Avanti West Coast,
[00:01:29] Coast, East Midlands, northern TransPennine
[00:01:32] TransPennine Express and Transport Transport for Wales. Well, the issue
[00:01:35] issue has reported to have been caused
[00:01:37] caused by an electricity supply failure
[00:01:40] failure at a communications centre. centre. So what exactly do we know?
[00:01:43] know? Well National Rail well they they first announced disruption on
[00:01:46] on social media just after 2pm local
[00:01:49] local time. In that statement, they they warned about disruption in the
[00:01:52] the Greater Manchester area, the the Midlands and the north-west of
[00:01:55] of England. Then replying to a customer
[00:01:58] customer query, National Rail said said rail replacement transport has
[00:02:01] has not been arranged at this time. time. That could mean that thousands
[00:02:04] thousands of commuters have been been left without alternative means
[00:02:08] means of travel. So let's get right right up to date with our correspondent
[00:02:11] correspondent Sean Dilley. He's here here with me again. And Sean, just
[00:02:14] just tell us the latest of what we we know here. Well, let's start with
[00:02:17] with some breaking news courtesy
[00:02:19] courtesy of the BBC's transport correspondent correspondent Katy Austin, who has
[00:02:22] has spoken to sources at Network Network Rail. Now we understand that
[00:02:25] that there was a power supply failure failure specifically in the Ardwick
[00:02:29] Ardwick area of Manchester. It wasn't
[00:02:31] wasn't just the railway that was
[00:02:33] was impacted, but it did affect Network Network Rail's regional operating
[00:02:37] operating centre and that houses houses all of the controls to safely
[00:02:40] safely operate the railway. Now that that would include signalling, which
[00:02:43] which we know was said to be one one of the reasons for the fault.
[00:02:46] fault. There was a delay to a back-up
[00:02:49] back-up supply kicking in as well. well. Now, part of what we understand
[00:02:52] understand at the moment is that that all affected trains had to stop.
[00:02:56] stop. So the aim and the operation operation behind the scenes now is
[00:03:00] is to get all of those trains into
[00:03:02] into the stations to get that signalling
[00:03:04] signalling system back up and running. running. Now the railway is of course
[00:03:08] course incredibly busy. The timetables timetables are exceptionally complex,
[00:03:11] complex, so you have an awful lot
[00:03:13] lot of companies those people working
[00:03:16] working for Department for Transport Transport operator of course, which which is essentially going to be
[00:03:20] be nationalised Railways and Network Network Rail working together to
[00:03:24] to get those trains up and running
[00:03:26] running even though it looks like
[00:03:29] like the power supply issues are are being taken care of, we do expect
[00:03:32] expect that that disruption is going going to continue throughout the the day. So that is the breaking
[00:03:36] breaking news here on BBC News. There There was worry. I read it there
[00:03:39] there in the introduction of actually actually the potential for this to
[00:03:42] to spread. So give us a rough idea
[00:03:45] idea of the amount of trains that that we're actually talking about
[00:03:48] about that have been brought to a a standstill roughly. And the potential
[00:03:51] potential for that to actually increase. increase. Yeah. Well, we don't have
[00:03:54] have an actual number. We imagine imagine it's around a thousand just
[00:03:57] just based upon our knowledge of of how the rail networks work. Having
[00:04:00] Having reported fairly substantially
[00:04:03] substantially on transportation issues.
[00:04:05] issues. Yes, it can have an incredibly
[00:04:09] incredibly impactful sort of, if if you like, impact on other train train operating companies because
[00:04:12] because train drivers, train staff,
[00:04:15] staff, railway workers have to travel travel using the entire rail network
[00:04:19] network to get to their places of of work. I know it sounds a bit trite trite to say that everything is connected.
