tv BBC News BBC News May 12, 2024 1:00am-1:31am BST
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live from washington. this is bbc news. israel orders more evacuations in gaza's southern city of rafah as it intensifies military operations. sweeping pro—europe protests in tbilisi, georgia — as the country moves forward with a bill critics say will clamp down on dissent. is done it! switzerland have one 68 eurovision song contest. plus: the eurovision song contest crowns switzerland as it's winner. we'll get reaction from malmo in sweden. hello i'm helena humphrey. good to happy with us. israel has ordered thousands more people to leave the city of rafah in southern gaza — as it presses on with its military campaign
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there against hamas. the israel defense forces have declared a narrow coastal strip at al—mawasi to be a safe humanitarian zone, but the un says it has no running water or proper sanitation. israel says that since monday, about 300,000 palestinians have already fled rafah. the us is still urging israel not to mount a full—scale assault on the city. and in the north — there are evacuations in the city of jabalia, as the idf says that it has been carrying out air strikes. it says hamas fighters are regrouping there. meanwhile, there's new fears of the humanitarian situation gaza worsening. ru abbass reports on the case of one child who is hoping to make it out and is currently in a hospital that is running out of fuel. this girl is ten years old and suffering with pain in her abdomen. she is in an overwhelmed hospital. israel
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has directed 100,000 people from rafah to relocate around the city. the idf says it is chasing down hamas fighters. she was at her home when the impact of truck nor from an israeli strike on the house next door severed her left arm. her doctors say her recovery is slow due to a lack of staff and medical equipment.
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despite her obstacles, she remains hopeful about her future. and dreams of receiving medical treatment in the united arab emirates. with no prospect of a ceasefire, such freedoms remain out of reach, notjust for somaya but so many other children like her. ru abbass, bbc news. earlier, i talked about the war with senior adviser for the us program of the international crisis group and a former state department lawyer brian finucane. i'd like to start with that us report with regards to israel's conduct, how it's been
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prosecuting the war. washington conclusion saying that israel has most likely violated international standards in failing to protect the billions in gaza but has not found specific instances that would justify the withholding of military aid. what did you make of that conclusion? the military aid. what did you make of that conclusion?— of that conclusion? the report, as ou of that conclusion? the report, as you note. — of that conclusion? the report, as you note, avoids _ of that conclusion? the report, as you note, avoids reaching i as you note, avoids reaching specific legal conclusions. about particular incidents, there are general characterisations of israeli conduct and descriptions of attacks lodged by the idf in gaza. but they report a conclusion that could limit the flexibility of the white house to continue providing us arms to continue providing us arms to israel and that is because us law and policy impose limitations and conditions on arms transfers to all countries including with respect to whether the weapons are used in violation of the law. [30
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whether the weapons are used in violation of the law.— violation of the law. do you think that _ violation of the law. do you think that this _ violation of the law. do you think that this report - violation of the law. do you think that this report could | think that this report could have gone further?- think that this report could have gone further? yes. in several respects. - have gone further? yes. in several respects. one - have gone further? yes. in several respects. one is i have gone further? yes. in i several respects. one is there is additional tax gathering that the government could have taken, there are important of difficulty of making assessments of compliance because of the nature of such inquiries. there is will evidence the us government even conducted the investigation is that human rights organisations or media organisations have been doing in gaza and the us, and has a intelligence community to that information. the report ignores whole categories of israeli conduct, notjust in gaza but also in the west bank with respect to the west bank with respect to the settlements, demolition of homes, both of which i let the fourth geneva convention and also strikes into syria which likely violate the un charter in which it used us origin war plans. the report turned a blind eye to certain violations
