this is bbc news i'mjane hill. the headlines at 5pm... the jury in the trial of ryan giggs has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts on any of the charges he faced during the four—week domestic violence case at manchester crown court. tributes are paid to mikhail gorbachev, the soviet leader who ended the cold war, who has died at the age of 91. liz truss and rishi sunak head to wembley this evening, for the final hustings in the conservative leadership race, to become the new prime minister. in a break with tradition, the queen won't appoint the new prime minister in london next week — instead, it will take place at balmoral. a bbc investigation has found that shameema begum — who left london aged 15 to join the islamic state group —

was smuggled into syria by an intelligence agent working for canada. royal mail apologises to customers, as a one day strike by postal workers halts deliveries. good afternoon. the jury in the trial of ryan giggs has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts on any of the three counts he faced during the four—week domestic violence case at manchester crown court. matt graveling is at manchester crown court. hejoins me from manchester. so, explain what has happened and what

it means. , ., ., ., ., ., it means. yes, well, good afternoon. as ou it means. yes, well, good afternoon. as you say. — it means. yes, well, good afternoon. as you say. this _ it means. yes, well, good afternoon. as you say, this trial _ it means. yes, well, good afternoon. as you say, this trial has _ it means. yes, well, good afternoon. as you say, this trial has been - as you say, this trial has been going on for three and half weeks, but after more than 22 hours of deliberation, a jury here at around 3:30pm returned to court and told thejudge 3:30pm returned to court and told the judge that they had failed to reach a verdict on any of that three counts faced by the former manchester united player writing gigs. in terms of a quick recap of those three counts, the first one was controlling behaviour towards his former partner between august 2017 and also november 2020. the other two are with regards to the alleged assault of her and her sister which have been on the 1st of november 2020 at his home in manchester later that evening, rain gigs was arrested. it was said in court over the last two weeks that that was over a scuffle over a mobile phone. the former manchester united player has always denied all of the charges. for two weeks, the jury of the charges. for two weeks, the jury have been hearing from a number

of witnesses you may remember, we saw the former manchester united manager, and give evidence in the witness box. however, as i say come after nearly 23 hours of deliberation, thejudge called after nearly 23 hours of deliberation, the judge called the jury, made up of 11 people in the end because one was sent home with illness back into court and said have you reached a verdict on any of these three counts? in response, the foreman stood up and simply said no. thejudge then said foreman stood up and simply said no. the judge then said if i foreman stood up and simply said no. thejudge then said if i give foreman stood up and simply said no. the judge then said if i give you more time to consider the verdicts, will you be able to realistically make a verdict on any of these three counts? again, the foreman said no. in response to this, the judge thanked thejury for in response to this, the judge thanked the jury for their time and discharged thejury. rain thanked the jury for their time and discharged the jury. rain gigs gave no action when the judge dismissed thejury, however moments no action when the judge dismissed the jury, however moments later, no action when the judge dismissed thejury, however moments later, his head dropped in the dock when he heard how long it could take for this case to potentially conclude, and that is because the prosecution will now spend around a week trying

to decide whether or not they want to decide whether or not they want to bring this case back to court, but thejudge to bring this case back to court, but the judge that if they do so, the earliest point that it could be heard may bejune of next year. thank you. mikhail gorbachev was one of the most consequential leaders of the 20th century — and now preparations are being made for his funeral. the last leader of the soviet union died yesterday at the age of 91. many russians, including vladimir putin, blame mikhail gorbachev for what they believe was russia's loss of prestige and respect after the fall of the iron curtain. but in the west, he's lauded for ending the repression of communist rule — with us president biden calling him a "man of remarkable vision" who created a safer world, and borisjohnson saying that his courage and integrity remain an example to all, at a time of russian aggression in ukraine.

with his assessment of a remarkable life, here's our russia editor steve rosenberg. the world had never seen anyone quite like mikhail gorbachev — a soviet leader who actually smiled. and who achieved almost pop star status in the west for ending the cold war. before he came along, soviet leaders didn't tend to stick around long. with kremlin old—timers coming and going in quick succession, the ussr was looking more like a cemetery than a superpower. but in 1985, the youthful gorbachev took charge and tried to reinvigorate the soviet union with perestroika. at home, there were western—style walkabouts. abroad, he charmed an iron lady and a us president. together, gorbachev and reagan slashed their nuclear arsenals.

with a reformer in the kremlin, eastern europe saw a chance to break free from moscow. in 1989, the berlin wall came crashing down. crucially, gorbachev refused to intervene to prop up the iron curtain. it was mikhail gorbachev who became the terminator of the 20th century, who ended the cold war, who ended domination of the soviet union over the central and eastern europe. he dismantled this domination in the most willing and peaceful way, he let them go.

back home, though, there were ethnic conflicts, economic chaos, even an attempted coup by communist hardliners. it collapsed, but soon after so did the soviet union. many russians still blame gorbachev for letting a superpower slip away. anatoly adamishin thinks that is unfair. he was deputy foreign minister under mikhail gorbachev. translation: he was a great - reformer, he used peaceful means. gorbachev showed that you can live a good life in this world, a peaceful life, without wars. on the streets of moscow, opinion was divided. "it was a big mistake that the ussr fell apart," says victor, "and that gorbachev failed to save it." "i respected him," says marina. "to me, he represented hope and freedom. "i am grateful to him."

as for gorbachev�*s legacy, much of that has been destroyed. the arms race and geopolitical tension are back. gorbachev will be remembered for at least having tried to end the rivalry between east and west. but i will remember him for this. after one interview, he had invited me to play his piano while he sang the favourite songs of his late wife. it was a surreal, but special moment that showed the warm, human side of the russian leader who had struck a chord with millions around the world. that report was from steve rosenberg. and steve gave us the kremlin�*s reaction to mikhail gorbachev�*s death.

