Were afraid. Were afraid. And as japan struggles were afraid. And as japan struggles to were afraid. And as japan struggles to host were afraid. And as japan struggles to host Tokyo L were afraid. And as japan struggles to host tokyo 2020 we have a Special Report on the small towns trying to keep the olympics excitement burning. Hello and welcome. The sheer scale of the Flooding Disaster thats hit Western Germany and parts of belgium and The Netherlands is only now becoming clear. At least 70 people are believed to have died and many others have lost their homes. The german chancellor Angela Merkel called it a catastrophe and linked the events in the region to Climate Change. Our Europe Correspondentjenny Hill reports from one of the worst Hit Areas in Western Germany. There was, many here told us, no warning. Homes destroyed, lives lost, in a matter of minutes. The water ripped up the roads, tossed cars aside like toys. We met margaretta just as she arrived back in the village of schuld. She and herfamily fled last night. At the very last minute, she says, a fireman Got us out. The family are safe, though her son was injured. Hes in hospital. Margaretta points out what once was her neighbours house, but says she doesnt know what happened to them. As to her own property, half the house has Gone, her daughter tells us. Its been a devastating 2a hours for West Germany, but for belgium and The Netherlands, too. Rooftop rescues, people dragged to safety the water, a deadly torrent, Destroying Houses and engulfing neighbourhoods. Smashing homes, like matchboxes. Almost 60 people have died in West Germany alone, others are still missing. Armin laschet, who may succeed Angela Merkel as germanys next chancellor, said there was no doubt this was the result of Climate Change. Translation we will be | confronted with such events again and again, and this means that we need more speed in climate protection measures european, nationwide, worldwide. In schuld, theyre still in shock. Michal and his friend had just finished refurbishing their pub. They were supposed to open on saturday. Translation its i unreal, unbelievable. I still cant take in what im seeing here. Unbelievable. Better news for their neighbours dog, whom they managed to pull to safety, just in time last night. Its hard to imagine that just yesterday this was a quiet village street. Whats worrying people now is that theres more Rain Forecast this evening. What will happen, they are asking, when the Water Levels rise again . For now, homeless and fearful, they mourn their dead and wait, anxiously. Jenny hill, Bbc News, schuld. For more on this im joined by Sweta Chakraborty a behavioral Scientist And President of us operations for we dont have time as well as a Millennium Fellow at the washington based think tank, the atlantic council. Very tank, the atlantic council. Good to have you with u and very Good to have you with us. And your assessment, what is causing the extreme Weather And Europe . Causing the extreme Weather And Euro e . , causing the extreme Weather And Euroe . , ,. , europe . This is exactly what we would exuect europe . This is exactly what we would expect to europe . This is exactly what we would expect to happen europe . This is exactly what we would expect to happen with. Europe . This is exactly what we | would expect to happen with the Planet Warming as rapidly as it is, so we know that more extreme weather events are Going to occur more frequently, more simultaneously and be more intense than ever before. We have a warm atmosphere that holds more moisture and these, this moisture is released in the form of heavy precipitation like Rainfall Or Snow and usually you would have Atmosphere Currents moving these Weather Systems along but also with the Planet Warming you havejet also with the Planet Warming you have Jet Streams that have Gone awry and so these extreme weather events are actually paying still, so heavy amounts of precipitation are being dumped and not actually moving along so the relief is not coming fast enough either. Services unfortunately exactly Services U Nfortu nately exactly what services unfortunately exactly what we expect to see happen as the global temperature warms. All of these different connected events are connected, this is how weather and our atmosphere works together and so we are seeing these types of things in europe and united states and all over the world. There will some sceptics who will say that if a woman climate holds more moisture, how can people then blame that for other extreme weather as we have seen, say, in the united states with the heat waves, the forest fires. Are they connected or are there different causes for these different causes for these different extreme weather patterns . Different extreme weather atterns . ,. , patterns . There is definitely a Relationship Patterns . There is definitely a relationship across patterns . There is definitely a relationship across all patterns . There is definitely a relationship across all of relationship across all of these even if they dont seem related. It is that extreme weather. Because the planet is warming you have longer Spring And Summer seasons and united states which means snowfall doesnt melt as fast, sorry, it melts but it doesnt actually relieve the droughts that are Going on because there is less snow and also generally because there is less precipitation coming to parts of the planet that would experience it more regularly because those Precipitation Events are becoming more extreme and staying and random pockets of the