Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:14Live from London. This is BBC
00:00:16News. Strikes hit two refineries refineries deep within Russia as
00:00:19as a wave of Ukrainian drones is is reported across the country. We'll
00:00:22We'll be looking at the impact of
00:00:24of the war on the Russian economy economy in Ukraine. Russian attacks
00:00:28attacks on several regions leave leave at least five dead and several
00:00:31several injured. As the Confederation Confederation of African Football
00:00:34Football meet, we ask if they'll they'll continue to back the beleaguered
00:00:38beleaguered president Gianni Infantino Infantino Iran says a deal with Oman
00:00:41Oman on a shipping route through through the Strait of Hormuz is now
00:00:44now in its final stages and with
00:00:46with progressive Democrat Abdul Al-Sayed's Al-Sayed's victory in Michigan's Michigan's Senate primary will also
00:00:50also take a look at what this means means for the party ahead of the
00:00:54the mid-terms. Hello, I'm Lucy Hockings,
00:01:04Hockings, welcome to BBC News Now. Now. We begin in Russia where Ukrainian
00:01:07Ukrainian drones have hit two refineries. refineries. A huge column of smoke
00:01:11smoke now hangs over the city of
00:01:13of Yaroslavl after an attack on one one of the country's largest oil
00:01:16oil facilities. It's a stark reminder reminder that long range strikes
00:01:19strikes are bringing the war in neighbouring neighbouring Ukraine deeper into
00:01:23into Russian territory. Ukraine's Ukraine's President Zelensky, saying
00:01:25saying they targeted the refinery refinery and another in Bashkortostan,
00:01:29Bashkortostan, where two people are are reported dead as part of its
00:01:32its effort to cut the revenues which which fund the Kremlin's war effort.
00:01:36effort. The region's governor calling calling it the largest attack ever,
00:01:39ever, saying 93 drones were destroyed. destroyed. But that's only part of
00:01:42of the picture across Russia, the the military says it's intercepted
00:01:45intercepted and destroyed over 600 600 Ukrainian drones heading for
00:01:49for targets as far apart as the Moscow Moscow region and the Black Sea.
00:01:52Sea. The attacks in Ukraine continue
00:01:54continue as well. Five Ukrainians Ukrainians confirmed as having died
00:01:58died in Russian attacks overnight. overnight. These images you're seeing
00:02:01seeing here from Zaporizhzhia, where where Russian drones hit an apartment
00:02:04apartment block, injuring two civilians. civilians. So let's take you now
00:02:07now live to Kyiv. We can join our our correspondent there, Dan Johnson.
00:02:11Johnson. Dan, what is President Zelensky
00:02:13Zelensky had to say about these latest
00:02:16latest tactics hitting Russian oil
00:02:18oil refineries? And also Wildberries,
00:02:21Wildberries, the Russian equivalent
00:02:23equivalent of Amazon? Yeah. This This is a deliberate Ukrainian strategy
00:02:27strategy to take the war deeper into into Russian territory, to make the
00:02:30the Russian people really feel the the impact. President Zelensky says
00:02:34says this is primarily about hitting hitting the Kremlin in the coffers, coffers, having a real impact on
00:02:38on the economy and trying to make
00:02:41make sure that the Russian military military can't get the supplies and
00:02:44and the fuel that it needs to continue continue the war against Ukraine.
00:02:47Ukraine. But there is an acknowledgement
00:02:49acknowledgement that this means disruption, disruption, destruction to civilian
00:02:52civilian infrastructure. The Wildberries Wildberries warehouses, which have have been hit repeatedly over the
00:02:56the past few weeks. Another one of of those was damaged last night.
00:02:59night. They've had workers killed killed in those facilities, and that
00:03:02that is no doubt having an impact
00:03:05impact on the sort of ordinary business business that people in Russia rely
00:03:08rely on this network for. It's a
00:03:11a small business retailer that distributes distributes items, everyday items
00:03:15items that so many millions of Russians Russians rely on. So those attacks
00:03:19attacks have had a real world impact impact for ordinary Russians and
00:03:22and the oil refineries that is making
00:03:25making petrol short in supply. We've We've seen huge queues over the last
00:03:29last couple of months as petrol has has been running out and prices have
00:03:32have soared. So no doubt that is
00:03:34is also putting pressure on the Russian Russian people and the refinery.
00:03:37refinery. One of them that was hit hit last night 400 miles from Ukraine,
00:03:41Ukraine, is one of Russia's biggest biggest which has been hit before. before. But the regional governor
00:03:44governor said this was one of the the largest attacks on that refinery
00:03:47refinery that Ukraine had launched launched so far. And one of the worst
00:03:51worst nights in a very long while while for Ukraine yesterday. And
00:03:54And you went down to the site of of one of those strikes. And then
00:03:58then we heard President Zelensky
00:03:59Zelensky call once again for sanctions
00:04:03sanctions regimes on Russia to be be expanded and extended. He's asked
00:04:06asked for that time and time again, again, but also making the point
00:04:10point that he still needs more weapons
00:04:12weapons from the West. Yes, he has
00:04:17has repeatedly pushed for more Patriot Patriot missile interceptors. The
00:04:20The US made air defence system, which
00:04:22which is at the most effective defence
00:04:25defence against ballistic missiles. missiles. And those are what was
00:04:28was primarily targeted at Kyiv the the night before. Last night, Russia
00:04:31Russia only fired four ballistic ballistic missiles, but there was
00:04:34was a huge wave of drones fired towards
00:04:38towards Ukraine, a hundred of them them and 66 of those shot down by
00:04:41by the Ukrainians last night. So
00:04:42So we've seen More destruction across
00:04:45across this country and the death death toll is rising. At least five five confirmed. But we're hearing
00:04:49hearing the death toll across the the country in different places may
00:04:52may be as high as ten, given the the attacks that were launched last
00:04:55last night on different cities. There There have been deaths in Kharkiv.
00:04:58Kharkiv. There is a power cut in in Kherson after the electricity
00:05:02electricity network there targeted targeted by Russian drones. There's There's also been another attack
00:05:06attack on the port in Odesa. Two
00:05:08Two dry cargo ships were hit there there and a sailor has been killed.
00:05:11killed. So right across the country. country. Although last night's bombardment
00:05:14bombardment wasn't as intense as as the night before, people are still
00:05:18still feeling the impact. There were were sirens in Kyiv last night, but
00:05:21but no repeat of the night. Before's Before's attack on this city. But
00:05:24But in other parts of Ukraine, people people are still counting the cost
00:05:26cost today. Dan, thank you so much. much. Dan Johnson joining us there
00:05:30there live in Kyiv. We're going to
00:05:31to be looking again throughout the
00:05:34the programme at what impact the the strikes deep inside Russia are
00:05:38are having on the economy there. there. And also these attacks on
00:05:41on Wildberries as well. So do stay
00:05:42stay with us for that. But when Fifa Fifa president Gianni Infantino's
00:05:46Infantino's plan to sell off stakes
00:05:47stakes in the World Cup first broke, broke, you know, sparked outrage
00:05:51outrage right around the world. But But the Confederation of African African Football remains silent.
