this is bbc news. i'm sally bundock with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. dozens are missing in germany after the deadliest floods in germany in living memory. angela merkel makes herfinal official trip to washington, as the us and germany say they're united against russian aggression. lebanon's prime minister designate gives up on trying to form a government, amid protests on the streets. and as japan struggles to host tokyo 2020, we have a special report on the small towns trying to keep the olympics excitement burning.

hello and welcome. dozens of people are still missing in western germany after the deadliest floods in living memory. the german chancellor angela merkel has called it a catastrophe and says the true scale may not be known for several days. most of the victims were in the german states of rhineland—palatinate and north rhine—westphalia but belgium and the netherlands have also been affected. courtney bembridge reports. the full extent of the damage is only now becoming clear. houses have been ripped apart. roads have all but disappeared. in western germany, three months of rain fell in just 25

hours. the water was so powerful that it pushed a caravan in seconds. residents hearsay the floods came without warning. translation: , ., , translation: everything was underwater — translation: everything was underwater within _ translation: everything was underwater within 15 _ translation: everything was underwater within 15 minutes. | underwater within 15 minutes. however flat, our office, underwater within 15 minutes. howeverflat, our office, our neighbourss houses, everything was underwater. this motorway in north rhine—westphalia was blocked as residents tried to get out, but it was too late for others. translation: i it was too late for others. translation:— it was too late for others. translation: i agree for the --eole translation: i agree for the peeple who — translation: i agree for the people who have _ translation: i agree for the people who have lost - translation: i agree for the people who have lost their - people who have lost their lives. we don't know the number but it will be many. some in the basements of their houses, some working as firefighters trying to bring others to safety. across the border in the east of belgium, cars were picked up and carried by the force of the water. this bridge was submerged and covered in debris. in a nearby town, this

river is close to bursting its banks and locals are told to leave. translation: i leave. translation: ., , translation: i have never seen an hinu translation: i have never seen anything like — translation: i have never seen anything like this, _ translation: i have never seen anything like this, frankly - translation: i have never seen anything like this, frankly i - anything like this, frankly i never thought i would see this in belgium. parts of the netherlands are underwater, and soldiers are on hand in case water levels rise further. translation: ~ ., ., further. translation: ., ., , translation: we have all seen the images _ translation: we have all seen the images of — translation: we have all seen the images of streets _ translation: we have all seen the images of streets are - the images of streets are turned into swelling rivers, neighbourhoods and villages completely flooded, people are afraid, people worried about their businesses, their homes. scientists have long warned that climate change will make extreme weather events like this more common, and german leaders have drawn a link between the two. translation: , ., ., translation: this is a natural disaster, but _ translation: this is a natural disaster, but the _ translation: this is a natural disaster, but the fact _ translation: this is a natural disaster, but the fact it - translation: this is a natural disaster, but the fact it is - disaster, but the fact it is taking place in this way and is certainly connected to the fact that climate change is proceeding as a speed. this is an incentive and obligation to those who have become a victim it's he had to do everything that we can to stop man—made climate change and stop

disasters like this at this scale. heavy downpours have continued overnight, making the work of rescue teams even more challenging. dozens of people are still missing in germany and the cleanup will take some time. courtney bembridge, bbc news. we heard angela merkel calling the floods in germany a disaster. she's actually in washington meeting president biden. since coming to power in 2005 mrs merkel has met and worked with 4 different us presidents. germany is a strong ally of the united states but there have been tensions — recently over the nordstream 2 pipeline, which will take russian gas directly germany. we will continue to stand together. while i reiterated my

