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tv   Newsday  BBC News  July 28, 2021 1:00am-1:31am BST

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welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines. a shock withdrawal at the olympics. gymnast simone biles explains why she left the floor in tokyo — the latest athlete to put mental health first. and i'm sarah mulkerrins in tokyo where day five of the 2020 games is underway. rowing, swimming and cycling are all on the agenda. indonesia reports a record number of covid deaths — more than 2,000 people died in the last 2a hours — we have a special report. behind me, the excavator that digs new graves and the
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excavator that closes the other graves over there are working simultaneously, the ambulances that carry the bodies keep coming one after the other. us health officials change course on wearing masks — now vaccinated people are advised to wear them indoors, in places where infections are high. and — you're never to old to cheerlead. we meet the seniors injapan who're getting ready for their 25th anniversary show. live from our studios in singapore, this is bbc news. it's eight in the morning in singapore, and nine am in tokyo — where its day five of the olympic games. tuesday had some major surprises but none bigger than the women's team gymnastics.
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the russian olympic committee won the gold beating the us who won gold back to back in london and rio. but the real shock came earlier in the final. simone biles — a four time olympic gold medallist — pulled out of the final after her first vault, later saying she did it due to her mental health. she said, "i was just shaking. i've just never felt like this going into a competition before. at the end of the day, i have to do what is right for me. itjust sucks that it happened at the olympic games." we can go live now to our sports presenter sarah mulkerrins in tokyo. quoted to have you on the programme. we were talking about this a little while ago, the decision by simone biles to withdraw from the olympics but how has it been received in japan? i how has it been received in ja an? ~ how has it been received in jaan?
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be able to step back from it in order to protect yourself. simone biles is this superstar gymnast, in the sport she is highly and widely regarded and also outside of sporting circles, lots of people all over the world know who she is. and usually when you see her competing, she competes with an effervescence, energy, big smile on herface and it has been a little bit apparent she has been struggling at these 0lympic has been struggling at these olympic games. we had seen her in qualifying a couple of days ago and she was a little bit tense, the smile was not as big on herface, there was tense, the smile was not as big on her face, there was some uncharacteristic errors from her, she did not speak to the media afterwards and she then took to social media to say sometimes she feels the weight of the world on her as she was posting pictures of her competing in those preliminary events. so you could understand and sense perhaps the superstar simone biles that we are used to seeing was feeling it a
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little bit because remember, she won four gold medals back in rio, she burst onto the public scene and the weight of the world was on her coming here. in the build—up to this, she has a chance to win six gold medals, she is 2a now, she has also been one of those gymnasts in the american system that came through the abuse of the doctor larry nassar and she felt when she was interviewed in the last year it was important that there was still a remaining member of that team to be here and she felt like she wanted to be that person, that spokesperson so she puts a lot on her shoulders and i think last night we so potentially the toll that can take on an athlete. she has not said whether she will not compete for the rest of the games, she will take it day by day and judge her mood and her mental health on it but i think overall, most people have been supportive of the decision she was able to make under that huge pressure. just was able to make under that huge pressure.— huge pressure. just to get a
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sense of— huge pressure. just to get a sense of how _ huge pressure. just to get a sense of how much - huge pressure. just to get a sense of how much this - huge pressure. just to get a sense of how much this is l sense of how much this is becoming a theme at this year �*s 0lympics, we have heard from naomi 0saka without surprise exit, but before that talking about her mental health. is it becoming more common, more acceptable perhaps to discuss these sorts of issues? i acceptable perhaps to discuss these sorts of issues?- these sorts of issues? i think absolutely- — these sorts of issues? i think absolutely. we _ these sorts of issues? i think absolutely. we have - these sorts of issues? i think absolutely. we have seen - these sorts of issues? i think absolutely. we have seen it i these sorts of issues? i think| absolutely. we have seen it a lot more with athletes over the last couple of years, about them opening up about the struggles, we know about michael phelps, the american swimmer, he spoke about it once he had retired, about the struggles he had competing, the intense pressure, the care of the world on him and it affected him. we have seen naomi 0saka recently pull out of the french open because she felt her mental health wasn't quite there in the way she wanted it to be at that time. she says since winning her first grand slam she had suffered from bouts of depression and anxiety, this was going to be herfirst competition back, she did well for the first two matches but she exited the tournament yesterday and i think in sport,
