hello and welcome to bbc news. these are our top stories. flooding in china kills at least a 25 people following the heaviest since records began. commuters have had to force their way out of the subway train. translation: we broke half a windows _ train. translation: we broke half a windows so _ train. translation: we broke half a windows so air _ train. translation: we broke half a windows so air could - train. translation: we broke half a windows so air could geti half a windows so air could get in otherwise we would have choked. �* f , in otherwise we would have choked. �* , , ., choked. america's senior general _ choked. america's senior general acknowledges i choked. america's senior| general acknowledges the taliban now controls half the districts in afghanistan as us forces prepared to complete their withdrawal. a shock defeat for the us women's football team as action starts in tokyo ahead of the official oh pinning ceremony on friday.

and us life expectancy falls by 1.5 years due to covid—19. the biggest one year decline since world war ii. hello and a very warm welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. flooding has caused devastation in the central chinese province of after —— henan after the heaviest rainfall it has ever recorded. dozens of people were trapped inside an underground train system and at least 25 have died. the military has warned that a major dam could collapse at any time and soldiers have been mobilised to try and divert rivers that have

burst their banks. chinese scientists say global warming has made the annual flood season much more dangerous. our correspondent sent this report. passengers on an underground train trying to escape the approaching floodwater. instead, though, they found themselves standing still, silent, holding on as the levels rose around them. translation: the water was at shoulder level. . a child and i both nearly gave up. we were worn out. but i used my arm to hang on, and that's why i am bruised. others in the carriage said air was the problem. translation: we broke half of a window so air could get l in, otherwise we would have choked. at least a dozen people lost their lives as the water overran the tunnels and then the trains. above ground, others faced a terrifying torrent. the muddy, brown waters

of the yellow river trying to sweep them away. this was just one example of an impromptu rescue effort that succeeded. the impact of the floods has been widespread, the city of zhengzhou was the worst hit, at one point it had almost a year public with the rain fall in just three days. over a million people have been affected. in the last few days, hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated from in or around this city and millions more warned about the impending floods, but the most troubling question that remains amidst the stench of dirty water here is how was it that a station on this line, on an underground metro system that's less than ten years old, came to be overwhelmed by rainwater and passengers left to die on the platform? china has mobilised its army, but not its leader. in a brief statement, president xijinping called for improvements to the system for early warnings.

measures that are likely to be needed more as chinese scientists admit these once in a millennia rains could become more frequent as global warming makes for more dangerous weather. robin brant, bbc news, zhengzhou in eastern china. staying with this story let's see some new pictures that have just come in where the flooding has left vehicles stacked on top of one another at the entrance to a road tunnel. this is after major roads turned to rivers and cars were swept along by the strong current. looking now at some of the other main news of the day. several us states have unveiled a sweeping proposed settlement under which four pharmaceutical companies accused of feeling the country's opioid epidemic will pay compensation of up to

$6 billion. the agreement would need the support of nearly all the states. smoke from the huge wild fires burning on the west coast of america has drifted all the way across the continent to cast a haze over the east coast. officials in new york issued warnings for pregnant women and elderly due to poor quality with cities as far apart as washington and toronto also affected. the disgraced former hollywood producer harvey weinstein has appeared in court in los angeles where he pleaded not guilty to 11 charges of sexual assault. he had been extradited to california from new york where he is serving a 23 year prison sentence for rape. the united states has reached a deal with germany to allow completion of the controversial $11 billion nord stream two gas pipeline. the project will double russian gas exports to germany. there have been concerns over moscow using the energy is leveraged to exert political control in europe. as

part of the deal, germany has committed to take steps including sanctions to prevent that from happening. david willis, our correspondent join us now from washington. david, why is the united states involved in whether or not a gas pipeline in europe gets to go ahead or not? in gas pipeline in europe gets to go ahead or not?— go ahead or not? in actual fact, go ahead or not? in actual fact. ben. _ go ahead or not? in actual fact, ben, the _ go ahead or not? in actual fact, ben, the last- go ahead or not? in actual fact, ben, the last three l fact, ben, the last three american administrations have all expressed their dislike of the nord stream two gas pipeline. they believed it potentially gives russia too much leverage and control over european energy supplies the simple reason that it will take gas directly from russia to germany, bypassing the ukraine and poland. now, in an act of pragmatism, i think you could say, president biden has said that he is willing to waive sanctions that have been

