welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. our top stories: the diplomatic push is on. britain's ambassador to the us says efforts are ramping up to change president trump's mind about the iran nuclear deal. we think we're making progress, we haven't got there yet. we have a few days left to see if we can find a way through. pakistan's interior minister survives an assassination attempt. ahsan iqbal was shot in the arm at a political rally. the extraordinary comeback. malaysia's 92—year—old former prime minister returns to contest the country's general election. some of football's biggest names show their support for manchester united's sir alex ferguson, who is recovering from a brain haemorrhage. another visit by a foreign diplomat, another attempt to persuade

the trump administration not to walk away from the iran nuclear agreement. this time it is britain's foreign secretary, borisjohnson, ahead of his visit to washington, who said that historic evidence of an iranian secret project to develop nuclear weapons underscored the importance of the deal, and was not an argument to scupper it. president trump has been scathingly critical of the agreement, and he may announce that he is scrapping it later this week. here is andrew plant. donald trump has long been clear about his contempt for the deal with iran, saying it has disastrous floors. it was signed in 2015 between iran and six world powers. so incompetently negotiated as our

deal with iran. so incompetently negotiated as our dealwith iran. and so incompetently negotiated as our deal with iran. and was one of president 0bama's key foreign policy achievements. iran agreed to mothball its nuclear programme, which many feared could lead to them developing weapons in return, crippling international economic sanctions were lifted. america's ally israel says iran secretly continued its work. senior us officials say the deal was built on lies. mr trump has publicly threatened to scrap it, which prompted this response on saturday from iran's president, hassan rouhani. translation: if the united states leaves the nuclear agreement, you will soon see that they will regret it, like never before in history. britain's ambassador to the us said that the uk, france and germany were now looking at other ways forward if america withdrew its support. we have been talking at a

senior official level of the administration with our french and german colleagues for several weeks 110w. german colleagues for several weeks now. we think we are making progress. we haven't got there yet. we have a few days left to see if we can find we have a few days left to see if we canfind a we have a few days left to see if we can find a way through. uk's foreign secretary, borisjohnson, is visiting washington. he published an article in the new york times on sunday describing the deal as the least worst option, and the best way, he said, of preventing iran developing nuclear weapon. he will meet white house representatives, including vice president mike pence, to try to sway mr trump's decision before the deadline. the bbc‘s chris buckler is in washington. he says pressure is mounting as president trump is due to make a decision on the iran nuclear deal in less than a week. that is why we are seeing the visit of the british foreign secretary to the white house. of course, he's not the first to go with these concerns about america walking away from this deal.

we've seen the french president here, we've seen the german chancellor, now it is the turn of borisjohnson, the british foreign secretary. and he's actually written a whole opinion piece in the new york times, which hasjust been published. and that is intended to grab the attention of president trump himself. in it, he talks about potentially new scenarios of abandoning this deal. he says it will be like lifting handcuffs off iran, and that it will be worse for the world. he said, in fact, the only country could possibly benefit would be iran. so you're hearing this argument playing out, and he wants to take it directly to the white house. his biggest problem is that, at the moment, he's not speaking directly to donald trump himself. he's speaking instead to the vice president, mike pence, and a whole range of other white house senior officials. it's probably why he's arranged an appearance on the fox and friends programme, which is the morning news programme that donald trump regularly watches and tweets about. and it might well be that that is borisjohnson‘s best chance to speak directly

to the president. the truth is that donald trump has made clear, time and time again, that he regards this as a bad deal. now, historically, barack 0bama regarded this as being one of the high points of foreign policy in his presidency, managing to get this agreement arranged. but president trump simply feels it is too lenient, and there's a whole range of issues for that. first of all, there's a sunset clause, for 2025, which basically lifts some of the restrictions. also, he's got concerns about the fact that it doesn't place some restrictions on missiles, and he also has worries about the inspections regime. what the uk, germany, and france are trying to do at the moment is to try to come up with an alternative, something that wouldn't see them walk away from this deal, but rather try to improve the deal. it has to be said, though, you played that interview of kim darroch, the british ambassador to the us. he did also make clear that they were working on a plan b, and that plan b is continuing with the deal, or trying to continue with the deal, even if america was to walk away.

