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tv   BBC News  BBC News  July 11, 2019 3:00am-3:31am BST

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a very warm welcome to bbc news. my name is mike embley. our top stories: armed iranian boats have reportedly tried to intercept a british oil tanker near the strait of hormuz, but were driven off by a british warship. britain's ambassador to the us resigns, following the leaking of his critical remarks about the trump white house. washington opens a trade investigation into french plans for a digital services tax, likely to target internet giants. a third bout of public shaking for angela merkel, but the german leader says she's fine and capable.
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some breaking news this hour: five boats believed to belong to the iranian revolutionary guards have approached a british oil tanker in the gulf, asking it to stop in iranian waters but reportedly withdrew, after a british frigate trained its guns on them and warned them over radio. this was in the strait of hormuz, that strategically very important stretch of water between the persian gulf and the gulf of oman, bordered by iran and the united arab emirates. more on this now from our north america correspondent peter bowes. strategically important piece of water and currently very tense. yes, extremely sensitive, as we understand it this tanker, this british heritage tanker was passing through the area, it was just about to cross the strait of hormuz, when it was, at least there was an attempt to intercepted by these five
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iranian boats who were ordering it to change its direction but the boat, the british warship that was escorting the tanker, then trained its guns on the iranian boats and ordered them to back off, and they headed that order, they did indeed back off, no shots were fired. the tanker, the british tanker was allowed to go on its way. we have had a short statement from the pentagon, the ministry of defence and the states, confirming they are aware of the reports, not adding any additional detail, still waiting, hoping for more information from the british ministry of defence or stop give us a sense of the bigger picture here. this might be related to big incident last week when the temple make supertanker was intercepted with the help of british royal marines of gibraltar, suspected of taking oilfrom iran to
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syria which would have been in breach of eu sanctions. iran described that as a form of piracy and since then that vessel was seized, since then, iranian officials have been saying things like, a british oil tanker should be seized if this detained ship is not released. we are still putting together the details of this latest incident but it does seem as if this may well have been an attempt at some form of retaliation. thank you very much indeed. there's been an angry reaction in britain to the resignation of the ambassador to the united states, who's quit under intense criticism from president trump. britain's foreign secretary jeremy hunt, said the resignation is a black day for british diplomacy. his rival in the race to become prime minister, borisjohnson, has been criticised for failing to back the ambassador, although it's emerged he did phone sir kim darroch on wednesday, praising him. the head of the uk's diplomatic service says he's not seen a situation like it, in 37 years.
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sir kim darroch, 42 years a loyal public servant, the boy from the council estate who advised prime ministers and, until this morning, her majesty's ambassador to the united states. he resigned, he said, because his leaked remarks, critical of donald trump, had made it impossible for him to carry out his role. at westminster, there was anger and support in equal measure. sir kim has given a lifetime of service to the united kingdom and we owe him an enormous debt of gratitude. good government depends on public servants being able to give full and frank advice. i think the comments made about him are beyond unfair and wrong. i think he's given honourable and good service and he should be thanked for it. at last month's state visit, mr trump and sir kim were on good terms, but his private description of a dysfunctional white house prompted a wave of presidential insults and a refusal to deal
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with the man he called, "the wacky ambassador". i will keep him until he's due to retire and i think we'd like to know if you would? 0k, well, i'm not going to be so presumptuous... but it was these words, the repeated refusal of borisjohnson last night to defend sir kim that prompted the ambassador‘s decision to go. according to whitehall sources, mrjohnson‘s critics were furious. boris johnson, a former foreign secretary, and he hopes to be a future, the future prime minister, has basically thrown our top diplomat under the bus. and there are a lot of people here in the commons who are very, very angry. allies of mrjohnson said this was a shabby attempt to politicise the resignation, and that sir kim's position had become untenable before last night's debate. he was a superb, is a superb diplomat and i worked with him for many years, and i think that whoever leaked his diptels really
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has done a grave disservice to our civil servants. you said last night you weren't going to back him? no, on the contrary... my view is it's wrong to drag civil servants into the political arena, that's what i think. that did not assuage the fury of foreign office officials, nor did the fact that mrjohnson chose to phone sir kim this afternoon, to praise him for his dedication and hard work. sir kim's resignation has wrought a heavy blow on british diplomacy. morale here at the foreign office is low and the risk is that it leaves britain looking like a leaky ship, buffeted by a foreign power, with its diplomats fearful in future of speaking truth to politicians who may not defend them if that truth were ever to leak. this afternoon, foreign office staff met to show solidarity with sir kim. earlier, their boss said it was unprecedented for a friendly government not to co—operate with a british ambassador. what's morale like in the foreign office at the moment? erm, i think people are shaken
