welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. my name is mike embley. our top stories: farewell to the mooch. afterjust ten days in the job, president trump fires his director of communications, anthony scaramucci. officials in los angeles say they've struck a deal to host the summer olympic games in 2028. venezuela's president is accused of undermining democracy as the us imposes direct sanctions on nicolas maduro. and sam shepard, the acclaimed actor and playwright, has died at the age of 73. well, it was another day of changes at the white house. this morning john kelly was sworn in as the new chief of staff replacing reince priebus,

who departed on friday. then came the bombshell. anthony scaramucci, tapped as white house communications director less than two weeks ago, is leaving as well, saying he wants to give mr kelly a clean slate. the bbc‘s north america editorjon sopel has been following all the action for us. the decision came after a profanity laced tirade mr. scaramucci had last week aimed at his new colleagues. here was white house press secretary sarah huckabee sanders just a short time go discussing the departure. i'm going to be brief, i'm going to make my remarks informal... well, he was right about that, wasn't he? it is day one on the job, and certain things are instantly clear. anthony scaramucci does not lack for self—confidence, swagger or bravado. but i love the president, and i'm very, very loyal to the president. this would be his first and last appearance at the white house podium. ten days later, the new communications director is gone, the white house blowing him a kiss goodbye. but let it not be said it was an uneventful ten days. it told the bbc he would be straight—talking. you know, one of the things i cannot stand about this town is the backstabbing that goes on here, 0k?

where i'm from, where i grew up, we're front—stabbers. we tell you exactly where we are from, and what we are doing. turbulent does not begin to describe it. in a foul—mouthed tirade, he went to war with the two most senior people in the west wing who are not the president. in his conversations with the new yorker magazine, mr scaramucci said of the ex—chief of staff... and of steve bannon... by last friday, the chief of staff had been fired, left abandoned at andrews air force base. a scalp to scaramucci. but now, irony of ironies, generaljohn kelly, on day one as new chief of staff, had changes he wanted to make, as the president lavished praise on him. so i want to congratulate you on having done a fantasticjob, and we look forward to, if it's possible, an even betterjob as chief of staff. i'll try, sir. the general had demanded

the head of scaramucci, and the president served it up on a platter. after a dizzying few days, the president's press secretary tried to sound calm. the president certainly felt that anthony's comments were inappropriate for a person in that position, and he didn't want to burden general kelly, also, with that line of succession. before all this unfold at the president tweeted. .. well, actually, still quite chaotic, as the president went to a ceremony in the east wing to honour those who were prepared to lay down their lives for their comrades and their country. the international olympic committee has confirmed that los angeles has

offered to host the 2028 olympic games. it's a move that means paris will host the games in 202a. both cities had vied for 2024, but la is understood to have agreed to go second. our los angeles correspondent, peter bowes, has more on this story from los angeles. this is an unusual arrangement. tell us more. this is an unusual arrangement. tell us more. it is a strange arrangement. there has been a news conference in the last half—hour confirming this is going to happen. it will be rubberstamped at a meeting of the international olympic committee in a few weeks' time. it seems the deal was done, unfolding a month ago. los angeles in paris were the final two countries in the running for 203a. paris were clear they did not want 2028. —— 202a. los angeles did not either. but over a

few weeks, officials from both made a deal. it seems the deal means more money for los angeles. in fact, according to the mayor of los angeles, it was a good deal, too good to pass up. a lot of money will be going to los angeles to be spent on sporting programmes for children across the city. it will also help to pay for the next four years the officials and the committee have to plan for the olympics of 2028. and paris gets to host the summer games just about a century after it last did. yes. about a century. in los angeles has hosted the olympics twice before, in 1932 and 1984. it is interesting that one of the venues that los angeles had, the los angeles coliseum, will be involved

in it this time. los angeles has said it is ready now and has made a lot about it. there is no infrastructure needed in terms of sporting stadiums. clearly there will be a lot of work, though. transport is not the best at the best of times in los angeles, for example. they will need more access to some of those venues. but they have 11 years to plan it. thank you very much indeed. we will quickly round up some very much indeed. we will quickly round up some more very much indeed. we will quickly round up some more of the news for you now. china has hit back against claims by donald trump that it is to blame for not reining in north korea. the us president said he was "very disappointed in china" after pyongyang tested another intercontinental ballistic missile. beijing said the nuclear issue "did not arise because of china." a man has been left with facial injuries after two people on a moped threw an unknown liquid at him in central london. police said the 47—year—old man was attacked in knightsbridge. the man has been taken to hospital

but his condition is not yet known. the family of a 12—year—old girl, who died in the grenfell tower disaster, have been paying tribute to her. jessica urbano ramirez, has now been formally identified, as one of the victims. in a statement, her family said she was "loving, kind—hearted and caring, and brought joy to everyone she met." they say they won't rest, until they getjustice for her. at least 80 people died in the blaze last month. venezuela is looking increasingly isolated, under widespread international condemnation for this weekend's vote which could give president maduro sweeping new powers. hundreds have died in months of anti—government protests. opposition parties boycotted the ballot, claiming it was rigged. the us government today imposed direct sanctions on president maduro, accusing him of being a dictator. mr maduro claimed that showed mr trump's "desperation and hate." from caracas, the bbc‘s katy watson. viva la patria!