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we think so much about the physical injuries, don't we, looking after the athletes in that way but i think there has been a shift in focus on the pressure the athletes feel and how important it is they have a support network around them to deal with the emotional and mental pressure that competing at the very highest level springs and when you think about the olympics, once every four years, about the olympics, once every fouryears, if about the olympics, once every four years, if your sport is in the olympics, you have a one in four year chance to perform at your best on one day. it's a remarkable amount of pressure and it's certainly something thatis and it's certainly something that is becoming more widely spoken about. fix, that is becoming more widely spoken about.— spoken about. a remarkable amount of— spoken about. a remarkable amount of pressure - spoken about. a remarkable amount of pressure in - spoken about. a remarkable amount of pressure in front | spoken about. a remarkable i amount of pressure in front of amount of pressure in front of a global audience, amount of pressure in front of a globalaudience, i amount of pressure in front of a global audience, i can't even begin to imagine that. but tell us, i know you have a host of events that you are keeping an eye on today. lots of metals coming up on the fifth day. what is your pick for the one that we must watch as the sport that we must watch as the sport that will really shock all of
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us? i that will really shock all of us? ., that will really shock all of us? . . , , that will really shock all of us? ., ., , , us? i have really been en'oying the action in i us? i have really been en'oying the action in the i us? i have really been enjoying the action in the swimming - us? i have really been enjoying| the action in the swimming pool this week. we always had the swimming at the start of the olympics and from friday we will have track and field and no doubt we will be talking about that lots next week is that develops but i think the swimming competition has given us so many good stories. the 17—year—old from alaska winning their first ever gold medal in their first ever gold medal in the pool yesterday, lydia jacobi, so many stories in those events but i think when we talk about superstars, pressure, the global glare will be on katie ledecky because she is the star swimmer for team usa. she goes into finals today. lots of people interested to see how she goes interested to see how she goes in the 200 metres freestyle and the 1500 metres freestyle, particularly after we had the 400 metres event a couple of days ago, the australian ariarne titmus tipped to the gold medal. katie ledecky was only able to finish in silver
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medal position in that event so that will be the one to watch out for, see how she goes, how she is feeling, can she bounce back and what sort of form she is in. ., back and what sort of form she is in. . ., , back and what sort of form she is in. . is in. the medaltable racking u . , is in. the medaltable racking u-, all is in. the medaltable racking up. all the — is in. the medaltable racking up, all the victories, - is in. the medaltable racking up, all the victories, we - is in. the medaltable racking up, all the victories, we can l up, all the victories, we can see on our screens, i think, if we have that graphic, japan racing to the top of the list, at the top of the list with all those medals, both gold and silver. what's the reaction like in the host country? they've had a wonderful few days. ten gold medals for japan. i'm not sure they expected to start off as well as they have, top of the medal table, heading into the fifth day. the latest of those medals came in the softball late last night. we'vejust came in the softball late last night. we've just been watching replays a bit and the celebrations they all had afterwards. softball was back in the olympics for the first time since 2008 in beijing, it's a sportjapan are
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time since 2008 in beijing, it's a sport japan are strong in however the usa are usually dominant and back in 2008, japan upset the americans by winning gold there so they were coming into this is the defending champions, knowing they would have to take on the might of the usa, they got all the way through to the final last night and were able to win again so there's been so many great stories for the hosts so i think you feel the tone of these games shifting in the newspapers and in the press coverage, obviously we had a lot of talk about coronavirus in the build—up to these games. but now it's the athletes and medals and big smiles leading the front pages of a lot of the local newspapers here. fits the front pages of a lot of the local newspapers here.- local newspapers here. as it should be. _ local newspapers here. as it should be, the _ local newspapers here. as it should be, the glory - local newspapers here. as it should be, the glory and - local newspapers here. as itj should be, the glory and the drama of these sports, felt all over the world and thank you forjoining us on the programme with all of that latest coverage. and just to let you know that we'll have more on the olympics and that shock exit by simone biles a bit later in the programme. i've been speaking to a psychologist and performance coach about pressure on young athletes' mental health.
