this is bbc news. the headlines at 4pm... union leaders say that talks trying to prevent rail strikes next week have failed — and the walkouts will go ahead. passengers across the country will be affected. there are so many people struggling, we have to help each other where we can. theyjust want more money. they can hold the country to ransom. the government is to trial a scheme allowing asylum seekers who cross the channel in small boats to be electronically tagged. tens of thousands of people have marched in central london calling on the government to do more to help tackle the cost of living crisis. police in brazil confirm a body found in the remote amazon rainforest is the missing british journalist — dom phillips. (00v)and coming up at 4.30 — russia's foreign minister sergei lavrov speaks to steve rosenberg about russia's invasion of ukraine and the impact of the war on russia's standing in the world.

good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. the rmt union has confirmed that next week's rail strikes will go ahead. they say talks have failed to resolve a dispute about pay, jobs and working conditions. the strikes will affect railway lines across the country. our business correspondent vishala sri—pathma reports. it's set to be a chaotic time if you're travelling by rail at all next week. three 24—hour strikes planned across the week on tuesday, thursday, and saturday, with strikes on the london underground to go ahead on tuesday, as well.

for those who have plans to go on holiday by rail, or, indeed, go to work, the strikes are notjust disruptive — they're costly. i think it's just down to greed, isn't it? i mean, government put in, is it £16 billion of our money, to keep the railways running during the pandemic? and now they're moaning because they're not getting a big enough pay increase. my sister is having cancer treatment, and in london, and that's affecting her treatment next week due to the strikes, so she's having to stay over there in a hotel. you know, everyone deserves fair terms and conditions, _ but it will impact so many people, especially post—covid _ and with the petrol prices going up, that daily commute's going to be i just that bit harder for everybody. the rmt union says the dispute is overjob cuts and the need for a pay rise to mitigate the soaring cost of living. the industry is under pressure to save money because of falling passenger

numbers, and rail bosses insist reform is needed, but it's the passengers that will feel the brunt. lots of people will work from home, which we've all — most of us who can have become accustomed to that over the past few years, so it could be that it doesn't bite those people quite so much as it would have done in previous years. but for more of the leisure and travel events — you know, glastonbury�*s often mentioned as being one of the big events that's happening next week — the reality is that people willjust have to find another way to travel. the department for transport told the bbc that they are "hugely disappointed" and felt the strikes were "premature" and are urging the rmt to reconsider. but with no compromise in sight for the time being, it's set to be a stressful seven days ahead for passengers. vishala sri—pathma, bbc news. some asylum—seekers who arrive in the uk in small boats or on the back of lorries could be

electronically tagged under a new home office trial. the prime minister says it's important to "make sure asylum seekers can't just vanish into the rest of the country". critics say the plan treats those fleeing persecution as criminals. our political correspondent damian grammaticas reports. after the plane chartered at a cost of several hundred thousand pounds to take asylum seekers to rwanda could not leave this week, the legality of the government's policy of deporting those seeking protection here must now be decided by british courts. so, in the meantime, some of those who were due to be onboard may be part of this trial and be electronically tagged while their cases are decided. when people come here illegally, and when they break the law, it's important that we make that distinction. that's what we're doing with our rwanda policy, that's what we are doing with making sure that asylum seekers can'tjust vanish into the rest of the country. it's not illegal to seek asylum, but the government is under pressure to stop the channel crossings and tagging rather than detaining some whose immigration cases are being decided or have been under

consideration for several years. the home office says it could be used in cases where there may be an increased risk of absconding and less incentive to comply with any conditions of immigration bail. i think that the government is chasing headlines. what i want is a serious response — a serious response, because nobody wants these journeys across the channel to be made, these perilousjourneys. everybody wants to clamp down on the gangs. that requires grown—up work with the french authorities and upstream work to actually tackle these gangs. you don't do that if you're a government that is asking the national crime agency to make cuts. tagging and monitoring is used for people subject to court or prison orders. those who work with refugees say extending it to them is cruel and amounts to treating those who come seeking a welcome as criminals. actually, this is a diversion tacticj from the government's complete failure to run the asylum system in an orderly fashion. _ at the moment, we have utter chaos.

