the bbc says it treats any allegations very seriously. us president, joe biden, will arrive in the uk later — flying into a disagreement over sending cluster bombs to ukraine. the us treasury secretary, janet yellen, is leaving china after a visit which she says put relations between the two countries on a "surer footing". scientists are studying virus carrying bats in ghana in an attempt to discover more about pandemics. good morning and welcome to the programme. there are new allegations, concerning a bbc presenter, accused of paying a teenager for sexually explicit photographs, beginning when they were 17. the sun newspaper claims the unnamed male presenter was pictured in his underwear, on a video call to the teenager. it's understood the corporation

is investigating the allegations — and the star is currently not scheduled to be on air in the coming days. earlier, the bbc�*s laura kuenssberg asked the editor of the daily mirror, alison phillips, and former chief executive of itn, stewart purvis, why this issue matters to the british public. i think the bbc is a national public broadcaster on the relationship is built on trust and effort we are seeing here is a breakdown of trust between the presenter individual but also between the presenter and their bosses and between that relationship between the viewer on the broadcaster, that has huge implications and i think news is entirely built on trust. if you do not believe the people bringing in venues that us for so much breaks down, you get a bet on democracy. we are being very clear we are not speculating on the identity of the

person, the bbc is a huge organisation but this is your world, stewart purvis, you are on the board of channel four and you advise broadcasters after a long career at itn so what do you think the lessons are for the bbc? i itn so what do you think the lessons are for the bbc?— are for the bbc? i have 'ust finished my i are for the bbc? i have 'ust finished my stint �* are for the bbc? i have 'ust finished my stint on i are for the bbc? i have just finished my stint on the - are for the bbc? i have just i finished my stint on the board are for the bbc? i have just - finished my stint on the board of channel— finished my stint on the board of channel four but i was therefore seven _ channel four but i was therefore seven years. there are two issues which _ seven years. there are two issues which arise — seven years. there are two issues which arise from this about how trust _ which arise from this about how trust applies here, the first is can you trust— trust applies here, the first is can you trust the bbc to follow up on these _ you trust the bbc to follow up on these allegations? the sun newspaper saying _ these allegations? the sun newspaper saying here are the eight questions we asked _ saying here are the eight questions we asked the bbc and they would not answer— we asked the bbc and they would not answer any— we asked the bbc and they would not answer any of we asked the bbc and they would not answerany of them, we asked the bbc and they would not answer any of them, some of them are quite hasic— answer any of them, some of them are quite basic and then you have the political— quite basic and then you have the political angle which is can you expect— political angle which is can you expect the bbc to be honest with people _ expect the bbc to be honest with people about what you find? and we do not _ people about what you find? and we do not know whether this person works— do not know whether this person works in— do not know whether this person works in us or elsewhere so we cannot— works in us or elsewhere so we cannot assume that work in news but we have _ cannot assume that work in news but we have to _ cannot assume that work in news but we have to say the bbc has worked incredibly— we have to say the bbc has worked incredibly hard in recent times on trying _ incredibly hard in recent times on trying to— incredibly hard in recent times on trying to reinforce its position as

the broadcaster of trust for the nation — the broadcaster of trust for the nation and this does not help. victoria atkins, the financial secretary to the treasury, said it's crucial to think of the wellbeing of the young person involved in this case. it needs to follow this procedure is that it says it has in place but i am a former minister for safeguarding and for 20 years in the criminaljustice safeguarding and for 20 years in the criminal justice system safeguarding and for 20 years in the criminaljustice system and all of the sons and our conversations about it, we must remember that there is a young person at the centre of this and there will be filling all sorts of emotions and possibly very, very distressed so the police need to keep a person in our mind as we discussed this. —— so weak please need to keep that person. shadow chancellor rachel reeves, said this matter is it looks like these issues were raised in may and we are injuly and