concerns, about the nord stream two pipleline, angela merkel and ir convicted that russia should not be using this as a weapon against its neighbours. the lebanese politician saad hariri has given up his efforts to form a government — nine months after he was designated prime minister. he said it was clear he would not be able to reach agreement with president michel aoun after the two men held a brief meeting. tim allman has the details. forfar for far too forfar too long now, this is how politics and level nine tends to play out. crowds of protesters clashing with security forces in the ballaroo. a country without a proper government, deep in recession and descending into further chaos. translation: i further chaos. translation: �* , translation: i can't feed my children. says _ translation: i can't feed my children. says this _ translation: i can't feed my children. says this man. - translation: | can't feed my|

children. says this man. where is my leader? _ children. says this man. where is my leader? they _ children. says this man. where is my leader? they should - children. says this man. where is my leader? they should be l is my leader? they should be ashamed, they are dying of hunger. the country is burning, says this man, there's no milk, medicine, no food. the poor can't even afford pastor or yoghurt. we are dead either way. the latest outburst of violence pondered by an unsuccessful meeting between these two men — level 9's resident, michael aoun, and saad hariri was not they were unable to reach agreement, not deciding on a cabinet and a deeply divided and sectarian country. now, those talks have been abandoned, saad hariri telling television that divisions have to be left behind. translation: i behind. translation: ., ., translation: i have paid a rice translation: i have paid a price because _ translation: i have paid a price because i _ translation: i have paid a price because i talked - translation: i have paid a price because i talked with l price because i talked with hezbollah. i believe in talking with hezbollah. i am one of those who paid the price when there was conflict between

sunni and she ate. i am a believer in dialogue. michael aoun said he wasn't prepared to discuss changes of any kind and will now consult with parliament. more talks, more uncertainty, and every chance that protesting will continue as well. let's get some of the day's other news. the authorities in south africa say more than a hundred people are now known to have died in days of violence — sparked by the jailing of the former president, jacob zuma. the situation in kwazulu natal province remains especially volatile. the government has deployed thousands of troops to try and quell the violence. the uk government's decision to reduce its foreign aid budget is be tested in the courts. a british charity has said it will launch a legal challenge next week. the international planned parenthood federation has warned that thousands of women will die from unsafe abortions because its funding has been cut. some sporting events and shops in england will be transformed into pop—up coronavirus vaccination clinics this weekend, in a major push

to offerjabs to all remaining adults. nhs england is urging anyone who has not yet had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine to have one before restrictions are eased on monday. los angeles will again require face masks to be worn indoors in public spaces. the measure aims to tackle a rapid rise in coronavirus infections there. the metropolitan area only eased restrictions a month ago. a number of other counties in california have taken similar measures. on monday, restrictions in the uk will change dramatically. in england, masks will no longer be a legal requirement, and the big debate now is — where will masks be worn? certainly on london transport they will be a legal obligation to still wear

them, so we will have that conversation later in our business coverage. we will speak with somebody high up in the retail sector about that. next week the olympics is due to open, tokyo is back under a covid state of emergency. in the capital, enthusiasm for the games is hard to find. but in some small towns there is still excitement — especially among those acting as the adopted home for foreign olympics teams. our correspondent rupert wingfield hayes has been to murayama in northern japan as they prepare to welcome the bulgarian rhythmic gymnastics team. not many japanese kids are lucky enough to have a former international gymnast as their teacher, and not just any gymnast. antoaneta vitale was once a world—class rhythmic gymnast competing for bulgaria. but for the last two years, she's been teaching here in the mountains of northern japan. for me, was really like a dream come true to experience to come here to a place i already love

and to work with gymnastics. that was my childhood. i was growing up in gymnastics, so this is my passion. five years ago, murayama invited the bulgarian women's gymnastics team to make this place their olympic hometown. but that was before covid. speaks japanese. this hotel manager shows me the route the bulgarian team will now have to take to get back to their rooms. ok, so there's a screen here, can't go any further. at every stage, the team members will have to be kept separate from other guests. news that two ugandan athletes tested positive for covid after arriving injapan has added to his worries. translation: when i heard about ugandan team, - i was a bit concerned. if we have an athlete

infect after they arrive, the infection could spread around the team. that is what i am most worried about. murayama is really an exemplar of what the whole olympic spirit is supposed to be about. but because of covid, the tremendous enthusiasm here is tempered with anxiety, and that's because places like this in ruraljapan have lots and lots of old people, and so far, almost no covid infections. that's not going to stop this woman. she is the founder of murayama's bulgarian gymnastics support club. she says she thinks of the team as her adoptive granddaughters, and she can't wait to see them compete. translation: | know | there's a lot of criticism because of covid, but i really wanted to be in tokyo to see them perform.