we have over 100,000 people in the asylum system - waiting for a decision. we have more than 70,000 waiting over six months and tens _ of thousands waiting over a year, . some even waiting up to five years. so, refugee groups say in the face of the huge issues with the asylum system, tagging is a gimmick and no other western nation does it. the numbers involved in the trial is likely to be small. damian grammaticas, bbc news. a little earlier we were joined from calais by clare moseley, founder of the charity carelicalais — which supports refugees in the uk, france and belgium. i think it's really shocking. the people that we work with, they are not criminals, they are victims of the worse things happen in this world. it's completely unnecessary.

i think it's an appalling plan. and what do you say to some of those who support the plan saying it is a practical way of keeping track of people without having to keep them in detention centres. i don't think it's necessary. there is no evidence that refugees abscond. you don't have to do this. i think it's another way of treating refugees as criminals and that's basically victim blaming. they are not criminals, they are people that terrible things have happened to. what you think should be their response to the rising number of channel crossings? it's really simple answer. if we gave visas to refugees in the same way we did to the ukrainians, that would stop overnight. you don't see any ukrainians getting into small boats or being with people smugglers. i think it's a very clear answer. we have evidence that deterrents don't work and we have evidence of what does work.

we have evidence of how we can stop people smugglers. it's just the government is unwilling to try it when it's right in front of them. claie, you hear a lot people who try to get across to the uk. they have been through so much. refugees have been through some of the worst things in the world, they might have lost their families, suffered torture and persecution, horrificjourneys have been made where they've been persecuted across the continent and by the time they get here, that is why they are in such a state to risk their lives and that is why deterrents don't work. they say to me, "i've got nothing left. i've got no homeland. i just want to stay." i'v e —— i've got no hope left and ijust want to be safe. that's why we need to be compassionate and fair and give them an alternative. it not illegal for a refugee to get

signed in the uk and they shouldn't have to get on a boat to do it. a lot of them have family in the uk and the families have been going through the same hell to those who are being put on the plane to rwanda. it's not just about them, it's notjust about them, it's about their families and loved it's notjust about them, it's about theirfamilies and loved ones. i don't believe that should be doing this. i think there are better answers. claire thank you forjoining us live from calais. she is the founder of the charity carelicalais. tens of thousands of people have been marching in central london, calling on the uk government to do more to tackle the cost of living crisis. trade union leaders, frontline workers and community organisations were among those at the demonstration, demanding what they say must be a "better deal" for workers struggling to cope. we've got tens of thousands of people coming from every nation in the uk, from all walks of working life, and they're coming together to tell the government and tight—fisted employers that enough is enough, that working people need to maintain their standard of living. they've had over a decade of real cuts and freezes to pay and they can't take any more, so it's a very simple message — that none us wants to see a country where nurses and social care workers are having to go to food banks to get by.

if you earn a living, you have to work for a living, you ought to be able to achieve a fair wage. a little earlier we heard from our correspondent matt graveling who was with protestors. there is a huge crowd here, but as you just heard in that short clip, although there are lots of people, this is a very individual matter. everybody here feels their life has been hit by the rising cost of living. this big march which has got thousands of people here started around midday and there are people coming here into parliament square right now. we had a massive cheer as the rmt union came into sight, because theyjust announced strike action next week, so they were very well—received here. this is all about the rising cost of living, how much it is costing now for energy bills and filling up your car with petrol.

people are saying enough is enough and they have come here to call on the government to do more. i'm joined by two people here. steven and ellie, you have come from oxford today this march. what brought you down? i think it's getting to the stage where enough is enough. teachers have had a real terms pay cut of 20% in the last 12 years. that's just going to get worse in the next 12 months with inflation going up 11%. we've had a pay freeze for the last few years. we are looking next month at a pay deal, its likely going to be about 2% for most teachers. people are leaving the profession because it'sjust not worth it. that makes life more difficult for all teachers. they are doing more for less, basically. we need a pay rise. all teachers need a pay rise across the profession. ellie, we heard that from steve about the profession. i know you are also a teacher. talk to me about your own personal

experiences of prices going up. prices are going up. steven and i live in oxford, one of the most expensivel places to rent and to buy outside of london. - it is incredibly difficult _ for people to sustain themselves, we have got, as steven said, intensive teaching, _ we are in the midst of a recruitment crisis, we have been for years. - we work with young teachers | in their early 20s and they are already leaving the profession. they're not even completing . the training because they can't afford to pay their rent. they would rather work elsewhere, get paid more and not— have to take work home. take time off. you are talking about the next generation, just below you there, is your five—year—old boy hiding from the loud noises. what do you think about his future as we see rising cost got now? yes, it is a challenge. it is a worry. we will do the best we can.

