welcome to bbc news. i'm reged ahmad. our top stories: vast swathes of arctic siberia are ablaze after intense summer temperatures and high winds — we have a special report. president trump's pick to become the next director of national intelligence withdraws his name just days after being chosen. celebrating in puerto rico as the island's governor resigns after weeks of protests. desperate efforts to shore up the dam that's still threatening a british town — authorities warn of a substantial risk to life. and a swedishjudge orders the release of the american rapper asap rocky.

russia's arctic north and far east are being ravaged by huge wildfires, with up to four million hectares ablaze and vast areas engulfed by smoke. the prime minister, dmitri medvedev, has ordered police to investigate whether the fires were started deliberately to hide evidence of illegal logging. russian militaryjets are providing back—up to firefighters battling the blazes, which have been burning in some cases for weeks. fires are common at this time of year, but record—breaking summer temperatures and strong winds have made this year particularly bad. our moscow correspondent steve rosenberg has travelled to the remote irkutsk region of siberia and he sent this report.

for weeks now, siberia has been smouldering. vast swathes of forest shrouded in smoke and many ravaged by fire. wildfires are common here, but not on this scale. in siberia, an area the size of belgium is burning. the kremlin has sent in the army, military planes doing what they can to extinguish the blaze. the fires are sparked by hot weather and dry thunderstorms. they're mainly in remote areas, but could the effects be more widespread? there's concern that carbon emissions from here may be melting ice in the arctic and speeding up global warming. so black carbon is black, small particles, which falls down on ice and turns them from the white to black, so the ice cannot reflect sun radiation and sun starts to heat

the ice in the arctic and it melts faster. and as if fire wasn't bad enough, there have been floods too. in this town, injune, a dam burst, following torrential rain, 23 people died. now, the town has flooded again. from forest fires, to flooding, so far this has been a summer of hell for people in siberia. and it's because of wild fires and the floods that a state of emergency has been declared in large parts of this region. victor's house is uninhabitable, but they make people tough in siberia. "russians are ready for any challenge," victor tells me, "we'll get by."

picking up the pieces after a natural disaster. for russia, it's becoming second nature. and you can keep up to date with the challenge of tackling the fires across siberia on the bbc website. you'll also find a feature on the local artists who are raising awareness of what's causing the wildfires — that's all at bbc.com/news. let's get some of the day's other news. president trump says he wants a new nuclear pact to be signed by both russia and china. mr trump said he had spoken to the two countries about the idea, and that they were both "very, very excited". his comments came after the us withdrew from a key nuclear treaty with russia, raising fears of a new arms race. the man co—ordinating official efforts to tackle the spread

of ebola in the democratic republic of congo says only about half of cases are currently being identified. jean—jacques muyembe warned that the current outbreak could continue for two or three years. sudan's military council and its main opposition coalition have announced a draft constitutional declaration to usher in a new period of transitional government. the delegations are due to continue talks over the technical details of the signature procedures. thousands of algerians have taken to the streets of the capital to continue anti—government protests for the 24th consecutive friday. they are demanding the release of those arrested in previous demonstrations and the lifting of measures to try to block the protests, before accepting any dialogue with the authorities. president trump says he's still deciding who to appoint as the new us director of national intelligence, after his first choice withdrew his nomination. mr trump said the republican congressmanjohn ratcliffe had pulled out, rather than face months

of ‘slander and libel‘ from the media. there'd been criticism that mr ratcliffe lacked the expertise and experience to take on the role. live now to washington and our correspondent, chris buckler. chris, why did the congressman pull out so soon after being chosen was yellow yea h, out so soon after being chosen was yellow yeah, john radcliffe hospital sciglio congressman who is regarded by some others as basicallyjunior. he is regarded by the president has been something of a donald trump loyalist. in recent congressional hearings he was one of those who aggressively questioned the former special council robert mueller and impress the president by doing that. but the media have been picking over his cv and they have raised questions about whether he really has the experience to oversee i7