planet and that is why we are experiencing in the South West of the united states a mega Drought And Increase wildfires because all of these conditions together are creating more Ignition Events that are lasting all year round. These are actually very connected for the Reason Id described. We are talking about more extreme events that are happening simultaneously regardless of what actual form of an impact of Climate Change we are seeing. In of an impact of Climate Change we are seeing. We are seeing. In the scientific we are seeing. In the Scientific Consensus i we are seeing. In the| Scientific Consensus is we are seeing. In the Scientific Consensus is that a lot of this is down to Human Behaviour and the impact that we are having on the claimant through our activities. I just wonder, with your behavioural Scientist Hat on, in terms of the Human Impact it is having, we often hear about food scarcity, people having to leave areas that become uninhabitable, seeing those effects of Climate Change yet . Well, we can become really proactive because we know exactly what is coming our way, we are already in the midst of it all kicking off so we are slowly Going to see Priest Migration of people away from vulnerable areas and most people when they migrate stay within the country but if certain countries are no longer habitable, like barrier islands around the world, the maldives for example, we can imagine that populations are Going to have to cross borders more regularly and so yes we are in the beginning of it now and for us as humans to be able to proactively prepare for this, to adapt to this and stave off the worst case scenarios of it, we need to very aggressively ask those who are empowered to make more difficult decisions that might not be politically expedient but that are really necessary to stave off those worst case scenarios. Germany with all of its efforts are still 18 years away from closing last Coal Plant in the decade from closing Natural Gas completely so there is a long way to Go but the urgent ever more clear as we are seeing is impact happen locally all around. , impact happen locally all around. I,. , around. 0k, a very strong, very clear message around. 0k, a very strong, very clear message there. Around. 0k, a very strong, very clear message there. Thank around. 0k, a very strong, veryj clear message there. Thank you very much and for speaking to us. As we heard, Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel has called the floods in a her country a disaster. Mrs merkel has been in washington for the last time before she leaves office. Since coming to power in 2005 Mrs Merkel has met and worked with four different us president s. For more on us relations under chancellor merkel� s leadership ive been speaking to jeffrey rathke, president of The American Institute For Contemporary German Studies atjohns hopkins university. President biden, in their Press Availability Today made the remark that friends sometimes disagree. And i think that is the way that the united states and germany are trying to characterise their relationship 110w. It is a productive forward looking partnership without agreement in every single area but i think climate is emerging as one where the biden administration views are much more closely aligned with those of the german Government, than has been the case, certainly under the trump administration. We often talk about and we often hear about the Special Relationship between the us and the United Kingdom but given germanys key role as one of the leading nations in the european union, how important is that relationship . Is there an equivalent Special Relationship between the us and germany . Its a bit different from the relationship with the uk but i would argue that germany is the most important country in europe when it comes to the agenda that the biden administration has begun to lay out in its first six months in office, and i think you see as well with the issuance of a formal statement which they are calling the washington declaration, that germany and the united states Go to great lengths to emphasise the shared values and the shared principles on which they will try to approach some of the most thorny problems that they face worldwide, whether that is trade and the role of china or issues that relate to democratisation and populism. And they do have some common challenges that they share, notably russian influence and aggression, and the way they handle china. How important has that been in the way that Angela Merkel has worked with different us president s on those challenges . Well, there was a famously frosty relationship between President Trump and chancellor merkel, but even despite that friction, there was an effort, certainly by the chancellor, to promote constructive cooperation wherever possible. If we look at issues that relate to russia, there have been some persistent disagreements, a lot of them centre around the Nord Stream 2 pipeline which also came up today and an issue that still hasnt been fully resolved, but if we look at china, i think what you see is the german view of china as a competitor and as a challenger, coming closer to that in washington, it is really bipartisan view in washington, i would add. The lebanese Politician Saad Hariri has given up his efforts to form a Government, nine months after he was designated prime minister. He said it was clear he would not be able to reach agreement with president Michel Aoun after the two men held a brief meeting. The bbc� s Tim Allman has the details. For far too long now