the presenter is on there. any greater clarity as to what has gone on and what the bbc is doing to try and put it right. live now to our entertainment correspondent, lizo mzimba, whojoins me now from outside the bbc headquarters in central london. can you talk us through what we know? . ., , can you talk us through what we know? ,, ., , ., ., ., , can you talk us through what we know? ,, ., ., ., , ., , know? serious allegations have been made in the — know? serious allegations have been made in the sun _ know? serious allegations have been made in the sun newspaper - know? serious allegations have been made in the sun newspaper over- know? serious allegations have been made in the sun newspaper over the | made in the sun newspaper over the weekend regarding someone that they describe as a top bbc staff. they say according to the sun newspaper that this will not name paid more than £35,000 to a young individual in return for sexually explicit photographs of them, something the newspaper says began when the individual in question were 17 and legally still a child. the bbc has questions to answer, of course, on this, the family of the young individual says they approached and complained to the bbc earlier this year but the presenter remained on

air. the bbc said it takes any allegation very seriously and that it has attempted to speak to those who contacted them to get further details but also pointed out if it gets no reply or receives no further contact that can limit its ability to progress things but that does not mean any inquiries stop. the pressure _ mean any inquiries stop. the pressure is — mean any inquiries stop. the pressure is mounting on the bbc to get this investigation right? absolutely. we understand that the presenter in question who has not been named is not scheduled to appear on air in the nearfuture but we do not know whether or not there has been a formal suspension. as we say, questions for the bbc to answer following the questions from the family of the young individual but overall this has the potential to in all probability is already causing significant reputational damage to the bbc with the public.— significant reputational damage to the bbc with the public. thank you so much.

the us president, joe biden, will arrive in the uk this evening, ahead of a meeting with the prime minister, rishi sunak. the two allies have disagreed in public over the us decision to send controversial cluster bombs to ukraine. the issue has dominated the buildup to the visit. mr president, thank you. a presidential visit will always focus minds and offer an opportunity to do business. good afternoon. joe biden arrives in the uk a month after he and the prime minister signed a new agreement to strengthen the longstanding relationship between the uk and the us. the president of the - united states, joe biden. downing street sees the president's visit as an opportunity to take stock of progress on the so—called atlantic declaration. ahead ofjoe biden�*s arrival, rishi sunak said the us was the uk's most important trade, defence and diplomatic partner, and the alliance was part of the foundation of britain's strength and security. but that alliance is being tested

on the issue of cluster bombs, which the us is supplying to ukraine. the uk is one of many countries to have banned the weapons with a record of killing civilians. and yesterday, the prime minister said the uk discouraged their use. the uka the uk a signatory to a convention which prohibits the use of cluster munitions and will continue to do our part to support ukraine against the illegal russian invasion. a sensitive subject and difference of opinion on the crucial issue of support for ukraine in response to the russian invasion. but there will be ceremony as well as substance to this visit. after talks with the prime minister in downing street, the president will meet the king at windsor castle. jonathan blake, bbc news. to discuss this visit, i am joined by scott lucas, professor of us and international politics,

university college dublin. this is going to be a brief visit and as we heard from our correspondent, the cluster bomb situation will be top of the agenda. rishi sunak said were signed up to the treaty which does not allow the uk to produce them but he did not criticise president biden for sending them?— criticise president biden for sending them? criticise president biden for sendin: them? �*, , .,~ , ., sending them? let's break this down. the first level — sending them? let's break this down. the first level is _ sending them? let's break this down. the first level is the _ sending them? let's break this down. the first level is the uk _ sending them? let's break this down. the first level is the uk like _ sending them? let's break this down. the first level is the uk like 122 - the first level is the uk like 122 other countries is a signatory to a 2008 convention which is the prime minister mentioned pledges not to produce or use cluster munitions. the us russia ukraine are not part of that convention. the second level i think which is what this means in