their families and friends can't come, so that's why i wanted to be there to make sure the girls know we are all behind them. the majority of japanese may still be very sceptical about the games taking place, but here in murayama, there is real excitement as they await the arrival of their bulgarian granddaughters. rupert wingfield—hayes, bbc news, in yamagata, northern japan. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we all hearfrom we all hear from the parents of amy winehouse who will feature in a bbc documentary, marking the ten year anniversary of the single's death. after months of talks and missed deadlines, a deal has been struck to keep greece within the euro zone. the immediate prospect of greece going bust in the worst crisis to hit

the euro zone has been averted. emergency services across central europe are stepping up their efforts to contain the worst floods this century. nearly 100 people have been killed. broadway is traditionally called the great white way by americans, but tonight, it's completely blacked out. it's a timely reminder to all americans of the problems that the energy crisis has brought to them. leaders meet in paris for a summit on pollution, inflation and third world debt. this morning, theyjoined the revolution celebrations for a show of military might on the champs—elysees. wildlife officials in australia have been coping with a penguin problem. fairy penguins have been staggering ashore and collapsing after gorging themselves on their favourite food, pilchards. some had eaten so much, they could barely stand. this is bbc news, the latest headlines:

dozens of people are still missing in germany after western europedeadliest floods in living memory. angela merkel makes a final trip to washington as the us and germany say they are united against russian aggression. the bbc has heard fresh reports of ethnic cleansing in tigray in northern ethiopia. tigrayan forces are continuing to extend their control over the region, prompting the ethiopian government to abandon a unilateral ceasefire. more fighting is now expected in the west of tigray — an area close to the border with sudan — from where our africa correspondent andrew harding has this report. three teenage boys emerge from the gloom, charging their way to safety. they have escaped

from tigray, overnight, across a river and a well guarded border, carrying nothing except stories of ethnic conflict, of old neighbours turning on each other, in a war that is spreading and threatening a crucial chunk of africa. translation: crucial chunk of africa. tuna/mom- crucial chunk of africa. translation: ., ., ., translation: from armoured soldiers come _ translation: from armoured soldiers come home _ translation: from armoured soldiers come home to - translation: from armoured soldiers come home to home l translation: from armoured i soldiers come home to home and they gave us two days to leave because we are from tigray. so there is a kind of ethnic cleansing going on in the town across the border here?- across the border here? yes, es, across the border here? yes, yes. we _ across the border here? yes, yes. we feel _ across the border here? yes, yes, we feel bad _ across the border here? yes, yes, we feel bad because - across the border here? yes, yes, we feel bad because it l across the border here? yes, | yes, we feel bad because it is our country, our land. the boys are of fighting _ our country, our land. the boys are of fighting age _ our country, our land. the boys are of fighting age and - our country, our land. the boys are of fighting age and may - are of fighting age and may soon be needed back in tigray but, for now,, they are safe, just across the border here in sudan. a grim life in this refugee camp beckons. in the makeshift clinic here, one remarkable refugee is looking

after thousands. this person was a surgeon back home and now he is part doctor, part chronicler of the latest agonies from tigray. thousands of --eole agonies from tigray. thousands of peeple have _ agonies from tigray. thousands of people have been _ agonies from tigray. thousands of people have been held - agonies from tigray. thousands of people have been held in - of people have been held in camps with no food and no water, and particularly they'll been told that they were going to be punished by hunger. bi; to be punished by hunger. by hunger, starved? you get a real sense that this conflict is far from over. the people of tigray have suffered so much through famine and conflict that they are now talking about a clean break, full independence from ethiopian, a nation they see as cruel and crumbling and if that means i have to keep fighting for it, then so be it. another young man thrashes his way across the river border out of tigray. betterto

