This is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. My names mike embley. A second fire breaks out in a camp in lesbos, as greek officials blame migrants for the blaze thats left thousands homeless. The us speaker of the house warns britain therell be no trade deal if the uk undermines the good friday agreement. Donald trump is accused of deliberately downplaying the dangers of coronavirus. He says he didnt want to panic the American People. And i dont want people to be frightened, i dont want to create panic as you say. And San Francisco glows orange as wildfires reach across the United States. The state. Hello, and welcome to audiences in the uk and around the world. Firefighters are battling a new fire on the greek island of lesbos a day after a huge blaze devastated the moira migrant camp. Firefighters are trying to control the new blaze which is destroying the remains of a camp that, at the start of the week, was the only shelter for more than 12,000 refugees europes largest refugee camp. The camp had been placed in quarantine last week, as several cases of coronavirus were confirmed among residents. Mark lowen has more. A camp often called a ticking time bomb has exploded. Moria, four times over its capacity, has been almost completely destroyed, an inferno in a place where life was already hell. The 13,000 migrants here, mostly afghans, fleeing again, this time in europe. My house is finished. Many. All finished. At first light, it seemed the sun itself was on fire as a desperate attempt to douse the flames continued. Inside, homes now a wasteland. Pictures from the Charity Medecins Sans Frontieres show the gutted remains of europes largest migrant camp. The government said the fire was started deliberately, a protest after 35 migrants who had tested positive for coronavirus were isolated. Strong winds fanned it. The Prime Minister hit out at arsonists. Translation i express my sorrow over yesterdays events in moria. I recognise the difficult conditions. However, nothing can become an excuse for violent reactions to health checks, and even more so for such extensive unrest. Hundreds of thousands have passed through here, waiting for asylum claims
that went nowhere. There were repeated warnings that the bottleneck couldnt last, its charred remains a symbol of how the eu turned a blind eye. Lesbos is now in a state of emergency in a scramble to house the migrants and quarantine those infected. They had barely anything, but at least they had shelter. No more. Mark lowen, bbc news. The blaze has reignited calls for the eu to rethink its asylum policy and take in far greater numbers of refugees to take the pressure of camps like moria. Thousands of people rallied in berlin on wednesday calling on the German Government to increase its refugee intake and use its power at the negotiating table in brussels to bring about reform something the Foreign Office has said is a priority. Avril benoit is executive director of medecins sans frontieres. She joins us from new york. Thank you for your time. I know you are busy. What is your take on what happened here . You are busy. What is your take on what happened here7m you are busy. What is your take on what happened here . It is absolutely shocking, isnt it . 12,000 people in what we have been describing for the last five years as akin to an open air prison, a place of despair, of children not having much of a life and then with the lockdown for the last several months making the conditions and detention all the worst. In some ways were going to say anything but it is an absolutely shocking situation and as the people we re situation and as the people were fleeing they had nowhere to go on monday night. The fire was raging all night long so for a was raging all night long so fora group of was raging all night long so for a group of people who were already quite traumatised by everything they have gone through, the sense of hopelessness of being in this place with no sense of ever
being able to move on with their lives, of reaching a place of safety in europe which was the destination, they, you know, now have a devastating circumstance where it is not entirely clear what will happen to all of them now. Do you think it is most likely the People Living within the camp did set the fires that destroyed it to whether out of frustration, or perhaps to force the issue to get moved . cannot answer that question and not from my vantage point. We know there were protests and the protest have been a long time coming. It has been an extremely difficult situation for these people to be trapped in. That is not forget that although they have fled afghanistan, or many other countries at war, we have unaccompanied minors in this group, we have people with covid 19 in this group and so
the conditions that they were living in, in the sense that there was just no out and they would be trapped in this place had led to protest. I dont know what the link to the fires is for sure we could sense that it was at an end point in terms of patience with the situation. For us, the human tragedy of the camp, the very existence of the camp, the very existence of the camp, the very existence of the camp is what we need to Pay Attention to and how we can move these people to a place of safety following due process and also respecting that they have rights to the dignity, to the services, to the healthcare that has been so limited over the last many years that so many of them have been dropped there. The camp was way over capacity, four times the number of people expected to be there and it seems the greek