we will make compromises for ourselves so that - he has what he needs — i as any good parent would. as teachers, we are just about able to do it, - but those who can't afford to make those choices, it's going _ to be more difficult. we have got our own child, but we see other children l in the classrooms with parents whose backgrounds are that _ much more difficult. so, yes. just to add, if things don't change, there will be a general strike with the teachers unions because in the long run, the people who suffer will be the young ones and the students. thank you for your time. industrial action is something we will see from the rmt next week. the government have said they are putting £16 billion to help the vulnerable including paying energy bills and £650 to go towards a really vulnerable and last week, they employed an advisor

to take them through this cost of living crisis. the co—founder ofjusteat and his advice to everyone here and the government and the companies as basically, we need to get out of the cost of living crisis by private companies finally coming to the party to help. militants in afghanistan are reported to have killed two people during an attack on the last sikh place of worship in the capital kabul. they threw hand grenades at the building and the taliban authorities say a car bomb detonated before reaching the gurdwara. our correspondent secunder kermani who is in kabul has more details. well, the attack began around 6.30 in the morning, local time, if you see their big metal doors, that is the main entrance. this is where the attack began.

a number of people tried to overpower the guards to get inside. there are a number of checkposts around here and say of the taliban stationed here immediately engaged the attackers in a firefight and at some point, a car that is parked around here in which a bomb exploded, that exploded killing the commander of the check post, and causing the damage you can see to the shops, many of which were owned by members of the sikh community. the fighting here last for three hours and gives you a sense of how intense it must have been from the state of this room. this was the main prayer hall and has been left completely devastated. once upon a time, there were tens of thousands of sikhs living here in afghanistan. over the years, with the conflict, that number has dwindled and dwindled. there has been a state of attack

carried out by the local branch of the islamic state group. one on another gurdwara years ago where 25 people were killed and another one in 2018. this was the last functioning gurdwara and now it been attacked, too. there is only around 150 sikhs living in this country and they say they don't feel safe and they want to leave and they are appealing to the indian government to get them out. the headlines on bbc news... union leaders say that talks trying to prevent rail strikes next week have failed — and the walkouts will go ahead. passengers across the country will be affected. the government is to trial a scheme allowing asylum seekers who cross the channel in small boats to be electronically tagged. tens of thousands of people have marched in central london calling on the government to do more to help

tackle the cost of living crisis. sport and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre. leicester tigers and saracens are currently in action in the premiership final at twickenham. owen farrell opened up the scoring for the the sarries with a penalty but leicester came roaring back. leicesterfinished top of the premiership table and they'll be looking to lift a title they haven't won since 2013. for saracens, it's one year out of the top flight and now back in a the biggest game in england. the countdown to the rugby league world cup, really gets under way this weekend. england, are the hosts for the tournament which will have the men, women's and wheelchair competitions on at the same time in october. england women are in action at the moment. they've just come up for the second half. three tries for england, hollie dodd opened the scoring with caitlin beevers and amy harcastle adding the other two.

later on the england's men's will face a �*combined all stars' team made up of some of the super league's best international players. this is one of two matches shaun wane has to prepare, before the world's best teams decend on england in october. it's a big game for the players. and for the country and this is our first chance for the players to put the scamp in the position with the world cup in october. it's an exciting week. it will be good to see the players together. they enjoy each other�*s company. it's enjoyable for me to get together with my staff and get some work done. women's golf now where there's been an extraordinary finish at the new aramco team series england's georgia hall and bronte law were fighting it out at the top of the leaderboard. hall thought she'd done enough for the win when she took the outright lead with this birdie on herfinal hole. law was one shot behind

when she went down 18, but had this putt for eagle — remarkably, she wasn't content for a play—off — she holed it in one putt, going from one behind to one in front, and taking the title along with one of the biggest prize funds in the sport. some big women's football news to start with. in the last few minutes, it's been announced that lucy bronze willjoin barcelona. the england defender left manchester city last month, after five seasons where she won the wsl title, two fa cups and two league cups. barcelona are looking to strengthen after they were beaten in the champions league final by another of bronze�*s teams lyon. finally england fast bowler katherine brunt has announced her retirement from test cricket. brunt made her test debut in 2004, and is england women's third leading test wicket taker with 51. she'll continue to play one day and twenty20 international cricket.

