02/05/2017 Outside Source

Hello. This is Outside Source. President Putin has dismissed

allegations of Russian meddling in the US election.

TRANSLATION: These are rumours used in the internal political struggle

in the US. At a meeting with the German Chancellor, Ukraine, Syria

and the treatment of homosexuals were on the agenda. We'll discuss

all that with the BBC Russian service.

After Germany, the US was next on the list. We're live in Washington

to find out what was said on a call between Vladimir Putin and Donald

Trump. Theresa May has dismissed reports of a clash between the

European Commission president but says she'll play hard ball during

Brexit talks. I was described by one of my colleagues as a Plooty

difficult woman. With days to go before the final round of the French

election, Marine Le Pen delivers a speech that sounds a little

familiar. We're going to Paris to discuss that

and we'll have many more stories right here on outside source.

You're very welcome to the programme. Let us begin with

relations between Europe and Russia. They have been rough. This meeting

between German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and Vladimir Putin were

meant to smooth things over. Sanctions were brought up and the

treatment of homosexuals in Chechnya. The Russian president

reaffirmed support for the Syrian president and denied interfearing

with the US election. Let's have a listen.

TRANSLATION: We need to do more in order to untangle the situation.

Unfortunately, we are not making much headway here. I think the

central point is that we keep returning to the beginning of the

Minsk agreement which stated we need a ceasefire. Ensuing from the

ceasefire the relevant political steps would follow. In the meantime,

we have started a parallel political process. The ceasefire is essential.

Of course, the questions surrounding the swap of prisoners and such

things. But I pointed out again how important the right to demonstrate

is in a civil society. The importance of humanitarian

organisations and I also mentioned again that we have received very

negative reports about the way homosexuals are treated in Chechnya.

I asked President Putin to use his influence in order to safeguard the

rights of minorities. TRANSLATION: We're convinced that

the resolution of the Syrian conflict can only be found through

peaceful means and only under the auspices of the United Nations. The

Russian side has pointed out the need to carry out a full and

comprehensive investigation of the April 4 incidents. We resolutely

condemn the use of chemical weapons in any form. Those responsible for

the deaths of innocent civilians must be found and punished, but it

should be done after a thorough and unbiassed investigation. We never

interfere into the political life and political process in other

countries and we would very much like that nobody interfeared into

our political life and into the political life in Russia. You've

referred to the US example, which is not confirmed by anything or anyone,

these are just rumours used in the internal political struggle in the

US. I spoke to our BBC Russia correspondent and asked what was

that relationship between Mrs Merkel and Mr Putin like. Well, it was

quite warm from the beginning and it's very easy to explain. They have

two languages in common, Russian and German. They both spend a lot of

time in Eastern Berlin, their background of course. I remember the

summit ten years back, when they held a meeting in Siberia, Putin and

Merkel, it was very warm. They even left to the airport in the same car.

Very warm in sigh beerament I like that. Very warm if Siberia, yeah.

