cycling sensation — laura kenny becomes team gb's most decorated female olympian. they've dominated the race from start to finish. it's been a 5—star effort, brilliant effort, an olympic title winning effort... after she and katie archibald took gold in the first olympic womens madison, kenny paid tribute to their remarkable teammanship: just to have katie there the whole time, ifeel like i'm racing with a sister, and i couldn't have done it if we didn't have that relationship. on a historic day, we'll have the latest live

from tokyo.also this lunchtime: gas and electricity bills will go up for millions of people, after the regulator raised the energy price cap thousands of people signed a petition to save an alpaca that faces getting put down. barcelona says its star player lionel messi will leave this summer — after more than 20 years with the club. and, one of the biggest arts festivals in the world, the edinburgh fringe, finally gets underway today — after its cancellation last summer because of the pandemi. and coming up on the bbc news channel: for the third olympics running, team gb's women hockey players win a medal and say a bronze was beyond their wildest dreams just a few months ago.

good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. the cyclist laura kenny has become britain's most decorated female olympic athlete, after she and teammate katie archibald won the women's madison event in the velodrome. the pair dominated the 120 lap race, winning 10 of the 12 sprints. it means kenny has won gold in three consecutive olympic games, and archibald in two. elsewhere, after their gold in rio, britain's hockey women have taken bronze in tokyo, with a narrow victory over india. our sports editor dan roan is in tokyo— where i believe we've just won another gold medal.

that's right. kate french, in the modern pentathlon. she hasjust won, she came into the final day in sixth place out of 36 but in the past few minute she has clinched team g's 18th gold medal, a fabulous day here for the british here. it was a big one for laura kenny, she was already among the very greatest british olympians and she was one of four women in team gb trying in tokyo to become the first in british olympic history to win gold medals in three successive olympic games. now, the velodrome has always been a very happy hunting ground in recent games and somewhat frustrating until yesterday until winning gold in the omnium but one of the established

names laura kenny alongside katie archibald delivered to date when it mattered most. hurtling into the history books, a day when laura kenny went were no british woman has gone before, a fifth olympic title as she and katie archibald produced a sporting masterclass. the medicine is cycling's version of the relay and there were no shortages of thrills and spills —— the madison. this is the first time there has been a women's race at that games and the british team showed the rest how it is done. commentator: they've dominated from start to finish. the commentator: they've dominated from start to finish. ,., , start to finish. the light partly due but especially _ start to finish. the light partly due but especially for - start to finish. the light partly due but especially for kenny, | start to finish. the light partly - due but especially for kenny, note the most decorated british olympic women in history but she said missing her three—year—old son was the toughest part. i missing her three-year-old son was the toughest part.— the toughest part. i kept saying to eo - le, the toughest part. i kept saying to peeple. please — the toughest part. i kept saying to people, please don't _ the toughest part. i kept saying to people, please don't ask - the toughest part. i kept saying to people, please don't ask me - the toughest part. i kept saying to | people, please don't ask me about him! i could not have done it

without these girls. it is so hard leaving him at home ijust having katie there the whole time, i feel like i am racing with a sister. there was soon a more silicon success for britain as jack carlin took the bronze in the sprint —— motorcycling success. it women's hockey team are celebrating the 43rd game in row. they had been trailing india in the bronze medal play—off but they turned it around in the nick of time. this goal of securing a 4—3 win and after a difficult few years it was all the sweeter. if a 4-3 win and after a difficult few years it was all the sweeter. if you asked me a _ years it was all the sweeter. if you asked me a couple _ years it was all the sweeter. if you asked me a couple of _ years it was all the sweeter. if you asked me a couple of months - years it was all the sweeter. if you asked me a couple of months ago | years it was all the sweeter. if you | asked me a couple of months ago if we would come away with a bronze medal i would have laughed at you. this last cycle have been so tough and we've stuck together and we have come with a bronze medal and we are speechless. in come with a bronze medal and we are seechless. , ., ., speechless. in the boxing lauren price is on _