today, president putin sent a telegram to mikhail gorbachev�*s family expressing his condolences and noting that gorbachev had had a huge impact on world history, and later, president putin's spokesman suggested that what he called gorbachev�*s "romanticism" around the idea of a rapprochement with the west had been misplaced. certainly putin's russia has no romanticism about that, particularly after russia's invasion of ukraine. putin and gorbachev, very different characters, very different leaders. gorbachev, someone who tried to open up the country, give his people more freedoms — freedom of speech, freedom to criticise the government — while under vladimir putin, critical voices have been silenced, opposition people have beenjailed, democratic institutions have been suppressed. but don't get me wrong. gorbachev was no angel. he had failings, he had faults and flaws. he didn't set out to destroy communism or to destroy the soviet union.

that just happened. but i think he was sincere about wanting to make his country better, make the lives of his people better, and make the world a safer place. earlier, i spoke to our world affairs editor, john simpson who interviewed gorbachev on several occasions. he described the legacy the former soviet union leader has left behind. we look at the perspective on his legacy and just a moment, but first, let's hear from legacy and just a moment, but first, let's hearfrom our legacy and just a moment, but first, let's hear from our world affairs editor, john simpson, who interviewed gorbachev on several occasions. he described the legacy the former soviet union leader has left behind. well, i think the mistake comes from president biden to say that he was a man of great vision. i don't think, for all his lovely qualities as a person and his high intelligence in many, many ways, i don't think he was a man of vision. i think he stumbled into this, one thing after another. once when i saw him, he told me how his grandfather

had told him stories about being tortured by the equivalent of the kgb under stalin. and i think that does seem to have had quite a big effect on him. he was determined to stop all that kind of stuff. he knew what he didn't like. he didn't like the monolithic structure of the soviet union, which stopped people doing what they wanted and enslaved people right across the continent. i don't think he knew, really, what he was doing and stopping it. he just started to pull the bricks out one by one and not very long afterwards it all collapsed. john simpson talking a little earlier as he will have realised. i'm pleased to say, we can discuss this legacy with kurt volker.

a us special representative for ukraine negotiations in 2017 to 2019. kurt volker, good afternoon. we are grateful for your time. kurt volker, good afternoon. we are gratefulfor your time. your thoughts, please, on the legacy left. . ~ , ., thoughts, please, on the legacy left. . ~ . thoughts, please, on the legacy left. . . �* left. thank you so much. i'm speaking from _ left. thank you so much. i'm speaking from you _ left. thank you so much. i'm speaking from you from - left. thank you so much. i'm speaking from you from a . left. thank you so much. i'm. speaking from you from a free country, georgia, which would not have been the case had gorbachev not taken some of the steps he had taken. we have seen the rejuvenated independence in many countries who are recovering independence which would not have been the case, i think that gorbachev had a fundamental human decency, just as your reporter indicated about torture and saying that the kgb shouldn't be doing those things, i think he had a decency of saying people should be good people and we should be able to make our own systems work. we should be able to build something better. what he was mistaken and is that the soviet system was redeemable. the soviet

system was redeemable. the soviet system was redeemable. the soviet system was inherently based on coercion and violence and taking away people's human rights. so the moment that you begin to unravel that and under —— it unraveled very, very quickly. that and under -- it unraveled very, very quickly-— very quickly. was that an identity? he wanted it _ very quickly. was that an identity? he wanted it to _ very quickly. was that an identity? he wanted it to be _ very quickly. was that an identity? he wanted it to be so? _ very quickly. was that an identity? he wanted it to be so? he - very quickly. was that an identity? he wanted it to be so? he wanted | very quickly. was that an identity? l he wanted it to be so? he wanted to improve it, but he did hadn't grasped the magnitude of that? what was driving that, do thing? you grasped the magnitude of that? what was driving that, do thing?— was driving that, do thing? you can call it idealism, _ was driving that, do thing? you can call it idealism, i— was driving that, do thing? you can call it idealism, i think— was driving that, do thing? you can call it idealism, i think he _ call it idealism, i think he genuinely believed that the soviet union could be a better, greater and stronger country if it reformed. so he was trying to bring about those kinds of reforms. but he underestimated was the resentment that had built up in society against a regime that had tortured and killed people and lied to people and produced a very poor quality life compared to what they could see in the west. by opening that door, he was trying to do something good for

his own country, for the soviet union, but the reality is he didn't appreciate just union, but the reality is he didn't appreciatejust all union, but the reality is he didn't appreciate just all the pressures and that the system. again, to mention the ethnic pressures, the soviet union is not one country. it was a combination of many countries. it was an empire, eight included included ukrainians, cossacks, it included ukrainians, cossacks, it included estonians, lithuanians, none of whom wanted to be there. and i don't think he fully appreciated the resentment under the surface. interesting. all day, we have been seeing images of him alongside international leaders, ronald reagan, margaret thatcher, leaders who tim, who respected him. george bush who we are seeing pictures of now. can you speak a little to the west�*s role, relationship with him? did he feel supported dead in his ambitions and his desires for reform from western leaders?—

from western leaders? well, i think he felt reciprocity. _ from western leaders? well, i think he felt reciprocity. he _ from western leaders? well, i think he felt reciprocity. he was _ from western leaders? well, i think he felt reciprocity. he was reachingl he felt reciprocity. he was reaching out and he felt that people where willing to reach back to him. margaret thatcher very famously said here is a man we can do business with. i think he did feel that. on the side of the western leaders. i think what you saw there was western leaders who remembered world war ii, who remember the capability of the soviet military that stopped nazi germany and the eastern front, that needed the power of nuclear weapons and that russia had invested massively in producing a great nuclear arsenal. so, there was a ginger ness about pushing russia as well that we were prepared, as we said at the time to coexist, to let russia and the soviet union be what it is rather than try to change it, but if we could improve the relationship we had with, as reagan said, that evil empire, then we can improve our relationship. that opened the doorfor

