this is bbc news. i'm david eades. the headlines: russia's president, vladimir putin, has responded to president biden�*s warning about the threat to the west from russia. ahead of their meeting on wednesday, mr putin appeared to warn mr biden against taking any quick decisions against moscow. mr biden said nato would respond to any harmful activities by russia. the bbc understands that the british prime minister, borisjohnson, and his australian counterpart, scott morrison, have agreed the broad terms of a trade deal. a formal announcement is expected on tuesday about what would be the first trade agreement negotiated from scratch since the uk left the eu. the president of the philippines says the country will not co—operate with international criminal proceedings carried out in relation to the war on drugs. the outgoing chief prosecutor of the international criminal court says she has asked judges

to allow her to open a full investigation. now on bbc news: time for hardtalk. welcome time for hardtalk. to hardtalk. i'm stephen welcome to hardtalk. i'm stephen sackur. no industry has been hit harder by the global covid pandemic than edie asian. cross—border travel is either banned or constrained by tests and quarantine across most of the world. besides, who wants to travel for either business or pleasure in a world full of insecurity and uncertainty? that is the challenge facing my guest, johan lundgren, ceo of easyjet, europe's second—biggest airline. easyjet, europe's second—biggestairline. can easyjet, europe's second—biggest airline. can his business model survived the double whammy of covid and climate change?

tense theme music johan lundgren, welcome to hardtalk. thank you. you and eas jet hardtalk. thank you. you and easyjet have — hardtalk. thank you. you and easyjet have been _ hardtalk. thank you. you and easyjet have been grappling i easyjet have been grappling with the covid pandemic for more than 15 months now, but your loudest nightmare, did you ever imagine it would be disbarred for this long? --in our disbarred for this long? --in your wildest _ disbarred for this long? --in your wildest nightmare? - disbarred for this long? --in| your wildest nightmare? no, disbarred for this long? "in yourwildest nightmare? no, and your wildest nightmare? no, and nobody thought it would happen to this go. but we did assume, compared to other airlines, it would last for a period of time, not sure how long it would finish. we did not say it would finish. we did not say it would be over by this time. the actions we took then to support

the management for what was going to be a period of time. in those early months after march, 2020, you simply grounded your entire fleet. i just wonder, for a boss of an air line, what it is like to issue that order, all planes have to stop? it issue that order, all planes have to stop?— issue that order, all planes have to stop? it is the... and it was, have to stop? it is the... and it was. the — have to stop? it is the... and it was, the low _ have to stop? it is the... and it was, the low point - have to stop? it is the... and it was, the low point of - have to stop? it is the... and it was, the low point of these 15-16 it was, the low point of these 15—16 months. because of so many reasons. you have an airline, you have people working with you, you have millions of customers who actually depended on easyjet, thatis actually depended on easyjet, that is part of the way they live their lives and actually, when you do notifying it all live this and the logistical challenge of getting —— and when you do notifying out all... and the logistical challenges that has been the low point throughout this pandemic for us. if you forget about the health consequences

of all of this, of course. you now have — of all of this, of course. you now have the _ of all of this, of course. you now have the ability - of all of this, of course. you now have the ability to - of all of this, of course. you now have the ability to fly i now have the ability to fly some routes with some planes, but it is still extremely constrained. just tell me, what you are doing right now? basically, we are flying in the quarter we ate in, about 20% of capacity in 2019, for example. and if you look at what that consists of, you see there are 85% of the business we are doing right now, is business flying outside of the uk. and 15% only is touching uk soil. normally, that would be about 50-50. so, normally, that would be about 50—50. so, the phone we do here in the uk is primarily domestic. while that flying is doing ok, it of course cannot compensate for the level of flying we should be doing in the uk. i flying we should be doing in the uk. 4' flying we should be doing in the uk. ~ ., the uk. i thinki am right in sa in: the uk. i thinki am right in saying before _ the uk. i thinki am right in saying before all _ the uk. i thinki am right in saying before all of - the uk. i thinki am right in saying before all of this - the uk. i thinki am right in| saying before all of this you are employed roughly 111,000 people. how many are actually working for easyjet today?

