welcome to bbc news, i'm mike embley. our top stories: as the west coast suffers more devastating wildfires, the rivals for the white house clash over the cause. when you have years of leaves, dried leaves, on the ground, itjust sets it up. it's really a fuel for a fire. if you give a climate arsonist four more years in the white house, why would anyone be surprised if we have more america ablaze? anger against politicians, corruption, and poverty brings people onto the streets of lebanon. lebanon is being eaten by poverty and, in communities like this, it is increasing the tension, amd the anger and the fear, in places where guns are never far away.

how beijing is living with the coronavirus as china comes out of lockdown. and life on venus? an extraordinary possibility emerges from the clouds above the planet. hello. president trump has been visiting america's west coast to be briefed by officials on the wildfires that have so far claimed at least 30 lives and burned almost 5 million acres of land. blazes in california, oregon and washington state have been burning since early august. our correspondent aleem maqbool reports from oregon. it was like a journey into an eerie twilight zone. few have been allowed here since the fires swept in with such rage.

and though most people had scrambled to get out, with whatever they could, it was in this area that lives had also been lost. there were some we found wandering and bewildered, like larry. i've lost everything except what's in that bag. everything. and i didn't have insurance. out of — all the hosts had insurance, except for me. what made these fires are so lethal and record—breaking is the high winds that came with them — accelerating their frightening, destructive passage through vast areas of this state. we keep hearing from those who said they felt they were fleeing for their lives, and it's only when you're on the ground and you see the destruction — as we've been able to — and the warped landscape here, that you start to get a sense of the nightmare that they were running from. donald trump has been called a climate arsonist

by his democratic challenger, joe biden, who blamed global warming for all this, but in a visit to california, to be briefed on the fires, the president himself, said the fault lay elsewhere. this is one of the biggest burns we have ever seen and we have to do a lot about forest management. obviously forest management in california is very important. there has to be good, strong forest management, which i have been talking about for three years with the state so hopefully they will start doing that. this family has just been thinking of survival. we found them in a displacement camp. they've now fled fires three times, in three different locations, in the past week. hello there. we had the warmest september day on monday since 2016. my mom had ten minutes to get out for many it was a case of blue of her place and she got sky and sunshine. the clothes on her back it was a beautiful and the cat and that was it, september afternoon. why am i showing you jersey? and her house is completely annihilated, it wiped out everything she owned and... and, you know, that's what we heard, the same with ours. we're not sure as of right now. well, it was jersey that had the top spot with 31 degrees. not far behind was charlwood, in surrey. that was the highest temperature across mainland uk, with london hot on its heals with 29 celsius. and the reason being, it was sumer‘s town that this area of high pressure i'd visited earlier. centred across europe, that's allowing this southerly flow to drag the signs aren't good. in some very warm air

all the way from africa. so we're seeing temperatures unusually high for the time we see temperatures unusually for all the politics, high for this time of year but at the heart of this disaster are hundreds of thousands things will change subtly as we of americans who faced fear, displacement and loss. with weak weather fronts bringing showery outbreaks of rain to start the day. it will be relatively mild, double digits quite widely across the aleem maqbool, bbc news, country but they will be some in gates in oregon. well, the row over rain, not the heavy persistent the unprecedented fires rain, not the heavy persistent rain we have seen and it will has been deepening. meeting with mr trump, california's governor wea ken rain we have seen and it will weaken as we go through the gavin newsom said state forest management could be better, afternoon a little. more cloud but pointed out that more than half of california's land was under federal control. as they were briefed by state officials, president trump into south—west an isolated disputed some of what shower as we go into settled in he was being told. we want to work with you to sunny conditions light winds, and plenty of really recognise the changing climate and what it means to our forests things changing again though, as we go through the middle work together with that part of the week. science, the science it stays largely dry. is going to be key because if we ignore our science and put our heads in the sand there's no significant rain

and think it's just in the forecast but it about vegetation management, will turn noticeably cooler. we're not going to succeed that is because high together pressure will stay with us, but it's going to be protecting californians. it will start getting centred across the north of scotland and, cooler, you just watch. i wish science agreed with you. as the winds swing around in a clockwise direction, that means more of a north or north—easterly, over i don't think science the next couple of days, knows, actually. and that means a notable and the president's viewpoint‘s drawn some strong difference to the feel words from his democratic of the weather in scotland, challenger for the upcoming northern ireland election, joe biden. northern england and, in particular, along those north sea facing coasts. so that could drag in a few isolated showers, if we have four more years and maybe even some of donald trump climate denial, mist and fog. here, temperatures how many suburbs will be 13—17 degrees. burnt in wildfires? and further south, though, how many suburban we mightjust see those neighbourhoods will have been flooded out? temperatures peaking at 25 how many suburbs will have been celsius — that's 77 fahrenheit. high pressure is not blown away in super storms? going too far away at all. if you give a climate arsonist four more years another high moves in, in the white house, keeping things very quiet why would anyone be indeed but noticeably cooler surprised if we have more as we go through the week. of america ablaze? so no significant rain in the forecast, but temperatures perhaps falling down to where they should be for this time of year. take care. we can now speak to robert reich, a former us secretary of labour, and professor of public policy at the university of california at berkeley. i know you're not a fan of mr trump necessarily but it is