improve our relationship. that opened the door for him without pressure against tend to feel that he could start building a relationship of these western leaders. as we were saying earlier, that process inside the soviet union disintegrated very, very quickly. just a quick final thoughts, going right back to where you started, speaking as you are from georgia, is yoursense speaking as you are from georgia, is your sense absolutely that history of what he achieved certainly in the west is extremely positive? weill. west is extremely positive? well, look, we west is extremely positive? well, look. we all _ west is extremely positive? well, look, we all went _ west is extremely positive? well, look, we all went through - west is extremely positive? well, look, we all went through this. i west is extremely positive? -ii look, we all went through this. the uk went through its period of decolonisation, france did as well. we all recovered from world war ii. only the soviet union and russia really did not. the russian people still to this day and put himself has personally written about the dreams of empire, dreams of dominating other peoples and requiring lands that he thinks belongs to russia that don't belong

to russia. this, i think, belongs to russia that don't belong to russia. this, ithink, is something where gorbachev is trying to find a way for the soviet union to find a way for the soviet union to exist as a state in a system and he was trying to reform it better. that failed, it did result in the renewed freedom and independence of other countries, but this is than what has given us the resentment that we see and put in�*s regime today. that we see and put in's regime toda . . , ., , , that we see and put in's regime toda . . , . , , ., today. really, really interesting to talk to. thank _ today. really, really interesting to talk to. thank you _ today. really, really interesting to talk to. thank you so _ today. really, really interesting to talk to. thank you so much - today. really, really interesting to talk to. thank you so much kurt i volker, we appreciate your time here on the bbc. thank you very much, and i suspect we will pick up on much of what kurt volker was saying there because i am joined as well by former special adviser to vladimir putin and joins me, as you see for moscow. a good evening to you. your thoughts, first of all on gorbachev�*s legacy. i

thoughts, first of all on gorbachev's legacy. thoughts, first of all on gorbachev's lea . . m gorbachev's legacy. i have difficult feelings. first _ gorbachev's legacy. i have difficult feelings. first of _ gorbachev's legacy. i have difficult feelings. first of all, _ gorbachev's legacy. i have difficult feelings. first of all, i _ gorbachev's legacy. i have difficult feelings. first of all, i have - gorbachev's legacy. i have difficult feelings. first of all, i have a - feelings. first of all, i have a very friendly relationship with gorbachev during the past 25 years. we've met dozens of times and by my asking, he met also with my students because i'm teaching political science at moscow state university, and he was meeting with my students and he was meeting with my students and talking about politics and sometimes he is giving a call to me after my interview to the radio or tv that he watched or listened to, and he would want to correct me. he would express his views, so i had a friendly relationship. i respect him very much. i absolutely agree, gorbachev, there legacy internationally, globally as may be

the best of any politician in the 20th century because he stopped a huge cold war in which dozens of countries had been involved and he took out the threat of nuclear armageddon. nuclear catastrophe. and after gorbachev made his job, billions of people all became much more safe, and hundreds of millions became much more free, answering the question, no, igive became much more free, answering the question, no, i give hungary and poland to the hungarians and polish people, and this is absolutely true. so his general legacy globally very

positive, but at the same time, of course, his legacy as a country where he was the leader is very negative. as a result of his collapse of the soviet union, collapse of the soviet union, collapse of the economy, technology, collapse of the economy, technology, collapse of the economy, technology, collapse of science, collapse of culture, security. criminals took power in the country and in ukraine. and other small cities. that's why most of the people here in russia hate him, but they hate him not only because he did it, but also because they are also responsible for the collapse of the great country,...

there is contradiction and the soles of my people and also contradiction in my saw about gorbachev. i'm also very much not so much political, but so respect that he was so in love with his wife not on the date... but after she left, until the last days, gorbachev loved his wife. very much. that is very striking observation in which to end. thank you so much for your time, which to end. thank you so much for yourtime, interesting which to end. thank you so much for your time, interesting to hear your thoughts on the contradictions that you laid out clearly there. thank you laid out clearly there. thank you very much indeed. former adviser to vladimir putin. thank you. 21

minutes now past 5pm. let's turn to domestic politics. the final conservative party leadership hustings takes place tonight where the final two candidates liz truss and rishi sunbak will go head to head as final votes are cast by party members. the winner of the contest, the next prime minister will be announced next week. joinnig us from wembley, leila nathoo. that is where this hustings is taking place tonight. it's a big venue. are they expecting to fill it? �* , , , , , ., ., it? it's the biggest events so far in this conservative _ it? it's the biggest events so far in this conservative leadership l in this conservative leadership contest. you can see behind me they are just filling selling up contest. you can see behind me they arejust filling selling up —— setting up, so forgive me if we are interrupted by sound checks. this is the final hustings event, to party members had paid to get in here tonight to hear the two candidates gave their final pitches. this is

the last event, only a couple more days for conservative party voters to have their say, five o'clock on friday is the deadline. so you would've thought that the vast majority of members have made up their minds by now, but there is still room for manoeuvre. so liz truss and rishi sunak will be getting their big pitches here and it will follow quite a familiar format, albeit on a bigger scale with two candidates being introduced to be a chair, given time to present their pitches before taking question separately, so it will go on for two hours. i don't think we are going to expect if you're any big policy renovations at this late stage of the campaign. they might say something they didn't need to or perhaps to raise some eyebrows, so it's not over yet, but it does have a sense of the big finale to what has been a summer of campaigning by both candidates across the country. yes, all right, more for me over the course of the evening. thank you very much indeed. final hustings, as she says and we find out on monday