[00:04:23] connected. Indeed it is. And if everything everything is connected, if there
[00:04:26] there is disruption, there is potential potential for knock on there. So
[00:04:30] So there is now obviously a substantial
[00:04:33] substantial amount of work under under way to try to return those
[00:04:37] those services. Let's just quickly
[00:04:38] quickly remind viewers of the Network
[00:04:41] Network Rail National Rail spokesperson spokesperson saying this is expected expected to cause major disruption
[00:04:44] disruption until the end of the day.
[00:04:46] day. They said if you're travelling travelling Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry,
[00:04:49] CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Railway, London, Northwestern, northern,
[00:04:53] northern, TransPennine express or or transport for Wales in the affected
[00:04:56] affected area, your train may be be cancelled, delayed or revised.
[00:04:59] revised. And they added that people people should please allow extra extra time to make their journeys
[00:05:03] journeys this afternoon. You may may need to use an alternative route
[00:05:06] route or change trains partway through
[00:05:08] through to reach your destination. destination. Sean, thanks for taking
[00:05:12] taking us through all of that. Well, Well, we were talking about trains
[00:05:16] trains brought to a standstill. The The passengers affected are North North of England. Correspondent Rowan
[00:05:20] Rowan Bridge was one on one of those those delayed trains. He just sent
[00:05:23] sent us this update. Have a look.
[00:05:25] look. This service left Manchester Manchester Piccadilly just after
[00:05:29] after 1:15 this afternoon and we we realised there were problems not
[00:05:31] not long after that because the train train sort of juddered to a halt.
[00:05:35] halt. It then sat there for a while while and then finally made it through through to Macclesfield. But then
[00:05:39] then it basically sat at Macclesfield Macclesfield for the best part of
[00:05:42] of an hour. We're now clear of that that and you may be able to tell
[00:05:46] tell the train is now on its way way down to London, but other services
[00:05:50] services that left Manchester after after us haven't been so fortunate. fortunate. The reason we've made
[00:05:54] made it through is that they were were able to basically guide the
[00:05:56] the train through the last of the the problems with the signalling signalling and onto the track where
[00:06:00] where it was clear and that's why why we're on the move. But the services
[00:06:04] services behind us haven't been so so fortunate. They are still caught
[00:06:07] caught up in all the signalling problems, problems, and that means they're
[00:06:09] they're going to face even more significant significant delays than we're facing
[00:06:12] facing at the moment. We're due into into Euston about an hour or so later
[00:06:16] later than we were meant to arrive arrive there, but thankfully we are are going to make it. But it's going
[00:06:19] going to cause disruption for people people like us who are trying to
[00:06:23] to make connections onto other services. services. Well, that was Rowan Bridge.
[00:06:26] Bridge. Let me point you again to to the live page on the website because
[00:06:30] because that is being constantly constantly updated because information
[00:06:33] information is so important in a a situation like that. I'll just
[00:06:36] just repeat that line that Katy Austin, Austin, our transport correspondent,
[00:06:39] correspondent, had given to Shaun Shaun and that was details from Network
[00:06:42] Network Rail talking about the electricity electricity problem that they had
[00:06:45] had and then going on to say there there was a delay to the back-up
[00:06:49] back-up supply kicking in. That meant meant the signalling went down and
[00:06:51] and that meant that all trains had
[00:06:53] had to stop so that some of the explanation
[00:06:57] explanation that is coming out already already after this major power failure
[00:07:00] failure affecting so many trains
[00:07:01] trains in different parts of England.