this is how politics in lebanon tends to play out. Crowds of protesters clashing with Security Forces in beirut. A country without proper Government, deep in recession, and descending further into chaos. I Cant Feed my children, said this man. Who will feed them . Which leader . They should be ashamed. We are dying of hunger. The country is burning, said this man. Theres no milk, no medicine, no fuel, no food. The poor cant even afford pasta and yoghurt. Where are we heading . Were dead either way. The latest outburst of violence, prompted by an unsuccessful meeting between these two men, Lebanons President Michel Aoun and saad hariri, the man tasked with forming a new administration. For months they have failed to reach agreement, unable to decide upon a potential cabinet in a deeply divided and sectarian country. Now those talks have been abandoned. Mr hariri telling lebanese Television Divisions had to be left behind. Translation l have paid | a price because i talked with hezbollah. I believe in talking with hezbollah. Im one of those who paid a price when there was conflict between sunni and shiite. Im a believer in dialogue. President aoun criticised mr hariri, saying he wasnt prepared to discuss changes of any kind and he will now consult with parliament. More talks, more uncertainty. Theres every chance the protests will continue as well. Tim allman, Bbc News. Stay with us on Bbc News, still to come as japan struggles to host tokyo 2020, we have a Special Report on the small towns where the Olympics Wont be overshadowed. After months of talks and missed deadlines, a deal has been struck to keep greece within the Euro Zone. The immediate prospect of greece Going bust in the worst crisis to hit the Euro Zone has been averted. Emergency services across Central Europe are stepping up their efforts to contain the worst floods this century. Nearly 100 people have been killed. Broadway is traditionally called the great white way by americans, but tonight, its completely blacked out. Its a timely reminder to all americans of the problems that the Energy Crisis has brought to them. Leaders meet in paris for a summit on pollution, inflation and third world debt. This morning, Theyjoined The Revolution Celebrations for a show of military might on the champs elysees. Wildlife officials in australia have been coping with a penguin problem. Fairy penguins have been staggering ashore and collapsing after Gorging themselves on their favourite food, pilchards. Some had eaten so much, they could barely stand. This is Bbc News, the latest headlines Flash Floods kill at least seventy people in western europe. Thousands across germany, The Netherlands and belgium have been forced to leave their homes with more Heavy Rain on the way. Lebanons Prime Minister Designate gives up on trying to form a Government, there are protests on the streets as the Countrys Crisis deepens. 25,000 troops are being deployed by South Africa after days of Looting And Violence which have led to the deaths of at least 117 people. The clashes were sparked initially by the jailing of the former president , jacob zuma, who had refused to appear at a corruption inquiry. But in recent days it has turned into a protest about unemployment and poverty. Nomsa maseko reports. Residents of johannesburg protecting their livelihoods. Guarding against rioters and looters since the beginning of this week. In durban, checkpoints have been set up across the city. Hold it, hold it people looking to protect themselves and their businesses from looting. People are hungry at the moment. People havent had an opportunity to stock up, so theyre really desperate. Theyre desperate for milk, forfood, for supplies for their kids. They dont have formula, they dont have nappies, theyre just really battling. Now that looting has died down, these fears over Food And Fuel shortages mean long queues outside shops and petrol stations. The Police Minister was in durban today. He admitted that the Government should have put a stop to this much sooner. Is it not time for the South African Government and the police to admit that you have failed this country . Indeed, as i am considering, that could have been better. Police were definitely overstretched. By the way, South African Police Service are not trained for war and times of complete eruption, they are not trained for that, hence the president will supplement and say, you Go and assist them. 25,000 troops have now been promised, but there was very little evidence of this on the streets here apart from the presence of a lone military Helicopter Circling above warehouses that were targeted three days aGo. Things are a lot calmer today. People are out on the streets cleaning up but tensions are still high. I was chased away by armed residents at a checkpoint on that side of town. All i was trying to do was to take a picture to show you that that area had been running out of fuel, but they had a problem with that, saying that my presence there would alert looters to areas that have not been hit yet. Singing and chanting this could well be a Turning Point for South Africa, with many people asking themselves if the anc, in power since the dawn of south Africas Democracy in 1994, still holds the key to this countrys future prospects. Nomsa maseko, Bbc News, durban. Its been nearly two months since an indigenous community in the canadian province of British Colombia announced it had discovered the buried remains of an estimated 215 children on the grounds of a former Residential School. Today its leaders say they expect more graves