this is bbc news. i'm victoria fritz with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the us and chinese presidents are to talk, as bejing warns washington over a planned visit to taiwan by house speaker, nancy pelosi. the united states says it's offered russia a deal aimed at freeing the american basketball player brittney griner. we report from kenya where climate change is now a bigger threat to elephants than poachers. he's credited with inspiring the global green movement. tributes are paid to the environmentalist james lovelock — who has died at the age of 103. and a big day ahead in birmingham for the beginning of the commonwealth games.

hello and welcome. a potential visit to taiwan by the us house speaker nancy pelosi is stirring alarm in presidentjoe biden�*s administration. officials are concerned the trip may cross red lines for china, and fears there's no potential "exit path". beijing, which claims sovereignty over the island, has already issued harsh warnings — even suggesting a possible military response. against this backdrop, president biden is expected to call president shee on thursday for the first time in months. gareth barlow reports. this is taiwan. to beijing it is the breakaway province that must become part of the country, if need be by force. to washington, it's

the territory of the us has pledged to help defend, if it ever comes under attack. an island nation of 23 million, at the centre of a struggle between two global superpowers, and it's the potential visit to taiwan by nancy pelosi, second in line to the us presidency, who, if the trip goes ahead, will be the highest ranking american politician to travel there in 25 years, that is close to a crisis. translation: we have repeatedly stated our solemn position - that we are firmly opposed to speaker pelosi's visit to taiwan. if the us pushes ahead and challenges china's bottom line, it will inevitably face firm counter—measures. the us side will bear all the consequences. even the biden administration has tried to dissuade the staunch china critic from undertaking the visit, which hasn't yet been officially announced but was planned for april.

an administration fearful of the potential political fallout, despite publicly pledging support to taipei. so i think she feels strongly about supporting democracy in taiwan. she is not the only member of congress who feels that way and i think also the administration, whether under donald trump orjoe biden, there is growing support in the united states for taiwan and for its democracy but i think there are some questions about whether this is the right time for nancy pelosi to go or indeed whether she should go at all. later on thursday, presidents biden and xi are due to hold a phone call, their fifth so far, each one taking place amid an ever more frosty and fractious relationship. the outcome of the call can hardly be expected to drastically improve their relationship, as domestically neither side can afford to appear weak.

with the us bolstering its ability to combat chinese dominance on computer chips, with china making ever more stern threats, and with taiwan carrying out military drills, economically, politically, peacefully, a lot is on the line. gareth barlow, bbc news. the united states says it's offered russia a deal aimed at freeing the american basketball star brittney griner, and a former us marine — paul whaylan. secretary of state antony blinken says he plans to discuss the matter in a phone call with his russian counterpart, sergei lavrov. it would be the first such contact since russia's invasion of ukraine. barbara plett—usher reports. hostage diplomacy is intruding on america's basketball courts. players in the washington mystics know brittney griner, they have competed against her, they respect her. they are shaken by her arrest. really sad and a bit scared because it felt like it could be any of us.

i play overseas and the vast majority of wnba players play overseas, so seeing her in that type of position where she is kind of helpless is really unfortunate. griner plead guilty to a drug—related charge but says she didn't intend to break the law. the us says she has been wrongfully detained which russia denies. but now in a rare move, the state department has gone public about an offer to win her release, and that of another american, paul whelan. we have conveyed this on a number of occasions, and directly to russian officials, and my hope would be that in speaking to foreign minister lavrov, i can advance the efforts to bring them home. he wouldn't give details, but the administration did recently agree to a prisoner swap with the kremlin for this former us marine. that increased pressure from the families of other detainees. earlier, the president's point man for hostages told me campaign was effective.