[00:07:04] England. Let's turn to Russia and
[00:07:08] and Ukraine because that Russia Ukrainian Ukrainian drones have hit two refineries
[00:07:11] refineries in Russia. A huge column column of smoke now hangs over the
[00:07:15] the city of Yaroslavl after an attack attack on one of the country's largest
[00:07:18] largest facilities. It's a stark stark reminder that long range strikes
[00:07:21] strikes are bringing the war in neighbouring
[00:07:23] neighbouring Ukraine deep into Russian Russian territory, Ukraine's president
[00:07:26] president said they targeted the the refinery and another one as well,
[00:07:30] well, where two people were reported reported dead as part of their efforts
[00:07:33] efforts to cut revenues which fund fund the Kremlin's war effort. The
[00:07:36] The region's governor called it the the largest attack ever, saying 93
[00:07:40] 93 drones were destroyed. But that's that's only part of the picture because
[00:07:44] because across Russia, the military military says it's intercepted around
[00:07:47] around 600 Ukrainian drones heading heading for targets as far apart
[00:07:50] apart as Moscow and the Black Sea. Sea. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, at least
[00:07:54] least ten deaths have been reported reported following the latest wave
[00:07:56] wave of Russian air attacks. These These images are from Zaporizhzhia,
[00:08:00] Zaporizhzhia, where Russian drones drones hit an apartment block, injuring
[00:08:03] injuring two civilians. Our correspondent correspondent Dan Johnson sent this
[00:08:06] this from Kyiv. This is a deliberate deliberate Ukrainian strategy to
[00:08:09] to take the war deeper into Russian Russian territory, to make the Russian
[00:08:13] Russian people really feel the impact. impact. President Zelensky says this
[00:08:17] this is primarily about hitting the the Kremlin in the coffers, having
[00:08:19] having a real impact on the economy
[00:08:21] economy and trying to make sure that
[00:08:24] that the Russian military can't get get the supplies and the fuel that
[00:08:27] that it needs to continue the war war against Ukraine. But there is
[00:08:30] is an acknowledgement that this means
[00:08:33] means disruption, destruction to to civilian infrastructure. The Wildberries Wildberries warehouses, which have
[00:08:37] have been hit repeatedly over the the past few weeks. Another one of
[00:08:41] of those was damaged last night. night. They've had workers killed killed in those facilities, and that
[00:08:45] that is no doubt having an impact
[00:08:47] impact on the sort of ordinary business business that people in Russia rely
[00:08:51] rely on this network for. It's a
[00:08:54] a small business retailer that distributes distributes items, everyday items
[00:08:57] items that so many millions of Russians Russians rely on. So those attacks
[00:09:01] attacks have had a real world impact impact for ordinary Russians and
[00:09:04] and the oil refineries that is making
[00:09:08] making petrol short in supply. We've We've seen huge queues over the last
[00:09:11] last couple of months as petrol has has been running out and prices have
[00:09:14] have soared. So no doubt that is
[00:09:16] is also putting pressure on the Russian Russian people and the refinery.
[00:09:19] refinery. One of them that was hit hit last night 400 miles from Ukraine,
[00:09:23] Ukraine, is one of Russia's biggest biggest which has been hit before. before. But the regional governor
[00:09:27] governor said this was one of the the largest attacks on that refinery
[00:09:30] refinery that Ukraine had launched launched so far. Dan Johnson now
[00:09:33] now Alexander Khara is the executive executive director of the centre
[00:09:36] centre for Defence Strategies in in Kyiv and former assistant to Ukraine's
[00:09:40] Ukraine's Minister of defence. I I asked him a little earlier on the
[00:09:43] the programme how effective Ukraine's Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil
[00:09:46] oil refineries have been in recent
[00:09:47] recent months. It's difficult to
[00:09:50] to assess the efficiency and effectiveness effectiveness of those strikes because
[00:09:54] because Russia still fights back
[00:09:56] back and the Russians didn't rule
[00:10:00] rule out the long, let's say, prolongation
[00:10:03] prolongation of this war into 2027
[00:10:06] 2027 to 2028. For sure they are going going to mobilise more people after
[00:10:10] after the so-called elections to to the Russian parliament. But anyway,
[00:10:13] anyway, we have no other choice but
[00:10:15] but to bring war back to Russia and
[00:10:18] and to undermine the resource base
[00:10:21] base of the Russian war machine.