in the queens championships the second semi—final is under way, after botic van de zandschulp lost 4—6 3—6 to matteo berrettini. we can go across now to it. filip krajinovic and marin cilic are looking for a spot to take on berretini in the final. you can watch all of the action on bbc one and bbc iplayer as well as follow all updates on the bbc sport website and app. the four—time grand slam champion naomi osaka has withdrawn from wimbledon because of an achilles injury. at the french open, osaka said she was leaning towards not playing wimbledon, as it would feel "more like an exhibition" without ranking points. the atp and wta removed the points after wimbledon banned russian and belarusian players over russia's invasion of ukraine. the world number 43 has won all of her grand slam titles on hard courts, and is yet to go beyond the third round of wimbledon.

that's all the sport for now. you can find more on all those stories on the bbc sport website. thank you. in news reminiscent of the first episode of the west wing. .. the first episode of the west wing... oh, no, this is a different story now. 94 staff at the east of england ambulance trust have been identitfied as being unable to to drive it's 5a million pound fleet of new ambulances due to their height or body shape. complaints about the fiats which replace the ageing mercedes vans include back pain to knees scraping the dashboard. the trust says it's addressing the issues. us presidentjoe biden has taken a tumble oof his bike during a weekend trip to delaware. the fall came as he stopped to greet supporters and media

towards the end of his bike ride, at rehoboth beach. you can hear the commotion there. the president, who was immediately surrounded by secret service, appeared to be uninjured and got straight back up again. asked what caused him to topple off his bicycle, the 79—year—old president said his foot had got caught in the pedal. mr biden got back on his bike to ride away. watching bbc news. police in brazil have confirmed that a body found buried in the amazon is that of the missing british journalist dom phillips. a second body — believed to be his travelling companion bruno pereira — is still being examined. mr phillip�*s sister said he was a "leading light injournalism". katy watson reports. the grim news confirmed — dom phillips' family can now, in the words of his wife,

ale, say goodbye to him with love. these are the two men as their friends and family want to remember them — dom phillips, a passionate journalist writing a book on saving the amazon. i think he was a leading light injournalism. he was shining a light on an area which is a global problem and i would like to see any changes that we can make as a positive outcome of a tragedy. his travelling companion, bruno pereira, was an indigenous expert who knew the community so well and was loved by so many here. the authorities are still trying to establish whether the human remains also include those of bruno pereira. suspect amarildo da costa de oliveira confessed to the crime and lead the search teams to the place he buried the two men. authorities are also looking for a third suspect, jeferson da silva lima. they say he's currently on the run. the area where the two men disappeared is vast, remote and lawless.

on the border with colombia and peru, there are illegal fishermen and poachers and drug trafficking, too. indeed, bruno's work trying to protect the indigenous communities from illegal activities made him enemies. he'd been threatened in the past because of his work. police, though, say the investigation suggests the suspects acted alone, not with a criminal organisation behind them. but, that was rejected by univaja, the association of indigenous communities, which had taken part in the search and had been calling for more to be done to find their friend bruno and his travel companion, dom. they believe it was a crime planned in detail. katy watson, bbc news. long covid is becoming a growing and under—addressed problem among children — that's the warning from scientists as new figures suggest nearly one—in—20 primary school pupils in england are living with the illness. our reporterjamie coulson has been to meet 11—year—old freya, who has been suffering with debilitating symptoms since last october.

this was freya before she caught covid last october. energetic, sporty and full of life. this is her now. she lives with a long list of debilitating conditions. i get backache, headache, rashes. sometimes i get tinnitis. i'm tired all the time. from going at 100 miles an hour, jumping around constantly we see herjust very tired and having to have a rest even after going to school for a few hours. your physiotherapist can teach you how to take your heart rate. long covid has impacted every aspect of her life.