imposed on the people, on the german company constructing this pipeline because it is virtually built. 98% of it has already been constructed and the biden administration believes there is nothing that they can do now to prevent it from coming into use. so it is better to leverage its relationship with germany, the biggest ally in europe, of course, and this follows chancellor angela merkel�*s visit to washington, dc last week at which the subject was raised. so the administration, believes it does not really have any other choice, supporting this project but with some reservations, it must be said. is with some reservations, it must be said. , . , be said. is there any opposition _ be said. is there any opposition to - be said. is there any opposition to this i be said. is there any - opposition to this agreement, david? . . . , opposition to this agreement, david? . . ., , ., ._, david? particularly from poland and the ukraine _ david? particularly from poland and the ukraine who _ david? particularly from poland and the ukraine who bypassed l david? particularly from poland i and the ukraine who bypassed by the nordstream two pipeline. they both issued a statement saying they believe this

represents a political military and energy threat for the ukraine and for central europe, also saying it increases the russian potential to destabilise the security situation in europe. they have called on germany and the united states to address what they call the security crisis in the region. the united states, for its part has said it does not much like this pipeline either but it is going along with it. pm? pipeline either but it is going along with it.— along with it. any word from russia on — along with it. any word from russia on all— along with it. any word from russia on all of— along with it. any word from russia on all of this? - along with it. any word from russia on all of this? sorry, | along with it. any word from | russia on all of this? sorry, i did not hear? any word from russia in response to all of this? , , ., , russia in response to all of this? ,, ., , ., russia in response to all of this? ,, ., this? the russians are saying that this is — this? the russians are saying that this is a _ this? the russians are saying that this is a benefit - this? the russians are saying that this is a benefit both - this? the russians are saying that this is a benefit both to l that this is a benefit both to europe, to germany and to other parts of europe but that is not likely to be something that the americans agree with, as i say, they believe that this is

potentially linking the supply of energy to europe more vulnerable to political pressure.— vulnerable to political pressure. vulnerable to political ressure. ., , ., pressure. david, many thanks indeed. david _ pressure. david, many thanks indeed. david willis _ pressure. david, many thanks indeed. david willis therefore | indeed. david willis therefore us, our correspondent in washington, dc. here in the uk the mayor of the city of liverpool says that she and many other people across the city are all wielded by the decision of unesco, the un's cultural body, to strip liverpool of its status as a world heritage site. liverpool was awarded the title in 2004, recognising rich heritage is a major trading centre and port and its architectural landmarks. the world heritage committee says that developments on the city's waterfront resulted in irreversible loss. our correspondent spent the day there. liverpool. a city with ambitions to rebuild and regenerate, and that has led to it being stripped of its unesco

world heritage state —— status. the city of liverpool is deleted.— the city of liverpool is deleted. , ., deleted. the title brought - resti . e deleted. the title brought prestige and _ deleted. the title brought prestige and help - deleted. the title brought prestige and help to - deleted. the title brought. prestige and help to attract international tourism. liverpool was chosen because of its history is a trading centre and the splendour of its waterside buildings. it has been removed as unesco believes new developments have led to a serious deterioration of landmark areas. liverpool -la in: landmark areas. liverpool playing the _ landmark areas. liverpool playing the victim - landmark areas. liverpool playing the victim here . landmark areas. liverpool playing the victim here is| landmark areas. liverpool i playing the victim here is not the fault of unesco.- the fault of unesco. wayne showed a — the fault of unesco. wayne showed a allegation - the fault of unesco. wayne showed a allegation around| the fault of unesco. wayne i showed a allegation around the city when they visited in 2011. this is devastating for liverpool. it is an embarrassment for liverpool. we have lost the status symbol of being up there with the taj mahal and the pyramids and the great wall of china.— mahal and the pyramids and the great wall of china. unesco say a ma'or great wall of china. unesco say a major problem _ great wall of china. unesco say a major problem is _ great wall of china. unesco say a major problem is the - great wall of china. unesco say a major problem is the new- a major problem is the new stadium which will start to be built later this month in the late —— disused dock. the council say that new ground is more important in the world heritage title. i