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of the law of war and more generally by israel.- of the law of war and more generally by israel. the biden administration _ generally by israel. the biden administration for _ generally by israel. the biden administration for its - generally by israel. the biden administration for its part - generally by israel. the biden administration for its part and is conducting the report we should say says israel is not sharing complete information that they can use in the verification process. do you think that this is something that the biden administration should be pushing for to obtain? ~ , , , , should be pushing for to obtain? ~ , , , ., obtain? absolutely. this is a co out obtain? absolutely. this is a cepout of — obtain? absolutely. this is a copout of the _ obtain? absolutely. this is a copout of the us _ obtain? absolutely. this is a | copout of the us government obtain? absolutely. this is a . copout of the us government to say that and again the us is not a media organisation, not like a human rights watch or an ngo, it has the tools to gather these information even if the israelis don't want to share it. i israelis don't want to share it. ., ., ., ~ israelis don't want to share it. i want to talk about the potential _ it. i want to talk about the potential for _ it. i want to talk about the potential for full-scale - it. i want to talk about the - potential for full-scale ground potential for full—scale ground operation in rafah, there seems to be some momentum that gaining pace. we know about 300,000 palestinians have moved out of that area and a lot of them have gone to a place called al—mawasi which the un says does not have proper sanitation and clean running
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water. you are an expert in international humanitarian law. if there were to move to that area, is that compatible with international humanitarian law? well, i do have expertise in humanitarian law but i want to take a step back. the biden administration hinted at a red line with respect to a full—scale operation in rafah. more fundamentally the red line needs to be a continuation of the war at all. the rest is to use its leveraged including through arms transfers to israel to bring about a ceasefire. ratherthan israel to bring about a ceasefire. rather than trying to adjudicate individual law of war violations as the report tries to do to some degree, the focus should be on the conflict overall, bringing a ceasefire to stop the killing while allowing aid to get in and releasing the hostages held by hamas. ., r' releasing the hostages held by hamas. ., , ., , hamas. let me ask you this. the biden administration _ hamas. let me ask you this. the biden administration has - biden administration has specifically set up at that redline would be an unfettered
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ground offensive bear in rafah and the potential for more harm to civilians. benjamin netanyahu is adamant there will be a operation there. i would washington do if that redline is breached? == washington do if that redline is breached?— washington do if that redline is breached? ., ., , is breached? -- what would they do? it would _ is breached? -- what would they do? it would be _ is breached? -- what would they do? it would be the _ is breached? -- what would they do? it would be the case - is breached? -- what would they do? it would be the case at - do? it would be the case at israel will try to slice the salami to some degree but take some action in rafah but short of what they perceive of the white house is redline to be. it will be a test about how serious the biden administration is about pushing back on the israelis and whether they will finally use us leveraged for rafah but they should be using the leveraged for the bigger target of bringing the conflict as a whole to a conclusion. brian, a senior advisor _ whole to a conclusion. brian, a senior advisor for _ whole to a conclusion. brian, a senior advisor for the - whole to a conclusion. brian, a senior advisor for the us - senior advisorfor the us programme of the international council and state department lawyer, thank you for being with us. ~ , lawyer, thank you for being with us. y , .,, lawyer, thank you for being with us. g , ., ~ with us. my pleasure, thank ou. ukraine's president,
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volodymyr zelenskyy, says his forces are now fighting to defend seven villages in its kharkiv region. his comments come a day after russia launched a surprise incursion across the border. mr zelenskyy claimed none of the villages have been lost. but the institute for the study of war, an independent think tank, says it's likely russia now controls at least five. the local government says least 1,800 people have been evacuated. kyiv has been expecting a russian summer offensive for some time — including a possible attempt to capture kharkiv, ukraine's second city. our correspondent in kyiv, james waterhouse, has more. it creates for ukraine an unwanted new north—eastern access to the front line and this is a front line at the moment which is more than 1000km long and it is a front line which ukrainian forces are struggling to contain, with the delays of the arrival of american ammunition and weaponry and with russia continuing to make its size count and taking ukrainian territory further south.
