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[00:00:10] Live from London. This is BBC
[00:00:13] News. Fifa says its boss Gianni Infantino
[00:00:17] Infantino strongly denies claims claims that Uefa paid off a woman
[00:00:20] woman described as his lover when
[00:00:21] when he was head of European football's
[00:00:24] football's governing body. At least least three people, including a child,
[00:00:27] child, have been killed in overnight overnight Russian attacks near the
[00:00:30] the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. Oman
[00:00:33] Oman and Iran have said their negotiations negotiations over new arrangements
[00:00:36] arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz Hormuz have been positive and constructive.
[00:00:39] constructive. As another ship is
[00:00:41] is reportedly struck in the waterway,
[00:00:44] waterway, Spain imposes border controls controls against Italy as a row over
[00:00:47] over immigration grows. Washington
[00:00:51] Washington pledges $1 billion in in security assistance to Colombia
[00:00:55] Colombia after Abelardo de la Espriella Espriella is sworn in as president, president, promising a hard line
[00:00:58] line approach to drugs and crime.
[00:01:01] crime. The US Senate has confirmed confirmed President Trump's former
[00:01:04] former lawyer Todd Blanche, as the the new Attorney General, despite
[00:01:07] despite concerns about the independence
[00:01:09] independence of the Justice Department.
[00:01:20] Department. Hello, I'm Samantha Simmonds, Simmonds, European football's governing governing body. Uefa has confirmed
[00:01:24] confirmed that a payment was made
[00:01:26] made to a departing member of staff
[00:01:28] staff in 2016, after the Daily Telegraph Telegraph reported that the woman
[00:01:31] woman was Gianni Infantino's lover lover at the time. The current Fifa
[00:01:35] Fifa boss was UEFA's general secretary. secretary. Uefa says the payment,
[00:01:38] payment, which also included covering covering the fees for a course at
[00:01:41] at a business school, met its rules rules at the time, but they have
[00:01:45] have since been tightened. Leigh
[00:01:47] Leigh Milner reports. Gianni Infantino
[00:01:51] Infantino was already under pressure pressure over his future as Fifa
[00:01:53] Fifa president. Now he's facing fresh
[00:01:56] fresh questions over claims a woman woman he allegedly had an affair
[00:01:59] affair with was given a six figure figure severance payment by Uefa.
[00:02:03] Uefa. The Daily Telegraph says the the alleged relationship happened
[00:02:06] happened while Infantino, who is
[00:02:08] is married, was UEFA's general secretary. secretary. He strongly denies it.
[00:02:12] it. His spokesman told the paper
[00:02:14] paper the claims are categorically
[00:02:16] categorically untrue and says there there was never a complaint about
[00:02:19] about his behaviour. In a statement, statement, Uefa said it was aware
[00:02:23] aware of the allegations and can can confirm a departure payment was
[00:02:26] was made to the individual in question, question, coupled with the payment
[00:02:30] payment of fees for an MBA course course at a local business school.
[00:02:33] school. The payment was in line with with the regulations that existed
[00:02:37] existed for departing staff at the
[00:02:38] the time. This comes after calls
[00:02:41] calls for Infantino to resign over over a completely separate controversy.
[00:02:45] controversy. He wanted to sell stakes stakes in the World Cup to private
[00:02:49] private investors. That caused a a huge backlash and the plan was
[00:02:53] was eventually dropped. Gianni Infantino Infantino has since apologised for
[00:02:56] for what he called errors, but he
[00:02:59] he hasn't stepped down. He's been
[00:03:01] been busy trying to strengthen his his relationships with officials
[00:03:04] officials and politicians who back back him, like here in Colombia.
[00:03:07] Colombia. He's had the support from from senior figures at Fifa and from
[00:03:11] from football authorities in Africa Africa and South America. But with
[00:03:15] with his future still in question,
[00:03:16] question, the BBC's South America America correspondent Ione Wells
[00:03:19] Wells later asked him if he would
[00:03:21] would step down. Infantino Will you
[00:03:24] you resign after your plan to sell sell off part of Fifa failed? A word
[00:03:27] word for BBC News. What is your response
[00:03:29] response to Europe? Who say they'll
[00:03:31] they'll boycott the World Cup? Infantino.