speechless. in the boxing lauren price is on the _ speechless. in the boxing lauren price is on the way _ speechless. in the boxing lauren price is on the way to _ speechless. in the boxing lauren price is on the way to a - speechless. in the boxing lauren price is on the way to a medal. speechless. in the boxing lauren| price is on the way to a medal but after being docked a point for holding onto her opponent she needed a stunning last round to edge past her opponent. and just listen to what it meant. come on! she also has played football for wales, and she will now fight for the gold medal and she cannot wait. i’ee will now fight for the gold medal and she cannot wait.— will now fight for the gold medal and she cannot wait. i've been there before, it is — and she cannot wait. i've been there before, it is nothing _ and she cannot wait. i've been there before, it is nothing new— and she cannot wait. i've been there before, it is nothing new for- and she cannot wait. i've been there before, it is nothing new for me. - before, it is nothing new for me. but it is everyone's dream to get to the olympic final and i'm going to do my utmost. it the olympic final and i'm going to do my utmost-— do my utmost. it was a return of briton's do my utmost. it was a return of iisriton's most — do my utmost. it was a return of briton's most famous _ do my utmost. it was a return of briton's most famous knitter, i do my utmost. it was a return of l briton's most famous knitter, tom daley�*s handiwork has proved quite the hit but there was nothing woolly about his diving after easing through qualifying in the individual. can he stitch together another olympic masterpiece? laura kenny nowjoins other cyclists

sir bradley wiggins, sir chris hoy and also sir steve redgrave and, remarkably, her husband, jason kenny is the only british olympians with five gold medals at the least and she has the prospect of more. there are more possibility of british success tonight with laura muir in the women's 1500 metre success tonight with laura muir in the women's1500 metre final, jody williams and the 400 metre final, andy burchard in the 5000 metre men's final as well and at the end of the evening, we have the sprint relay, dina asher—smith part of the women's 100 relay, dina asher—smith part of the women's100 metre team that has a real chance of success as do their men. lots of excitement in store here in the athletics stadium before the end of the night. eleanor roper is in welwyn garden city at the club where laura kenny began cycling.

yes, this is where she first got on a bicycle, which started for her and little did we know back then she would go on to win gold medals at three successive olympics. we are joined by new head coach here. you are going wild this morning, what did you make of the madison? that was the best _ did you make of the madison? that was the best race _ did you make of the madison? that was the best race i _ did you make of the madison? t�*isgt was the best race i have ever seen, they dominated and blew the rest apart. what makes law at such a great cyclist and competitor? grit. cyclist and competitor? grit, determination _ cyclist and competitor? grit, determination and _ cyclist and competitor? grit, determination and never - cyclist and competitor? grit, | determination and never give cyclist and competitor? (it, determination and never give in or never give up. has determination and never give in or never give lip-— determination and never give in or never give up. has she always been like that? she — never give up. has she always been like that? she was _ never give up. has she always been like that? she was always _ like that? she was always competitive _ like that? she was always competitive from - like that? she was always competitive from a - like that? she was always competitive from a very l like that? she was always - competitive from a very young age and she's been an inspiration. ianthem and she's been an inspiration. when did ou and she's been an inspiration. when did you think— and she's been an inspiration. when did you think that _ and she's been an inspiration. when did you think that she _ and she's been an inspiration. when did you think that she could - and she's been an inspiration. when did you think that she could go really far, when did you spot something special?- really far, when did you spot something special? really far, when did you spot somethin: secial? ., ., ., something special? right from around nine or ten when _ something special? right from around nine or ten when she _ something special? right from around nine or ten when she was _ something special? right from around nine or ten when she was down - something special? right from around nine or ten when she was down here, | nine or ten when she was down here, i introduced her to the track when she was about seven or eight and from then on, she loved it from day