for president maduro, this was a big win. state tv ran his victory speech at length but for the millions of people who boycotted the vote, it was a hollow victory - if that. this morning, caracas felt like a normal city, people getting back to work after a difficult weekend, but still venezuelans are divided. luis voted because he says he's had enough of the protests, but adelaida didn't. as a venezuelan, she says she feels so hurt, she's worried about her family. agustin has been managing this taxi rank for 17 years. he says people here are fed up with food shortages and spiralling inflation. he didn't want to be identified but he said he voted out of fear. i had to vote, he tells me, worried about rumours the government would remove his subsidised food if he didn't. the late hugo chavez is still an icon here, his face a constant reminder that he was the leader who started venezuela's socialist revolution, but high oil prices

helped support him. with an economy now in crisis, president maduro is losing friends at home and abroad, not least in the us which today announced it would impose sanctions on the president. hector rodriguez is a rising figure in the government and the man who led the campaign for the new assembly. he, like maduro, blames the opposition for the violence in the past few months, but says foreign powers have meddled in venezuela too. translation: we said before that the problems of venezuela are venezuela's alone. it's for our people to choose what happens in their country. but that's the problem — millions of people boycotted this vote. president maduro said turnout was 8 million but many doubt this figure and accuse the government of voterfraud. they want to show they are powerful but the only thing they have is fear, is repression

and is violence, and when a government has only fear, repression and violence, it's very weak. but as the political wrangling continues, people try and live their lives as best they can. the government has hailed this as a triumph for peace, as the only way to move the country forward but with so much anger and uncertainty about where venezuela is headed, for many the vote has only made things worse. this country has seen four months of violent confrontations. 17—year—old neomar lander was killed injune during a protest. every day he used to head to the streets. now his mother tells me she's doing the same. for me, the bestjustice for him and for everyone who's died is to achieve what we're asking for, she says, for the government to go. the family says fear isn't something they think about. it's about ensuring his memory lives on.

mark weisbrot is co—director of the centre for economic and policy research in washington and has been following the deepening crisis in venezuela. i know you have been following this crisis. what impact will american sanctions have? they will have a negative impact on the economy, depending on who they declare power to. they can devastate the economy, increase hunger and a shortage of medicine and everything else. but they are polarising. look at the us and think about the polarisation we have had from the alleged interference with russia in the elections here. just multiply that by 100 elections here. just multiply that by100 in elections here. just multiply that by 100 in terms of how it polarises venezuela to have a foreign power which has basically been trying to get rid of this government for 15 years, supporting a coup in 2002. it

is still a polarised country even though president maduro's approval rating is 20%. you have people who have reason to fear that if the opposition wins, they will be persecuted as they were after the 2002 coup when the government rounded up officials, the coup government, the one installed after the coup, the rounded up officials and dozens were killed. you need a negotiated solution with both sides knowing and trusting that the authority that comes out of the next election, which president maduro has promised to have elections on schedule, they have to know that nobody, the losing side, is not going to suffer from political oppression and persecution. that is why these things are so important.

donald trump's strategy, consistent with the last 16 years, of regime change, is going to... it could push the country towards a civil war. president maduro clearly has some hopes that at some point this vote will be seen as legitimate or at least a done deal. do you think the country will go deeper into crisis and more violence is inevitable? yes. there is violence on both sides. you heard, 125 people killed. we don't really know how many were killed by the opposition and security forces and how many were just bystanders. in 2014 they had violent protesting and it was about it and between the security forces and the opposition. i think it is probably something like that now but you really don't know. there is a lot of violence trying to prevent this vote from taking place on sunday. it is really... that is why

isaid, it sunday. it is really... that is why i said, it is deeply polarised. it really has to be resolved through negotiation, otherwise it could very well descend into civil war. we can see how these regime change strategies have worked out in iraq, afghanistan, syria, and even in central america in the 1980s, haiti, the 21st century. everywhere the united states has supported a regime change in pushed it and in many cases succeeded in getting it, it has been very, very bad. and i think thatis has been very, very bad. and i think that is why these sanctions, further sanctions, further polarisation coming from the us, would be bad. there is a lot of opposition to sanctions coming from the business sector, the energy sector, from