lunchtime who has one. full coverage here of course. buckingham palace says the queen won't be appointing the next prime minister in london, but will instead stay in balmoral for the event. as we say, this is all happening on monday, the day we find out whether the next prime minister well be liz truss or rishi sunak. our royal correspondent nicholas witchell explained why the break in tradition. constitutionally it is the monarch who invites the leader of the largest party in the house of commons to become the prime minister. now, on every previous occasion throughout the 70 years of the queen's reign, that has taken place at buckingham palace. but not this time. this time it will take place at balmoral, where the queen is spending her summer break. why? well, of course, it is all to do with the queen's health. buckingham palace says very little on that subject, they merely cite the episodic "mobility issues," that phrase we have become ratherfamiliar with.

they want certainty in terms of the diaries of the prime ministers, they want certainty in terms of the arrangements, so next tuesday, 6th of september, the outgoing prime minister, borisjohnson, will go up to balmoral and he will tender his resignation, whereupon shortly after that either liz truss or rishi sunak, who by then of course will have been elected leader of the conservative party — the largest party in the house of commons — they will sweep in and they will be invited by the queen to form a new government. they will become the 15th prime minister of the queen's reign. they will then return to london and the normal arrangements, i am sure, a speech on the steps of number 10 downing street will take place. our rail correspondent looking ahead to next week. full coverage here on monday and tuesday. the united nations has launched an emergency appeal, to help victims of recent flooding in pakistan. more than 1,000 people are known to have been killed —

as roads, homes and bridges are washed away. let's get the latest from islamabad now with khuram gondal, who's the country director in pakistan for the aid agency save the children. thank you for your time at an exceptionally busy time. it is a desperate situation, we know. given the scale of this, is it possible for you to explain to our viewers what the priorities are for save the children? , . ~ what the priorities are for save the children? , ., ~ ,, what the priorities are for save the children? , . ~' ,, , what the priorities are for save the children? , ., ~ ,, , . children? yes, thank you very much for havin: children? yes, thank you very much for having me _ children? yes, thank you very much for having me and _ children? yes, thank you very much for having me and to _ children? yes, thank you very much for having me and to speak - children? yes, thank you very much for having me and to speak to - children? yes, thank you very much for having me and to speak to the l for having me and to speak to the viewers and to share the situation in pakistan. unfortunately, it is a complete devastation. all the premises now —— provinces now have been affected by these heavy rains and if i spell out the name of the provinces... southern punjab, so

they are all under, under these floods. so the rains are not stopping. the continued rain spells are there, and it is quite a situation. at the moment, 33 million people have been affected and most importantly, if i say it in the focus of save the children, we are very concerned that 11 million children are being affected by these floods. for us, ithink children are being affected by these floods. for us, i think the priority areas are to provide immediate relief, and along with other assistance as well. for now, what's the teams are on the ground in almost all of the provinces, in total, 116 districts are, you know, highly impacted. 66 are 100%, you

know, affected by these floodwaters. we are providing assistance around shelter, you know, food, and health, you know, health camps have been established, so starting from very basic, the children have been separated from the family, so that tracing is also going on, a lot of areas, we are supporting the evacuations as well, so i lot of, you know, situation and on the ground at the moment.- you know, situation and on the ground at the moment. what help could ou ground at the moment. what help could you use _ ground at the moment. what help could you use on _ ground at the moment. what help could you use on other _ ground at the moment. what help could you use on other countries, | could you use on other countries, given the scale of this, what would be most useful right now it to you and your charity? i be most useful right now it to you and your charity?— and your charity? i think this is. .. this is a situation _ and your charity? i think this is. .. this is a situation which _ and your charity? i think this is. .. this is a situation which asks - and your charity? i think this is. ..

this is a situation which asks and| this is a situation which asks and demands for focus this is a situation which asks and demands forfocus and this is a situation which asks and demands for focus and support in terms of human resource, pakistan is still very capable, but then again, in terms of resources, i think the situation has blown out of proportion, the government is doing everything possible, but then again, they have limited capacity in terms of financial resources and support. so pakistan is in dire need of shelter. the camps, the transitional structures for the schools, the food. i think it is very important to share that 2 million acres of crops have been impacted, and this is a very serious situation, so pakistan would enter into a food crisis, although it is agriculture —based economy, but the level of devastation is asking us to move very quickly now and to have more

and more resources in pakistan in terms of in—kind which holds shelter, food and method info —— medicine. the systems are required on the ground-— medicine. the systems are required on the ground. thank you so much for “oininu us on the ground. thank you so much for joining us at a — on the ground. thank you so much for joining us at a busy — on the ground. thank you so much for joining us at a busy time. _ on the ground. thank you so much for joining us at a busy time. thank you l joining us at a busy time. thank you there. that evening, the situation is starting to ease off, a quieter phase there and pakistan. fairly quiet conditions back home here in the uk. at the moment most places have had a dry day, one or two showers in northeast england, the isolated shower and east of england. many will be dry through tonight with some clear skies. the odd mist and fog patch across the northern half of the country. it is here where it is going to be the coldest tonight, again the shelter to get lower to

that, down to three or 4 degrees. notice temperatures in the mid teens across the south again that keen breeze continues. easing down a little bit, that breeze, of the distant rumbles of thunder for the channel islands, can first thing in the morning, through the deck and i two isolated showers, maybe thunderstorms will push into the south. most places having a dry day, sonny's conditions from north wales, north midlands northwards, and with light winds across the northern half of scotland and into northern ireland, it will start to feel a little bit warmer than today as well. temperatures quite widely into the mid—20s. see you soon. hello, this is bbc news. i'm jane hill. these are the headlines: the jury in the trial of ryan giggs has been discharged by thejudge after it failed to reach a verdict on any of the three charges made after it failed to reach a verdict on any of the three charges the former footballer was facing. tributes are paid to mikhail gorbachev, the soviet leader

