area of cedar key hard—hit area of cedar key where properties have been all but destroyed. a, where properties have been all but destroyed.— but destroyed. a flurry of demonic _ but destroyed. a flurry of demonic activity - but destroyed. a flurry of demonic activity in - but destroyed. a flurry of demonic activity in china. but destroyed. a flurry of - demonic activity in china. we make sense of the revolving door of western officials visiting beijing this week. and the rare lunar sight you can see with just your eyes — a super blue moon takes to skies across the globe. voice-over: life voice—over: life from our studio in singapore, this is bbc news. studio in singapore, this is bbc newe— hi there. thank you for being with us. we begin in florida, where hurricane idalia has hit the state, leaving a trail of destruction. it made landfall as a category 3 hurricane, bringing winds of 125 miles per hour,

but it's weakened as it passed through florida, and so far there have been no confirmed fatalities. now downgraded idalia to a tropical storm, no longer a hurricane, although they are still warning of the risk of freshwater flooding and storm surges, as it moves inland with georgia and south carolina next in its path. helena humphrey has been witnessing the aftermath of the storm, in cedar key. thanks forjoining us. not as bad as some had feared still a lot of destruction? inaudible. apologies. i am lot of destruction? inaudible. apologies. iam not lot of destruction? inaudible. apologies. i am not sure whether helena can hear us so let's try and get back to helena shortly. earlier i spoke

to a special reporter with a tampa bay times who told us the latest there. inaudible. yes, we are seeing trivialities. neighbours today were taking out a break might ruin furniture and the neighbour industry was watching on unscathed. the flooding during the storm was worse than during ian but it's incredibly variable across the county. you mentioned _ variable across the county. you mentioned the _ variable across the county. you mentioned the other _ variable across the county. you mentioned the other storms like ian because florida does get her to fight these kind of storms and sometimes barricades but how does (speaks italian) compare to others you witnessed?— compare to others you witnessed? . , a, .,

witnessed? lucy maunder than before and _ witnessed? lucy maunder than before and it _ witnessed? lucy maunder than before and it highlights - witnessed? lucy maunder than before and it highlights the - before and it highlights the storms are going to come, coming more quickly than in the past and i think with ian we saw along the lead up, more development time, morning but the response with idalia was much more vigilant, there were evacuations ported across the state pretty early on but the because of such hot water temperatures in the gulf poses a threat much better than what we've seen in the past. that a threat much better than what we've seen in the past.- we've seen in the past. that is something _ we've seen in the past. that is something that _ we've seen in the past. that is something that scientists - we've seen in the past. that isj something that scientists have been warning, isn't it, climate change, warming water, that is causing the storms to be even stronger than before. do you think though residents are better prepared because of this warning is quite it is something that we have been really hammering away, but emergency officials have been trying to drill into people post locates, that no two

storms are the same. i was reporting — storms are the same. i was reporting the _ storms are the same. i was reporting the day _ storms are the same. i was reporting the day before i storms are the same. i was| reporting the day before the storm hit speaking with individuals about whether or not they were staying for evacuating and the number of times that i heard residents lean on past storm experience to justify staying as storms came on was something experts have said is really troubling. something that we will see officials address more going forward and that certainly residents have called on his evacuation is really difficult, it takes money, it takes resources, you have to have transportation, it's not easy to evacuate, so how can we ensure that residents in evacuation zones given the resources necessary to help encourage them to leave? local re orter encourage them to leave? local reporter lauren _ encourage them to leave? local reporter lauren to _ encourage them to leave? local reporter lauren to me _ encourage them to leave? local reporter lauren to me earlier. l reporter lauren to me earlier. james cleverly is flying back from beijing have included the first visit to china by a british foreign secretary in five years. he met the chinese