[00:10:24] machine. And there are 2 or 3 goals
[00:10:26] goals for that. First, it's the direct
[00:10:29] direct affection to the war machine. machine. Second, it's the we just
[00:10:33] just showing the Russian people that that the war is not something in
[00:10:36] in Ukraine. It's not a shooting range
[00:10:38] range in Ukraine, but war is affecting
[00:10:41] affecting them financially. And in in terms of security. And certainly
[00:10:45] certainly we're trying to strike
[00:10:48] strike and to push Putin and his his circle to negotiate something,
[00:10:51] something, even though we believe believe that there is a slim chance,
[00:10:54] chance, at least so far. So part part of that. I assume it's not just
[00:10:58] just hitting oil refineries. We've We've seen these whole series of
[00:11:01] of attacks on the Wildberries factories. factories. That is an important part.
[00:11:05] part. What you've just described, described, isn't it impacting ordinary
[00:11:08] ordinary Russians, impacting the the economy and trying to impact
[00:11:12] impact the psychology of Vladimir
[00:11:14] Vladimir Putin? Well, you're right
[00:11:16] right and Wildberries is not just
[00:11:18] just about impacting the cycle of
[00:11:20] of the Russians. They use this platform platform for delivery of dual use
[00:11:24] use goods, drones and components
[00:11:26] components for their war. And certainly certainly there is a financial cost
[00:11:29] cost for Russia because it's been been financed by VTB, the second
[00:11:33] second largest. And the Russians Russians call this system Bank of
[00:11:36] of Russia. And now they have a debt debt problem and the government is
[00:11:40] is trying to cover that, and they they are trying to please the ordinary
[00:11:43] ordinary Russians with some reimbursement reimbursement for the losses of their
[00:11:47] their businesses. So it's not just
[00:11:49] just a cycle, it's economy. And it's
[00:11:52] it's the system that distributed distributed the dual use goods. Let's
[00:11:56] Let's turn from the war in Russia Russia and Ukraine to the war with
[00:12:00] with Iran, because with reports of of a possible breakthrough over the
[00:12:03] the Strait of Hormuz, Iran says they're they're close to finalising an interim
[00:12:06] interim agreement with Oman over over that vital waterway, which has
[00:12:09] has effectively enclosed since the the start of the conflict back in
[00:12:12] in February. Pakistan, which is mediating mediating between the United States
[00:12:15] States and Iran, says it hopes an an agreement will lead Washington
[00:12:18] Washington and Tehran to resume talks talks and resolve their conflict.
[00:12:22] conflict. Well, if confirmed, a deal deal might begin to ease an economic
[00:12:26] economic crisis that has shaken markets. markets. But it could cement Iranian
[00:12:30] Iranian control over the maritime maritime chokepoint. Let's talk to to Ali Vaez. He's deputy programme
[00:12:33] programme director for the Middle Middle East and North Africa at the
[00:12:36] the International Crisis Group. Ali Ali Vaez, welcome to the programme.
[00:12:40] programme. So we appear to be edging
[00:12:42] edging towards a deal. But what deal? deal? That seems to be the crucial
[00:12:45] crucial question. It's great to be
[00:12:48] be with you. Well, this deal at this
[00:12:50] this stage, the first phase is just just an agreement between Iran and
[00:12:54] and Oman on how to administer the
[00:12:57] the Strait of Hormuz in a 2 to 4
[00:13:02] 4 month timeline. It creates a temporary
[00:13:07] temporary route that will direct direct all of the inbound traffic
[00:13:11] traffic through the northern corridor, corridor, hugging the Iranian coastline
[00:13:14] coastline and all the outbound traffic traffic through the southern corridor
[00:13:17] corridor in Oman's territorial waters.
