be offered protection from a free mobile phone app. pope francis launches what catholics have described as the most ambitious project of church reform in six decades. and the british teenager, emma raducanu, loses herfirst match since winning the us open, beaten in straight sets by the world number 100. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. there's growing pressure on the uk government to support businesses struggling with rising gas prices. a number of conservative mps have joined the leaders of industries with heavy energy consumption in calling for ministers to intervene. representatives of the sector say their talks yesterday with the uk business secretary, kwasi kwarteng, ended with no immediate solutions. here's our business correspondent, katie prescott. stoking the white heat of furnaces is burning a hole in the finances of industries that need vast amounts of energy, as prices to keep the wheels turning soar. they've asked the government to step in or see jobs lost. we in the energy intensive users group, we have chemicals, steel, ceramics, paper, industrial gases, glass, mineral products, so making products like lime that goes into water treatment and air pollution control, really essential materials and essential businesses and supply chains that supply the everyday goods that we need. the government says it is in regular contact with business groups to explore ways to manage the impact of rising global prices and this underscores the importance of building a strong home—grown renewable energy sector to further reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. meanwhile, it is no playground for smaller businesses. without a price cap to protect them, most fix their energy contracts years in advance. the unlucky ones are having to renew now, just as costs are bouncing. the next contract on our second venue is due up on the 1st of january and we're looking for prices now, you are looking, at the moment, energy�*s selling eight times higher than it was when that contract started. eight times higher. that is just, like, that's crazy. while households might be directly protected by the energy price cap, when it comes to business bills, we're all in it together. if the energy prices are not lowered, only one thing will happen. light switch flicks. katie prescott, bbc news. let's speak to the ceo of british glass. thank you forjoining us on bbc news today and give us an overview if you would on the situation for your industry at the moment with this rising energy prices. i moment with this rising energy rices. ~ ., , . prices. i think the degree of price risin: has prices. i think the degree of price rising has been _ prices. i think the degree of price rising has been absolutely - rising has been absolutely unprecedented. you heard from other sectors and we are no different, other than safe to say that publicly because of the cost of our raw material being relatively modest and product being relatively low—priced, it is very difficult to pass these price rises through. we are seeing price rises through. we are seeing price rises through. we are seeing price rises of better than eight times are ten times the spot market price two days ago, which is just impossible to deal with. you price two days ago, which is 'ust impossible to deal with. you took art in impossible to deal with. you took part in the _ impossible to deal with. you took part in the meeting _ impossible to deal with. you took part in the meeting with - impossible to deal with. you took part in the meeting with the - part in the meeting with the business secretary yesterday. i spoke to the boss of uk steel after that and he said there were no immediate solutions on the table from the government. one idea that's been put forward as a price cap for small and medium—sized businesses, similar to the price cap we see for domestic customers. would something like that help place—mack i domestic customers. would something like that help place-mad— like that help place-mack i think it would certainly _ like that help place-mack i think it would certainly help, _ like that help place-mack i think it would certainly help, but - like that help place-mack i think it would certainly help, but it - like that help place-mack i think it would certainly help, but it is - would certainly help, but it is probably too little too late. across the heavy industries there is a wide range of models, and this manufacturing industry is very vulnerable. we see an immediate impact, the idea of inflation being a progressive thing, we are seeing price rises immediately, renewing contracts that are 40p or 50p from years ago and sort of hedge purchases, to renew those, now being three or £4. i think measures like that will be certainly needed and helpful, but we are also going to need immediate intervention to help certain companies that are within that spectrum of impact and are far more severely impacted. you estimated — more severely impacted. you estimated around _ more severely impacted. you estimated around 6000 people employed in the british glass industry and of course many thousands more in related sectors, and with the government talking about the importance of high skilled jobs, well—paid jobs, about the importance of high skilled jobs, well—paidjobs, how about the importance of high skilled jobs, well—paid jobs, how important on that front is it that the government make some sort of intervention at this stage? i think, to be fair to _ intervention at this stage? i think, to be fair to the _ intervention at this stage? i think, to be fair to the secretary - intervention at