good afternoon. the environment secretary, michael gove, has suggested the government could support a lifting of the 1% pay cap for public sector workers, as calls grow for ministers to ease austerity measures. he told the bbc‘s andrew marr show that the government should "respect the integrity" of the independent bodies that review pay for groups including nurses, teachers and the police. our political correspondent emma vardy reports. complaining about seven years of austerity, not one day more, was the slogan for protesters yesterday. the plan to drive down the deficit has meant year after year of pay freezes and caps for some 5 million public sector workers. but that could be about to change. the environment is or. michael gove, said that if independent pay review bodies recommend a rise, then the government should accept it.”

recommend a rise, then the government should accept it. i think we should listen to the pay review bodies who govern each individual area of public sector pay. public sector workers have effectively had ai% sector workers have effectively had a 1% cap on pay rises since 2013 and a 1% cap on pay rises since 2013 and a two—year pay freeze before that. there are eight independent bodies which make recommendations to the government about the pay of public sector workers including teachers, police and nhs staff. but the government is not bound by these recommendations are. it is up to the prime minister and the various secretaries of state to decide how to respond to their advice. there has been scepticism over weather the pay review bodies are truly independent. they work under the overall strategy set by the government? they take account of that, but they also take account of other questions as well, including the numberof other questions as well, including the number of people who are entering the profession, and weather we need to increase pay in order to get the best people in the profession. these pay review bodies have been set up in order to ensure

that we can have authoritative advice on what's required, in order to ensure that the public services on which we rely are effectively staffed, and the people within them are effectively supported. in march, the nhs pay review body warned the cap was putting stress on the health service. this month, we are due to find out the recommendations being made for the pay of police and teachers. we are saying to the pay review bodies, get rid of the 1% cap and givea review bodies, get rid of the 1% cap and give a fair pay rise. i think they should consider giving people a pay rise in line with earnings. they should consider giving people a pay rise in line with earningsm is no longerjust opposition parties who want an end to the long—running freeze on public sector pay. now, conservative backbenchers are also lobbying for a change. the government has announced it is withdrawing from an arrangement that allows other countries to fish in uk waters. currently the convention allows irish, dutch, french, german and belgian vessels to fish within 6—12 nautical miles of uk coastline. the government says ending the agreement would help the fishing industry with access

to its fishing rights. residents living close to grenfell tower who have not had hot water since the fire will not have to pay rent for the time being. kensington and chelsea council says it is suspending rent until at least january next year. the west london council has been silivri criticised for its handling of the disaster. 0ur correspondent richard galpin is with us in the studio. what exactly are the council saying? basically, this is going to affect residents in three blocks of apartments right next to grenfell tower. those people we re next to grenfell tower. those people were badly affected, they had to evacuate their homes. but some are 110w evacuate their homes. but some are now starting to go back. as you were saying, they are finding, there is no hot water, it was essentially a centralised hot water system for the neighbourhood, and the boiler was destroyed, and that's why the

council finally saying now, destroyed, and that's why the councilfinally saying now, that they will not take any payments for rent until at least january 2018. not least because a lot of people are still in temporary accommodation. as we heard earlier in the week, one woman actually found that rent had been deducted from her bank account. reports suggest at least 19 people have been killed and many injured in a suicide bomb attack in the syrian capital of damascas. the attacker struck in tahrir square in the centre of the city. the bomber appears to have been in one of three cars that had been pursued by police. from beirut, sophie long reports. blown out vehicles in the centre of the syrian capital. the suicide bomber detonated their device just before eight o'clock this morning. the streets near tahrir square in central damascus had been busy, as

people here return for theirfirst full day of work after celebrating the end of the holy month of ramadan. the car had been surrounded by the syrian authorities when it exploded, killing at least 19 people, injuring several others. the blast shattered windows and damaged buildings in the area, which has now been cordoned off. syrian authorities say they blew up two other would—be bombers before they entered the city. these state television pictures showed what they say is the damage caused on the main road heading into the city centre. residents are now clearing up the debris left from this, the bloodiest attack in the syrian capital for months. it is another day when people here can do little but try to carry on, as they come to terms with further loss of life. syria is still in the throes of a devastating civil war that has lasted more than six yea rs, war that has lasted more than six years, killed hundreds of thousands and forced more than a million