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by what has happened. there is a reason why i've asked to see all my colleagues at four o'clock this afternoon. the basis on which we have worked all our careers suddenly feels as though it is challenged. the question now is who will choose the next resident of the british embassy in washington, theresa may oi’ her successoi’? either way, they'll have a big repairjob to do. james landale, bbc news. let's get some of the day's other news. flights at london gatwick airport were suspended for two hours on wednesday because of an issue with air traffic control systems. 28 flights were cancelled, 26 were diverted to other airports. in december, flights were suspended for more than a day when drone sightings caused chaos for tens of thousands of passengers. a man has been detained for climbing over a fence
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onto the forecourt of buckingham palace. it's understood he scaled the barrier to the side of the building in the early hours of wednesday. he was arrested moments later. royal officials say he did not enter the palace building. in myanmar‘s rakhine state, hundreds of new houses have been handed over to families displaced by the violence against the rohingya muslims in 2017. but none of the homes was actually for the minority group. almost two years on, there's no sign the 700,000 rohingya who fled over the border to neighbouring bangladesh will be returning soon. myanmar denies its troops carried out ethnic cleansing and genocide. our myanmar correspondent nick beake gained rare access to the affected part of rakhine. it takes time to reach myanmar‘s killing fields. a grim journey to where, they say, a genocide was committed. far from the eyes
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of the outside world. for the past year, the myanmar government has not allowed us to travel to northern rakhine state. finally we now have permission to go to an event there. how much the authorities will let us see is another matter. this was the highway from hell. two years ago, hundreds of thousands of rohingya muslims escaped along this route. fleeing the burmese army's campaign of rape and murder. but now we are told, some of those displaced in the bloodshed are coming back. under close scrutiny we are invited see 250 new homes and the people who will live in them. they have been paid for by neighbouring india. this family are waiting to talk to us. although it turns out they will not be sleeping here tonight. they will be going back to their nearby village.
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because these are not rohingya muslims coming home. like everyone we meet here, they are hindu. how would you feel if your muslim neighbours came back? we would not like it, she tells us. many hindus were killed in muslim villages. many outsiders believe rakhine state is still soaked in religious hatred and it is not safe for different communities to live side—by—side. but ministers claim progress is being made. and today they are celebrating their efforts. they are battling on with this event despite the relentless rain because myanmar‘s government is desperate to show it is doing things in rakhine state to try and improve lives. the reality is none of the houses we see here today are for rohingya people. they remain in refugee camps across the border in bangladesh and for now, two years on after the terrible violence,
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there is no home. the families today are hindu families. will you be providing housing for the rohingya families? not only for the hindu people but also for the muslim people and the rakhine people. the project will become more and more. up to half a million rohingya muslims who did not flee the 2017 persecution remain in rakhine state. one united nations investigator said they live in modern day concentration camps, denied many freedoms. and while there is such a bleak outlook there is little chance that friends and family across the border in the refugee camps will be coming home tojoin them. president trump's labor secretary, alex acosta, is resisting calls for his
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resignation over his part in a case involving the billionaire financier, jeffrey epstein. on monday, jeffrey epstein pleaded not guilty to charges that he oversaw a network, trafficking underage girls for sex. alex acosta is under scrutiny for negotiating a lighter sentence for him, in 2008. that missile by reiterating that i am pleased that the new york prosecution is going forward. they brought these charges based on new evidence against the registered sex offender. this is a very very good thing. his acts are despicable, the prosecution offers an important opportunity to more fully bring him to justice. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: a hero's welcome for the us football team, winners of the women's world cup back in new york city.
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central london has been rocked by a series of terrorist attacks. police say there have been many casualties, and there is growing speculation that al-qaeda was responsible. germany will be the hosts of the 2006 football world cup. they pipped the favourites, south africa, by a single vote. in south africa, the possibility of losing hadn't even been contemplated, and celebration parties were cancelled. the man entered the palace through a downstairs window and made his way to the queen's private bedroom. then he asked her for a cigarette, and on the pretext of arranging for some to be brought, she summoned a footman on duty, who took the man away. one child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.
