And, america remembers the thousands of people who died in the September 11th Terror attacks 22 years ago today. Hello, im rich preston, youre watching verified live three hours of breaking stories, and the truth behind them. Rescue teams in morocco are battling to reach people still trapped under rubble following the earthquake that struck the country on friday night. Nearly 2,500 people are now known to have died, but many remote areas remain hard to reach and cut off to rescuers. Four countries the uk, spain, qatar and the uae are now sending aid. The epicentre was to the south of marrakesh, along the high atlas mountain range. The struggle to get through roads blocked by boulders has led some villagers to dig by hand. Tom bateman reports. Dawn lights up the destruction in this village. Moroccos most remote hillsides have become encampments for the survivors. This lady has lost contact with her son who fled the village to get help. She was already grieving, her husband had been sick and died before the earthquake came. Translation we are staying in the street, i feel bad for my son, his dad passed away and i have to take care of him. People are here to help each other. The mosque is Still Standing and becomes a makeshift refuge. In the morning there were no signs of official aid response. Hussain survived when his son freed him from the wreckage of their home. But his wife was killed. My wife stayed in the house, the feeling came down and struck her. This comes from god, but thankfully my son is safe, he tells me. This is where homes once stood, now people walk through a cascade of ruins, recovery attempts across this region have been painfully slow. So far this clear up is people having to do it by themselves. One of their neighbours, the house was struck, a family of six was in it and five have been killed. Only the father survived. It feels like people barely have time to grieve, you can see the humanitarian challenge that remains. In another village, locals pull a body from the rubble, spanish rescuers are on the ground saying the destruction is absolute. Meanwhile, british rescue gear has arrived with a team of 60 specialists from the uk. People are retrieving what they can from homes too damaged to live in, the survivors are now on the land with all they have left. Joining me now is mina metioui, a Committee Member of the British Moroccan Society who was visiting the country when the Earthquake Hit and joins us from just outside marrakesh. Good to talk to you, thank you for being with us. Where were you when the Earthquake Hit . I being with us. Where were you when the Earthquake Hit . The Earthquake Hit . I was in the centre when the Earthquake Hit . I was in the centre when it the Earthquake Hit . I was in the centre when it hit the Earthquake Hit . I was in the centre when it hit on the Earthquake Hit . I was in the centre when it hit on friday the Earthquake Hit . I was in the l centre when it hit on friday night. I went to bed early because i was preparing for a flight back to london, i was here for a short visit, only two days. When it happened. Visit, only two days. When it happened visit, only two days. When it ha ened. ~. ,. ,. , visit, only two days. When it ha ened. ~. ,. ,. , happened. We have heard from teams on the ground happened. We have heard from teams on the ground who happened. We have heard from teams on the ground who have happened. We have heard from teams on the ground who have been happened. We have heard from teams on the ground who have been able happened. We have heard from teams on the ground who have been able to l on the ground who have been able to get to some of the worst affected areas, what is the picture like where you are . I areas, what is the picture like where you are . Areas, what is the picture like where you are . I am ust outside marrakesh. Where you are . I am ust outside marrakesh, we where you are . I am ust outside marrakesh, we go where you are . I am ust outside marrakesh, we go to where you are . I am just outside marrakesh, we go to the where you are . I am just outside| marrakesh, we go to the villagers every day with support, with food, with tents. The British Moroccan Society, we started a earthquake fundraiser straightaway and we are out there every day with lorries and i have two of them wetting up the road for me right now to the head to two villages. Then we have another two, we have more we have about 50 villagers on the list, there are villagers on the list, there are villagers we are not able to get to because there are no roads. The rocks have fallen off the side of the road, they were hard enough to get through before this happened and this is even worse. It really is a disaster, it is heartbreaking, we are mentally and physically exhausted but we have to keep going because what we see makes us very emotional. It is very upsetting. It emotional. It is very upsetting. It is coming on for three days since the Earthquake Hit, some of these villages you cant easily forget to yet, talk to us about the sense of urgency to reach these villages and try and dig through the rubble in search of survivors. I try and dig through the rubble in search of survivors. Search of survivors. I doubt if there are search of survivors. I doubt if there are any search of survivors. I doubt if there are any survivors, search of survivors. I doubt if there are any survivors, i search of survivors. I doubt if. There are any survivors, i hope there