well, a lot less, that is for sure. we have about 12,000 full time employees in the company, about 15,000 people. we have negotiated discussions in the eu to keep most of them, but a lot of people have gone on to part—time. here in the uk of course we have a lot of people who are on furlough, as an example. but while we are seeing now that the business is starting to recover outside of the uk, we are putting people back into operations, which is fantastic to see. but that is what we would be hoping for, but that would happen in the uk as well. ., . ., ., as well. how close to going bust has — as well. how close to going bust has easyjet _ as well. how close to going bust has easyjet been - as well. how close to going bust has easyjet been in i as well. how close to going | bust has easyjet been in the last 15 or 16 months?- bust has easyjet been in the last 15 or 16 months? last 15 or16 months? well, not close at all. _ last 15 or16 months? well, not close at all. easyjet _ last 15 or16 months? well, not close at all. easyjet came - last 15 or16 months? well, not close at all. easyjet came into | close at all. easyjet came into this is one of the strongest airlines in europe. we were privileged, from that point of view. we have taken a lot of actions in terms of getting access to liquidity, we have raised over £500 million. fix, access to liquidity, we have raised over £500 million. a lot ofthat raised over £500 million. a lot of that money _ raised over £500 million. a lot of that money has _ raised over £500 million. a lot of that money has come - raised over £500 million. a lot of that money has come from | raised over £500 million. a lot of that money has come from the uk government, hasn't it?-

uk government, hasn't it? well, no. it uk government, hasn't it? well, n0- it has _ uk government, hasn't it? well, no. it has been _ uk government, hasn't it? well, no. it has been getting - uk government, hasn't it? well, no. it has been getting to - uk government, hasn't it? well, no. it has been getting to us - no. it has been getting to us through a variety of sources. let us be clear. you have raised money from shareholders, but as i understand it, you had a £600 million loan from the uk government at the very beginning of this crisis, that is a very big chunk of money. without that support you would have been in real trouble. let's be clear about the numbers he we had £100 million on furlough, £600 million that have come to the support of the ccf, which was not something that was notjust ccf, which was not something that was not just available for easyjet, that was for any company that had an investment balance sheet that could apply for that. �* , , ., , for that. but my question is, without this _ for that. but my question is, without this substantial - for that. but my question is, without this substantial sum | for that. but my question is, i without this substantial sum of government money, would you have been solvent?— have been solvent? yes, we would have _ have been solvent? yes, we would have been, _ have been solvent? yes, we would have been, we - have been solvent? yes, we would have been, we would| have been solvent? yes, we - would have been, we would have found ways of getting access to liquidity in any case. were, you know, there are still plenty of opportunities for us in order to get access to liquidity, and that comes back to the fact that this has been a very strong company coming into the crisis. and the actions we have taken means

that we also have the confidence in the market to get further liquidity if we choose to do so. further liquidity if we choose to do so— further liquidity if we choose to do so. ~ ., to do so. where you caught out because you — to do so. where you caught out because you had _ to do so. where you caught out because you had before - to do so. where you caught out because you had before covid,| because you had before covid, you had signed this huge contract with our bus to buy more than 100 new plans, something the founder of easyjet of course, still a shareholder but not involved in the running of the company, steadily subside you run, said was a catastrophic mistake. you should never have signed that contract ladies new planes? this contract was signed many years ago and was something approved by all of the shareholders in the contract gives us benefits also. ! founder stelios haji—ioannou. now in the covid—19 pandemic in 2020, you have had to delay the receipt of the plans but it sits as a huge virgin on easyjet?— sits as a huge virgin on eas jet? ., ., ., ., , ., easyjet? not at all. it was not a mistake _ easyjet? not at all. it was not a mistake to _ easyjet? not at all. it was not a mistake to sign _ easyjet? not at all. it was not a mistake to sign his - easyjet? not at all. it was not| a mistake to sign his contract. this contract works very well in favour of the company and we

