proceedings at the place de la concorde began with a massive show of blue, white and red fireworks, before the patrouille de france painted the skies above with the french flag and that was quickly followed by the parade of athletes, the a500 participants making their way down the champs—elysees before arriving at the place de la concorde. so that is ongoing. well, after covid saw no fans in tokyo and rio was dogged by financial issues, the pressure is on the french capital to rival, or even better the paralympics in london in 2012. beyond the sport however, those involved say they're mindful of a secondary purpose for the games. it is always important, we are here hoping on winning at least medals but we are part of the incredible global movement, the paralympic movement which on and off the field want disabled people to be realised in society. those performances on the field

can only help us in that cause. now to the us open tennis where the wimbledon champion barbora krejcikova is out. she was beaten in the second round by the romanian qualifier elena—gabriela ruse, beating the czech player 6—4, 7—5 to reach the third round of a grand slam for the first time. krejcikova — who was knocked out of the quarterfinals at the olympics chose not to play any hard court warm—up events going into the tournament, and withdrew from the tournament in toronto with a thigh injury. in the men's draw, fourth seed alexander zverev is in action in the louis armstrong stadium. he's taking on alexandre muller of france, the two have never met before. zverev has taken the first two sets — the second one a closer affair, went to a tie break. zverev leads the third set 3—1.

while the former semi—finalist grigor dimitrov is through to the third round, the bulgarian ninth seed beat australian rinky hiji—kata in straight sets. cricket and england and sri lanka are making their final preparations ahead of the second test at lord's tomorrow. england beat the visitors by five wickets in the opener at old trafford last week, chasing down a fourth innings target of 205. england captian ollie pope says he's expecting another challenging game from sri lanka who impressed with their tenacity in manchester. for the guys to put together some good scores, and set us a chase from 100 deficit is a credit to them. i think hopefully, we can keep getting better, i am sure they will be confident and they will feel strong. but if we can play our best cricket, we can come out on right side of the results. we have to be accurate when executing our plans whether it is batting or bowling. we have to bring our game into the first innings, that is the point we missed in the first

match in manchester. we have ended better in the first innings and we have to bring it into the first innings here. there's seven matches under way in the second round of the league cup in england and six of the ties have premier league teams in action newcastle united took the lead afterjust 18 seconds. joe willock with the goal against nottingham forest. ipswich had the lead over afc wimbledon — ali al—hamadi getting the opener. but wimbledon have just equalised southampton lead cardiff city 2—1, wolves have the lead against burnley. wycombe wanderers lead swansea city 1—0brentford lead swansea city 1—0, brentford lead colchester united 1—0. and west ham united—bournemouth is goalless.

you can keep up—to—date on the bbc sport website. you can keep up—to—date on the bbc sport website. and that's all the sport for now. let's get some more now on the paralympics. the opening ceremony is underway and the first events start tomorrow morning. over the next 11 days, 4,400 athletes with disabilities, permanent injuries or impairments will compete for 549 medals across 22 sports in paris. let's speak to peter norfolk, a former wheelchair tennis player and pa ralympian who won five medals, including two golds, across three games. great to have your the programme. i imagine that you have been glued to the opening ceremony. thank you very much for being with us. tell us a sense of what is paralympian to go denied as there games go under way and how they're going to be prepare mentally and physically?— physically? the opening ceremony _ physically? the opening ceremony is _ physically? the opening ceremony is the - physically? the opening ceremony is the piece i physically? the opening| ceremony is the piece of visitors when you are new to the games. i only ever did one out of the three, because the issueis out of the three, because the issue is that your tournament or game starts directly

afterwards so you have to think of the games or your matches first. paris is stunning, the backdrop with the show is easy. is an amazing atmosphere. it is an amazing atmosphere place to be. it will only happen once for the most people. london 2012 was my swansong and that was fantastic. i would have loved to have seen everyone do what we did in the olympics, coming through on the boats but thatis coming through on the boats but that is not necessarily accessible or practical. so yeah, it is a wonderful spectacle.— yeah, it is a wonderful sectacle. , , , spectacle. so this is it being touted as — spectacle. so this is it being touted as the _ spectacle. so this is it being touted as the biggest - touted as the biggest paralympics ever. in what there is that, is that in terms of medals, in terms of the number of athletes? and how significant is that? i of athletes? and how significant is that? i think it is hugely — significant is that? i think it is hugely significant. - significant is that? i think it is hugely significant. i - significant is that? i think it is hugely significant. i think it is the number of athletes, i

