one of three young girls killed in a knife attack in southport, release a photo taken just before she took part in a taylor swift dance club — on the day of her funeral. the 2024 paris summer olympics are coming to a close, and the olympic flag has been passed to los angeles for the next games in four years. tom cruise took part in the handoff of the flag, driving off from paris in a motorcycle into a pre—produced video showing him taking it back to los angeles, where several artists — including snoop dogg, dr dre, billie eilish and the red hot chili peppers — were waiting to perform on the beach. the us topped the final medal table, after the women's us basketball team beat the hosts france to win the final gold medal of the games. great britain got 65 medals total.

my colleague maryam moshiri has been in paris for all the excitement the past two weeks. so, the final day of the paris olympics 2024 comes to an end, the closing ceremony started with leon marchand, in front of that beautiful cauldron, taking the olympics claim with him from there to the stade de france. in the ceremony really marks an end to what has been a fantastic two and a half weeks of sport here in paris. the french have really taken these olympics to heart and the host nation has done so well in terms of medals as well and you could really feel that emotion during that closing ceremony. there was music, there was dancing, there were athletes who turned up not only the flag bearers but also other athletes from nations around the world but you can feel how relaxed, happy they were now the job is done at that closing ceremony. another

thing we saw was music from around the world and we saw some symbolic gestures as well, as the olympic flag was passed from the mayor of france to the mayor of los angeles. we were promised potentially a bit of hollywood glamour and we got it in the end with tom cruise, he literally sailed into the stade de france from on high, he picks up the olympic flag from the los angeles mayor, he rode a motorcycle out of the stadium, he got onto an aeroplane, he got up in the sky, he jumped out of the aeroplane onto the ground in los angeles, upon the hollywood hills, and he marked the hollywood hills, and he marked the hollywood hills, and he marked the hollywood hills sign with the olympic sign and then we saw michael johnson and other olympic athletes from america taking on the flag and putting forward the idea or at least the symbolic idea that the olympics have moved from france to los

angeles, so how will los angeles cope with the olympics and how different will they be compared to paris? i spoke to david water, los angeles times correspondent, about this. have a listen. it is angeles times correspondent, about this. have a listen.— this. have a listen. it is going to be a tough _ this. have a listen. it is going to be a tough act — this. have a listen. it is going to be a tough act to _ this. have a listen. it is going to be a tough act to follow. - this. have a listen. it is going to| be a tough act to follow. just the sheer beauty of paris in the way of integrated the sport into the city has just been wonderful. i think la will perhaps... they cannot match the historic significance, but i think they will try to answer with hollywood production values and pop—culture references. i think there's going to be a little more technology. some of the venues are very modern, some have not even open yet that will be there, so i think it's going to be a different kind of games, and they are trying to make it very la. games, and they are trying to make it ve la. ._ ., games, and they are trying to make itve la. , it very la. the mayor has said they want this to _ it very la. the mayor has said they want this to be... _ it very la. the mayor has said they want this to be... forgive - it very la. the mayor has said they want this to be... forgive me - it very la. the mayor has said they want this to be... forgive me for. want this to be... forgive me for thinking about that and wondering how does one make a carless olympics

in a place like la where all these locations are quite far away from each other? i locations are quite far away from each other?— each other? i don't really think that's going — each other? i don't really think that's going to _ each other? i don't really think that's going to happen. - each other? i don't really think that's going to happen. i - each other? i don't really think that's going to happen. i think| that's going to happen. i think maybe she was overstating things a bit. as you mentioned, there will be venues that will be hours apart, la is a pretty spread out place, selecting they are going to try to encourage people to take public transit as much as possible, but we are expecting the stadium, dodger stadium for base that will be added to the list, they have a very large parking lots, i'm sure people will be driving to those. people in la are not that used public transportation, so i think they're going to try to encourage it but i don't know how successful they are going to be. don't know how successful they are going to be— going to be. after the flag was taken to los _ going to be. after the flag was taken to los angeles, - going to be. after the flag was taken to los angeles, we - going to be. after the flag was taken to los angeles, we thenj taken to los angeles, we then saw the red hot chilli peppers performing in los angeles, and it marks the end of what has been a fantastic three weeks, and really