[00:03:35] Infantino. For now he remains in in the job. But these latest claims
[00:03:39] claims mean the questions around
[00:03:40] around his future aren't going away.
[00:03:43] away. Leigh Milner BBC News. Well,
[00:03:46] Well, let's speak to Henry Winter Winter now. He's a football journalist
[00:03:49] journalist who has been following following the Infantino saga. Henry,
[00:03:52] Henry, welcome to you. It really really is a saga. It's been going going on for a few weeks now. And
[00:03:56] And where does these latest revelations revelations leave his position, do
[00:04:00] do you think. Hi, Samantha. Well,
[00:04:02] Well, he strongly denies them. As
[00:04:04] As he pointed out in the Fifa statement
[00:04:07] statement last night. And we have
[00:04:09] have to start with that. But what
[00:04:12] what it is is the pressure is ramping
[00:04:14] ramping up and whether the people people within Fifa, I mean not everyone
[00:04:18] everyone in Fifa, which is an organisation organisation of 960 people and obviously
[00:04:22] obviously there are people at the the top, whether it's the Fifa Council Council or members of the management
[00:04:26] management board who will have their their own views on him as an individual
[00:04:29] individual and also the plan as you you highlight the World Cup sell
[00:04:32] sell off plan, and they will have
[00:04:34] have issues with that. So the pressure
[00:04:37] pressure will ratchet up and it will will come externally from the media,
[00:04:41] media, it will come from Uefa and and it will come from within. And
[00:04:44] And it's just a question of how much
[00:04:46] much pressure and scrutiny he is is himself is prepared to take or
[00:04:50] or whether he just says no, enough enough is enough and walk away. I
[00:04:53] I mean, so far he's shown little
[00:04:56] little inclination of that, but these these headlines, which obviously obviously he strongly denies, can't
[00:05:00] can't be easy to live with. To what what extent do you think he has managed
[00:05:03] managed to shore up support? Because Because we have had various countries
[00:05:06] countries like Mexico, like Argentina Argentina saying they support him.
[00:05:09] him. How important is that? Well, Well, it was no surprise when he
[00:05:13] he went for his crisis meeting. It
[00:05:15] It was in Rabat, Morocco, in Africa,
[00:05:17] Africa, which is the heartland of of his support. 54 member associations
[00:05:21] associations of CAF. That's a quarter quarter of the 211 member associations
[00:05:25] associations of Fifa. So very important. important. You know, he does have
[00:05:28] have support around the world and and there was support in certain
[00:05:31] certain parts for this plan of his
[00:05:35] his because $40 million is a lot
[00:05:36] lot of money to quite a few national national associations throughout
[00:05:40] throughout the world, less so in in Europe, which obviously got the
[00:05:43] the Wealthy League's wealthier countries. countries. But yeah, I mean, there
[00:05:47] there absolutely is support for him. him. But the clock is ticking because
[00:05:51] because we're now within four weeks weeks of the first Fifa tournament,
[00:05:55] tournament, which is the women's
[00:05:56] women's under 20s in Poland. And
[00:05:59] And obviously there is this Uefa,
[00:06:01] Uefa, this European threat of withdrawing
[00:06:03] withdrawing if effectively he doesn't doesn't go. So what is going to happen,
[00:06:07] happen, do you think in all likelihood
[00:06:10] likelihood with that threat, will will Uefa follow through? How do
[00:06:13] do you predict a saga? I mean it's it's you know it's a giant slalom.
[00:06:17] slalom. It zigzags each way every
[00:06:18] every day. Statements, counter statements,
[00:06:21] statements, headlines stories more more scrutiny, more pressure. I mean,
[00:06:24] mean, you wait for a very much standing standing firm on this. I think it's
[00:06:28] it's going to be the crunch over over the under 20s. And then of course
[00:06:31] course we move into the Women's World World Cup qualifiers in October.
[00:06:35] October. The senior Lionesses will
[00:06:37] will be playing in that. So I think think when it actually starts hitting
[00:06:40] hitting the sport, I think people people within Fifa may just have
[00:06:43] have a quiet word and say Johnny, Johnny, time to go. We will see won't
[00:06:46] won't we? As you say, the clock is is ticking. Henry Winter. Thank you.