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crucially for kyiv, it is having to redeploy already stretched personnel to the kharkiv region to contain this incursion which we are told is being contained for now. there has been heavy fighting really for the past 2a hours and i think while few think they are able, even with the gathering of tens of thousands of russian troops across the border, few think they are able to take cities like kharkiv because they failed the first time around. but it appears for now to be russia trying to form a buffer zone, try to extend the distance between russian territory and the fighting it is waging in ukraine, because ukrainian forces have been increasingly shelling targets inside russia. so the question really, as president zelenskyy admits, is what is going to happen next, we are containing it for now but is this russia building for something more? in georgia, protestors have taken to the streets to take part in pro—european demonstrations, against the government's plan to adopt a controversial law
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which critics say would push it farther from joining the eu and silence dissent. earlier our south caucasus and central asia correspondent rayhan demytrie in tbilisi sent this update. people are marching from different directions, just take a look, on that side of the river there are thousands of people with the eu and georgian flags all marching towards tbilisi's europe square. and on this side, it's the same... it's the same story. look at this sea of people. these protesters oppose this controversial bill, which the georgian government says it will adopt no matter what, on the transparency of foreign funding, dubbed by the protesters as the russian law because of the similarities that exist with the legislation that exists in russia. and they are saying that with its adoption, it would damage georgia's democracy, it would silence critical voices, but most importantly, people are worried
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that if this law gets adopted, georgia will lose its once—in—a—lifetime opportunity tojoin the european union. after protests and controversy, the winner of the 68th eurovision song contest in sweden has been announced. representing switzerland, nemo took the title with their song the code. they came top of the leaderboard, followed by france's slimane in second place and croatia's baby lasagna landed third. the event hosted in the city of malmo has seen divisions over israel's involvement, sparking pro—palestinian demonstrations and a last—minute disqualification of the netherlands. 0ur arts correspondent, david sillito, reports from malmo. at the beginning of the contest, malmo unlike any other. ~ u, contest, malmo unlike any other. ~ _, ., ., other. welcome to the grand final of the _ other. welcome to the grand final of the eurovision - other. welcome to the grand final of the eurovision song l final of the eurovision song contest 202a. final of the eurovision song
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contest 2024.— final of the eurovision song contest 2024. fans who had to file into the _ contest 2024. fans who had to file into the arena _ contest 2024. fans who had to file into the arena is _ contest 2024. fans who had to file into the arena is a - contest 2024. fans who had to file into the arena is a small. file into the arena is a small melee of police and protesters, the presence of israel in the final has provoked demonstrations and discomfort from some of the competitors. but when israel's performer took to the stage, all passed without incident. the israeli prime minister said she already won, there werejeers prime minister said she already won, there were jeers from some parts of the crowd. for eurovision, always actions to keep the event politics free, there was a close eye on what appeared on stage. bambie thug was told to remove the word ceasefire from her body writing and pulled out a rehearsal but her three minutes on stage in the end was politics free. and spectacular. forthe the end was politics free. and spectacular. for the uk, the end was politics free. and spectacular. forthe uk, 0lly alexander's performance was definitely dizzying. the chair
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at the end whatever the voters thought the uk brought. and then, this. rim tim tagi dim had been a standby song, by the time it got to malmo it was the odds on favourite. he time it got to malmo it was the odds on favourite.— odds on favourite. he done it! switzerland — odds on favourite. he done it! switzerland have _ odds on favourite. he done it! switzerland have one - odds on favourite. he done it! switzerland have one the - odds on favourite. he done it! switzerland have one the 68 l switzerland have one the 68 eurovision... switzerland have one the 68 eurovision. . ._ eurovision. .. and then the votinu , eurovision. .. and then the voting. the _ eurovision. .. and then the voting, the politics - eurovision. .. and then the voting, the politics of - eurovision. .. and then the voting, the politics of the l voting, the politics of the evening lead to last—minute changes to presenters but by the end it was switzerland heading for a runaway victory with nemo's spending the code and it was down to creation versus switzerland. with victory for switzerland. the uk came 18th but a contest marked by protest and a disqualification and deep discomfort by some competitors and it braved victory of a song truly duration. normality or what for normality appears to
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be restored. live now to william lee adams, author of wild dances: my queer and curiousjourney to eurovision, whojoins us live from malmo. thank you so much for taking the time to be with us. it was tight at the top but switzerland prevailed — what pushed them to victory? great to be here. i think switzerland brought a really unique product, the song spans different genres from drum and bass to r&b to rap. it had beautiful staging to match. it tells the story of a young person's journey to discovering they are non—binary. they set they are non—binary. they set they are non—binary. they set they are neither male nor female and that balancing act, figuring that out is brought to life on stage with the singer balancing on a guess you could call it a satellite dish, some kind of space plate. there is a lot of balancing going on, to experience strong thigh muscles