people from their homes. at least 28 people have been injured following a shooting at a nightclub in the us state of arkansas. police say two people are in a critical condition following the incident, which took place around half past two in the morning local time. with electric cars making their way onto our roads, could it be electric aircraft next? they're less noisy and less polluting — which makes them an attractive prospect for some manufacturers and passengers. 0ur transport correspondent richard westcott has been on a test ride. it's a plane that will revolutionise flight. not the spitfire — this. the efusion looks quite ordinary, until you see it being refuelled. no tanker trucks and kerosene — you just change the batteries. radio: 0ne—zero, take off at your discretion... it's an experimental aircraft, and the bbc has been

offered a rare flight. the really obvious thing is how lovely and quiet it is. yeah. and you don't get all the vibration. right. it is so comfortable and smooth, and everything reacts so nicely. is electric the way it's going? are we going to have electric planes in the future, electric cabs? 0h, definitely. we are going to have electric planes, hybrid electric planes of all different sizes. it will go up to 50—seaters. maybe 100—seaters. the efusion can fly for about 30 minutes on one charge, something they want to improve. it'll top 140mph, and has a range of around 60 miles. i'm going to try an experiment now. i'm going to take my headphones off. normally, you do that in an aircraft, and it's so noisy you can't hear yourself think. so, let's see what it's like when i talk into the microphone. ah, can you hear me 0k?

it's actually like being in a car on a motorway! it's a lovely way to see the world! but this isn't just about how we're going to be going on holiday, it's about how we're going to pop to the shops. electric engines are cleaner and quieter, making them perfect for flying taxis. seems far—fetched? well, look at this. dubai is testing an electric air cab later this year, and the giant taxi ride firm uber says it wants customers flying around in just six years. it's been seven decades since the jet engine changed the world. electric engines could have a similar impact on our future. you can see more on all of today's stories on the bbc news channel. the next news on bbc one is at 6.35. bye for now.

you're watching bbc news. iraqi forces say they have captured so—called islamic state's main base in mosul after days of intense fighting. the militants have been driven from a hospital compound where several senior is leaders were thought to have been hiding. earlier, i spoke to campbell macdiarmid, a freelance journalist based in nearby erbil. he recently spent several nights embedded with iraqi government troops in mosul, and says there are still pockets of resistance in the city. i think we've got tens of thousands of civilians still living under areas of isis control. they have taken a large hospital complex which they've been battling for for several weeks, that's the iraqi security forces.

and they're well into retaking the old city, which is the last bastion of islamic state control. but what you're seeing now from the iraqi government is probably some premature celebration, which gives you an idea of what a big, much—needed propaganda victory this will be for the iraqi government, retaking mosul, which is iraqi's second—largest city and has been under their control for the last three years. so, when you say premature, do you mean that is have not really been defeated there? no — they're still maintaining territory in the old city. there's maybe a third or a half of the old city still under control of the isis militants. the old city is just a small part of mosul, maybe 10% of the west side, so, certainly the battle is nearly over. it's a foregone conclusion now and it's a matter of time before they retake all of the territory. they retake all of that territory.

as i said, you were there for a few days. what where conditions like in the part of mosul where you were? almost indescribably terrible for the civilians still living under isis control. it's been a siege now for months, so they've run out of food, they're facing starvation. we've seen children with signs of serious malnutrition, old people too weak to walk out, and under the constant threat of coalition air strikes and iraqi military fire, artillery, mortars and so forth, a lot of them only manage to get out when their houses are bombed and they pull themselves out from the rubble. and in the wider scheme of how this affects is across the middle east, what's happening in mosul? what is your view of how significant this is, what's happening in mosul? it's certainly a major blow to any pretensions they had of maintaining a caliphate. so, we're going to see in the next few months, as other areas of iraq and parts of syria get re—taken from isis,

they're no longer going to control territory, and so they're goinbg to revert back to just being a terrorist group. and we're already seeing signs of that. we've seen suicide bombings being carried out in mosul and liberated areas, with ongoing suicide attacks in baghdad. so, whilst they're defeated on the battlefield, i don't think that means we're going to see the end of terrorist attacks in the middle east or further afield. and the reasons for their defeat in mosul? was it simply overwhelming firepower and overwhelming numbers on the side of the iraqi government forces? well, and not to forget the coalition air support. that's been the main driver of many of the advances made by the iraqi security forces. i don't think they could have done it without coalition air support. that's just been overwhelming firepower against the isis militants. and in the parts of mosul where you were, what was the reaction of civilians when is were driven out?