one and she is going on and on and never did i dream in my wildest dreams she would go all the way and win gold medals but she has been an inspiration. you win gold medals but she has been an insiration. ., ., ., . win gold medals but she has been an insiration. ., . . . , inspiration. you are watching this mornin: inspiration. you are watching this morning with _ inspiration. you are watching this morning with various _ inspiration. you are watching this morning with various young - inspiration. you are watching this | morning with various young riders, what does it mean to see her succeed? it what does it mean to see her succeed?— what does it mean to see her succeed? , , ., ., . ., succeed? it is phenomenal. we are still producing _ succeed? it is phenomenal. we are still producing young _ succeed? it is phenomenal. we are still producing young riders - succeed? it is phenomenal. we are still producing young riders on - succeed? it is phenomenal. we are still producing young riders on the l still producing young riders on the same pathway that laura started on all those years ago and look at the young riders coming through, i have threejunior riders on young riders coming through, i have three junior riders on the same pathway that are doing the european championship next week.— championship next week. brilliant. and laura championship next week. brilliant. and laura will— championship next week. brilliant. and laura will go _ championship next week. brilliant. and laura will go again _ championship next week. brilliant. and laura will go again on - championship next week. brilliant. and laura will go again on sundayl championship next week. brilliant. l and laura will go again on sunday in the omnium. gas and electricity bills will increase for millions of people in october, after the regulator ofgem raised the energy price cap by a record amount. on average, a household on a standard tariff will pay an extra £139 a year, while those on prepayment meters face an increase of £153. charities have warned that the timing will hit

struggling families hard. colletta smith reports. summer holiday thrills don't come cheap, so the thought of an increase in energy bills in the autumn is a worrying one. but that is what will be happening from the 1st of october. i know a lot of families are strictly on the line, so even £20 is a lot of money, isn't it? it's food for the week. it will impact everyone on prepayment metres or the default standard variable tariff. that is half of all the households in britain. ofgem insists the changes are necessary because of the rising in wholesale energy.— wholesale energy. we've seen an increase in _ wholesale energy. we've seen an increase in not _ wholesale energy. we've seen an increase in notjust _ wholesale energy. we've seen an increase in notjust gas _ wholesale energy. we've seen an increase in notjust gas and - increase in notjust gas and electricity but also gas and diesel and we had to feed that into the price cap and the price cap means we do not go back to the bad old days

where companies charge unfair profits but clearly when input costs to change that limit needs to change. the autumn is when we stick on our heating and electricity so much more but it's also a moment that furlough comes to an end and universal credit is being cut. debt charities say this increase could not have come at a worse time and it will hit families who are struggling the most. we are faced with a bit of a conundrum that will end up being food versus fuel, i believe. how will the — food versus fuel, i believe. how will the poorest in society and be able to _ will the poorest in society and be able to suck it up? we are already on the _ able to suck it up? we are already on the breadline and working on the close _ on the breadline and working on the close of— on the breadline and working on the close of the — on the breadline and working on the close of the balance of finance and at long. _ close of the balance of finance and at long, long time. —— in a long, long _ at long, long time. —— in a long, longtime — with another two months to go until prices go up, there is still time to shop around for a better deal. the department for education

is to fund hundreds of extra places at medical schools in england because more students than expected have got the required a level grades, after exams were scrapped for the second consecutive year. numbers on medicine and dentistry courses are usually capped by the government because of the cost, and the need for clinical placements in the nhs. doctors and dentists are much in demand but there is tough competition for places at university, the numbers are capped because of the cost of courses. with more students this year expected to qualify after exams were replaced with teacher assessed grades, the government is asking universities to take on more students.— take on more students. universities are not fully — take on more students. universities are not fully ready _ take on more students. universities are not fully ready for _ take on more students. universities are not fully ready for the _ are not fully ready for the challenge because they gave out their offers for medical courses months ago, and now there is going to be huge great inflation on tuesday probably so they will have far more students saying they have a right to go to the chorus than

university has available places. aha, university has available places. a degree in medicine cost around £180,000 so the numbers are capped by the government. in 2019 that meant just by the government. in 2019 that meantjust over 8300 students starting medicine and dentistry degrees in england. last year because of chaos caused by changes to how a—levels were graded an extra 450 places were created. now the government says in england the cap will be lifted to more than 9000 places and extra money will be found. julia has secured a place at oxford and says after a tough year it is good news for students who want a career in medicine. it’s want a career in medicine. it's really good — want a career in medicine. it�*s really good news that the government is supporting medicine students and allowing lots of people to access those resources. especially considering how hard it has been to get those grades in the past year. universities say it is notjust about money and they need time to prepare. this week exeter university

