you look at to sustain, and when you look at what _ to sustain, and when you look at what and — to sustain, and when you look at what and who is on television the there. _ what and who is on television the there. it — what and who is on television the there. it is — what and who is on television the there, it is littered with comedian, who are _ there, it is littered with comedian, who are on — there, it is littered with comedian, who are on panel show, quiz shows, they are _ who are on panel show, quiz shows, they are presenting, they are in, in comedy— they are presenting, they are in, in comedy sitcoms can and straight summit— comedy sitcoms can and straight summit and a lot of them people don't _ summit and a lot of them people don't realise started their craft at the fringe — don't realise started their craft at the fringe and that is why it is important. the fringe and that is why it is important-— the fringe and that is why it is imortant. , ~' ,, , a important. thank you very much. thank yom _ important. thank you very much. thank you. good _ important. thank you very much. thank you. good luck. _ important. thank you very much. thank you. good luck. thank - important. thank you very much. | thank you. good luck. thank you. looking at the front—page, the front—page of the times, ai pioneers fear extinction, something we have covered before on this programme. front—page of the sun, a picture of holly willoughby, defiant holly back on monday, she will not quit over the phil scandal. the guardian government accused of cover up over battle for covid evidence, and kremlin threat after moscow hit by drones which we were featuring earlier on the programme. front—page

of the daily mail. ai could white out humanity, and on the daily express civil servants threaten to strike over migrants with a picture of phil and holly, strike over migrants with a picture of philand holly, mps strike over migrants with a picture of phil and holly, mps to quiz itv chiefs about the toxic tote of phil and holly, mps to quiz itv chiefs about the toxi- chiefs about the toxic we will not tolerate any _

chiefs about the toxic we will not tolerate any aggression - chiefs about the toxic we will not tolerate any aggression against l tolerate any aggression against sweden the matter its actual status. speaking of nate, the military alliance said it will deploy an additional 700 troops to kosovo after 30 nate peacekeepers and 52 protesters were hurt in protest on monday. its secretary general said the attacks were "unacceptable" and "must stop". police and nate troops clashed with serb protesters in north kosovo, where there has been unrest over the installation of ethnic albanian mayors. the disgraced founder of theranos, elizabeth holmes reported to the federal prison where she will serve an 11—year sentence. holmes was convicted early last year on four counts of fraud linked to her failed blood testing start—up. last month, a court rejected her request to remain free on bail while a challenge to the original conviction was considered. she will serve her term in a minimum—security prison in texas.

an update on the breaking news from the korean peninsula. an update on the breaking news from the korean peninsula. south korea's military have said that north korea has fired what it is calling a space satellite towards the south. sirens have been heard across the capital city of seoul and local authorities have warned citizens to prepare for potential evacuation. south korean authorities are now saying the evacuated border was issued incorrectly. we will continue to bring you any new lines we get on the story and reaction from the region. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. this is nine—year—old alfie, who'd hit 54.1; miles an hour at ellington airfield on his specially adapted 80 cc bike. we started on his eighth birthday, this first one at ellington, to progress to what he has done now.

yes, it's an achievement. and, you know, as parents we're just so proud of him. i first started. ..it wasn't on this. it was on a little mini—model that was just an electric one. and we levelled up and just carried on levelling up until we got to this. alfie is part of a group ofjuniors setting new records. as they get older, they're allowed to use more powerful engines, and little alfie has big ambitions. get really fast and do stuff like that, and become an engineer and build crazy stuff. i am a bit scared because he looks up to a lot of the bigger riders, but it's nice to know that he wants to build them and potentially do other records. you're live with bbc news. a delicate operation is underway to remove more than one million barrels of oil from a derelict supertanker

which has been moored off yemen's red sea coast for more than 3 decades. the united nations, which is leading the mission, says the decaying fso safer, could sink or explode at anytime, causing an environmental castastrophe. for more on this i'm joined by un development programme administrator achim steiner, who is leading the operation. who is the leader of this operation. thank you forjoining us on the program. thank you for “oining us on the rouram. . ~' thank you for “oining us on the rouram. . ~ ,, thank you for “oining us on the programfi can - thank you for “oining us on the programfi can you | thank you for “oining us on the - programh can you explain program. thank you. can you explain to us the mission _ program. thank you. can you explain to us the mission being _ program. thank you. can you explain to us the mission being carried - program. thank you. can you explain to us the mission being carried out i to us the mission being carried out right now in the red sea? has to us the mission being carried out right now in the red sea?— right now in the red sea? as you 'ust right now in the red sea? as you just mentioned, _ right now in the red sea? as you just mentioned, a _ right now in the red sea? as you just mentioned, a 47-year-old l right now in the red sea? as you - just mentioned, a 47-year-old tanker just mentioned, a 47—year—old tanker loaded with overi million barrels of oil has not been inspected, has not been maintained for the past seven years. it is a great risk of either exploding or breaking apart. today marks a very good day because it is also a miles will we begin the