were they welcoming in the iraqi government forces? certainly. a lot of celebration. what some iraqi security forces believed was that some of those people coming out, though, were putting on a show of welcoming the iraqi security forces, so there's certainly a lot of suspicion by the iraqi security forces against the civilian population. and, you know, obviously, many, many people were extremely happy to see isis go, but there are still those in mosul and other parts of iraq that do still support the group. 0ur our main headlines... pressure on

the prime minister to ease austerity, the environment secretary, michael gove, says the government should listen to the recommendations of pay review bodies. council tenants whose services have been disrupted by the g re nfell tower services have been disrupted by the grenfell tower fire have had their rent suspended. iraqi forces, as we've been hearing, have taken control of the main base of so—called islamic state in mosul. lots of sport to tell you about, here's jessica. andy lots of sport to tell you about, here'sjessica. andy murray insists here'sjessica. andy murray insists he is fit to play wimbledon, despite struggling with a hip problem. he has confirm this morning he and his wife are expecting their second child. the world number one pulled out of an exhibition match earlier this week due to injury. he begins the defence of his wimbledon title tomorrow against the world number 134. the last few days have been very good, practice each day has got

a little bit better. it has been slightly stop start, the preparations, but each day, i have felt better. but a little bit like at the french open, where maybe i didn't come in as well prepared, i still found a way within each match to feel a bit better and build confidence each day. so, you know, i'm hoping that's the case here. england are going well against sri la nka england are going well against sri lanka in theirgroup england are going well against sri lanka in their group game at the women's world cup. sri lanka won the toss and chose to bat first. they did not score a run off their first 21 balls. laura marsh has taken four becketts. sri lanka are currently seven down. —— four wickets. patrick geary is in taunton. how dominant a position are england in? a pretty strong position. taunton is

notorious as a ground with lots of runs, you get big totals here. you feel sri lanka are not going to get enough runs on this pitch. they did start well, the opening pair putting a deep and decent partnership, but as soon as england introduced the slower bowlers, laura marsh in particular, it swung the momentum. england's fielding has got progressively better, and sarah taylor has been excellent behind the stumps. england will feel they can get these runs fairly easily. having said that, this tournament is notoriously unpredictable, four games going on today, and the interesting one is up at grace road in leicester. the west indies, bowled out for just 48, in leicester. the west indies, bowled out forjust 48, the south african captain taking four wickets without conceding a single run off her bowling. south africa got the i’u ns her bowling. south africa got the runs in no time at all, and they look a realforce. england have them

next, up the five, in bristol, on wednesday. that game, should england get past sri lanka today, looks really interesting. sean o'brien is free to play in the third and deciding test against new zealand after a disciplinary panel dismissed claims he had struck an opponent during the lions‘ series levelling victory in wellington. but no further action will be taken. meanwhile, sonny bill williams of the all blacks will be suspended, following his sending—off. graham rowntree, the lions forwards coach, says the team can perform even better in the final game of the tour. how many of these guys have won a lions series in new zealand? and what excites these guys is, there‘s more to come. some great players, the best rugby players from the home nations,

and they‘ve had a taste of it. the first test, they were down, they were hurting, we got a reaction. they have got a taste of it now. let‘s raise our game again. that‘s the sport for now. actually, we are going to stay with sport, because tennis fans are queueing ahead of the first day of wimbledon tomorrow. so, let‘s go to our correspondent, jane francis kelly, who has gone to join some of the right, fans, out there already, queueing up in their tents, and beautiful sunshine... , the sunshine is here, wimbledon is nearly upon us. and, of course, so are the queues and the camping fans! security will be stepped up this year. there are concrete walls to help protect fans because of previous terror attacks. the police are very much in evidence. bags are