this stage? i think, to be fair to the secretary of - to be fair to the secretary of state, that was acknowledged during the meeting. the reality is models had already been constructed to look at whether we could weather the sort of transient see of the issue. i guess everyone has in mind that this is likely to be dealt with in terms of severity before the winter is out, maybe even sooner than that, with contracts we have already seen being negotiated with russia and elsewhere. the reality is it's going to be incredibly difficult to make the impact of that something that is manageable in the immediate term. we are seeing contracts now that it's impossible for us to react. we are going to need intervention at the company level by those that are particularly exposed, and able to find measures to deal with it. you've mentioned tenders — changes in tariff barriers meaning it is becoming increasingly more difficult for you to compete against cheaper products coming in from elsewhere... would you go as far to say that this energy crisis is turning into a survival crisis for a number of sectors across business and industry?— sectors across business and indust ? . , , ~ industry? certainly is. i think there is a _ industry? certainly is. i think there is a compound - industry? certainly is. i think there is a compound effect . industry? certainly is. ithink- there is a compound effect here, the price of carbon increase considerably. the fuel price is only massive roller—coasters, but to compound that we have the residual effects of brexit, where we are is britain open for business. our border tariffs have been liberalised and historically glass is not really been a material that has been massively exposed to imports, because of the low price obviously, cheaper commodities don't travel a long way and bear the costs. with these sorts of price hikes, and the way that the progressive markets to infiltrate have been developing, we've got to be very cautious that products hitting the uk shores from further afield are not outpacing the in the uk to an extent that we just can't bear it, — out pricing. and i think that is an entirely likely scenario and something needs done. china's president xijinping has said that reunification with taiwan must be fulfilled. his comments come at a time of heightened military tension in the region. it also comes a day before taiwan which china views as a breakaway province celebrates its national day. mr xi added that unification should be achieved peacefully but he didn't rule out the potential use of force to achieve that goal. in response, taiwan has said its future rests in the hands of its own people. here is a little of what president xi had to say: translation: unification is the hope of all chinese people. _ if china can be unified, all chinese will enjoy a happy life. if china can't unify, everyone will suffer. our correspondentjohn sudworth has more from taipei. this was a very confident chinese president saying not only must unification with taiwan be achieved, but that it will be achieved. you know, underlining this idea of this inevitability behind this process. of course it is important to say this is the kind of thing we have heard from the chinese leadership many, many times before. i think it is coming under more scrutiny at the moment because of the context. first of all, as you mentioned, these comments come around a couple of significant anniversaries, china recently celebrating its national day, taiwan's national day tomorrow, but also china upping the tension with these military sorties that it has been flying into the taiwanese air defence identification zone, acts seen as deeply provocative by taiwan and its allies. and of course a lot of that is kind of business as usual, linked to these sorts of anniversaries when we see an uptick in rhetoric, but there is something bigger behind all this as well and that is the sense that possibly the political and strategic balance is shifting as well. the politics, because of course taiwan and china in many ways have never been further apart, china growing increasingly authoritarian, taiwan today a modern and vibrant democracy, but also as china grows more authoritarian, it is growing stronger, more wealthy, more powerful, it is updating its military and there is a fear here in taiwan that the strategic balance is shifting, that the day might not be too far off when for china, eyeing the possibility of taking taiwan by force, eyeing the possibility of an invasion calculates that finally the benefits outweigh the risks rather than at the moment what has kind of maintained the status quo some people suggested that at the moment invasion for china is a very risky option. an appeals court in the united states has temporarily reinstated the near total ban on abortions in texas. the ruling overturns the decision of a lower court earlier this week, which had blocked the bill. under the law, abortion in texas is prohibited after about six weeks of pregnancy and makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. the dispute could ultimately end up before the us supreme court. german police say they're investigating several cases of so called �*havana syndrome' at the american embassy in berlin. the illness first came to light in cuba in 2016. dozens of american officials have reported symptoms including nausea, memory lapses and dizziness. police in berlin said they were looking into an "alleged sonic weapon attack". the united states and the taliban are to hold their first face—to—face talks since the militants seized control of afghanistan in august. the state