[00:06:50] you. Pleasure. To Ukraine now. And
[00:06:53] And three people, including a child, child, have been killed overnight overnight in Russian attacks near
[00:06:57] near the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Kyiv. It happened in the east of
[00:07:00] of the city. And witnesses say residential residential buildings and a fuel
[00:07:03] fuel tank were hit. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Ukraine's military said its drone
[00:07:06] drone struck two Russian oil refineries refineries as part of a long running
[00:07:10] running strategy to disrupt Russia's Russia's oil production, which it it says are being used to finance
[00:07:14] finance its war in Ukraine from Kyiv.
[00:07:16] Kyiv. Dan Johnson sent this report.
[00:07:20] report. This is the level of destruction destruction Russian drones are inflicting
[00:07:24] inflicting on Ukrainian family homes. homes. They struck after midnight
[00:07:27] midnight here, taking the lives of
[00:07:28] of a three-year-old boy and his grandparents,
[00:07:32] grandparents, his brother and their their parents were injured, along
[00:07:35] along with a neighbour who tried
[00:07:36] tried to save them. Ukrainian prosecutors prosecutors say this could amount
[00:07:40] amount to a war crime. Svetlana lives
[00:07:44] lives next door. My husband rushed
[00:07:46] rushed to get water to put out the the fire, but that didn't help. The
[00:07:50] The neighbours rushed out trying trying to rescue a small child but
[00:07:53] but they couldn't find the child.
[00:07:59] child. This is where the sacrifices sacrifices of Ukrainian soldiers
[00:08:03] soldiers are commemorated. But recent recent strikes have highlighted the
[00:08:05] the ongoing risk to ordinary people people because Ukraine says it just
[00:08:09] just doesn't have what it needs to
[00:08:11] to defend its skies. The other key key priority here is pushing for
[00:08:15] for tougher sanctions against Russia.
[00:08:20] Russia. And so President Zelensky
[00:08:21] Zelensky is for the first time visiting
[00:08:24] visiting Serbia, a traditional Russian Russian ally, one of the few countries
[00:08:27] countries not to impose sanctions.
[00:08:30] sanctions. In a time of war, we value
[00:08:33] value and are deeply grateful for for the help Ukraine receives from
[00:08:35] from other countries and other nations.
[00:08:39] nations. Ukraine has again been targeting targeting Russian oil facilities
[00:08:42] facilities in the latest round of of attacks. Both sides have exchanged
[00:08:46] exchanged in this increasingly dangerous dangerous phase of the war. Don Johnson,
[00:08:50] Johnson, BBC News Kyiv. Oman has
[00:08:53] has joined Iran in saying that their their negotiations over new arrangements
[00:08:56] arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz
[00:08:58] Hormuz have been positive and constructive. constructive. But the Omani foreign
[00:09:01] foreign Ministry warned against attacks attacks on ships passing through through the waterway, saying that
[00:09:05] that they not only broke international international law but threatened
[00:09:08] threatened the security of the region. region. Iran has continued to fire
[00:09:11] fire at vessels using a different different route from the one it is
[00:09:14] is authorised. It's authorised even even as it's been negotiating with
[00:09:18] with Oman. Well, with me now is Siavash Siavash Ardalan from BBC Persian.
[00:09:21] Persian. Siavash, welcome to you. you. Exactly a week ago we were talking talking about this very thing and
[00:09:25] and thinking that a deal had been been done or there were suggestions suggestions that there had been a
[00:09:28] a week on. Are we any closer? And
[00:09:30] And if so, do we know the exact details?
[00:09:33] details? We don't. In fact, Iranians, Iranians, in all fairness, had said
[00:09:36] said that the talks are close to to completion and it was the way
[00:09:39] way the US had construed and presented presented these talks as if everything
[00:09:43] everything is now resolved. That's That's why Donald Trump is holding holding back the Strait of Hormuz
[00:09:47] Hormuz will be open and so on. That That gave that sense of urgency or
[00:09:50] or as if something imminent was about
[00:09:52] about to happen. Now both Iran and
[00:09:55] and Oman have confirmed these talks talks are taking place. These talks
[00:09:58] talks have been positive and they they are probably close to completion.