also have immense flexibility within the contract, we have negotiated, as an example, this is the first time in the company's history that we are not taking on the delivery of aircraft... not taking on the delivery of aircraft- - -— not taking on the delivery of aircraft... ., . aircraft... you have deferred, i know. that _ aircraft... you have deferred, i know. that we _ aircraft... you have deferred, i know. that we finish. - aircraft... you have deferred, i know. that we finish. we i aircraft... you have deferred, i i know. that we finish. we want also to make — i know. that we finish. we want also to make sure _ i know. that we finish. we want also to make sure that - i know. that we finish. we want also to make sure that we - i know. that we finish. we want also to make sure that we have| also to make sure that we have access to these planes going forward in the future, so it is the flexibility that is vicki. but you don't know. you don't know what the aviation market is going to be like in years to come. and stelios, he knows something about this company as he founded it, he says this deal represents the main risk to the survival of easyjet. ida. to the survival of easyjet. no. that is what _ to the survival of easyjet. no. that is what he _ to the survival of easyjet. no. that is what he said. - to the survival of easyjet. no. that is what he said. i - to the survival of easyjet. no. that is what he said. i am - that is what he said. i am tellin: that is what he said. i am telling you _ that is what he said. i am telling you it _ that is what he said. i am telling you it is _ that is what he said. i am telling you it is wrong. . that is what he said. i am. telling you it is wrong. and with the shareholders, they voted earlier, before my time in the company, and again, we explain the details of this contract. and just to be clear, easyjet is a group company, there is nobody really who

doesn't think that aviation is going to pick up and recover. well, there are, mr lundgren. the consultancy group, mckinsey, says it may not return to 2019 levels in 202a. our analysts believe 2023. that is not part _ our analysts believe 2023. that is not part of — our analysts believe 2023. that is not part of your _ our analysts believe 2023. that is not part of your business model. that was not part of the model. that was not part of the model that encourages you and others in the country to believe that putting this massive deal together with airbus was the right thing to do. . . airbus was the right thing to do. , ., . ., , do. things have changed. yes, that we are — do. things have changed. yes, that we are flexible _ do. things have changed. yes, that we are flexible it - do. things have changed. yes, that we are flexible it in - that we are flexible it in order to cope with that. and in 20 to 84, we can cope with the level of flexibility we have because that is what we have negotiated in the contract with airbus. . negotiated in the contract with airbus. , , ., airbus. the thing is, you live in uncertain _ airbus. the thing is, you live in uncertain times. _ airbus. the thing is, you live in uncertain times. as - airbus. the thing is, you live in uncertain times. as you i in uncertain times. as you said, each huge chunk of your business still is derived from the uk travel market. and right now the uk government is making life, not deliberately, but is making life, extraordinarily difficult for an airline like yours. you tell me what you

think of a government policy which has only 11 countries and territories in the entire world on a green list, where the messages it is safe for uk citizens to travel? i messages it is safe for uk citizens to travel?- messages it is safe for uk citizens to travel? i think it is wrong- _ citizens to travel? i think it is wrong. and _ citizens to travel? i think it is wrong. and i _ citizens to travel? i think it is wrong. and i think - citizens to travel? i think it is wrong. and i think the i citizens to travel? i think it i is wrong. and i think the data would support international travel could restart in a number of places. and most of europe now would have, you know, less cases of infection then you would see in the uk. in italy, and germany, in many places. in the greek a la paleo, the balearic scum of the canary islands. —— greek archipelago, the balearic islands and canary islands. so the conversations we have had, it depends on the risk, the level of risk, but the problem is the uk government doesn't look at the data. if it did, it would allow a safe restart of travel into these countries. for those who do not live in the uk do not live under these restrictions, the light system, only 11 countries and