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but you can sense a struggle and people connected with that, the sense of struggle certainly to professionaljury did. they put this first, the public put it down in fourth but a good showing in both parts of the judging. it showing in both parts of the 'uduuin. ., , showing in both parts of the 'uduuin. . ., , judging. it was certainly quite tense leading _ judging. it was certainly quite tense leading up _ judging. it was certainly quite tense leading up to _ judging. it was certainly quite tense leading up to this - tense leading up to this finale. ijust wonder if tense leading up to this finale. i just wonder if that atmosphere carried through on the big night? how did it feel? absolutely. the factors eurovision is meant to be a joyous celebration of music, people putting down their arguments and coming together through song and we are not really felt that this year. most notably this evening when the israeli singer took the stage there was a mixture of cheering and doing and the billing side was trying to outdo the cheering side and it was escalating and you had is at the end of the song. he was would not have noticed because producers wanted to keep the air of stability and happiness are they piped in fake applause over it. in the arena it felt
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incredibly tense and indeed artists afterwards after they performed gave messages like let there be peace and let us come together because they felt they had to do something to calm the crowd and let the world know they were aware of the tensions on the ground. after this, the tensions on the ground. afterthis, do the tensions on the ground. after this, do you think that the ebu of course which organises this will have to go back home, incidentally to switzerland and had a conversation about where it goes from here? it’s conversation about where it goes from here?— conversation about where it goes from here? it's a really interesting _ goes from here? it's a really interesting question. - goes from here? it's a really interesting question. in - goes from here? it's a really. interesting question. in terms of israel mac participation the ebu has always been clear that this is a conversation between broadcasters and not a competition between governments and because of that they say we should invite everyone so they can begin dialogue with each other. i don't think the ebu stance on that is a big issue will change. however they may want to work on their medications. throughout the past two weeks for your vision for a night recall it has been incidents and the ebu has not always responded quickly, for
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instance with the disqualification of the dutch contestant is a great deal of ambiguity about what happened and i spoke to lots of dutch reporters and journalists and members of the team and they want answers and they want them fast. �* , u, , want answers and they want them fast. �*, w, ., ., want answers and they want them fast. �*, ., ., ., fast. let's cast ahead to next ear, it fast. let's cast ahead to next year. it will— fast. let's cast ahead to next year, it will be _ fast. let's cast ahead to next year, it will be held - fast. let's cast ahead to next year, it will be held in - year, it will be held in switzerland. geneva is the home to the ebu, if i'm not mistaken it might have and whether first eurovision song contest i think was held. we have any indication which city or region play host?— play host? fans in the pressroom _ play host? fans in the pressroom had - play host? fans in the pressroom had been l play host? fans in the - pressroom had been joking that pressroom had beenjoking that they will call the show feel they will call the show feel the burn and take us to aaron switzerland but we don't know. most countries take an internal bid process because a lot of tourism dollars at stake so you can expect over the summer switzerland's government put out an open call to cities and they will have to file a brief on to why they should be the city and go from there. i on to why they should be the city and go from there.- city and go from there. i had to ask you — city and go from there. i had to ask you on _ city and go from there. i had to ask you on a _ city and go from there. i had to ask you on a personal - city and go from there. i had | to ask you on a personal note now that we know that the building has concluded and of course we know who the winner
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is. did you have a favourite entry this year? i is. did you have a favourite entry this year?— is. did you have a favourite entry this year? i sided with the people. _ entry this year? i sided with the people, but— entry this year? i sided with the people, but vote - entry this year? i sided with the people, but vote winnerj entry this year? i sided with i the people, but vote winner of croatia was my personal winner. big lasagne was the singer, these are good cards and the song was not cheesy at all. rim tim tagi dim, he was rocking out, he had neon cuts and i'm actually wearing a t—shirt and the song while it sounds silly it carries an important message. it tells a story of someone leaving croatia in pursuit of better opportunities and the pain that comes with that. at one point the singer looks to his cat and says please meow but the cat is not meowing and it breaks the singer's heart.— meowing and it breaks the singer's heart. nothing more eurovision — singer's heart. nothing more eurovision than _ singer's heart. nothing more eurovision than that. - singer's heart. nothing more eurovision than that. william leigh adams, a real treat to talk to you, thank you. thank ou.