she missed large periods of school and still only manages 31/2 days a week and struggles to take part in normal activities. it is very difficult and frustrating but i can't do the things that i wanted to do and that i did it before, like dancing, football, and theatre shows. for months on end we were in what was called a boom—bust cycle, so she has also been diagnosed with me and chronic fatigue syndrome as a result of long covid so she was, like, going to school for a day and then it would end up being two days in bed, three days in bed, not well enough to walk across the landing because she wasjust doing too much. how are you feeling? i'm a bit tired but i'm ok, thank you. she is seeing a fatigue specialist but her recovery has been slow and frustrating. it isjust heart, soul destroying, we just hope for more

good days and bad days. —— than. we think may be nine months i will get better after nine months months of having it, but i don't know. strawberries are arguably the taste of british summer. getting berries from the farms to our plates — however — is becoming increasingly difficult for the growers, because of labour shortages. paul murphy has been to a fruit farm in nottinghamshire which is having to recruit pickers from as far away as nepal to plug the gap. the berry picking season is about to peak in every hand and needed in this farm. this man has come from nepal, more than 4000 miles away where i once had a job in the

tourism industry. where i once had a “ob in the tourism industry._ where i once had a “ob in the tourism industry. yes, i used to work in travel _ tourism industry. yes, i used to work in travel industry - tourism industry. yes, i used to work in travel industry for - tourism industry. yes, i used to work in travel industry for about ten years and now, after covid, the tourism is very slow and so this is a really good time for us to come here and afterfinishing a really good time for us to come here and after finishing the season we will go back to work in the bowl. finding labour has long been a problem from fruit and veg files. getting uk workers to do seasonal jobsis getting uk workers to do seasonal jobs is difficult. in the past, this farm is relied on ukrainian and russian people. but the outbreak of four men they need to look further afield. , . , ., , ., afield. our permanent staff are mainly bulgarian, _ afield. our permanent staff are mainly bulgarian, romanian i afield. our permanent staff are l mainly bulgarian, romanian and polish people. they come gave in and year out. this year, we are having labour, as far as nepal,.- year out. this year, we are having labour, as far as nepal,. these here on a temporary _ labour, as far as nepal,. these here on a temporary government - labour, as far as nepal,. these here on a temporary government visa, i on a temporary government visa, allowed into the uk despite the restrictions of brexit. that scheme

ends in 2024 and many fans are wondering where they will source their labour from. wondering where they will source their labourfrom. in wondering where they will source their labour from.— wondering where they will source their labour from. in 2020 we wasted about £19 million _ their labour from. in 2020 we wasted about £19 million of _ their labour from. in 2020 we wasted about £19 million of berries. - their labour from. in 2020 we wasted about £19 million of berries. last - about £19 million of berries. last year we — about £19 million of berries. last year we lost £39 million of fruit because — year we lost £39 million of fruit because we couldn't afford to pick it. , ., because we couldn't afford to pick it. , . . ~ because we couldn't afford to pick it. they are backing uk farmers and crowers it. they are backing uk farmers and . rowers to it. they are backing uk farmers and growers to ensure _ it. they are backing uk farmers and growers to ensure they _ it. they are backing uk farmers and growers to ensure they have - it. they are backing uk farmers and growers to ensure they have the - growers to ensure they have the workforce they need and that much is being done to attract uk workers into the sector. and would you like to come back another time?- into the sector. and would you like to come back another time? sure. i would like to _ to come back another time? sure. i would like to come _ to come back another time? sure. i would like to come back _ to come back another time? sure. i would like to come back here - to come back another time? sure. i would like to come back here again | would like to come back here again because our working time is only six months. after six months, i go turn nepal and live there and then i come back here. the nepal and live there and then i come back here. , ., . ., ., ~ , back here. the search for workers in this industry — back here. the search for workers in this industry is _ back here. the search for workers in this industry is now _ back here. the search for workers in this industry is now a _ back here. the search for workers in this industry is now a global- back here. the search for workers in this industry is now a global one. . back here. the search for workers in this industry is now a global one. al this industry is now a global one. a wage of £10 an hour has been set by

the government this temporary scheme. the hope is that this will help to address a labour shortage thatis help to address a labour shortage that is hitting many farms across the uk. paul murphy, bbc news, nottinghamshire. if you have been struggling to sleep in the heat recently, there is good news. hello. cooler, fresher air is now making its way south across the uk, and marking that transition, we have a weather front along its length. some quite heavy and thundery rain possibly this evening. heatwave conditions continuing for spain and france through the remainder of the weekend. still some of the very warm air sitting across southernmost counties of uk at the moment. the cooler air sits to the north. here is the weather front dividing them. don't take that weather front line, though, too much as gospel for where we'll see the rain, because some showers will break out ahead of it. we are looking, basically, at some wet weather across parts of the midlands, east anglia and southern england into the small hours of sunday. some heavy and thundery rain possible but a cooler story by the end of the night, particularly for the likes some