civilian and military intelligence agencies in the united states. and also they have been questioning whether or not he necessarily has the achievements he has put down in his resume stop example, it may be suggested that in his role as a prosecutor he has exaggerated just exactly what work he did in terms of counterterrorism, tried to shine a better light and all of that pressure has come down to the point where president trump seems to have advised him that rather than facing all of the scrutiny it may be better for him to walk away. as a result, the president is now looking for someone the president is now looking for someone else to take on that very crucial role. donald trump talked about mr ratcliffe being treated u nfa i rly about mr ratcliffe being treated unfairly by the media, but he also praised the media as being part of the vetting process. yeah. i think praises probably too strong a word for donald trump to say about the media andi for donald trump to say about the media and i am not sure we have the power he is suggesting there. certainly he said that as far as he was concerned he would select a name

and the media would give their take on itand and the media would give their take on it and he regarded them as being pa rt on it and he regarded them as being part of the vetting process. i suspect people inside congress would object to that idea, because it is theirjob to take a look and really that the credentials of people and they certainly don't want the white house suddenly throwing names out and just expecting the breath to be ina and just expecting the breath to be in a position where they decide whether or not they are good enough to do thejob. and certainly whether or not they are good enough to do the job. and certainly there we re to do the job. and certainly there were members of the republican party, inside the senate and house of representatives, questioning whether or notjohn of representatives, questioning whether or not john ratcliffe of representatives, questioning whether or notjohn ratcliffe was the man for the job. whether or notjohn ratcliffe was the man for thejob. of whether or notjohn ratcliffe was the man for the job. of course whether or notjohn ratcliffe was the man for thejob. of course it is going to be a very big job in the year ahead. there were those concerns about russia interfering in the 2016 election. the 2020 coming forward , the 2016 election. the 2020 coming forward, dan coats, who was the director of national intelligence, said he believed there would be electoral interference yet again. it was something he was concerned about. and of course this is a job where you have to stand up against the president quite a lot. at times

dan coats wasn't on the same page as donald trump about issues like russian interference and north korea and at times they did frustrate president trump himself. we will have to see who that you pick for director of national intelligence ‘s. chris buckler in washington, thank you very much. people in puerto rico are celebrating the formal resignation of the island's governor, ricardo rossello. he agreed to stand down in the face of mass protests over vulgar text messages he shared with his advisers. let's speak to laura rexach — podcast host for wkaq based in san juan. laura, thank you so much for your time. good to see you again. do you think people are happy with the new governor now, is that going to put people's fears to rest? no, sadly, not at all. as we speak there are riots forming and ijust

not at all. as we speak there are riots forming and i just saw not at all. as we speak there are riots forming and ijust saw police putting on the right gear as i was searching for a quiet street. do you think that protestors perhaps ought to give the new governor, pedro pierluisi, a chance perhaps to deal with some of the broader concerns? no, honestly, not at all. he appointed himself governor in a com pletely appointed himself governor in a completely unconstitutional way. he was sworn in today in secrecy in a private residence. completely ignoring the proper steps that the constitution calls for where the senate is supposed to confirm his naming first is secretary of state and ours governor. he says that he will not go to hearings that were called for on monday, that he will go directly to the senate on wednesday where he will give them the opportunity to either ratify or deny his claim as governor. so it sounds like these protests are not

over then, that people will continue to be on the streets. that's correct. people are upset. we have not been able to choose a governor and the options that have been given to the people are all persons that have dubious ties to the government. there are broader issues here, especially since a hurricane maria hit puerto rico. can you give us an idea of what some of those issues are? well, we have federalfunds that have yet to be dispersed. to give you an idea, the now acting governor, his son was the secretary of... it's not... in english you would say consumer affairs during the time that hurricane maria hit. and it was completely a political