00:05:55silent. In the next few hours they they are finally meeting to discuss
00:05:58discuss the now abandoned proposal. proposal. Mr Infantino looks set
00:06:01set to fight for re-election for for a fourth term next March after
00:06:04after receiving the backing of senior senior executives. He summoned members
00:06:07members of the management board to to Fifa's offices in Morocco on Wednesday
00:06:11Wednesday following mounting criticism criticism of those aborted proposals.
00:06:13proposals. And in a letter to Fifa Fifa members seen by the BBC and
00:06:17and signed by Infantino and Secretary Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom,
00:06:20Grafstrom, they said they sincerely sincerely apologise for their errors
00:06:24errors and commit to them not happening
00:06:28happening again. They reaffirmed
00:06:31reaffirmed their support for Infantino Infantino as president. However,
00:06:35However, the statement also said said the organisation will no longer
00:06:38longer tolerate any attacks on its its integrity, good governance and
00:06:41and due process and will take all all necessary measures to protect
00:06:44protect and safeguard its name and and reputation. African football
00:06:47football expert Piers Edwards is is in Rabat, where that meeting took
00:06:50took place last night. He is currently
00:06:53currently commentating for CAF at at the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
00:06:56Nations. There's certainly not necessarily necessarily agreement about the plans
00:06:59plans to sell off the World Cup. Cup. We've seen a handful of African African leaders already come out
00:07:03out to say that they welcome the the fact that that plan has been
00:07:06been aborted, but they very much much have pledged and offered their
00:07:09their support to Gianni Infantino. Infantino. He does have pretty much
00:07:13much widespread support across the the continent. Africa helped him
00:07:16him get elected back in 2016. He
00:07:19He then helped the current Confederation Confederation of African Football.
00:07:23Football. CAF president Patrice Motsepe
00:07:25Motsepe assume his role in 2021 and
00:07:27and Motsepe, the South African, is is very supportive of Infantino.
00:07:31Infantino. He calls him a loyal friend, friend, he says. Where I come from,
00:07:34from, you don't stab loyal friends friends in the bank, he in the back.
00:07:37back. He also relishes Fifa's support, support, makes no secret of the fact
00:07:40fact that he welcomes their aid in in helping Africa develop and come
00:07:44come forward. Today's meeting here,
00:07:47here, with CAF, is a virtual meeting.
00:07:49meeting. There's a lot on the agenda agenda for CAF to discuss, but the
00:07:53the World Cup sell off plan is one one of them. But I would be hugely
00:07:57hugely surprised if there is anything anything other than wholesome support
00:07:59support that comes out for Gianni Gianni Infantino at the end of it.
00:08:02it. Piers, tell us a bit more about about some of the smaller African
00:08:05African nations in the state of football football there and why they are so
00:08:09so desperate for more money and more
00:08:10more funding? Well, they simply just just don't have the funds as you
00:08:14you well know, and many viewers will
00:08:16will know. Africa has its own problems
00:08:19problems in terms of funding, in in terms of finance and governments governments have far bigger priorities,
00:08:23priorities, let's be honest, than than football. They've got to get get infrastructure right. They've They've got to get hospitals right.
00:08:27right. They've got to tackle whatever whatever the challenges may be. So
00:08:29So funnily enough, they don't have
00:08:32have money to give to football federations federations to spend on supporting
00:08:36supporting the game. Now, travel travel here in Africa is incredibly
00:08:39incredibly expensive. That should should not be underestimated. There's
00:08:42There's not a lot of money for infrastructure infrastructure and all that money
00:08:44money comes basically from Fifa and
00:08:46and it's a huge help to the continent.
00:08:49continent. Take someone like Mauritania Mauritania for example, 98% sand
00:08:53sand of the country. It didn't have have much development until a few
00:08:55few years ago with Fifa money. It
00:08:57It built proper pitches. It built built proper federation. And for
00:09:01for the first time in the last decade, decade, it's not just qualified for
00:09:04for the Africa Cup of Nations. The
00:09:06The premier football event on the the continent once but three times.
00:09:09times. So it makes a huge, huge amount amount of difference. And the absence,
00:09:12absence, of course, is that they they simply don't get the money and and cannot develop otherwise. So
00:09:16So they are very, very reliant on on Fifa funds and therefore they
00:09:19they will pretty much dance to the the tune of whoever may be the Fifa
00:09:23Fifa president. Piers, can I ask ask you to address or tell us what's
00:09:26what's being said in Rabat about about something we're all seeing seeing online a lot at the moment?
00:09:29moment? And I know it is just speculation,
00:09:32speculation, but the sort of rumour rumour that Morocco is really asking
00:09:36asking now for the World Cup final
00:09:39final to take place there rather rather than in Spain for the next
00:09:42next World Cup. Well, there's a statement statement out which says that this
00:09:45this is denying the fact that the the 2030 World Cup final has been
00:09:48been promised by Gianni Infantino Infantino to Morocco. Morocco is
00:09:50is a country that has invested huge huge amounts of money in football football in recent years. It's hosting
00:09:54hosting this latest Women's Africa Africa Cup of Nations where, incidentally, incidentally, Gianni Infantino and
00:09:58and Mattias Grafstrom were watching
00:10:00watching a game last night. But politically,
00:10:02politically, given that they are are co-hosting the 2030 finals with with both Spain and Portugal, we
00:10:06we know that Uefa has come out very
00:10:10very strongly against Infantino. Infantino. Well, it would make sense
00:10:12sense should it be true to obviously obviously curry favour with the Africans
00:10:16Africans boozy lecture the head of of the Moroccan Football Federation
00:10:20Federation is a hugely influential influential powerbroker in African
00:10:22African football. And if Morocco
00:10:24Morocco could get the World Cup final
00:10:28final and Fifa genuinely promised promised it to them, then obviously obviously he could disseminate the
00:10:31the rest of that to the continent continent to further back support
00:10:35support for Infantino. Incidentally, Incidentally, if they do get it,
00:10:37it, it will be in 115 000 seater
00:10:40seater stadium just out outside Casablanca, Casablanca, which would be one of
00:10:44of the biggest ever. But obviously obviously you could imagine the reaction
00:10:46reaction of someone like Spain, where where the cities Madrid and Barcelona
00:10:50Barcelona are desperate to host the
00:10:51the World Cup final. So a little
00:10:54little bit of politics going on strategy strategy as well. And there's plenty
00:10:58plenty of it in football politics politics and there's a long way to
00:11:00to go of course. March the re-election
00:11:04re-election of Gianni Infantino could could be happening. Will he face
00:11:06face a candidate? We'll find out out in November. There's a long way
00:11:09way to go. We've seen a lot of drip drip feed of stories coming out in
00:11:12in recent times. And if they continue, continue, will it weaken his position?
00:11:15position? But the thing is, until until there's a rival candidate for
00:11:18for Gianni Infantino, it's going
00:11:20going to be very hard for member member associations to go very much
00:11:24much against him because if no one one comes forward and then he's in
00:11:27in power again, then they're very very much going to be on the back
00:11:30back foot. In the Middle East, there there are reports of a possible breakthrough
00:11:33breakthrough over one of the world's world's most dangerous waterways, waterways, Iran, saying they're close
00:11:37close to finalising an interim agreement agreement with Oman over the Strait
00:11:40Strait of Hormuz. That's that narrow narrow channel. Much of the world's
00:11:43world's energy supply has pass through through Pakistan, which is mediating
00:11:47mediating between the US and Iran, Iran, says it hopes an agreement
00:11:50agreement will lead Washington and and Tehran to resume talks and resolve
00:11:53resolve their conflict. It confirmed confirmed a deal might begin to ease
00:11:57ease a crisis that has shaken markets.