think it is is the number of centres and areas they are using. the athletes themselves, year on year are always excelling, always getting better, always improving and i think there will be accommodation in paris. you know we had to take you with cove covid which was behind closed doors, rio was pretty spectacular. after london, it did not have the same sort of buzz and ways. so i think everything is at a paris's door at the moment and it is going to be an exciting two weeks. i think all of those athletes take about basically amateurs, how did they even get there in the first place? what is it they have to have to do to achieve this kind of level of games? achieve this kind of level of names? ~ , , games? well, there is help. medals, meadows _ games? well, there is help. | medals, meadows essentially

helps you get funding. —— gold medals help to get funding. the more medals you get, the more funding you get. if you don't get the medal, you don't get the funding, it is a bit of a reese's circle. tennis, when i won my first medal, that helps us get our funding won my first medal, that helps us get ourfunding and wheelchair tennis had a huge impact worldwide. we had to admit everything to you. we sent eight athletes this games, so it is important that even though they are amateurs, you are still requiring the funding. we don't get the same award as professional footballers or tennis players or golfers. it would be nice if you did but, we don't. you know so a lot of visit is —— but a lot of it is time, effort and

your own pockets really sometimes. it your own pockets really sometimes.— your own pockets really sometimes. it is a huge commitment _ sometimes. it is a huge commitment in - sometimes. it is a huge commitment in every i sometimes. it is a huge i commitment in every way. sometimes. it is a huge - commitment in every way. why would you say to someone who is inspired by your story and by athletes they may see over the next 11 days? how whenever they get started and how would you choose a sport?— get started and how would you choose a sport? take tennis as an example- — choose a sport? take tennis as an example. you _ choose a sport? take tennis as an example. you can _ choose a sport? take tennis as an example. you can go - choose a sport? take tennis as an example. you can go down | choose a sport? take tennis as i an example. you can go down to an example. you can go down to an initiative day. the ota have initiative desert you can just go and try. we have got the new standing up tennis. got death tennis, death tennis, blind tennis, death tennis, blind tennis, wheelchair tennis. tennis, death tennis, blind tennis, wheelchairtennis. —— tennis, wheelchair tennis. —— we tennis, wheelchairtennis. —— we have got deaf tennis, blind tennis, wheelchair tennis. you can go to any local council tennis court. we have got local courts. they are always full, you can just buckle and cause and go and gameplay. it is

you can just buckle and cause and go and gameplay.- and go and gameplay. it is as eas as and go and gameplay. it is as easy as that. _ and go and gameplay. it is as easy as that. thank _ and go and gameplay. it is as easy as that. thank you - and go and gameplay. it is as easy as that. thank you very | easy as that. thank you very much and enjoy the games. much and en'oy the games. thank ou. the fbi has released more details on the assassination attempt on republican presidential nominee donald trump. fbi officials said the gunman, thomas crooks, mounted a �*sustained and detailed effort�* to attack a major gathering before selecting the trump rally in pennsylvania. crooks searched more than 60 times for information about the republican presidential candidate and his then—rival, presidentjoe biden, before registering for the trump rally in earlyjuly. our north america correspondentjohn sudworthjoins me now. what details have we learned today? i what details have we learned toda ? ~ ., , ., , today? i think what is really interesting _ today? i think what is really interesting and _ today? i think what is really interesting and perhaps - today? i think what is really interesting and perhaps the| interesting and perhaps the most significant in this briefing given by the fbi is that more than six weeks on from that attempted assassination, they have no more information at all about