practice is ukraine has given five pledges after weeks of discussions with the americans around the use of cluster munitions. the first is they will not be used in civilian areas which would be a war crime on which indeed russia has been doing attacking ukrainian civilian areas with cluster munitions since robbie 2010. secondly ukraine says it will not use them in urban areas or insight and significantly it says it will monitor and report on all uses of cluster bombs so if there are any that are unexploded which has been a primary concern because civilians can get hurt by unexploded munitions, ukraine will say we will use this in de—mining operations when we liberate our territory from the russians. i think as long as ukraine uses the specifically on concentrations of russian troops and equipment, defences which have been built up for months against the

ukraine counteroffensive, i do not think it will cause diplomatic uproar amongst the ukrainian allies including the us and uk. let’s uproar amongst the ukrainian allies including the us and uk.— including the us and uk. let's look at the relationship _ including the us and uk. let's look at the relationship between - including the us and uk. let's look at the relationship between the - including the us and uk. let's look at the relationship between the uki at the relationship between the uk and the us ahead of the trip and in and the us ahead of the trip and in a statement yesterday rishi sunak said they are the most important trait, defence and diplomatic partner of the us, is that true? we always get the sense uk seems to be slightly more keen on stressing the special relationship perhaps in america? ~ ., , special relationship perhaps in america? ~ ., ., , america? when i was a boy growing up the only two — america? when i was a boy growing up the only two english _ america? when i was a boy growing up the only two english people _ america? when i was a boy growing up the only two english people my - the only two english people my parents knew about were the queen and benny hill! why do i mention that? historically you're absolutely right, the uk builds up this idea of a special relationship with this primary relationship with the americans who are a superpower so thatis americans who are a superpower so that is why they have done that. from the us side the uk as a valued partner but one of a number of partners and in recent years, this has been accentuated, we have to be

honest, by brexit. the uk isolating itself over brexit has isolated itself over brexit has isolated itself economically from the us, the uk has cause diplomatic problems at least with the predecessors of rishi sunak by threatening to withdraw from the motherland protocol which is a primary concern of american politicians, the security of ireland and northern ireland and the fundamental point is you still have valuable links between the uk, us military sent intelligence services, diplomatic services, the treasury and exchequer but at the end of the day, is your big relationship going to be with one country called the uk or is it going to be with 27 countries in a much larger economic block called the european union? thank you so much for talking to us. here in the uk — the shadow chancellor — labour's rachel reeves — has told the bbc that her party would not "play fast and loose" with the nation's finances. it comes after accusations

that labour was watering down its climate commitments because of the public finances. treasury minister victoria atkins was also on sunday with laura kuenssberg and was asked whether the party would honour pay rises for public sector workers proposed by independent officials. with more on this is our uk political correspondent peter saull. 0ver over to you. yes, this morning we have had senior politicians talking about the importance of getting the finances of the nation under control before making commitments when it comes to tax and spend. firstly, the shadow chancellor rachel reeves, the opinion polls suggest labour are on course to get into government at the next general election. the last thing she wants to do is give the conservatives ammunition to say look what happened the labour party was in government, they cannot be trusted with finances. it has led to questions about the difference between the labour party and the

conservatives. 0n between the labour party and the conservatives. on this fundamental issue. labourwould conservatives. on this fundamental issue. labour would do various things differently, close tax loopholes to go with non—domiciliary tax status and to do with private schools on the other big thing they said they would do if they won the general election spent some £28 billion per year, borrow the money to invest in green technology of the future but they have already rather watered down that promise as they will not actually have the commitment of £28 billion until some point halfway through the next parliament and speaking to laura kuenssberg earlier, rachel reeves was asked whether she could meet a pledge by the end of the parliament? i cannot overstate the damage the conservatives have done to the economy— conservatives have done to the economy but i am not going to apologise _ economy but i am not going to apologise for making sure our sums add up _ apologise for making sure our sums add up and — apologise for making sure our sums add up and since i first announced the growing prosperity plans for the party interest rates have gone up 13 times, _ party interest rates have gone up 13 times, inflation is now at 8.7%, and seems _ times, inflation is now at 8.7%, and seems to— times, inflation is now at 8.7%, and seems to be — times, inflation is now at 8.7%, and seems to be stuck there, it's been

