this is bbc news with the latest headlines. gold for team gb's max whitlock — the gymnast retains the olympic pommel horse title. i can't even describe the feeling. i feel completely overwhelmed and it feels very, very surreal. coming up in five minutes, we'll be speaking to max whitlock�*s teammate james hall who's also been competing in tokyo. another gold for team gb — charlotte worthington wins a dramatic bmx park freestyle final. young people in england will be offered incentives to have their first covid jab — like discounts for takeaway food and taxi journeys. employers who still have staff on furlough will have to start

contributing 20 % of workers�* wages from today. and large cruise ships have been banned from the centre of venice — after yea rs of environmental protests. team gb have two more gold medals on day 9 of the tokyo olympics, with success in gymnastics and bmx. in the ariake arena, max whitlock retained his olympic title, with gold in the pommel horse final the 28—year—old now becomes the most successful gymnast ever in the event — and it brings his overall tally of olympic medals to six with three golds and three bronze. in the bmx freestyle — charlotte worthington recovered

from a fall in herfirst run to claim a remarkable victory and becomes the first woman to complete a 360 degree backflip in competition. duncan brooks took bronze in the men's event — britain have now won a medal in all four bmx events. and, there was further success in the swimming with silver in the men's medley relay. britain have now won a record eight medals in the pool. with four medals, duncan scott become britain's most successful athlete at an olympic game. let's find out more about today's action from marc edwards at bbc sport centre. hi, marc. hi, lukwesa.

as we've been hearing max whitlock retained his olympic pommel horse title with a fantastic display. he produced a stunning routine which has proved unbeatable after what was a relatively poor performance in qualifying showing once again that he can rise to the occasion and retain the title he won in rio, his third olympic gold medal. i retain the title he won in rio, his third olympic gold medal. heel third olympic gold medal. i feel lost for words. _ third olympic gold medal. i feel lost for words. i _ third olympic gold medal. i feel lost for words. i feel _ third olympic gold medal. i feeli lost for words. i feel completely overwhelmed and it feels very, very surreal. it was incredible watching the sport and going through a team gb doing something absolutely incredible. the gold medals have been flowing in and ijust incredible. the gold medals have been flowing in and i just wanted incredible. the gold medals have been flowing in and ijust wanted to do the same thing and come out here and get my own. ifeel very do the same thing and come out here and get my own. i feel very proud. you can imagine his family back home are delighted with his performance and he was called the greatest gymnast the country has ever produced after his victory and he secured his sixth olympic medal

including three golds the three games. charlotte welding, worthington recovered from a fall to confirm britain's dominance at the games. adam wilde reports. the brits are in raptures, it's a huge score! british bmx has never before reached such heights. she's smashed it! charlotte worthington on top of the world. it's the first time bmx park freestyle has been in the olympics. suddenly, it's what everyone wants to see. charlotte worthington! not so long ago, worthington was working as a restaurant chef, now her moment to deliver. on herfirst run...

oh, no! ..not quite. but in this sport, riders get two chances. back in the saddle, she had another go. i think she's going for it. oh, she's got it, she's got it, ed! from then on, worthington was simply flawless, a near—perfect performance. aflairto finish! the scores, when they came, were stunning. 97.5! oh, my god! it's a huge score! now, only the american hannah roberts could come between her and gold. this was pressure. one slip and it was all over. she's slipped a pedal! no...no! and that's it — celebration for great britain. it's kind of unreal. i'm waiting to wake up, mate. i've been dreaming about this for four years and it still feelsi |like i'm dreaming four years ago, i so i'm kind of waiting to wake up! a second sensational gold medal for british bmx and still the men's event to come. this was declan brooks for team gb. another dazzling display enough to take the bronze. i've just cried for the last couple of minutes. man, it's an unbelieveable journey i've had on the way here and i'm just so stoked. so a third and fourth bmx medalfor team gb, a quite remarkable week for british bmx.