offered £10,000 to persuade some medical students to defer.- medical students to defer. there's an element _ medical students to defer. there's an element of— medical students to defer. there's an element of a _ medical students to defer. there's an element of a great _ medical students to defer. there's an element of a great inflation, i an element of a great inflation, universities will work to make sure they are working in the interest of students but i would also point to pleading, it is increasingly attractive.— pleading, it is increasingly attractive. ~ , , attractive. next week students will find out their— attractive. next week students will find out their a-level _ attractive. next week students will find out their a-level results -- i l find out their a—level results —— i would also point to clearing. with some courses oversubscribed, the pressure will shift to universities to find the places. the government has defended the minister alok sharma, who has travelled abroad to over 30 countries in his role as the president of the climate summit, cop26. a spokesperson said "face—to—face diplomacy" was "vital" in securing key committments, ahead of the meeting in glasgow later this year. our political correspondent jonathan blake is in westminster. what is the government saying about this? his what is the government saying about this? , ., , what is the government saying about this? , .,, .,, what is the government saying about this? , , , ., this? his 'ob as president of the cop26 this? his job as president of the com climate _ this? his job as president of the cop26 climate change _ this? his job as president of the i cop26 climate change conference to travel the world and create support for that and get countries on board

what the government's aims but it is the amount of air miles he's racked up the amount of air miles he's racked up that has drawn criticism and raised eyebrows. more than 30 countries since taking on the role and he has not had to quarantine when returning those on the amber or red list because government ministers are exempt. if they are travelling on official business. labour and the liberal democrats say this is another example of one rule for ministers and one rule for everybody else and the green party see the travel has been excessive and hypocritical, hinting at the environmental impact of this. the government defending his trips saying while virtual meetings play a large part, face—to—face meetings are crucial to achieving the government's climate change aims and he's not been doing this in secret, yesterday tweeting pictures of his trip to brazil which is of course on the red list, talking about constructive meetings. potentially

embarrassing for the government with some criticism coming their way, whether it gets any more difficult will depend on the credibility and success of the cop26 summit, was all this effort worth it in the end? the government is to introduce a cancellation insurance scheme to try to protect live events, including music festivals and business conferences. the scheme is designed to allow organisers to plan with greater certainty. more than half of all music festivals were cancelled this summer, with many saying an inability to obtain covid related insurance was a factor in their decision. here's our entertainment correspondent lizo mzimba. lockdown may have been lifted, but the music industry says it's still been a disappointing summer. while some festivals have gone ahead — a few as part of the government's pilot programme — when it comes to large—scale events with a capacity

of more than 50,000, more than half have been cancelled, so the £750 million scheme has been broadly welcomed by an industry which sees festivals as a big part of the country's economic recovery. look at things like glastonbury, which generates hundreds of millions of pounds for the local area, and concerts across the country that help create jobs, growth, growth of supply chains. as we're looking to recover from this pandemic, large music events can be the key, can be one of the drivers of this post—pandemic and cultural recovery. but it hasn't delivered everything people hoped for. while festivals would be covered, in the event of a full lockdown, they wouldn't be covered if social—distancing rules were brought in which reduced capacity and made it uneconomic for the event to go ahead. and with the scheme starting in september, its left huge numbers with the cancellations that have extremely frustrated for many who have had to cancel.

and particularly for the many businesses behind these festivals, supply chain, the freelancers, that have been beleaguered and lost so much revenue over this period due to those cancellations. so, all agree a step in the right direction, but the industry is keen for the government to keep working with them — to provide the complete backing they say they need to protect the festival sector. lizo mzimba, bbc news. the time is 12:18. our top story this lunchtime. labour dominated the to finish. it's been at —— it has been an olympic title winning effort... cycling sensation laura kenny becomes team gb's most decorated female olympian, after she and teammate katie archibald took gold in the velodrome in tokyo. kenny paid tribute to their remarkable teammanship. just to have katie there the whole time, ijust feel like i'm racing with a sister,

and i couldn't have done it if we didn't have that relationship. coming up on the bbc news channel: it will be at least a silver medal who wins her semi—final middleweight bout, to qualify for sunday's gold—medal match. people in italy who want to visit a range of venues — including restaurants, sports facilities and cultural sites — now have to produce a green card, showing a record of covid vaccination, a negative test, or proof of recovery from coronavirus. while opinion polls suggest a majority of people in the country are in favour, the rules have prompted protests too. our italy correspondent mark lowen reports from verona. a night at the opera. tickets. temperature check.