i think the importance of the families coming up with their narrative to address what they are going through is actually very powerfulfor them and i think it is actually good in creating situational awareness and at times holding the us government accountable. brittany griner�*s case has helped shine a spotlight on an issue that is usually in the shadows. this mural, recently unveiled, highlights how many americans are in this fix, how many stories there are, such as matthew heath. he's been held in venezuela for nearly two years. matthew's been beaten over there so many times that both of his hands have been broken. he tried to take his own life and has been moved to a military hospital. my son is not going to survive if our government does not get him home. i don't know how much more he can endure. the return of any detainee would bring hope to others, but not dispel their desperate, agonising uncertainty. barbara plett—usher,

bbc news, washington. let's get some of the day's other news. security officials in kyiv say russian troops are being moved to southern ukraine where a counter—offensive is being mounted towards the occupied city of kherson. it was the first major city of significance to fall to the russians. the ukrainian army has already forced russia to close a key bridge, which is a crucial supply line for its forces. gangs in the haitian capital, port—au—prince, have clashed amid intense gun battles, forcing businesses to close and cutting off major roads. the city's cathedral caught fire in what was believed to be linked to the gang battles. the un has estimated over 200 people have been killed injust ten days this month, many of them citizens with no connection to the gangs. the army in mali says 15 soldiers and three civilians have been killed in coordinated attacks in the south west of the country where a jihadist

insurgency is raging. a statement said the assaults on military camps in sokolo and near kalumba were repelled — with almost 50 militants being killed. a third attack near mopti caused no casualties. police fired tear gas and used water cannons as hundreds of protesters breached a high—security zone in baghdad and broke into iraq's parliament building. supporters of the powerful cleric, muqtada al—sadr, demonstrated against the nomination of a rival candidate for prime minister. the current prime minister, mustafa al—kadhimi, called on protesters to leave the green zone. a british scientist who helped to inspire the green movement, james lovelock, has died at the age of 103. he was best known for his gaia hypothesis — the idea that planet earth acts as an interconnected, self—regulating system. in later years, he warned that climate change could have a devastating

impact on humanity. our environment analyst, roger harrabin, looks back on his life. the earth. forjames lovelock, a planet with not only creatures and plants on it, but a complex, integrated system, where even the rocks interact with living things to maintain conditions for life. lovelock called it the gaia theory, a revolutionary idea named after the greek mother goddess of the earth. the gaia notion sees those two processes, that's to say, the evolution of life and the evolution of the planet as not two processes, but one single, tightly coupled process. born in letchworth, he became a conscientious objector in the war. ever maverick, ever restless. later, he worked out of a converted barn at his home in devon, first with research in medical science on the freezing of animal tissue. and then in the �*60s,

on space science for nasa looking for life on mars. there may be a kind of plant, an ice eater with fine root like probes searching not for liquid water, but searching the permafrost, reaching down to get at that ice. the multitalented lovelock made the ultra sensitive instruments to gather evidence and invented the equipment used to detect a manmade hole in the ozone layer over the antarctic. then you do believe in gaia? i believe that the earth goddess will defend itself against all dangers. including a man? man will always win against nature. lovelock�*s idea that the earth is a kind of single living organism made him a hero to the early green movement of the 1960s and seventies. so it was bound to be taken up as a kind of something almost spiritualfor

the green age to hang on to. lovelock warned that damage to forests in particular was undermining the earth's capacity to regulate itself as carbon dioxide levels rise. but his support for nuclear power to combat climate change upset many of his own followers. the gaia theory was ridiculed by many scientists at the time. it is still contentious, but it's starting to slip into the academic mainstream. james lovelock lived to be over 100, still predicting an apocalyptic future for mankind. the british scientist, james lovelock, who's died at the age of 103. the world health organization is advising men who have sex with other men to reduce their number of partners, in order to limit the spread of the monkeypox virus. 98% of monkeypox cases are in men who have sex with men.