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also — a reminder that you can find more about this story on our website. you'll find more details on how the four—time olympic gold medallist explained her decision to pull out the women's gymnastics team final. just go to bbc.com/news and follow the links. let's take a look at some other stories in the headlines. police on duty during january�*s storming of the us capitol building have said donald trump's supporters attempted to carry out a coup. speaking to a congressional inquiry, one officer described being beaten, tasered and called a traitor by the rioters. another labelled the attackers terrorists. republicans have largely boycotted the investigating committee. the bbc has demanded that the chinese government stop harassing foreign journalists covering flooding in henan province. it said a section of the chinese communist party had made an online call for people to report the whereabouts of a bbc team. in the uk, an official inquiry
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has found that hundreds of vulnerable children in the care of lambeth council in south london, were abused over several decades on a scale — it says — was "hard to comprehend". more than 700 former residents complained about sustained cruelty and sexual abuse at five children's homes. apple, microsoft and google's parent company, alphabet, have reported sharp increases in sales and profits. the three tech giants have thrived during the pandemic, as lockdowns pushed people to use their services. indonesia has become the epicentre of asia's covid crisis. the country is reporting tens—of—thousands of new infections daily, and more than a thousand people are dying every day. that's putting a strain on hospitals, and on those who bury the dead. bbc indonesia's valdya baraputri has been following the funeral workers.
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a joint effort — firefighters and police now called to deal with the bodies of those who are dying at home. many having been turned away from hospitals which were already full. we can't show you the proceeding inside the house, it obviously won't be fair to the victim or the family. currently the team is tending to the body. they covered them in a shroud, and most of the time, they are removing the clothing that's already on the victim's body for their safety. after that, they put the body inside the coffin and even pray for the victim according to their religion. in this house, the virus claimed two lives within a week and infected the entire family. translation: the grandmother died at the hospital. _ later that day, the test results showed that the
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grandfather also had the virus. they didn't go to hospital because the whole house was positive with covid, so they tried to get better in self isolation. the highly infectious delta variant means the number of cases here is soaring. this covid—i9 response team is used to handling two or three bodies a day, now they are getting calls about more than 50, but only managing to help move a dozen or so. a local crowdsourcing site has been gathering data since the start of the pandemic and says that nationwide, there have been more than 2,700 deaths at home since the beginning ofjune. the president has extended the partial lockdown forjava, the most densely populated of indonesia's islands and bali. but people are being allowed to eat outside restaurants and food stalls for a maximum of 20 minutes. translation: as we know, i the trend shows there has been an improvement in getting
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covid—i9 under control. the case rate, hospital bed occupancy and positivity rate show a decline as shown in several provinces injava. two days before that announcement, indonesia hit a daily record of more than 1,500 dead. the government has designated at least seven covid—i9 cemetaries in jakarta alone. this one quickly filled up. as you can see behind me, the excavator that digs new graves and the excavator that closes the other graves over there are working simultaneously. the ambulances that carry the bodies keep coming one after the other. the workers here could bury more than 200 bodies in a day. indonesia is reporting the world's highest absolute number of new covid—i9 cases. this, along with low rates of vaccination,
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limited testing and the surge in cases of the delta variant, means teams like this will continue to work around the clock. devastating images there from indonesia, indonesia is seeing a large number of children affected by the coronavirus and the delta strain in particular. if you want to get in touch with me i'm on twitter — @bbckarishma you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme... we meet the japanaese seniors proving you're never to old to cheerlead as they prepare for their 25th anniversary show.
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the us space agency, nasa, has ordered an investigation after confirmation today that astronauts are cleared to fly while drunk. the last foot patrol in south armagh, a dangerous lot of drudgery and danger. now no more, afterfour drudgery and danger. now no more, after four decades. drudgery and danger. now no more, afterfour decades. i drudgery and danger. now no more, after four decades. i was in a private _ more, after four decades. i was in a private house, _ more, after four decades. i was in a private house, not - more, after four decades. i was in a private house, not doing i in a private house, not doing any— in a private house, not doing any harm _ in a private house, not doing any harm to anyone, i don't see why— any harm to anyone, i don't see why all— any harm to anyone, i don't see why all these people should wander— why all these people should wander in and say you're doing something. six wander in and say you're doing something-— something. six rare white lion cubs are on — something. six rare white lion cubs are on the _ something. six rare white lion cubs are on the prowl- something. six rare white lion cubs are on the prowl and - something. six rare white lion cubs are on the prowl and it . cubs are on the prowl and it was — cubs are on the prowl and it was to— cubs are on the prowl and it was to share _ cubs are on the prowl and it was to share part. - cubs are on the prowl and it was to share part. they- cubs are on the prowl and iti was to share part. they been met— was to share part. they been met with _ was to share part. they been met with a _ was to share part. they been met with a roar— was to share part. they been met with a roar of— was to share part. they been met with a roar of approval. met with a roar of approval from — met with a roar of approval from visitors. _ met with a roar of approval from visitors. they - met with a roar of approval from visitors. they are - met with a roar of approval from visitors. they are so i from visitors. they are so cute _ this is newsday on the bbc. the headlines —