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education is the only solution. applause this is bbc news, the latest headlines: armed iranian boats have reportedly tried to intercept a british oil tanker near the strait of hormuz but withdrew after a british warship warned them to stop. it also trained its guns on them. many british politicians have expressed concern at the resignation of britain's ambassador to washington, after his confidential criticism of president trump's administration was leaked. the united states has opened an investigation into french plans to tax internet and tech giants such as google and facebook. the us trade representative has said he's concerned the digital services tax will unfairly target american companies. the french government says companies that make big profits selling digital services in france should not be able to escape tax simply because their headquarters
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are elsewhere. i asked our correspondent in san francisco, dave lee, is france was taking a risk with its approach towards the us. yes, it is taking a risk and for now, at least, france is fairly isolated. there have been talks of a europe—wide digital tax like this but that fell through because of opposition from countries that ireland that have some of these tech companies basing their european operations there. france has pledged to go ahead alone, implement this 3% tax on the revenues that tech companies make in france, and the criteria for being part of this tax is that it's a tech company that owns more than 750 million euros every year, globally, and so the american complaint is that many of those companies that fit that criteria, the majority of the companies that
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fit the criteria in france, are american companies — google, apple, facebook, firms like that, and that is why america says it is going to investigate what is happening to see whether or not, as they see it, that american companies, are in theireyes, being unfairly targeted by this new tax from france. but dave, the kind of investigation the americans are talking about has often been a prelude to punitive tariffs, hasn't it? yes, it has and that is what france is going to be particularly wary of here. and there is a precedent here where the us has begun this kind of investigation and then, as a result, started implementing new us tariffs, most notably involving china. now france, although as part of the eu, it is more difficult to do french—specific tariffs. what the us can do is look at particular industries where france is particularly active when it comes to exporting to the us. that is something the us could look to do. but it seems both sides do think
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the proper way to solve this, eventually, might be a multilateral agreement on how internet companies should be taxed across the world, not just in france. the german chancellor, angela merkel, has suffered another shaking spell — the third in less than a month. it happened as she stood alongside the finish prime minister for the national anthem in berlin. concerns about her health were first raised when she was seen shaking at a ceremony with the ukrainian president last month. chancellor merkel is playing it all down, insisting there is no cause for alarm. ramzan karmali reports angela merkel making headlines but not for the reasons she'd want. her public bouts of shaking have fuelled speculation about her health. first, she was seen involuntary shaking during military honours for the visiting ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky.
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she later appeared to blame dehydration, saying she felt better after drinking some water. the 64—year—old was then seen shaking two weeks ago, ahead of her trip to japan, for the g20 summit. again she told journalists she was fine. her latest trembling episode took place as she stood next to finish prime minister antti rinne. she insisted there was nothing to be concerned about. translation: to start off, i am fine. i have recently said that i am working through what happened during the military honours with president zelensky. this progress is clearly not finished yet but there is progress, and i must live with this for a while but i am well and you do not have to worry about me. angela merkel has been a mainstay of german politics since the demolition of the berlin wall. she was made women's minister in 1991 and continued to rise up through the ranks of the ruling christian democrats party, ultimately becoming chancellor in 2005.
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her work ethic has become stuff of legends and she has even prided herself on having camel—like capacity to store up sleep. but now her health is likely to come under much more scrutiny. those incidents show weakness and weakness is simply not something you want to see with your head of government and certainly not with such a very powerful woman as angela merkel is, the leader of europe as some people say, so i guess she would have to give some proper answers and the media now here in germany is shifting and is demanding for such answers. angela merkel is in herfourth and last term as chancellor. she has already indicated she will leave politics when her current term ends in 2021. soon she will be going on her summer holidays and hopes to return in rude health. ramzan karmali, bbc news. the australian government has declared that it wants a referendum on recognising aboriginal rights.
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the australian constitution doesn't acknowledge their status as the first australians, which indigenous leaders say has left them powerless. from sydney, here's hywel griffith. australia has been home to aboriginal communities for over 50,000 years. but their rights and their role as the country's first people are not enshrined in law. we seek constitutional reforms to empower our people. two years ago, this meeting of indigenous leaders demanded change, calling for a way to put them the centre of parliamentary decisions. the call went unanswered until now. but in many ways that's the easy part. agreeing on what questions to ask and what changes could bring may prove more difficult. what is clear is that change is needed to improve the lives of australia's first people.
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indigenous australians are still more likely to be living in poverty, still more likely to be imprisoned than the rest of the population. there is, some leaders argue, a disadvantage locked in by the current constitution. policy has been put on us to stop the voices of aboriginal or torres strait people in this country to have their own destiny through self—determination or even having the right to have a rightful place in our decision—making. the government says it will take three years for the referendum to take shape. it will not be rushed. although many feel it is overdue. well, it has been coming for a long time. i think it is time for real change to actually take place and our country will be better off for it. it is pussyfooting, it is too long in coming and there should be no delay in certain things like an indigenous voice to parliament. polls suggest most australian support recognising aboriginal rights.
