this is bbc news with the latest headlines. the transport secretary accuses union leaders of "punishing millions of innocent people" by pressing ahead with rail strikes this week. itjust seems that the union is determined to go out on strike, the rmt, come what may, and i think it is a very sad situation and i call on them to reconsider. voting is under way in parliamentary elections in france, with president emmanuel macron facing an alliance of left—wing parties as the conflict in ukraine continues, the new head of the british army tells his troops they need to prepare to "fight in europe once again". at least 59 people have died in floods in bangladesh and india, with nearly 6 million people stranded.

a photo of the duke of cambridge with his children is released to celebrate father's day. good afternoon. the transport secretary says it's not for the government to intervene to try to prevent three days of strikes on the railways this week. grant shapps dismissed calls from the rmt union to get involved

in the dispute as a "stunt" — saying it's for the employers and unions to reach an agreement. mr shapps says the strikes would be an "act of self—harm." the labour leader, sir keir starmer, says the government wants the strikes to go ahead to "sow division" in society. here's our political correspondent, damian grammaticas. set to bring the rail network to a grinding halt from tuesday, they are the biggest strikes in decades. instead of 20,000 trains on a normal day, just one in five services may run. government says children heading to take exams or patients to medical appointments will face disruption. but, under pressure to take part in talks with the unions, it says it won't. train operating companies have to settle this. i don't think there is any need for the strikes at all and i appeal directly to people working for the railways, you are being led down a cul—de—sac by the union leadership telling you there is class war when there's none to be had. we want people to be paid more, we want to sensible reforms and modernisation of our railways so we can run it for the passengers. the government says it spent billions propping up the railways in the pandemic. it now wants to see them modernised.

the union, which was part of the cost of living march through london yesterday, says that means its members are facing a crisis. with inflation set to hit 11% and wages falling behind — living standards, too — and the union says "modernisation" means fewerjobs and longer working hours. we are faced with thousands ofjob cuts, despite what grant shapps said. we've seen no guarantee the redundancies won't be compulsory, we have seen thousands ofjobs already go from the railway, they've told our maintenance staff on network rail that 3,000 jobs will go. they're going to cut back on the safety regime. they've told us that every single booking office in britain will close. labour, meanwhile, is trying to maintain a tricky balancing act. sir keir starmer doesn't want the strike to go ahead, but does he support the unions? he says the government wants a conflict. conservatives see political benefits.

the strike should not go ahead — but here's the truth. borisjohnson and grant shapps want the strikes to go ahead. they want the country to grind to a halt so they can feed off the division. instead of spending their time around the negotiating table, they�* re designing attackers. instead of grown—up conversations to take the heat out of the situation, they're pouring petrol on the fire. and labour says the government hasn't engaged in talks since march. if no agreement is reached this week, it's possible the strikes won't be the last. damian grammaticas, bbc news. joining me now is rail journalist, philip haigh there is a lot of political rhetoric surrounding this dispute which is talkative about them. how have we got to this, do you think? i talkative about them. how have we got to this, do you think?— got to this, do you think? i think we are here _ got to this, do you think? i think we are here now— got to this, do you think? i think we are here now after— got to this, do you think? i think we are here now after two - got to this, do you think? i think we are here now after two years| got to this, do you think? i think. we are here now after two years of pay freezes for vale workers followed by a very low pay offer

which has upset the workers at its upset the unions and it is cast the rail industry into a bit of a stalemate. the companies, network rail and other train operators, want to talk about reform so that they can find the funding to make a decent pay offer. 0n the other hand, the unions want to talk about pay first before they talk about reform so we are almost at the situation of talking at cross purposes so that neither side is really talking about the same thing. that means stalemate and strikes going ahead this week. what is the state of the railways in the post—covid era? how much trouble do you think the railways in this country? i do you think the railways in this count ? ~ , ., do you think the railways in this count ? ~' , ., ., country? i think they are having trouble with _ country? i think they are having trouble with things _ country? i think they are having trouble with things like - country? i think they are having trouble with things like strikes l trouble with things like strikes coming up, but on the other hand, vale had been growing really strongly as the pandemic had faded more into the background we're

seeing more and more passengers travelling more and leisure passengers rather than daily commuters said that railway has been rebounding strongly and this year strikes are set to knock that recovery backwards.- strikes are set to knock that recovery backwards. strikes are set to knock that recove backwards. , ~ recovery backwards. they think there is any chance — recovery backwards. they think there is any chance of— recovery backwards. they think there is any chance of the _ recovery backwards. they think there is any chance of the two _ recovery backwards. they think there is any chance of the two sides - is any chance of the two sides coming together in this and any sort of talks, maybe not in time for this week's strikes but after that? i sincerely hope that they will come together because talks are the only way to solve this dispute unless you actually wanted to go to outright defeat for one side or the other and i don't think anybody involved in the situation should want that sort of thing, so talks are the way to settle this. a decent pay settlement but also decent reforms to the way the railways operate to make the most sustainable in the future, not least so they don't need more taxpayer support and they don't need