territories in green. if you are a amber list country or a red list country, the british people are told not to travel unless it is essential. if you travel in an amber list country, you have to quarantine when you come back and take test. red list countries, you are not allowed to travel to at all. are you saying the government is just plain wrong about this? because every time we talk to the government about this they say we are simply following the epidemiology and the science. this is the only way to safeguard the public health of the uk citizens. it is not correct. the medical data does not support the fact that you can travel to a place that you can travel to a place that has a proven lesser number of cases of infections than where you are travelling from. and in a number of these cases you do not have the variance of concern. �* . you do not have the variance of concern. �* , . ., , concern. but things change very cuickl . concern. but things change very quickly- a _ concern. but things change very quickly- a few— concern. but things change very quickly. a few months - concern. but things change very quickly. a few months ago - quickly. a few months ago people thought travel to and from india was very safe. but it wasn't because a new variant was mutating at that very time.

the data was there to say india should have gone to the red list. this is one of the problems that that i want to say this as well. when you are introducing the type of restrictions — remember, the restrictions — remember, the restrictions whether to make sure you can travel safely to green and amber. but if you are not following the data and not transparent with the, with what constitutes safe travel, then you are going to end up in this situation were actually this case, and i don't say this lately, but where you make this up lately, but where you make this up as you go along. and india was a case where it definitely should have been onto the red list, but that happened. isn’t list, but that happened. isn't the danger — list, but that happened. isn't the danger you _ list, but that happened. isn't the danger you are _ list, but that happened. isn't the danger you are perceived as a businessman who is putting your interests and your profits above the public health of the nation? . . above the public health of the nation? ., , _, , , nation? that is completely wronu . nation? that is completely wrong. nobody, _ nation? that is completely wrong. nobody, you - nation? that is completely - wrong. nobody, you mentioned yourself in the introduction, there hasn't been a sector that has been as badly hit as ourselves. as you said yourself, we were grounded for 11 weeks last year. people — we

would never suggest anything that would take us back to that. you say that. can i also say the data shows, and there have been many researchers and studies, yell school of public health as you could open travel to most european countries and it would have a minimal impact on health. it would have a minimal impact on health-— on health. you so you would never do _ on health. you so you would never do anything _ on health. you so you would never do anything to - on health. you so you would i never do anything to jeopardise public health. why, then, are you encouraging people to ignore government advice not to travel? �* .., . travel? because, if the government _ travel? because, if the government advice - travel? because, if the government advice is l travel? because, if the - government advice is wrong, i'll give you an example, why can't you travel to malta, which has 13 cases of infection per 100,000, and which has 13 cases of infection per100,000, and an which has 13 cases of infection per 100,000, and an average yearin per 100,000, and an average year in the uk of 84? why can you not travel to the balearics?— you not travel to the balearics? �* , ., , balearics? it's quite anything for a business _ balearics? it's quite anything for a business leader - balearics? it's quite anything for a business leader to - for a business leader to actually encourage the public to ignore the very strong advise of government ministers. i am looking now at the words of the transport secretary, grant shapps, who said just the other day, the restarted

international travel could, in his words, "screw up the uk recovery from the pandemic." you, on the other hand, when askedif you, on the other hand, when asked if easyjet, flying to amber countries for leisure said, "yes, people are booking flights, they are going there on holiday. i think that he was simply to apply common sense." that is arrogant, is it not? absolutely not. it is following the data. following the medical statistical evidence that says you can fly to these countries that would be representing a lesser risk than if you were travelling in the uk, as for example. so this is not something that, you know, people are making up. you are looking at the data. and also, you are looking at a number of our european countries, they have said what they believe constitutes safe travel. for instance, we should believe it be 50 cases per 100,000 population, 150 cases? the uk

government needs to come up with something similar. you should not travel to certain places in the world, that is absolutely correct. india should have been on that red list, but when you are looking at the data that suggest that in many european countries the infection cases are much lower, you should be able to travel there. have you, as one of the leading voices and aviation, have you looked government ministers and the i, face—to—face or maybe on, and said, messages you are giving to the british public about travel, you are plain wrong. have you done that? yes. and what response did you get? there are a number of things to consider and they are looking at competing priorities and ice it well, we've got to look at the data. and i think, the data that i seeing. as the data wrong? and clearly it isn't wrong? and clearly it isn't wrong because this is public data, but i do understand that the government has a difficult