vice president han zheng and foreign minister wang yi on a 24—hour foreign minister wang yi on a 21r—hourvisit foreign minister wang yi on a 24—hour visit which has drawn criticism in the uk. some senior conservatives that it showed weakness and links the uk government? china policy to of appeasement. mr clovelly says trying to isolate china would be a mistake. our beijing corrsepondent, steve mcdonnell, has been speaking to him. this is the first chance a foreign secretary has had to visit china for about five years. a lot has happened in the world. one of the things that has really struck me over the last few years is that where you lose that face to face interaction, the regular communications, there are more opportunities for perhaps misinterpretations, mistrust, errors. and so part of this trip is about making sure we reestablish those

lines of communications. now, there are those in your own party who don't want you to be here at all. they say you're sort of essentially assisting a government that's guilty of serious human rights abuses. but, i mean, can you point to any breakthroughs on any trips like this in the past, which have actually changed human rights on the ground here? something concrete? well, ifundamentally disagree with those voices, including people i regard as good friends who feel that we should disengage from china. i don't think that is a credible option. i do believe we have influence and i do believe we should use that influence. i'm realistic that that influence is not going to have an instant reaction, which is why we have to be patient and we have to be consistent. and that is why i bring up issues around human rights,

xinjiang, hong kong and indeed individual cases. every single time i have meetings with representatives of the chinese government and i will continue to do so. but again, but do they care about these comments? i genuinely do think they care. they do. otherwise i wouldn't be here. given that parliament's intelligence and security committee has warned about china having successfully penetrated every sector of the british economy, how does your government manage that and still have good trade relations with china? i made it clear that whilst we want to maintain a economic relationship with china, our national security comes first. and if there is ever a situation where our security concerns are at odds with our economic concerns, our security concerns win out. in the days before your visit there was coverage in the press in britain promising tough talk on ukraine, that you would raise this subject with your chinese

counterpart and actually call on beijing to try to use its influence on russia to bring about an end to that war. well, i mean, what realistically can be done on that front? and do you trust beijing's reassurances on ukraine? i don't believe it is in china's interest to be seen in any way to be supporting russia's brutal invasion of ukraine. and i don't think it's in china's interest in any way for there to be a perception that they are actively or even passively supporting putin's brutal actions. and i made that point... does beijing care about that? i mean, look, they... i do think in the conversations i've had, i think beijing do care. and i therefore, i think china has an interest, just as we do, to help bring this war to a fair and successful conclusion where ukraine gets its country back. but no signal yet that beijing is changing its tune on that front. i'm realistic.

that one phone call, one visit, one meeting isn't going to fundamentally change a country's direction of travel. but patient, consistent, reliable communications can have an effect. and that's why i intend to maintain my meetings and conversations with the chinese government. there has been a flurry of diplomatic activity in china this week, notjust secretary clovelly, the us, secretary gina raimondo was entitled town for talks and it's hot on the heels of last week's brics summit. foursense heels of last week's brics summit. four sense of this we can speak to professor, a distinguished fellow at the asia research institute at the national university of singapore and a celebrated career diplomat. thank you for joining us on newsday this morning. these two big meetings in a week with the us and uk

after the big summit last week, not to mention, would you say this is rather unusualfor this is rather unusual for china? this is rather unusualfor china? i this is rather unusual for china? ., ,, , china? i would say represents what ou china? i would say represents what you might _ china? i would say represents what you might call _ china? i would say represents what you might call a - what you might call a structural change in the global order that is happening. you mentioned the bricks meeting and what is interesting is 1992 the combined dpe was the g7 countries was double but of brics and now it is smaller. the g7 is therefore a sunset organisation, brics is a sunrise organisation and therefore it is quite natural for countries who want to engage the rising powers including china. what you have with these visit of gina raimondo and mr clovelly is a recognition that you have to deal with china because within ten years or so china could still become the number economy in the world and you have to

deal it. it's the new realities stop i do want to ask you about brics and others as well but do these most recent meetings between china and the us and uk, do they signal at least an effort to ease tensions or warming ties even between china and the west? i was so you have to make the distinction within china, uk relations and china and us relations. i think it is wonderful that the british foreign secretary went to china because as you know, the uk's started until it was very badly damaged when you elected prime ministers like borisjohnson ministers like boris johnson and ministers like borisjohnson and liz truss who, the world was shocked that you went from a country that produced great prime ministers, prime ministers then like boris johnson and mistrust. i think rishi sunak is doing. the case