But then, it could be described their relations during all the years

could be described more like a business than a friendship. Germany

depends on Russian gas. They buy almost one third depends on Russian

natural gas. Especially after Fukushima when Merkel initiated the

closing of the old Nuclear Power Stations. In Russia, importing from

Germany as well. So it is a very solid ground for developing the

relations now. An important one. We were watching a little bit there, it

was Mrs Merkel that brought up Russian meddling in elections. What

do you think Mr Putin made of that? It's very hard to predict what Mr

Putin would do, but it also very unlikely that he would recognise any

influence to any political process and as he said, he denies it, all

the time. We are unlikely will hear that yeah, we actually influenced

the elections in the US, even if so. Yeah, it's really hard to predict,

but Merkel she said that she's not afraid of Russian influence, but

still she pointed out that it might be the disinformation, the cyber

attacks, and in that case they will act appropriately. One other issue

that came up, thank you for that, is Chechnya. And Mrs Merkel took this

time to talk about homosexuality there. Yes, there was a big scandal

raised up in Russian media, in the Russian oppositional media about a

month ago. They published materials about Chechen gays, which fled from

Russia because of torturing, as they said and pressuring and even killing

people by some government forces in Chechnya. The leader of Chechnya

already has denied everything, saying there is no evidence Putin

said almost the same. Actually, he actually didn't comment on this

during, after this meeting. So soon after Mr Putin's meeting with the

Chancellor he was due to hold a prearranged phone call with Donald

Trump. Watching this for us is our correspondent in Washington DC. Hi

Anthony, good to have you back with us. What has been said, what is the

Kremlin or White House saying? This is the third time that Donald Trump

and Vladimir Putin have had a conversation since Donald Trump was

elected last year. They spoke first about Syria and cooperating to

ensure peace in Syria and create safe areas for Syrian refugees and

their citizens, also the United States pledged to send a

representative to ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Kazakhstan. They

talked about reducing terrorism, larger terrorism in the Middle East

and addressing what they called a serious problem in North Korea.

Something interesting that you would note from the two press releases,

was that the Russians talked about Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin

having a face-to-face meeting, their first one of Trump's presidency in

Germany in July. The White House release made no mention about that.

But both releases said that it was a friendly call and they pledged to

cooperate more closely. This just comes to my mind as you talk about

it, is it actually a phone call or would it be like face time or Skype?

Would they be looking at one another? Today? Well, I believe it

was a phone call over the line. I don't think Donald Trump has Skyped

ever. I'm going out on a limb. I'd probably say he's in the a Skype

kind of guy. That just came to my mind. Let me get into a couple of

the other issues as well, which is some of the quotes that have been

there, Mr Trump has given a number of interviews in the past 48 hours.

Kim Jong Un, he says he would meet with him if the timing was right. He

talked about breaking up Wall Street banks, a gas tax, that he would be

ready to move on. It a lot of people are wondering, are these concrete

changes in White House policy or should they be taken more with a

grain of salt? When you talk to members of Congress, in Donald

Trump's own party about these policies coming out and whether

Donald Trump means them or not, they don't know. I don't think anyone

really knows what's going to be pursued and what's not. That

actually makes it hard for the rest of Donald Trump's administration and

law makers in Congress to be able to carry the water for him. They don't

know what he's serious about. He floated the idea of a gas tax as you

mention, no-one's talked about a gas tax before. That's something the

Democrats might be more interested in. When they asked Democrats about

it, they shrugged and said they hadn't heard anything beyond that. I

think with the Trump administration, as we are learning, as with Donald

Trump campaign, is that he often floats ideas, says things that have

little preparation before them and the real way to tell whether

something is significant, if it's lasting, if it's actually going to

translate into policy is to look at the way the machinery of the

administration is moving, listen to what other administration officials

are saying and whether they're backing it up and see if the story

has legs beyond one day. Otherwise, this is just life in the Trump

reality. Still smiling. Thanks very much. Right, let's move on to other

politicians. The leaked accounts of a Downing Street dinner to which

European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, was invited

last week are worth reading in full. To save you the trouble, we have

boiled it down to one schaeng. -- exchange. Theresa May said she

wanted Brexit to be a success. Mr Juncker replied, "Brexit cannot be a

success." Over the weekend the prm dismissed this story as just

Brussels gossip. This afternoon in a BBC interview, she was a little bit

more forth coming. Who wouldn't like a day by the

Cornish coast? Who could be coming to town? We believe it's that nice

Theresa May. Is that correct or not correct? Strong and stable Theresa.

I'm not very keen. In fact I'm very unkeen. I hope she comes sooner

rather than later. Yeah, I've got a bus to catch. The Number Ten suits,

police by the fishing boats, gave the game away Thank you, nice to see

you. Morning. Morning. A serene scene compared to brutal briefings

from Brussels. Thank you, nice to see you.

During the Conservative Party leadership campaign I was described

by one of my colleagues as a bloody difficult woman. And I setted at the

time, the next person -- I said at the time the next person to find

that out would be Jean-Claude Juncker. Did he over the weekend?