and from today, the mandatory green pass — a covid vaccination certificate, negative test or proof of recovery — as italy tightens its rules, from theatres to restaurants, gyms to cafes. well, this is how it will work in practice. i come up to the venue in question... buona sera. ..present my green pass which, in my case, is a vaccination certificate. it's verified. this device doesn't save the data. i present my id card and i'm allowed to enter. it's a big change, and a big challenge, for those involved. nobody told us how to face covid, you know? so at the beginning, we were afraid, we were nervous, we were anxious. then, month by month, we solve new problem, giving new solution. and after 18 months, we built a little of self—confidence. so let's say that now, the situation is, it is not a problem. this is another problem, regarding covid. verona's arena has already adapted

to covid — fewer performers, masks and half—ca pacity. but with the green pass, the drama has now moved offstage too. parliament had to be suspended after protests from far—right mps. and while polls show 70% of italians in favour, vocal demonstrations have broken out across the country. much of the opposition is from restaurateurs, their patience already worn by lockdowns. translation: we shouldn't have to police this. - it's not ourjob. and we shouldn't deal with sensitive data. the government will make us argue with customers who want to sit inside without a pass. we'll have to comply, but we've already had cancellations. it's got nasty for medics supporting the green pass. samantha grossi received a death threat through whatsapp, evoking the nazi trials at nuremberg.

other messages were on facebook, and they came from her colleagues. translation: i really felt in danger. - what upset me most was that the threats were from health workers. they, like us, were heroes of the pandemic, and now some are no vax. i felt broken and thought about giving up everything, but then i realised i must go on and show they're the ones at fault. at the arena too, the show will go on, though with new checks for the opera lovers. italy is beginning another act in its covid story, but the unity felt last year is fading. applause mark lowen, bbc news, verona. nearly 80,000 people have signed an online petition calling on borisjohnson to stop the killing of an alpaca called geronimo, who has twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis. the animal's owner, in gloucestershire, claims the tests were inaccurate.

andrew plant has the details. geronimo, in quarantine at this gloucestershire farm for the past four years, since he was imported from new zealand. now, though, he is set to be destroyed, after owner helen lost her fight against his positive tests for tb. sick. absolutely sick. because all of this was avoidable. we've had four years of trying to just sit down and rationally discuss the science. the science is just not there. farmers everywhere have cattle tested, and then they get a positive result and they have to put those animals down. why are you different? because the cattle test is designed for cattle, and it's an established programme, that is the test for cattle. the environment secretary george eustice said he'd looked into geronimo's case and, though he sympathised, the alpaca's tests, he said, were highly specific and reliable. helen's been fighting the results of the test for the past four years, but the high court says

the results still stand. now, yesterday, a notice of entry was issued, and that means any time in the next 30 days, officials could turn up here to put geronimo down. in a statement, defra said... "testing results and options for geronimo have been very carefully considered, as well as passing several stages of thorough legal scrutiny. while nobody wants to cull infected animals, we need to do everything we can to tackle this disease." more than 40,000 cows are culled in the uk each year, after testing positive for tb. helen says geronimo passed multiple tests before being imported and thinks the two tests here were flawed. she's still hoping this eight—year—old alpaca can somehow be saved. andrew plant, bbc news. estimates from the office for national statistics infection survey suggest that just over 810,000 people in the uk would test positive for coronavirus

in the week to 31stjuly, down from 950,000 people the previous week. that's1 in 80 people. our health correspondent katharine da costa is here with more details — what do the figures tell us? yes, the figures havejust yes, the figures have just come out in the last 20 minutes or so and they show the number of people testing positive has fallen in scotland, england and wales, but infections are still rising in northern ireland, where the delta variant emerged slightly later. the report also says this fall is encouraging, but infection rates are still high in the uk and they say they will need more data before they can say for sure whether we are past the peak of this current wave. now, this data covers the last week of july so it is backwards looking. and people can still test positive for some time after an initial infection. that is why it often takes longer for a fall in daily cases to be reflected in the ons figures. after a sharp decline,