adam wilde, bbc news. swimmer duncan spot domecq scott has become the first british athlete to win four medals at a single games, finishing second behind the united states in the relay team and americans broke the world record with their swimmer ending his olympics with five medals. team gb can celebrate the best swimming hole at the games having won eight medals in all but still being disappointed with silver at this event. unfortunately, wejust with silver at this event. unfortunately, we just didn't do enough to take that gold but with the success of the british have had and all of us have had some times you need a little bit of pain, you know? it is painful to come our way and i know people back home think you have got a silver but that is the standard where it now. we are looking at bronze and silver is but looking at bronze and silver is but looking at bronze and silver is but looking at how to get gold and that is just my mindset and i know these guys are disappointed with that as well and that is just an honest,

honest opinion about our performance and how well we thought we could do. one of the biggest questions at these games as you can replace you same boat as 100 metres champion. hughes is into the running for the first time this year, sixth fastest in the semis winning his heat and craven for melt finishing third and failing to qualify. china's athlete was quickest in 9.83. he is the only briton in the title after others were disqualified for a false start. heartbreakfor heartbreak for team gb in the heartbreakfor team gb in the gulf after missing out on the bronze medal after a fight for first place and casey was in a group of 15 under par but he was limited at the first extra hole with rory mcavoy following soon after and the bond bronze eventually went to a player

from chinese taipei and rory sabatini hitting an olympic medal to take silver. this is all the spot. back this is all the spot. as we've been hearing max whitlock retained his olympic pommel horse title with a fantastic display. he has now won six medals across three olympics. we can speak now to max whitlock�*s team mate, james hall — who was part of the gb team who came fourth in the team event and he also made it into the men's all—round final — where he finished eighth. james this was your first olympics — and you made it through to two finals — congratulations! how has it been? it has been completely — how has it been? it has been completely surreal _ how has it been? it has been completely surreal and - how has it been? it has been completely surreal and even | completely surreal and even finishing eight has been great and

with heavy restrictions and with my team and all the support around me and people back hope it has been a complete dream come to and for me the olympics as a symboljust of a lifetime work of work and it has been 19 years for me and i finally made it and achieve my dream and i am hungry for more. not bad, not bad, little james hole for maidstone and it was such a pressure and great to represent maidstone and great to represent britain. what to represent maidstone and great to represent britain.— represent britain. what was it like watchinu represent britain. what was it like watchin: a represent britain. what was it like watching a team _ represent britain. what was it like watching a team mate _ represent britain. what was it like watching a team mate max - represent britain. what was it like watching a team mate max when l represent britain. what was it like i watching a team mate max when you saw what he did and that gold he earns. it saw what he did and that gold he earns. . , ., . ~ saw what he did and that gold he earns. ., ., . ~ , u, , earns. it was nerve-racking because i'm home now _ earns. it was nerve-racking because i'm home now and _ earns. it was nerve-racking because i'm home now and i— earns. it was nerve-racking because i'm home now and i was _ earns. it was nerve-racking because i'm home now and i was watching i earns. it was nerve-racking because| i'm home now and i was watching on the tv with my mum and dad in one of my friends i had sweaty palms the whole way. i trust that guy and i think giving up first was a good thing for him because he had to go for broke because, obviously, if you watch the competition develop if you

are you can sort of gauge how other people out but he went for broke and he absolutely smashed it. it was the best routine i've seen him do so he should be massively fired with that and i'm enormously proud of him. james, you are talking a loss of in—house language there and thinking, when you say she went for broke, was that not the routine that he planned? obviously stepping out there, leading that final competition, what was probably going to his mind? ., ., , to his mind? knowing max, it was 'ust do to his mind? knowing max, it was just do your _ to his mind? knowing max, it was just do your routine. _ to his mind? knowing max, it was just do your routine. that - to his mind? knowing max, it was just do your routine. that is - to his mind? knowing max, it was just do your routine. that is it. . just do your routine. that is it. just get up there, put your arm up to thejudge and just just get up there, put your arm up to the judge and just go through. that was his hardest routine he could have possibly done and i the max if he had gone through everything and come away with silver, bronze, fourth place he would have been happy but, you know, at the moment there is no way can beat that guy. at the moment there is no way can beat that guy-— beat that guy. isn't that lovely? that is all _ beat that guy. isn't that lovely? that is all uo — beat that guy. isn't that lovely? that is all up fleet _ beat that guy. isn't that lovely? that is all up fleet tribute - beat that guy. isn't that lovely? that is all up fleet tribute to - beat that guy. isn't that lovely? l that is all up fleet tribute to your team—mate there. he said it was surreal to have that gold and you just said it was a very surreal