[00:10:01] completion. But it's just how the the US will respond to this. What
[00:10:04] What the Iranians want is that the
[00:10:06] the US goes back to that memorandum memorandum of understanding, which,
[00:10:10] which, as you remember, was very
[00:10:12] very favourable to Iran. Iran then
[00:10:14] then alleged that the US reneged reneged on those promises and attacked
[00:10:18] attacked Iran again. So what Iran
[00:10:19] Iran is asking is not just a return
[00:10:22] return to that MOU, but also a more
[00:10:25] more a higher figure in terms of of the compensation that it's asking
[00:10:29] asking for initially at the time
[00:10:30] time of the ceasefire, Iran had asked asked for $300 billion for the war
[00:10:34] war reconstruction, and that was was supposed to come through a reconstruction reconstruction fund that different
[00:10:38] different countries in the region region would contribute towards. towards. They haven't given a figure,
[00:10:42] figure, but when they say compensation, compensation, they're probably talking talking about the damage inflicted
[00:10:46] inflicted on Iran after that cease
[00:10:48] cease fire broke and the US started started carrying out those massive
[00:10:52] massive attacks on Iran's civilian
[00:10:55] civilian infrastructure as well as as military targets. Meanwhile, shipping
[00:10:59] shipping still at a standstill through through the Strait of Hormuz and
[00:11:01] and pretty much and this these talks
[00:11:04] talks don't address the wider issues issues that the US and Israel went
[00:11:07] went to war with Iran in the first first place about. Yeah, those issues
[00:11:11] issues were in that memorandum of of understanding. So including the
[00:11:14] the Strait of Hormuz. So Iran is
[00:11:17] is now with Oman. It's reached at at least as far as the Strait of
[00:11:21] of Hormuz is concerned, the kind kind of arrangements they want to
[00:11:24] to have if the US accepts these arrangements,
[00:11:26] arrangements, then at least the issue issue of the Strait of Hormuz will
[00:11:29] will be solved. It will be open. open. But I really doubt that Iran
[00:11:32] Iran would accept this before the the US lifts that naval blockade,
[00:11:36] blockade, which would then allow allow Iran also to start trading
[00:11:39] trading with the world and getting getting some income. And then the
[00:11:42] the issues of sanctions relief and and the nuclear issue. And of course,
[00:11:46] course, the unfreezing of Iranian Iranian assets, which itself amounts
[00:11:48] amounts to tens of billions of dollars.
[00:11:50] dollars. OK. Thank you to Spain now,
[00:11:54] now, which has brought in border border checks on people travelling travelling from Italy, escalating
[00:11:58] escalating a migration row between
[00:11:59] between the two EU countries. Madrid's Madrid's month long suspension applies
[00:12:03] applies not just to citizens of third third countries arriving from Italy,
[00:12:06] Italy, but also to Italians themselves.
[00:12:09] themselves. Spain was angered by by Italy's response to last week's
[00:12:11] week's sudden influx of tens of thousands thousands of would be migrants into
[00:12:15] into the Spanish territory of Ceuta
[00:12:17] Ceuta on Morocco's coast. Italy promptly
[00:12:19] promptly imposed border restrictions restrictions on third country travellers
[00:12:22] travellers from Spain, which will will last until at least mid-August.
[00:12:26] mid-August. Let's go live to Rome Rome in our Europe, correspondent correspondent Sarah Rainsford. And
[00:12:29] And it's quite the diplomatic row row which is impacting on ordinary
[00:12:32] ordinary people now, isn't it, Sara?
[00:12:35] Sara? Yeah that's right. This began, began, as you said just over a week
[00:12:38] week ago, and it's definitely escalated
[00:12:41] escalated overnight with Spain retaliating
[00:12:43] retaliating for the Italian restrictions.