between us and china, that is the defining relationship of our time because the global geopolitics in the next ten years will be driven by the relationship between the world's number one power, the united states, and the world's number one imaging power, china. that relationship as you know has gone through lots of ups and downs in the last five and six years, as i document in my book, but the fact that gina raimondo went to beijing is a very positive side because as you know the first few years of the biden administration, the white house throws all that its debating. but this year you have had janet yelena, you have had secretary of state antony blinken, gina raimondo, of course there's this positive but with the next ten years the west and china after finding a balance with each other and the only way to achieve the new balance is to talk to each

other face—to—face, balance is to talk to each otherface—to—face, and its other face—to—face, and its protestant otherface—to—face, and its protestant a hard headed person likely narrowminded to china because she will go to the answers. she will understand how challenging it will be to create any relationship. i would ask about brics because the expansion of the group including countries like saudi arabia and iran to experts have said that this is a new world order that beijing is trying to shape the same time within brics their attentions, just to mention the map china published which reportedly assert new claims in parts of india and india is not happy about it, so what's going on here? you are absolutely _ what's going on here? you are absolutely right. _ what's going on here? you are absolutely right. their- absolutely right. their attentions also within brics and that's perfectly normal, by the way. just as the us and china are going to process a redefining of the relationship, india and china are going to a profound process of redefining

their relationship, things seem to be doing very well. the accident injune 2020 at the border. since then, as you know, relations with india and china have frozen for a couple of years. but right now, as you know, they have begun speaking a chat, began and it is not surprising that you get prochaska over months because the chinese map shows a location inside india as part of china, but those who are sophisticated understand what you might court diplomatic protest, these other real changes that are happening. and china are also trying to find a new balance with each other and the fundamental problem is that china was not capacity and the border has improved dramatically, building

infrastructure right up to the indian border. what india is doing is building infrastructure right of the chinese border and when there is balance the relationship will come down again. professor kishore mahbubani, _ will come down again. professor kishore mahbubani, thank - will come down again. professor kishore mahbubani, thank you i kishore mahbubani, thank you forjoining us on newsday this morning. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. by any standards this is an amazing exhibition but that is what art for cure is all about, it is about amazing. belinda gray started the charity nine years ago after her own brush with breast cancer. since that time, the charity has raised one million. it time, the charity has raised one million.— one million. it is a breast cancer charity _ one million. it is a breast cancer charity i _ one million. it is a breast cancer charity i found - one million. it is a breast| cancer charity i found that nine years ago. it supports national breast cancer research and services for breast cancer

in suffolk. and services for breast cancer in suffolk-— in suffolk. you are all volunteers _ in suffolk. you are all volunteers so - in suffolk. you are all volunteers so all- in suffolk. you are all volunteers so all the l in suffolk. you are all- volunteers so all the money raised goes towards cancer? yes, that is the unique part. it isjust yes, that is the unique part. it is just incredible. great it isjust incredible. great setting, _ it isjust incredible. great setting, great space. you're live with bbc news. let's go back to our top story and hurricane idalia now downgraded to tropical storm idalia. we had some technical issues earlier but not as bad as some had feared. talk us through some of the disruptions residents had to suffer? hat through some of the disruptions residents had to suffer?- residents had to suffer? not as bad as some — residents had to suffer? not as bad as some people _ residents had to suffer? not as bad as some people have - residents had to suffer? not as bad as some people have faredj bad as some people have fared in terms of the

life—threatening nature of this storm but the destruction is actually worse than some people have been pressing for. see the key is hard—hit. you could see the destruction. residents have only been able to come into see what has become of their properties and in some cases this is what they have been left with. it is a coastal community, a tourist area. hurricane wentz came in earlier this morning and above me normally is a beautiful awning which has simply been ripped away by hurricane wins. people would have come out here to enjoy the beautiful cedar key coastal view but instead this is what has proved to be quite so life—threatening in some cases because here we saw those storm surges, in some cases storm surges, in some cases seven storm surges, in some cases seven foot at some points and they have been made all the