favour. people are really upset because they know he is there not by his own effort. what needs to change in puerto rico to move the situation on, especially as the territory struggles to rebuild after the hurricane? i think a really big issue, and it is similar in the us, people need to take a step back from bipartisanship. here political parties are based on what their desire for the island's clinical status to be, there is the pro— statehood party, the pro— commonwealth party, and the independence party. the pro statehood and the pro— commonwealth parties have led a number of vote ‘s on the independence party only gets 1-3% of on the independence party only gets 1—3% of the vote. right now the governor that left was pro statehood. they refused to even consider anyone that was outside of

their party. so they reallyjust created a political gridlock where none of the opponents they were looking at were really viable. whatever happened today the protests we re whatever happened today the protests were going to continue. all right, laura rexach, thank you very much of that analysis. laura rexach in san juan. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we'll have the latest from sweden as american rapper, asap rocky, is released from custody the us space agency nasa has called foran the us space agency nasa has called for an investigation after arsenals we re for an investigation after arsenals were cleared to fly while drunk. the

la st foot were cleared to fly while drunk. the last foot patrol in south armagh, once an everyday part of the drudgery, now no more after almost four decades. if one is on 1's own ina four decades. if one is on 1's own in a private house, not doing any harm to anyone, why should all these people wandering and so you are doing something wrong? six rare white line clubs on the prowl. already a roar of approval from visitors. they are lovely and sweet. they are cute. this is bbc news, the latest headlines: vast swathes of arctic siberia are ablaze after intense summer temperatures and high winds — we have a special report. president trump's nominee to be head of us intelligence, john ratcliffe, has withdrawn from consideration after facing questions about his

lack of experience. let's get more on the story we brought you earlier, the demise of a cold war nuclear weapons pact between russia and the us. nato says its aim now will be to avoid an arms race with russia, while us president donald trump says he wants a whole new pact restricting nuclear weapons. we can now speak to hans kristensen, who's director of the nuclear information project at the federation of american scientists. he joins us from washington. thank you so much for your time. donald trump wants a whole new treaty, possibly including china. how realistic is that? well, it is a good objective, a good goal, but totally unrealistic at this stage. they can't even hold onto the treaties they have, much less build a new, bigger one, including a country that has never before been involved in nuclear arms control. so i don't think that is realistic. it

would take a good part of five yea rs, would take a good part of five years, perhaps a decade, to work that issue with the chinese before they get into a treaty. so was it a mistake to let this cold war treaty go? yes. it was. it was a mistake on both sides, a mistake on the russian side, they cheated, apparently, thought they could get away with it, thought they could get away with it, thought they could get away with it, thought the united states wouldn't pull out. it was a mistake in the united states side. trump threw in the towel, basically telling person, you are free from any legal obligations now to go back into compliance with this treaty. —— telling putin. and on top of that, we are also going to build some inf range weapons and potentially deploy them in europe. a big mistake on both sides. nato and the us said russia was not in compliance, they we re russia was not in compliance, they were violating. so was this treaty doing anything useful anyway?m

was. even though they were violating, it did provide a political framework, a legal framework, to continue to put pressure on russia. that, in my estimate, is what the european part of nato would have preferred, but the united states stay in the treaty, continuing to pressure russia and push russia to come back into compliance. that opportunity is now lost. and so, in a way, the us has become complicit in the russian violation by also pulling out. this treaty with intermediate—range nuclear missiles is gone. is there any other treaty left restricting any other treaty left restricting any kind of nuclear arms buildup between the us and russia? on the nuclear level, there is one left, the strategic arms treaty, the new start treaty. that is a treaty that regulates how many long—range intercontinental weapons the two sides can deploy. that has been in effect since 2010, but it is

expiring in 2021. it can be extended for another five years, very simply, by the stroke of a pen from the two presidents. right now, however, both sides are creating problems, raising issues, difficulties about extending this treaty. if inf goes and doubt is created about the extension of the new start treaty, we could end up the new start treaty, we could end up in an ominous situation where for the first time since the early 1970s there is no international arms control meant —— control agreements whatsoever. hahn's, thank you very much for taking us through that. —— hans. the british prime minister says everything possible is being done to ensure the safety of homes and businesses in whaley bridge, which are threatened by a damaged dam. borisjohnson said it looked "scary" and said there was still a substantial risk the dam could fail.