government recently added to the numbers. It also seems odd that if people can be moved now, why could they not have been moved earlier . That is certainly something that we have been calling on and other organisations as well. Many grassroots organisations have been saying this, that these people need to be moved on. Many of the tent shelters and the structures were housing families of seven and then with the lockdown you can imagine how difficult this has been for them and with children so afraid of this virus that they do even want to go out themselves to it has been a circumstance where for five yea rs circumstance where for five years we circumstance where for five yea rs we have circumstance where for five years we have been saying that this is untenable, why do we do this is untenable, why do we do this to human beings . Why do we not find a solution for them whether it be on the mainland 01 whether it be on the mainland or other parts of europe. There are so many or other parts of europe. There are so many other options than the inhumanity that has befallen these people. Thank you so much. The speaker of the us house of representatives nancy pelosi has bluntly told london there will be absolutely no chance of a us uk trade deal if Boris Johnson overrides the brexit deal with brussels. Mrjohnson has tried to urge his mps to support a new deal which changes parts of the brexit deal that he negotiated with the eu and signed in january. 0ur chief Political Correspondent vicki young reports. Do you still trust the british government, mr barnier . Here to talk about a future trade deal, but the eus chief negotiator arrived in london today with a huge row raging over an agreement that he thought was done and dusted. Are you happy to break the law, Prime Minister . Yesterday, the government shocked mps, admitting it was ready to break International Law and override parts of the brexit treaty it signed with the eu injanuary. The Prime Minister denied that he was tearing it up. This uk internal market bill is about protecting jobs, protecting growth, ensuring the fluidity and safety of our uk internal
market and prosperity throughout the united kingdom. And the former conservative Prime Minister sirjohn major had a stark warning if we lose our reputation for honouring the promises we make, we would have lost something beyond price that may never be regained. The Withdrawal Agreement included unique arrangements for Northern Ireland trade to avoid a hard border with ireland, which is in the eu. But goods going back and forth between Northern Ireland and the rest of the uk will need extra checks and tariffs so that this trade doesnt interfere with the eus single market. But now the uk government has published the internal market bill, which gives british ministers the power to decide for themselves how it will work. And the irish Prime Minister suggested this could all derail trade talks. Unilateral actions which seek to change the operation of measures already agreed, included in an International Treaty and incorporated into domestic law, do not build trust. When he met mrjohnson last month, talks were cordial. According to dublin, when the two men spoke tonight, the taoiseach set out his concerns in forthright terms. So why has the government taken this incredibly provocative action . Well, it thinks that the eu will have too much say over trade not just in Northern Ireland, but the rest of the uk too. It wants to put pressure on the eu to compromise and even if the trade talks all collapse in acrimony, there are plenty in the conservative party perfectly happy with no deal. Even conservative mps are unsure whether this is all a negotiating strategy. Not for the first time, downing street is keeping everyone guessing. Vicki young, bbc news, westminster. Its emerged that donald trump did play down the gravity of the coronavirus pandemic deliberately because, he said, he didnt want to cause panic. The news comes from taped conversations with the
Journalist Bob Woodward, for a new book. 0n the tapes, the president describes the virus as deadly stuff, certainly more serious than seasonal flu. At the time he was saying something very different, repeatedly, in public. More than 189,000 americans have since died from covid 19. From new york, the bbcs nick bryant. Even as the coronavirus began claiming scores of american lives, the us president publicly talked down the threat. It will go away. You know it is going away and it will go away and we will have a great victory. But at the same time, donald trump was telling the legendary watergate Journalist Bob Woodward that he had deliberately played down the pandemic, even though he understood the deadliness of the virus. Well, ithink, bob, to be honest with you. Sure, i want you to be. I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because i dont want to create a panic. This was impossible to dismiss as fake news and instead,
the president tried to explain his comments. I am a cheerleader for this country. I love our country and i dont want people to be frightened. I dont want to create panic, as you say. And certainly, im not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. His democratic rivaljoe biden is already leading in the polls and he immediately weaponised what the president s critics will seize upon as a covid smoking gun. He lied to the American People. He knowingly and willingly lied about the threat it posed to the country for months. He had the information. He knew how dangerous it was. And while this deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job on purpose. Donald trump keeps on trying to change the conversation to law and order, but we keep on returning to the Health Crisis that has claimed the lives of more than 190,000 americans. This feels like
a covid campaign. Nick bryant, bbc news, new york. Wildfires in california have turned the sky blood red over San Francisco. We have photos right now of the bay area, in a haze, sorry, thatis bay area, in a haze, sorry, that is the bay bridge. Fires burning out of control across swathes of california along with other Pacific Coast states of washington and oregon, fuelled by strong winds and searing temperatures. 0ur correspondent david willis is in los angeles and a little earlier gave us this update on the fires. Thousands of people here awoke to apocalyptic grey 01 in some cases orange skies this morning, the horizon clouded by a thick layer of smoke. California, oregon and Washington State, the worst affected states, and it is very rare for fires of this ferocity