across the river border out of tigray. better to drown he says then she stayed behind and be killed by the militias. on the cliffs nearby, other refugees gather, hoping for news from relatives. their doctor his here also to ponder on ethiopian's fate.- here also to ponder on ethiopian's fate. think about the camp — ethiopian's fate. think about the camp now _ ethiopian's fate. think about the camp now and _ ethiopian's fate. think about the camp now and i - ethiopian's fate. think about the camp now and i don't - ethiopian's fate. think about l the camp now and i don't want to be in the same category as these people back home, that have killed my brothers and sisters and destroyed my places. so the idea of being in the same passport, the same area, it is gone, it is gone. the summer storm season is beginning, adding to the anxieties here.— beginning, adding to the anxieties here. you cannot slee - anxieties here. you cannot sleep at — anxieties here. you cannot sleep at night, _ anxieties here. you cannot sleep at night, just - anxieties here. you cannot| sleep at night, just thinking about what is going to happen to the kids? what will i do the next day? what will i feed them? are they going to make it

alive? when i see them, ifeel sorry for the parents at night upright for thousands of families, another night away from home, all plan suspended, all sense of order lost. i5 all sense of order lost. is ethiopian's wall lurches on. —— time for all the sport now. hello, this is your sports news where we start with the golf. and the oldest major, the open championship, is back after a year off due to covid. the venue is royal st george's in kent, in the south of england, with more than 30,000 fans watching the opening round which saw former winner south africa's louis oosthuizen take the clubhouse lead on 6—under par. that was pretty, pretty good. i would have taken one 200 today,

it was quite windy but i drove it was quite windy but i drove it well and, you know, flight didn't really good today in the conditions and there were many holes where really good numbers for the shot i wanted to head so everything came together and i made some good putts and it's one of those thing that if you look back, i don't really think i could have scored better. former masters champion sergio garcia almost missed his tee time when he was caught in traffic, but he was given a helping hand and managed a 2—under round to be four off the pace. the spaniard left at 8:10 for a journey that should've taken 20 minutes. all of a sudden, it was 920 and we were still, a bit far away and dark! not moving! so i stopped a policeman and chatted to him and told him i am playing in the tournament and i will miss my start time if i don't get going, and they were nice enough to help me a little

bit and like i said, i made it. the opening game of england and pakistan's t20 series gets underway at trent bridge in nottingham later. england with a makeshift team in the od! series due to a covid issue managed a clean sweep and will feel in confident mood ahead of the first match. lewis hamilton says winning an eighth formula 1 world drivers�* title this year will be a tall order. the mercedes driver is 32 points behind max verstappen of red bull before this weekend's british grand prix after four wins in five races for the dutchman. the briton is hoping the crowd will make a difference for him. the roar of the crowd here is unlike anywhere else, so, considering we have had a drought in terms of fans not being at the races in the past year, the energy is definitely very much missed and, yeah, you arrive with his excitement but kind of with this nervousness

also because he want to deliver for anyone anyone everyone and you want to do good on the weekend. tadej pogacar is within touching distance of a second successive tour de france title as heads into stage 19 later. the 22 year old accelerated clear on the summit finish of stage 18 on thursday to extend his overall lead to five minutes and 45 seconds. jonas vingegaard and richard carapaz finished second and third. pogacar is expected to win the time trial on the penultimate stage on saturday to seal his tour defence. it's been announced that the rugby cup in england will be held and the favourites australia i get to sign up organisers are confident they will, now it has been agreed that it was started in october with the men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments taking place simultaneously for the first time. you can get all the latest sports news at our website,