pakistan's interior minister has been been shot and injured in a suspected assassination attempt. ahsan iqbal was hit by a bullet in his arm, but officials say he is out of danger. this incident comes ahead of general elections expected injuly. here is the bbc‘s secunder kermani on a possible motive. the attacker has been ta ken into custody. he was arrested by police at the scene. he is being questioned by them now. there's been speculation in pakistan that perhaps this attacker is linked to a group of hardline islamist protesters who had been angry at the ruling party, the pmln, to whom ahsan iqbal belongs, because they said that they were trying to change an electoral oath that muslim members of parliament swear when they become elected, and they saw these changes as being tantamount to blasphemy. now, those changes were pretty much

immediately reversed, but some of that anger in this small segment of society has remained. ahsan iqbal did have a shoe thrown at him at another public meeting earlier this year, so it's possible that that could be the motive, but as of yet there has been no official confirmation of that. let's take a look at some of the other stories making the news: an explosion at an afghan mosque being used as a voter registration centre has killed at least 17 people and wounded dozens of others. the blast happened in the eastern province of khost, as people gathered for afternoon prayers. there have been a number of attacks on such sites since voter registration began last month for parliamentary elections due in october. north korea said the united states is wrong to suggest that pyongyang has agreed to talks on its nuclear programme because of international sanctions. in a statement, the foreign ministry accused washington of misleading public opinion, and said pyongyang's actions should not be seen as a sign of weakness. when malaysians go to the polls

on wednesday, they will be presented with an extraordinary alternative to the governing coalition that has ruled the country since independence. former prime minister dr mahathir mohamad is making a comeback at the age of 92. jonathan head reports. has there ever been such a bold political gamble by someone of this age? hardly showing his 92 years, mahathir mohamad has captivated this campaign, asking malaysian voters, many of whom weren't alive when he first took office, to give him another chance. he castigates the current prime minister and his wife for greed and corruption. in a slick and sentimental campaign video, the veteran leader explains to a young girl and boy that he has

had to come back to fix the problems caused by his successors. the issue opposition activists are hoping will fire up the voters is this —1mdb, a government—linked investment body from which billions of dollars were allegedly stolen, the subject of investigations around the world. the man they are trying to unseat, prime minister najib razak, actually owes hisjob to past support from dr mahathir. now he is using the promise of government largess to keep it, here promising more money for this low—cost public housing estate, and a boost to the minimum wage. it also helps that, in this and other constituencies, the boundaries have recently been adjusted in a way that favours the government. the entry of dr mahathir has certainly electrified this election contest, and given the opposition a leader of unrivalled stature.

but, for all of his complaints of corruption and mismanagement against the government, for most malaysians it is more prosaic issues like the rising cost of food that really matter, and it is hard to convince them that a man who for so long was part of the ruling machinery is now the solution to the ills he says that it has inflicted on the country. i'm not impressed. they came from the same root, that is my opinion. came from the same root. for them to come in and to repair the damage that's been done, it might take some time. but there is no rest happening. their hesitation is understandable. until two years ago, dr mahathir was a member of the ruling party, backing the government, which now challenges his legacy. i think we're putting forward a government for the future,

looking forward to the next 30 years — 2050. or do you want to turn back the clock, and go back to a time of repression, go back to a time of crony capitalism, going back to a time where all of these institutional reforms which he promises today need to be done, because of the damages before, when he was prime minister? there is a huge reservoir of respect and affection for the man they call the father of modernisation in malaysia. but can that deliver enough votes to overcome a political system shaped largely by him, which until now has never allowed an opposition movement to win? tunisia's islamist ennahda party has claimed victory in the country's first free local elections. party officials say ennahda has a commanding lead over its secularist rivals nidaa tounes. it is the first municipal elections since the 2011 uprising which sparked the arab spring, and saw the removal of president zine ben ali. voters have also gone

to the polls in lebanon, among them the current prime minister, saad hariri. it is the country's first general election in nine years. lebanon has had a huge influx of refugees from the conflict in neighbouring syria, and is still trying to rebuild itself after going through its own civil war. as the public outcry over the gang rape of an eight—year—old girl in india continues, the country's supreme court will hear a plea to turn the case into a federal rather than local investigation. the government had made the laws stricter, including the death penalty for those convicted of raping girls below 12 years of age. yogita limaye travelled to india's jammu and kashmir state to report on this case. once again, a rape and murder brought people out on the streets in india.