department said the meeting would take place in doha on saturday and sunday. these are the first face—to—face talks to take place between taliban leaders and the us delegation since the taliban seized control of afghanistan on the 15th of august. from the usa will rehearing is that top of the agenda is the safe evacuation of us national still in afghanistan, and other people who have permits to go to the united states of america. we know over the past few weeks there been delays and difficulties in this evacuation process, taking place via air from here in doha, us officials will be hoping to iron out those details in the meeting. we are also told they will be discussing access for the delivery of humanitarian aid to provinces across afghanistan and that the us aid official as part of the american delegation. from the taliban, we've been told that a delegation led by taliban appointed foreign minister is here to improve relations with the international community. the taliban will of course want aid from the world, from the global community, that is perhaps what they will be looking for from this meeting. women travelling home alone could soon be offered protection from a free mobile phone act. the app was developed provisionally, and will allow users to opt into a remote tracking mechanism which would activate an alert if they did not reach their destination in the estimated time. the home office says it is reviewing the proposal. pope francis is launching what some catholics are describing as the most ambitious project of church reform in 60 years. a two year consultation exercise of every parish around the world begins this weekend and could tackle issues such as women's ordination, married men as priests and blessings for gay couples. i'm joined by and made it from a grassroots organisation devoted to reform of the catholic church. what do you want from this consultation? we think it's wonderful pope francis wants to hear the voice notjust of catholics, he is interested in hearing anyone who feels they want to comment on the system. our slight concern is that we very much want to work with their bishops on this, but there may be many parishes, people may be listening to me and hearing here in the uk, who have not yet her very much from their bishops at all. root and branch held our own senate last month in preparation, but the big difference about ours was that it was entirely lay led, led by grassroots group of us, ordinary people, who feel it is time the church came back to us, and the text we have just released from that has at its basis that what touches all of those , . , . at its basis that what touches all of those , ., , ., ., ., of those this was a maxim from the church's first... _ of those this was a maxim from the church's first... what _ of those this was a maxim from the church's first... what touches - of those this was a maxim from the church's first... what touches all i church's first... what touches all about should be discussed and agreed by all those sorry, given the hierarchical structure of the church, do you think that what people say at the grassroots level, it is going to be listened to, and acted upon? well, thank you very much for letting me make it here. what a great point. our concern is that a bishop may not have the energy or the resources to take this right to everybody in his diocese. we want people to get in touch with root and branch and we can provide a simple template for people to talk about theissues template for people to talk about the issues in the church that really matter, so we can bring about good, and we are concerned about the bad. it is time the people of the church were listened to. we feel people could get in touch with us, if you google root and branch you will find the talks we have had and the text we have put out. because the church belongs to the people of god. fire belongs to the people of god. are ou clear belongs to the people of god. are you clear that the mechanism is for the thoughts of every parish to be filtered through? you're saying in some areas bishops may not have a new give a variety of reasons why they may not be as engage with this process as you might like them to be, so what is the mechanism by which the thoughts on a whole variety of subjects of each parish will be filtered through to those bishops, to the decision makers in rome? , �* ., . ., , rome? there isn't a mechanism, the catholic church _ rome? there isn't a mechanism, the catholic church is _ rome? there isn't a mechanism, the catholic church is done _ rome? there isn't a mechanism, the catholic church is done top-down - rome? there isn't a mechanism, the catholic church is done top-down for| catholic church is done top—down for the last 500 years, particularly the last 150 years, and the catholic church simply doesn't possess a variety of mechanisms for gathering up variety of mechanisms for gathering up the views of others, the catholic people. so this is very difficult for a lot of bishops. however to do it? those mechanisms, structures, they are simple forms but it is not they are simple forms but it is not the case of real listening because the case of real listening because the catch is, that although be bishops in their document say to all of us every voice will be heard, the neck sentences and we'd be bishops will what goes to rome — the next sentence. will what goes to rome - the next sentence. , , ., ., sentence. very interesting to hear ou sentence. very interesting to hear you expiain _ sentence. very interesting to hear you exaiain that — sentence. very interesting to hear you explain that to _ sentence. very interesting to hear you explain that to get _ sentence. very interesting to hear you explain that to get your - you explain that to get your perspective on it, mary. how important is it to people that they feel they are being listened to any meaningful way and that their thoughts will lead to meaningful change in this process, if people are to keep their faith, and change in this process, if people are to keep theirfaith, and to keep faith with the church? are to keep their faith, and to keep faith with the church?