[00:13:20] waters. But this is not the same same as reopening the strait. The
[00:13:24] The strait will only reopen when when there is also a understanding
[00:13:27] understanding between Iran and the the United States to return to the
[00:13:31] the agreement they had back in June. June. The memorandum of Understanding,
[00:13:35] Understanding, in which the US also also would have to remove its own
[00:13:38] own blockade provide Iran with sanctions sanctions relief and also end the
[00:13:42] the war in Lebanon. And what do you you make of the likelihood of the
[00:13:46] the second part of what you said said the US agreeing to whatever
[00:13:50] whatever Iran and Oman agree? Well,
[00:13:54] Well, at this stage, the odds are
[00:13:56] are not that negative because I think
[00:13:58] think President Trump realised with
[00:14:00] with almost two weeks of tit-for-tat
[00:14:03] tit-for-tat escalation between Iran Iran and the US., that there is really
[00:14:07] really no military solution to reopening
[00:14:09] reopening the Strait of Hormuz and
[00:14:11] and the continuation of the blockade blockade is going to be problematic,
[00:14:15] problematic, especially given high high energy prices in the United United States in the run up to the
[00:14:19] the mid-term elections. So I think
[00:14:20] think there is now a degree of pragmatic
[00:14:24] pragmatic recognition of the fact fact that a diplomatic solution to
[00:14:27] to this issue is better than and
[00:14:31] and less costly than a military one.
[00:14:35] one. So there is, I think, the possibility possibility that the mediators, Pakistan
[00:14:39] Pakistan and Qatar, will try to get
[00:14:40] get the two sides back into negotiations
[00:14:44] negotiations and a return to the
[00:14:45] the MoU. Before we get to that point,
[00:14:48] point, not much has been said around
[00:14:50] around tolls. Donald Trump so many many times has said and insisted
[00:14:54] insisted that won't happen, but may may there end up being a different
[00:14:57] different sort of arrangement, a a different sort of wording about
[00:15:00] about some sort of payment for navigational
[00:15:03] navigational facilities, which effectively effectively ends up being the same
[00:15:07] same thing. Well, my understanding understanding is that at least at
[00:15:10] at this point during the temporary temporary pilot phase of implementation
[00:15:13] implementation of this new route,
[00:15:15] route, there is not going to be tolls. tolls. And the MOU between Iran and
[00:15:19] and the US also required that during
[00:15:21] during the 60 day period of implementation, implementation, there will be no
[00:15:24] no fees. And if Iran and the US get
[00:15:27] get back into the MOU, the clock clock would be reset on that timeline.
[00:15:31] timeline. So not in the short run, run, but in the medium to long-term.
[00:15:34] long-term. It is possible that there there would be some sort of voluntary
[00:15:38] voluntary fees and voluntary. Here
[00:15:40] Here is the key phrase because based
[00:15:44] based on international law, if for for provision of services, emergency
[00:15:48] emergency or environmental related related services, yeah, there is
[00:15:51] is a fee. If it's not compulsory compulsory it is not a violation
[00:15:55] violation of international law. Really, Really, really quick thought if you you would because Donald Trump has
[00:15:58] has said yet again that Iran would would be hit very hard if the strait
[00:16:02] strait did not open very soon. Have Have threats like that. Has the traction
[00:16:06] traction gone away because so many many times they've been made and
[00:16:08] and not carried through? Not really.
[00:16:11] really. I think Iran has called President President Trump's bluff multiple
[00:16:15] multiple times and doesn't really really take it seriously and is, is, you know, one of the consequences
[00:16:18] consequences of this war against against Iran is that the Iranians Iranians are no longer afraid of
[00:16:22] of US military power. As great as
[00:16:25] as always to have you on the programme programme and your analysis. Thanks
[00:16:27] Thanks so much for joining us. Thank Thank you. We're going to take a
[00:16:30] a short break around the world and
[00:16:32] and across the UK. You're
[00:17:34] Economist will tell us about her her experience. It's all on The Media
[00:17:36] Media Show on BBC News. Welcome back.