a raft of fares increases to fund their future.— a raft of fares increases to fund their future. ~ ., , ., ~ , their future. what you think will be their future. what you think will be the im act their future. what you think will be the impact of _ their future. what you think will be the impact of this _ their future. what you think will be the impact of this week's _ their future. what you think will be the impact of this week's strikes? l the impact of this week's strikes? 0bviously lots of travellers getting pretty nervous about what is going to happen the next few days but there is going to be an impact on scotland as well, isn't there, with scotrail? , scotrail? there will be. there will be an impact _ scotrail? there will be. there will be an impact over _ scotrail? there will be. there will be an impact over the _ scotrail? there will be. there will be an impact over the whole - scotrail? there will be. there will be an impact over the whole of. scotrail? there will be. there willi be an impact over the whole of uk net rail network with no trains running pretty much through most of the week. but it will knock passenger numbers, it will not confidence, but i do think that particularly the leisure market will bounce back and recover but i think, again, the key question is how long the strikes continue, which side, almost, blinks first and how they get back to the negotiating table to actually deliver a settlement that allows people to travel by rail. but thatis allows people to travel by rail. but that is the danger that the strikes are going to put people off using

the railways? we already see a lot more people, of course, because of the pandemic, working from home. maybe those who have to travel by rail generally will think twice about going into the office if they see potentially a summer of discontent stretching ahead on the railways. discontent stretching ahead on the railwa s. ., , ~ discontent stretching ahead on the railwa s. . , ~ ., railways. certainly think more --eole railways. certainly think more peeple will— railways. certainly think more people will work— railways. certainly think more people will work from - railways. certainly think more people will work from home, | railways. certainly think more l people will work from home, as railways. certainly think more - people will work from home, as we saw through the pandemic, and it is those commuters that have come back most slowly to rail, but the area of real growth and real strong growth is that the leisure market. that's people taking weekend breaks, going away for the day, seeing relatives, friends, all that sort of thing. that will still be busy on the days when the railway can provide a decent service and once this dispute is over i expect leisure travel to bounce back strongly. when mick philip, think that much. good to talk to you. good to talk to you, philip hague a realjournalist with his views on the strike that is

coming in the next few days. and the biggest teaching union, the neu, has said it will ballot its members on strike action in england unless the government offers a pay rise of more than 3%. the union, which has 450,000 members, will write to the education secretary, nadhim zahawi, this week. any strike would take place in the autumn. voting is under way in parliamentary elections in france, with president macron's party facing the prospect on being unable to command a majority — limiting his ability to enact his polices. he faces a broad left—wing alliance of parties backing jean—luc melenchon. hugh schofield reports. it's the fourth time in two months that the french have been called out to vote. two rounds of presidentials that returned emmanuel macron for a second term, and now this — a chance at the parliamentary elections where his opponents, especially those on the left,

to get their revenge. man of the hour isjean—luc melenchon, the 70—year—old veteran of the far left who's forged a new alliance out of four separate parties, including the socialists and the greens. un, deux, trois. cheering his tactical flair and savage and sarcastic attacks on macron have, in a few short weeks, transformed the left�*s chances. now it's an invigorated left and far left rather than marine le pen's rather than marine le pen's far right, that's become the main opposition. applause for emmanuel macron, this week playing up his presidential role in ukraine, today's vote is crucial.

his centre—right coalition should still beat melenchon's left into second place, but will he get an outright majority? with turn out once again set to be extremely low, president macron risks losing a lot of his seats in the parliament to the point of having to make deals with other parties like the conservatives if he wants any of his reform programme to get through. macron's second presidential victory in april was a high point in his career, but is it about to take a downhill turn? i'm joined now by our correspondent hugh schofield. how frustrating you think these elections could be the president macron? , , ., macron? very frustrating. essentially _ macron? very frustrating. essentially this _ macron? very frustrating. essentially this is - macron? very frustrating. essentially this is a - macron? very frustrating. | essentially this is a turning macron? very frustrating. - essentially this is a turning point in what will be his ten years as he has had a free run up to now because he has aided a clear, quite unchallenged majority in parliament which means he has been able to see his programme through and every time it has been... i would say rubber—stamped is a bit derogatory but it has been passed without the slightest question by a parliament