18,000 cases have been reported in 78 countries, mostly in europe. there have been five deaths. let's there have been five deaths. bring in our professo infectious let's bring in our professor of infectious diseases. can you just help me with this one. do we know why gay men, in particular are more at risk. we have the particular are more at risk. - have the perfect storm of two seminal events in europe, lots of people happen to be in this community they went to those communities and the country and it was amplified by events like pride events, it happened to be the right timing, pool parties and so on. if you can imagine it was like a bunch of little monkeypox bombs going off in

different communities. it happens to be in this community but it's not exclusive in terms of biology we know in 2003 in the us it had afflicted prairie dog pet owners. it’s the us it had afflicted prairie dog pet owners. it's important to clarify that, _ dog pet owners. it's important to clarify that, there _ dog pet owners. it's important to clarify that, there is - dog pet owners. it's important to clarify that, there is no - to clarify that, there is no sense that only one community can be affected by this and also monkeypox has not been classified as a sexually transmitted infection? it’s transmitted infection? it's important _ transmitted infection? it's important to _ transmitted infection? it�*s important to make people know it's notjust a sexually transmitted infection, you can get it that way but the most common way transfers is skin to skin, you can get giardia by sexual contact but the main ways from drinking water contaminated streams. fire ways from drinking water contaminated streams. are you seeinu contaminated streams. are you seeing any _ contaminated streams. are you seeing any stigma _ contaminated streams. are you seeing any stigma associated . seeing any stigma associated with this disease?— seeing any stigma associated with this disease? yes, we are beginning _ with this disease? yes, we are beginning to — with this disease? yes, we are beginning to see _ with this disease? yes, we are beginning to see a _ with this disease? yes, we are beginning to see a little - with this disease? yes, we are beginning to see a little bit - beginning to see a little bit of that, today i had a patient

coming in, requesting treatment for monkeypox because she harked a gay man. there wasn't any rash he wasn't even diagnosed with monkeypox but she was fearful that particular redness on the skin was because that association. i think the longer it stays there is the potential, we have a lot of lessons from the hiv epidemic, people are being very delicate about the messaging and how we navigate this. to about the messaging and how we navigate this.— navigate this. to the point about treatment _ navigate this. to the point about treatment how - navigate this. to the point about treatment how easy j navigate this. to the point l about treatment how easy is navigate this. to the point - about treatment how easy is it for people to achieve treatment across the world, how patchy and how well our people covered for dealing with this? i and how well our people covered for dealing with this?— for dealing with this? i think it's very inequitable - for dealing with this? i think it's very inequitable right - it's very inequitable right now, we don't have randomised control data but there is some key series in animal studies that look good. many patients

have done well but even in california where there are some centres, it is very and equally distributed among the state. i got an e—mail tonight �*s ago from a patient in alberta, canada because he sought a report from one patient who received treatment and wondering how he got it, we have even gotten calls from colorado and los angeles, so it's really tough for people with serious symptoms, and we are hoping a lot of people are petitioning on the cdc has tried to lower the barriers for treatment, but it is still an investigator drug so comes with the people work and time needed to process it. the people work and time needed to process it— to process it. thank you very much for _ to process it. thank you very much for your _ to process it. thank you very much for your time - to process it. thank you very much for your time and - much for your time and analysis. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we report from kenya where climate change is now a bigger threat to elephants than poachers.

cheering. the us space agency, nasa, has ordered an investigation, after confirmation today that astronauts were cleared to fly while drunk. the last foot patrol in south armagh, once an everyday part of the soldier's lot, drudgery and danger, now no more after almost four decades. if one is on one's own, in a private house, - not doing any harm to anyone, i don't really see why . all these people should wander in and say, _ "you're doing something wrong". six rare white lion cubs on the prowl at a worcestershire wildlife park, and have already been met with a roar of approval from visitors. they are lovely and sweet, yeah, they're cute.

this is bbc news. the latest headlines: the us and chinese presidents are to talk on the phone as bejing warns washington it will bear the consequences if house speaker nancy pelosi visits taiwan. the united states says it has offered russia a deal aimed at freeing the american basketball player brittney griner. climate change is now a bigger threat to elephant conservation than poaching, so says kenya's wildlife and tourism ministry. in the last year the country has recorded 179 elephant deaths due to the ongoing drought affecting the horn of africa. the bbc�*s merchuma reports from the tsavo national park in kenya, where poor rainy seasons, have seen rivers drying up and grasslands have