now all eyes will be on the paralympics. they start on the 28th. after that, we see the winter olympics in milan, cortina, and then los angeles 2028. there have been a few hand over a fence around the city of letch angeles —— handover events around is the of los angeles. at one of them is flavour flav. i spoke to him about what it is like to have the olympics in la. i am very excited- _ to have the olympics in la. i am very excited. i _ to have the olympics in la. i am very excited. i just _ to have the olympics in la. i am very excited. i just got _ to have the olympics in la. i am very excited. i just got in - to have the olympics in la. i —n very excited. ijust got in from paris, and i ain't going to lie, for the first ever time at the olympics, i had a very, very amazing experience, and i'm quite sure i'm going to get the same experience once the games get here to la in 28. what did you watch when you were in paris? ~ ., , what did you watch when you were in paris? ~ . , ., what did you watch when you were in paris? ~ ., ., , ~ , _, paris? while i was in paris? as you know, i sponsored _ paris? while i was in paris? as you know, i sponsored the _ paris? while i was in paris? as you know, i sponsored the water- know, i sponsored the water polo team, you know, and also i got to go to a rugby game and watch the girls

win a bronze medal there. i went to the gymnastics events and i got to see simone biles win a gold medal there. i mean, it's been amazing, very amazing experience for me. and what do you — very amazing experience for me. and what do you think la can learn from paris in terms of how it conducts itself or the other big games? he saw the way that in paris we had so many iconic landmark surround events, didn't we?— many iconic landmark surround events, didn't we? honestly, i hope in la, things— events, didn't we? honestly, i hope in la, things will— events, didn't we? honestly, i hope in la, things will be _ events, didn't we? honestly, i hope in la, things will be a lot _ events, didn't we? honestly, i hope in la, things will be a lot closer- in la, things will be a lot closer together! everything is so far apart out there in paris, you know what i'm saying? you know, being out in paris, it was great. you know what i'm saying? the only thing that was annoying was, a lot of these trees were blocked off, so if you didn't have the proper credential to get next to the building, you had to park and walk a long, long distance to the venue. other than that, it

was great to. to the venue. other than that, it was great to— to the venue. other than that, it was great to. you have got a lot of love for your _ was great to. you have got a lot of love for your sponsorship - was great to. you have got a lot of love for your sponsorship of - was great to. you have got a lot of love for your sponsorship of the i love for your sponsorship of the women's water polo team. how important is it that people like you invest in sport? because without you, they would hunt how to be able to continue in the way they were, and they've done ok, they've done well at the paris olympics. you know, i well at the paris olympics. you know. i really _ well at the paris olympics. you know, i really feel _ well at the paris olympics. gm. know, i really feel there should be a lot of other celebs like myself, which i'm hoping that that would happen, that will step up to the plate and help sponsor a lot of these olympic teams, because the united states government is definitely not doing it, and all of these teams right now are out there busting their buts and giving it their all they know to make the united states look good, and believe me, at the end of the day, not only do the athletes get the glory but so do the athletes get the glory but so do the government, you know what i'm saying? and i don't think the government really deserve it, because they don't sponsor, they

just take, tick, tick and not give back, they are not giving back, so i really feel the government really should step in, number one, and help out with these olympic athletes, but then also a lot of celebs like myself, you know what i'm saying? maybe this might open up the door for them to come through and help sponsor. for them to come through and help sonsor. ~ . , ., ., , sponsor. what is it going to be for la to host — sponsor. what is it going to be for la to host the _ sponsor. what is it going to be for la to host the olympic _ sponsor. what is it going to be for la to host the olympic games? i sponsor. what is it going to be for i la to host the olympic games? what will it mean? and also, what kind of an inspiration will it be for youngsters there as well, to want to take part in sport and to represent their country? i take part in sport and to represent their country?— their country? i really think it's auoin to their country? i really think it's going to be _ their country? i really think it's going to be a _ their country? i really think it's going to be a real— their country? i really think it's going to be a real big - their country? i really think it's going to be a real big thing - their country? i really think it's going to be a real big thing for| their country? i really think it's i going to be a real big thing for la to sponsor the united states, i mean, to sponsor the olympics, period of you know what i'm saying? i think that a lot of people will learn a lot of how to sponsor the olympics was against your to —— once