some residents who've had to leave their homes have been given just 15 minutes to collect some belongings. judith moritz reports from whaley bridge. in an emergency, a comforting hand, reassurance for those in disbelief at being displaced. a whole community affected, with little time to think, just an urgency to get to safety as quickly as possible. this is the danger they are running from. the dam which has protected their town for nearly 200 years tonight dangerously close to collapsing. whaley bridge now looks like a ghost town. people asked to leave their homes and businesses and get out of the area. i finished my shift at two o'clock, drove back down to whaley bridge to go home, and the police stopped me and said, you can't go into the village. i said, well, i am a resident. i need to get him to get

home. and he said, no. isaid, well, my partner is at home with the dog and he said, ring him and tell him to get out. precautions, really, you can't risk it, can you? if something happens to the dam than we are all getting wet. here is the reason. intense rain yesterday caused a torrent of water to overflow the dam. damage was caused to its concrete panels, and today fears grew that the whole structure may not hold. sandbags have been put along the top of the reservoir to try to stop it overflowing again. the pumps are just try to stop it overflowing again. the pumps arejust in try to stop it overflowing again. the pumps are just in the village now and are going up the hill to be installed to start reducing the flow, but there are also diversions at the top to avoid further water going into the reservoir, and as you know, there is a severe weather warning this evening, so we are all working flat out to ensure that we can avert any crisis. the emergency

services have set up a command centre in nearby chapel on the frith, and accommodation has been offered to thousands of people who are preparing to spend the night away from home. evacuating whaley bridge, they have done an absolutely superbjob. we bridge, they have done an absolutely superb job. we have bridge, they have done an absolutely superbjob. we have got about bridge, they have done an absolutely superb job. we have got about 85% of the people out already. obviously one or two people who do not want to leave or who are refusing to leave. but we know where they are if there isa but we know where they are if there is a problem. there is relief that eve ryo ne is a problem. there is relief that everyone has been contacted and given the chance to get away, but anxiety too, as the rain continues to fall, and the realisation that a local beauty spot suddenly poses a real mortal danger. ajudge has ruled that a new york police officer should be fired over the death of an unarmed black man whose dying words were "i can't breathe." daniel pantaleo was accused of using a banned police chokehold on eric garner injuly 2014, after he resisted arrest for selling cigarettes. mr pantaleo does not face any criminal charges related

to the death, which was caught on mobile phone video. it is now up to the police commissioner to decide whether to fire him. the head of brazil's space research institute has lost his job after a public row with presidentjair bolsonaro. mr bolsonaro had accused the agency of falsifying data, which suggested a sharp increase in the rate of deforestation in in the amazon. he said the figures were intended to harm brazil's international image and undermine the government. in response, agency chief ricardo galvao said the president had acted like a "coward." argentina captain lionel messi has been banned from international

football for three months, after describing the copa america as "co the barcelona forward was sent off in argentina's 2—1third—place play—off win over chile. he later said that the "cup was fixed for brazil." the 32—year—old has also been fined $50,000 by the south american football confederation. the ban means messi will miss argentina's upcoming friendlies against chile, mexico and germany. he says seven days to appeal. a swedish judge has ordered that us rapper asap rocky be released from custody in sweden and allowed to leave the country while he awaits a verdict in his assault case. asap rocky, whose real name is rakim mayers, was detained onjuly 3rd with two of his friends in connection with a street brawl. he was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm. maddy savage has been following the case from stockholm. there were loud cheers and a lot of clapping when the judge announced that decision, that asap rocky and the two other suspects on trial for an assault here in stockholm about a month ago would not have to spend another night in the detention centre a few blocks from here where they have been held ever since their arrest.