worse by the lunar tide at the moment, by the super moon which has made this was a level has been at a higher level. it is a low—lying area here so that is led to a lot of destruction, seawater slashing the hotels. there are warnings that even though this is the worst storm in a century, we could be seeing most of like this to come and that is because of those warming seawater is that we have been seen. 2— three celsius warmer in average for this time of year. six fahrenheit. warm water essentially acts as a rocket fuel for hurricane so they are able to gather all of that power as they move across the gulf and slam into this coastal community like this. idalia has moved on from florida but it hasn't knocked out power and

some sewage systems. now it moves on to georgia, to the carolinas and the wanting is that essentially what we could be seeing is a flash flooding and the danger is by no means over. . ~' and the danger is by no means over. ., ~ , ., and the danger is by no means over. ., ~ i. . and the danger is by no means over. ., ~ . ., over. thank you so much for that update. _ over. thank you so much for that update. it _ over. thank you so much for that update. it is _ over. thank you so much for that update. it is getting - over. thank you so much for. that update. it is getting dark where you are and i hope you and the team and all the rest they are staying safe. we have a live page running as well so do check that out. in the last hour the british government hasjoined a number of other western nations in condeming the coup in gabon on wednesday. the country's military has named one of its generals as the new transitional leaders. the country's long—time president, ali bongo, has been put under house arrest and a curfew is in place. the military takeover in gabon is the eighth in west and

central africa in recent years and the second sent nigeria this year. —— since niger. the bbc�*s africa regional editor, will ross, has more. on the streets of gabon celebrations for africa's latest military leader. earlier, a dozen senior officers said for the sake of peace, they were putting an end to what they called the regime and were taking over. they cancelled the result of last weekend's election. manyjournalists and observers were barred from monitoring the vote. the opposition said it was a sham. and it was no surprise when this man, president ali bongo, was declared the winner. i am ali bongo ondimba, president of gabon. and i'm to send a message to all the friends. but this is him appealing for help just hours after being detained by the military in his presidential palace. the people here have arrested me. here's the president's father, omar bongo, at downing street in the 70s. the same family has been in power in gabon since 1967.

today, people are celebrating what looks like the end of the bongo dynasty. these coups seem to be contagious. this is niger, which also saw a military takeover last month. it's been a key western ally in the fight against violent extremism in an increasingly unstable region, along with some highly suspicious elections and eight coups injust three years, democracy in africa is taking a battering. as people celebrate the military takeover in gabon, many on the continent are wondering, where's next? will ross, bbc news. in the uk the enquiry into how lucy letby was able to motor babies have seen an upgrade of a secretary enquiry led by a judge after criticisms from the

victim's families. michael buchanan has more. hello, lucy, is it? can i step in for two seconds? yes. thank you. lucy letby seemed bewildered by her arrest, but what she did and why she killed, she has never explained to the families of her many victims. over 12 months, the nurse killed seven vulnerable babies and attempted to murder six others. the scale of her crimes are such that the health secretary says the inquiry into what happened will now have greater powers. we will have a statutory inquiry into the letby murders, into the events at chester. that will be a judge—led inquiry, as the prime minister has confirmed, and that reflects the wishes of the families, which i discussed with them. those that worked alongside lucy letby at the countess of chester nhs trust will now be compelled to give evidence, to answer the families' many questions. thejudge who will lead

the inquiry has not yet been named. among the issues that will need to be addressed are why she was able to kill for at least a year, what systems were in place to stop her, and why didn't they work, and how did the nhs handle the concerns doctors were raising about her. the families will be pleased with this announcement. we need an inquiry that can get to the truth. they want the truth to come out here, and we need an inquiry which is effective and can do that, so we need an inquiry which has the powers to compel witnesses, has the powers to compel documents. it looks like we have got that here, and that's really good news. it looks like we have got that here, and that's really good news. a key witness will be tony chambers, letby�*s former boss, seen here last year at the opening of the royal liverpool hospital. some staff on the neonatal units accuse the former chief executive of ignoring their concerns about the nurse, and threatened to report them to medical regulators for misconduct. he resigned two months after the killer was arrested, but then got a promotion as interim chief executive of this east london trust — a job the bbc has learned that nhs england helped him get. they also proved further