00:11:59markets. However, it could also cement cement Iranian control over this
00:12:03this vital maritime choke point. point. Hossam Zaki is the former
00:12:07former assistant Secretary General General and official spokesperson spokesperson of the Arab League.
00:12:09League. He gave me his assessment assessment of where these talks are
00:12:12are at at the moment between Iran
00:12:14Iran and Oman. But for all what we've
00:12:18we've been following, I think, a a great deal of progress has been
00:12:22been made. But a deal is still is
00:12:26is still a little bit elusive. I
00:12:29I think, the two sides want to achieve
00:12:32achieve the maximum. That takes a
00:12:36a bit of, concessions. We're not not sure how much concessions the
00:12:39the Iranians are willing to give.
00:12:42give. But I think if we are able able to reach a deal, it would be
00:12:45be good for the region and it will will be good for the world. You're You're putting your faith then in
00:12:48in Oman that they can successfully
00:12:50successfully negotiate this
00:12:56deal? Absolutely. Omanis are a seasoned seasoned diplomats. They are, they
00:13:00they are well intended. And I think,,
00:13:04think,, their policies have been
00:13:07been policies of, moderation throughout. throughout. And, and they all, they
00:13:11they also have a stake in what's
00:13:12what's going on. We cannot forget
00:13:15forget that a great part of the Strait
00:13:18Strait of Hormuz goes through, the
00:13:21the Omani territorial waters. So
00:13:23So they have a stake in what is happening.
00:13:27happening. And, they have the ability
00:13:28ability to reach a good deal. Let's
00:13:32Let's just, wait and see what they
00:13:35they are going to be able to deliver deliver in that regard. What if it's
00:13:39it's a good deal, but one that the
00:13:42the US and President Trump doesn't doesn't like because there are these
00:13:45these competing routes through the the Strait of Hormuz and what appears
00:13:48appears to be on the table is merging
00:13:50merging them. But with Iran controlling
00:13:53controlling maintaining a high degree degree of control that will go against
00:13:57against us wishes. Well, I think,
00:14:03think, in this region we have spoken spoken throughout from the beginning
00:14:07beginning of this crisis. We have have spoken, in support of international
00:14:10international law. There is, United
00:14:14United Nations Convention on the the law of the seas. I think we should
00:14:18should all abide by this convention convention and its provisions. And
00:14:21And I think, if we, get out of the
00:14:26the provisions of this convention
00:14:27convention by giving any particular
00:14:30particular party, privileges that that do not exist in international
00:14:32international law and in this convention
00:14:34convention in particular, I think think it would be difficult for the
00:14:38the rest of the region and the world
00:14:40world to accept. So, our litmus here
00:14:44here is basically whether we can
00:14:46can go on with a situation where
00:14:51where everybody and the understanding understanding that might be reached,
00:14:53reached, will adhere by the provisions provisions of the law of the sea.
00:14:57sea. If not, then it will not be be able to hold. To stay with
00:16:01President Trump's plan to get the the oil flowing again, one that will
00:16:04will pay off. Join us on Talking
00:16:05Talking Business Weekly on BBC News.
00:16:12News. Let's return to our top story story this hour as Ukrainian drones
00:16:16drones hit two oil refineries in in Russia. The drone attacks have
00:16:19have left black smoke hanging over over the Russian city of Yaroslavl,
00:16:23Yaroslavl, the home of one of the the country's biggest oil refineries.
00:16:26refineries. The local governor has has described this as the largest
00:16:29largest ever attack by Ukraine. President President Zelensky said the refinery
00:16:33refinery and another in Bashkortostan Bashkortostan had been targeted as
00:16:36as part of attempts to cut the oil
00:16:38oil revenues funding Russia's war
00:16:40war effort. So let's have a closer closer look now at the impact on
00:16:44on the Russian economy of these attacks
00:16:45attacks and join David Roche of Quantum
00:16:48Quantum Strategy, a financial analysis
00:16:50analysis and advisory firm. Thanks Thanks for joining us, David. The
00:16:53The pictures are very dramatic when when you see them. But what kind
00:16:57kind of impact are all of these attacks attacks on oil refineries actually
00:17:01actually having when it comes to
00:17:02to the Russian economy? Oh very big.
00:17:05big. I looked at the figures this
00:17:08this morning and Russia is now a
00:17:10a net importer of oil and oil products.
00:17:14products. The main change has been
00:17:16been a fall in oil refining. With
00:17:19With the refineries of having lost
00:17:21lost approximately 30 to 40% of capacity.
00:17:24capacity. And therefore Russia has
00:17:25has to turn to foreign markets to
00:17:29to find, refined products like gasoline,
00:17:32gasoline, like diesel and import import them at the same time. Of
00:17:35Of course, Russia's ability to export
00:17:39export oil is being severely limited
00:17:41limited by the war on ships in the
00:17:44the Black Sea. And so we're seeing
00:17:46seeing crude exports declining very very rapidly. So if you add up the
00:17:50the total picture, this is a disaster
00:17:53disaster for the Russian economy. economy. What about these attacks attacks as well, David, that we've
00:17:57we've seen on Wildberries this week?
00:18:00week? It's described as Russia's
00:18:02Russia's equivalent to Amazon. There There have been daily attacks. It's
00:18:05It's really hit confidence. And I I think that's part part of the reason
00:18:09reason for it. One of the tactics tactics of President Zelensky is
00:18:11is to bring the war home to the middle middle classes, particularly in Russia.
00:18:15Russia. Any kind of impact, more more wider impact in terms of the
00:18:18the economy. There is a much wider wider there is Lucy, there's a wider
00:18:21wider impact. The wider impact is
00:18:22is to bring home to the ordinary
00:18:25ordinary Russians almost the middle middle class Russians in the urban
00:18:29urban areas, the ones who Putin has
00:18:32has shielded from the war because
00:18:34because he never let the war, change
00:18:37change what was available on the
00:18:39the shelves of shops. What has now
00:18:42now happened is that the war is being being brought home to these people.
00:18:46people. And what they are saying saying is what are we fighting for?
00:18:49for? So you have to you have got
00:18:51got three things going on. Number Number one is the Ukrainians are
00:18:55are now deeply embedded in war inside
00:18:58inside Russia. Number two, the vast
00:19:01vast swathe of the population which which Putin vowed to protect from
00:19:04from the effects of his so-called so-called special operation, but
00:19:07but really a war they now are feeling
00:19:09feeling the brunt of the war. And
00:19:12And number three, the economy is is doing because of the hits on energy
00:19:15energy and because of the other shortages shortages created by the war. The
00:19:19The economy is now really going down down the tubes. It just isn't growing
00:19:21growing at all. And it is only growing
00:19:24growing for military goods. It is is not growing for anything that
00:19:28that benefits civilians. Now Putin
00:19:30Putin is out of men. He is losing,
00:19:34losing, approximately 1500 people people a day in the war and he can't
00:19:37can't recruit them. So he's have have to going to go back to something
00:19:41something like drafting people, obligatory obligatory military service to go
00:19:43go and fight in the war. Well, conscription conscription could be the flashpoint
00:19:47flashpoint which could bring his his reign to an end because everything
00:19:51everything is in place now economically economically for that to happen. Yeah. As you say, the economy
00:19:55economy you say is going down the the drain. What does that mean more
00:19:58more immediately for the war effort effort and the war machine? Well,
00:20:02Well, what it means is that because
00:20:04because Putin is obsessed with his
00:20:07his dream of, re-establishing the the great Soviet Union, under another
00:20:11another name, he is going to prosecute prosecute that war. Go on prosecuting
00:20:14prosecuting that war. I mean, I'm I'm actually talking to you from
00:20:17from Kyiv. Last night there were
00:20:20were 40 ballistic missiles fired.
