here's bill birtles telling the bbc more about what happened.leave china immediately. this was the australian officials, and they had received some sort of warning or advance — they never specified what — but they said, "our advice is for you to get out quick" — which isn't easy because of covid. well bill birtles was preparing to take that official advice when things escalated. here he is on how. sure enough, at midnight on the wednesday, six state security police plus a translator were at my door in beijing — not to detain me, but to inform me that i'm involved in a national security investigation, that there's an exit ban placed on me, and i'm not allowed to leave the country. the national security investigation he mentions there is a reference to the case of this journalist — the australian citizen chung lay. she's a respected business presenter and reporter for china's state—owned television network cgtn. in august, she suddenly stopped appearing on screen and ceased all contact with friends and family. her profile and interviews were also

bill birtles then contacted the embassy where he had been sheltering for the next four days.ween australian diplomats and the chinese authorities about lifting that travel ban on the condition that he sit down for an interview. we do not know if he was accused of anything or if he was questioned about his coverage and hisjournalism questioned about his coverage and his journalism inside questioned about his coverage and hisjournalism inside china but we also know that a similar situation happened with michael smith. he is the correspondent for the australian financial review in shanghai and he took refuge in the consulate in shanghai. the two men then got ona shanghai. the two men then got on a plane and are now back in sydney. really, it is a very dramatic and worrying development because they were the last two australian correspondents working for australian broadcasters and media and now that they have left, this is the first time since the 1970s that australia does not have an accredited media inside china. president trump has demanded a reporter remove his face mask duri

bill birtles then contacted the embassy, he had been sheltering in the embassy for the next four dayslian diplomats and the chinese authorities about lifting about travel ban on the condition that he sit down for an interview. we don't know if he was accused of anything, we don't know if he was questioned about his coverage and his journalism inside china, but we also know that a similar situation happened with michael smith, he is the correspondent for the australian financial review in shanghai, he took rescue in australia because my consulate in shanghai, the two men then got on a plane —— australia's consulate, and are back in sydney. it's a dramatic and worrying development, because they were the last two australian correspondence working for australia rod casting corporation —— australian broadcasters and media, and is the first time since 1970s that australia does not have accredited media inside china. shaimaa khalil, thank you very much for that. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: the boat that took six months to travel from bangladesh to indonesia, with more than 100 r

earlier we spoke to bill birtles one of the 2 australian journalists who left china and we asked him to outline to us the events that led to him returning to australia this was a pretty unexpected situation just as i was preparing to write the story of the other of the the time to strike and chung like last monday my bosses here in sydney received a call from a stray is our affairs department. we have good reason to think that i and other journalists in shanghai need to get out quickly and so the 1st couple of die it's pretty hard to get slots with coded so moving my we were also questioning where was the bosses coming from you know being journalists were pretty cynical and we want some details but on wednesday night it kind clear it made nice when 6 state security police bust a translated sound up on my doorstep the most serious thing was they weren't there at the time. either i would they tell me that i'm involved you know national security tice and therefore i'm not allowed to leave the country but they said you still have freedom of movement you still free to go around do your do

with smith and birtles departure there are now nor australian journalists reporting in china. earlier we spoke to bill birtles one of the 2 australian journalists who left china and asked him to outline to us the events that led to him returning to australia. this was a pretty unexpected situation just as i was preparing to break the story of the other of the time to stray and chung like last monday my bosses here in sydney received a call from a stray is our affairs department sighing we have good reason to think that i and another journalist in shanghai need to get out quickly and for the 1st couple of days it's pretty hard to get slots cut so while reitman surveying my we were also questioning where this advice was coming from you know being journalists were pretty cynical and we want some day tiles but on wednesday night it became clear it meet nice when 6 state security police plus a translator stand up on my doorstep the most curious thing was they weren't there to tide me they were there to tell me that i'm involved in a national security case and therefore i'm not allo

and it was feared they could be arrested smith and birtles where the last 2 representatives of australian mainstream media in china. now we are joined by bill byrd also one of the australian journalists who left try to welcome to the program and thank you so much for joining us if you could just outline for us the events that led to you leaving china. yes sarah thank you this was a pre unexpected situation just as i was preparing to break the story of the other of the time to stray and chung like last monday my bosses here in sydney received a call from a stranger as our affairs the ottman sighing we have good reason to think that i and other journalists in shanghai need to get out quickly and for the 1st couple of days it's pretty hard to get slots cut so you are right for surveying my we were also questioning where was the boss was coming from you know being journalists were pretty cynical and we want some details but on wednesday night it kind clear it meet nice when 6 state security police plus a translator turned up on my doorstep the most curious thing was they weren't there to tide

australian diplomats in beijing had warned bill bi rtles in beijing had warned bill birtles to leave country, a similar warning was given to the abc's management here in sydney. and after the second warning, the public broadcaster arranged for him to leave. he was due back on thursday, but on the eve of his departure on wednesday night, he had a gathering, a farewell gathering of friends, and at midnight, seven chinese policeman showed up seven chinese policeman showed up at his doorstep and said he was banned from leaving the country and told him that he was to show up for questioning for what they described as a