he gets to la. not only that, but la could use it. he gets to la. not only that, but la could use it— could use it. we're looking forward to la 2028- _ could use it. we're looking forward to la 2028. hopefully _ could use it. we're looking forward to la 2028. hopefully we - could use it. we're looking forward to la 2028. hopefully we will - could use it. we're looking forward | to la 2028. hopefully we will speak to la 2028. hopefully we will speak to you in a few years' time, you will still be involved in women's water polo. fantastic. i will be sponsoring the water polo team for the next five years, you know what i'm saying? the next five years, you know what i'm saying?— the next five years, you know what i'msa in? :: ' ., i, ., ., i'm saying? 2029. you guys are going to be seeing — i'm saying? 2029. you guys are going to be seeing me _ i'm saying? 2029. you guys are going to be seeing me at _ i'm saying? 2029. you guys are going to be seeing me at all _ i'm saying? 2029. you guys are going to be seeing me at all of _ i'm saying? 2029. you guys are going to be seeing me at all of the games! | to be seeing me at all of the games! what can i say? it's been a wonderful few weeks here what can i say? it's been a wonderfulfew weeks here in paris. we have seen so many highs, so many lows, iconic sporting moments, sporting history, olympic records, world records being broken, and to top it all off, that amazing closing ceremony. that's it for me here in paris. back to you in the studio. maryam moshiri there. now to ukraine, where the un's

nuclear agency says there is no reported impact on safety after multiple explosions at ukraine's zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. russia and ukraine are both blaiming eachother for the incident. ukrainian president volodymyr zelensky has tweeted that "russian terrorists" started the fire. he went on to say that radiation levels are normal and accused russia of using the facility to blackmail ukraine. meanwhile, the plant's russian management blamed it on ukrainian shelling. the plant is currently occupied by russia. this comes as ukraine continues their cross—border offensive. russia says its army will deliver a "tough response" and has acknowledged that ukrainian units have advanced deep into the western region of kursk, saying it's hit troops and equipment around 30 kilometres from the border. it's the most serious attack by a foreign army on russian territory since the second world war. a senior ukrainian security official has reportedly said thousands of troops are taking part in the kursk incursion, now in its sixth day. in his nightly address, president zelensky said the incursion was a response to russia launching almost 2,000 cross—border strikes

at ukraine's sumy region over the summer. overnight, at least two people were killed near kyiv, as russia carried out missile and drone attacks in six regions of ukraine. i'm joined now by melinda haring, senior fellow at the eurasia center of the atlantic council. melinda, thanks for joining melinda, thanks forjoining me this morning. why has zelensky undertaken this incursion? what do you think his strategic aim is? i this incursion? what do you think his strategic aim is?— his strategic aim is? i think zelensky — his strategic aim is? i think zelensky has _ his strategic aim is? i think zelensky has a _ his strategic aim is? i think zelensky has a number- his strategic aim is? i think zelensky has a number of. his strategic aim is? i think- zelensky has a number of reasons, and he has not made them apparent, so we're only speculating, but it was only a week ago that the headline said that moscow was on the march and ukraine was on its back footin march and ukraine was on its back foot in the donbas, so this incursion into kursk is a way to show the capability of the ukrainian army and it's a way to change the headlines, so i think that's one piece of it. others have speculative ukrainians want to seize russian