— faith with the church? well, that is comletel faith with the church? well, that is completely the _ faith with the church? well, that is completely the question. - faith with the church? well, that is completely the question. that - faith with the church? well, that is completely the question. that is i faith with the church? well, that is l completely the question. that is why the small group of us, and we are only small, but we've taken a step of saying we don't have to wait. if we wait for the bishops to do it it could be a long long time. catholics can do it for themselves now. we have a responsibility to educate ourselves and the responsibility to support those bishops when we can, because we have just heard a very successful one, with over a0 international speakers over a week, and every speech and talk can be heard if you just click on our website. it wasn't difficult, it was a lot of work, but it wasn't difficult. people are rife for reform, and what they have to remember is that we are the catholics that haven't walked away because that we are actually the church plus �*s get out ofjail free card. we need to be heard. and i think that is the point of releasing our bristol text that we are launching tomorrow. our bristol text that we are launchin: tomorrow. . ~ , ., , launching tomorrow. thank you very much for your— launching tomorrow. thank you very much for your time. _ launching tomorrow. thank you very much for your time. very _ launching tomorrow. thank you very much for your time. very grateful, l much for your time. very grateful, thank you- — france has threatened to reduce electricity supplies to the british crown dependency of jersey amid fresh tensions over post brexit fishing rights. its europe minister said france had applied for four hundred and fifty licences for its fishermen to access british waters, but had only been granted half that number. lucy williamson reports from paris. questioned about the row over british fishing licences on a morning news programme, clement beaune said reducing electricity to jersey was no idle threat. we are not talking about cutting power to eachjersey resident, he said, but reducing the delivery of electricity to the island is possible. resentment has been piling up on this side of the channel over covid vaccines, post—brexit border checks for northern ireland, and a secret british—american submarine deal in the pacific. fishing rights have been a source of tension for years, but brexit has sharpened divisions, with european fishermen asked to prove their connections to uk waters. some small french boats say they are not equipped to provide that proof. france has accused britain of not living up to its own post—brexit agreement. next week, eu ministers will meet in luxembourg to discuss their response as politicians on both sides of the channel point to the waters that separate britain and france. voters in the czech republic have just a few hours left to decide whether to return the controversial prime minister, andrej babis, to power for a second term. it's the second day of voting to choose a new prime minister and parliament. the ruling populist party maintained a slight lead during the election campaign despite accusations of corruption and criticism of its handling of the pandemic. it's being challenged by two opposition blocs which have been gaining support. results are expected later on saturday. our correspondent in prague rob cameron told us more about the obstacles facing mr babis as he bids for a second term: he's caught between a rock and a hard place, if you like. on one hand, these two centre—right centrist opposition coalition ranged against him, but he is also facing the far right nipping at his heels, so he has to attract both voters from both sides of the electoral divide here in the czech republic. and the centre—right opposition are hoping to corner him, to deprive him of that parliamentary majority, those 101 seats that he could assemble in any coalition, to deprive him of the chance of power. but it all depends on what the president milos zeman will do. he's already said he will appoint the leader of the largest party in parliament to form the next government. that will almost certainly be mr babis. but now there are questions about president zeman�*s health — he is unwell, he is sequestered in his presidential retreat — and it's unclearjust what role he will be able to play in the post—election talks. there's been a widespread welcome for the biggest overhaul of the international corporate tax system in decades. one hundred and thirty six countries backed the accord, under which the largest multinationals will pay a minimum tax rate of fifteen per cent. is being heralded as a giant g20 side step towards curbing corporate tax avoidance any digital world. these agreements are clearly a tax revolution, which we needed to — which will lead to less unfairness, more justice and efficiency. which will lead to less unfairness, morejustice and efficiency. 136 more justice and efficiency. 