who ended the cold war, who has died at the age of 91. liz truss and rishi sunak head to wembley this evening for the final hustings in the conservative leadership race. in a break with tradition, the queen won't appoint the new prime minister in london next week — instead, it will take place at balmoral. a bbc investigation has found that shamima begum — who left london aged 15 to join the islamic state group — was smuggled into syria by an intelligence agent working for canada. more to come on many of those stories, but right now, we are going to catch up with all the latest sport news. kassa has the latest. hello, kassa. hello, jane. good afternoon. the jury in the trial of former

manchester united player ryan giggs has been discharged after failing to reach verdicts on any of the three counts he faced. the 48—year—old denied headbutting his ex—partner kate greville during a row at his home in november 2020. he also denied controlling behaviour, as well as assaulting ms greville's sister emma. the jury at manchester crown court had failed to reach a verdict on any of the three charges against him after deliberating for almost 23 hours. the judge said that any retrial will not take place until at least the 5th ofjune next year. life for emma raducanu on tour is going to look a little different after a first round defeat ended her us open title defence. raducanu stunned the world last year, winning the major as a teenage qualifier, but her return to court at flushing meadows was less memorable, beaten 6—3, 6—3 by france's alize cornet. her ranking was as high as the top ten, but the early exit means she is expected to drop down to 80. but the 19—year—old thinks it's all a learning curve.

obviously really disappointing, really sad to leave here. it is probably my favourite tournament, but also, i mean, in a way happy, because it is a clean slate. you know, i am going to drop down the rankings, climb my way back up and, yeah, i think, rankings, climb my way back up and, yeah, ithink, in a rankings, climb my way back up and, yeah, i think, in a way, the target will be off my back slightly and, yeah, ijust have another chance to climb away back up there. to football, and there are five games in the premier league tonight. defending champions manchester city are looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season to five matches and take on newly—promoted nottingham forest at the etihad. city fought back from 2—0 down to claim a 4—2 victory at the weekend, and manager pep guardiola insists his defenders must improve if they're to stay at the top. we are scoring, yeah, a lot of goals as well, but at the same time, we are conceding a lot. and if we don't stop that, it will be difficult, because not all the time you can

score four or five goals to win. we have to be better in that situation, especially the two concepts. those are so so important and difficult, the set pieces, and if we do not control it, we are going to suffer. staying with football, chelsea have completed the signing of wesley fofa na from leicester city for £70 million. the french centre—backjoins on a seven—year deal. it means chelsea have spent a club record of £250 million this summer. in rugby league, reigning champions st helens may have just secured the league leaders shield and are beginning their preparations for the playoffs, but they are also beginning the search for a new head coach. kristian woolf will leave at the end of the season after two years in charge. in that time, saints won back—to—back super league titles and won their first challenge cup in more than a decade. woolf is heading back to australia to take up what's being described

as a "new challenge". to some cricket, because the pressure is on in the hundred, where there are two games in both the men's and women's tournaments today. northern superchargers needed to win and better their run rate in order to qualify from the group. and while they managed to win against the southern brave, the margin of victory — 20 runs — wasn't big enough to go through. just before we go, manchester originals also needed a big win in order to qualify against the oval invincibles, but they did not manage that. the oval _ invincibles, but they did not manage that. the oval invincibles _ invincibles, but they did not manage that. the oval invincibles are - that. the oval invincibles are through to the final. to stay across the rest of the cricket tonight and the rest of the cricket tonight and the tennis, the us open, where andy murray is an action, head to the bbc sport website. thank you. a bbc investigation has found that shamima begum,

who left london to join the islamic state group when she was 15, was smuggled into syria by an intelligence agent working for canada. she travelled via turkey with two other british girls. she's now challenging the removal of her british citizenship and is expected to argue that she was a victim of trafficking. josh baker, thejournalist who interviewed her in syria for the bbc podcast i'm not a monster, told us about the findings. a dossier, which is hundreds of pages of information gathered by foreign law enforcement and intelligence on him. and within that dossier, we can see he was part of a substantial islamic state people smuggling network. he was moving not only shamima, but other people from britain as well to syria. but also within that document, we can see that while he was doing this,

he was gathering information about the people he was helping, so copies of passports, bag tags, anything he could get on them. he told authorities that he was doing this because he was passing information to canadian intelligence injordan. we have been able to speak to a senior intelligence officer who has confirmed to us mohammed rasheed was indeed a source to canadian intelligence. 0k. well, what is the latest now with shamima begum herself? she is still trying to challenge her loss of citizenship here? as it stands today, she is in a detention camp in north—east syria. as you say, she doesn't have citizenship, so she is not able to come home. so for the time being, she is stuck there, but later this year, there will be a hearing on the status of her citizenship and whether the government should reconsider its removal. josh baker, talking to clive little earlier. more than 115,000 royal mail workers are taking part in a second day of industrial action in less than a week. it's the biggest strike of the summer, and more walk—outs are planned. this afternoon, it has been announced train drivers at 12 real companies will go on strike again on the 15th of september, in their

long—running dispute about pay. our business correspondent caroline davies reports. what do we want? decent wage! when do we want it? now! picket lines and pressure. this summer has seen strikes from rail to bin collections, and there are more planned. today the halls were nearly empty at sorting offices as 115,000 royal mail workers walked out again over pay. the company say pay rises have to come with changes. to pay more, we have been very clear that royal mail needs to modernise and change, and for the first three to four months of negotiations, the cwu's position has been incredibly unhelpful, in that they want an inflationary pay rise and they're not willing to talk about change. but the union says that is not true. we are a union that never faces away from change. we have agreed every bit of technology and automation, we had an agreement 18 months ago setting out the future direction and strategy of the company.