experience as well. ok, it is your first olympics but you are essentially all walking out into a quite arena. how much does that take away from your performance? i quite arena. how much does that take away from your performance?- away from your performance? i think at first i thought _ away from your performance? i think at first | thought it _ away from your performance? i think at first i thought it was _ away from your performance? i think at first i thought it was going - away from your performance? i think at first i thought it was going to - at first i thought it was going to be camino, it was going to be really difficult and of course it's not the same, because you normally walk out and, you know, you see your mum and dads face there but unfortunately dad's face there but unfortunately not but once you get going all of that goes away. itjust becomes about the task at hand and walking around the arena you are constantly reminded that you are at an olympic games with the tokyo 2020 writing everywhere, the olympic rings... for me, itjust... it completed my career. me, it 'ust... it completed my career. ., ., , . me, it 'ust... it completed my career. ., ., , . ~ ., me, it 'ust... it completed my career. . . . ., ., career. fantastic. what next for the team? once — career. fantastic. what next for the team? once everybody _ career. fantastic. what next for the team? once everybody has - career. fantastic. what next for the team? once everybody has headed| team? once everybody has headed back, what would normally happen? aha, back, what would normally happen? lot of people will take some time off, which i'm doing at the moment. just let my body recover and let my mind of a cover, most importantly, i

think. ifeel fired up. it was not always a worry once you achieve the olympic games because for me that was the pinnacle of my career. everything's leaning towards an olympic first but i feel fine and ready to get back in the gym but i'm going to take it slowly and we have got some time now and another eight months until we have to compete again, around that, so i am going to relax a little bit and come up with an effective plan and do it all again. i an effective plan and do it all aaain. , , ., . an effective plan and do it all aaain. , ., , , ~ again. i wish you all the best. and artistic gymnast. _ again. i wish you all the best. and artistic gymnast. what _ again. i wish you all the best. and artistic gymnast. what if - again. i wish you all the best. and artistic gymnast. what if you - again. i wish you all the best. and| artistic gymnast. what if you made of simon biles at the olympics this year? obviously you have been shaving arena with her? absolutely and it is always _ shaving arena with her? absolutely and it is always an _ shaving arena with her? absolutely and it is always an honour - shaving arena with her? absolutely and it is always an honour to - shaving arena with her? absolutely and it is always an honour to serve| and it is always an honour to serve it with all the gymnast and we all go through similarjourney and with what happened with her physical health is important of course but arguably mental health is more important and if you don't feel safe, if you don't feel like you're ready to do something there's no point putting anything at risk. i think she did the right thing and

any other gymnast that feels the same should be well within their right to say, actually, no, that's enough and i fully support her. james hall, one down, many more to come. congratulations again. thank you very much indeed.— come. congratulations again. thank. you very much indeed._ you you very much indeed. thank you. you are watching — you very much indeed. thank you. you are watching bbc _ you very much indeed. thank you. you are watching bbc news. _ young people in england are to be offered incentives, including discounts from uber and deliveroo, to get their covid—19 vaccinations. ministers are hoping there will be further offers involving cafes and restaurants in the coming weeks, to try to improve uptake of the jabs. simonjones reports. a day out with a difference. a pop—up vaccination centre was set up last week at the thorpe park theme park in surrey, part of a drive to get more younger people vaccinated. hi, guys, we're doing covid vaccines today. just over two thirds of adults aged 18 to 29 in england have received their first dose —

that is a lower uptake than in the wider population. overall, 88% of people across the uk have had a firstjab. now there will be new incentives. uber is to give discounted trips to young adults who get vaccinated. the ride—hailing app bolt will be offering free ride credits to vaccination centres. deliveroo is set to offer vouchers to young people who getjabbed, though how exactly these schemes will work is yet to be revealed. but it's a carrot—and—stick approach. ministers have warned that they will introduce covid passports in certain places from september, meaning those who haven't been vaccinated won't be able to get into nightclubs. asking festival—goers to show proof of their covid status is being used at this weekend's camp bestival music event in dorset. we have got very stringent measures here, you know, double vaccination proof or lateral flow negative tests for people over the age of 11.