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let's ta ke let's take a look now at other news. five days after a deadly building collapsed in south african a survivor has been pulled from the rubble. the premier of western cape province, described the rescue as nothing short of a miracle. police in england say an officer who was shot with a crossbow has been discharged from hospital and is in good spirits. he was wounded after responding to a stabbing in high wycombe, north of london. the suspected attacker was shot by armed police and remains under arrest in hospital. the charity save the children is warning that 3.7—million filipinos are being affected by a drought, brought about by record—setting temperatures. the capital manila beat its previous heat record last week, with temperatures above 38 degrees celsius, or 100 degrees fahrenheit. the country's president, bongbong marcos, said that high demands for cooling systems was putting pressure on the national electricity grid. crops belonging
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to farmers in the philippines are becoming unusable, and rice yields are plummeting, putting families at risk of financial ruin. for more, i spoke with faisah ali, humanitarian manager at save the children philippines. thank you for taking the time to be with us, we understand that there in the philippines over 3 million people have been affected by this drought so far. what is life become like for them?— far. what is life become like for them? ., , ., for them? the worsening drought and d in: for them? the worsening drought and drying conditions _ for them? the worsening drought and drying conditions in _ for them? the worsening drought and drying conditions in most - and drying conditions in most parts of the country, specifically the western and of the region of the country, it affecting the education and welfare of children in households. right now the worries of farming families in western areas are evident. according to the department of social welfare and belt report more than 900 families in about 5000 villages across many regions are pressing
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agricultural losses and water shortages and this crisis is impacting around 3.7 million filipinos including children. something i wanted to pick up on, you said an impact on education. tell us more about that, does this mean for example the children are not able to go to school?- example the children are not able to go to school? right now this drought _ able to go to school? right now this drought across _ able to go to school? right now this drought across the - able to go to school? right now this drought across the country| this drought across the country has impacted children, most of the children especially those coming from households relying on agriculture, farming, were forced to temporarily stop going to school so that they can help their families and their parents to find additional income or work or alternative livelihoods because of the lack of harvest from their farmlands.— their farmlands. for those farmers. _ their farmlands. for those farmers, the _ their farmlands. for those farmers, the fact - their farmlands. for those farmers, the fact that - their farmlands. for those farmers, the fact that we | their farmlands. for those i farmers, the fact that we are seeing in some cases flooding and some cases drought becoming all the more prevalent there in the philippines, what are they
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considering? are they talking about potentially leaving their farms or their homes? the farmers — farms or their homes? the farmers are _ farms or their homes? the farmers are able _ farms or their homes? the farmers are able to - farms or their homes? the farmers are able to talk. farms or their homes? tue: farmers are able to talk with our assessment, they are still looking for claimant resilient livelihoods or options —— climate resilient for some where they can continue their activities and involve the government is helping them as well as some actors like save the children philippines to look for a more alternative climate resistant livelihood options. t climate resistant livelihood o tions. ., climate resistant livelihood otions. ., ., options. i want to focus the fact that — options. i want to focus the fact that you _ options. i want to focus the fact that you are _ options. i want to focus the | fact that you are mentioning some of the issues for children here. of course these weather events are being exacerbated by climate change. across the region in asia. what is the sense about what is needed to secure the future for children when essentially about facing some of the consequences of climate change, created by adults? ., ., , adults? right now we are still advocating — adults? right now we are still