daily cases have slowed in the last couple of days. we are now seeing roughly around 26,000 new infections a day on average over the last week. by a day on average over the last week. by that measure. but the ons is seen as a really reliable source of data because it is a random port —— random sample of swabs from households, including those who are asymptomatic. so it gives us the bigger picture, rather than on the daily figures that rely on people with symptoms coming forward for tests. experts are confident the fall is real and is filtering through to ons in hospital admissions, that is down 10% over the last week. things looked like they are going in the right direction, but by autumn and winter when covid may mix with colds and the flu and other viruses in circulation, we may still be in for a bumpy road ahead. qm. circulation, we may still be in for a bumpy road ahead.— circulation, we may still be in for a bumpy road ahead. 0k, thank you. katherine da — a bumpy road ahead. 0k, thank you. katherine da costa. _ barcelona have announced their all—time top scorer, lionel messi, will be leaving

this summer, after failing to agree the terms of a new contract. messi joined the club more than 20 years ago, at the age of 13. he's helped the team win more than 30 trophies, and has forged a reputation as one of the greatest players of all time. here's our sports correspondent, joe wilson. picture lionel messi as football's mona lisa. seemingly priceless, but suddenly available. while barcelona have already said "thank you and farewell" on social media, messi's immeasurable contribution can be suggested in statistics. 778 matches, 672 goals, ten league titles, etc. so why let him go? well, even with messi agreeing a reduced salary, barcelona's wage bill far exceeds the league's regulations. the club president says he inherited a financial calamity and losing messi is the only way to solve it. translation: the club is over 100 years old, and it's -

above everyone and everything. even above the best player of the world, the best player who's been with us over the last few years, and we will always thank him for everything he's done for us. there's a theory that argentina's messi is the ultimate bargaining chip between barcelona and la liga. if spanish football loses its star player, the whole competition is devalued, runs that argument. yeah, but where could he go next? paris is logical. a club backed by qatari money, psg could afford, in that city of art, a 34—year—old master. joe wilson, bbc news. most of wales' remaining covid rules will be scrapped from tomorrow. social—distancing rules and limits on indoor meetings will no longer apply, and nightclubs can reopen, but face

coverings will still be mandatory in shops and on public transport. the welsh government has warned that the lifting of restrictions shouldn't be seen as a "free—for—all". the edinburgh festival fringe kicks off today, with the city preparing to welcome visitors as part of a month—long showcase of festivals. events were cancelled last year because of the pandemic. bbc scotland's arts correspondent pauline mclean is in edinburgh. what sort of summer is shaping up to be, pauline? what sort of summer is shaping up to be. pauline?— be, pauline? well, it is quite interesting. _ be, pauline? well, it is quite interesting, i— be, pauline? well, it is quite interesting, ithink_ be, pauline? well, it is quite interesting, i think is -- i be, pauline? well, it is quite interesting, i think is -- this| be, pauline? well, it is quite i interesting, i think is -- this is interesting, i think is —— this is the moment many of us didn't really expect to see and there is a real kind of excitement and emotion about the festival is coming back. they are much, much smaller than in previous years, there has been a lot of last minute changing around, people couldn't plan, we didn't know until earlier in the weekjust how many people could be in places. but as you can see in this venue, one of many which has sprung up as part of the fringe, they are using outdoor spaces, making most of the venues they already have. the fringe was

already known for that ability, to turn the most basic thing into a theatrical venue. so there is a car park which four venues have taken over and they are showcasing work in. we are seeing that across the way. the scottish government put up a fair amount of money to allow fringe companies to extend and expand their output so that they could have places like this that are safe for people to come to, to come back. but for most people, it is just an amazing thing that the fringe is back and with it, all of edinburgh's summer festivals because, of course, this isjust one of five. because, of course, this is 'ust one offive. ~ , ., because, of course, this is 'ust one offive. , ., , of five. absolutely, thanks very much for now, _ of five. absolutely, thanks very much for now, pauline. - time for a look at the weather. here's louise lear. we started talking about the fantastic events in tokyo and you have been looking at the weather there. spare a thought for some of the athletes battling with some of the extreme heat. if you are watching a

hockey earlier today, the