[00:17:44] back. Let's talk Fifa because European European football's governing body
[00:17:47] body says teams could still boycott boycott competitions including the
[00:17:50] the World Cup, with Uefa insisting insisting that Fifa's defence of
[00:17:53] of its president Gianni Infantino Infantino changes nothing. Infantino
[00:17:57] Infantino has received the backing backing of his top officials after
[00:18:00] after days of questions over his his leadership and apologise for
[00:18:03] for errors that were made in controversial controversial plans to sell off stakes
[00:18:06] stakes in competitions to private private investors. Well, after a
[00:18:10] a meeting of his senior executive executive in Morocco yesterday, Gianni
[00:18:13] Gianni Infantino now looks set to
[00:18:15] to fight for re-election come March.
[00:18:17] March. The Confederation of African African Football hasn't commented
[00:18:21] commented commented so far. Today Today they're meeting to discuss
[00:18:24] discuss the proposal that Fifa has has already abandoned. Well, let's
[00:18:28] let's talk live to Jim Boises, former former Vice President of Fifa and
[00:18:32] and honourary life, president of of the Irish Football Association.
[00:18:35] Association. And Jim, welcome here here to the programme. What do you
[00:18:38] you make, first of all, of that decision
[00:18:41] decision from Fifa management to
[00:18:43] to back Infantino yesterday? Well,
[00:18:45] Well, it doesn't surprise me in the the slightest, Matthew. I mean these
[00:18:48] these people are employees of Fifa.
[00:18:51] Fifa. It's their jobs. Their jobs
[00:18:53] jobs are at stake. And I think it it was perfectly obvious that they
[00:18:57] they were going to come out and hand
[00:18:59] hand back the President because obviously
[00:19:02] obviously it's their livelihood and and it doesn't surprise me in the
[00:19:05] the slightest. How perilous is his
[00:19:07] his position, do you think? Well,
[00:19:10] Well, I think his position is quite
[00:19:13] quite perilous, but I think an awful awful lot depends my hearing what
[00:19:17] what Uefa and I have just read the
[00:19:19] the statement. They don't appear appear to be backing down. I have
[00:19:23] have always said that a World Cup Cup without the European teams in
[00:19:26] in it, it just wouldn't work. But
[00:19:29] But there's more serious problems problems initially because the Women's
[00:19:32] Women's World Cup qualifiers are
[00:19:35] are taking place in October of this
[00:19:37] this year and at this point in time,
[00:19:40] time, Uefa have said that their European
[00:19:43] European teams will not be playing playing in these qualifiers. So.
[00:19:46] So. And you really think that's a a possibility do you think of not
[00:19:49] not just talking about a boycott boycott but actually going through
[00:19:52] through with it? Women and men? Well
[00:19:56] Well they've said so they've said
[00:19:58] said and I think now somehow for
[00:20:02] for this to be resolved. Gianni Infantino Infantino and obviously the President
[00:20:06] President of Uefa have got to somehow
[00:20:08] somehow sit down and have got to to try to resolve, which is a very
[00:20:12] very serious situation. I mean, Gianni
[00:20:14] Gianni Infantino, as I said before,
[00:20:16] before, I knew when he was the general general secretary of Uefa and he
[00:20:20] he just appeared to have gone power
[00:20:23] power mad and egotistically mad.
[00:20:24] mad. So, you know, he needs to really
[00:20:27] really back down and he needs to
[00:20:29] to really try and get Fifa back to
[00:20:31] to what they're meant to do. And And that is promote football and
[00:20:34] and I mean football throughout the the world. He is of course defended
[00:20:37] defended himself. He's apologised apologised for bringing forth all
[00:20:41] all of these plans. But as I said said in the introduction, we've got
[00:20:44] got this African Federation meeting
[00:20:46] meeting as well. How important will
[00:20:49] will their positioning be? And that that was very interesting. That sort
[00:20:52] sort of offer around Morocco hosting hosting the World Cup finals. What
[00:20:55] What did you make of all of that?