the company walked away from that. they were not the only ones on strike today. 40,000 bt and openreach workers walked out for the second day in a row after rejecting bt�*s pay offer of £1,500. many are particularly angry that the offer is not higher, while the company is paying shareholders dividends. it is totally immoral at this time, what they're trying to do. if they were to have just given a penny off each dividend payment, that would have been enough to give every one of us a 10% pay rise. bt says the offer is the highest pay rise for those on the front line in more than 20 years, and theirjob is to balance the demands of bt shareholders and managing the company in a challenging economic environment. but it is that environment unions say is a worry for members. the strikes this summer have not just been about pay, but that has often been a key factor, with unions saying the offers on the table do not reflect the rising cost of living. companies are pushing back on pay demands,

with many arguing that while they do want to offer pay increases, the pandemic means that needs to come with changes too that many unions say are not acceptable. this summer may be fading, but the threat of strikes is not. caroline davies, bbc news. buckingham palace says the queen will appoint the next prime minister at balmoral, where she is spending the summer, rather than in london. the winner of the conservative leadership contest is to be announced on monday. that announcement coming from buckingham palace earlier today, so let's discuss the history of these handover meetings. joining me now is dr nigel fletcher, a political historian at king's college london. hello, good afternoon. good afternoon- — hello, good afternoon. good afternoon. so _ hello, good afternoon. good afternoon. so i— hello, good afternoon. good afternoon. so i think, - hello, good afternoon. good afternoon. so i think, from | hello, good afternoon. good - afternoon. so i think, from every thin we afternoon. so i think, from every thing we can _ afternoon. so i think, from every thing we can tell, _ afternoon. so i think, from every thing we can tell, this _ afternoon. so i think, from every thing we can tell, this is - afternoon. so i think, from every thing we can tell, this is the - afternoon. so i think, from every thing we can tell, this is the first | thing we can tell, this is the first time that this monarch has not gone

through the ceremony, probably too big a word, but not had this final meeting with the prime minister in london. . meeting with the prime minister in london. , ., , london. yes, indeed, and i must apologise — london. yes, indeed, and i must apologise for— london. yes, indeed, and i must apologise for the _ london. yes, indeed, and i must apologise for the noise _ london. yes, indeed, and i must apologise for the noise behind i london. yes, indeed, and i must. apologise for the noise behind me, it was quiet five minutes ago. but the queen has had all of these ceremonies, as you say, at buckingham palace up to now. this will therefore make history, because we will have, for the first time, a prime minister being appointed in scotland. it is not the first time a frame and esther has been appointed outside of london, though. famously 1908, when edward vii was on holiday in france, the prime minister had to go and see him there to be appointed, so it is not completely unprecedented —— a prime minister has been. unprecedented -- a prime minister has been. ~ . . unprecedented -- a prime minister has been. ~ , , ., has been. meetings between a queen and the prime — has been. meetings between a queen and the prime minister _ has been. meetings between a queen and the prime minister or— has been. meetings between a queen and the prime minister or the - and the prime minister or the sort of things many of us would love to be a fly on the wall for, because

the queen is a master of discretion, no one knows her political views, and we can only imagine what some of those conversations are like. that is true, those conversations are like. that is true. but _ those conversations are like. that is true. but we — those conversations are like. that is true, but we do _ those conversations are like. that is true, but we do know _ those conversations are like. t�*isgt is true, but we do know one famous one, which is after the 1945 general election, where it is reported clement attlee went to see the king, king george vi, and in that meeting, they both sat there in silence, apparently for several minutes, because they did not have anything to say to each other, and attlee apparently said, i won the election, and the king said, i heard it on the radio. you're right, this is quite a low—key chat. the thing we don't know, though, is that that meeting is usually followed sometime later ljy is usually followed sometime later by follow—up meeting where ministers take their office, and we do not know that meeting will also take place at balmoral, because that is a large number of ministers.-

large number of ministers. indeed, and i large number of ministers. indeed, and i suppose _ large number of ministers. indeed, and i suppose the _ large number of ministers. indeed, and i suppose the fact _ large number of ministers. indeed, and i suppose the fact this - and i suppose the fact this announcement has been made, the fact that this handover, this meeting will take place at balmoral next week, it is a reminder of conventions, traditions, because i wondered whether perhaps much younger viewers might think, we understand by the queen might not want to leave balmoral at her age right now, but could she not all do this all of a laptop in a way that i'm talking to you now? indeed, and we saw during _ i'm talking to you now? indeed, and we saw during the _ i'm talking to you now? indeed, and we saw during the pandemic - i'm talking to you now? indeed, and we saw during the pandemic that - i'm talking to you now? indeed, and we saw during the pandemic that it | we saw during the pandemic that it is perfectly possible for that to happen. one of the advantages of the privy council being such an ancient institution and being based on the queen's so authority is that there are no laws governing the work of the privy council, so it was possible during the pandemic for them to hold privy council meetings by zoom, whereas other organisations such as local councils had to struggle to get legislation passed. the privy council meeting for legal