motive. 20—year—old thomas crooks remains something of an enigma. they have searched years of his social media records. they have conducted almost 1000 interviews with family and friends and associates and witnesses, and they have viewed hundreds of hours of video footage, but they say they have pretty much drawn a blank on why he did this. there are no co—conspirators, no evidence of any foreign involvement they say but despite all of that, a little bit more detail as you say, about the preparation he put into the attack.— put into the attack. what's more do — put into the attack. what's more do we _ put into the attack. what's more do we know- put into the attack. what's more do we know about i put into the attack. what'sl more do we know about the preparation? as you say, we are really know about his motive but choosing a target seems to not have been that specific? well again, that talks to this

absence of motive. clearly extensive preparations in terms of his searching for a target. multiple times over the months leading up to the attack, he searched for potential venues but, as you mentioned, both republican and democrat venues and events. when the fbi looked through his social media that they found evidence of no particular ideology, either left or right, so that is all somewhat baffling although some experts say that it is not entirely unusual when you compare this to similar attacks for attackers not to have a motive. frustrating nonetheless for investigators and for the american public. they of course want answers as to why this happened. on that question, in

parts, a briefing to the fbi has be to criticisms from some american politicians that is ever has been mishandled and not be moving fast enough and this is their attempt to say look, we're taking this very seriously and we have conducted all of this work. they are laying out what they know so far even if, as i say, it does not appear to shed much more light. not appear to shed much more liuht. ., ~ i. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

the prime minister sir kier starmer has been meeting the german chancellor in berlin as he starts his visit. he was speaking after talks with the german chancellor, olaf scholz in berlin. both men are proposing a new bilateral treaty, covering science, technology, trade and business, but sir keir says he has no plans for a youth mobility scheme, which could've given young people in the eu, the right to live and work

here in the uk. our chief political correspondent, henry zeffman reports. clearing the way for something new. the prime minister's first official visit to germany, with early steps towards greater unity. the launch of talks on a treaty between the two countries, encompassing trade, defence, migration and plenty more. a new agreement, a testament to the depth and potential of our relationship with deeper links on science, technology, development, people, business, culture. a boost to our trading relations. the german chancellor was notably promising too. he said a better relations could point the way for the whole eu.

translation: i am happy about the announcement l by keir starmer to seek a reset in the relations to the european union. we want to take this hand which has reached out to us. the uk has always been an indispensable partner when it comes to solving the big issues affecting all of europe. both the centre—left leaders who entered office after long periods of conservative dominance, keir starmer and olaf scholz are comfortable and each other�*s company. the mood music here unquestionably good, sir keir starmer talking again about a reset with the relations with europe in general and germany in particular. how much is possible without altering the fundamentals of the post—brexit settlement? a quick visit to siemens energy this afternoon. the prime minister adamant that on the single market and customs union, nothing will change. free movement, too, even though some in europe are pushing for a deal to make it easier for young people to move between the uk and the eu. olaf scholz lamented a massive

decline since brexit in contact between germans and brits. and then to paris, not just the paralympics but president macron too. for our political leaders at least, contact between britain and europe is only intensifying. michaela kuefner is chief political editor of german broadcaster deutsche welle. thank you for being with us. there's going to be a new cooperation agreement. what is going to be the deal? irate cooperation agreement. what is going to be the deal?— going to be the deal? we don't have a lot _ going to be the deal? we don't have a lot of _ going to be the deal? we don't have a lot of detail. _ going to be the deal? we don't have a lot of detail. jeremy - going to be the deal? we don't have a lot of detail. jeremy is l have a lot of detail. jeremy is interested in more economic times. we won't be able to do that by laterally beyond common standards and beyond public procurement issues that are national because of trade, business, there is a basic underlying rules, that is all in brussels. that is all in the eu and that it was put in the

eu and that it was put in the eu and that is what brittany left. german has —— germany has put for more cooperation, local... in the context of defence, both countries germany and britain, are the strongest supporters in military terms for ukraine and they are both have to and want to work together. britain might have left the european union but it is still a very close and important nato partner and that is where these two countries and britain worked together with european countries anyway. keir starmer made it clear that the uk won't be reversing brexit any time soon. how has trade, defence, tech, science, how have they been impacted by the uk either leaving the eu? there'd be a significant impact. we have headquarters leaving the way are not moving to britain. clearly, he wanted to britain. clearly, he wanted to do madrid and there's a lot of talk of potential by

visiting siemens energy here in berlin, which it is where its base and this really is an attempt to show that this could be a concrete way to move forward while leaving out the big overarching question of whether these could be baby steps back into the european union. but brussels has been hard to the experience of the attempts of british cherry picking and i dare say that that will be an impossibility despite the fact that of course, you brexit agreement comes up for review in 2026 which is not that far off so we can see this as a segue into some renegotiations there. mr schultz took about the relation between germany and britain have weighed between germany and britain —— mac waned between germany and britain post—pandemic, what you think?