and it was feared they could be arrested smith and birtles for the last 2 representatives of australian mainstream media in china. earlier we spoke to bill birtles one of the 2 australian journalists who left china we asked him to outline to us the events that led to him returning to australia. this was a pre fun expected situation just as i was preparing to break the story of the other of the time to stray and chung like last monday my bosses here in sydney received a call from a stranger as our affairs department sighing we have good reason to think that i and another journalist in shanghai need to get out quickly and for the 1st couple of days it's pretty hard to get slots with code so while arrangements were being my we were also questioning where those of us was coming from you know being journalists were pretty cynical and we want some day tiles but on wednesday night it became clear it meet nice when 6 state security police plus a translator turned up on my doorstep the most curious thing was they weren't there to detain me they were there to tell me that i'm involved in a nation

australian financial review and bill birtles from the broadcaster a.b.c. sought shelter at diplomatic compounds after midnight raids on their homes they were the last 2 journalists working for australian media in mainland china. france's health minister olivier vent on says the coronavirus situation in his country is worrying that's as the number of new daily infections reaches record levels but the health minister said a 2nd wave was on a boy the bold because the virus was spreading more slowly than it did in the spring. in french football in football french forward rather kilian has tested positive for the corona virus and will miss tuesday's nations league match against croatia it was one of the stars france's 2018 world cup winning side he's the 7th player from his club how he sums of money to contract the virus their french league match against lens on thursday could now be in town. and messi has returned to training with arsenal owner for the 1st time since he tried to move away from the club messi had to train away from the full squad because he sti

bill birtles, the australian broadcasting corporation s correspondent based in beijing, and mike smithd in shanghai, boarded a flight to sydney on monday night. my colleague sally bundock spoke to one of the australian journalists, who was involved in this incident, abc correspondent, bill birtles. here's what he had to say. whirlwind week where, to me, this kind of came out of nowhere. last monday, i got a call advising me that i needed to leave china immediately. this was the australian officials. they had received some sort of warning or advice, they never specified what. they said our advice is for you to get out quick smart, which is not easy during covid. anyway, i was preparing to act on their advice although i had some serious questions about it for the first two days. sure enough at midnight on wednesday, six state security police, plus a translator were at my door in beijing, not to detain me but to inform me that i'm involved in a national security investigation, that there is an exit ban placed on me and i'm not allowed to leave the country. curiously, they said we'll give

australian diplomats in beijing had warned bill bi rtles in beijing had warned bill birtles to leaveey. and after the second warning, the public broadcaster arranged for him to leave. he was due back on thursday, but on the eve of his departure on wednesday night, he had a gathering, a farewell gathering of friends, and at midnight, seven chinese policeman showed up seven chinese policeman showed up at his doorstep and said he was banned from leaving the country and told him that he was to show up for questioning for what they described as a national security case. he then contacted the embassy, he took shelter in australia's embassy in beijing fora shelter in australia's embassy in beijing for a few days, and there was a back—and—forth between australian diplomats and chinese officials. a deal was struck that if he was to sit down for an interview, which he did, the band would be lifted. a similar situation happened with michael smith in shanghai, he also took shelter in australia's consulate in shanghai, the two men have now left china and are back in australia. a very worrying dev

returned to sydney chinese police sought to interrogate michael smith a financial review and build birtles from public broadcaster a.b.c. in connection with the case under later to their work the journalist took shelter in australian diplomatic compounds while officials negotiated they were turned home . sudan has called a 3 month state of emergency after record floods left more than 100 people dead and destroyed thousands of homes the authorities say rising water water levels in the nile are also putting the country's historical sites at press. while fires are continuing to rip through parts of california for a 4th day in a row the authorities believe one place was started by an out of control firework at the weekend temperatures in the state of reached extreme highs of 49 degrees celsius hampering efforts to control the flames. one month ago a massive explosion rocked the lebanese capital beirut killing more than $100.00 people and injuring many more of the city is still reeling from the destruction the effects are particularly hard on children who can develop long term problems if their

though this is yet another round of diplomatic cat and mouse the 2 journalists in question are bill birtlesa correspondent for australia's public broadcaster the a.b.c. and michael smith from the australia financial review 10 days ago chinese police appeared at both of their houses after midnight and told them that they were quote persons of interest in another case regarding the detention of another australian journalist chang lay who's been held by beijing or thirty's since august 14th now the offices also told bottles and smith that they were barred from leaving china at which point they obviously fled the australian embassy from where they were sent home this past monday the chinese foreign ministry has said that the journalists were being questioned as part of quote normal enforcement of law but the plot to 2nd since the chinese state news agency shin wa reported that back in june australian agencies actually conducted and number of raids on chinese journalists homes in australia so this whole episode could well be a direct retaliation especially given birth and smith with the only aus