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the referendum risks polarising opinion but it is a decision the whole country will need to make. thousands turned out in new york city on wednesday to honour the us women's soccer team, world cup champions once again. there were official speakers but the players and especially team captain megan rapinoe were very much the stars of the show. cheering and applause. how is this for a homecoming? new york was buzzing with excitement as the us women's soccer team made their way down the parade route known as the canyon of heroes. amid a sea of red white and blue, and with tickertape raining down from above, the world champions basked in the glory of their win. the world champions busked in the glory of their win. there is so much energy and pride here for the us women's soccer team. they have shown they are a force on the field
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and they have proved that perseverance in another battle, the fight for equal pay. fans hear say they no doubt deserve it. chant: equal pay, equal pay! i think they deserve more pay. they keep winning, the have won four world cups. the men have won zero. we need some women to, like, stand up for this world and, like, be ahead of man sometimes. the party continued all the way to city hall, where the players showed off that victory dance. co—captain, megan rapinoe, who has been a vocal critic of president trump and the us soccer federation, praise her team—mates for their impact on and off the field. it is our responsibility to make this world a better place. i think this team does an incredible job of taking that on our shoulders and understanding the position that we have and the platform that we have. the players were honoured with a symbolic key to the city by mayor bill de blasio, who spoke about their influence on future generations. they have inspired particular young women to believe in themselves,
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to be brave, to be bold, to be fierce. # bring me a higher love...# this team's record—breaking run shows once again that women's soccer is a force to be reckoned with. the big question now is, after the celebrations are over, and they are back on the field, will they receive equal pay? nada tawfik, bbc news, new york. taylor swift has been named the world's top—earning celebrity. in the past year she earned, forbes estimates, at least $180 million the bbc‘s tim allman reports. # i promise you will never find another like me. i am the only one to be. #. she may have lost the rights to her back catalogue but taylor swift certainly has not lost the capacity to make lots and lots
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and lots of money. nearly $200 million of it, in fact, well, once the attachment took his share and she made most of it by putting on a show. she toured like crazy, a quarter of a gross on her latest tour so we quarter of a gross on her latest tour so we measure quarter of a gross on her latest tour so we measure it over the past 12 months and we cut most of that tour and it is good business when you can gross 5— $6 million a night on the road. coming in second with a paltry $170 million was a social media sensation and cosmetics millionaire, kyliejenner. can a west, her brother—in—law, came in third on a measly $150 million. as for taylor swift, she is releasing a new album next month and there is speculation another two may follow. if any financial obstacle gets in the way, she will presumablyjust
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shakeit the way, she will presumablyjust shake it off. thank you for watching. much more news on our website. well, it's been a very humid couple of days across many parts of the uk. temperatures have got up to 27 degrees. some of that humidity is also going to spark off a few thunderstorms. certainly across northern and eastern parts of the country on thursday. not everybody is going to get them though. this is what it looks like through the early hours. so already some showers dotted around across the uk. the south is largely dry early in the morning. and very warm 15—16 degrees after dawn, just in the north—west there, maybe around 12 degrees in stornoway. now, low pressure is crossing the country on thursday. that's going to spark off some of those thunderstorms. once again across scotland and eastern parts of the uk. so further south it is looking dry.
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the weather is looking absolutely fine for wimbledon. partly cloudy skies. temperatures around the mid—20s and light winds. but still quite humid. so the forecast for the morning, showers possible almost anywhere across central, northern england, scotland, maybe one or two in northern ireland. but it is later on from lincolnshire, the eastern counties, and also eastern scotland where we will see the heaviest of the showers brewing. now, 20 degrees in the north. in the south, around 25 or 26. so still another warm, humid day. let's zoom into eastern scotland. these showers will continue to move across scotland into the evening hours and, again, thunderstorms possible almost anywhere from yorkshire northwards. thursday night into friday, that low pressure pushes away. this high pressure is trying to build in that will help improve the weather as we head into the weekend. here is friday's weather forecast.
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there is going to be a shift in the wind direction, it's going to be coming more from the north—west. so it will put away some of that humidity. temperatures will drop a touch as well. on friday, again, further showers are possible in some eastern areas of the uk. temperatures typically around the low 20s, maybe touching 23, 2a degrees in southern parts of the uk. so that's friday. let's have a look at saturday. the winds mostly in from the north. so feeling a little bit fresher, i think, across the majority of the uk. it will cloud over at times. there is the chance of one or two showers, but on the whole it is a dry saturday for most of us. not a bad one. quite a bright one. temperatures typically 21—22 degrees. sunday looks fairly similar as well. in cardiff, 2a, light winds, really a very pleasant saturday and sunday on the way. bye— bye.
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this is bbc news, the headlines:
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armed iranian boats have reportedly tried to intercept a british oil tanker near the strait of hormuz, but were driven off by a british warship. the pentagon told the bbc it was aware of the reports. the british ministry of defence has not yet commented british politicians have expressed concern at the resignation of britain's ambassador to washington. sir kim darroch quit after his confidential criticism of the trump administration was leaked, prompting the us president to say he wouldn't work with him. the foreign secretary called the resignation a black day for british diplomacy. the american government has launched an investigation into france's plan to tax technology giants like google and facebook — saying it may unfairly target us companies. the french government says the companies should not be able to escape paying tax simply because their headquarters are in other countries.

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