shriveled in the game reserves. a bone here, joe there, reps scattered around, the remains of an elephant. in the last few months, sense of being found in kenya, tsavo national park. for the last 30 minutes we have been following a really strong stench. they say it will lead us to our carcass. it is still fresh. maybe a few days old. it is nowjust pieces of bones and some flesh remaining. kenya and the horn of africa is going through the worst drought in a0 years. the situation has become unforgiving even to the giant of the �*animal kingdom'. of the �*animal kingdom�*. climate change kills 20 times

more elephant than poaching so it is a red alarm, totally across the country, elephant day already. as by the end of june, 179. animals across the country, there are less than ten. , ., ten. the elements who roam the savannah bring _ ten. the elements who roam the savannah bring hundreds - ten. the elements who roam the savannah bring hundreds of - savannah bring hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. they bring tourists here any time they come down to the tsavo national park because normally there would be hundreds of wild animals drink of water, playing, taking a bath but today there is none. this was a pond is gradually drying up and the animals have moved away in search of water. the elephants are not only dying of the hydration but also malnutrition because of seriously depleted vegetation. drinking 2a0 litres of water. remember, this is the season

when elephants give birth. we expect so many miscarriages. and of those calves who have managed to be born, their chance of survival will be diminished.— chance of survival will be diminished. ., ' ., , diminished. there are efforts to hel. diminished. there are efforts to help. drought _ diminished. there are efforts to help. drought resistant. to help. drought resistant trees are being planted in some areas. huge water plants also dug. forwhen it areas. huge water plants also dug. for when it will rain. the water would sustain the animals for a longer period. remains of nearly 6000 elephant that tried during the drought of the early 70s, are preserved at this research centre. perhaps a constant reminder that it could happen again. there are 36,000 elephants in kenya. climate change is now threatening their survival. merchuma, bbc news time for all the latest sports news, from the bbc sport centre. i�*m hugh ferris at the bbc sport centre. germany are through to the final of the women�*s european

championship in england, where they�*ll play the host nation. they beat france 2—1 in the second semi—final in milton keynes, and remain on course for a record—extending ninth european title. had the tournament not been delayed by a year, germany captain alexandra popp would have missed the euros for the third time in a row but after recovering from another injury, the forward scored for a record fifth game in a row, twice, to take germany into the final, when she will lead her team against england at wembley on sunday. i think both teams have pressure because of both teams are no what you can win on the night and of course have the nation behind the body can also energy but, for sure, the whole england nation is expecting them to win and to win into their country. we have to do our best to avoid that. it�*s being reported that two—time former masters champion bubba watson will be

the next big—name recruit to golf�*s controversial saudi—backed liv series. his signing is likely to be confirmed on thursday, when the third event on the tour gets underway in bedminster, newjersey. england�*s paul casey will make his liv debut in the event, knowing that it could jeopardise his chances of playing in future ryder cups. the rules and decisions that are going to be put in place are going to be put in place are out of my hands. i was still love to be a part of that but if i am not than i guess there is nothing i can do. i am not going to... yes, i would love to be a part of it. england and south africa meet for the second time in 2a hours later, fresh from a match that produced 29 sixes and a convincing win for the home side in the first of their t20 series. england posted their second highest total in this format, 23a for 6, withjonny bairstow continuing his impressive summer with 90. moeen ali reached his 50 off a record—breaking 16 balls.

south africa were in the game while tristan stubbs was at the crease, motoring to 72 off 28, but his was one of three wickets to fall in the penultimate over as south africa came up short. they meet again in cardiff later. if the changes are coming thick and fast so it is nice to start the series well and the next game is tomorrow and to get off to a decent start and put ourselves under the front foot in the series it was really important because we now know we are building towards the world cup and we need to keep those building blocks going and keep our best foot forward. staying with sport, athletes from across the world are descending on the english city of birmingham, for the biggest international sporting event of its kind. the opening ceremony of the 22nd commonwealth games will take place later on thursday. it�*s the first time a major event will fully integrate