These are going to be tough negotiations as we go ahead. I'm

asking the British people to give me a mandate. Did Jean-Claude Juncker

say to you, "Brexit cannot be a success." I don't, look, I don't'

call the account that has been given of the meeting that took place. I

think a lot of this is Brussels gossip. It's a dinner in London and

you were there. It's not Brussels gossip. Either he said it to you or

he did not. The account that I have seen, a lot of that is Brussels

gossip. But what is important is that there is a key question for

people when they come to this election. There will be 27 other EU

countries on one side of the table, and who is going to be there

standing up for the UK? It's either going to be me or Jeremy Corbyn You

wanted an early deal on EU citizens and Brits abroad. They said no. You

wanted parallel talks about our divorce deal and trade at the same

time. They said no. That doesn't inspire confidence, does? I've

always said there are complexities to this issue and lots of details

that will need to be agreed. Brexit is not the only issue. Back her on

Brexit or not, for some voters it's just not enough. The food banks are

packed. There's problems with homelessness, house prices. Polite

maybe, but her first sharp encounter this campaign. Solely focussing on

Brexit. No, it's not. No, I know it isn't, but there's an impression

Brexit has huge opportunities for us. It doesn't help that Boris

Johnson says it's about selling Haggas to the Americans. Thank you.

Her team says she loves talking to voters. What did that one make of

her? The sauce Tea Party cuts have been -- austerity cuts have been

damaging. We need a strong economy. I don't believe Brexit will take us

into a strong economy. I've never felt in my adult life so depressed

about the state of this country, I really haven't. Neither do I. Those

two are angry. They had a lot to say. I know they did. But it's too

late to discuss that now. We're already going out. Why fight that?

Brexit is the back drop to this election, the Prime Minister wants

to use the circumstances to build her authority. Whether here or

anywhere else, voters will make it absolutely plain it's not the only

thing that will make up their mind. As that voter said to you, in that

Cornish village, this shouldn't all be about Brexit. She was worried it

is. We've started to site or plan -- started to set out our plan for a

stronger Britain. This is the most important election the country has

faced in my lifetime. We have an historic opportunity. It's an

important moment of chaenk for this country. Doesn't that sound strange

for someone who was Home Secretary for six years in the previous

Government? I was very proud to have served in David Cameron's Cabinet

for six years as Home Secretary. But I'm a different person. I'm my own

person. And we're in a different set of circumstances. I want to look

ahead to the long-term challenges that this country faces. Almost

exactly a year ago, Prime Minister, I asked you if you thought you would

want to be leader of the country. You laughed it off saying there

wasn't a vacancy. We know what's happened since then. Many MPs and

ministers believe this could be a transformational election in terms

of the Tories taking back swathes of the country. You can't laugh that

off. You read the polls too. You must believe that's in your sights.

I'm very clear. I have always throughout my political career never

predicted election results. I've always said polls come out that are

good, polls come out that are bad. The only poll that counts is the one

that takes place on June 8. If you're located will you serve the

full term until 2022? I have no intention of doing anything other

than serving the full term until 2022 because this is an important

time for our country. This so-called bloody difficult woman wants to stay

on as your Prime Minister. Persuading all of you, that might be

difficult too. Thank you very much.

Stay with us on Outside Source. Still to come - the United CEO has

appeared before law makers and apologised for the treatment of a

passenger last month. The Shadow Home Secretary, Diane

Abbott has denied her credibility is in question after getting her sums

wrong. She said she planned to put an extra 10,000 police officers on

the streets, which would cost ?300,000 rather than ?300 million.

Pretty bad day for Diane Abbott. She has a real struggle today with. This

the key claim that she was making was that we have lost 20,000 police

officers since 2010. Now in 2010 we got to an all-time high in police

numbers, about 144,000 officers. In 2011, under the coalition

Government, that began to fall away, as police budgets were cut. Police

numbers have come down by almost 20,000. It's about 19,000 to be

exact. The bigger trend is that police numbers have been rising

consistently over the long-term. Since about 1980, the trend has

always been going up. That decline since 2010, has been quite

significant. That's about 13%. This is Outside Source, live from

the BBC Newsroom. Our top story: President Putin has dismissed

allegations of Russian meddling in the US election. He was speaking at

a meeting with the German Chancellor.