being searched. but this is not putting off fans. with me is someone from northumberland, and you‘re number one in the queue?|j from northumberland, and you‘re number one in the queue? i am, i always wanted to be number one. tell me about your journey? always wanted to be number one. tell me about yourjourney?|j always wanted to be number one. tell me about yourjourney? i left northumberland roughly about eight o'clock to catch my train. i left central stationjust o'clock to catch my train. i left central station just after nine o'clock. my train arrived half an hour early, in king's cross, at about 12.30. and really everything we nt about 12.30. and really everything went to plan from there. i got here about 1.38 went to plan from there. i got here about1.38 yen, early went to plan from there. i got here about 1.38 yen, early saturday morning. i did not expect to be the first in the queue. —— about 1.30 in the morning. i used twitterfrom 2016, and there was about ten by that time, so i knew roughly what timei that time, so i knew roughly what time i would have to be here. it was

a budget ticket, and that‘s the reason you got here so early? yeah, travelling late at night tends to be view the cheapest prices. because i was arriving at king's cross at that time. and who are you hoping to see tomorrow but how it was not so much who i see, it is the centre court which is the attraction. to be fair, if murray was based on 11 court, i still would have gone to centre court. how very i‘m patriotic? still would have gone to centre court. how very i'm patriotic? well, it's wimbledon, i come for the ce ntre it's wimbledon, i come for the centre court. it's wimbledon that you love, obviously. i kind of knew what to expect. during my research for the trip, i started to find out how well it is organised. yes,

there‘s no queue jumping how well it is organised. yes, there‘s no queuejumping here! have you got your ticket yet? at some point this afternoon, we will be givena point this afternoon, we will be given a queue macro card which will be transferred into a ticket. once you have got your card, it kind of assures your number in the queue. it is pretty short anyway. it is a well oiled system. it is. i have never been toa oiled system. it is. i have never been to a festival before, but it has got the same atmosphere about it. i have come down from almost autumnal weather, to this. it has turned out better than i expected. as you can see behind me, the queue is continuing to grow. it‘s going to get longer and longer, and it should

be an exciting reflex. jane, are you going tojoin the back be an exciting reflex. jane, are you going to join the back of the queue?! no! idon‘t like going to join the back of the queue?! no! i don‘t like camping! anyway, lovely sunshine there at wimbledon and good luck to all of those queueing to get in. britain is withdrawing from an agreement which allows foreign countries to fish in its waters. the government says leaving the london fisheries convention the government says leaving the london fisheries convention will allow the uk to take back control of access to its fishing rights. daniela relph reports. the uk fishing industry is a multi—million pound business. but the government says britain‘s exit from the european union is a chance to build a new domestic fishing policy. the withdrawal from the london fisheries convention will prevent vessels from france, belgium, germany, ireland and the netherlands fishing within 6—12 nautical miles of the uk‘s coastline. but it won‘t be a quick process. britain‘s departure from the convention will take around two years. environment secretary michael gove

said triggering the withdrawal from the agreement would lead to a more competitive, profitable and sustainable industry for the whole of the uk. the london fisheries convention was signed in 1964. it currently allows other countries to catch 10,000 tonnes of fish from uk waters, worth approximately £17 million. the government believes leaving the convention will allow britain to take back control of its fishing policy. i spoke to will mccallum, head of oceans at greenpeace uk. i asked him weather he thought it would bring about more sustainability for the uk fishing industry. it could do, but the main reason we are excited about this is that this shows defra are prioritising fishing. there is a long list of deals to be struck in brexit,

and we were worried that fishing would not be prioritised, and that those communities who wanted a new fishing policy and more access to fish would once again find themselves at the bottom of the heap. some people might say this is protectionist, we are stopping other people fishing in our waters, and they can do vice versa? exactly, what this does is, it gives us the power to do that, but we all know, fish don‘t respect borders, they are not going to stop at 12 miles. actually, what this means is, we‘re going to go into a long drawn—out process of negotiation, and our priorities need to be that we have to have a fair and sustainable fisheries policy. i also spoke to the chairman of the national federation of fishermen‘s organisations. he says that this move is not just organisations. he says that this move is notjust about sustainability, but part of a bigger picture. this is not really about creating sustainable fishing, this is about