because the queen said so, and she said the meetings online were meetings of her privy council. it works for the privy council, so it is possible they could do that remotely, but it has happened before. we have had many pretty councils how to balmoral —— pretty councils how to balmoral —— pretty councils held at. the most famous one being the controversy over the prorogation of parliament. privy councils at balmoral are pretty common historically, it isjust that this particular meeting, the queen meeting her new prime minister and accepting the resignation of the outgoing one, has not, although there has been one president in 1885, when gold salisbury went to balmoral and was asked to form a government, but he did not formally take office at that meeting. let’s take office at that meeting. let's see what happens _ take office at that meeting. let's see what happens on _ take office at that meeting. let's see what happens on tuesday. thank you very much. thanks for now. dr nigel fletcher there from king

couege nigel fletcher there from king college london. the time hasjust gone to 5.46pm. these are the latest headlines. the jury in the trial of ryan giggs has been discharged by thejudge after it failed to reach a verdict on any of the three charges made against the footballer. tributes are paid to mikhail gorbachev, the soviet leader who ended the cold war, who has died at the age of 91. and liz truss and rishi sunak head to wembley this evening for the final hustings in the conservative leadership race. researchers from the university of bristol have discovered it's a post—code lottery when it comes to how well patients recover after a hip fracture. by comparing data from hospitals across the country, they found some patients are more than twice as likely to die within a month, depending on where they're treated. matthew hill reports. hillary is beginning to get her life

together after she fractured her hip last summer. it took over a week for her to finally get the operation she needed. i came around, thought that was quite simple, and they said, we haven't been able to do surgery, it's far more complicated, and they finally transferred me to southmead hospital, where they had a more specialist unit. the delay of over a week would not have helped your recovery. no. i was in a dark space then. i live by myself in a top floor flat, i had no idea how i was going to cope with the rest of my life, really. around 70,000 older people are admitted to a uk hospital after a hip fracture, which can lead to a decline in quality of their life and a high mortality and readmission risk. and the type of delay that hilary suffered can be crucial. if you look at the red line, you can see there's been a big increase in the number of hours it takes for a patient to get their hip repaired.

the longer the delay, the greater the risk. but no real surprise, given the fact that up to one in three beds are taken up with patients who should be in a care setting. researchers identified 40 different ways in which services are being provided to hip fracture patients that influence how well they do. hospitals that were able to deliver surgery promptly, within 36 hours of admission, to the vast majority of their patients had 10% lower mortality. those hospitals that were able to mobilise more than 90% of their patients on day one after that operation saw substantially shorter lengths of stay. and then we also saw those hospitals that had an understanding of when community services providing physiotherapy and rehabilitation in the community were able to initiate their care, those hospitals had lower readmission rates. at a time when there's never been as much pressure on our waiting lists, the nhs could learn valuable lessons from this study that could save lives,

as well as bed days. matthew hill, bbc news. more now on our main story, the death of the former leader of the soviet union, mikhail gorbachev. tributes have been paid from around the world by many who saw gorbachev as a man of peace and instrumental in bringing about the end of the cold war. borisjohnson was one of them. mikhail gorbachev was one of those people who changed the world and unquestionably changed it for the better. when you look at what he did to make europe whole, free, to give freedom to the countries of the former soviet union, it was quite an extraordinary thing. of course, mikhail gorbachev is one of those people who triggered a series of changes that perhaps he didn't anticipate. maybe he paid his own political price for it, but when history is written, he will be one of the authors

of fantastic change for the better. here's what the german chancellor olaf scholz had to say. translation: he was a courageous reformer and a statesman _ who dared to do many things. we will not forget that perestroika made it possible to attempt to establish democracy in russia and that democracy and freedom became possible in europe, that germany could be united and the iron curtain disappeared. the democracy movement in central and eastern europe also benefited from the fact he was in charge of russia at that time. we know that he's died at a time when not only has democracy in russia failed — there is no other way to describe the current situation there — but also russia and the russian president putin are digging new trenches in europe and have started a terrible war against the neighbouring country, ukraine. and that is precisely why we remember mikhail gorbachev and know what significance he had

for the development of europe and also of our country in recent years. germany's chancellor olaf scholz. i'm joined now by the american—born british financier and political activist bill browder. architect of the magnitsky act, among other things was not very good evening to you. your thoughts on kyle ?_- ? -- mikhail ? —— mikhail gorbachev? he is really ? -- mikhail gorbachev? he is really one book and. _ ? -- mikhail gorbachev? he is really one book and, when _ ? -- mikhail gorbachev? he is really one book and, when he _ ? -- mikhail gorbachev? he is really one book and, when he brought- ? -- mikhail gorbachev? he is really. one book and, when he brought peace to the cold war, and that we have the other book end, which is vladimir putin bringing war to a time when we had peace, and remembering him really does bring out the terrible tragedy of what is happening right now. we had 33 years of peace as a result of his decision

not to start shooting at demonstrators and trying to crack down on the dissolution of the soviet union, and now we see the end of that. . . . soviet union, and now we see the end of that. , ., ., ., ., of that. yes, and a man who, did he do what he — of that. yes, and a man who, did he do what he did. _ of that. yes, and a man who, did he do what he did, did _ of that. yes, and a man who, did he do what he did, did he _ of that. yes, and a man who, did he do what he did, did he bring - of that. yes, and a man who, did he do what he did, did he bring the - do what he did, did he bring the reforms that he did, and in your opinion, as a real of conviction, not wanting his country to behave in ways it had behaved in previous years? aha, to behave in ways it had behaved in previous years?— previous years? a lot of factors led to his decision _ previous years? a lot of factors led to his decision to _ previous years? a lot of factors led to his decision to allow _ previous years? a lot of factors led to his decision to allow the - previous years? a lot of factors led to his decision to allow the soviet i to his decision to allow the soviet union to disintegrate. probably the biggest decision is they did not have the money to hold it together. at that time, oil prices were $10 a barrel, the soviet union, the main thing they do is export oil, and whole system did not work. it was a bankrupt system. he was effectively facing reality, and acknowledging that there was no way to hold it all