more important in the world heritage title.— heritage title. i would say it is definitely _ heritage title. i would say it is definitely because - heritage title. i would say it is definitely because at i heritage title. i would say it is definitely because at the l is definitely because at the moment the dock is completely decaying and does not serve any social value to the community around it. we want to open it up. that is what we thought unesco were about as well, putting heritage in the heart of our community for people to learn about it. but this decision even affect ice cream vans. �* decision even affect ice cream vans. ~ , ., decision even affect ice cream vans. ~ ., ., vans. are you going to repaint the van? _ vans. are you going to repaint the van? it — vans. are you going to repaint the van? it would _ vans. are you going to repaint the van? it would cost - vans. are you going to repaint the van? it would cost me i vans. are you going to repaint the van? it would cost me a l vans. are you going to repaintl the van? it would cost me a lot of money. i don't think unesco will come after you.— will come after you. i hope not. liverpool— will come after you. i hope not. liverpool city councill not. liverpool city council sa s it not. liverpool city council says it will _ not. liverpool city council says it will try _ not. liverpool city council says it will try to - not. liverpool city council says it will try to appeal i not. liverpool city council i says it will try to appeal the decision but according to unesco there is one less place of wonder in the world. stay with us here on bbc world news. still to come... a skateboarding makes its first appearance at the olympic games and we meet the 15 about to become half pipe star. coming down the ladder now.

that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. a catastrophic engine fire is being blamed tonight for the first crash in the 30 year history of concorde, the world's only supersonic airliner. it was one of the most vivid symbols of the violence and hatred to that tore apart the state of yugoslavia. but now a decade later, it has been painstakingly rebuilt and opens again today. there's been a 50% decrease in| sperm quantity, and an increase in malfunctioning sperm unable to swim amperly. _ thousands of households across the country are suspiciously quiet this lunchtime as children bury their noses in the final instalment of harry potter.

hello. bbc news. our main story this hour. flooding in china kills at least 25 people and causes millions of dollars in damage following the heaviest rainfall there since records began. life expectancy in the united states last year suffered its just drop since the second world war. data showed the average us lifespan dropped from almost 79 years in 2019 to just over 77 years in 2020. but among black and hispanic americans it is twice as bad, dropping by three years. let's talk now to stephen will from the centre on society and health at virginia commonwealth university. he is also co—author of a study on how covid—19 has widened the life expect to get across racial groups and between different countries. stephen, good to

have you with us. this is expected? is this in line with what people would have anticipated?— what people would have anticipated? thank you for havin: anticipated? thank you for having me _ anticipated? thank you for having me with _ anticipated? thank you for having me with you. i anticipated? thank you for having me with you. of- anticipated? thank you for i having me with you. of course we anticipated a decrease in life expectancy around the world, given the large loss of life from covid. but we were not prepared for the size of the decrease in life expectancy that we have seen the united states. the country has had more covid—19 deaths than any other country and among the highest per capita death rates but, still, this drop in life spect and c is something that this country is not seen since world war ii.— this country is not seen since world war ii. ~ ,, ., ., world war ii. when you have got something _ world war ii. when you have got something like _ world war ii. when you have got something like a _ world war ii. when you have got something like a pandemic i something like a pandemic which, untilyou something like a pandemic which, until you start having interventions such as vaccination programmes and so on, can sweep through the entire population regardless of background or difference, why do we see this discrepancy between different ethnic groups

in different countries in terms of the impact on life expectancy covid—19 has had? the disparity in health outcomes for covid—19 is just a new example of a very old problem in the united states, for generations people of colour have had a higher death rate, shorter life expectancy and higher rates of disease reflecting systemic racism and other structural factors in our society that systematically keep people of colour from the conditions they need for good health. so we expected a worse outcome for covid—19 and this is a population that has higher exposure to the virus and less access to healthcare, and greater comorbidities that increase publications and greater economic vulnerability. still, the size of this decrease in life expectancy was stunning. three years in the black population and nearly four years in our study in hispanic population. from what