which has become pretty toothless and instead we have prospect now of and instead we have prospect now of a majority which is at best much reduced, at worst, dispersed completely and probably will be somewhere in between. in other words not an outright majority button relative majority in which you will have to rely on others particularly the conservatives to get his programme through. it is far from the triumphant wave of hopi seem to represent five years ago and could potentially officer in —— triumph and a wave of hope. you could usher and a wave of hope. you could usher a very difficult few months where his policies are challenged notjust ijy his policies are challenged notjust by the left and far left in parliament but equally on the street where you can be sure that the far left in particular will be eager to marshal on their behalf. the tectonic plates _ marshal on their behalf. the tectonic plates of _ marshal on their behalf. the tectonic plates of french politics seem to shift over time. he was worried about the far right now it is the left in the far left the greens? , , ., ,

greens? yes. it is, of course, hiuhl greens? yes. it is, of course, highly relevant _ greens? yes. it is, of course, highly relevant and _ greens? yes. it is, of course, l highly relevant and noteworthy greens? yes. it is, of course, - highly relevant and noteworthy that what was a few weeks ago the challenge of the far right and within the pen is now the far left and jean—luc melenchon and partly because the far left does not ever do well in parliamentary elections because of the two van system where people vote to keep them out but we have got to get that relative because marine le pen is going to do well with her far—right party this time around as you might get up to 40 time around as you might get up to a0 seats that you never had before. now french politics is the centre this is the stream is what the centre seizes the extremes, whether on the far or far left. jean—luc melenchon has got a... he is a man of the anti—nato is an south american that he believes all the wrong is in america and has certainly had relatively nice things about putin in the past and wants to

disobey the european union laws on budget and so on and is a very, very radicalfigure. 0f budget and so on and is a very, very radicalfigure. of course budget and so on and is a very, very radical figure. of course the suits map and in the way because they can always say i represent the loss of sensible middle ground —— that suits macron. but that also means that when people eventually foot fed up with him, which is bound to on the far left of the far right. —— the far left of the far right. —— the far left of the far right. —— the far left or the far right. the new head of the army has told british troops they need to prepare to "fight in europe once again" as the conflict in ukraine continues. in a letter addressed to all ranks and civil servants, general sir patrick sanders, said there was a �*burning imperative' for the army to be ready to fight "alongside allies" to defeat russia in battle. 0ur correspondentjoe inwood has more from the ukrainian town of irpin, outside the capital kyiv. you only have to look around me to the town of irpin, the destruction here, to see why feelings are so strong.

it was really remarkable language, i thought. it was talking about the need to be ready to engage on the battlefield. it mentioned russia by name. now, we should say this was a letter that was not intended for public consumption, but it was said very widely so really they must have known this might have come out. in terms of how this will be received, i think here in ukraine, well, they've been calling for nato involvement in this war but i don't think they're going to view this as a clear indication that the british army will be getting involved. how would the russians view it? well, i think they would probably take it much the same way, but if this is seen as something as a threat, and it could be, then maybe sergey lavrov would echo the sentiment he expressed in an interview last week when he was talking about britain's desire to bring russia to its knees and he said, "well, bring it on." all in all, the mood music we're getting from across western capitals is that this is a conflict that is going on for the long term and that they need — boris johnson said it himself today — they need to offer military support on an ongoing basis to the ukrainians if they are going to be able to hold on

and win this war in the east, but, also, as you can see here, rebuild their country, because economically they're on their knees. joe inwood reporting there from being just outside yate. —— irpin just outside kyiv. the indian government has said it is issuing 100 emergency visas to sikhs in afghanistan — a day after their last place of worship in kabul was attacked by islamic state militants. reports say around a0 other applications are being reviewed. at least two people were killed in the assault on saturday — a sikh worshipper and a taliban fighter who confronted the militants. india's prime minister narendra modi condemned the attack as barbaric and cowardly. the headlines on bbc news... the transport secretary accuses union leaders of "punishing millions of innocent people" by pressing ahead with rail strikes this week. voting is under way in parliamentary elections in france, with president emmanuel macron facing an alliance of left—wing parties as the conflict in ukraine continues —

the new head of the british army tells his troops they need to prepare to "fight in europe once again". plans by the uk government to scrap parts of the post—brexit trade deal it agreed with the eu would be "economic vandalism" on northern ireland according to the irish prime minister. the government wants to change the northern ireland protocol to make it easierfor some goods to flow from great britain to northern ireland and is due to set out proposals in parliament tomorrow. the taoiseach micheal martin said the move would damage northern ireland's economy. if we have a complete unilateral than ageing on an international agreement that the united kingdom government itself signed up to end recommended ratification to its parliament which of course it subsequently did but then of course been a very serious situation but we want to avoid that. nobody wants a trade war in any shape or form. we