territory in exchange for a potential negotiations. that's another potential hypothesis. these are all guesses, though, but i think in general we can conclude the ukrainians are not going to sit on their haunches and wait for the russians to attack. they have to have the sort of asymmetrical responses in order to change what had been a pretty bad situation for the ukrainian side. this had been a pretty bad situation for the ukrainian side.— had been a pretty bad situation for the ukrainian side. this changes the headlines, the ukrainian side. this changes the headlines. it — the ukrainian side. this changes the headlines, it is _ the ukrainian side. this changes the headlines, it is making _ the ukrainian side. this changes the headlines, it is making headlines i headlines, it is making headlines with this move. you mention how this could change things. how does this change the dynamics of this conflict now that the ukrainians are seemingly willing and able to make these incursions into russian territory? 50 these incursions into russian territory?— these incursions into russian territo ? ,, ., , ., these incursions into russian territo ? ,, ., ., territory? so the russians are not ha- territory? so the russians are not ha - and territory? so the russians are not happy and vladimir _ territory? so the russians are not happy and vladimir putin - territory? so the russians are not happy and vladimir putin has i territory? so the russians are not i happy and vladimir putin has caught more than one meeting. the first meeting, he had big staff there. this was unexpected, right? no one thought that the ukrainian forces would be able to break through, and it shows that the russian side

doesn't have its fortifications up and that these defensive... the ukrainians probably can make more progress than anyone in the west thought, so i expect to see the ukrainians continue to press and look for opportunities. so it really says that a lot of the assumptions we have made about the war and the sort of weakness the ukrainian side and the strength of the russian side are in doubt. find and the strength of the russian side are in doubt-— are in doubt. and 'ust quickly, how do ou are in doubt. and 'ust quickly, how do you think — are in doubt. and just quickly, how do you think putin _ are in doubt. and just quickly, how do you think putin will— are in doubt. and just quickly, how do you think putin will respond? i are in doubt. and just quickly, how. do you think putin will respond? so, we are do you think putin will respond? srr, we are waiting do you think putin will respond? s57, we are waiting to do you think putin will respond? s513, we are waiting to see do you think putin will respond? sr3, we are waiting to see how the russians are going... the ukrainian site is 30 km in, and there's a thousands of ukrainian forces was of the russian reserves have been called, specialforces the russian reserves have been called, special forces have the russian reserves have been called, specialforces have been called, specialforces have been called and there's going to be a realfight, and called and there's going to be a real fight, and there's called and there's going to be a realfight, and there's pressure called and there's going to be a real fight, and there's pressure on the russian side. they don't want the russian side. they don't want the ukrainians to stay too long and dig in, so there's going to be a fight. we don't know how long the ukrainians are going to stay there and we see the russians responding

already in zaporizhzhia, so at the nuclear power plant that the russian side occupies, the russians are heating up that conflict already. i think we are going to see them causing all sorts of... they also have engaged in a couple of strikes as well, so they are definitely going to turn up the pressure on the ukrainians anyway they can. melinda, thanks so much _ ukrainians anyway they can. melinda, thanks so much for— ukrainians anyway they can. melinda, thanks so much for your _ ukrainians anyway they can. melinda, thanks so much for your thoughts. i thanks so much for your thoughts. melinda haring, seniorfellow at thanks so much for your thoughts. melinda haring, senior fellow at the eurasia council at the atlantic council. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

in england, the funeral has taken place for the first of three young girls fatally stabbed at a taylor swift dance class in the north west town of southport. the service for nine—year—old alice dasilva aguiar was held at st patrick's catholic church in the town, where her parents were joined by family and friends. hundreds of people lined the streets as alice's coffin was brought to the church in a horse—drawn carriage. ribbons and balloons were tied

to lamp posts and garden walls, as fiona trott reports from southport. a public display of love. trying to ease a parent's private pain. alice's father carried her on his shoulder. but few fathers or mothers have the strength to speak on a day like this. instead, their words were read by alice's uncle. you moved our world with your confidence and empathy. being around you was a privilege. we cherished every milestone. you completed us. little alice knew nothing about politics and division. how confronting it was

acknowledged here today. you have shown great courage in asking me to be here today, to speak, to give a message from you, alice's family, to say that you do not want there to be any more violence on the streets of the united kingdom, in the name of your daughter. i am ashamed, and i'm so sorry that you've had to even consider this in the planning of the funeral of your beautiful daughter, alice, and i hope that anyone who has taken part in the violent disorder on our streets over the past 13 days is hanging their heads in shame at the pain that they have caused you, a grieving family. this is the last photograph taken of alice, the moment she went into the taylor swift dance class that day. but it's her love of dance, her outgoing personality that people are choosing to remember now. hey, guys, today is me. i got my makeup