ou're hispanic population. from what you're saying — hispanic population. from what you're saying it _ hispanic population. from what you're saying it seems - hispanic population. from what you're saying it seems that i hispanic population. from what you're saying it seems that it i you're saying it seems that it is not a case that it is a genetic link that causes this great drop in life expectancy, it is things like access to healthcare. so something can be done about it if more funding was provided to the areas where there is communities predominantly live? raises a social construct, and these disparities are produced our society. really interesting to talk to you, steven woolf from virginia university. it has been acknowledged that the taliban has momentum in afghanistan. general dark milley says they are consolidating their forces and ensuring militants don't take control of any major population centres. he said with the us withdrawal now 95% complete,

the taliban control half the districts in the country. a significant amount of territory has been seized over the course of six—ten months by the course of six—ten months by the taliban, so momentum, strategic momentum, appears to be with the taliban. that was a general have seen the start of the competition in japan ahead of the opening ceremony on friday, beginning with women's softball, japan facing australian the opening and football where there has already been an upset. i was sports reporter is in tokyo and gave us around above the action, as well as look at the action, as well as look at the new olympic sports added to the new olympic sports added to the agenda. if you follow women's football, like a lot of people well around the world, and in the usa when you think about the dominance of the team, you would have thought that perhaps the us national team would have won on their debut came in at the olympics here in tokyo. they were taking

on sweden. they are really good european team, and they won. 3-0. it european team, and they won. 3—0. it was a very disjointed performance from the americans. megan was particularly critical after the match of their performance, saying they need to do an awful lot better. they are, of course, they are the champions, winning the cup in france, howeverthey champions, winning the cup in france, however they were knocked out of the last olympics by sweden. sweden are really good team to watch out for. they played some really good football. it is almost good football. it is almost good when you can talk about the sports and you have a shock. the japanese public wouldn't have wanted a shock in the softball because it was the first bit of action we had here injapan. the host took on australia. it was an opening at win, a very comfortable win for

japan, beating australia a tavern one in the opening round match. what the ioc want to do is protect the future of the olympics, they want to get young, exciting and vibrant sports into the games and we have four really good ones to watch. we have the likes of surfing, that will be brilliant. we also have karate, and we are in at the home of correctly. that is just for this olympics but we also have skateboarding and sport climbing. definitely, there is going to be an awful lot of athletes we will suddenly hear about and will want to know more about. let's hearfrom one of them who will be competing and skateboarding. she is from camberley and south africa, 15 years old. this is her story of herjourney years old. this is her story of her journey to the years old. this is her story of herjourney to the olympic games. i am very proud to represent

south africa, it is such an honour because i am always dreaming about south africa on a bigger stage. the olympics never crossed my mind. pa rents parents who don't support their children skateboarding because they feel there is no future in skateboarding, and skateboarding, and skateboarding is finally a part of the olympics. i think it gives options and parents will finally support their kids on theirjourney. whenever my brother wasn't home, i would take his skateboard and skate around the house.

i didn't think of it as a job, but with the olympics coming in, sponsorships and all that, it is starting to feel pretty much like a job, which is crazy. but, it is nice, it is fun to do what you love every day. i would like to do that for the rest of my life. when i was a kid, are used to dream about theirs and now it is actually happening, it feels unreal, and i don't want to do anything that will mess that up. and, being a teenager with all of the parties, experimenting, and all of that... ifeel i don't experimenting, and all of that... i feel i don't want to waste my time on that now. i would love to inspire more

girls to start skating, and i want to be able to achieve something big, which i can contribute to the community in south africa, which will help more people out there, you know. i guess that is it. the latest there from tokyo. experts from the natural history museum here in london have started excavating one of the most drastic sites in the uk. i would tell you where it is, but it is a secret location and believed to hold tens of thousands of fossils from 167 million years ago. the owners of the site have given scientists three days to unearth as many fossils as possible. our reporterjoined them. a race against time to reveal our ancient past. the team from the natural history museum has just three

days to excavate this unique site. look how long they are. that's really cool! this cotswolds quarry holds a lot of secrets trove of sea creatures that lived during thejurassic period. what's here is so extraordinary, he location is being kept secret. we have got another really nice, exceptionalspecimen here. this is a brittle star, likely to be a new species. it's quality of preservation, it's the number of fossils that we are finding but it's also the diversity. it is really unprecedented at geological sites of this age across the world. scientists think there are tens of thousands of fossils lying in the mud. this place must have been teeming with life 167—million years ago.