[00:12:45] restrictions. The measures themselves
[00:12:48] themselves involve essentially passengers passengers who are arriving into
[00:12:52] into Spain from Italy being met from from planes and from boats. If there
[00:12:56] there are any cruise liners by extra extra police officers now they're
[00:12:59] they're being met at the terminal terminal before they reach the terminal
[00:13:03] terminal itself, rather than being being taken to passport control. control. But there are now spots
[00:13:06] spots checks being carried out. I I understand from the Spanish police
[00:13:10] police that they're inspecting around around about 10% of the passengers passengers on every flight coming
[00:13:14] coming in, but we're talking about about dozens of flights, I think think around about 200 flights from
[00:13:18] from Italy to Spain today alone. alone. We are at the height of tourist
[00:13:20] tourist season, of course. So this this is happening, this diplomatic
[00:13:24] diplomatic escalation, if you like, like, right? When there is the largest
[00:13:28] largest passenger flow between the the two countries and of course, course, passengers from Spain coming
[00:13:31] coming to Italy are facing similar similar checks here. And so where
[00:13:35] where is this likely to go at the the moment it's for a month. And
[00:13:39] And is the suggestion is the thinking
[00:13:41] thinking that will be it. It. Well
[00:13:44] Well yeah. I mean there's a debate debate going on a political fight
[00:13:48] fight in public. I'm not quite sure sure what negotiations going on behind behind the scenes, but certainly
[00:13:52] certainly this step taken by Spain Spain came because it gave Italy
[00:13:55] Italy an ultimatum. It said, look, look, lift the measures that you've you've implemented. They are politically
[00:13:59] politically motivated. It is scare scare mongering. There is no security
[00:14:03] security threat to Italy from the the fact that tens of thousands of
[00:14:07] of Moroccan primarily migrants, entered entered Ceuta because they've almost
[00:14:10] almost all of them gone back. And And anyway, none of them reached reached the European mainland. So
[00:14:14] So Spain was furious at the Italian Italian reaction and it has now retaliated
[00:14:18] retaliated because Italy said it it wouldn't accept ultimatums, it
[00:14:20] it wouldn't change its position and and that the measures in Italy will
[00:14:23] will stay in place for at least a a couple of weeks. So there's a big
[00:14:27] big debate over how long the two two sides will keep this up. Certainly
[00:14:31] Certainly Italy is pointing to social social media rumours suggesting there
[00:14:34] there may be another surge of migrants
[00:14:37] migrants trying to swim into Ceuta Ceuta on the 15th of August. And
[00:14:40] And Italy is pointing to that saying, saying, look, the security threat, threat, the terror threat they're
[00:14:44] they're saying is severe at the moment. moment. So we're going to keep the
[00:14:47] the measures in place. Spain is simply simply saying this is all politics
[00:14:50] politics and we will retaliate. So So long as Italy continues to implement
[00:14:54] implement these restrictions. So So who knows where this will go. go. But certainly I think it does
[00:14:58] does point to a real serious rift rift at the heart of Europe, frankly,
[00:15:02] frankly, about how illegal migration migration is dealt with very different
[00:15:05] different positions from the left left and the right of politics here here on the continent. OK. Sarah
[00:15:09] Sarah Rainsford. Thank you. And staying
[00:15:12] staying with Spain, hundreds of people people protested in the island of
[00:15:15] of Mallorca against mass tourism tourism in the Balearic Islands.
[00:15:19] Islands. Protesters said locals are are finding it increasingly difficult
[00:15:22] difficult to access housing and that that mass tourism is forcing traditional
[00:15:25] traditional businesses to close. close. Spain is the world's second second most visited country after
[00:15:29] after France and welcomed more than than 96 million tourists last year,
[00:15:33] year, the government estimates that that tourists will contribute $73
[00:15:37] $73 billion to the economy this summer.
[00:15:39] summer. That's up 10% from the same same period last year, reinforcing
[00:15:42] reinforcing tourism's role as a key
[00:15:44] key driver of Spain's economic growth.