on to test my teacher. look at this! and now, guys, but thank you for watching all my videos. alice was just nine, but today everybody learned about the impact she made in her short life. fiona trott, bbc news, southport. israel has ordered thousands of residents of khan younis in the south of gaza to relocate to designated "humanitarian zones." the order follows saturday's israeli air strike on a school compound in gaza city — which it says was a hamas command centre. more than 70 people died. meanwhile in tehran, iran's new president masoud pezeshkian nominated a western—friendly diplomat to be

foreign minister and a woman to fill another cabinet post. they are among 19 proposed cabinet members being presented to parliament for approval. i'm joined now by abbas milani, director of iranian studies at stanford university. thank you so much for your time today. firstly, the region is bracing for a response from iran most of what form do you think that will take? i most of what form do you think that will take? ~ ~ will take? i will think, i think, every indication _ will take? i will think, i think, every indication coming i will take? i will think, i think, every indication coming from | will take? iwill think, ithink, i every indication coming from iran, they don't want a full war with israel, they know that if they attack israel directly, mr netanyahu might take the war to them, so i would think that they will limit themselves to some kind of a symbolic attack. the new president has said, we should hit israelis outside israel. that might be the kind of response they eventually decide upon. but i doubt they will seek a full war. taste decide upon. but i doubt they will seek a full war.—

decide upon. but i doubt they will seek a full war. we 'ust have seen resident seek a full war. we 'ust have seen president massoud i seek a full war. we just have seen president massoud is _ seek a full war. we just have seen president massoud is feeling i seek a full war. we just have seen i president massoud is feeling cabinet positions in the zoo administration. do you think a response will come once things have settled, or how do you think is the administration is going to approach israel? what you think is the administration is going to approach israel? what he has said, going to approach israel? what he has said. by _ going to approach israel? what he has said, by the _ going to approach israel? what he has said, by the pedigree - going to approach israel? what he has said, by the pedigree of i going to approach israel? what he has said, by the pedigree of some| has said, by the pedigree of some of his cabinet members, there clearly trying to calm the situation down, but you have to remember this is a resume that is run essentially by the iogc. they are very much keen on showing they are not going to take the kind of embarrassment the assassination of haniyah was lying down. they need to show a response and they want to temper it, but i think, in reality, real power lies with the irg see. but they too are

facing a very dire economic situation of a profoundly disgruntled population, and those things don't really invite any regime to engage in a full war. just ruickl , regime to engage in a full war. just quickly, where does the us stand with this? it’s quickly, where does the us stand with this? �* , ., , . ., with this? it's not very clear. i think the _ with this? it's not very clear. i think the us _ with this? it's not very clear. i think the us is going - with this? it's not very clear. i think the us is going through | with this? it's not very clear. i l think the us is going through an election, just had a new candidate, and i think the us policy is in flux. eithertrump and i think the us policy is in flux. either trump or harris, i think, will have to finally decide what their strategy... the responses seem to change day by day. we what their strategy. .. the responses seem to change day by day.- seem to change day by day. we will leave it there. _ seem to change day by day. we will leave it there. abbas _ seem to change day by day. we will leave it there. abbas milani, - leave it there. abbas milani, director of iranian studies at stanford university. there's mounting concern about an increasingly unstable situation in the west bank. 615 palestinians have been killed since the start of the war in gaza —

according to the palestinian authority health ministry. many are armed fighters but others are civilians. in one recent incident, the focus fell on the killing of a young palestinian customs officer by an israeli undercover unit — an episode recorded on cctv. the bbc�*s diplomatic correspondent paul adams has been to the west bank town of tubas where it happened. a quiet morning in a west bank town, an anonymous white van pulls up next to a palestinian customs office. a guard, abdel nasser sarhan, emerges to see what is going on. an israeli soldier in plain clothes shoots him dead. soon, the street is swarming with other soldiers. the following day, a makeshift memorial at the spot where abdel nasser fell, the guard post and walls riddled with bullets. the israeli army says it came to tubas to arrest two wanted men. abdel nasser, it says, was killed in an exchange of fire, but that's not how this happened.