a river used to run into a tropical sea, where animals like starfish and sea urchins, and meadows of creatures anchored to the sea floor while others swam freely. sea cucumbers have been added to the abundance of this marine life. , , ., ., , the abundance of this marine life. , ., _. seeing a slab of life. at first, the quarry didn't look too promising. we were finding very small fragments of plates of sea urchins — just tiny, tiny fragments, though, nothing spectacular. when we got home and cleaned it up, he was like, "oh, my god, sally. "you've got to come and see this." it was this beautifuljurassic sea creature coming to life. they are amazing! just like they were alive yesterday. into hundred years, the natural

history museum has only collected a few dozen of these fossils across the uk, but now, thousands will be added to the collection. thousands will be added to the collection-— collection. the team says it is a discovery — collection. the team says it is a discovery of— collection. the team says it is a discovery of a _ collection. the team says it is a discovery of a lifetime. i a discovery of a lifetime. nasser�*s perseverance river is making preparations to collect its first sample of martian rock. —— nasa. it will extract something the size of a finger, packaged in a tube, and eventually returned to earth. scientists hope to find out if mars has ever hosted lie. perseverance has travelled over one kilometre since touching down on the planet in february. before we go, a reminder of our top story — the flooding that has caused devastation in at the central chinese providence of henan, after it is met with

heavy rains. you can reach me and the team on twitter. see you soon. we're still in the middle of this heatwave, or actually just past it. some thunderstorms on the way too in the coming days, which should break the heat. but it certainly has been hot in northern ireland. it was wednesday's hot spot in county tyrone — 31.3 degrees — a provisional record for northern ireland, only beating saturday's value byjust 0.1 degree. on the satellite picture , we can see some clouds to the west of our neighbourhood. that is a developing area of low pressure, and it will be nearing us over the next few days, pushing the high pressure away, and this is going to bring some slow—moving thunderstorms. we will talk about that in just a second. i still have to mention the met office warning of extreme heat for

the south—west of the uk and for northern ireland lasting into friday, and this is to highlight also the high temperatures overnight, notjust by day. in fact, you can see how warm it is still through the middle of the night on thursday — it will have been around 18—20 celsius across some parts of the country. through the night, into the early hours of the morning, it is clear skies, may be a bit of cloud first thing across northern and eastern scotland, perhaps the north—east of england. that should mostly clear through the afternoon, but the temperatures will be skyrocketing, in fact hot enough for some local downpours and thunderstorms to develop across some central parts of the country. notice the wind is mostly an easterly, a very light easterly, so it's pushing the heat further towards the east, so that means the highest temperatures, again, on thursday could well be in northern ireland — we could well beat another record, that remains to be seen. possibly up to 32 but for most of us it will be in the mid to high 20s. here's friday, still a very warm day. wouldn't necessarily class

it as a very hot day, but warm enough. temperatures into the mid—or high 20s. notice some blue, some rain here, some thunderstorms brewing just to the south—west of us. this is an area of low pressure that will drag in pressure, atlantic air, and push the hot air towards more eastern parts of europe. these could be very slow—moving thunderstorms, and slow moving thunderstorms can bring an awful lot of rainfall in a short space of time, and that's to come this weekend — saturday and sunday — especially across the southern half of the uk. something to bear in mind.

hello. this is bbc news. i am ben boulos with the headlines. flooding in china has caused millions of dollars in damage following the heaviest rain fall since records began. climate scientists say extreme weather events are becoming more likely and severe. america's most in your general has acknowledged the taliban have strategic momentum in afghanistan. they now control half the districts in the country. the general said the us withdrawal was now 95% complete but insisted a taliban takeover it was not a foregone conclusion. the sporting action continues in tokyo with a shock defeat for the us women's football team. ahead of friday's official olympic opening ceremony, former prime minister shinzo abe has decided not to attend the event due to the state of emergency.

now on bbc news: wednesday in parliament.