00:20:21fired. Fired at us. So, you know,
00:20:24know, Putin is so obsessed he cannot cannot go down any other road, so
00:20:27so he will go on. So the effect of of that is to increase the downturn
00:20:31downturn in the economy. It's very very simple. If the economy is shrinking,
00:20:33shrinking, which it now is, then then if you are going to devote more
00:20:37more and more, resources to the war
00:20:41war the amount that that costs, the the economy goes up because the military
00:20:45military expenditure goes up and and the economy goes down. How do
00:20:48do you plug that gap? You print money,
00:20:50money, you create inflation and you
00:20:54you remove the guarantee from the the average normal person living
00:20:57living in Moscow that the war would
00:20:59would not make him poorer. You can't can't live up to that. So the war
00:21:03war then does make him poorer because because all the economic resources
00:21:06resources are being sucked increasingly increasingly into the war machine.
00:21:10machine. David, so interesting to to get your analysis. Thank you for
00:21:12for joining us from Kyiv. Now to
00:21:16to the US, where Michigan's left left wing Democratic candidate for
00:21:19for the US Senate in November's mid-term mid-term elections is calling for
00:21:22for party unity after his victory
00:21:24victory over a centrist in the primaries, primaries, Abdul El-Sayed, a former
00:21:28former public health official, was was up against Haley Stevens, who
00:21:30who did have the support of the Democratic Democratic leadership in Washington.
00:21:34Washington. She ran a campaign backed backed by tens of millions of dollars,
00:21:37dollars, including a big contribution contribution from AIPAC. That's the
00:21:41the American Israel Public Affairs Affairs Committee. After narrowly
00:21:44narrowly defeating the congresswoman, congresswoman, Mister El-Sayed said said that they should now focus on
00:21:48on defeating the Republicans in the the swing state. Speaking after his
00:21:51his victory on Wednesday, he said
00:21:53said the power of many is greater
00:21:55greater than the power of money.
00:21:57money. We took on a machine. You're
00:21:59You're not supposed to be able to
00:22:01to beat $70 million of outside spending,
00:22:04spending, a record amount of money
00:22:06money spent in a campaign against against a Democrat in a primary.
00:22:10primary. In any campaign, you're you're not supposed to be able to
00:22:12to beat that. And what we showed showed is that the power of our money
00:22:16money is greater than the power of of their money. What we showed is
00:22:19is that if you're willing to build build a movement brick by brick,
00:22:22brick, if you're willing to go and and travel your state and have the
00:22:25the conversations in rooms big and and small, starting in moments when when people aren't even paying attention
00:22:29attention to an election but are are paying attention to the price
00:22:31price of gas and the price of groceries, groceries, and the price of housing housing and the price of health care
00:22:35care that you can build a conversation conversation that builds into a movement
00:22:38movement that defeats Goliath. So So how much can we read into this
00:22:42this victory? Robert Jimison is congressional congressional reporter for The New
00:22:46New York Times. I think this is a
00:22:48a symbol of what the left flank of of the Democratic Party here in the
00:22:52the United States is hoping will will prove their case that they've they've been trying to make since
00:22:56since Donald Trump came back to office.
00:22:58office. There was a big split amongst amongst Democrats nationwide and
00:23:02and in these crucial swing states states that believe that the reason
00:23:05reason why the President was able able to prevail over so many candidates
00:23:08candidates is because Democrats didn't
00:23:11didn't have a unified message of
00:23:13of economic issues and left wing wing ideological issues that they
00:23:16they believed would have been more more motivational for voters. And
00:23:19And so now we've seen this play out out in more progressive, more liberal
00:23:22liberal states and more liberal cities cities such as New York City, with
00:23:25with the mayor being elected, this
00:23:28this is really a key test in a swing swing state, a true battleground
00:23:31battleground in the country in Michigan, Michigan, where you have an even
00:23:34even split of voters, a state where where President Trump won in 2024
00:23:382024 and now the left flank of the the Democratic Party is finally getting
00:23:41getting a chance to put up a candidate candidate that they would like to
00:23:44to see. And it will see whether or
00:23:47or not if he prevails, if this will will be a path that Democrats follow
00:23:51follow into the next campaign cycle. cycle. Rob, can we look at some of
00:23:53of the issues that were crucial in in his campaign? And one of them
00:23:56them was anger over what's happened happened in Gaza. How much do you
00:24:01you think this issue influenced voters?
00:24:03voters? I think it played a big part
00:24:05part in, in the election, as you you mentioned in the lead-up to this,
00:24:09this, you talked about the influence influence of AIPAC, all the money money that was being spent. I think
00:24:13think Israel was a key hot button button issue. But even more than
00:24:16than that, I think what with the the issue of Israel and the US sending
00:24:19sending foreign aid to Israel really really speaks to was the core of
00:24:23of what El-sayed's campaign was. was. And that's just money right
00:24:26right now. The economic message of of people struggling financially,
00:24:29financially, struggling with grocery grocery bills, with gas prices. A
00:24:31A lot of people are souring on the
00:24:34the idea of sending billions of dollars dollars overseas. And I think a lot
00:24:37lot of candidates are grasping on on to that message and turning it
00:24:40it not just into an ideological debate debate over whether or not you support
00:24:44support Israel and whether or not not and where you stand on the war
00:24:47war in Gaza, but also how you feel
00:24:49feel about American taxpayer dollars dollars going overseas. Republicans
00:24:53Republicans are framing El-Sayed
00:24:55El-Sayed as FA too, left for the the state even after his victory.
00:24:58victory. I mean, that is clearly clearly going to be their line of
00:25:02of attack going forward. And it's it's true that with many it will
00:25:05will resonate. Rob. Oh, absolutely. absolutely. You saw the President
00:25:09President and top Republicans immediately immediately come out and attack him
00:25:12him as a communist. As a socialist, socialist, I should say El-Sayed
00:25:16El-Sayed does not, you know, identify identify as a member of the Democratic
00:25:19Democratic Socialist Party, but his his policies, like you mentioned,
00:25:23mentioned, do, hew much further to to the left than a lot of moderate
00:25:27moderate voters in the Democratic Democratic Party. And so I think think you can see this attack line
00:25:31line as one, it's shaped up pretty pretty clearly even before the primary.