operationalfailed to it is also a miles will we begin the operational failed to next phase of removing to a replacement vessel. in the technical support vessel the endeavour as it is called sale next to the episode today bringing us to a point where we have been working and the international community for years without the un is not leading this operation to avert what could become a major catastrophe. more oil on the episode then for example the exxon valdez. truth? on the episode then for example the exxon valdez— exxon valdez. why has it taken so [am to exxon valdez. why has it taken so long to get _ exxon valdez. why has it taken so long to get to _ exxon valdez. why has it taken so long to get to the _ exxon valdez. why has it taken so long to get to the site? _ exxon valdez. why has it taken so long to get to the site? as - exxon valdez. why has it taken so long to get to the site? as many l exxon valdez. why has it taken so | long to get to the site? as many of our long to get to the site? as many of your listeners _ long to get to the site? as many of your listeners are _ long to get to the site? as many of your listeners are aware _ long to get to the site? as many of your listeners are aware yemen - long to get to the site? as many of| your listeners are aware yemen has found itself in the middle of a very brutal conflict that has lasted for more than seven years. negotiating first of all the different parties in yemen in agreement that would allow this operation to be undertaken, both with the guarantees for security and also the acceptance by all parties was a very complex process. last year at the united

nations secretarial general gave the green light and essentially we have been working since then on an extremely complex operation, securing a carrier as these large carriers are in the global market as available. securing a salvage company, a lady two major complex operation. until last friday evening negotiating with a consortium of underwriters and insurance packages which would ensure their operation and securing insurance policies and although solid elements, the endeavour set sail on monday and this now marks this critical milestone where we can begin the operation with the security and safety inspection, preparing ship to ship transfer and ultimately moving the oil to a safer vessel.— the oil to a safer vessel. briefly before we _ the oil to a safer vessel. briefly before we go. _ the oil to a safer vessel. briefly before we go, describe - the oil to a safer vessel. briefly before we go, describe exactlyl the oil to a safer vessel. briefly i before we go, describe exactly the environmental risk that could take place if it isn't submerged and taken away. i place if it isn't submerged and taken away-— place if it isn't submerged and taken away. i think as many has

called it a _ taken away. i think as many has called it a time _ taken away. i think as many has called it a time bomb, - taken away. i think as many has i called it a time bomb, catastrophic potential incident, the red sea hundreds of thousands people depend on fisheries, tourism and other countries, neighbouring countries for them in a major shipping route leading up to the suez canal for them in a major shipping route leading up to the suez canal. all could be affected by such an oil spill and that is why the united nations and stepped in achim steiner, thank you very much for joining us on the program. a chinese rocket has launched into orbit, taking three astronauts to china's space station. it's named tiangong, which translates to heavenly palace. among them was the first chinese civilian to go into space. gui haichao, a university professor, will carry out scientific experiments during a five—month stay. china has spent billions of dollars on its space programme, run by the military, as it tries to rival the united states and russia. beijing plans to put chinese

astronauts on the moon by 2030. so what does this all mean for space exploration? well, for more on this i'm joined by dr cathleen lewis, curator of international space programmes at the smithsonian institutions national air and space museum in dc. good evening. i'm fascinated by this. it explained to us how ambitious china's aerospace programme is. ambitious china's aerospace programme ia— ambitious china's aerospace roramme is. , ., . , programme is. china's programme is very ambitious- _ programme is. china's programme is very ambitious. but _ programme is. china's programme is very ambitious. but it's _ programme is. china's programme is very ambitious. but it's also - programme is. china's programme is very ambitious. but it's also very - very ambitious. but it's also very isolated and self—contained. we discovered through the examples, through countries that it takes about a decade from that first launch to establish a space station. and through that time it's not only developing hardware but it's developing hardware but it's developing that infrastructure and maintaining the infrastructure that

can sustain human life in space. so in the case of the ussr, in the case of the united states it was about 12 years and china was about 12 or 13 years and china was about 12 or 13 years just to years and china was about 12 or 13 yearsjust to go years and china was about 12 or 13 years just to go from first human nationally launched in space to establishing a space station. now china is progressing towards doing science in space, which the americans, the consortium members of the international space station have been doing. they launch their first civilian in space today. just to maintain those experiments going on. the chinese government has been soliciting programmes in scientific research packages from all over the world to go on board the chinese space station. now they have a dedicated individual who is going to be flying in those experiments just in the launch aboard the

international space station. i’m international space station. i'm reminded of — international space station. i'm reminded of the cold war, the soviet union and the us in this work to get someone to the moon way back when. have we heard any reaction from the russians and the americans? the americans had _ russians and the americans? iie: americans had been russians and the americans? tie: americans had been fairly russians and the americans? “ii2 americans had been fairly sanguine about the chinese progress. it's not about the chinese progress. it's not a head—to—head competition. we're no longer in that binary superpower competition. it is competition for science and technology and for financial markets. the chinese see this as an opportunity to develop their economy and develop their reliability in advanced technology science. you have to remember, even space, only the very tiny tip of the iceberg that is space infrastructure. most of what goes on infrastructure. most of what goes on in space is driven by unmanned