[00:15:48] growth. The United States has pledged pledged $1 billion in security assistance
[00:15:52] assistance to Colombia after the
[00:15:53] the inauguration of its new right right wing president, Abelardo de
[00:15:57] de la Espriella. In his fiery maiden
[00:15:59] maiden speech, Mr de la Espriella Espriella pledged to crush armed
[00:16:03] armed insurgents, rebuild the country
[00:16:05] country and defend democracy by reason
[00:16:07] reason or by force. Colombia has has significant natural resources,
[00:16:11] resources, including substantial substantial oil reserves, but is
[00:16:13] is also home to violent drug trafficking trafficking organisations and is
[00:16:17] is the world's leading producer of of cocaine. Colombia's new president
[00:16:20] president is seen as an ally of President President Trump and has pledged to
[00:16:24] to be forceful and decisive against against crime. Our global affairs
[00:16:27] affairs reporter Mimi Swaby is with with me now. Welcome to you. Tell
[00:16:30] Tell us a little bit more about the the new president and what he's pledged
[00:16:33] pledged to do. In his opening speech,
[00:16:36] speech, his maiden speech made at at a military base near Cali. He
[00:16:39] He had some very fiery rhetoric, rhetoric, all centring around his
[00:16:43] his all out war to relentlessly defeat
[00:16:46] defeat so-called narco terrorism. terrorism. Now, Abelardo de la Espriella
[00:16:49] Espriella was a very successful ex-lawyer
[00:16:53] ex-lawyer who actually defended drug drug trafficking paramilitaries before
[00:16:56] before he entered politics. Now he's
[00:16:59] he's vowed a very sharp break with with his leftist predecessor, Gustavo
[00:17:03] Gustavo Petro, replacing peace talks
[00:17:06] talks with relentlessly crushing crushing armed insurgents, rebuilding rebuilding the country and really
[00:17:09] really overhauling the state with with lots of changes in place. It'll
[00:17:13] It'll be interesting to see how many
[00:17:16] many of these very kind of Iron Fist
[00:17:17] Fist policies he's able to push through
[00:17:20] through some he can push through
[00:17:22] through a via decree, but many of of his proposals will require backing
[00:17:26] backing from a divided Congress in in Colombia. So they will perhaps
[00:17:29] perhaps have to be watered down to to be pushed through. He is really
[00:17:33] really come onto the stage, though,
[00:17:35] though, with very strong warnings
[00:17:37] warnings to armed groups in the area.
[00:17:40] area. Interestingly, he had his oath oath office in Cali, not Bogota.
[00:17:44] Bogota. Now Cali is an area where
[00:17:46] where illegal armed groups have a
[00:17:48] a lot of influence. It's a very volatile volatile area, he said in this speech
[00:17:52] speech as well and reiterated today today on social media that Colombia
[00:17:55] Colombia is entering a new era the
[00:17:58] the era of a tiger. Now he's given given himself a very much a self-appointed self-appointed nickname, referring
[00:18:01] referring to himself as a tiger. tiger. And he said that the state
[00:18:04] state is going to use forceful, forceful forceful and decisive action against
[00:18:08] against crime. He's seen images shared shared throughout this campaign of
[00:18:12] of a fanged tiger himself as that that tiger. And he warned that the
[00:18:15] the tiger knows how to bite. So some
[00:18:18] some very clear warnings to armed armed groups and a very strong approach,
[00:18:22] approach, which we really heard in in that speech. And the US, meanwhile,
[00:18:26] meanwhile, has pledged $1 billion billion in security assistance to
[00:18:29] to Colombia. Is that about fighting
[00:18:30] fighting the drug war that. $1 billion
[00:18:34] billion billion in security assistance assistance will partly go to fighting
[00:18:37] fighting drugs? They are very mainly
[00:18:40] mainly produced in Colombia before before heading through other countries
[00:18:42] countries to the US. So it will really
[00:18:44] really target the production as well well as the transportation, but it
[00:18:48] it will also target things as illegal
[00:18:50] illegal immigration. And we saw that
[00:18:52] that from the White House saying saying this package, this funding
[00:18:56] funding will help closer co-ordination co-ordination on border security.
[00:18:59] security. They've also said things
[00:19:02] things like pro growth agenda, which
[00:19:04] which this is something they've called called this new administration's
[00:19:07] administration's outlook is going going to be very useful with trade
[00:19:10] trade going forward. So it's not
[00:19:12] not just a alliance very strong alliance
[00:19:15] alliance on drug trafficking, narco narco terrorism as they call it,
[00:19:18] it, or armed groups. But it'll also also be on things like illegal immigration
[00:19:21] immigration and then positive things things like trade. But President
[00:19:24] President Trump has been a strong
[00:19:27] strong enforcer, endorser of de la
[00:19:30] la Espriella from the moment he stepped stepped onto the podium vying for
[00:19:33] for this presidency. And that seems, seems, though it will continue in
[00:19:36] in a very large sum of money. Day
[00:19:38] Day one as he takes on this new job.