to be found as the search continues and have called on the Government to release School Attendance records to help them identify the remains. There have been several similar grim discoveries in recent weeks and they have re focused attention on the brutal legacy of canadas Residential School system. The bbc� s Barbara Plett Usher has visited the province of saskatchewan to find out more. For decades the side of this Residential School filled indigenous children with fear and dread. Today it is a Haunting Reminder of a dark period in canadian history. Six. Period in canadian history. Six ears old period in canadian history. Six years old i period in canadian history. S years old i was imprisoned here. ,. ,. , years old i was imprisoned here. ,. ,. ,. , here. Isidore and three of his brothers with here. Isidore and three of his brothers with students here. Isidore and three of his brothers with students in here. Isidore and three of his brothers with students in the j brothers with students in the late 1970s. He remembers strict rules and harsh punishment. Around 150,000 indigenous children were sent to schools, cutting them off from their Family Tradition and language. It was a Government-programme'>Government Programme but often run by the church. Cultural genocide is what an Official Commission called it in 2015. Official commission called it in 20 15. What Official Commission called it in 2015. What happened when you speak your language he had . I was hit. I was hit like Everyone Else who spoke the language here. We were beaten. We were called names. Bad names, dirty little savages. B, names, dirty little savages. A number of unmarked graves were found before the recent discoveries. Stories of such graves were common among the students. ,. ,. ,. ,. , students. The son of a survivor told me that students. The son of a survivor told me that his students. The son of a survivor told me that his dad students. The son of a survivor told me that his dad buried students. The son of a survivor told me that his dad buried a l told me that his dad buried a kid over there, over those hills. A child from the school . A child from the school. He buried a child over there. The findinus buried a child over there. The findings from buried a child over there. The findings from searches that Residential Schools have renewed calls for justice Residential Schools have renewed Calls Forjustice and opened old wounds. The northern city of prince albert, survivors are reliving the trauma and talking about it openly like never before. At openly like never before. At least openly like never before. Git least we know now what happened to the students who did not return. They did not return home. ~. , g return. They did not return home. ~. ,. , home. We never talked about it. We never talked home. We never talked about it. We never talked about home. We never talked about it. We never talked about it . Home. We never talked about it. We never talked about it . We i we never talked about it . We never talked about it, no. Just kept silent. Because we were afraid. ,. ,. , afraid. Indigenous leaders have finally begun afraid. Indigenous leaders have finally begun to afraid. Indigenous leaders have finally begun to get afraid. Indigenous leaders have | finally begun to get Government-support-forfurther'>Government Support Forfurther finally begun to get Government-support'>Government Support for further grave searches but there are also demands for accountability, access to archives and an apology from the pope, even an international investigation. There was a crime against humanity, a crime against children that no one should everface. There children that no one should ever face. There was torture, Abuse And Death in those institutions. And someone somewhere must face the consequences. Somewhere must face the consequences. Some catholic Bisho S consequences. Some catholic bishops in consequences. Some catholic bishops in saskatchewan consequences. Some catholic bishops in saskatchewan Alsoj Bishops In Saskatchewan also want the vatican to act but stressed that apologies are not enough. B. Stressed that apologies are not enou h. � , ,. ,. , enough. A big step towards reconciliation enough. A big step towards reconciliation is enough. A big step towards reconciliation is a enough. A big step towards reconciliation is a new reconciliation is a new understanding of our history in this country. We are talking about the deepest historical wound in this country and if it is complicated and messy to address it today it is because that wound is deep and profound and has never been dealt with well. fist and has never been dealt with well. �. ,. ,. , well. At another residential School Site well. At another residential School Site in well. At another residential School Site in the well. At another residential School Site in the province, | School Site in the province, that history is now painfully visible. Marked out grave by grave. Momentum is gathering to search for the truth across canada. Next week the olympics is due to open, tokyo is back under a covid state of emergency. In the capital, enthusiasm for the games is hard to find. But in some small towns there is still excitement, especially among those acting as the adopted home for foreign olympics teams. Our correspondent Rupert Wingfield Hayes has been to murayama in Northern Japan as they prepare to welcome the bulgarian rhythmic Gymnastics Team. Not many japanese kids are lucky enough to have a former international gymnast as their teacher, and not just any gymnast. Antoaneta