[00:20:57] that? Well, first of all, I don't don't know what the African position
[00:21:01] position will be. Several countries countries in Africa have already
[00:21:04] already come out on a back Gianni
[00:21:07] Gianni Infantino as far as this so-called so-called report of Morocco possibly
[00:21:11] possibly getting the World Cup finals finals concerned, that shouldn't shouldn't be a decision for Gianni
[00:21:15] Gianni Infantino. That should be
[00:21:17] be a decision for the 37 members
[00:21:20] members of the Fifa Council. Now
[00:21:22] Now they should decide on the best best stadium to host the World Cup
[00:21:26] Cup final. After all, Spain, Portugal
[00:21:29] Portugal and Morocco have all decided
[00:21:31] decided that they will be hosting hosting the 2030 World Cup. So I
[00:21:35] I don't think that's Gianni Infantino
[00:21:39] Infantino position to, to give Morocco Morocco the final. It's a matter
[00:21:43] matter for the in my opinion, the
[00:21:44] the Council of Fifa. Final quick quick question because as yet we
[00:21:48] we don't have any sort of contender contender who might stand against
[00:21:51] against him. I suppose that helps
[00:21:52] helps him. As of now you know him.
[00:21:55] him. You know how much of a powerbroker
[00:21:58] powerbroker he is. You know how he he works behind the scenes. Can you
[00:22:01] you see a situation still that despite despite this furore that exists now
[00:22:05] now that he can see it off? Yes,
[00:22:08] Yes, I do. I think that I think someone
[00:22:12] someone may well challenge him now. now. I mean, three weeks ago it appeared
[00:22:16] appeared that there was over 200 200 associations had already given
[00:22:18] given him his backing. So he's going going to walk in, I think now he
[00:22:22] he may face a challenge, but at the the end of the day, even though he
[00:22:26] he does face a challenge, I'm not not sure there's somebody strong
[00:22:30] strong enough that would be able able to defeat him. Well, Jim Boyce,
[00:22:33] Boyce, great to have you on the programme. programme. I know we had a bit of of trouble with your line a little
[00:22:37] little earlier. I'm glad that we we got it working and got to talk talk to you. So thank you so much
[00:22:41] much for joining us. Been a pleasure.
[00:22:43] pleasure. Thank you. Now to important important story that you saw in the
[00:22:47] the headlines a little earlier because because four young women have told
[00:22:50] told the BBC they were sexually assaulted assaulted and harassed at an Army
[00:22:53] Army training college for teenagers teenagers in North Yorkshire. One
[00:22:56] One said she was raped by several several of her fellow junior soldiers
[00:23:00] soldiers in an attack that lasted lasted for hours. In a statement,
[00:23:03] statement, the army said unacceptable unacceptable and criminal behaviour
[00:23:06] behaviour has absolutely no place place in our armed forces. Our senior
[00:23:10] senior UK correspondent Sima Kotecha Kotecha has more. And a warning her
[00:23:13] her report contains distressing details.
[00:23:16] details. It ruined my life. I've
[00:23:18] I've lost all my confidence. The
[00:23:22] The words of women who went to the the largest army training college
[00:23:25] college in the country for 16 and
[00:23:27] and 17 year-olds. Speaking to the the BBC for the first time. It needs
[00:23:31] needs to be closed down and I don't
[00:23:33] don't get why it hasn't. It just
[00:23:35] just doesn't make sense. The Army Army Foundation College in Harrogate
[00:23:39] Harrogate is for teenagers who want want a life in the armed forces,
[00:23:42] forces, but now it's at the centre centre of serious allegations from
[00:23:45] from several women who went to the the college in recent years. Claims
[00:23:49] Claims of harassment and sexual assault. assault. They were like, do you want
[00:23:52] want to come into the room? And me
[00:23:55] me being a naive 17-year-old girl girl was like, yeah, fine. Tilly,
[00:23:59] Tilly, not her real name, says she she was raped by fellow recruits.