satellites, robotics satellites, navigation guidance and tiny satellites and gps satellite systems that we rely on here in the united states. communication satellites that allow me to be talking to you today. both resource satellites which are very important. we have about three countries that are offering their own space programmes in one—way or the other. that's really where the money is, the infrastructure in the developing is. cathleen lewis, we have to leave it there. a little bit of breaking news. thank you forjoining us on the program. ido want i do want to go back to our breaking news story at the hour. just want to bring you an update on that breaking news from the korean peninsula. south korea's military have said that north korea has fired what it is calling a space satellite towards the south. sirens have been heard across the capital city of seoul

and local authorities had initially warned citizens to prepare for potential evacuation. we will speak to jonathan marcus what do we know about the situation? not a huge lot yet. it's clear the north koreans gave advance notice that they were planning a satellite launch. the missile rocket, whatever it was, we know from the japanese government it seems to have already come down and landed in the sea. so whether this was an unsuccessful attempt at launching a satellite or whether it was one of the many chocolate did not rocket missile test at the north koreans of undertaking in the past year, we're not yet clear. what it clearly does do is it alerts us once again to the fact that north korea's mess hall and nuclear programmes are continuing. —— missile. its technology is improving significantly over the course of

time. of course now it underlines to that there is no real clear possibility of constraining or limiting north korea's activities in this field. if you think back once upon a time, the americans hoped to roll back north korea's nuclear program. well, there's no chance of that for the foreseeable future. we're seeing more and more it launches by the north koreans. you've got to wonder, if you are living in south korea orjapan at this time in you get these reports to evacuate, have you gotten wary of them, how concerned should citizens be in those countries? it them, how concerned should citizens be in those countries?— be in those countries? it shows the treat be in those countries? it shows the great tensions _ be in those countries? it shows the great tensions caused _ be in those countries? it shows the great tensions caused by _ be in those countries? it shows the great tensions caused by north - great tensions caused by north korea's programs. i think the south korea's programs. i think the south korea warning for a possible evacuation was a transpire releasing error. i think the government has made that clear now. it really does show the tension in the region

caused by this ongoing missile and nuclear program. it underscores how dangerous things are in the region given that there is no real chance of halting either of these activities by pyongyang. jonathan marcus, thank _ activities by pyongyang. jonathan marcus, thank you _ activities by pyongyang. jonathan marcus, thank you very _ activities by pyongyang. jonathan marcus, thank you very much. i activities by pyongyang. jonathan - marcus, thank you very much. you've been watching the news day. stay with us. hello. 25 pa rt 25 part one celsius was the high in northwest wales on tuesday, making it the warmest day here so far across the country. for the rest of the week it does a mainly dry thanks to high pressure was always the warmest and sunniest of the weather toward western parts of the uk, always a bit cooler and cloudy further east. blocking area of high pressure will continue to bring this mainly what dry weather. cast your eyes down toward southern europe, a

different story here, daytime showers and thunderstorms breaking out for the rest of the week for the rainfall totals will continue to mount here, could see localised flooding in places. further north thanks to that area of high pressure it is going to stay almost bone dry. we could see some drizzle at times across eastern england under the thickness of the cloud as we start early wednesday for the rainfall totals will continue to mount here, could see localised flooding in places. further north thanks to that area of high pressure it is going to stay almost bone dry. we could see some drizzle at times across eastern england under the thickness of the cloud as we start early wednesday. under that cloud blanket which is spread across england and wales temperatures will fall much below seven to 10 degrees but surely under clear skies and the northwest for them it's here where you see the sunshine from the word go for wednesday morning. the cloud tending to thin and breaking bread back to the coast of the could linger across parts of the midlands, eastern england once again. it will be chilly along north sea coast in the northern hours down to the solid of a mid—teens therefore but after the mid—205 central belt of skull in the low 205 for northern ireland and parts of wales. wednesday night the low cloud rose back into eastern scotland, much of central southern, eastern england and also parts of

wales. those temperatures ranging from around six to 9 degrees. a few chillier spots under the clear skies and the northwest. we do it all again for thursday for the best of the sunshine again across northern and western areas. eastern scotland, eastern england will see that cloud burned back to the coast with the the onshore breeze which which will be quite fresh across the east and southeast it will feel cooler here as opposed to western areas which was the temperatures into the low 205 celsius. emily lepage on friday, most of the cloud across northern and eastern areas, a garden more of and eastern areas, a garden more of a breeze across the southeast, that will temper the temperatures somewhat. little bit low across the board, low 205 as opposed to the mid—205 put it into the weekend largely fine, dry, plenty of sunshine for the best of the sunshine for the best of the sunshine out west, always a bit cloudy and along north sea coast.

this is bbc news. we'll have all the headlines and main news stories at the top of the hour, but first it's hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk from johannesburg. i'm stephen sackur. for 29 years, south africa's national politics has been dominated by the african national congress. but right now, the anc is in big trouble.