that's bbc.com/sport. but from me and the rest of the team that's your sports news for now. ten years ago, amy winehouse was found dead in herflat in north london. a hugely successful performer, she found it hard to shake her demons. now her parents, janis and mitch, are telling her story in a new bbc documentary called reclaiming amy. they spoke to our music reporter, mark savage, at the jazz cafe in camden, where she performed. iam i am scared of myself. singing. it is ten years since amy winehouse died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27. i will always remember our last words and i said i love you amy and she said i love you mummy, and she said i love you mummy, and i can always remember the love she had for me. always

there. ,, . ~ j, love she had for me. always there. ,, . ~ , there. since then, amy's story has been _ there. since then, amy's story has been told _ there. since then, amy's story has been told countless - there. since then, amy's story has been told countless time | has been told countless time but now her parents, janis and mitch, want to tell their side. peoples idea of amy was very black— peoples idea of amy was very black and _ peoples idea of amy was very black and white, that she was struggling through addiction to alcohol— struggling through addiction to alcohol and drug. the}r struggling through addiction to alcohol and drug. they thought she was a _ alcohol and drug. they thought she was a certain _ alcohol and drug. they thought she was a certain way - alcohol and drug. they thought she was a certain way and - alcohol and drug. they thought she was a certain way and she l she was a certain way and she wasn't. i know amy. in she was a certain way and she wasn't. i know amy.— wasn't. i know amy. in a new bbc documentary, _ wasn't. i know amy. in a new bbc documentary, the - wasn't. i know amy. in a new| bbc documentary, the couple wasn't. i know amy. in a new- bbc documentary, the couple and her friends look back on the up and downs of her life. she wanted to _ and downs of her life. she wanted to be _ and downs of her life. she wanted to be famous - and downs of her life. she wanted to be famous and successful— wanted to be famous and successful and _ wanted to be famous and successful and then - wanted to be famous and| successful and then when wanted to be famous and - successful and then when she -ot successful and then when she got it— successful and then when she got it was— successful and then when she got it was like, _ successful and then when she got it was like, oh— successful and then when she got it was like, oh god, - successful and then when she got it was like, oh god, it- successful and then when she got it was like, oh god, it alli got it was like, oh god, it all kicked — got it was like, oh god, it all kicked off _ got it was like, oh god, it all kicked off. it— got it was like, oh god, it all kicked off. it all— got it was like, oh god, it all kicked off. it all clicked - got it was like, oh god, it all kicked off. it all clicked off. i kicked off. it all clicked off. at one _ kicked off. it all clicked off. at one point _ kicked off. it all clicked off. at one point is _ kicked off. it all clicked off. at one point is that- kicked off. it all clicked off. i at one point is that mistakes were made when amy were ill, what were those mistakes? i think, it was all about we didn't know what to do. no-one knew what _ didn't know what to do. no-one knew what to — didn't know what to do. no-one knew what to do _ didn't know what to do. no-one knew what to do because - knew what to do because obviously, the, the, the responsibility of the addiction lies with the person who was struggling with the addiction