vitale was once a World Class rhythmic gymnast competing for bulgaria. But for the last two years, shes been teaching here in the mountains of Northern Japan. For me, was really like a Dream Come True to experience to come here to a place i already love and to work with gymnastics. That was my childhood. I was growing up in gymnastics, so this is my passion. Five years aGo, murayama invited the bulgarian womens Gymnastics Team to make this place their olympic hometown. But that was before covid. He speaks his own language. Hotel Manager Wataru Suzuki shows me the route the bulgarian team will now have to take to get back to their rooms. Ok, so theres a screen here, cant Go any further. At every stage, the Team Members will have to be kept separate from other guests. News that two ugandan athletes tested positive for covid after arriving injapan has added to his worries. Translation when i heard about ugandan team, i was a bit concerned. If we have an athlete infect after they arrive, the infection could spread around the team. That is what i am most worried about. Murayama is really an exemplar of what the whole Olympic Spirit is supposed to be about. But because of covid, the tremendous enthusiasm here is tempered with anxiety, and thats because places like this in ruraljapan have lots and lots of old people, and so far, almost no covid infections. Thats not Going to stop keiko komaro. She is the founder of murayamas bulgarian gymnastics support club. She says she thinks of the team as her adoptive granddaughters, and she cant wait to see them compete. Translation | know | theres a lot of criticism because of covid, but i really wanted to be in tokyo to see them perform. Their families and Friends Cant come, so thats why i wanted to be there to make sure the girls know we are all behind them. The majority of japanese may still be very sceptical about the games taking place, but here in murayama, there is real excitement as they await the arrival of their bulgarian granddaughters. She chants. Rupert wingfield hayes, Bbc News, in yamagata, Northern Japan. Hello there. Our sunshine that we see believe it or not is linked to the extreme Weather Weve seen across other parts of europe. Its linked by the jet stream. This is the pattern that weve seen. A very undulating jet stream. It means slow moving weather. Weve had low pressure bringing the rain across europe. That low pressure will move eastwards. Eventually taking the rain away from germany. High pressure will bid in across the uk, bringing Dry Weather. With the sunshine we had on thursday, temperatures in Northern Ireland reached 26 degrees, making it the warmest day of the year so far. Its Going to be a warm start across belfast, temperatures at 16 degrees. We start with cloud across east anglia, but it will break up more readily. Its Going to feel warmer. Sunshine across england and wales. Some patchy cloud developing. There will be spells of sunshine for Northern Ireland, but across western scotland, more of a breeze and more cloud. Sunnier skies and warmer weather for Eastern Parts Of Scotland and across england and wales, 26 27 degrees. Itll be a warmer day for the eastern side of england. High pressure in charge in the weekend. Around the top of the area of high pressure, winds are coming in from the atlantic. Stronger winds of scotland again on saturday, and that will drag in more cloud and a little more drizzle. The cloud in Northern Ireland will tend to break up and will get sunshine coming in across other parts of scotland. Lots of Sunshine And Light winds across england and wales. Temperatures continuing to climb up to around 27 or 28 degrees. Temperatures in scotland and Northern Ireland probably not changing too much at this stage. As we head into that second half of the weekend, well see more cloud coming down across scotland and Northern Ireland, perhaps into northern england. A change of Air Mass which will drop the temperatures. Lots of sunshine for the southern half of the uk. Temperatures here could reach 29 or 30 degrees. You can see those lower temperatures as you head further north. As we head into the beginning next week, maybe one or two showers. But on the whole, a lot of Dry Weather once again. But that Cooler Air in the north will be pushing its way further south. This is Bbc News, the Headlines Record Rainfall in parts of europes caused deadly Flash Floods, claiming at least 70 lives, most of them in germany. Thousands of people across the west of the country and in The Netherlands and belgium have had to leave their homes, more Heavy Rain is on the way. Lebanons political and economic crisis has worsened after the Prime Minister Designate quit after nine months trying to form a Government. Saad Hariris Supporters took to the streets after he blamed the Countrys President saying it was clear the two would not come to an agreement. South africas deadly unrest has entered a second week, 25,000 troops have been deployed to tackle the Violence And Looting sparked by the jailing of former president jacob zuma. At least 117 people have died in whats been the worst violence in years in some parts. Now on Bbc News its panorama, and reporter and long Covid Sufferer Lucy Adams speaks to others with the condition. Its 11 weeks since i started with a fever and some of the symptoms of coronavirus. Im Lucy Adams, a bbc correspondent. Ive Got a really hoarse Sore Throat and a headache. I Got covid last year but never Got better. Ive been ill for eight. Breaks down. Ive been ill for eight months now. And im getting really fed up on it