there _ seems to be stuck there, it's been there for— seems to be stuck there, it's been there for the last two months and i've there for the last two months and i've always — there for the last two months and i've always been clear all our policies _ i've always been clear all our policies including investing in industries of the future are subject to our— industries of the future are subject to our fiscal rules which means paying — to our fiscal rules which means paying for— to our fiscal rules which means paying for day—to—day spending for tax receipts and getting tap down as a shot _ tax receipts and getting tap down as a shot trie— tax receipts and getting tap down as ashot... g , ., , tax receipts and getting tap down as ashot... g , ., a shot... my question is are you committed _ a shot... my question is are you committed to — a shot... my question is are you committed to spending - a shot... my question is are you committed to spending £28 - a shot... my question is are you i committed to spending £28 billion a shot... my question is are you - committed to spending £28 billion by the end of your first parliament if you win the election? we the end of your first parliament if you win the election?— you win the election? we are confident _ you win the election? we are confident we _ you win the election? we are confident we can _ you win the election? we are confident we can get - you win the election? we are confident we can get that... l you win the election? we are i confident we can get that... but you win the election? we are - confident we can get that... but you committed — confident we can get that... but you committed to it? we are committed to it but it _ committed to it? we are committed to it but it is _ committed to it? we are committed to it but it is subject to fiscal rules _ it but it is sub'ect to fiscal rules. ., . , it but it is sub'ect to fiscal rules. .. , , ., rules. rachel reeves setting out the economic circumstances _ rules. rachel reeves setting out the economic circumstances at - rules. rachel reeves setting out the economic circumstances at the - economic circumstances at the moment, the fact that inflation stubbornly high and as a result, the bank of england has much to continue to put up interest rates which is having a particular impact on some home owners and it is that context really that is affecting a lot of government decisions at the moment. the financial secretary to the treasury on the same programme this morning, big issue from the government to consider else what to

offer public sector workers in the way of a pay rise for the next financial year? we have had lots of different strikes, industrial action in recent months because of the pay offer last year but what happens with this is an independent pay review body which look at what should be offered to public sector workers and we know they have found that the recommendations to the government, reportedly somewhere in the region of 6%, it could be higher as the rice has been recommended but victory atkins would not say yes whether the government would take on board those recommendations. i will! board those recommendations. i will oint out board those recommendations. i will point out we — board those recommendations. i will point out we are _ board those recommendations. i will point out we are in _ board those recommendations. i will point out we are in the _ board those recommendations. i will point out we are in the situation, i find myself— point out we are in the situation, i find myself on media rounds where i am understandably asked about a process— am understandably asked about a process that is in the middle are being _ process that is in the middle are being conducted on so na a few weeks when the _ being conducted on so na a few weeks when the recommendations and responses are published you will have _ responses are published you will have your — responses are published you will have your answer and i have to focus as financial _ have your answer and i have to focus as financial secretary on taxes and

the impact — as financial secretary on taxes and the impact of inflation so i am trying — the impact of inflation so i am trying to— the impact of inflation so i am trying to set that overall context. not much — trying to set that overall context. not much in the real hard and fast answers this morning in terms of the two main parties economic plans but one thing is for sure, that general election due probably at the back end of next year, the economy will be the absolute central issue. peter, thank you. the united states' treasury secretary, janet yellen, is leaving china after a visit to try to strengthen economic ties, saying she believes the two countries can have a healthy relationship. while in china, ms yellen held ten hours of talks with senior chinese officials — saying the meetings had put relations between the two countries on a "surerfooting" — after a long period of tensions over trade and other issues. here's ms yellen speaking at a press conference earlier. us and china have significant disagreements. those disagreements need to be communicated clearly and directly. but president biden and i do not see

the relationship between the us and china through the frame of great power conflict. we believe that the world is big enough for both of our countries to thrive. both nations have an obligation to responsibly manage this relationship, to find a way to live together and share in global prosperity. 0ur correspondent rupert wingfield hayes has been following the story from bangkok — and he gave us this analysis of ms yellen's visit to china. very broadly speaking, i think this trip has gone as well as anyone could have expected. firstly, janet yellen said she had managed to reestablish direct, face—to—face, respectful communications between china and the united states. and that's something that's been missing for really a very long time. secondly, she was able to meet face—to—face with china's new team, particularly in the economy.