people, you know, the white house itself, it is divided. and actually, a number of people in congress sent a number of people in congress sent a letter on friday to the administration asking them not to institute any further sanctions. we will clearly come back to this. thank you very much indeed for your insight. thank you to you for being with us. stay with us bbc news if you can. much more to come. including this. ceremonies have been held marking a 100 years since the beginning of the battle of passchendaele, one of the bloodiest of world war one. cheering the us space agency nasa has ordered an investigation after confirmation today that astronauts were cleared

to fly while drunk. the last foot patrol in south armargh, once an everyday part in the soldiers' lot, drudgery and danger, now no longer after almost four decades. if one is on one's own in a private house, not doing any harm to anyone, i don't really see why all these people should wander in and say you're doing something wrong. six rare white lion cubs are on the prowl at worcestershire zoo. already they've been met with a roar of approval from visitors. they're lovely, really sweet. yeah, really cute. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: president trump has fired his director of communications, anthony scaramucci, afterjust ten days in the job. officials in los angeles say

they have struck a deal to host the summer olympic games in 2028. prime minister nawaz sharif was stripped of office by the supreme court last week over corruption allegations. an interim prime minister, shahid khaqan abbasi, is expected to be formally appointed on tuesday. but as fears grow about instability at the top, political rivals are seeing an opportunity, as our south asia correspondent, justin rowlatt reports. it is a cross between an election rally and a victory celebration, and it marks the greatest triumph to date of star cricketer imran khan's political career. and he is making the most of it. "we have laid the foundations of a new pakistan," he tells the crowd. khan led the campaign to bring corruption charges against former prime minister, nawaz sharif, and now he has got the interim prime minister and sharif‘s brother, his chosen successor, in his sights.

the plan is to use the same tactic used with the former pm. he's bringing actions in pakistan's supreme court, using provisions that say anyone who has behaved dishonestly can be judged unfit to hold office. today, the aupreme court is hearing another case of political wrongdoing, another case in which a senior politician could face disqualification. but today, the accused is imran khan himself. what a authority does this letter have? who signed this letter? it is imran khan, these are his signatures. the centrepoint of the case is that imran khan has collected money from the foreigners, and from foreign multinational companies, which is explicitly forbidden by the law and the constitution. hello, mr khan.

very good to meet you. imran khan says he is confident he will win the case. i think it is good that they should ask me to be accountable. you expect any person, a member of parliament, a minister, a prime minister, you expect them to be honest, and second, to be truthful? i mean, if someone, a leader, a prime minister, lies, and he is caught lying, you would not, you know, you would not trust him after that. few people would disagree with that. but it does mean that, increasingly, politics in pakistan is being played out not at the ballot box, but through the courts. ceremonies have been marking a hundred years since the beginning of one of the bloodiest battles of world war one. over three months, in nightmarish conditions, british and allied troops clashed with german soldiers

in what became known as the battle of passchendaele. in all, around half a million soldiers, on both sides, were killed, wounded or were simply never seen again. robert hall reports. there are few more peaceful places than the gentle slope of tyne cot. today, among its white headstones, families look back across the years, to another big push. the battle we know today as passchendaele would last for over 100 days. we remember it not only for the rain that fell, the mud that weighed down the living and swallowed the dead, but also for the courage and bravery of the men who fought here. tyne cot overlooks the rolling farmland, streams and woods that

were once no man's land, a scar of liquid mud and stagnant, stinking craters. bert ferns fought at passchendaele. he joined the lancashire fusiliers atjust 18. bert ferns began his attack here, beside the german bunker that now lies within tyne cot cemetery. the lancashire fusiliers made their way uphill towards passchendaele village, and a spot which bert later said he would never forget. we came across what'd be about 100 yards square of bodies that had been caught in an artillery shrapnel attack. they were absolutely massacred. private edward michael batten,

13th platoon, d company, 45th battalion, australian imperial force. private james monroe, 1 south african infantry regiment. my great—great—grandfather, rifleman stanley durra nt of the king's... my great—great—uncle, private walter stevenson, fourth battalion grenadier guards. voices and stories that inspire acts of remembrance, like the story of captain noel chavasse, surgeon and olympic athlete, who was awarded the victoria cross twice for rescuing men underfire. when you start to understand the man behind the medals, i think you start to grow an attachment. heroism which brought his great—great—niece here for the first time.