decision. there are competing priorities here, but the problem i have is if there is no transparency on the decision—making, customers or companies can't plan. do decision-making, customers or companies can't plan.— companies can't plan. do you think they — companies can't plan. do you think they are _ companies can't plan. do you think they are wrecking - companies can't plan. do you think they are wrecking yourl think they are wrecking your business and your industry? welcome the first of all, i think that they do have a very difficult challenge. that think that they do have a very difficult challenge.— difficult challenge. that is not the question - difficult challenge. that is not the question i - difficult challenge. that is not the question i am - difficult challenge. that is i not the question i am asking you up yellow i will get onto the question but i don't think that anyone who is sitting and trying to make troubles for this sector stopping everybody recognises the critical importance it has, from an infrastructure point of view as well, but i do think that it is a difficult thing to recognise, that we were acknowledged very early on at first as being the industry who was the hardest hit, coming into this and we are most likely going to be the one that is going to come out the last out of this whole thing and at the same time, as we see other european governments are moving in the other direction, and that is

difficult to accept. bud other direction, and that is difficult to accept. and also the responsibility _ difficult to accept. and also the responsibility we - difficult to accept. and also the responsibility we have l difficult to accept. and also i the responsibility we have for the responsibility we have for the millions of customers or families that have not been able to reunite, as an example. we get on updated with e—mails and contact from them to say when can i travel. well, we don't know. if you look at the data, you should be able to reunite but unfortunately that is not the case.— is not the case. you are a low-budget _ is not the case. you are a low-budget ally, - is not the case. you are a low-budget ally, your - is not the case. you are a - low-budget ally, your message low—budget ally, your message to people across europe is, you know what, you don't need to be wealthy to enjoy a foreign holiday, to be able to travel somewhere different, somewhere that you have never been before. i guess the reality of todayis before. i guess the reality of today is that you do need to be wealthy to travel, if you are travelling from the uk because when you return, you and your family have to go through a series of tests which cost, last time hx, at least $100 if not more per test so if you've gotta family of four that is a substantial sum of money. it means that in this world,

travel is only for the wealthy. unfortunately you are right and thatis unfortunately you are right and that is even the case when you are looking the few countries in the green. even in the green countries we have to do this testing and this is something that we pointed out quite early on, and it wasn't like, i think, people understood how costly this was and how out of reach this would make travel to before millions and of people. do you think that actually, post covid, attitudes to travel might change? and we haven't talked about business because that's not the biggest part of your enterprise but nonetheless, some business people travel on easyjet, and both for business and for leisure, may be in the future people will think twice about lying. this might notjust be something that goes away, this might be a reassessment of how much people want to travel and for business, at least, we do have zoom and skype and

different ways of holding meetings, for example. maybe the market isn't going to return? it the market isn't going to return? �* . the market isn't going to return? �* , , return? it will. there's been studies done _ return? it will. there's been studies done on _ return? it will. there's been studies done on this - return? it will. there's been studies done on this whole i studies done on this whole thing. let's start with business. 20% of what we do is normally business and if you go back to every type of downturn, there will be one or two years lag before business travel would recuperate to wear leisure travellers as well and i think anything, the limitations of technology have been apparent also as we've been apparent also as we've been doing the zoom calls on the team meetings and so on. if you are looking at what comes out as the number one thing that people want to do post pandemic in the uk here as an example, we got similar studies elsewhere in european countries, travel of the number one thing. and this is consistent with what we have seen and other downturns. the difference now is that there will be a great focus on people looking at it from a