00:25:34primary. And now in the final months months of the campaign, that's certainly certainly going to be one way that
00:25:38that they're going to try to alienate alienate voters away from supporting
00:25:41supporting him in the general election election in November. Some good news
00:25:44news for you. Now, British scientists scientists say vaccines which don't
00:25:47don't need to be kept cool in a fridge fridge have been successfully trialled
00:25:51trialled on patients for the first first time. Did you know that around
00:25:53around half of all vaccines are wasted wasted each year, often after freezing
00:25:56freezing or becoming too hot? Researchers Researchers say this breakthrough
00:26:00breakthrough could transform vaccination vaccination programmes right around around the world. That is good news.
00:26:04news. Please stay
00:27:35temperatures ramping up further into into next week, hitting the 50 Celsius
00:27:37Celsius mark on Tuesday.
00:29:39edge, but Russia's goals seem unchanged. unchanged. For continued coverage
00:29:42coverage of the war in Ukraine, join
00:29:44join us here on BBC News. Here at
00:29:52at BBC Verify we use forensic investigative investigative techniques and tools
00:29:55tools to fact check stories, verify
00:29:58verify information and counter disinformation disinformation using data analysis analysis and the latest technology.
00:30:02technology. Our journalists examine examine the evidence and get to the the facts. Watch our BBC Verify reports
00:30:05reports on the BBC News channel or
00:30:07or go online to find out more. This
00:30:17This is BBC News. The headlines strikes
00:30:19strikes hit two refineries deep within within Russia as a wave of Ukrainian
00:30:22Ukrainian drones is reported across across the country. In Ukraine, Russian
00:30:26Russian attacks on several regions regions leave at least five dead
00:30:29dead and several injured as the Confederation Confederation of African Football
00:30:32Football meets, will they continue continue to back the beleaguered
00:30:35beleaguered president, Gianni Infantino?
00:30:38Infantino? Afghanistan's exiled women women footballers make an international
00:30:41international comeback after a change change in Fifa's rules, and more
00:30:44more than 300 people abducted in in Nigeria are rescued. And what
00:30:47what the government says is its biggest
00:30:49biggest operation in a single day.
00:30:54day. Hello, I'm Lucy Hockings. Myanmar's Myanmar's military leader turned
00:30:58turned President Min Aung Hlaing Hlaing has arrived in Thailand for
00:31:01for an official visit. It's his first first trip to the country since he
00:31:04he launched a coup that ousted the the elected government and sparked
00:31:07sparked a civil war, which left thousands thousands dead and wrecked the economy.
00:31:11economy. Despite being the subject subject of a raft of sanctions, as
00:31:13as you can see here, the red carpet carpet was rolled out in Bangkok.
00:31:16Bangkok. All part of a diplomatic diplomatic push to end his country's
00:31:20country's international isolation. isolation. Our South East Asia correspondent
00:31:23correspondent Jonathan Head went went to the ceremony and gave us
00:31:27us his analysis. This is a big moment
00:31:31moment for the Myanmar coup leader. leader. He's being welcomed here
00:31:34here given full honours, red carpet carpet treatment and honour guard.
00:31:38guard. Thailand is really bringing bringing relations back to the way way they were right before the coup,
00:31:42coup, much faster than people expected
00:31:44expected and still has done nothing nothing to make any moves to end
00:31:47end the Civil War. He's not making making any concessions to his South
00:31:51South East Asian neighbours about about negotiating with the opposition,
00:31:54opposition, but the Thai government government has decided it has so
00:31:57so many issues it needs to resolve resolve with Myanmar. They've decided
00:32:00decided to invite him here and restore
00:32:02restore their relationship to the
00:32:04the way it was. So the solidarity solidarity that South East Asia showed
00:32:08showed him before in keeping men men at arm's length while the bloodshed
00:32:11bloodshed continued in Myanmar has has cracked, Thailand has decided
00:32:14decided it's got to follow China
00:32:17China and India in recognising this this government now that he has turned
00:32:21turned himself from a pure military military dictator into a civilian
00:32:24civilian president. The reality is
00:32:27is that his military government has has recovered a lot of the ground
00:32:30ground it lost during the Civil War. War. It's regained a lot of the territory
00:32:32territory it lost with the full backing backing of China. It's much stronger
00:32:35stronger than it was. And the Thais Thais are saying we have to deal
00:32:39deal with this government. It's going
00:32:40going nowhere. This visit really
00:32:43really cements that attitude as he he walks into the ornate seat of
00:32:46of government here in Bangkok. Min Min Aung Hlaing is now fully recognised
00:32:50recognised as a legitimate leader leader by Thailand. It's almost inevitable inevitable that other countries in
00:32:54in this region will now follow suit suit and give him the legitimacy
00:32:58legitimacy that he craves, despite despite the continued violence in
00:33:02in his own country. More than 300
00:33:04300 people abducted in separate attacks attacks in Nigeria have been rescued,
00:33:08rescued, and what the government government describes as the largest
00:33:10largest operation by security forces forces in a single day. The victims
00:33:14victims were rescued from the Kainji Kainji Lake National Park in Niger
00:33:17Niger State in an operation involving
00:33:19involving the military, Police Intelligence Intelligence Unit and the National
00:33:23National Counterterrorism Centre.
00:33:24Centre. Those freed include 163 people people abducted during a February
00:33:28February attack on the Waru community community in Kwara State, where scores
00:33:31scores were killed. At least 145 145 others had been taken in Niger
00:33:35Niger State. What is not clear yet yet is whether any suspects were
00:33:39were actually detained in this operation. operation. Makuochi Okafor is our
00:33:42our West Africa reporter. He talked talked me through what we know about
00:33:45about this rescue. Separate attacks
00:33:48attacks in Nigeria have been rescued rescued and what the government has
00:33:51has described as the largest operation operation by security forces in a
00:33:54a single day. The victims were rescued
00:33:57rescued from the. And we will bring bring you that interview in a moment.
00:34:00moment. But the family of Meredith Meredith Kercher, the British exchange exchange student who was murdered
00:34:03murdered while studying abroad in in Italy in 2007, is calling for
00:34:07for the cancellation of a comedy comedy show being performed by Amanda
00:34:11Amanda Knox, Meredith's roommate roommate who was twice convicted,
00:34:14convicted, then acquitted of her her murder. Since being cleared of
00:34:17of any involvement in Meredith's Meredith's death. Miss Knox has told
00:34:20told her story a number of times times through books, documentaries
00:34:23documentaries and in a TV drama. drama. The show is due to take place
00:34:26place at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Festival. It's being described as
00:34:29as a stand up comedy show, referencing referencing the time she spent in
00:34:32in jail in Italy and how she has has since tried to explain it to
00:34:36to her young children. Meredith's Meredith's sister Stephanie has been
00:34:39been speaking to the BBC and she she said the show makes light of
00:34:42of violence against women and causes causes pain for the family. 19 years
00:34:45years on. The family, obviously it's
00:34:49it's very personal to us and affects affects her friends as well. Still,
00:34:52Still, obviously, you know it's left
00:34:53left a massive void in our lives
00:34:56lives and Amanda is naturally free
00:34:58free to continue with her life as
00:35:00as she wishes. But I think the problem
00:35:03problem with this particular project
00:35:06project is that it is comedy. And And whilst I appreciate comedy is
00:35:10is there to push the boundaries and
00:35:14and you know, it very much normalises normalises and trivialises violence
00:35:18violence against women and Meredith
00:35:20Meredith in particular. I think in
00:35:22in this case it's a position where
00:35:26where it's not a generic topic. It's
00:35:29It's targeting an individual traumatic traumatic case and an individual
00:35:33individual person and family. And
00:35:35And I feel very strongly that that that Meredith wouldn't agree with
00:35:39with that. And obviously I have read read certain comments that she's
00:35:42she's made that Meredith would have have found it funny. And Meredith
00:35:46Meredith absolutely wouldn't find find these topics of, you know, any
00:35:50any comedy value. The Afghan women's
00:35:53women's football team are banned banned from all organised sport at
00:35:56at home. The squad was also evacuated, evacuated, you might remember, and
00:35:59and scattered across the world. But But now, against the odds, they've
00:36:03they've reunited and could soon represent represent their country in official official matches. And that's because
00:36:07because football's governing body body changed its rules, giving them
00:36:09them a path back to the international
00:36:11international stage. Mahjooba Nowrouzi Nowrouzi from BBC Global Women travelled
00:36:15travelled with them on that journey.