para—sports into its main schedule. tim allman reports. birmingham is ready to party. a veteran british comedian and local body to boot, sir henry was carrying the button. a multicultural city playing host to a multicultural games. we walked cold _ to a multicultural games. - walked cold street and we stand on their shoulder so this is a tribute to all of those people who travel anywhere to have a better life and to watch people compete and have a lot of fun and to yell at a big bull in standing in birmingham. we cannot wait. _ standing in birmingham. we cannot wait. this is what we cannot wait. this is what we can expect over the next 11 days. more than 5000 athletes from 72 nations and territories competing in 19 different spots. there will be the largest ever number of events for women and para—sports

athletes and more women will be given out to women than men. 0rganisers say this will be the first multisport event that is carbon neutral. the games date back to the 1930s when they were known as the empire games. that colonial history may complicate things a little but there is no doubt this is a popular global event that has found its niche in the world of modern sport. it found its niche in the world of modern sport.— modern sport. it is more a family friendly _ modern sport. it is more a family friendly event - modern sport. it is more a family friendly event but i modern sport. it is more a family friendly event but it does allow opportunities for advancing women in sport. we had the previous record. birmingham hasjust beaten had the previous record. birmingham has just beaten us in terms of the number of women participating. in terms of the number of women participating-— participating. ubao, and other local favourite, _ participating. ubao, and other local favourite, have _ participating. ubao, and other local favourite, have just - local favourite, have just released the official and then, appropriately titled, champion. there should be plenty of them to look forward to in the coming days. tim allman, bbc news.

all your business news coming up all your business news coming up in just all your business news coming up injust a moment. i will see you soon. hello there. the weather story�*s looking pretty benign for the next few days. we�*ll have very little wind around to move the weather along. but one thing you will notice over the next few days is that it�*ll be warming up, particularly across england and wales. most places will be dry, but there will be some showers around — increasingly so across the north and the west of the country as we move into the weekend. so, we�*ve got this weak area of high pressure just to the east of the uk, rather cloudy high, drawing up some warmer airfrom the near continent. but there is a lot of cloud trapped underneath it, so a rather grey day, i think on thursday. showery bursts of rain continuing to affect parts of northern ireland, northern england, southern scotland, certainly through the morning, it�*ll tend to ease down into the afternoon. could see a few showers developing across western areas, most places will be dry.

despite the cloud amounts, it�*ll feel warmer — 22—2a celsius in the south. we could see 20 celsius or so in the central belt of scotland. so, it looks like it should be a dry affair for the commonwealth games�* opening ceremony in birmingham, temperatures at around 19—20 celsius, so feeling quite mild. now, as we head through thursday night, it looks like most places will hold onto the cloud — again, the cloud will be thickest across parts of northern england, southern scotland, where we could see some splashes of rain. but for most places, it will be dry, and a milder night to come, lows of 12—1a celsius. so for friday, we start to see this area of low pressure pushing into the far northwest of the country. the breeze will be picking up here later in the day, but much of the uk will be under the influence of high pressure once again. so, we�*ll start off with quite a bit of cloud around friday morning across northern england, southern scotland. that should tend to fizzle away, and we could see the cloud melt away, as well. so, i think there�*s a greater chance of seeing the sunshine on friday. the odd shower will develop again into the afternoon, but most places will be dry, 25—28 celsius across

england and wales, the low 20s across the north — so feeling a lot warmer. saturday�*s another warm, muggy day, but we will have more cloud around outbreaks of rain affecting the north and the west of the country, as that weather front continues to push its way eastwards. very little getting into the southeast, the areas where we really do need the rainfall. again, it�*ll be another warm day — low 20s in the north, up to around 25—26 celsius across the southeast. it stays warm into sunday and monday. there�*s always the chance of rain in the north and the west, but tending to stay dry in the south and the east.

this is bbc news with the latest business headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. more pain in the pipeline. home energy bills could rise even higher than feared this winter as russia squeezes europe�*s gas supply. burger and rise. mcdonald�*s becomes the latest global brand to hike prices. raising the cost of a cheeseburger here in the uk for the first time in 1a years. chips and science. the us senate passes a huge bill to support tech and better compete with china. plus — social pressure. the owner of facebook and instagram sees its first ever fall in earnings as advertisers tighten their belts.