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advocating and _ adults? right now we are still advocating and investing - adults? right now we are still advocating and investing in i advocating and investing in climate resilience adaptations. investing on climate resilience and measures is essential to minimising the impact of climate change and vulnerable communities especially on children. including the systems and also infrastructure. this includes measures of building resilient infrastructure, improving early warning systems and implement in policies to protect local populations including the children. faisah ali from save the children philippines, thank you for being with us. thank you so much. the northern lights dazzled millions across the globe on friday with people being able to see extraordinary colours across europe, the us and new zealand. in germany, people were treated to a display of pinkish—green hues to blueish—green hues in a matter of hours. in the us — you can see this beautiful pink and green display in nashville, tennessee. lights were exposed after one of the strongest geomagnetic storms in decades
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hit the earth. i spoke about what we can expect with shawn dahl — a space weather forecaster at the national oceanic and atmospheric administration. like you said, we are expecting this to go through the weekend just at varying levels of intensity. yesterday we kept hitting those g4 and g5 levels routinely so things were connected favourably to the sun and to do that, that magnetic field has to be opposite arthur's that was the case for almost 24 hours. right now it has turned a bit. they are repelling so things are in a logical it's not as active but we are still reaching g3 conditions and tomorrow we are expecting the arrival of another fast moving, doubled the speed of anything we have seen recently, spin activity woke up again. still a chance to catch those whites. i'll have more at the
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top of the hour. —— catch those whites. hello there. it's the warmest day of the year so far across all four nations on saturday, with temperatures peaking at 26 degrees celsius in the highlands and also in east sussex, too. but change is on its way on sunday in the form of heavy, thundery showers for much of the western half of the uk, whereas further east, it should stay largely dry. all this change is brought about, of course, because the high pressure that's been keeping us dry, settled and warm over the last few days is gradually drifting further eastwards towards scandinavia, allowing for these weather fronts to approach from the west. but it's a mostly dry start to the day on sunday with some sunny spells, any early mist and fog will lift and clear really quite readily. but it won't be too long through the late morning before we see the showers pop up across western scotland, down through northern ireland, wales and the south west of england. and if we just take a little tour at around four o'clock across northern and western scotland gradually drifting further east with some of the showers really quite heavy.
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it's still quite warm, 22 degrees celsius in glasgow, but certainly cooler than on saturday. more showers across northern ireland, some of the showers particularly heavy across wales. there could be some localised flooding perhaps as well. more isolated showers for central southern england, maybe 26 or 27 degrees celsius in south east england. cooler and breezier towards those north sea facing coasts. and overnight, those showers will continue to drift further eastwards. but this is the main driver of monday's weather, this deep area of low pressure that's going to roll this weather run in from the south west. so, again, a largely dry start to the day for the vast majority, but cloud thickening from the south west, rain pushing into wales from south west england and eventually northern ireland through the afternoon, as well as scattering showers across scotland and northern england. but again across many eastern areas of england. it could stay largely dry, but it will be cooler across the board. but still temperatures peaking in the low twenties out towards the east. but the area of low pressure
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just continues to roll its way further northwards and eastwards as we head through tuesday and into wednesday. so there will be further showers around at times for many in general. here's the outlook for our capital cities as we head through next week and see those temperatures really start to drop off. there will still be some sunshine around. lots of dry weather at times, but also some showers, too. bye— bye.
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this is bbc news. we will have the headlines for you on the hour, which is straight after this programme. ignition... it's the job of dreams. with an out—of—this—world view. many would love to be an astronaut — but very few make the cut. there you go! the european space agency is pushing boundaries with its latest candidate, john mcfall. absolutely amazing. this is what it feels like. woohoo! he's an amputee, and he's taking part in a ground—breaking project to see if someone with a disability can go to space. this project will deliver a very strong message to redefine or define what people's interpretation of what someone with a physical disability can do.
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