are any survivors, i hope there is, but people are not even able to get to the dead, let alone the survivors. As the British Moroccan Society, we are getting thousands of messages from villagers who have nothing, absolutely nothing and no one has got to them. I personally with my team got to a village yesterday for the first time, they have had nothing and no one visiting them, we sent two lorries full of food but there are villages who have had no visitors and we havent been able to get them because we cant drive on the roads, we can walk on the rocks which is not safe, but we cant drive up to them and if you cant drive you cant take Essential Items that they need. We are trying our best, it is very urgent to get the roads open. We can do the work, we can provide essential is that they need, we have an amazing fundraiser and people are donating but we need the roads to be professionally opened so we can get out there and help people. From the british moroccan out there and help people. From the British Moroccan Society, out there and help people. From the British Moroccan Society, a out there and help people. From the British Moroccan Society, a deeply. British moroccan society, a deeply distressing picture. Thank you for being with us. You can keep up to date with the story from the bbc news website. A researcher in Britains Parliament has said hes Completely Innocent of claims he was spying for china. He was arrested under anti espionage laws. In a Statement Released through his lawyers, the man said he felt forced to respond to accusations in the media. The researcher was one of two men arrested in march under the Official Secrets Act. The deputy Prime Minister told the House Of Commons that protecting the uk from chinese interference remains an absolute priority. These are serious allegations and it is right that they are thoroughly investigated by the police and relevant agencies. We must not hamper their work or prejudice any future legal processes by what we say today, as mr speaker said earlier. As you would expect me to say, it would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment on any specific aspect of this active investigation itself. I would however appoint the house to what the metropolitan police said in its own statement, namely, the investigation is being carried out by the met� s Counter Terrorism command which has Response Motif Investigations relating to allegations of Official Secrets Act and espionage related offences. Any decision as to whether to proceed with the prosecution under the Official Secrets Act would be a 0fficial Secrets Act would be a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service. That was the uk deputy Prime Minister speaking in the House Of Commons. Lets talk now to rana mitter, professor of Us Asia Relations at Harvard Kennedy school. Good to have you on the programme, does this story about potential chinese spies at the heart of british democracy surprise you . I dont know anything about the details of the story, as the dip to crohns to said, it is currently under Police Investigation but it sounds familiar in a broad sense, other countries are having similar conversations. Im speaking from new york where there is huge controversy in congress and there has been for over a year about the question of whether or not collaboration and cooperation with chinese businesses or institutions is possible where there may be industrial espionage or subversion of democracy going on. Australia and canada are two other countries which are having similar conversations and debates. It is not surprising that the uk is now joining that list. Im surprising that the uk is now joining that list. Surprising that the uk is now joining that list. Surprising that the uk is now oininr that list. �. ,. ,. , joining that list. Im glad that you brina u joining that list. Im glad that you bring up the joining that list. Im glad that you bring up the us joining that list. Im glad that you bring up the us angle joining that list. Im glad that you bring up the us angle because. Joining that list. Im glad that you bring up the us angle because in| joining that list. Im glad that you i bring up the us angle because in the Us National Security strategy, America Places Russia and china on a fairly level playing field, listing them both as countries that do not respect democratic norms. Where is the british Integrated Review describes russia as a threat but china merely as a challenge. Do british politicians need to up their rhetoric when it comes to china . I think the United States is playing rhetoric when it comes to china . I think the United States is playing a more subtle game than that because although it is fair to say that the feeling about china and the relationship with china is a High Temperature in the us then it is in the uk, it is fair to say that different aspects of the american political system take different views. Congress, the elected House Of Representatives has got some extremely harsh language that it uses for what it considers dangerous chinese involvement in american life. Cooperation on science and technology would be obvious areas where they feel there is a problem. Joe Bidens Administration is fair to say, trying to reach out in ways that bring the temperature down as well as making the American People clear that they consider there are dangers. That is closer to the uk government position and not surprising because one of the things we