going to get cooler here, he assures us. going to get cooler here, he assures us. how is your going to get cooler here, he assures us. how is your oui’ assures us. how is youi’ oui’ quality? the air quality is quite bad today, i'm looking out my window at this very moment in the air is grey green as it has been for the last four days. although mr trump is president of the united states, his rejection of science is troublesome, not only with regard to wildfires but also tragically with regard to the coronavirus. how is it playing with the electorate, do you think, especially in those states that tend to swing in their loyalty and could decide their loyalty and could decide the election. we don't know yet, the polls showjoe biden leading but the polls at this time four years ago shows hillary clinton in the lead as well. it's difficult to know state by state, especially in the swing states which will

determine who will be the next president but it's fair to say that most americans, if they don't actually believe that humans are causing climate change, that at least believe in climate change and for donald trump to say the science is not there, and he has said in the past that climate change isa in the past that climate change is a hoax, and he's also said this is bbc news. that windmills cause cancer, a the headlines: donald trump is visiting lot of americans, even those california, with record wildfires still burning. who are independence and not he claims the fires necessarily mind up behind joe are the result of poor forest management, not climate change. biden, they arejust his election rival, joe biden, necessarily mind up behind joe biden, they are just nodding says the president's policies their hens, not in agreement are contributing but disagreement. i've heard to natural disasters. them just the last couple of new legislation which would days including some republican allow the british government to override key parts of the brexit withdrawal agreement supporters saying this is has passed an early hurdle outrageous. the president to in the house of commons, even though the government character couture is mr biden‘s admits it would break international law. five former prime ministers have warned it will damage climate policies as radical britain's standing in the world. left job an international team climate policies as radical of astronomers believe they've leftjob destruction, in fact, found the strongest evidence they say that his policies yet that life may exist don't go far enough. joe biden, on the planet venus.

the former vice president, ex— mac vice president has talked they've detected traces about $2 trillion worth of of a gas in its atmosphere which is normally produced by living microbes. investment in the green new they've yet to find another explanation. deal, jobs involved in but the temperature on the surface of venus is more everything from putting solar panels on houses and providing a new infrastructure to allow greater use of wind and solar. that may not be enough. he's talking about getting rid of oui’ talking about getting rid of our carbon emissions, by the year 2050, well if what i see outside my window today is any indication, 2050 is probably too late. we are hearing a lot about courses, forest management, climate change, lightning strikes, there is a curious thing about the way the funding has been directed. 100

houses also went. since then, many more houses built, that same area, thousands of houses went, funding encourages building in areas which are at risk at the moment. well, undoubtedly, there is a case to be made for building and safer areas, there is also somewhat ofa areas, there is also somewhat of a case to be made or better forest management but both of theseissues forest management but both of these issues pale in comparison to reversing climate change, making a national commitment to it. it's not just making a national commitment to it. it's notjust wildfires here in the united states and around the world, it also rising sea levels, hurricanes that have hit the united states with greater force and more frequency this summer that almost ever before. we are seeing the trendline very clearly. you can break up all the leaves and forests you want and you are not going to deal with this problem unless you get a handle, with this problem unless you geta handle, a with this problem unless you get a handle, a very strong handle on reversing climate

change in america's leadership is critical because when donald trump leaves the paris accord and when he basically reverses 70-100 and when he basically reverses 70— 100 different climate regulations, says they are no longer applicable because they hurt america's energy independence, that is, in a way, saying to the word —— world, don't worry about climate change, everything will get cooler, but that is simply absurd. good to talk to you. )new legislation which would allow the british government to override key parts of the brexit withdrawal agreement has passed an early hurdle in the house of commons even though it would break international law. boris johnson says the bill is needed to stop the european union imposing bans or tariffs on goods moving between northern ireland and the rest of the uk if a trade deal can't be agreed. but five former prime ministers have said it will damage britain's standing in the world.

well, that's how the vote went. but as you'd expect, it's all rather complicated. our political correspondent jessica parker unpicks it for us from westminster. it goes back to the withdrawal agreement, the divorce settlement that the eu and the uk signed off earlier this year, but borisjohnson, the prime minister of the united kingdom, says he is worried that extreme interpretations of that agreement could damage the integrity of the uk, the internal market, the movement of goods between all four nations, and be a problem as well for the northern ireland peace process. that's his argument. so the government has put forward some legislation that could potentially give powers to override parts of that treaty in order to protect those elements that they say they are worried about, but a lot of people are crying foul over this. some people see it as a sabre rattling as the uk engages in trade talks, future trade talks with the eu. they think that northern ireland is being used as a political football