00:36:19journey. At the time, but we can
00:36:22can all. A song for Afghanistan,
00:36:26Afghanistan, a team reunited. These These players have travelled from
00:36:29from across the world for two friendlies
00:36:32friendlies in Auckland against the
00:36:34the Cook Islands. The first century
00:36:37century FA allowed Afghanistan's
00:36:39Afghanistan's team in exile back back into international football.
00:36:41football. We want Afghanistan to to be free and we want Afghan girls
00:36:45girls and women to be free, to be
00:36:48be able to choose who they want to
00:36:50to be. We want to prove that we are are still here. We still fighting
00:36:54fighting for the rights that you you took away from us. Five years
00:36:57years ago. Everything changed for
00:36:59for them almost overnight when the
00:37:02the Taliban returned to power, women
00:37:04women were banned from playing sports.
00:37:07sports. Afghanistan's women's team team was forced into exile, unable
00:37:11unable to represent their country. country. They were scattered across
00:37:14across the world. I was bullied throughout throughout high school and football football gave me the confidence to
00:37:18to be who I am today and to be able able to speak loud so I don't know
00:37:22know where I would be. Two three three now. They are back together
00:37:25together rebuilding the team. They They thought they had lost for these
00:37:29these players, football is more than than a game. I wanted to use this
00:37:33this platform to advocate for the the women of Afghanistan who haven't haven't been allowed to study for
00:37:37for the past five years. Obviously
00:37:40Obviously the book The Rose, who
00:37:43who is a representation of women
00:37:46women and the date August 15th and
00:37:48and the date that Afghanistan fell.
00:37:51fell. These matches are only the
00:37:54the beginning. The aim is to rebuild
00:37:56rebuild Afghanistan's team in exile
00:37:58exile and to compete for a place
00:38:01place at the 2028 Olympic Games. Games. I would be proud of the team
00:38:05team and proud of myself that I was was part of the journey and we made
00:38:08made the history by being the first
00:38:11first football team to get our recognition recognition without the approval
00:38:14approval of the Taliban. I'm so proud proud of our young players who played played today. Great game. Don't cry.
00:38:18cry. Don't put your heads down. It's
00:38:20It's more than football for us. Afghanistan
00:38:23Afghanistan lost both matches to to the Cook Islands, but after years
00:38:27years in exile simply wearing their
00:38:29their country's colours again is
00:38:31is a victory. Their Olympic dream dream is is still alive. We don't
00:38:35don't know when we're going to see see each other again, but it's just
00:38:38just always amazing to have the second
00:38:39second family. To. Yeah. Mahjooba
00:38:45Mahjooba Nowrouzi BBC Auckland.
00:39:46Down the science, explore smart solutions and hear from people and and businesses on the front line. line. Join us for the climate question
00:39:50question on BBC News. Blockbuster
00:39:59Blockbuster Star Wars. Is to be dubbed dubbed into Welsh for the first time
00:40:02time as the film prepares to celebrate celebrate its 50th anniversary next
00:40:05next year. The Welsh language version version of its episode For A New
00:40:09New Hope will broadcast on Welsh Welsh language broadcaster S4C and
00:40:12and its platforms from Christmas Christmas Day. Actor Matthew Rhys
00:40:15Rhys will voice Han with Rhys Ifans
00:40:18Ifans as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Aimee-Ffion Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Princess Leia.
00:40:22Leia. Well clear. Ifans, who is Rhys Rhys brother, is playing C-3PO and
00:40:26and the Welsh language version and and he told me how as a Star Wars
00:40:29Wars fan, he came to be involved. involved. Well, you know, I'm a child
00:40:33child of the 70s and 80s so I'm a
00:40:35a massive Star Wars fan and I first
00:40:38first of all received a email about about four months ago telling me
00:40:41me about the project and I blew my my mind a bit. And then I said, of
00:40:45of course I'd be interested. And, And, and my son now obviously is
00:40:49is a massive Star Wars fan, so I I had to keep it a secret from him
00:40:52him for about 3 or 4 months until until the big reveal the other day.
00:40:55day. And he's overjoyed. Daddy done done good for once. That's good to
00:40:59to hear that you've made him happy.
00:41:01happy. But C-3PO I mean, he is loved
00:41:04loved by so many. A crucial character.
00:41:07character. But how do you even prepare
00:41:09prepare for playing C-3PO? Well,
00:41:12Well, he's, you know, he's fluent fluent in over 6 million languages
00:41:15languages and now he's fluent in in 6,000,001 hence his, ability to
00:41:19to talk Welsh. So. But you know,
00:41:22know, I'm so,, I know the character character so well because over the
00:41:25the years I've watched the films films and he's lives on his nerves
00:41:28nerves and. Yeah, I found it quite
00:41:30quite simply. How many days were
00:41:35were involved in terms of your time? time? Well, I was in the dubbing
00:41:38dubbing suite for about three days days and it can be quite, tedious
00:41:41tedious work, but it was an enjoyable enjoyable experience. People were
00:41:45were over from Lucasfilm and Disney, Disney, so they were giving us some
00:41:48some kind of direction. And yeah, yeah, it all went very well. I'm I'm trying to think if there is any
00:41:52any language in Star Wars that might might be problematic in terms of
00:41:56of an immediate translation. Well,
00:41:58Well, Welsh is a very poetic language language and we tend to use more
00:42:01more words than English because we're we're far more descriptive and imaginative.
00:42:05imaginative. So trying to squeeze
00:42:08squeeze those, English lines into
00:42:10into as few words, Welsh words as as possible was tricky. And also
00:42:13also we've got that intergalactic intergalactic gobbledegook to translate.
00:42:17translate. So the translators had had a bit of work on their hands. hands. Yeah, that's what I was. The
00:42:20The intergalactic stuff is what I I was referencing. But you're right
00:42:24right about the Welsh language and and on that just how meaningful do
00:42:27do you think it is that that one one of these big movie franchises
00:42:31franchises loved by so many people people is now going to be in Welsh?
00:42:34Welsh? Well, you know, it's a great great idea. It's done in over 50 50 languages already. So I thought
00:42:38thought why not Welsh? And originally,
00:42:41originally, it was Disney and Lucasfilm's Lucasfilm's which approached S4C
00:42:45S4C first of all, because they'd they'd done two versions in Native
00:42:48Native American languages and they they were thinking, let's do it.
00:42:51it. Another one in a minority language.