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a shock withdrawal at the olympics. us champion simone biles — described by many as the best gymnast of all time — has pulled out of the women's team final citing mental health concerns. indonesia reports a record number of covid deaths — more than 2,000 people have died in the last 24 hours. let's get more on our main story. simone biles' withdrawal was a huge blow to the us team, which finished with the silver medal but it also points to the growing awareness among athletes about the impact of high level competition and public pressure on their mental health. julie gurner is a psychologist and performance coach at gurner consulting and has been telling me what she makes of biles' decision. simone is a seasoned competitor who knows the consequences if she is not in the right mental state. so, these acrobatics
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are not low stakes and it's a remarkable move by her despite public expectations and this is just truly outstanding. when i look at it is, this kind of mental calibration and assessment is likely why she is where she's at. how to draw all of these lines and while i cannot speculate as to what she might be feeling right now, she certainly knows well enough to preserve the body and self over pushing through it it's a master class that athletes should really pay attention to and i hope she is well. i was struck by her comment enough to protect our minds and bodies notjust do with the world wants us to do. how much do you think that sense of individuality and advocacy is becoming a theme in elite sports like this. i advocacy is becoming a theme in elite sports like this.— elite sports like this. i think the women _ elite sports like this. i think the women in _ elite sports like this. i think the women in these - elite sports like this. i think i the women in these positions are feeling more comfortable advocating for their own best
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interests and it often defies others' expectations and what they want from them, as well as a very hungry public for the talents they bring to the stage. we have seen this happen whether it's naomi 0saka around interviews, serena williams and her catsuit to help prevent blood clots, in the past these athletes likely would have put through, stayed silent at great cost to themselves, not only psychologically but potentially physically and at the end of the day we all win when they are able to advocate for themselves and bring the best of what they can and can't remain in competition and remain in competition and remain healthy. mt; remain in competition and remain healthy. my colleague was saying — remain healthy. my colleague was saying to _ remain healthy. my colleague was saying to me _ remain healthy. my colleague was saying to me earlier - remain healthy. my colleague was saying to me earlier that| was saying to me earlier that this is the first competition we understand that simone biles went to without her family because of the pandemic. how much do you think that isolation, frankly we have all felt during the pandemic, has played a part in this? that isolation _ played a part in this? that isolation is _ played a part in this? that isolation is something - played a part in this? that isolation is something that michael phelps commented on a lot as far as looking at how
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this has impacted athletes training and their sense of isolation and not having the typical support that one might have especially with high stakes, high competition, high stress environments, certainly that would be expected to play a role with all of the athletes who feel that burden but simone biles really carries the weight of world expectation and the united states expectation on her shoulders and it's hard to say how anyone might manage that kind of expectation or whether or not that is even an issue at play right now. american health officials are urging people to resume wearing masks indoors in areas where the delta variant has sparked a rise in coronavirus cases. the announcement reverses the advice issued two months ago. so why the u—turn? here's the bbc�*s north america correspondent peter bowes.
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this really reflects a growing concern of the federal government and the centre for disease control and prevention about the surge in the number of cases of coronavirus around the country, especially in certain states like florida where there has been a real picking of new infections in recent days and weeks. so the advice now and it is an advisory body, a government advisory body, a government advisory body, a government advisory body on health and infectious diseases and it's saying all americans by their or not, should wear a mask indoors in public settings. interestingly, i am indoors in public settings. interestingly, iam in indoors in public settings. interestingly, i am in los angeles on that rule was brought in here about ten days ago because this is indeed one of the areas where there has been a surge in the number of cases and as you say, president biden once again urging all americans if they have not already, to have the covid—i9 vaccine and the president speaking a short time ago at the white house said he is considering requiring all
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federal workers, considering requiring all federalworkers, government workers, to have the vaccination as well. some media outlets are saying he will announce this on thursday, perhaps with the caveat they should either have the vaccination or at least have regular tests and of course federal workers, there are about 4 million around the country including postal workers, members of the military, immigration agents, people who work in social security departments, that would be a significant move and again, reflecting the very serious concern that this isn't beaten, coronavirus is very much here and that surge in numbers is really concerning health officials. the island nation of samoa now has its first female prime minister. fiame naomi mata'afa took office today, three months after winning the election. samoa lies about halfway between new zealand and hawaii, and is formed of two main islands. it may be distant but news of its new leader drew congratulations from new zealand's prime minsterjacinda ardern and australia's scott morrison. the bbc�*s gender and identity reporter megha mohan has more. it is a new day.