more sanitation, really great compostable toilets with a lot more air space in them, things being wiped down, hand sanitiser. the uk isn't the first to try new incentives. in the us, the governor of newjersey launched shot and a beer in may, offering a free drink to those over 21 getting vaccinated. and in colorado, some vaccination sites are giving out $100 supermarket gift cards to the jabbed. if i can get it, you all can get it. i am a cancer survivor. i'd recommend you all to have it. the hope is people won'tjust grab a vaccine but a bargain too. simon jones, bbc news. with me is our political correspondent pete saull. everyone will be wondering well will be or they have access to these incentives? it be or they have access to these incentives?— incentives? it is not yet clear in the detail— incentives? it is not yet clear in the detail is _ incentives? it is not yet clear in the detail is still— incentives? it is not yet clear in the detail is still to _ incentives? it is not yet clear in the detail is still to come - incentives? it is not yet clear in the detail is still to come from | incentives? it is not yet clear in i the detail is still to come from the government and how exactly this is going to work but these are technology companies and ought to be able to get things up and running fairly quickly. they already offer a range of discounts on the platforms

it might be, for example, if you go get a vaccine you are given a code which will be redeemable on delivery or one of other apps we have mentioned there in the report but some questioning whether this goes far enough to persuade young people to go and get the job. far enough to persuade young people to go and get thejob. we heard in a report there to lots of other countries like the united states offering far more lucrative incentives to get the vaccine but this is a sign, i think, that the government is a little bit concerned about the uptake among 18—29 —year—olds and around two thirds across the uk have had their first dose compared to more than 80% of the wider population. in dose compared to more than 8096 of the wider population.— the wider population. in terms of outcome is _ the wider population. in terms of outcome is their _ the wider population. in terms of outcome is their white _ the wider population. in terms of outcome is their white visible? . the wider population. in terms of. outcome is their white visible? what reaction have we had? i outcome is their white visible? what reaction have we had?— reaction have we had? i think a lot of --eole reaction have we had? i think a lot of people who _ reaction have we had? i think a lot of people who have _ reaction have we had? i think a lot of people who have already - reaction have we had? i think a lot of people who have already had i reaction have we had? i think a lot| of people who have already had the jab are saying what about me. i did it because i believed it was the right thing to do, where is my fiqh babble whatever? that is one criticism. the labour party for example are saying that it is actually the communication strategy that need improving from the government here. for example, the

shadow front bench has said young people don't want to listen to dusty old ministers in suits standing behind podiums, they are far more likely to listen to people of their own age with the wider campaign here but the government is saying this as a sort of gentle nudge nudge policy accompanied with the stick which potentially comes at the end of september if you're not double jab you won't be allowed into large, crowded venue such as nightclubs. the government has now, though, drop the idea that students when they return to university campuses in the autumn will also have to show proof of vaccination.— of vaccination. thank you very much for that. the headlines on bbc news... gymnast max whitlock secures team gb's tenth gold at the tokyo games — retaining his olympic pommel horse title. young people in england will be offered incentives to have their first covid jab — like discounts for takeaway food and taxi journeys. employers who still have staff

on furlough will have to start contributing 20% of workers' wages from today. companies still running with reduced staff because of the pandemic, will have to pay 20% of workers' wages from today — as the government's furlough scheme continues to wind down. it'll stop completely at the end of september. our business correspondent, katy austin, reports. it's been credited with preventing unemployment rising sharply. now, we're in the final two months of thejob retention scheme. the economy has been reopening, but nearly two million people were still furloughed at the end ofjune. receptionist ruby, who is 65... hi, ruby. hiya. ..has been on full or part—time furlough since march last year. she's grateful for it, but the future is unclear.

i think there's every possibility that come october the 1st, when the furlough scheme ends completely, then yes, i will possibly have to start looking for anotherjob. she can't afford to retire yet, so that's a worry. i don't think a lot of employers are happy to employ you if you're over 65. the highest rates of people on furlough used to be among the under—25s. but in the most recent data, we've seen that it's over—60s who are now more likely to be furloughed. and that's concerning because we're likely to see a rise in unemployment when thejob retention scheme ends in the autumn, and any workers who are, kind of, left on furlough are more likely to become unemployed. in its final stage, the scheme is changing. previously the government paid 80% of wages for hours not worked. in july that contribution fell to 70%, with the employer picking up 10%.