00:42:52language. And as it happened, some
00:42:56some somebody in Lucasfilm's is a a fluent Welsh speaker and quite
00:42:58quite high up in the company. And And they decided, let's why not do
00:43:01do it in Welsh and why not. Indeed
00:43:04Indeed why not? What about the themes
00:43:07themes that we see in Star Wars? Wars? Do they resonate with people
00:43:10people in Wales? They certainly do do because it's about a republic
00:43:14republic full of rebels fighting
00:43:18fighting against an imperial force
00:43:19force to try and keep their Jedi.
00:43:22Jedi. Way of living alive. And it's it's been a constant struggle for
00:43:26for us for centuries. Is there going going to be a party to celebrate
00:43:29celebrate on the launch day. There's
00:43:32There's going to be a premiere in
00:43:36in Cardiff in November. Then it'll
00:43:38it'll be shown, first of all in cinemas
00:43:40cinemas throughout Wales, and then
00:43:42then I think it'll be on Christmas
00:43:45Christmas Day on S4C. So it's their their Christmas present to the kids
00:43:48kids of Wales. That is fantastic. fantastic. And this is just episode
00:43:52episode four. Of course. What about about the rest of them? Are they they in the ipeline? I have no idea.
00:43:55idea. But you know, I'm on board.
00:43:57board. If it is. And for your son.
00:44:00son. Is this one of his favourites? favourites? I mean, I like you love
00:44:04love the original ones, but the younger
00:44:07younger generation seem to like the the more the more recent ones are
00:44:10are better. Yeah, I'm a big fan of
00:44:14of the 4 or 5 and six. The original
00:44:15original ones. I also liked 6 or
00:44:18or 7 or whatever. We are the last last three, but he's a big fan of
00:44:21of the ones that came out in, The
00:44:24The Phantom Menace and those three. three. Yeah, the Attack Of The Clones Clones and The Phantom Menace. Those
00:44:28Those ones. Yeah. So that's a constant constant argument in our house about
00:44:30about which one's best. And my house
00:44:33house too, I have to say. Well, Japan's Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
00:44:37Takaichi has for the first time led led a commemorations in Hiroshima
00:44:40Hiroshima on the anniversary of the the world's first use of nuclear
00:44:44nuclear weapons 81 years ago, the the US dropped an atom bomb on the
00:44:47the city at the end of the Second
00:44:48Second World War. An estimated 140,000
00:44:52140,000 people were killed. In her
00:44:54her address, Ms Takaichi reaffirmed reaffirmed Japan's three non-nuclear
00:44:57non-nuclear principles of not possessing, possessing, producing or allowing
00:45:00allowing nuclear weapons on its territory. territory. Our correspondent Kurumi
00:45:04Kurumi Mori is in Tokyo. You know,
00:45:08know, this commitment that she made made was largely expected. Japanese
00:45:11Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Takaichi attending the Hiroshima Hiroshima Peace Memorial ceremony
00:45:15ceremony for the first time as the the country's leader. She's attended
00:45:19attended before but not as Prime Prime Minister. So in her speech,
00:45:22speech, she did reaffirm the three three non-nuclear principles you
00:45:25you mentioned not possessing, producing producing or permitting the nuclear
00:45:29nuclear weapons on Japanese territory. territory. I mean, this message,
00:45:32message, though, carried particular particular weight this year. Japan
00:45:35Japan is set to revise its key national national security strategy later
00:45:38later this year, and that's prompting prompting questions over whether
00:45:42whether its long standing commitment commitment to those principles could
00:45:45could face new pressure. At a time time when we're seeing East Asia
00:45:49Asia rapidly changing with its security security environment and Takaichi
00:45:53Takaichi did not address those concerns concerns directly in her speech,
00:45:56speech, and instead she stressed stressed Japan's responsibility as
00:45:59as the only country to have suffered
00:46:01suffered atomic bombings in war and
00:46:04and renew that commitment to pursue
00:46:06pursue a world with no nuclear weapons.
00:46:09weapons. But the issue has become
00:46:11become increasingly sensitive in in Japan online, some questioned
00:46:15questioned whether Takaichi, who who is widely regarded as having
00:46:18having a more hawkish national security security stance, will maintain that
00:46:22that pledge as the regional tensions tensions just grow further and defence
00:46:26defence spending here continues to
00:46:27to rise. A debate did intensify last
00:46:30last month when Defence Minister Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called
00:46:33called for Japan to have a more open open discussion about the role of
00:46:36of nuclear weapons in the country's
00:46:38country's defence. The remarks drew
00:46:41drew criticism from survivors of of the atomic bombings and anti-nuclear
00:46:45anti-nuclear groups, and that prompted prompted Koizumi to later clarify
00:46:47clarify that he remains firmly committed committed to Japan's non-nuclear
00:46:50non-nuclear principles and to that that goal of world, a world free
00:46:53free of nuclear weapons. But, you you know, for many in Hiroshima,
00:46:57Hiroshima, this ceremony is less less about politics than about remembrance,
00:47:01remembrance, as the number of atomic atomic bomb survivors continues to
00:47:04to decline in Japan, there's this this growing urgency to preserve
00:47:08preserve their testimony and ensure that lessons of Hiroshima.
00:47:11Hiroshima. Make sure that they are
00:47:13are not forgotten. A 97-year-old 97-year-old woman has successfully
00:47:17successfully broken her own world world record to become the oldest
00:47:19oldest woman to complete a wing walk. walk. Betty Bromage raised money
00:47:23money for staff who helped her recover recover from a stroke. And our reporter,
00:47:26reporter, Steve Knibbs was there
00:47:27there to see her flying high. Betty
00:47:33Betty is back 97 years young and
00:47:35and taking to the skies again. I I just get bored with life. Otherwise
00:47:39Otherwise when you get old you can't can't go here. You can't do this.
00:47:43this. You can't drive, you can't can't see. I can't see very well.
00:47:46well. And I get a bit frustrated. frustrated. So I want to do the things
00:47:50things that I can do. Up in the air.
00:47:53air. Betty's at home in her element element on the ground. Her friends
00:47:56friends and neighbours from her retirement retirement village in Cheltenham
00:47:59Cheltenham watch on nervously. Oh,
00:48:03Oh, Betty, what. Was it like watching watching her doing those loop the
00:48:05the loops in there. Oh, I was here
00:48:07here four years ago. Awful. Makes
00:48:11Makes you want to cry. But yeah, yeah, she got on fantastic. Yeah. Yeah. So proud of her. It's incredible.
00:48:15incredible. I mean, she's partially partially sighted, in fact, almost
00:48:17almost blind. And yet she can do do this. This isn't the first time
00:48:21time she's done something like this, this, but at her age, it's just amazing,
00:48:24amazing, isn't it? So. No, she's she's a wonder. Betty started all
00:48:28all this ten years ago at the age age of 87. She's since abseiled down
00:48:32down a tower in Cheltenham and took took on a zipwire in Snowdonia. And
00:48:36And today she pushed the envelope envelope even further, asking the
00:48:39the pilot to throw in a barrel roll.