it was just after 6am and abdel nasser and a colleague had just come on shift. the white van drew up here, just across the wall. the driver got out, said hello in arabic. abdel nasser walked out to greet him. seconds later, he was shot and fell right here. translation: this rings - a warning bell, especially for us in the security services. how can we enforce law and order and offer services to the people and protect them while you are obstructing my work and killing my officers? the shooting in tubas is part of a much, much bigger problem. with all eyes focused on gaza, another war is raging in the west bank, the israeli military cracking down on armed groups it says are being bankrolled by iran. from one city to another, one refugee camp to another, the brush fires are burning. more than 600 palestinians have been killed in the west bank since last october. as many as 10,000 have been arrested. some feared this could erupt

into a full—scale uprising. if it goes into an intifada, this is a much, much bigger problem. this is a much more complicated problem to solve. militarily, we handle things. better, less, but when it goes into a civil rebel or intifada, it is a totally different story, and it might go there. in a refugee camp on the edge of nablus, abdel nasser�*s family is grieving, drawing their own conclusions about the actions of the israeli army. he is coming to kill, just to kill. muhannad can barely comprehend the loss of his son. the idf says it's still looking into what happened. it did not, we were told, go as planned. paul adams, bbc news, on the west bank.

greek residents of a village north of athens have been forced to flee their homes, in the face of a wildfire which has rapidly taken hold, with flames as high as 25 metres. parts of the greek capital have been left under a cloud of brown smoke. and the flames are heading to lake marathon, an important reservoir for athens. that is it for this edition of bbc news, but do keep it right here. business today follows. hello. a stormy night for some of us. and on top of that, it feels very warm and humid out there — almost tropical — with temperatures hovering around 20 degrees there on the south coast of england through the early hours of monday morning. and even in northern ireland, around 17 degrees. now, this is what the heat wave looks like across western europe. at the moment, temperatures well above the average for the time of the year. the temperatures will peak in england on monday. let's get to the forecast, then, and that stormy picture developing

to the west of the british isles. you can see the storm clouds there and the radar indicating the rainfall, flashes of lightning as well. more to come through the course of early monday. so the weather front crossing northern ireland with the downpours through early monday morning, then reaching the west coast of scotland, spreading across scotland as it moves towards the north—east. a few showers in northern england, but south of that, the picture looks generally dry and sunny in the morning. now, this is the yellow warning from the met office — a chance of frequent lightning, hail and strong winds within this area. now, because it's a yellow warning, it's a relatively low risk for any one location, but when you get it, you'll know about it. so the forecast, then, for the rest of monday, then. well, the story is going to be the heat across england. in fact, from the south—east, through east anglia, into lincolnshire, temperatures well over 30 celsius. cambridgeshire could well reach around 35 celsius. far more comfortable, i'm sure you'll agree, across western parts of the uk with the low 20s.

and it will freshen up as we go through the course of the week, gradually. weather fronts are approaching us on tuesday. that does mean cloud and some rain. and here's the forecast for early on tuesday morning, with that cloud and rain spreading into western parts, but still a very warm southerly across eastern areas of the uk. so from london, across east anglia, into lincolnshire, temperatures could still reach the high 20s. but more typically, it's going to be the low 20s or even the high teens further towards the west and north. and then on wednesday, a ridge of high pressure builds in between weather systems, so that means that the weather's looking fairly promising. many of us would call it a perfect summer's day, with fine weather midweek. towards the end of the week, there could be some rain, and then beyond that, the forecast is somewhat uncertain, with a little bit of rain but also plenty of sunshine. bye— bye.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour — straight after hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk — i'm stephen sackur. hundreds of kenyan police are now patrolling the streets of port—au—prince in the latest international effort to stabilise haiti. it's hard not to be sceptical about the likely impact.

80% of the capital is controlled by armed gangs. five million haitians are experiencing food insecurity. my guest is haiti's interim prime minister, garry conille, tasked with steering his country to free and fair elections within 18 months. is that a definition of mission impossible? prime minister garry conille, in port—au—prince, welcome to hardtalk. thank you. thank you so much for taking the time to keep the focus on the urgent, urgent needs of haiti.

it is indeed important to focus on what is