this time, the victim was merely eight years old. she belonged to this muslim nomadic tribe. they roam the hills and valleys of the state ofjammu and kashmir. she was captured when she was out grazing horses. police say she was raped, tortured, and murdered by hindus who wanted the tribe to move off their land. her family has continued theirjourney into the mountains, waiting for justice. translation: she was beautiful, smart, and intelligent. the only thing i want is for her attackers to go through the same pain that she went through. it is in this hindu temple that she was allegedly held for a week. eight men have so far been arrested. because of where the crime is said to have taken place, the alleged motive for it,

and the fact that the girl was a muslim, and all of those who have been arrested are hindus, has meant that this has gone from being against sexual violence against women and girls in india to being about polarisation between two religious communities. not far from the temple, family members of the accused and villagers from the area are sitting in protest. they are demanding a federal investigation. the daughter of one of those arrested says she too wants justice for the child. but, in the muslim—majority state, she fears her community is being targeted. translation: the unity of hindus is being attacked. 0ur voices have been suppressed. all our men have been arrested. who will we go back home for? prime minister modi has promised justice for the victim and his cabinet has approved

the death sentence for those who rape children. but many believe the incident has set a dangerous precedent. the most scary part is the use of the body of that little girl for scaring away an entire community. because it has long—term repercussions, both for the safety of women, as well as the safety of the minorities. five years ago, these protests following the gang rape of a delhi student had also forced the government to pass tougher laws, but in a deeply patriarchal society, little seems to be changing. yogita limaye, bbc news, in kathua. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: some of football's biggest names show their support for manchester united's sir alex ferguson, who is recovering from a brain haemorrhage. i, nelson rolihlahla mandela,

do hereby swear to be faithful to the republic of south africa. after six years of construction and numerous delays, the channel tunnel has been formally opened by the queen and president mitterrand. but the tunnel is still not ready for passengers and freight services to begin. for centuries, christianity and islam struggled for supremacy. now, the pope's visit symbolises their willingness to coexist. roger bannister became the first man in the world to run a mile in underfour minutes. memories of victory, as the ve celebrations reach their climax. this night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom. this is bbc news.

the latest headlines: britain's ambassador to the us says diplomatic work is underway to ease president trump's concerns about the nuclear deal with iran. let's get more on that story. alex vatanka is a senior fellow with the middle east institute and hejoins me now from washington. the europeans have two create options that please not only the white house, but also stand a chance of being agreed in tehran, do you think that is even remotely possible? that is the biggest

question. if you listen to the speech is coming out of tehran, it seems to me that the iranian‘ that fill up at the conversation. there isa fill up at the conversation. there is a fear that the europeans and americans have created a process dialogue between themselves about what needs to be done and then they will go to iran and ask them to deliver. iran is saying no, that is not going to work. you need to talk to me first. that frankly does not suggest to me much of a confidence going forward in terms of the ability of the europeans to bring about miracles by may 12 when president trump will finally decide what he needs to do. given the rhetoric from president trump and the people he has surrounded himself with in international and security affairs, do you think there is any remedy that is going to please him? it is very difficult to say. who would have said that a few weeks ago, months ago, president trump

could potentially be meeting a north korean ‘s. could potentially be meeting a north korean 's. when it comes to president trump it is impossible to guess what he wants to do. in terms of his rhetoric, it he has been consistent since he was a candidate, he thought the deal was terrible and wa nts to he thought the deal was terrible and wants to walk away from it. but if you look at some of his advisers or the new secretary of state, these are actually thugs who have a log track record of deep opposition to the islamic republic. there, you have a more deeper track record in president trump. boris johnson has roped to make britain an opinion piece in the new stomach new york times. he says he is convinced they can be remedied. 0r you‘d expect them to look like a snake —— what would you look to make expect them to look like? iran says they don't

wa nt to look like? iran says they don't want a nuclear weapons. that means by 2025, iran could potentially chase a nuclear weapons. that should be something that you can fix. if the iranian site doesn‘t want one, why can‘t you back and change that date must make a kit infinite or permanent? that is not the problem. the problem we have right now is what iran is doing right now in the region. in a sense, it is not about the nuclear programme, is about what they are doing in the middle east and what the west want them to stop doing. thank you so much. some of the biggest names in football have been sending messages of support to sir alex ferguson. the former manchester united manager is recovering in intensive care, after suffering a brain haemorrhage. he underwent emergency surgery on saturday. our sports correspondent david 0rnstein has the latest. last seen in public looking fit and well a week ago, news of sir alex ferguson‘s illness has rocked the world

of football and beyond. among the many messages of support, david beckham said "keep fighting, boss. sending prayers and love to cathy and the whole family." while another ex—manchester united star cristiano ronaldo wrote, "my thoughts and prayers are with you, my dear friend. be strong, boss." everyone at match of the day sends our best wishes to sir alex ferguson. the flood of good wishes unrelenting. and i would like to wish my fellow manager ferguson well and very quickly. he's the most iconic figure within football, certainly in the last 30 years. if then you add that to the fact he's such an important role model for so many people around the world, he's captured the world and he's a national institution really. he was yesterday admitted to salford royal hospital. the 76—year—old had emergency surgery for a brain haemorrhage. the procedure is said