together, and it was not hear was heroism for him to do it, it was more pragmatism. he made a decision which made him very popular in the west, not so popular in russia, but it was something that brought a peace dividend to the west for the next 30 years. peace dividend to the west for the next 30 years-— next 30 years. yes. what of those critics who — next 30 years. yes. what of those critics who say _ next 30 years. yes. what of those critics who say that _ next 30 years. yes. what of those critics who say that he _ next 30 years. yes. what of those critics who say that he did - next 30 years. yes. what of those critics who say that he did not - critics who say that he did not fully understand, did not fully first see the economic problems that would follow and the fact that the soviet system actually could not be fully dismantled in the way that he had hoped or wanted? i do fully dismantled in the way that he had hoped or wanted?— fully dismantled in the way that he had hoped or wanted? i do not think he had any choice. _ had hoped or wanted? i do not think he had any choice. the _ had hoped or wanted? i do not think he had any choice. the economic - he had any choice. the economic problems were the economic problems. they did not have any money, it was a totally dysfunctional system. what came after him was equally dysfunctional. what happened after

he left and after yeltsin came in was a system of oligarchic capitalism, where the average life expectancy was 58 years old for a man and the whole thing was just horrific, and that is what you putin —— what led to putin. it is hard to know what anyone could have done different at that point of time, but it was not a smooth transition to happiness and wonderful times for russian people, it was a transition to hardship and deprivation, and all that hardship and deprivation led to where we are now which is fascism and murder, which is what vladimir putin has done in response to all that. ., ., ~' putin has done in response to all that. ., ., ,, ., that. you talk about where we are now. the other _ that. you talk about where we are now. the other thing _ that. you talk about where we are now. the other thing we - that. you talk about where we are now. the other thing we focus - that. you talk about where we are now. the other thing we focus on | now. the other thing we focus on todayis now. the other thing we focus on today is nordstrom and russia halting the gas supply. they say it is just for three days, they say it is just for three days, they say it is because repairs are needed. what

is because repairs are needed. what is your take on the motivation for doing that?— is your take on the motivation for doinu that? ., , ., ., doing that? vladimir putin is at war with the world, _ doing that? vladimir putin is at war with the world, he _ doing that? vladimir putin is at war with the world, he understands - doing that? vladimir putin is at war with the world, he understands he l with the world, he understands he has one very big fit of leverage in this work on the world, which is the price of gas, which leads to the price of gas, which leads to the price of gas, which leads to the price of electricity and heating and so on and so forth, and he knows how tentatively that in a way which is going to cause us serious hardship, and we are all singing with our energy bills. this whole thing is designed specifically, this cut off of gas, to cause every single one of us pain. he is doing it, he is doing it successfully, but we also need to understand that whatever pain we are suffering in our pocketbooks is nothing compared to the pain we would be suffering if we actually had to be at war with putin, which is what we are trying to avoid by helping the ukrainians win their war by themselves. ibiiiii helping the ukrainians win their war by themselves-— by themselves. bill browder, thank ou so by themselves. bill browder, thank you so much _ by themselves. bill browder, thank you so much for— by themselves. bill browder, thank you so much for your _ by themselves. bill browder, thank you so much for your time - by themselves. bill browder, thank you so much for your time tonight. | you so much for your time tonight.

thank you. just a word on domestic politics, and our guest talked about energy prices and that story that dominates so much. tomorrow morning, you can put your questions to the labour leader secure starmer. a special edition of your questions answered. it all starts tomorrow morning. #bbcyourquestions. it all starts tomorrow morning, 9am, here on bbc news and 5live. right now, though, it is weather time. here is matt taylor. good evening to you. as the weather calendar flips into autumn,

good evening to you. as the weather calendarflips into autumn, we could see a drastic and tasty weather conditions this evening. some heavy and thundery rain possible, an area of low pressure to the west of us, whether friends around it and potentially that bout of strong winds. that is on the way. complete contrast to believe got the next couple of days. bit of a breeze blowing across southern countries tell . —— southern counties. northern england, the highlands down to 3 or 4 degrees, if not lower, tomorrow morning. a bit more sunshine for orkney and shetland compared with today. still a bit of cloud lingering, could bring the odd shower, and towards southern counties of england, we will see more cloud gather during the day and we could see heavy, thundershowers on parts of the channel islands.

warm day in the south, pleasant enough in the north, but through the last stage of thursday, some heavy rain could affect parts of southern england. they could continue through the day friday here and there, one or two showers breaking out northern scotland, but the greatest chance of some rain will be the far north of scotland and northern ireland later on. it is going to be a lot more humid on friday. by the time with the weekend, though, a few things going. we have got this area of thundershowers from scotland, northern england, slow—moving, greater chance of some rain there. notice there are gaps in between those zones and some of you still staying dry on saturday, quite blustery, especially across the northern half of the country and warm enough near the sunny spells, but under the rain and where the strong winds are, it will feel that little bit cooler. as we go through sunday into monday, if you question

marks over the strongest of the winds —— a few. through sunday night into monday, more widely in western areas, so the potentialfor windy conditions to see the weekend out, and still the potential to see some rain around at times. george alagiah has the bbc news at six next.

today at six... failed by the police — what it feels like to be a victim of crime, and nothing happens. the parents who've seen their children beaten and battered. they called 999 but the police didn't show up. —— they say the police were too late to make a difference. we entrust the police to be there to protect our children. and because they can't do that, then we are going to have to do it. our special report comes on the day a new report says british policing has lost its way. also on the programme... next week the queen will appoint the new prime minister at balmoral, not london — a break with tradition, avoiding any last minute hitches due to her health.

but before that, this. the final chance for liz truss and rishi sunak to persuade