did not help having a prime minister have and who was at the forefront brexit and did not have an interest in cover cooperating with european standards. they very much value or countries that are part of... who actually tap into those intelligence resources that it struggles to rehab itself. that is something where germany wants to expand and it would like to see more freedom of movement and i think this will really be a very difficult issue to come to an agreement whether, because germans, german students have suffered. frankly, i am someone who benefited from the european union, i studied benefited from the european union, istudied in benefited from the european union, i studied in cardiff. benefited from the european union, istudied in cardiff. my career wouldn't have been possible the way it was if it hadn't been for these extra —— it has exchanges in the framework of the european union and the big question is whether thatis

and the big question is whether that is the political will and the openness to create that kind of cultural and scientific openness. again, ask a scientist, they're very sad that a lot of project money is no longer going to britain. a lot of projects had to be shut down. lot of pro'ects had to be shut down. . , , lot of pro'ects had to be shut down. ., , , ., down. really interesting to get to analysis- — down. really interesting to get to analysis. thank _ down. really interesting to get to analysis. thank you - down. really interesting to get to analysis. thank you for - to analysis. thank you for joining us. some breaking news to bring in now. they are reporting that steve chief executive of telegram, has been charged in france but he has been brought underjudicial been brought under judicial control. been brought underjudicial control. that is the only information that we have at the moment. we know that he was due in court for possible charges alleged to criminal activity on the platform. the founder of the platform. the founder of the social media app was arrested in france on saturday after his private jet landed arrested in france on saturday after his privatejet landed in an airport outside of paris. he is a russian born entrepreneur and became a french citizen in 2021 and he was questioned about allegations that his

platform would be used to exchange child sexual abuse material. and by cry gangs for fraud and money—laundering. he has been charged but we don't have details as to the exact charges but we will bring use them to sing as we have them. —— as soon as we have them. the us national security adviserjake sullivan has wrapped up two days of meetings in beijing with his chinese counterparts in what was the first visit by a white house national security adviser in eight years, discussions focused on trade and improving diplomatic ties. both sides agreed to a hold video calls between military commanders, an attempt to ease military tensions in the taiwan strait and the south china sea. the visit is the latest example of the biden administrations attempt to smooth the relationship with beijing. let's speak to dr monique chu, who is a china—us relations expert and lecturer in chinese politics at the university of southampton. welcome to you. but having on the programme. what been the

biggest issues on the table in this two day visit and what has been achieved in your view? both parties have their respective concerns. for example, for beijing, they have really expressed their discontent with the us economic actors against china are such as a high tariffs on chinese made electric vehicles. washington on the other hand, have put emphasis on pacific allies. this remark was particularly important given the recent tensions on chinese surveillance planes entering airspace —— taiwanese airspace. i will look at taiwan, that was the red line, isn't it? they said this to such sops taiwan, adding that taiwan belongs to china and that taiwanese independence is the biggest

risk to peace as ability in the region for the palace us has that? �* �* , region for the palace us has that? �*, , , ., that? beijing's response is not surprising _ that? beijing's response is not surprising at — that? beijing's response is not surprising at all _ that? beijing's response is not surprising at all because - that? beijing's response is not surprising at all because it - that? beijing's response is not surprising at all because it is l surprising at all because it is reiterating its position regarding the issue of tyrone. sullivan has put emphasis on washington's commitment to specific allies which implicitly includes taiwan. this really shows that both parties are still far apart in the position regarding the sensitive issue of taiwan. overall, i don't think major progress was really made during his visit especially given uncertainties surrounding the upcoming us election. the visit is still very important because it may actually pave the way for the upcoming summit, including biden— for the upcoming summit, including biden what about trade because _