[00:19:40] job. OK, Mimi, thank you. The authorities
[00:19:44] authorities in Thailand say a 12-year-old 12-year-old girl has died from her
[00:19:47] her injuries following a mass shooting shooting at a school on Friday. She
[00:19:50] She is the first child confirmed confirmed to have died in the shooting
[00:19:53] shooting near Bangkok. Eight people, people, including five teachers, teachers, were killed when a 14-year-old
[00:19:57] 14-year-old boy shot two of his grandparents grandparents and then opened fire
[00:20:00] fire at his school before taking
[00:20:02] taking his own life. An overnight
[00:20:06] overnight sitting of the Republican Republican controlled US Senate has has narrowly approved President Trump's
[00:20:10] Trump's former lawyer, Todd Blanche, Blanche, as Attorney General. Mr
[00:20:14] Mr Blanche, who has been acting Attorney Attorney General since April, was
[00:20:17] was approved by 50 votes to 49 after
[00:20:20] after several Republican senators senators relented following weeks
[00:20:23] weeks of uncertainty. Democrats, Democrats, who unanimously, unanimously
[00:20:26] unanimously opposed his appointment, appointment, have questioned if he's he's the right fit for the role,
[00:20:30] role, particularly with his ties ties to President Trump. There was
[00:20:33] was this exchange in particular during during his Senate hearing in July
[00:20:36] July that appeared to underscore underscore those concerns. Are you
[00:20:40] you and President Trump friends? friends? I'm his lawyer. Was his
[00:20:44] his lawyer, and now I'm the deputy deputy Attorney General. So I met
[00:20:47] met him as his criminal defence attorney. attorney. I'm not sure there's very
[00:20:50] very many people who have ever had had a criminal defence attorney who
[00:20:54] who calls that person their friend.
[00:20:57] friend. I now have a well, let me.
[00:20:59] me. Put it this way. Are you enemies? enemies? No, we're not enemies at
[00:21:02] at all. No. I go live to Washington Washington and join our White House
[00:21:06] House reporter Bernd Debusmann. Hi, Hi, Ben. Good to see you. Tell us us a bit more about who Todd Blanche
[00:21:10] Blanche is and why there's been so
[00:21:12] so much controversy over his appointment.
[00:21:16] appointment. Well, I think more than than anything, his proximity with
[00:21:19] with President Trump over the years years as his personal attorney had
[00:21:21] had led to some concern even among among Senate Republicans. But much
[00:21:25] much more recently, there was a lot
[00:21:27] lot of questions about how Mr Blanche
[00:21:31] Blanche handled the $1.8 billion billion anti weaponization fund that that the administration said would
[00:21:34] would be used to compensate alleged
[00:21:37] alleged victims of judicial persecution persecution in previous administrations,
[00:21:41] administrations, as well as his handling handling of the Epstein files. And
[00:21:44] And I think collectively, even among among some of President Trump's political
[00:21:48] political allies, those two things things really did raise a lot of
[00:21:51] of alarm. And that's what led to
[00:21:52] to this very, very razor thin vote.
[00:21:55] vote. The man who actually cast the the deciding vote, Bill Cassidy,
[00:21:59] Cassidy, is a frequent critic of
[00:22:01] of President Trump's. But he said said that he just wasn't sure that
[00:22:05] that if President Trump would end end up nominating someone who he
[00:22:08] he sees as a worst option. So I think
[00:22:10] think even there, you saw quite a a lot of even though the vote was
[00:22:14] was successful, you saw quite a lot lot of dissent from within the Republican
[00:22:17] Republican Party before the vote vote took place. And tell us a little
[00:22:20] little bit more about the role of
[00:22:21] of Attorney General, what it means
[00:22:24] means and what his appointment could
[00:22:26] could mean legally in the country.
[00:22:29] country. Well, he's very much the
[00:22:32] the become now the top law enforcement enforcement officer in the United
[00:22:35] United States. It's an enormously
[00:22:37] enormously influential position overseeing overseeing the really vast Department
[00:22:41] Department of Justice and all the the investigations that it carries
[00:22:43] carries out. And that's part of the
[00:22:46] the concern many Democrats had pointed pointed to him and said that they
[00:22:50] they were concerned that he would
[00:22:52] would essentially serve as the tool
[00:22:55] tool of the Trump administration administration to go after perceived
[00:22:58] perceived political opponents in
[00:22:59] in the future. But it is a very important
[00:23:02] important role in which he does oversee
[00:23:05] oversee essentially the entire federal federal law enforcement bureaucracy.
[00:23:09] bureaucracy. And how long will he
[00:23:10] he be in that role for? Well, at
[00:23:14] at the very least until there's if if there's another administration,
[00:23:18] administration, then it would be be up to them to nominate a new one.