sustainability perspective, where they will make choices depending on product or service of sustainability. bud depending on product or service of sustainability.— of sustainability. and the problem _ of sustainability. and the problem you _ of sustainability. and the problem you have - of sustainability. and the problem you have got. of sustainability. and the problem you have got in | of sustainability. and the - problem you have got in your industry is that you are currently a form of transportation that is entirely dependent on fossil fuel and given that every government around the world now has to be committed to a programme of decarbonisation, and that has filtered through to public opinion in any countries across the world, you have got a profound problem. it definitely is a challenge _ profound problem. it definitely is a challenge but _ profound problem. it definitely is a challenge but then - profound problem. it definitely is a challenge but then again, | is a challenge but then again, there is a solution to this challenge, and you would know that... (crosstalk) absolutely not stopping the whole suggestion that you would stop mobility and stop flying, that is certainly not going to solve the issue. there are plenty of other ways to travel, you just would use the train. to travel, you 'ust would use the train.— to travel, you 'ust would use the train. ~ ., , ., , the train. what you should be lookint the train. what you should be looking at _ the train. what you should be looking at is _ the train. what you should be looking at is how _ the train. what you should be looking at is how to _ looking at is how to decarbonise aviation and there are plans on how to do that, i will compacted a little bit later. there have been studies in 2018 that the demand of

people who would choose to go and compare on the rail network across europe, 0.4% copy so it is not true to say that you have these alternatives to that extent. ., ., ~' .. have these alternatives to that extent. ., ., 4' ., ., have these alternatives to that extent. ., ., ~ ., ., ., extent. look at one government in europe. — extent. look at one government in europe. the — extent. look at one government in europe, the french _ in europe, the french government is now passing a law to say that any journey which can be done by train within france of two and a half hours no longer can be served by flights. it has to be a train journey or of course a car journey. that model, if it is copied throughout europe, again, is going to fundamentally threaten your business model.— fundamentally threaten your business model. absolutely not. we fl in business model. absolutely not. we fly in significant _ business model. absolutely not. we fly in significant route - we fly in significant route where there is a train comparable 2.5 hourjourney. comparable 2.5 hour journey. (crosstalk) as comparable 2.5 hourjourney. (crosstalk) as a responsible citizen, never mind the man who makes his money out of easyjet, as a responsible citizen, should you be encouraging people to fly when they can make a journey by train which is, according to all of the sticks, going to be much less

damaging to the environment with yellow the alternative simply isn't there. able give you an example. in france, we have one route that we have been operating where there is a train comparable of three and a half hours, and we know also from studies that we have done that if there is a train comparable that sits below four, four .5 hours, that is where people are thinking, look, i can take the train. if you go for, 4.5 hours or more, thatis you go for, 4.5 hours or more, that is not an option for many people, and our case, if we had 100% of all people who flew with easyjet on a normal year, if they transferred onto a train comparable where there were, you know, you could take a train at a five hour length, it would be 5% of our total carbon emissions. the thing is, you tell your customers, we are unlike other airlines, we offset and we are going to be

met zero carbon because we are going to plant so many trees or have other people plant the trees for us. you are not comparing like with like. setting up a new forest is nothing like keeping oil in the ground. forest come in forest go but in the end that would will burn, it will go back into the atmosphere. the best thing to do with oil is leave it on the ground and that is the problem you have got to the near line. problem you have got to the near line-— problem you have got to the near line. the second largest contributor _ near line. the second largest contributor to _ near line. the second largest contributor to climate - near line. the second largestj contributor to climate change is deforestation, so i don't think you should say that just planting some trees is going to have a not significant impact. we have said through the carbon offsetting scheme, we were the first major airline in the world to launch that basically we are playing carbon neutral. (crosstalk)... (crosstalk) . .. the biggest problem (crosstalk)... the biggest problem with carbon offsetting is that it doesn't really work.—