want this resolved and we believe it can be resolved with goodwill and i've met all the political parties in northern ireland and i've met with industry in northern ireland. we believe we know where there is a landing zone to resolve issues around the operation of the vertical to give northern ireland the best chance in terms of access, obviously, to the european union market and the uk market, of course, and that would position northern ireland well in terms of inward investment.— ireland well in terms of inward investment. ~ ~ , investment. mikel martin the irish taoiseach there. _ ——micheal martin the irish taoiseach there. now some of the day's other news... flooding, landslides and lightning strikes triggered by seasonal monsoon weather have left at least 59 people dead in bangladesh and india. rescue teams have been working throughout the region

to bring people trapped by floodwaters to safety. many of those who've died in bangladesh were killed by lightning. forecasters are warning the situation is likely to deteriorate in the coming days. i'm joined now by saiful islam, who's a professor at the institute of water and flood management in dhaka. banglasdesh has been prone to flash floods, what is making this time different? just describe what is going on. floods were observed for the last couple of days and a number of cities in north—east bangladesh are under water, cities in north—east bangladesh are underwater, now cities in north—east bangladesh are under water, now inundated for a couple of days. people had enormous suffering as you have seen and we are facing historic, catastrophic floods, particularly in the northeast region and considering this year's heavy rainfall... net but bangladesh is prone to flooding but bangladesh is prone to flooding but do you fear it is getting worse, and is that because of climate

change? and is that because of climate chance? , ., , , and is that because of climate chance? , ., , change? yes, bangladesh is not full floods but the _ change? yes, bangladesh is not full floods but the amount _ change? yes, bangladesh is not full floods but the amount of _ change? yes, bangladesh is not full floods but the amount of water - floods but the amount of water coming and —— bangladesh is thrown to floods but the amount of rainfall coming in a short period of times, we have seen this is changing and particularly to floods within ten days and this scenario, we have not seenin days and this scenario, we have not seen in the last 120 years, such an enormous amount of water or in three cities in north—east bangladesh, and the airport is shut down, so we're feeling that global warming plays a role in this amount of catastrophe that we are facing right now the country. so that is likely to get even worse. what can bangladesh do to try to protect itself? is enough planning going into flood prevention, dear think? ., , going into flood prevention, dear think? . , ., going into flood prevention, dear think? ., , ., ., ., , think? bangladesh had enormous success in disaster _

think? bangladesh had enormous success in disaster managementl think? bangladesh had enormous i success in disaster management and government is faced and armies deployed in different programmes on flood resilience but we think we need a new design for flood resilience in raising the platforms and we have to learn from there that the most serious flooding could be happening in the future so the new challenges is gone, come and we need global support on that in the very segment of vulnerable countries that will get funding for adaptation, which we have not seen so far that match? —— that much. we which we have not seen so far that match? -- that much.— which we have not seen so far that match? -- that much. we have 'ust seen match? -- that much. we have 'ust pictures i match? -- that much. we have 'ust pictures «fl match? -- that much. we have 'ust seen pictures of people i match? -- that much. we have 'ust seen pictures of people wading h seen pictures of people wading through the flood waters. in the short term, what can be done to help the victims of these floods? short term, this the victims of these floods? short term. this is _ the victims of these floods? short term, this is the _ the victims of these floods? short term, this is the main _ the victims of these floods? short term, this is the main operation l term, this is the main operation that they have been doing food,

water and medical medicine. we are doing that but also rescue to save place and catastrophe was serious but next it will be because of a loss of damages of infrastructure and road building so that needs to be rebuilt, which is the next step, and then we have to think about the next flood, this monsoonjust beginning, so we are in a serious challenge. beginning, so we are in a serious challenge-— challenge. thank you very much indeed, professor _ challenge. thank you very much indeed, professor at _ challenge. thank you very much indeed, professor at the - challenge. thank you very much l indeed, professor at the institute of water and flood management of bangladesh university of engineering and technology. thank you. today marks five years since the finsbury park terror attack — when a van was driven into worshippers outside a mosque in north london. one person, makram ali, was killed and nine others injured. makram's daughter — ruzina akhtar —

has been speaking exclusively to our home affairs correspondent sonja jessup about her memories of her father— and the impact of the attack on the community. this is how makram ali's family remember him, a loving father and grandfather with a sense of fun. he was just a very lively, happy, bubbly person. i don't know anyone like him who's always 2a/7 happy. makram ali was murdered five years ago, targeted because of his muslim faith. the attacker drove a van into worshippers outside a mosque in finsbury park. nine others were injured. all i could hear was my sister crying and shouting, "dad, dad!," trying to wake him up. at first it wasn't clear what had happened. when police moved ruzina away from the scene, she thought her father was still alive, and waited for news. i stayed out that whole night, whole morning,