by this government. some even suspect number 10 of trying to just blow up the talks altogether. both sides — the eu and the uk — insist they want to reach a deal overfuture trade, future cooperation but, with internal market bill, that is proving pretty controversial, moving through the commons and is a big cloud hanging over those trade talks which have not got long left to run now. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: swirling in the clouds above venus — the extraordinary possibility of life? 30 hours after the earthquake that devastated mexico city, rescue teams still have no idea just how many people have died. there's people alive and there's people not alive. we just can help and give whatever we got. a state funeral has been held for princess grace of monaco,

at the church where she married prince ranier, 26 years ago. it looked as though they had come to fight a war. but their mission is to bring peace to east timor, and nowhere on earth needs it more badly. the government's case has been forcefully presented by the mr badinter, the justice minister. he has campaigned vigorously for abolition, having once witnessed one of his clients being executed. elizabeth seton has spent much of her time at this grotto, and every year hundreds of pilgrimages are made here. now that she has become a saint, it is expected that this area will be inundated with tourists. the mayor and local businesses regard the anticipated boom as yet another blessing of saint elizabeth. this is bbc news, the latest headlines: as fires continue to devastate the us west coast, the rivals for the white house clash over the cause. the british parliament gives initial approval to a controversial bill that could override parts

of the brexit withdrawal deal with the eu. when a huge blast in the lebanese capital beirut claimed the lives of almost 200 people, it also exposed long standing structural issues in a country already in crisis. corruption, distrust of politicians and crippling poverty have translated into factionalism and violence on the streets. six weeks after that blast at a storage depot in the port, our middle east editor, jeremy bowen, has returned to beirut to look at lebanon's chances of a better future. poverty and pain running through lives in tarik eleideh, a stronghold of poor sunni muslims in beirut. taha grew up hard and died young, shot dead at 20 in a street battle with a rival family. like most of the people who gathered for his funeral

the next morning, ta ha was unemployed. ta ha's uncle moussa, like almost all lebanese, believes corrupt politicians blight their lives. translation: we want decent people in the government. they need to understand the suffering of the people, notjust filling their pockets. the women threw rice at the coffin as if it was a wedding. the men raced it through the streets in mourning and to show their strength. gunfire. disputes often turned violent in this neighbourhood but they said the economic collapse is making it worse. gunfire. it is very hard to see how this ends well. lebanon is being eaten by poverty, and in communities like this it's increasing the tension and the anger, and the fear in places where guns

are never far away. many who can leave the country are getting out. taha's father was hoping to find him a job abroad. razor wire can't protect the central bank from the anger of lebanese who have been locked out of their accounts, while elites transferred billions abroad. riad salameh has been governor for 27 years but he says the economic crisis is not the bank's fault. we are the central bank, we are not the government. so you think you are being forced to take the blame that others should accept? well, i'm not forced, i'm not accepting the blame. whoever is in power is responsible. people here don't believe the politicians any more. that's the problem. that's not my problem. it's a problem for lebanon, though, isn't it? i didn't vote for them.

the leaders of lebanon's sects treat power as a personal possession. graffiti lampoons the former warlords who have carved lebanon up between them since the end of the civil war. one is walid jumblatt. i can't say that i'm not, i'm part of the system, yes. is it healthy that in this country a lot of the ruling class, the top men in the country, are people who were the leaders, many of them warlords, in the civil war? no, it's not healthy but i'm sorry to say this was the solution to end the civil war in 1991. nadine's husband was one of the firefighters killed in the explosion at the port. she is five months pregnant. she visits his grave every day. her grief mixed with rage and the failure of lebanon's leaders. translation: they're

all criminals, they should all burn and be chopped up like he was. that's what they deserve. beirut port is still not safe six weeks after the explosion. it took days to put out a big new fire in a warehouse containing tires and oil. this bankrupt burning country has an ultimatum from the french president. the aid they need to rebuild if they reform, sanctions if they don't. the army found more explosive at the port. the politicians haven't even agreed a new government, let alone a new future. what happens in lebanon matters to the rest of us. the world does not need another collapsed and broken state in its most dangerous and unstable region. and that is the risk right now if this downward spiral doesn't cease. jeremy bowen, bbc news, beirut.

people have been making the most of the sunshine in france which is in the midst of an autumn heatwave. 1015 degrees above average. a number of september heat records were recorded on monday. 45.6 degrees since 1961. beaches remain open but not more than ten people can gather in public spaces because of the virus. the hopes of the president returning to cote d'ivoire boosted by two of his rivals being barred from standing by the constitutional court. both men have convictions and are barred from standing with a criminal record. last month the

president said he would stand again. the former fifa secretary has gone on trial on corruption charges. he faces charges of corruption. they say it has helped win the wellbore in exchange for a villa in sardinia. —— the world cup bid. much of china has returned to a more normal pace of life after authorities began relaxing coronavirus lockdowns in late spring. but as many cities have found out, loosened containment measures can be short—lived. in june, beijing experienced a sudden surge of cases linked to a wholesale market leading authorities to immediately quarantine close contacts,

lockdown nearby areas, and mass test residents. anyone who has been to beijing and has had a look around this area of the city, would not recognise this intersection. 00:21:31,716 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 this is more