in oregon and Washington State because of the cool and wet climate there. Yet the oregon state Governor Kate Brown is warning of the worst fire season in history in that state. Both in terms of the number of buildings destroyed and the number of lives lost. She has not specified however how many people have died in these current fires. 16,000 people have been evacuated, including as well as three prisons up there in oregon. And more evacuations are expected in the next few hours. Gavin newsom has called this a historic fire season, the largest in modern history he put it as far as the number of acres destroyed is concerned. And mr newsom, who is fearing that so called santa ana seasonal winds will whip up some of those fires and make the situation even worse in the days ahead has said that if you have any doubt
at all about the existence of global warming, you should come here to california and watch these fires and see for yourself. Stay with us on bbc news still to come fire and disease. The twin tragedies affecting the lives of millions of people in brazil. George w bush freedom itself was attacked this morning, and freedom will be defended. The United States will hunt down and punish those responsible. Bishop tutu now becomes spiritual leader of 100,000 anglicans here, of the blacks in soweto township, as well as the whites in their rich suburbs. We say to you today in a loud and a clear voice enough of blood and tears. Enough translation the difficult decision we reached together was one that required great
and exceptional courage. Its an exodus of up to 60,000 people caused by the uneven pace of political change in eastern europe. Iam free this is bbc news, the latest headlines a second fire breaks out a camp in lesbos, as greek officials blame migrants for the blaze thats left thousands homeless. The us speaker of the house warns britain therell be no trade deal if the uk undermines the good friday agreement. When it comes to the global covid pandemic,
latin america has some of the worst affected countries in the world. Take brazil, which has more than four million recorded infections and 127,000 deaths. Most recently the virus has been spreading inland, even as those areas, especially near the amazon, have endured a crippling fire season. Katy watson has been looking at the impact of those dual tragedies. Brazils amazon is once again going up in smoke. A year after International Outrage over the extent of the fires, they are back and is devastating as ever. But they are notjust killing the rainforest, they are also choking its people. This doctor has been working relentlessly for six months, dealing with covid 19. He is the best chance for the towns residents who otherwise have to travel eight hours for the nearest intensive ca re travel eight hours for the nearest intensive care bed. The situation is not easing here, he says, hes still seeing
cases every day but now it is fire season and the team is not just battling covid 19. Translation every day i have patients returning with problems that are getting worse because of pollution and the fires in the area. They do not know it is because it is because of the smoke. This 27 year old was a first person into the town to be diagnosed with covid 19. With no Previous Health issues, there were moments herfamily health issues, there were moments her family fed for her life. Translation sometimesl am at last was to explain just how difficult it was. I would not we should upon anyone. Even today, i have a shortness of breath when the weather is smoky or polluted like this. I cannot stay out. I start to feel pain in my heart and chest. Across town, doctor
lucas has taken an emergency call. Together, we have to take a boat. It is not straightforward. We have to get across the river but the very has gone and will not come back and is not expected to return for another hour. This is the reality of Emergency Services in the amazon. Finally, we are on our way. Doctor lucas has been thrown in the deep end, the day after he graduated in march, the world health 0rganization declared a pandemic. This 62 year old has all the symptoms of covid 19 and her son is in hospital with the virus. The team tested but the virus. The team tested but the result is negative. It could be two things, the doctor also, perhaps it is too early to do the test. In these parts
of the amazon they only have access to rapid test rather than the more reliable swab test or it could be smoke inhalation. Translation test or it could be smoke inhalation. Translation i am not ruling covid 19 out. She has a cough, she is weak. We will continue to test for covid. Coronavirus is still going through the community but their problems are bigger than just covid 19, people here are on the frontline, living on the cross ha i rs on the frontline, living on the crosshairs of both the virus and the fires. Katy watson, bbc news. Amid rising tensions between the Chinese Communist party, the us and its western allies, there are fears of reprisal and arbitrary detention of foreign citizens. American businessman, mark swidan, got sentenced to death on drug charges in china last year but his family believes his conviction is politically motivated. Lets speak to marks mother
katherine whos in texas and has been fighting for her sons release. This is such a rollercoaster. A five year wait and suddenly a death sentence and a two year reprieve on that. How has it been for you . It has been devastating. I never give up. I spend my waking hour thinking of another way that i can try to get notoriety to him and get the government here to notice him and the state department andi him and the state department and i used to receive mailfrom him but now they are not sending any mail. The do not give him my mail and sending any mail. The do not give him my mailand now sending any mail. The do not give him my mail and now i believe, because of the covid virus, they are only doing videoconference with him instead of actually sending the