do know is that Security Cooperation on china and russia between the us and uk is very close indeed. I think it is fair to say that any position put forward by the uk is one that the us knows about and is happy to approve. Is uk is one that the us knows about and is happy to approve. Uk is one that the us knows about and is happy to approve. Is there a articular and is happy to approve. Is there a particular aspeet and is happy to approve. Is there a particular aspect of and is happy to approve. Is there a particular aspect of chinese particular aspect of chinese interference in britain that the uk should be concerned about . I interference in britain that the uk should be concerned about . I think the area that should be concerned about . I think the area that most should be concerned about . I think the area that most people should be concerned about . I think the area that most people are the area that most people are getting concerned about in recent years is the question of scientific cooperation. It is a complex question, there are areas to do with high tech weapons where it is obvious on both sides that cooperation is extremely unlikely and will be banned legally. The chinese would not permit british scientists to be involved in secret, High Tech Labs in china, so it is not surprising the western countries take the same attitude. Areas like biological and Life Sciences are more complex. Large british Pharmaceutical Companies and some universities have major field Pharmaceutical Companies and some universities have majorfield trials for medical science in china. There arent many places where you can do big fuel trials on a Million People and in areas to do with vaccine production, it is essential that biologist from both countries work together. Talking about science being a dangerous area isnt enough, you have to differentiate which bits of science and have a more subtle and detailed consideration of which projects are problematic and which are probably beneficial to both sides. ,. , are probably beneficial to both sides. ~ ,. , are probably beneficial to both sides. ,. ,. , are probably beneficial to both sides. ,. ,. , are probably beneficial to both sides. , ~ ,. ,. ,. , a breaking update to bring you from morocco. This is coming from the news agency, the death toll following friday night earthquake has now risen to 2681. That is coming from the afp news agency, citing moroccan officials. The Earthquake Hit around 11 p m local time on friday in the foothills of the atlas mountains. That was the epicentre but it was felt as far away as the capital and tourist hotspots like marrakesh. That death toll in morocco has now risen to 2681. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Lets look at some other stories making news. The nhs is rolling out Booster Shots of covid and flu vaccines to older People Living in care homes in england. The roll out begins today for those at most risk. Concerns are growing over the spread of a new covid variant. There have been 3a confirmed cases of ba. 2. 86 so far 28 of them in one care home. The german Car Giant Bmw will invest hundreds of millions of pounds in its mini factory near 0xford to build a new generation of electric cars. Production of two new Electric Mini models is due to begin at the plant in cowley in 2026. More than 4,000 people work across two british sites. A Peace Funding Announcement of £858 million for Northern Ireland will be officially launched in belfast today. It is for a scheme known as peace plus, a successor to programmes which have run since 1995 in Northern Ireland and the border counties in the republic of ireland. The uk government is contributing 730 Million Pounds to the total allocation. Youre live with bbc news. The us president , joe biden, flew to vietnam from the g20 summit to sign a historic trade deal bringing the formerfoes closer than ever before. Along with the Vietnamese Communist Party leader, Nguyen Phu Trong , mr biden issued a joint statement warning against the threat or use of force in the disputed south china sea. The comprehensive Strategic Partnership with vietnam is a major Relationship Upgrade for the us. Its the Culmination Of A Push by washington over the past two years to strengthen ties with vietnam which it sees as key to counter chinas influence in asia. Lien hang when is the professor of us east asian relations at Columbia University in new york. She gave us her assessment of the two countries closer relationship. Iama i am a historian and i dont use this word often but it is historic. This was an elevation of thai is a long time coming. This was an elevation of thai is a long time coming. What does vietnam aet out of long time coming. What does vietnam get out of this . Long time coming. What does vietnam get out of this . We long time coming. What does vietnam get out of this . We can long time coming. What does vietnam get out of this . We can see long time coming. What does vietnam get out of this . We can see why long time coming. What does vietnam get out of this . We can see why the i get out of this . We can see why the us wants to assert itself in the region but what is in it for vietnam . Region but what is in it for vietnam . ,. , vietnam . This is an extremely important vietnam . This is an extremely important step vietnam . This is an extremely important step up vietnam . This is an extremely important step up for vietnam . This is an extremely important step up for vietnam | vietnam . This is an extremely l important step up for vietnam in terms of upgrading the relation with the United States, vietnam is getting a lot out of it in terms of just. Just all the exchange in terms of scientific, technical, climate, environment, Deepening Trade and investment, addressing war legacy. This is an extremely important step for vietnam. Irate legacy. This is an extremely important step for vietnam. We are talkin important step for vietnam. We are talking about important step for vietnam. We are talking about us important step for vietnam. We are talking about us and important step for vietnam. We are talking about us and vietnam talking about us and Vietnam Relations but there is a third party in this triangle, that is the peoples republic of china. How will beijing see this new agreement between the us and vietnam . That is a aood between the us and vietnam . That is a good question between the us and vietnam . That is a good question. One between the us and vietnam . That is a good question. One of between the us and vietnam . That is a good question. One of the between the us and vietnam . That is a good question. One of the things i a good question. One of the things that vietnam always has to take into account when it is making a step towards one of its allies in this sort of elevation of us Vietnam Relations, one from comprehensive to a compressive strategic relationship is that they need the steps to message beijing that it is not a hostile step and that relations between vietnam and china are also very tight. In fact, this is a elevation for vietnam to one that would be on the same level as vietnam china relations. At the same time this is something that would put beijing on alert, that all of its allies in Southeast Asia are also shared allies with the United States. D0 also shared allies with the United States. ~ also shared allies with the United States. ~ � states. Do we think beiing might make some t states. Do we think beiing might make some kind states. Do we think beiing might make some kind of states. Do we think beijing might make some kind of move states. Do we think beijing might make some kind of move in states. Do we think beijing might make some kind of move in response to this . I make some kind of move in response to this . ,. , to this . I think they will, i think leaders in to this . I think they will, i think leaders in beijing to this . I think they will, i think leaders in beijing will. To this . I think they will, i think leaders in beijing will. I to this . I think they will, i think leaders in beijing will. I think. Leaders in beijing will. I think vietnamese leaders have taken that into account in terms of offsetting the sort of pressure, manipulation they may get from larger allies to they may get from larger allies to the north. ,. , they may get from larger allies to the north. ,. ,. ,. , they may get from larger allies to the north. ,. ,. , a london court has remanded 21 year old Terror SuspectDaniel Khalife in custody. He is charged with escaping from wandsworth prison. The court heard he may have used bedsheets in his escape from prison last week. He was arrested in northolt in london on saturday. The bbc� s anna foster was in court. There was a lot of very visible security on display when Daniel Khalife arrived at westminster magistrates court. He was bought in a blue police van, one of the secure vehicles they use for Terror Suspects. That drove in flanked by Police Officers. When he appeared in the dock, there was a Police Officer either side of him. It was a short hearing, the charge was put to him, hearing, the charge was put to him, he sat quietly in the dock for the majority of it wearing a grey prison issue tracksuit, speaking only to confirm his name and date of birth. There was some more detail given of his escape from prison, at the point where he was apprehended by plainclothes Police Officer, the Crown Prosecution Service said he was in possession of a bag containing cash and a mobile phone. He appears to have brought a change of clothes and they said that the lorry driver appeared not to know what he was doing, this was the lorry that he was alleged to have escaped underneath. There was a suggestion that bedclothes were used to fashion straps that he had used to fashion straps that he had used to secure himself underneath that lorry as it left the prison after doing a delivery. All of that is part of the ongoing Police Investigation, there wasnt any indication of a plea given. It is worth saying that he was remanded in custody once again because he was already facing charges under the Terrorism Act and Official Secrets Act, a trial that is pencilled in for november. He goes back to prison and on this new child she will appear again and on this new child she will appearagain at and on this new child she will appear again at the end of this month. After weeks of controversy, Luis Rubiales resigned on sunday as president of the spanish football federation. He kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips after spains victory over england in last months world cup final. Hermoso said the kiss was not consensual. Journalist sofia de roa gave me her reaction to the news. Well, i think Luis Rubiales is gone from the very beginning of this story because this is not about him, this is about a sexist culture, a Macho Culture that is inside the federation. So, now they are starting to see very little changes, because