136 nations agreed to a near global minimum tax rate of 15% on a firm's income, to stop them paying less elsewhere, and for a large chunk of the profits paid were the actually do business, instead of where they are based. it will affect digital giants like amazon and facebook, with global sales and billions of dollars on healthy project margins — profit margins. it is expected to bring hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenues a year, taxes on hundred and billions of dollars of profit shifted to countries where big multinationals earn their income. who will profit most? to earn their income. who will profit most? ., ., , ., most? to the extent it does generate some additional— most? to the extent it does generate some additional revenues, _ most? to the extent it does generate some additional revenues, they - most? to the extent it does generate some additional revenues, they are i some additional revenues, they are almost going to go to the united states and a few other countries, that will leave everyone pretty much where they were. $1150 that will leave everyone pretty much where they were.— where they were. also sceptical of this is the charity _ where they were. also sceptical of this is the charity oxfam. - where they were. also sceptical of this is the charity oxfam. they - where they were. also sceptical of| this is the charity oxfam. they said the tax levels in the detail including a complex web of exemptions that could lead big offenders off the hook. this sea change has emerged following years of negotiations with differences finally bridged. under pressure from ireland, the mutual corporate tax rate won't be set above 15%. under pressure from hungary, there will be a ten year transition period for more physical, rather than digital businesses, like car plants, based in itsjurisdiction. and china's has carved out protection to protect the and with only small international profits. this can finally end tension with america over a digital services tax currently imposed on silicon valley companies by the likes of the uk, india and france. a two—year freeze has been agreed on those taxes, which suggests these new rules could be implemented by october 2023. g20 leaders are expected to sign off on the deal at a summit in rome in late october, but crucially, national parliaments must ratify it to take effect. social media companies have welcomed the proposals. facebook says the tax system needs to command public confidence. amazon says it looks forward to further technical details. google's parent company says it hopes the momentum continues. now it's time for a look at the weather with susan powell. hello. some rents are coming into the afternoon across eastern scotland, northern england and north wales, but wherever you are, rain or shine, it is still likely to feel rather warm. temperatures above average the time of year, as they have been in the last couple of days. we are pulling a lot of very warm air out from a good way south in the atlantic, essentially tropical air. here goes this band of rain through the afternoon, sinking across eastern scotland into northern england and wales, perhaps a few showers for the south—west is immense in here. degrees, to the rear of it warm for scotland and northern ireland but the weather front is a marker between the very warm air to the south and air more typical of that we are sitting in at this time of year coming in from the north—west. perhaps chilly weather as winds fall light across some of the scottish glens by the end of the night. here goes the front throughout the weekend, weakening on its way across the uk because high pressure is trying to squeeze in from the west so across southern and eastern england first thing on sunday, maybe a bit of drizzle, some cloud but it will brighten and a much brighter start for scotland and northern ireland. quite windy across scotland, gusty westerly winds will usher in some showers but we could still be looking at 20 degrees across southern england and wales on sunday but to the north temperatures mid—teens more typically and then into the new week high pressure sits south of the uk. weather fronts will try to sneak in to the north and for scotland there will be some wetter weather especially in the west on monday, perhaps thicker cloud for northern ireland and northern england. to the south a lot of fine weather underneath that area of high pressure but there is that risk of generating the same problem we had first thing on saturday, some dense and lingering patches of fog and that is likely to be the story for many mornings this week to the south of the uk and we never see a return of those 20 degrees highs, temperatures looking like they will sit widely in the mid—teens. a lot of fine weather to come, the wettest weather probably for scotland at the end of the week and some showers for northern ireland. hello, this is bbc news. the headlines... pressure grows on the uk government to help businesses facing soaring energy bills, as some of its own mps join industry bosses in asking for support. the chinese president, xijinping, vows to unify china and taiwan as heightened tensions over the island continue. translation: if china can be unified, all chinese _ will enjoy a happy life. if china can't unify, everyone will suffer. the united states and the taliban will hold face—to—face talks in their first meeting since the group seized control of afghanistan in august. women in the uk who are travelling home alone could soon be offered protection from a free mobile phone app. pope francis launches what catholics have described as the most ambitious project of church reform in six decades.