just waiting for someone to say, "he's at this hospital," but obviously, that wasn't the case. makram's killer was taken into police custody, restrained, restrained until officers arrived by the worshippers he'd just attacked. the imam was dubbed a hero but he believes that's because many expected muslims to react with anger. what myself and others did on that night was what any sensible and normal law—abiding citizen would have done. it's a religion that is not one of chaos, not one of — not one of vigilante justice, but one of respect of the law. but london's muslim community felt fear. many had worried islamophobia would increase following the westminster and london bridge terror attacks. after finsbury park, many mosques tightened their security. i was always wary. my mum was scared to go out of the house. she didn't want to go out of the house because she's like, "0h, iweara headscarf, what if i get attacked?"

the number of islamophobic hate crimes recorded by met police have fallen over the last five years, but one group who monitor incidents say most are never reported. we have seen an increase of a5% of anti—muslim reports _ coming into us in london, - and these reports have got abusive behaviour as the number—one category reported into us, - but threats, assaults, threatening behaviours and discrimination - are the categories that follow. five years on, the memories and the fear remain, but there has also been love and support. people are quick to let you know that they stand with you and that these actions are not supported, and that's comforting and that's consoling. in the park where makram ali used to play with his grandchildren, there's a plaque that bears his name. it's been difficult but we move on and we just create better,

happier memories as a family, and just do what my dad would have loved. that was sonja jessup reporting. the united states has become first country in the world to approve use of the so—called mrna vaccines for children as young as six months. federal regulators cleared the use of pfizer and moderna covid—19 vaccines and will make smaller doses of the vaccine available to around 20 million children. presidentjoe biden has welcomed the news, calling it a "monumental step" in the fight against the virus and that parents would be able to start scheduling appointments in the coming week. retail employees of the tech giant apple have voted to form their first union in the united states. employees at a shop outside baltimore said they wanted to expand their rights, and to ask for a say when it came to pay, hours, and safety. workers in at least two other apple shops are also trying to form unions. colombians go to the polls today

in the second — and final — round of presidential elections. they will choose between two very different candidates — the leftist gustavo petro, who's promised more equality — or populist businessman, rodolfo hernandez, who's been labelled a colombian trump. 0ur south america correspondent katy watson reports from colombia's capital bogota santa maria, madre dos... a last attempt at salvation and a prayerfor colombia's men. in a country used to decades of civil conflict, even the priests use the language of war. this is a call to action. they're fighting to put men back in control. but this isn'tjust about religious conservatism, it's about political indoctrination. these priests are issuing a thinly veiled warning not to vote for the left.

this is the man they're scared of. gustavo petro is a former mayor who promises to tackle poverty. a former rebel, too. if he wins these elections, he'll be colombia's first ever leftist president. and this is the man he's up against. rodolfo hernandez is a businessman, an outsider, a man who's been called colombia's trump, and a man whose tik—tok videos and womanising have become more famous than his politics. his supporters, though, aren't fazed. translation: ifi had money, i'd do my own thing if it made me happy. . he's a good thing because he's a businessman. he's a self—made man. he's a little, erm...confusing. the truth is that a vote for adolfo is against pedro. because we don't want socialism,

we don't want these politics that are against the freedom, the economy, we are afraid about pedro. for communtiies used to being cast aside, petro's politics are a welcome change. petro's running mate, is a black woman, also a first in colombian politics. this weekend, their supporters have been out in force trying to convince voters. translation: one of the problems this country has is inequality - in black and indigenous communities and women. and they represent that difference. 0ne's mixed—race, one's black, and both believe in inclusion. so often we call elections historic,

but i think you can really say that with this vote, because whoever wins, it'll be a real departure from any politics this country has seen before. katy watson, bbc news, in bogota. it's father's day, and the duke of cambridge has released a photograph to mark the occasion. prince william is pictured laughing with his children during a family holiday, with his arms around prince george, who's eight, and seven—year—old princess charlotte, while four—year—old prince louis sits on his shoulders. the photograph was taken in jordan last year. although the photographer hasn't been officially revealed, it's thought to be his wife, catherine, who's well known for taking the family snaps. now it's time for a look at the weather with susan powell. the really hot and humid air has now left our shores but it is still sitting in place across most of europe and heat wave conditions will persist into the week ahead. we are now in cooler, fresh air swept in from the mouth. this is the boundary

between the two air masses. it