the federation has to remove all the practices that allow a systematic discrimination towards women. They have a lot of work to do. ,. ~ women. They have a lot of work to do. ,. , ~. , women. They have a lot of work to do. ,. ,. ,. , do. You talk about the culture and systematic do. You talk about the culture and systematic discrimination do. You talk about the culture and systematic discrimination against | systematic discrimination against women, what does it say about the culture that he stood his ground for so long and refused to step down . This is a very old culture. I mean, this is about the patriarchy, in spain during the last decade, feminism have been one of the main character of politics in spain. Thousands of women have been on the streets in several huge mobilisations asking for defending our rights. And now we are celebrating this victory because we are so proud of our society because all the people in spain are saying no, we cannot allow this kind of behaviours and i think this is a big step, our society, behaviours and i think this is a big step, oursociety, it is behaviours and i think this is a big step, our society, it is a victory of feminists and the equality between women and men. And now this culture that allowed the treatment of women as men wanted, i mean if a man is euphoric can kiss or touch the body of a woman as he wants, without consent. I wonder, what would happen if a man is angry. The man can punch a woman . So, now these things are changing and we have to celebrate that. Floodwaters that swept through libya have killed at least 150 people. Many more are still missing. Reports say that two dams have collapsed submerging much of the city and drowning some residents. It has now been declared a disaster zone. The floods triggered mudslides and caused buildings to collapse. Authorities in Eastern Libya have closed schools and major oil terminals. In three days of mourning have been prepared. The storm hit the country on sunday and is now heading towards western egypt. A us flag has been unveiled at the pentagon to mark 22 years since the 9 11 terror attacks. Nearly Three Thousand people were killed when members of al qaeda hijacked four passenger airliners, crashing two of them into the World Trade Centers twin towers in new york, and another into the pentagon. A fourth plane crashed in Rural Pennsylvania after passengers fought the hijackers. Its thought the hijackers had planned to crash that plane in to a Federal Building in washington dc. At new yorks Bell Of Hope Clergy from diffent denominations and relatives gathered for prayers and to read out the names of the nearly Three Thousand victims. A reminder of our top story, the death toll in morocco has risen to 2681. Stay with us here on bbc news. Temperatures are going to continue to drift a bit lower over the next few days following our heatwave, it was a record breaking heatwave in terms of seven consecutive days over the 30 degrees, that never happens before. As we look at the forecast for the next few days, this Weather Front is slowly pushing its way southwards across the uk Bringing Rain At Times and then we get into fresher and cooler air. I say cooler but those temperatures are set to drift down a bit closer to average for the time of year by the middle of the week. We have a mixture of weather today, Hazy Sunshine Warm if not hot, north west seeing that cooler air arrived along with cloudy skies and a bit of rain as well. The rain has been patchy so far, i think it will get more widespread as we head into the afternoon. One or two showers are possible across parts of the midlands, east anglia and south east, still hot, scotland and Northern Ireland are more fresh. There will be sunshine but some showers in the hebrides and highlands. 0vernight, the Weather Front grinds to a halt across england and wales, there will be some areas that stay wet. Still quite muggy and warm in the south east much fresher getting into scotland and Northern Ireland and the far north of england. Fortuesday, england and wales has the rain, it will be slow to clear and heavy in eastern areas. Scotland and Northern Ireland having the best chance of some sunshine. Temperatures, 15 in aberdeen to 22 in london. Temperatures are set to drop a little bit for some of us into tomorrow. Wednesday, an area of High Pressure moves in, some sunshine to start the day, maybe fairweather but then we will see rain getting close to West Scotland and thanks to an area of low pressure that is just offshore. That low pressure is set to move in as we go into wednesday night, bringing strong winds as Rain Extends Southwards and eastwards. Thursday we have rain at times followed by showers through the rest of the week and into the first part of the weekend. This is bbc news, the headlines moroccos worst earthquake for more than half a century is now known to have killed nearly Two Thousand Seven Hundred people. China says claims that two people including a british parliamentary researcher allegedly spied on its behalf are completely fabricated. The uks deputy Prime Minister says China Remains a � systemic� challenge. The Terror Suspect who escaped from a london prison is remanded in custody and charged with absconding. Hes been sent to belmarsh prison. Up to 12,500 uk jobs at risk as its claimed all 400 stores of the retail chain wilko will close by next month. Time for a look at the Business News now. A rescue deal for the british high street chain