perhaps we won't have such big, government—funded events as this today, but what we will have are stories we can pass down the generations, in a way that i don't think should stop for something that was so significant. flanders means endless endurance. flanders means blood, and scraps of human bodies. flanders means heroic courage, and faithfulness unto death. the horrors of passchendaele have been passed from family to family for 100 years. flanders is likely to remain a place of pilgrimage for generations to come. robert hall, bbc news, tyne cot. the playwright and actor sam shepard has died at the age of 73. according to his family, he passed away at his home in kentucky from complications caused by motor neurone disease. in a long career he won the pulitzer prize for drama and was nominated for a best actor oscar. the bbc‘s tim allman looks back at his life and work. so when do we go? how about tomorrow

morning? i will be there. so when do we go? how about tomorrow morning? iwill be there. if so when do we go? how about tomorrow morning? i will be there. if you wa nted morning? i will be there. if you wanted rugged good looks, combined with a certain and ignominy charm, sam shepard was your man. —— enigmatic charm. he really is playing chuck yeager in the right stuff. he appeared in dozens of films, starring opposite dolly pa rton films, starring opposite dolly parton in steel magnolias. films, starring opposite dolly parton in steel magnoliaslj films, starring opposite dolly parton in steel magnolias. i feel sorry for him, you know? you know, especially jackson. —— steel magnolias. and here, in blackhawk, a fictional account of the final

adventure of butch cassidy. but he was also a writer, director, and dramatist. this was a production of his play, fool for love. he wrote 44 plays, winning the pulitzer prize in 1979. sam shepard was born in for cheriton, illinois, in 1943. his father was an alcoholic, and he had a nomadic childhood, before moving to new york when he was 19. there, he started writing plays, essays, norval is, and memoirs. he has been described as one of the most significant voices in america, who wrote of what he saw with dealers, tireless honesty. —— novels. jim allman, there, on sam shepard. the playwright and actor has died at the age of 73. —— tim allman.

hello, good morning and welcome to august. but if you were hoping the new month would bring a new type of weather, well, actually, we'rejust going to continue with the sort of theme we had at the end ofjuly. a mixture of sunshine and showers. the earlier satellite picture shows clumps of cloud circulating around an area of low pressure. and with that we will continue to see some showers as we go through the day. some places starting off dry, particularly northern scotland and the south and east of england, but for wales, certainly not starting off dry. in fact here through the first part of the morning showers likely to gang up into a longer spell of rain. that then extending across merseyside, up into northern england and southern scotland, so could be a soggy start to the day in edinburgh and glasgow. brightening up for a time, though, in northern ireland and the north of scotland actually getting off to a fairly decent start with some spells of sunshine. 14 degrees there in inverness. then across parts of eastern

england, east anglia, the east midlands, down into the south—east, here should be a fine start, good spells of sunshine, temperatures are around 15 or 16 degrees at 8am in the morning. central, southern england in fine shape and a lot of sunshine across the of england too but a few showers even at this early stage. and as we go on through the day, those showers will become quite widespread right across the map. some places will see more showers than others. some places could see shower after shower after shower, perhaps with hail and thunder. other places might well avoid the showers and stay dry. that most likely down towards the south—east of england. here we'll see the highest temperatures as well, 23 degrees in london. a much cooler, fresherfeel further north and west. as we go on through tuesday night and into the early hours of wednesday, most places will turn dry with some clear spells but then another change out west, this band of rainjust beginning to work into the south—west of england, the south—west of wales. with that some strong and gusty winds, could see gales for a time across the far south—west because this next area of low pressure will be pushing its way in from the west with this frontal system bringing outbreaks of rain.

tightly squeezed isobars, that shows that we'll have some pretty strong and gusty winds. eastern areas will start off wednesday dry and some parts of eastern scotland, eastern england will stay dry all day. but the rain migrating its way eastwards and some of that could be heavy in southern parts of england later on wednesday afternoon. now, for thursday, we're back to where we started. again it's a mixture of sunshine and showers. our area of low pressure still with us, sitting across scotland at this stage. a fairly cool, fresh feel in blustery winds and for the end of the week, you guessed it, again that mixture of sunshine and showers. fairly cool and fresh, particularly in the north—west. this is bbc news, the headlines: president trump has fired the communications chief he appointed less than a fortnight ago. the white house said anthony scaramucci had made inappropriate comments in a magazine interview last week in which he attacked mr trump's then chief of staff reince priebus, who's been replaced by john kelly. los angeles has formally been chosen to host the 2028 summer olympic games in a deal

that virtually assures paris will hold the games four years earlier. the president of the international olympic committee said he welcomed the decision of los angeles to accept hosting the later games. president nicolas maduro of venezuela has said that personal sanctions imposed on him by the us are a sign of desperation and hate. mr maduro said he refused to take orders from foreign, imperialist governments. the sanctions were imposed after sunday's controversial vote for a new constituent assembly. now on bbc news, hardtalk.