interim chief executive post he got — a fact the inquiry will examine. in a statement, nhs england said mr chambers had been appointed after a competitive process. lucy letby has never revealed her true self to the victims' families. this inquiry should now be able to fill in some gaps as to how she was able to kill so many for so long. michael buchanan, bbc news. we all know the well known phrase �*once in a blue moon'. well, across some parts of the world you can actually see it. this is a time lapse of the moon rising tonight over the uk — it's called a blue supermoon and is much larger and brighter than usual. that's because it's near the closest point in its orbit around earth. but anyone hoping to see the moon in the colour blue will be disappointed. itjust means it's the second full moon in a single month, something that doesn't happen very often.

this marks the first time in five years that two supermoons have appeared in the same month. the last blue moon was in august 2021 and the next one will be in 2026 and the combination of a blue moon and supermoon is much rarer — we will have to wait until 2037 to see that again. we shall leave you with this picture of the super moon. that's all for now. stay with bbc news. hello. for those of you that enjoy a big moon, there's a real treat outside at the moment. a super blue moon. what's one of those? well, the "super" bit is when the moon's closest to the earth for the year, and the "blue" bit is the second full moon of the month, so a super blue moon. and this is how

sam's house spotted the rising moon here in derbyshire just over the last few hours. now, looking at the weather picture at the moment, we do have some thicker cloud out to the west, that's going to rather spoil the sight of the moon. but across the eastern side of the country, we've got the clearest of the skies. now through the day on thursday, we do have some rain that's going to be spreading in from the west, and that will start to make inroads towards south—west wales and south—west england over the next few hours. as that arrives, so will quite mild air. so 1a degrees in plymouth as we start the day on thursday, cooler across the north and east of the country. so north—east, south—west split with the weather for thursday, lovely start to the day for scotland, across much of northern england. bright with hazy sunshine for east anglia. but across western areas we've got the rain moving in and some of the rain will be quite heavy across southern areas of wales, southern areas of england. otherwise it's probably going to come through quite light and patchy, really. top temperatures around about 18—20 degrees for many areas.

now on into friday's forecast, the remnants of that area of low pressure still withers. ——of low pressure still with us. and really it's a day of sunny spells and a few showers. probably the cloudiest zone of weather will be across northern england, north wales, the north midlands and northern ireland, where there'll be a few patches of rain, one to two showers elsewhere. temperatures, again, high teens to low 20s. but as we head into the weekend, we've got a real change in the weather patterns. an area of high pressure is set to move in across the uk. we're not seeing too many of those over the last couple of months, i can tell you. now saturday morning there might be a few mist and fog patches first thing, but otherwise it's a fine—looking day. lots of sunshine to look forward to with just a little bit of fair weather, cloud popping up for a time. temperatures rising across the board pretty much into the low twenties, 23 towards south—east england. and that is going to feel warm in the september sunshine. and we've got more of that to come through sunday and deep into the new week as well. so quite a long spell of dry and sunny weather finally looks set to arrive.

bye for now.

china's property crisis continues. we look at some of the reasons why the world's second biggest economy might be losing steam.

investors cheer as new figures show the us economy may avoided a recession. welcome to asia business report. iam marika i am marika oi. let's begin in china where we've been talking about the property sector crisis that is weighing on its economy. one of the country's biggest developers country garden has said it lost $6.7 billion for the first six months of this year adding to worries of a potentially disastrous default. it's the latest sign that the world's second biggest economy is struggling to gain traction after lifting strict covid—19 restrictions. nick marsh has the details. it practically rolls off the tongue by now. slow growth, record youth unemployment, record property sector in crisis. china was supposed to be roaring back after three years of zero covid. actually, it is doing the opposite.

let's take a look at what's happening and how serious