controlling fisheries management in the uk. of course we want sustainable fishing. the fishing industry has the most to lose if we we've been catching these fish stocks for generation after generation, and we want to sustain that into the but the best way of ensuring that our fish stocks are sustainable is by having control over their management, not having that management dependent on rules which are created under the cfp, which takes a huge amount of time to respond to changes, biological changes on the ground. so this should be seen as a great step. because we really can start to rethink fisheries management from that is a huge opportunity for us, to do it right this time. that was the chairman of the national federation of fishermen‘s organisations. president donald trump has criticised the growing number of us states who are refusing to pass

on voters‘ details to his commission on electoralfraud. earlier, he tweeted. .. "what are they trying to hide?" our washington correspondent laura bicker explains what might happen next. donald trump set up an election integrity commission back in may. he wanted to look at claims, including his own claims, that voter fraud was widespread that voter fraud was widespread across the united states. he believes, for instance, that many people who might have died in the past are still on the electoral roll and people are voting on their behalf. to that end, the commission sent out letters to all the states. they‘re asking for very personal information about the voters, the 200 million voters across the us. they want their names, their addresses, their birth dates and, crucially, the last four digits of their social security numbers. but some states have real concerns. first of all, they wonder how this information can be kept safe if they send it to washington

and they send it to the commission. they say this information would be ripe for hackers. they say the cyber security on it is not safe. others believe that this entire investigation is unnecessary and violates the privacy of those within their states. so, that‘s some of the reasons why they are saying they will not comply. let me give you a couple of quotes, from california, for instance, a democrat, the secretary of state there says, california‘s participation would only serve to legitimise the false and debunked claims of massive voter fraud by the president. it‘s notjust democratic states who are pushing back. republicans are also saying they will not comply. perhaps the most critical rebuff came from the secretary of state for mississippi, who said to the commission, it can go and jump in the gulf of mexico — and mississippi is a great state to launch from! so, they‘re not having much luck when it comes to getting this information.

that‘s one of the reasons why donald trump has taken to twitter, saying, what are they trying to hide? he can keep pushing, the states can keep pushing back. how will this end? we‘lljust have to wait and see. a smartphone system which alerts qualified life savers to someone having a heart attack, has been launched for the first time outside of london. the app automatically calls first responders near the emergency, to get them there before paramedics arrive, as james roberson reports. there are already hundreds of them in the five counties covered by east midlands ambulance service. hello, there. my name‘s andy, i‘m a responder with the ambulance service. first responders are drawn from emas staff and trained volunteers and also from the police and fire services and the region‘s various medical staff. they used to have to be told directly by phone about an emergency, but now there is goodsam. neil white worked on the project. when a critical cardiac arrest case is identified,

the goodsam system automatically sends an alert to the nearest first responders to get there fast to start cpr. it looks for the nearest five people within 800 metres of the scene, and alerts those. where it can‘t find somebody, or the first five people have rejected, it will then look further for the next five people. ambulance and medical staff are aware that at home, in the office, or in the street or countryside, your chances of surviving a heart attack are less than 10%. using the goodsam alert system can increase those survival chances. the reality is that only 8% of people outside of hospital who have a cardiac arrest will survive to be discharged alive from hospital. anything we can do to increase that number by getting their hearts going sooner will increase the chance of those people having a productive life. it‘s taken four years to develop the system. its use across the world is now growing. already, about 500 first responders are registered across the east midlands to receive alerts. to receive goodsam alerts.

emas hope that number will grow and increase survival rates for heart attack patients. let‘s have a look at the weather. it is set to get hotter and more humid but before we get there is an decent weather out and about this afternoon with the best sunshine across england and where is. some thicker cloud for cumbria and northern ireland but it will start thinning and breaking at times. the ha rd iest thinning and breaking at times. the hardiest weather in scotland, weston