Let's look at some of the stories that they're working on around the

BBC. The Turkish president has threatened

to end efforts to join the European Union unless the block rein-I having

rates Turkey's accession process. China has called for the immediate

suspension of a controversial US missile defence system based in

South Korea, after Washington announced it was operational. That

on BBC Chinese. One of the most read stories online is about a Paris art

dealer who accidentally left a 1. $1.6 million art work in the boot of

a taxi. The piece was handed in by the taxi driver.

Now, let's turn to OS business. Investors are on tenter hooks ahead

of technology giant Apple's latest earnings. We're going to find out

how the world's most valuable company has fared in the latest

quarter. If you are lucky enough or rich enough to have bought shares in

the iPhone maker, its share price has risen by more than 25% this

year. Let's bring in Dave Lee in San Francisco for us.

Good to have you with us. Some of the challenges, I suppose, that

Apple may face, but these earnings, something to smile about. Yes, well

let me take you back to this time last year when I was stood pretty

much on the same spot. We were reporting that Apple for the first

time had a drop in revenue year on year. This year, it's a much

healthier picture. They're inspecting around 5% up on this time

last year. The results haven't come out yet. This is what we're

expecting. We will know more in half an hour. We're expecting a strong

quarter. This is the time of the year where Apple has a slow quarter,

because it's after Christmas. Though it's the quieter period they should

show some strong earnings. Another thing we're looking out for is Apple

cash pile overseas. It could top, if you can believe this, $250 billion.

That's kept overseas. It's an extraordinary amount. There's

pressure at the moment on Apple to take back some of that money into

the US and start buying things, like other companies or rewarding some of

its shareholders. Stay with us, Dave, because we want to bring up

fresh row that's concerning Facebook, another social media site.

The giant has denied Watch chain of events culminated in

the injury of a customer and a loss of trust in so many more. As CEO,

adding of the day, that is on me. This has to be a turning point for

the 87,000 people and professionals here at United. And it

the 87,000 people and professionals here at United. And it is my mission

to make sure we make the changes needed to provide our customers the

highest levels of reliability and customer service that you have come

to expect, and a deeper sense of respect and dignity. That is the CEO

of United Airlines speaking. The saga has for some the change their

policies. We have heard about offering more -- being offered more

cash to grab seats, not using law-enforcement officers to remove

passengers, and the threat of tougher laws of the industry doesn't

up its game. Samir has been following this story. Great you back

with us. This chain of events, do you think anybody realised when that

first video went viral that it would actually begin this cycle that could

bring about huge changes to the industry?

I think a lot of people watch that and were outraged, but what made

matters worse was the reaction from United. The CEO at that point really

dug in his heels and defended the treatment and his staff, and it was

only as the anger continued to grow that you got that apology that

should have come earlier. Take a moment to understand the lawmakers

that he was speaking to. He was also joined by other US airline

executives. Lawmakers use airlines all the time, going back and forth

from their districts weekly. A lot of this hearing was spent listening

to the lawmakers recounting their own experiences using US travel. If

they were expecting a really kind, receptive audience, they certainly

did not get that. I suppose, airlines have always been a

difficult industry to make money from, particularly since 9/11, and

can they really afford to be able to compensate passengers better, to

reduce the overbooking that we have heard about as well? That is a way

to try and increase profits. Airlines are making money. They are

not hard up right now. That is why a lot of people are wondering, if

airlines are making money and you are seeing that executives are still

getting paid big bucks, why is it that the individual using the

services being punished in cramped seats and running the risk of not

even getting onto their flight because of overbooking? The practice

of overbooking was topped about during this hearing, but there was

no move by the airlines to stop the practice. I don't think we've heard

the end of it. Thank you very much for speaking to us on a OS. We have

another half an hour to come, so do stay with us.