offsetting is that it doesn't really work. that is not true, it has been _ really work. that is not true, it has been proven _ really work. that is not true, it has been proven multiple l it has been proven multiple times. organisations and governments are depending on carbon offsetting in order to decarbonise. it is not the perfect, long—term solution. the perfect long—term solution is, let's say, and electric plane. are you and your company working in terms of r&d with others to get that into reality? i guess. others to get that into reality? iguess. electric others to get that into reality? i guess. electric and hydrogen or a combination is the most likely thing you going to see. when?— to see. when? well, 2030 is when you _ to see. when? well, 2030 is when you are _ to see. when? well, 2030 is when you are looking - to see. when? well, 2030 is when you are looking at - to see. when? well, 2030 is when you are looking at a i when you are looking at a large—scale electric plane and hydrogen, 2035. those other views in this moment in time, and two or three years ago when we started talking about this, and we have been onto this for and we have been onto this for a long time, even before i'd joined the company, there was many people who actually didn't think it was going to be even possible to happen from a technological point of view. now, nobody is arguing that.

now, nobody is arguing that. now it is a matter of talking about what time frame and the challenge will be not so much to fly but actually how do you transition the whole of your fleet into a zero emission fleet into a zero emission fleet of aircraft.— fleet into a zero emission fleet of aircraft. we will get ou fleet of aircraft. we will get you back — fleet of aircraft. we will get you back and _ fleet of aircraft. we will get you back and a _ fleet of aircraft. we will get you back and a few- fleet of aircraft. we will get you back and a few years i fleet of aircraft. we will get you back and a few years to j fleet of aircraft. we will get - you back and a few years to see how far along that track you really are, but for now, johan lundgren, thank you so much for joining me on hardtalk.- joining me on hardtalk. thank ou. hello there. monday was a day of contrast. still hot and humid in london. the temperatures were soaring. in fact, by the middle of the afternoon, we reached the highest temperatures recorded so far this year and that was 30 celsius in greater london.

now, it was a different story further north and west because of a weak weather front that was spilling in across scotland, into the north of england. behind it, the wind direction changing to a north—westerly and that brought with it some fresher air and a marked contrast. look at sunday's highs across northern ireland, 25 degrees, the warmest day of the year here. but by monday, those temperatures were down quite sharply. and it looks as though that fresher feel will continue to be the theme of the weather into tuesday, as well. starting off with a good deal of dry weather, our weak weather front just a band of cloud lingering first thing in the morning but there will be a lot of sunshine coming through in area of low pressure bringing in some rain into western fringes of scotland by the middle part of the day and the winds increasing here. so, we're looking at around 10—18 degrees as the overall high but futher south and east, 25 is not out of the question. down a touch, but still that's 77 fahrenheit. that weather front that's bringing the rain is going to bring some heavy bursts of rain for a time across scotland overnight, but as we move into wednesday, it'll be a fairly weak affair by then as it moves out of the scottish borders into the north of england

and parts of north wales. behind it, we'll see some sunshine as well, top temperatures around 14—18 degrees, ahead of it, we're starting to drag up more heat and humidity once again, 28 degrees not out of the question. and it is this heat and humidity which may well trigger off some sharp thundery downpours late on wednesday towards the end of the working week. why? we've got this warm humid air starting to move up from spain and into france, could trigger off some sharp thunderstorms moving their way across the channel. there's a lot of uncertainty just where these thunderstorms are likely to crop up and so, it's worth keeping abreast of the forecast but anywhere across eastern england could be at risk of real torrential thundery downpours from time to time. further north and west, it's a drier and bright affair on thursday. top temperatures down considerably, we're looking at 13—22 degrees.

you should be able to travel there. hello, this is bbc news, with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. i'm sally bundock. don't give a knee—jerk reaction — vladimir putin's warning to president biden about dealing with russia. translation: there are some advantages. — translation: there are some advantages, some _ translation: there are some i advantages, some disadvantages, but there will not be any knee—jerk reactions on behalf of the sitting us president. borisjohnson's vision of global partnerships post—brexit begins — with the uk and australia agreeing the broad terms of a free trade deal. afghanistan's covid surge — we've a special report on the overcrowded hospital forced to turn patients away. and diamonds are for everyone — fortune seekers flock

to a field in south africa.