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a momentous day in a country that had gone almost three months without a clear leader. fiame naomi mata'afa has taken office as samoa's first female prime minister. her party won the country's election in april, defeating her predecessor who had been prime ministerfor 22 years. a constitutional crisis followed when the hrpp party refused to hand over power. in unusual scenes, fiame was sworn in in a tent outside samoa's parliament in may after the doors to the legislature were locked. the caretaker government argued that the ceremony was illegal. the political impasse came to an end last week when samoa's court of appeal ruled that the swearing in ceremony was lawful. how is a female leadership going to be different? i would like my leadership to be one where i work
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with a team, very mindful that, you know, going forward, we need to enable upcoming leadership. another priority will be navigating a post covid world. samoa is covid free after locking its borders soon after the pandemic was declared but its economy has struggled without tourism. and before we go, while all eyes are onjapan's 0lympic games, one out of the ordinary cheering squad in the country is getting some attention. meet the group known as "japan pom pom" where the average age is 70 years old. cartwheels and backflips may not be their forte but they are no stranger to vivacious choreographies. and while it's a great way for these dancers to stay in shape, for this group of seniors, cheer goes far beyond just a fun workout. translation:
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it's important to stay healthy but more than that, it is a reason to be. it's nice to bring something different into your daily life. and if you want to join that cheery troupe, you must be at least 55 years old and have what the squad describes as "self—proclaimed good looks." so it's a very inclusive group of cheerleaders. and britney spears has officially asked for her father to be replaced as her conservator — 13 years after he assumed control of her life and finances because of concerns over the popstar�*s mental health. the star's new lawyer petitioned the court on monday and asked for accountant jason rubin — who has experience managing complex trusts and financial exploitation — to be named conservator of spears' estate. public support for the star has surged after her emotional court testimony last month, in which she described the conservatorship as abusive, said she had been drugged, forced to perform against her will and prevented from having children.
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that's all for now — stay with bbc world news. hello. with low pressure right across the uk, there were more heavy, even torrential thundery downpours around on tuesday. one storm captured on camera by one of our weather watchers in belfast. here's the area of low pressure. now, later in the week, it will move away, and then the showers are going to ease. but as it exits the scene, it draws in some cooler air as we move from july into august. now, enduring some of the heaviest rain for wednesday will be this part of scotland, with a met office amberwarning. ullapool across to elgin, including inverness, where by thursday morning, rain totals may be approaching 100 millimetres in the wettest spots, bringing the likelihood of flooding and travel disruption. it's not the only area, though, that's going to see some heavy rain during wednesday. more widely across parts
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of scotland and northern england, there'll be some areas of heavy rain to begin the day. notice this area of rain in scotland. this is the one that becomes slow—moving across some central and northern areas during the day with that prolonged rainfall. elsewhere, it's a case of, yes, there'll be some sunshine around, but look at the showers getting going for the afternoon. some of these heavy, thundery, with hail, brightness in between. a breezier day for much of england and wales, and the winds gusty around these showers, though they may perhaps move through rather more quickly than they've been inclined to do in recent days. and as for your temperatures, well, many of us just in the teens. parts of eastern england up to around 20, maybe 21 degrees celsius. overnight and into thursday, the worst of these downpours will slowly ease, and the heaviest of the rain in scotland will also begin to ease going into thursday morning. but problems with flooding and disruption may continue even beyond the end of the heaviest rainfall. and temperatures are a bit lower as thursday starts. back to this area of low pressure, notice itsjourney away from us is under
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way during thursday. it's around its back edge as it moves away. we get the cooler air moving in, and still bands of showers around as well, though maybe not as frequent as they've been recently. and there will still be a bit of sunshine to be had, but catch a shower, it could still be heavy and thundery as it moves through on thursday. again, for the most part, temperatures just into the high teens, a few spots reaching 20, maybe 21 degrees. temperatures aren't any higher at the weekend, but what is clear by then, there will be fewer showers around and what showers there are will be less intense.
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this is bbc news. we will have the headlines and all the main news of the top of the hour straight after this programme. hello. this might sound like the plot of a hollywood spy movie, and indeed in the future it might get made into one, but this week, something called the pegasus project is news. a group of news outlets from ten countries has banded together to expose the alleged use of phone hacking to spy on leading journalists, politicians and human rights activists across the world.
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among them are heads of state — emmanuel macron's phone

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