and that means she really, referring to yesterday, on saturday, she spent most of the day with he lifeng, vice premier and the man in charge of china's economy, very close to president xijinping, a very key figure in the new chinese administration. you know, no one from the us administration has done that before, so that's important. the other thing janet yellen was at... went to great lengths to do during this trip is to try and convince the chinese leadership that the biden administration, unlike the previous trump administration, is not openly hostile to china. she said they do not view the relationship through the prism of big power conflict and that america was not going to decouple its economy from china. whether chinese officials believe that or not, we do not know and we haven't had a readout from them yet. i think, so in conclusion, i mean, i think this shows that dialogue is happening again. more dialogue will come in the next few months. there will be more visits by us

officials and chinese officials the other way. but you know, most experts you talk to say this is now a very difficult relationship and one that is going to need careful management in the long term if it is going to remain stable. and that this progress made in the last few days is good, but it is fragile. it's a year since thousands of protestors in sri lanka stormed the residence of the president, demanding that he resign. demonstrators from all over the country marched on colombo — protesting against the mismanagement of the country's economic crisis. extraordinary images were seen all around the world — including protesters taking a dip in the presidential swimming pool. in the 12 months since that day, the country has suffered desperate shortages of essentials — after the government ran out of foreign currency. 0ur correspondent in colombo, nitin srivastava told me what life is like in sri lanka one year on from the protests. well, the last year i was here at this point of time, the place where i'm standing right

now is a very iconic place is known as the gold green face. and this entire stretch was flooded with tents. thousands of people were here protesting day and night against the government policies, against alleged government economic mismanagement, against corruption, and against 14—hour power cuts in the country. but now, as we stand here a year later, everything looks normal. it's a sunday. a lot of people are coming here out to have sort of picnics and all. behind me on the left side is the presidential secretariat and the presidential palace, which was stormed by protesters last year, the same day, the same time, almost in the evening. but now it's heavily guarded and things appear to be normal. but the fact is, when you go out and speak to the common people on the streets, they say that everything is not normal and things may look very rosy from the outside but the fact is there are hardships, there are miseries, and people are still struggling to come

to terms with what started from that economic and political crisis last year. bats are known to be super—incubators for thousands of different viruses. since the covid19 pandemic, there 5 been growing interest in the flying mammals — and the role they can play in so—called zoonotic spillover events — whereby diseases jump to humans. 0ur global health correspondent, naomi grimley, has been given special access to a scientific research project in ghana which aims to monitor bats. dusk is the witching hour at accra zoo. it's the best time for this group of scientists to test these bats for different viruses and even superbugs. what we try to test for resistant antimicrobials in the poo of the bats. so that's what we are trying to do. so the question is, is the bacteria in the poo resistant to antibiotics? exactly. that is the question. yeah! got it.

bats are a mystery because they can carry all these different pathogens, including coronaviruses, but not get sick themselves. this is actually an adult female and i think it's even pregnant. kofi amponsah mensah is a conservationist at the university of ghana. he's worried that human activity is forcing bats to change their normal behaviour. it's increasingly becoming difficult for bats to live in their natural habitat, because we've encroached in it so much. we have modified it so much. thus there is constant contact with these bats. so maybe bats are not to be blamed for all the troubles we are having. we are currently on our way... next stop on ourjourney, and kofi is leading me down a disused railway to a bushmeat market in accra. you can see some species on display... following the covid i9 pandemic, there's been renewed interest in the whole idea of bushmeat.