it is not the case that there has been a verdict. we will find out whether they were found guilty or not guilty on august 1a. but, certainly, a lot of happiness from those close to asap rocky. his mother was crying in the public gallery and as he came tojoin his friends and family there were huge hugs all around. donald trump has reacted to the case as well, saying that asap rocky will soon be flying home to america. he said come home soon, asap rocky, a.s.a.p. it is still an active case, an assault case and the authorities here are taking it seriously. the judge going through different types of evidence that had been presented from both sides. the alleged victim's lawyer argues he was attacked by asap rocky and his crew outside a burger bar and that he was pushed to the ground and injured with a glass bottle.

asap rocky's team argued that although he did push the alleged victim to the ground, no bottles were used. they argued he was acting in self defence, he felt scared of the alleged victim and his friend who they thought was on drugs and that was why he acted. during the trial, asap rocky's team did a lot to talk about his celebrity status and about how has been attacked and robbed before and that as an explanation for his behaviour. the alleged victim did sustain some serious injuries and the judge will also be looking over documents from the hospital, photos and video footage that has been presented over this three day trial. before we go, police in the us state of washington are used to stopping motorists, but they got the shock of their lives when they saw this — a pilot coming towards them to make an emergency landing. it was all captured on the officer's dashcam. the policeman quickly put on his emergency lights and diverted traffic away from the plane,

which made a smooth landing. luckily, no—one was hurt. incredible! very lucky. stay with us on bbc news. much more coming up. see you soon. friday saw a respite from the rain for many parts, although the severe flood warning remains in force at whaley bridge dam. and we do have more rain in the forecast later in the weekend, and into the new week. however the day should start for many dry, bright, a little bit of mist and fog inland now the nights are getting longer, and it could be murky for a time near the east coast before the sunshine gets to work and melts that cloud away. but notice as we go through the day there is a chance of some showers for northern ireland, primarily, but there could be the odd heavy, thundery one across the hills

of scotland, and perhaps the odd shower across northern england, north wales, but largely dry and fine in the south and east, it is worth stressing that many places will stay dry with spells of strong sunshine through the day today. so there is reallyjust an outside risk of an interruption from a shower to edgbaston — nevertheless, that risk is real. for most of the time it should be dry and fine. but as time goes by through the coming evening, this low pressure advances on further east, there is an increasing risk we will start to pick up thicker cloud, drizzly rain and then, by the time we are heading towards morning, some heavy rain coming into northern ireland. ahead of that we are pulling in a southerly wind, so that will increase the temperature and humidity, so it will be warmer, if anything, through the coming night, temperatures 15 degrees in the central belt of scotland. with that extra humidity comes the risk of some more significant rain on sunday. bands of slow—moving, heavy and thundery showers are forecast for scotland, for northern ireland for a time, northern england, north wales, really anywhere from the midlands and lincolnshire northwards, but again, southern and eastern areas, largely fine and warm, warmer still, 26—27 on sunday.

but given the risk of further heavy downpours in those areas already affected by flooding, the met office have issued that warning ahead of time. and actually it looks more unsettled then again in the next week, almost as if the weather is repeating its pattern, low pressure comes in and become slow—moving, and throws further spells of rain at us. we start that way on monday, that clears up the way, some respite, heavy showers follow back into northern ireland, it will feel fresher on monday with that humid air clearing for a while, picking up more of a south—westerly wind for the start of the new week. but again come tuesday, it looks as if they will be some rather large and heavy showers around with some hail and thunder in there as well. so it is one of those we need to keep our eye on, as ever there is more on the website.

this is bbc news. the headlines: russia's arctic north and far east are being ravaged by huge wildfires with up to 4 million hectares ablaze in vast areas engulfed by smoke. eyes are common at this time of year but record—breaking summer temperatures and strong winds have made this year particularly bad —— fires are common. the new director for national security, john radcliffe, has withdrawn from considerationjust five radcliffe, has withdrawn from consideration just five days after he was nominated for the role. critics say he lacked the expertise to ta ke critics say he lacked the expertise to take on the role. crowds in puerto rico are celebrating the formal resignation of the island's governor, ricardo rossello, he agreed to stand down as governor in the face of mass protests over bulga text messages he showed with his advisers. he will be replaced by pedro pierluisi. those are the

headlines.