to have gone very well, but a period of intensive care will follow. when he starts to regain consciousness his neurological state will be assessed repeatedly, and he will be only transitioned to an area of care which requires less support when he‘s starting to regain his independence and he‘s stable. at old trafford, supporters spoke of their admiration for sir alex. he‘s a legend, and he has been for the whole club. even though he isn‘t running the club now, i think a lot of people will feel this. i'm a leeds supporter, but obviously i respect sir alex and what he's done for football. greatest football manager of all time. well, this is where sir alex ferguson is revered the most. a stand is named after him, and there‘s a statue in his honour. his status is legendary. he led manchester united to an incredible 38 trophies in 26 years, an all time great of the game at home an abroad, reknowned for his tenacity and fighting spirit, but now sir alex ferguson faces perhaps his biggest

challenge of all. david 0rnstein, bbc news, old trafford. in japan, thousands of people have marched in the tokyo rainbow pride, one of the city‘s two annual gay pride parades. lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people carried banners and placards with rainbow colours, a symbol of sexual diversity. the organiser says a record 37 organisations, including companies and embassies, supported the 7th annual event. when it comes to sport, we have a lot to look forward to in the next few months. there‘s the world cup of course — wimbledon — and also the ryder cup — to name just a few. but in the swiss canton of valais a real heavyweight contest has already been taking place involving some formidable female competitors. the bbc‘s tim allman has more.

they call it the battle of the queen ‘s. an annual tradition were more than 100 cows go head to head, quite literally. translation: this is their instincts, this is a very friendly animal, but a hierarchy needs to be established in the herd. this is why they fight, to discover the best of the herd and this is the one who will lead the herd everywhere. but i want to emphasise, this cow fights, but she‘s not at all she is very nice. it can look fairly beautiful, brutal, but organisers insist which exchange injuries are rare. the animals lock horns, the first one that turns away

losers, more than 10,000 people came to cheer them on the. the livestock stopped, could play a vital role in the economy. translation: this is a tradition that will go on for a. we have great cows and we have a great product. cows allow us to live. the final contest would decide who was the queen of queens and it was competitive 131 who triumphed, she is definitely top cow. and you can get in touch with me and most of the team on twitter. i‘m @duncangolestani. sunday was a pretty glorious day to much of the country,

a top of 26.3 celsius. we saw plenty of blue sky, although a lot of cloud in western scotland. we are likely to break records for bank holiday monday, this was the last record set back in 1999. several places will be that today and one or two places could make it to 28 celsius and that could be the north and the west of london. we start the morning off on a fairly fresh note across eastern areas, but lots of sunshine

across most areas with northern ireland and southern scotland. always more cloud, west of scotland is that weather front getting a bit cooler as well. those temperatures in the mid—20s celsius. as we head into monday night it looks like it will be another dry and clear one, some changes at the west and outbreaks of rain, so here it will be fairly mild and a bit full and a clear skies. the pressure pattern for tuesday, low pressure moving in off the atlantic introducing slightly cooler air like this weather front. for tuesday itself it will be quite a cloudy, wet and breezy day for northern ireland, pushing into scotland and also western parts of england and into wales as well. could see a few heavy showers, maybe some thunderstorms, here it will be another hot and sunny day. further north and west it will be cooler temperatures returning closer to seasonal. as we had to wednesday, another area of low pressure moving in off the atlantic on this one more energy off it with more active weather fronts. it means we are starting off on a fine note for much of the country on wednesday.

this weather system starts pushing into northern ireland, scotland and into north—west england and wales and heavy rain. maybe thundery. further east, we will do pretty well again, with temperatures reaching 21 degrees with sunshine. as we move into thursday, a bridge of high—pressure, but it will feel full and fresher and fairly brisk westerly wind, a few showers especially across western hills and western wales as well. some good spells of sunshine. not a bad looking day for thursday, temperatures cooler from around 13—17 celsius. the general trend is that it will cool down, back in the air and a normal with sunshine and showers. this is bbc news. the headlines: the british foreign secretary has urged the trump administration not to walk away from the iran nuclear agreement. writing in the new york times, borisjohnson said historic evidence of an iranian secret project to develop nuclear weapons underscored the importance of the deal, and shouldn‘t scupper it. pakistan‘s interior minister has narrowly escaped an assassination attempt.

a gunman fired at ahsan iqbal as he left a rally in punjab province. he was hit in the right shoulder. he was immediately taken to hospital. his son has told local media that his condition isn‘t life—threatening. the former manchester united manager sir alex ferguson remains in intensive care in hospital here in the uk after undergoing emergency surgery for a bleed on the brain. a club statement on saturday said the operation had gone very well, but there has been no update on his condition. now on bbc news, the week in parliament.