[00:24:03] recruits. They started taking my my clothes off and then this led
[00:24:07] led to them doing stuff I didn't
[00:24:09] didn't consent to. There were a lot
[00:24:11] lot of them. They touched me in places,
[00:24:14] places, made inappropriate comments, comments, calling me a thing rather
[00:24:18] rather than a girl. Like some of of the other women we spoke to, Tilly
[00:24:21] Tilly reported it to the police. police. We're not providing the full
[00:24:24] full details of all their investigations
[00:24:26] investigations to protect their identity. identity. Monica, also not her real
[00:24:30] real name, says she too was attacked attacked by a junior soldier. Stood
[00:24:34] Stood against the door so I couldn't couldn't get out. He then pushed
[00:24:37] pushed himself up against me and and started kissing my face and touching
[00:24:40] touching me all over. He sexually sexually assaulted me. All of the
[00:24:44] the women we've spoken to went to to this college over the last five
[00:24:48] five years. Data obtained by the
[00:24:50] the BBC through a Freedom of Information
[00:24:52] Information request shows that North
[00:24:54] North Yorkshire Police recorded 16
[00:24:56] 16 sexual offence crimes over the
[00:24:58] the last year at this college, including
[00:25:02] including voyeurism and exposure exposure and sexual assault. These
[00:25:05] These are recorded complaints and and it's not clear how many led to
[00:25:09] to prosecutions. If this was anywhere anywhere else it would have been been closed down by now. I think
[00:25:13] think as a matter of urgency, there
[00:25:14] there should be an independent inquiry
[00:25:17] inquiry into the college led by someone
[00:25:19] someone with significant safeguarding
[00:25:22] safeguarding expertise. A recent recent Ministry of Defence survey
[00:25:25] survey suggests almost 70% of women women in the armed forces experienced
[00:25:29] experienced at least one sexualised sexualised behaviour in the last
[00:25:32] last year. In 2021, Gunner Jaysley
[00:25:35] Jaysley Beck took her own life at
[00:25:37] at her barracks in Wiltshire months months after she was sexually assaulted
[00:25:40] assaulted by Warrant officer Michael
[00:25:43] Michael Webber last year, a coroner coroner ruled the assault and the
[00:25:46] the army's failure to take appropriate appropriate action more than minimally
[00:25:50] minimally contributed to her death. death. Webber was jailed for six
[00:25:53] six months. It's difficult to think. think. Almost five years on from
[00:25:57] from the loss of our daughter, that
[00:26:00] that this still continues and no
[00:26:01] no real change has been made, despite
[00:26:04] despite what we're speaking up and
[00:26:07] and it's still ongoing. And that
[00:26:09] that is heartbreaking to see. Brave
[00:26:13] Brave of the young soldiers to come come forward. I urge anybody to speak
[00:26:17] speak up. But yeah, heartbreaking.
[00:26:21] heartbreaking. The government defines defines a child as anyone under 18.
[00:26:25] 18. In response to the allegations allegations made in this report,
[00:26:28] report, the Ministry of Defence says
[00:26:31] says unacceptable and criminal behaviour behaviour has absolutely no place
[00:26:34] place in our armed forces and these
[00:26:36] these reports are extremely distressing distressing and serious. It says
[00:26:39] says it's created the Defence Serious
[00:26:42] Serious Crime Command, which is independent independent and outside of the army
[00:26:45] army chain of command and has a specialist
[00:26:48] specialist team who help victims
[00:26:49] victims throughout the process of
[00:26:53] of justice. The Army is a tough training
[00:26:56] training environment with high standards, standards, but the supervision and
[00:26:59] and discipline of junior recruits recruits and their instructors is
[00:27:02] is now in sharp focus. After so many
[00:27:07] many serious allegations. Sima Kotecha,
[00:27:10] Kotecha, BBC News. I'm going to have have more on all of our headline
[00:27:14] headline stories here in about 15 15 minutes' time. Next up, Ben is
[00:27:17] is here with all today's business business news. Back
[00:28:51] Celsius mark on Tuesday.
[00:30:56] American people. For the latest, latest, follow us on the President's. President's. Path here on BBC News.