consulate. What else to know about how he is being treated . I have many, many letters, probably six boxes of letters and his artwork that he had sent me before. I know that in his letters, he has been treated, and of course the un will verify that, he has seen a lot of things. Right now he is in Entertainment Centre and people make a mistake to think it isa people make a mistake to think it is a prison orjail but it is not, he has been sleeping on a cement floor on cardboard sent 2012. I dont mean to interrupt you, since you mention 2012, can i take you back to the moment he was detained. He was arrested while he was on the phone with you . He was calling me, as he did every day. He was to get married in one month. He made something macau and japan for his fiancees sister that lives there and he was talking to me and he said, mum can you send me about 80 us i can eat something on the way back, it might bea something on the way back, it might be a long trip and i said of course. He said, can you get mea of course. He said, can you get me a cheap ticket and it does not matter if it has several stops as long as it is not cost you to much and i said of course. We were talking about that and he was telling me that he had found the items he wa nted he had found the items he wanted for the flooring and fixtures and asking me about the weather back home in texas and everything and we heard the bang on the door. I did. I was thinking maybe it is room
service for him or somebody to get his bags and then he hung up get his bags and then he hung up andi get his bags and then he hung up and i did not hearfrom him again till two or three weeks later when the consulate called me. What response you feel getting from the government in beijing and from the government in washington . How helpful are they being your campaign . Well, in beijing, the chinese government, of course, he appealed the death sentence immediately at 430 when it happened and it has been over a year and they have not had a hearing about an appeal hearing. Meanwhile, the un will group on arbitrary detention determined that he was arbitrarily detention. World group. They told mark in a letter that they were taking him infor
letter that they were taking him in for questioning and so he went with them and the consulate keeps telling me, over and over and over, throughout the years, that they are aware of it. They keep bringing marks name up to the highest level they will not tell me who dashed but it is like they cannot paste it every mother now i have not seen a picture of him, i only know what they tell me at the consulate but they have not been very cooperative. I could not even get an address, and e mailfor one of not even get an address, and e mail for one of the top guys undermike e mail for one of the top guys under mike pompeo but no one has responded to me, they are just saying they are aware. must leave it there for now but iam sure must leave it there for now but i am sure we will talk to you again. Thank you very much for talking to us. The un is saying
immediate release with compensation. Thank you very much for watching. More on our website and twitter feed. Hello. For many, wednesday was a reasonable day but for some, and this was the scene and st ives round about the sort of the lunch time period, it was notjust a sparkly as it mightve been. That is because there was quite a mild flow coming in from the atlantic, and you have the weather front just to thickened up the clouds there to be enough of a spot of rain. Now, thankfully, that front moves away, and thursday, after a fairly cool start and we havent seen that for a wee while that isa looking like a half reasonable day. It does turns a wee bit cloudier later, as you will see, but for many, certainly across the greater part of england and wales, eastern side of scotland, it is a get out and get on with it sort of day. Best of the sunshine perhaps early in the morning, through eastern scotland, certainly through eastern and southern parts of england too. Northern ireland, always really rather cloudy throughout the day. It may, come the afternoon,
just see a passing shower, but the obvious place where the weather is really changing, is across the north and west of scotland. And its notjust as warm as weve had it of late for sure. Tops round about 19 or 20. And through the evening and overnight, the rainjust keeps on coming, into this North Western quarter of scotland. Not a cold night here but, further south, if your skies stay clear for any length of time, you could be down into single figures. So what happens to the front on friday . Well, its a real player all over the northern half of the british isles. The isobars quite tightly packed. Its an unfortunate mix, to say the least, of pretty wet and windy weather. The front eventually staggers its way through scotland, through Northern Ireland, and the remnants of that rain move down to the north of england and the north of wales. Further south, its never a bother 20 degrees is the high. And eventually, after that wet and windy start, things brighten up across scotland and Northern Ireland, to finish off the day. But that is not the end of the wet story for northern areas
because the weekend sees, not one, but in fact a couple of pulses of really quite wet weather piling into the north and west of scotland and, at times, though Northern Ireland as well. The remnants on fridays weather, well, thatsjust a band of cloud pulling down towards the south and, again, much of england and wales in for a pretty dry day on saturday. Again, if youve got plans for the outdoors, the weather wont get in the way. That wont be the case though for Northern Ireland and quite widely and, come sunday, we are still talking about more rain coming into the western side of scotland but further south at this stage, things really are beginning to warm up quite nicely. Take care. Goodbye. This is bbc news the headlines. Firefighters are battling a new fire on the greek island of lesbos a day after a huge blaze devastated the moria migrant camp europes largest refugee camp. International efforts are under way to help the greek government cope and a state of emergency has been declared. The speaker of the us house of representatives nancy pelosi has warned london there will be absolutely no chance of a us uk trade deal if Boris Johnson overrides the brexit deal with brussels. Mrjohnson wants to overturn parts of the brexit deal he negotiated with the eu. Donald trump has been accused of deliberately misleading the American People about the gravity of the coronavirus pandemic. Mr trump said he had wanted to avoid causing public panic over the outbreak. The claims come in a new book by the legendary washington postJournalist Bob Woodward. 0n the tape the president describes the virus as deadly stuff and more dangerous than
seasonal flu. In public stuff and more dangerous than seasonalflu. In public he stuff and more dangerous than seasonal flu. In public he was saying