including biden what about trade because it _ including biden what about trade because it abiding i including biden what about i trade because it abiding mac foreign affairs, said there was a political puncture when it comes to the economy. in fact, the increased harrys. where does that leave the economic relationship between the two world largest economies? in the two world largest economies?- the two world largest economies? ., , , �* economies? in many ways, biden has continue _ economies? in many ways, biden has continue some _ economies? in many ways, biden has continue some of— economies? in many ways, biden has continue some of the - has continue some of the register trump entities following introduction of the trade war against china. particularly in the domain of their dynamic ai. particularly in the domain of their dynamic al. the biden magician has taken up to measure measured against a chinese entity said these have been perceived as that among these have been perceived by beijing as very hostile actions taken by washington. washington views all of these measures as a way to safeguard the american national security because some of these technologies are related to national security

concerns pertaining to the need chinese military modernisation. on this particular issue, those parties are still far apart. thank you very much for being with us. do stay with us here on bbc news. i will be back in a few minutes' time with plenty more. is watching. —— thanks for watching. hello there. we've certainly seen some contrasting weather conditions across the country today. out to the west, it's been cloudy and often wet once again. this was chorley in lancashire this morning, some of the rain really quite heavy, clearing away to some drizzly, murky conditions. the best of the sunshine, well, high cloud, yes, across east anglia and south east england, but that's where we had the sunshine and the warmth. in fact, temperatures peaking in the high 20s by the middle part of the afternoon. probably too hot for many of us, but as those weather fronts that brought the rain

sink south and east, no rain on it, but they're going to introduce fresher air as they move through overnight. so on thursday morning, then, we'll start off with a lot of sunshine and just a few scattered showers across northern england, northern ireland. showers more frequent into scotland, moving from west to east through the day. top temperatures between 14—19 degrees here, but we should see temperatures at 23 celsius, so a little bit more pleasant perhaps across south—east england. now, as we move through thursday evening, those showers will tend to fade away, perhaps just clinging to the far north of scotland — clearing skies, that's going to allow those temperatures to fall away into single figures. maybe a little bit misty and murky as well first thing into northern ireland, south—west scotland. but on the whole, we keep that quieter theme of weather. friday will start off dry, settled with some sunshine coming through. cloud will build up through the day, but it should be largely dry for many throughout the day, and temperatures will once again range from 15—19 degrees in the north, perhaps 20—23 celsius across parts of england and wales.

high pressure is going to stay with us as we move into the weekend. it will start to drift its way north and east, allowing the wind direction to come in for more of an easterly — that could push in more cloud off the north sea. certainly a fresher feel on those exposed east coast, and perhaps not as sunny as it has been, so sheltered western areas seeing the best of the sunshine and a dry day for scotland and northern ireland, and as a result, a little warmer as well — highs here of 22 degrees. second half of the weekend looks quite promising. again, that high pressure still likely to pull away, but we keep that drier theme, and that's going to hold those weather fronts out in the atlantic. so, dry settled and sunny story as we continue into sunday, and as a result

a little warmer, too.

hello, i'm samantha simmonds. you're watching the context on bbc news. this street, this road, deserted now. one of the main roads through janin has seen this kind of activity so many times since the hamas attacks last october, but this operation looks a bit different. we take the measures necessary to prevent terror activities in israel, and injudea and samaria.

we will do whatever is necessary. for all the talk of iran and so on, is this long—running immutable conflict between israelis and palestinians for control of the land. first, the latest headlines. the fbi has released more details on the assassination attempt on the republican presidential nominee. fbi officials said the gunman, thomas crooks, mounted a "sustained and detailed effort" to attack a major gathering before selecting the trump rally in pennsylvania. britain and germany have announced that they are working on a new bilateral treaty to entrench cooperation on areas such as security, the economy and people—to—people contacts. the plans were revealed at talks in berlin between germany's chancellor olaf scholz and the british prime minister keir starmer. thames water has told the regulator it won't survive

unless it increases bills by nearly 60% over