clearly, bushmeat markets are a pinch point where wild animals like bats come into real contact with people. this creates a risk scientists want to pre—empt. bushmeat and the trade in bushmeat is something that has been going on for thousands of years. it's entrenched in people's cultures, people's histories. right. it's important to understand these complexities. right? rather than calling forjust a blanket ban. as you can see from where we are, the trade is dominated mostly or mostly by by women. and for a lot of these women, this is the only trade they know because it's been handed down from their grandparents to their mothers. and now they are in the trade as well. the bat droppings we saw earlier are tested here at this high security lab. it's all helping to expand knowledge about so—called zoonotic diseases. so since covid, we have now, i mean, we have kind of a broader understanding about viruses in terms of how they cause infections, how they manifest on

humans and all that. so, yes, recently we started having other outbreaks mentioned marburg outbreak in ghana. we had lassa. before that we had yellow fever. so some of these, the systems that were set in place helped us to kind of go out there, do the investigations and stop the spread. there's still so much we don't know about bats and their immune systems, but research into them is being turbocharged around the world. and here in ghana they're doing their bit. naomi grimley, bbc news. sir eltonjohn has played the final show of his farewell yellow brick road tour, in the swedish capital, stockholm. it marks the end of his touring career — after 50 years on the road. he closed the show by telling his fans: "you re in my head, and my heart and my soul and i thank you so much. let's hear from some fans who were there.

it was amazing. i have no words right now. it was amazing. translation: it was great, better—than—expected, his voice lasted better than i would have thought. you almost started tearing up on his account. it feels great to be here. we bought our tickets four years ago. some breaking news, we are getting from tunisia saying one person has died and at least ten migrants are missing after a boat sank off the coast of tunisia. we will bring you more on that when we get it. hello. we will see sunny spells and scattered showers today. unlike yesterday some of the showers could

be heavy and perhaps country but they will not be quite as intense or frequent as they were yesterday. a fine start to the day for many of us, this is the scene in scotland, some rain affecting the far north of scotland were clear. some rain affecting east anglia and the south—east is on its way out on for many of us sunny spells and speckled showers across northern ireland, wales, the south—west of england. some heavy and thundery at times especially in northern ireland, maximum temperature is 21—23 , feeling calmer and fresher compared to yesterday. at wimbledon, it means we have rain this morning, that is clearing, some sunshine increasing in the afternoon and evening. temperatures 20 or 21 degrees and at headingley, for much of the day, some sunshine, showers moving their way and later into it this evening and the odd one or two of those could be heavy with thunder.

those thunderstorms will continue to track their way northward out of northern england. and then for many of us, it's a dry night. there'll be some clear spells into monday morning and overnight temperatures getting down to around about 10 to 13 degrees celsius. now, as we go through next week, it's going to stay unsettled. low pressure is going to be close by to the uk. there'll be a scattering of showers, maybe some longer spells of rain from time to time, a few sunny intervals, but it will feel cool. temperatures will be below the average for the time of year. now, this is monday. we've got this area of low pressure to the southwest and these weather fronts move their way north and eastward. so after a bright and a dry start today, on monday, we'll see the cloud increasing. some heavy rain spreads into south west england, wales, spreading into the midlands, northern england. a few showers ahead of that across northern ireland, scotland. we're staying largely dry in the south east of england. and here temperatures will be 23 or 2a degrees. elsewhere, though, we're looking at highs on monday, about 20 or 21 celsius. that area of low pressure will continue to move its way north eastward throughout the week. and we'll have a north, north westerly wind. it remains unsettled.

there'll be some showers or longer spells of rain from time to time, maybe a few thunderstorms as well. and temperatures, generally speaking, about 15 to 20 or 21 degrees celsius, as i said, a bit below the average for the time of year. bye bye.

this is bbc news, the headlines an unnamed bbc presenter is facing fresh allegations in the sun newspaper of being pictured in his underwear on a video call —

to a teenager he allegedly paid for sexually explicit photos.