and earlier we spoke to bill birtles one of the 2 journalists who left china and we asked him to outline to us the events that led to him returning to australia. this was a very unexpected situation just as i was preparing to break the story of the other of the time to stray and chung like last monday my bosses here in sydney received a call from a stray is our affairs department saying we have good reason to think that i and another journalist in shanghai need to get out quickly and for the 1st couple of days it's pretty hard to get flights with code so while arrangements were vain my we were also questioning where those devices coming from you know being journalists were pretty cynical and we want some details but on wednesday night it became clear it meet nice when 6 state security police plus a translator turned up on my doorstep the most curious thing was they weren't there to detain me they were there to tell me that i'm involved in a national security case and therefore i'm not allowed to leave the country but they said you still have freedom of movement you still are free to go a

well this is abc's bill birtles on having to leave china.of a bigger political game. what is this particular clinical game? so, what is this bigger political game? well, it's no less than a grand struggle between china and the west. it s about how we organise the global economy, how countries are held accountable — and it's also about the west's belief in the morality of its actions. prime minister scott morrison told australian radio... and that's the rub — this economic marriage of convenience worked while the west kept the criticism down and china limited its assertiveness on the world stage. neither are keeping their side of the bargain now. china scoffs at the idea that america and its allies can hand out lectures on how to behave. and this is useful from reuters on australia. it says... and that's why this isn't any old diplomatic row. it's about how the west handles a chinese government that not only wants to be a major player in this political game — but wants to decide the rules as well. at stake is the global balance of power. you

say chinese police sought to interrogate michael smith off the australian financial review and bill birtles from public broadcasting big a.b.c. in connection with a case unrelated to they were they took shelter in australian diplomatic compounds while officials negotiated their return hard. a major wildfire tearing through southern california is reported to have been started by a firework at a so-called gender reveal baby shower posse more than 500 firefighters are battling the blaze which started over the holiday weekend scorching conditions are fueling the flames more than 2000000 kids have been burned surf obvious which is a new record. this is d w news from berlin follow us on twitter and instagram a d w news overseas a d w dot com. the russian dissident alexy in the volney who was poisoned in russia and why. to berlin for treatment woke from a coma today doctors say he's responsive at some point he'll ask what happened who was responsible were they punished questions russia refuses to answer and with that suddenly here in europe and in the u.s. sanctions against the kremlin are back on

australia's media union and media entertainment and arts alliance markets so mike smith and bill birtles back home now but clearly unable to do their job what do you make of all this well we're very glad that the 2 of them are back home and safe because in china they're clearly not so and this is a very disturbing pattern we've seen. channel a is in custody not a number of reasons that we are unclear of and also we have another member of a union and german who's in jail and has been so to 18 months facing it's been charges so unfortunately this looks like a pattern that the chinese government is using journalists as just tools in a diplomatic gown as you say this one in jail is trying lay is being detained as she works for the chinese state broadcaster c n n what more do you know of her confinement at the moment what news is that coming through to you. well we know very little and then this is again a pattern you you hear very little about what happens up to journalists that detained we know that that has received consular assistance but that's that's about it and this appease to be a pa

one of the australian journalists who was involved in this incident is abc correspondent bill birtles get out quickly, which not easy during coronavirus which i had some serious questions about it in the first two days and sure enough at midnight on the wednesday, six state security police plus a translator we re security police plus a translator were at my door in beijing, not to detain me, but to inform me that i am involved in a national security investigation, that there is an exit ban placed on the and i'm not allowed to leave the country, but curiously they said, we will give you a call tomorrow afternoon to talk about it. they didn't seem to have the urgency you would expect when they turn up at your door at midnight. i sought advice from the australian ministry, and they said that i needed to stay in the embassy while they sorted it out. there was not a great deal of trust with china at the moment about how sci—fi would have been if initially by myself i went and did that meeting. strong winds are threatening to hamper the effort to contain more than 20 wildfires in california

arrested as political pawns in the rapidly worsening relationship between the 2 countries smith and birtles were the last 2 representatives of australian mainstream media in china. and for more now we are joined by bill byrd also one of the australian journalists who left try to welcome to the program and thank you so much for joining us if you could just outline for us the events that led to you leaving china. yes sarah thank you this was a pretty unexpected situation just as i was preparing to break the story of the other of the time to stray and chung like last monday my bosses here in sydney received a call from a stray as foreign affairs department sighing we have good reason to think that i and other journalists in shanghai need to get out quickly and for the 1st couple of days it's pretty hard to get slots cut so while rights were surveying my we were also questioning where those advances coming from you know being journalists were pretty cynical and we want some details but on wednesday night it became clear at midnight when 6 state security police plus a translator sound up on my d

has to have you know less information less exchange and less understanding of what's going on there birtles journalist joining us to tell your story we thank you so much for sharing that here on. and let's have a look at some more stories making news around the world a major wildfire tearing through southern california is believed to have been started by a firework more than 500 firefighters are battling the blaze that started over the weekend scorching conditions are fueling the flames temperatures reached a record 49 degrees celsius on sunday. france's health minister and the v.a. there on said that they corona virus situation in the country is quote worrying that as the number of new delhi infections reaches record levels but the health minister said that a 2nd wave was unavoidable excuse me avoidable because the virus was spreading more slowly than it did in the spring. it's the oldest film festival in the world the venice film festival and for its 77th edition it's the 1st to brave new territory as a physical event in the cove of $1000.00 era there are strict rules for social distancin