and as— struggling with the addiction and as a _ struggling with the addiction and as a family, we can stand on our— and as a family, we can stand on our heads. how many times we had family— on our heads. how many times we had family interventions, i lost — had family interventions, i lost count. how many times i took— lost count. how many times i took her— lost count. how many times i took her into rehab and she would — took her into rehab and she would walk out the next day. i don't — would walk out the next day. i don't think there is no right or wrong _ don't think there is no right or wrong way to deal with it. singing. or wrong way to deal with it. singing-— singing. and it will be her talent that _ singing. and it will be her talent that her _ singing. and it will be her talent that her friends - singing. and it will be her talent that her friends and | talent that her friends and family remember next week on the anniversary of her death. on the 23rd we are together at the cemetery and the first ten minutes— the cemetery and the first ten minutes will be sobbing and after— minutes will be sobbing and after that we will be in fits of laughter. a new amy anecdote.— of laughter. a new amy anecdote. �* ., , ., of laughter. a new amy anecdote. ., , ., ., anecdote. although it is not a “0 ul anecdote. although it is not a joyful thing. _ anecdote. although it is not a joyful thing. to _ anecdote. although it is not a joyful thing. to go _ anecdote. although it is not a joyful thing, to go and - joyful thing, to go and celebrate it, but we do, we go and remember her and myjoke is now that i now know where she is! it now that i now know where she is! , ., now that i now know where she is! , . , . . ~' now that i now know where she is! , . , now that i now know where she is! but is! it is a black “oke. but through. _ is! it is a black “oke. but through. of _ is! it is a blackjoke. but through. of celebrate i is! it is a blackjoke. butl

through. of celebrate her kindness _ through. of celebrate her kindness and _ through. of celebrate her kindness and talent, - through. of celebrate her kindness and talent, herl through. of celebrate her - kindness and talent, her fans a hold onto the music. paris' iconic eiffel tower is set to reopen on friday. it was closed in october last year due to the covid crisis. this latest closure was the longest since world war two. visitor numbers will be limited to 10,000 a day to meet social distancing requirements, fewer than half of their pre—covid levels. eight teenagers to become the youngest person to fly in after flying on to a flight thatjeff bezos has organised on his company —— eight teenager. he willjoin an 82—year—old, will become the oldest ever person in space on the new shepherd rocket. we wish them all the very best! do not go anywhere,

all the top business stories will be up next. see you in a moment. hello there. our sunshine that we see believe it or not is linked to the extreme weather we've seen across other parts of europe. the flooding in germany, for example. it's linked by the jet stream. this is the pattern that we've seen. a very undulating jet stream. it means slow moving weather. we've had low pressure bringing the rain across europe. that low pressure will move eastwards. eventually taking the rain away from germany. high pressure will build in across the uk, bringing dry weather. with the sunshine we had on thursday, temperatures in northern ireland reached 26 degrees, making it the warmest day of the year so far. it's going to be a warm start across belfast, temperatures at 16 degrees.

we start with cloud across east anglia, but it will break up more readily. it's going to feel warmer. sunshine across england and wales. some patchy cloud developing. there will be spells of sunshine for northern ireland, but across western scotland, more of a breeze and more cloud. sunnier skies and warmer weather for eastern parts of scotland and across england and wales, 26—27 degrees. it'll be a warmer day for the eastern side of england. high pressure in charge in the weekend. around the top of the area of high pressure, winds are coming in from the atlantic. stronger winds in scotland again on saturday, and that will drag in more cloud and a little more drizzle. the cloud in northern ireland will tend to break up and will get sunshine coming in across other parts of scotland. lots of sunshine and light winds across england and wales. temperatures continuing to climb up to around 27 or 28 degrees. temperatures in scotland

and northern ireland probably not changing too much at this stage. as we head into that second half of the weekend, we'll see more cloud coming down across scotland and northern ireland, perhaps into northern england. a change of air mass which will drop the temperatures. lots of sunshine for the southern half of the uk. temperatures here could reach 29 or 30 degrees. you can see those lower temperatures as you head further north. as we head into the beginning next week, maybe one or two showers. but on the whole, a lot of dry weather once again. but that cooler air in the north will be pushing its way further south.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. banking on a return to the office. goldman sachs hopes to have 70 percent of london staff back in when restrictions lift on monday. we have been very clear, the centre of our gravity of the workforce will be in the buildings in london, it will be this building. uncovering tensions. england drops its legal requirement for masks from monday, but many businesses will continue to insist on them. financial revolut—ion. the banking app becomes britain's most valuable start up ever, with a price tag of $33 billion. plus — dna detectives. how the boom in genealogy websites is helping police solve cold cases, and raising privacy concerns.