from today, the government will pay 60% and the employer 20%, until furlough stops at the end of september. the british chambers of commerce estimates a fifth of firms still using it are considering redundancies as the cost to them increases. it's a concern for businesses which are still struggling, like travel agents. there are still lots of destinations we can't sell. it's come to a point where the money is going to run out. and, obviously, with the furlough scheme, we've been able to keep the staff on, or we've kept 50% of the staff on, and it'sjust going to drain the money even faster. furlough will soon become a thing of the past. that means tough decisions for some firms. in a statement, the government told us it's helping people of all ages find the skills they need to get back into work. katy austin, bbc news. let's go back to the olympics now — where there have been medal winning performances for team gb in the bmx events. charlotte worthington recovered from a fall in herfirst run

to claim a remarkable victory in the freestyle. duncan brooks took bronze in the men's event — britain have now won a medal in all four bmx events. and tomorrow it's the turn of the track cyclists — with britain's golden couple laura and jason kenny competing in theirfirst events. stephen park is the performance director of british cycling. what is your reaction? an absolutely incredible performance. she lay down a set of tricks of else in the world was able to pull off and in fact she wasn't able to pull it off herself in the first one and the resilience and mental toughness she displayed to come out again on the second run and pull off tricks that nobody else

in the world was able to do was unmatched and to win that gold medal just incredible. what a fantastic performance. she just incredible. what a fantastic performance-— just incredible. what a fantastic erformance. ,, . , ., performance. she fell and she got u -. what performance. she fell and she got up- what does _ performance. she fell and she got up. what does that _ performance. she fell and she got up. what does that tell _ performance. she fell and she got up. what does that tell us - performance. she fell and she got up. what does that tell us about | up. what does that tell us about her? ,, . , up. what does that tell us about her? ,, ., , , ., 4' up. what does that tell us about her? ,, , ., ~ ., her? she has been working on her routine for— her? she has been working on her routine for a _ her? she has been working on her routine for a number— her? she has been working on her routine for a number of— her? she has been working on her routine for a number of weeks. i her? she has been working on her| routine for a number of weeks. we knew the routine that she was going to do we knew the tricks she was looking to do were incredibly difficult but, ultimately, that is what the olympics is about. it is about trying to raise the bar every time. she did that and i think to be able to come off a trick where you are flying into the air, maybe 15 feetin are flying into the air, maybe 15 feet in the air in this case it was a 360 backflip where she not only turns in a backflip but also spins on the horizontal plane is 360 and mr and lands on the horizontal plane is 360 and mrand lands on on the horizontal plane is 360 and mr and lands on the downslope, to be able to then pick yourself up again and, you know, only about ten minutes later have to set off again and try to deliver that same trick knowing that if she fell again there was no chance she was going to get a

medal, she had an opportunity to drop patrick from her routine and she almost certainly would have won a silver of a bronze medal but to go for gold she had to have that chick in the routine and she did that incredible mental resilience to be able to step up and deliver that this afternoon. just fantastic. i5 this afternoon. just fantastic. is so low that jason are up from tomorrow as track cycling takes its turn in the olympics. what should we be looking fourth?— be looking fourth? well, we made a fantastic first _ be looking fourth? well, we made a fantastic first week _ be looking fourth? well, we made a fantastic first week of _ be looking fourth? well, we made a fantastic first week of the _ be looking fourth? well, we made a fantastic first week of the games. . fantastic first week of the games. you know, five medal so far across the cycling events. track cycling, as you say, starts tomorrow, runs right through until the weekend. we got some great opportunities for all of our track cycling events but certainly for laura, who starts off with the team tomorrow and that will be the qualifying first medal that we are looking for will start on tuesday and jason will be in the men's team sprint is his first event

and both of them in their main events will be looking to chase down medals and i'm sure they are going to be very competitive indeed. certainly from the inside tips we're hearing from the track sessions over the last few days things are looking pretty good for both of them and their colleagues but there is no doubt that the competition is going to be pretty tough. can ijust go back to the success of the bmx athletes? does their success now secure better funding for their particular sport? secure better funding for their particularsport? could secure better funding for their particular sport? could say that? i think that we could say that when we are successful in olympics but it opens up the doors and avenues for discussions which lead to those sports but it is certainly not a circumstance where you win a medal and suddenly a pile of money arrives and suddenly a pile of money arrives and the governing bodies are able to deliver that spot. we're very fortunate in that we are supported