00:48:41roll. Oh, my God. She explains to
00:48:46to me inside that something that that she really is keen to do all
00:48:49all the time, even at her age. So. So. So I just think it's absolutely absolutely fantastic. And for me,
00:48:53me, it's such a privilege to be able able to do that. All of this was
00:48:57was done to raise money for the stroke stroke unit in Cheltenham. They helped
00:49:00helped Betty when she had a stroke stroke last year. So kind to me and
00:49:04and straight away the treatment I
00:49:08I got it affects my words. I go to
00:49:10to say a word and it doesn't always always come out, but the rest of
00:49:14of me I'm fit as a fiddle. Well for
00:49:16for a 97-year-old. Today the staff
00:49:19staff sent her a good luck message.
00:49:21message. Grateful for the support.
00:49:23support. Thank you Betty. Just amazing
00:49:27amazing that she's doing this for for us. We're so grateful. And to,
00:49:31to, you know, go up and wing walk walk and take on such a daring and
00:49:34and incredible challenge and to support support our stroke services team. team. It's just amazing. We're so
00:49:38so grateful. We really appreciate appreciate what she's doing. Back
00:49:42Back on the ground. Betty took it it all in her stride with confirmation
00:49:45confirmation that she broke her own own world record yet again as the
00:49:49the oldest female wing, Walker. Officially
00:49:52Officially amazing. For Betty, there's there's the thrill, the fundraising,
00:49:55fundraising, the excitement. But But she lives by a motto she learned
00:49:59learned at a younger age. I was a a trained children's nurse and I
00:50:01I went to work in Doctor Barnardo's Barnardo's home in Bristol and above
00:50:05above my bed, it said we passed through through this world, but once any
00:50:09any good we can do any kindness we
00:50:11we can show. Do it now. Do not defer defer or neglect it. You'll not pass
00:50:14pass this way again. And it's so
00:50:17so true, isn't it? 100%. And of course
00:50:21course this isn't over in two and and a half years' time, Betty has
00:50:23has promised to take to the skies skies again when she turns 100 to
00:50:27to become a magnificent centenarian centenarian on a flying machine.
00:50:30machine. Steve Knibbs, BBC News Renkum.
00:50:34Renkum. Well done Betty. Just amazing. amazing. Before we go they say you
00:50:37you should never look directly at at the sun. But scientists have been
00:50:40been doing just that and they've they've shed some light on the surface
00:50:44surface of our nearest star. If you you look at these pictures captured
00:50:46captured using the world's most powerful powerful solar telescope, they show
00:50:50show whirlpools of activity never never seen before. It's the sun's
00:50:54sun's magnetic field being twisted twisted and moved by the motion of
00:50:57of hot gas. And this unprecedented unprecedented detail could also help
00:51:00help us back on earth as we learn
00:51:02learn to predict the bursts of energy energy that can disrupt satellites
00:51:06satellites and our power grids
00:51:10as well.
00:51:29Grand Central Station is one of
00:51:31my favourite New York City structures.
00:51:34structures. It's a glorious reminder reminder of the golden age of American
00:51:38American railroads. It also provides provides the setting for some early
00:51:41early scenes in what many people
00:51:43people regard as one of the greatest greatest American thrillers of all
00:51:47all time. The picture North by Northwest,
00:51:50Northwest, an American thriller, thriller, yes, but directed by a
00:51:53a British filmmaker, the master of
00:51:56of suspense Alfred Hitchcock. Top
00:51:59Top US film critic Bilge Ebiri told
00:52:01told me he's such an ardent fan of of North by Northwest that he's seen
00:52:05seen the film at least 50 times.
00:52:08times. Do you know this man? MUSIC
00:52:18MUSIC Look Look North by Northwest from 1959,
00:52:211959, the pinnacle of Hitchcock's Hitchcock's American filmmaking career.
00:52:24career. Listen to me. I had nothing nothing to do with it. And also I
00:52:27I think it's kind of the pinnacle pinnacle of a particular kind of
00:52:30of studio filmmaking that Hollywood Hollywood specialised in. Automatically Automatically means a rising sales
00:52:34sales curve. North by northwest follows follows an ad executive named Roger
00:52:38Roger Thornhill, played by Cary Grant,
00:52:42Grant, who is mistaken for a spy
00:52:45spy by some nefarious figures. And
00:52:48And they're convinced that he's this this other person and they try to
00:52:51to kill him and he winds up going
00:52:56going on this cross-country adventure adventure trying both to prove his
00:52:59his innocence and also to flee from
00:53:01from the authorities. North by northwest northwest had a huge impact on me
00:53:04me because in some way it treats treats a lot of Hitchcock's deeper
00:53:08deeper themes about guilt and accusation,
00:53:11accusation, while also framing it
00:53:14it within this incredibly exciting,
00:53:16exciting, delightful,
00:53:23famous sequences in this
00:53:29occurs about halfway through the the film. Cary Grant's character character has been told that he's
00:53:32he's going to meet somebody out in in the middle of nowhere on this
00:53:35this highway. Road? There's nobody nobody around for miles and miles
00:53:39miles of flat, blank expanse. And
00:53:41And then, of course, he sees this
00:53:44this little plane appearing in the the distance, you know, dusting crops
00:53:48crops and you realise that the plane
00:53:49plane is there to kill them. They
00:53:56They start to fire at him and he
00:53:57he runs away. It's incredible sequence
00:54:01sequence when I think about what
00:54:03what makes American cinema so special.
00:54:06special. I have to think about the the Hollywood system and the kinds
00:54:09kinds of films it made possible, possible, the kinds of scale it made
00:54:13made possible, the kind of stardom,
00:54:14stardom, the kind of charm it made
00:54:17made possible. And to me, North by
00:54:20by Northwest really kind of stands
00:54:22stands at the very top of that. You
00:54:25You know, it is Hollywood firing
00:54:27firing on all cylinders, maybe for
00:54:29for one of the very last times. It's
00:54:33It's a great example of a studio studio film. It's a great example
00:54:36example of a master filmmaker at at the height of his powers in the
00:54:40the studio system, working with one one of the great stars of the studio
00:54:43studio system to create something
00:54:45something so beautiful and so magnificent.
00:54:48magnificent. Right as the studio studio system is essentially about
00:54:52about to collapse. But the thing thing that they create together becomes
00:54:55becomes this work that is so influential influential and that winds up influencing
00:54:59influencing all the filmmakers that that come after not just American American filmmakers from all over
00:55:03over the world. Well, if we ever ever get out of this alive, let's
00:55:06let's go back to New York on the
00:55:07the train together. All right. Is
00:55:10Is that a proposition? MUSIC
00:58:53MUSIC
01:00:13Live from London. This is BBC
01:00:16News. Strikes hit two refineries refineries deep within Russia as
01:00:19as a wave of Ukrainian drones is is reported across the country. In
01:00:23In Ukraine, Russian attacks on several several regions leave at least five
01:00:26five dead and several injured. Lithuanian Lithuanian intelligence officials
01:00:29officials believe Russia is considering considering using captured Ukrainian
01:00:33Ukrainian made drones against the the Baltic region. I'll be speaking
01:00:36speaking to Lithuania's Defence Minister Minister as the Confederation of
01:00:39of African Football meet. We'll be be asking if they'll continue to
01:00:42to back the beleaguered president,
01:00:44president, Gianni Infantino. Hello.
01:00:55Hello. I'm Lucy Hockings, welcome welcome to BBC News Now. We begin
01:00:57begin in Russia where Ukrainian drones drones have