[00:23:21] one. So for at least the next two two and a half years or so, and then
[00:23:25] then depending on who comes to the the White House following the 2020
[00:23:29] 2020 election, it may well be that that there is a different Attorney
[00:23:32] Attorney General. It's a position position that comes and goes most
[00:23:35] most often with changes in administration.
[00:23:37] administration. OK, Ben. Thank you.
[00:23:40] you. Jorge Messi, the father of football football star Lionel Messi, died
[00:23:44] died on Friday night at the age of of 68. His family say he died at
[00:23:48] at a medical clinic in the Argentine Argentine city of Rosario after a
[00:23:51] a long illness. Jorge closely accompany
[00:23:53] accompany his son Lionel throughout throughout his career, beginning
[00:23:56] beginning with his early years at at Barcelona, he acted as a crucial
[00:24:00] crucial pillar of support and for
[00:24:01] for several years served as his representative.
[00:24:06] representative. An iconic piece of of football World Cup history is
[00:24:09] is going up for auction. The ball
[00:24:12] ball that Diego Maradona used to
[00:24:14] to score his infamous Hand of God
[00:24:17] God goal during Argentina's win over
[00:24:19] over England in the 1986 World Cup,
[00:24:21] Cup, has gone on display ahead of of the sale later this month. It's
[00:24:25] It's expected to sell for around
[00:24:29] around $10 million. I think it's
[00:24:31] it's easily the most historic ball
[00:24:34] ball in the realm of soccer. The
[00:24:37] The goal, the both of the goals scored
[00:24:40] scored are just so iconic, so memorable.
[00:24:44] memorable. The ball was kept by the
[00:24:46] the head official from that match
[00:24:48] match and it stayed in his possession possession for several decades. And
[00:24:52] And in recent years it was sold to
[00:24:55] to a private collector. And we are
[00:24:57] are representing that collector here
[00:24:59] here in this auction. As one expensive expensive football. Now the biggest
[00:25:03] biggest celebration of Irish music music and culture in the world has
[00:25:06] has been taking place in Northern Northern Ireland. The Fleadh Festival
[00:25:09] Festival is being held in Belfast Belfast for the first time. Nearly
[00:25:13] Nearly a million people are expected expected to attend the event, which
[00:25:15] which is projected to give the city
[00:25:19] city a £53 million economic boost.
[00:25:23] boost. Now let's leave you with these these pictures of a rather unusual
[00:25:27] unusual marketing stunt a man has has taken up temporary residence
[00:25:31] residence inside a living room built built into a billboard in Los Angeles.
[00:25:34] Angeles. It's part of a promotional promotional campaign for Netflix's
[00:25:37] Netflix's new sci-fi thriller The The Last House. The film follows
[00:25:41] follows a family of four who suddenly
[00:25:43] suddenly find themselves sealed inside inside their home with no way out.
[00:25:47] out. That really is most people's people's idea of a nightmare, isn't
[00:25:50] isn't it? Do stay with us here on
[00:25:51] on BBC News. Thanks for watching.
[00:29:55] latest news wherever you are. Business
[00:29:56] Business on BBC News. Make the connection.
[00:30:07] connection. MUSIC MUSIC
[00:30:12] This is BBC News. The headlines. Fifa says its boss Gianni
[00:30:16] Gianni Infantino strongly denies denies claims that Uefa paid off
[00:30:20] off a woman described as his lover lover when he was head of European
[00:30:23] European football's governing body. body. At least three people, including
[00:30:26] including a child, have been killed killed in overnight Russian attacks attacks near the Ukrainian capital,
[00:30:30] capital, Kyiv. Moscow has significantly significantly upped its attacks on
[00:30:33] on the Ukrainian capital in recent recent months. Police are appealing
[00:30:37] appealing for anyone who believes believes they may have been a victim
[00:30:39] victim of the convicted sex offender offender and murderer, Simon Levy
[00:30:43] Levy to come forward. Counter-Terrorism Counter-Terrorism police are investigating
[00:30:47] investigating the death of former former MP Ann Widdecombe have reopened
[00:30:50] reopened an inquiry into a report report of an attempted burglary at
[00:30:53] at a London address in April last
[00:30:56] last year, and it's the largest celebration celebration of Irish music and culture culture in