through the uk sport fund, national lottery fund and sport world class programme and we have received principalfunding programme and we have received principal funding which has programme and we have received principalfunding which has been awarded for the pallor cycle and there was bmx racing and freestyle are both supported through the uk sport programme up until paris but there is no doubt that with the success of those sports that they will be more demand, more public interest and kids looking to get onto those bikes so therefore all of that will draw in local authority, sport england funding, looking to really provide the opportunities to make that transition from the inspiration of the olympic games to the participation that we all want to say aligned with the social agenda spot in our country. bmx, then. agenda spot in our country. bmx, then- what _ agenda spot in our country. bmx, then- what a _ agenda spot in our country. bmx, then. what a role _ agenda spot in our country. bmx, then. what a role model- agenda spot in our country. bmx, then. what a role model for- agenda spot in our country. bmx, then. what a role model for you | agenda spot in our country. bmx, then. what a role model for you to have to promote the sport. thank you very much indeed. rockets have been fired at kandahar airport as the taliban continues its offensive against the afghan government.

two of the missiles hit the runway and the airport has now been closed to all flights. the militants are trying to seize three major cities in the south and west. they've entered parts of herat, lashkar gah, and kandahar, afghanistan's second biggest city. i've been speaking to our correspondent in kabul, secunder kermani. well, we saw heavy fighting overnight, particularly in lashkar gah, capital of helmand province. both afghan and american air strikes being used against the taliban positions inside the city. you'll remember that yesterday the taliban had advanced at one point to around, we're told, 300 metres from the governor's compound right in the centre of lashkar gah before being pushed back. special forces were flown in. the government says that dozens of taliban fighters have been killed, but fighting has been continuing this morning, and, as you say, clashes have also been taking place in recent days elsewhere in the country too, notably around the cities of herat in the west and kandahar in the south.

kandahar airport, three rockets were launched, hitting the runway last night — that's led to the closure of the airport today. when it comes to herat, well, the government say extra reinforcements have now arrived in the city. taliban forces are not inside herat, but they were fighting on the outskirts and clashes are continuing there, but those reinforcements are making government forces sound a bit more optimistic there. i think the most concerning place remains lashkar gah at the moment. and, secunder, i presume, as the fighting continues, people continue to flee? yeah, tens of thousands of ordinary afghans have had to flee their homes in recent weeks. they're caught in the middle of this awfulfighting. we've had new statistics out from the afghanistan independent human rights commission

about civilian casualties — more than 1,600 people killed in just the first six months of this year alone, and there are real concerns that the fighting is only going to get worse because the international military mission here formally comes to an end by september, and many fear that with, you know, the taliban looking emboldened, peace talks between the insurgents and the afghan government not making any real progress, well, the taliban are going to continue trying to push in on afghan cities. they've already captured around half of all territory in the country — that's in more rural areas as well as a number of border crossings. they've never yet managed to take hold and retain hold of a major afghan city. it seems that's what they are trying to do, whilst afghan forces do their best to prevent them from taking that territory. large cruise ships have been banned from the centre of venice, after years of environmental protests. vessels of more than 25,000 tonnes will no longer be allowed to dock in the lagoon. campaigners and residents say the ships pollute

the air and water — and cause erosion. it's been venice's david versus goliath. for years, protests by locals in their small boats against the mammoth cruise liners clogging its waterways. critics say they pollute, damage venice's ecosystem and erode foundations with their large waves. finally, victory. from today, any ship over 25,000 tonnes is now banned from the city's central canal. they brought significant amount of fear and hopelessness because every time we saw one of these ships, you know, coming towards us in piazza san marco, it just brought to the front of our minds just how little everybody cares about venice as world heritage and, you know, about environmental and socialjustice in general.

the cruise ships have been seen as symptoms of venice's over—tourism. hordes of day—trippers not the model of sustainable tourism many here want. and they've contributed to the flooding that's long plagued venice. the high tide in 2019, the worst in 50 years, inundating st mark's square and devastating homes and businesses. a new port in the nearby city of marghera will be fast—tracked for the cruise liners, but those depending on the industry are worried. translation: such a decision taken so quickly without i planning is absurd. in our opinion, it is evil and a crime against the workers. 'la serenissima' venice was called — the most serene. but its beauty is fragile. the battle over who can drift through the city of water