hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones. you're watching the context on bbc news. explosion that is, i think... explosion gunfire the crowds are scattering down there. no israeli soldier, no israeli mum wants to send their boy intojenin. we do that because we've got no choice, because they are murdering israelis on the streets. to paint this as a pinpoint operation to defend israelis — when in fact, it's an assault on protected persons under international law, refugees inside the occupied territory. it is really quite astounding.

welcome to the programme. there have been further sustained exchanges of gunfire between israeli troops and palestinian militants injenin well into the second day of israel's biggest west bank raid in years. seven people were wounded in an earlier car ramming attack in tel aviv. also on the programme tonight: the metropolitan police is reopening an investigation into breaches of covid regulations at a christmas party at conservative party hq. it's now one month since ukraine launched its counterofensive against russia. there have been a number of gains, but kyiv admits progress has been slow. we will take stock and look at what comes next. and facebook steps into twitter�*s lane — mark zuckerberg's meta is set to launch a new social media platform called thread, to directly rival elon musk�*s twitter. but will it work? but first, let's focus

in on the situation injenin. take a look at these pictures, an example of some of the clashes between the palestinians and israelis. ii between the palestinians and israelis. 11 palestinians confirmed dead so far, four of those under the age of 18, that's according to the palestinian health ministry. now it is the second day and reuters are reporting that yes, it's the second day of this israeli operation, but they are quoting an israeli defence saying israelis are starting to pull out ofjenin, so we will get as much detail on that as we can. as for what happens injenin, electricity, water cut offs, still 3000 people left in that camp. let's look at the map here— you can see israel there and the west bank, and up north is jenin. we can zoom in at the refugee

camp injenin itself. 18,000 people live there, israel says it's a refuge for terrorism, palestinians say what israel has done is a war crime. now the pictures you're seeing now are tel aviv, and israel, the aftermath of a parent palestinian man renting a car and the people than trying to stop them, that he was shot dead. a palestinian group praised the attack is a natural response to the attacks going on injenin. 0ur middle east editorjeremy bowen has spent decades covering the israel palestinian conflict. and in the last hour or so, gave us an update while explosions and gunfire continued around him. the longer—term impact on families and children is that they grow up seeing all of this. and not only do they... explosion that is, i think... explosion gunfire

the crowds are scattering down there. gunfire that fire is coming i think from palestinians, firing out perhaps at the israelis. this kind of thing has been going on all day. jeremy bowen there, you can see that gunfire is still ongoing. take a look at these pictures ofjenin right now. my colleagues tell me that every so often, you can still hear crackles of gunfire there. one new and to bring you just in the last few minutes, from reuters news agency, the un security council will meet behind closed doors on friday to discuss the middle east, this is israel's biggest west bank invasion

in years. in light of "the alarming developments in palestine." that is according to the reuters news agency, just coming to us in the last few minutes. so we will keep across those live pictures for you, other reports from reuters saying israel is finishing up its operation and is withdrawing, we haven't got independent confirmation of that but we will keep you across these sources to bring you the latest on that. joining me now from ramallah, in the occupied west bank is ines abdel razek, the executive director of the palestine institute for public diplomacy. thank you so much for coming on the programme. thank you so much for coming on the programme-— thank you so much for coming on the rouramme. ., ~ i. ., ., programme. thank you for having me. so if ou programme. thank you for having me. so if you could — programme. thank you for having me. so if you could just _ programme. thank you for having me. so if you could just start _ programme. thank you for having me. so if you could just start by _ so if you could just start by reflecting on those last couple of breaking news lines that we've had, the un security council meeting behind closed doors, what do you make of that in the reports that the

israeli operation may be drawing to a close? , ., ., , a close? yes unfortunately, the un security council _ a close? yes unfortunately, the un security council has _ a close? yes unfortunately, the un security council has been _ a close? yes unfortunately, the un security council has been meeting l security council has been meeting for the last 75 years on the question of palestine, and i think it's always the same conclusion — that israel has been violating international law and the basic rights of palestinians for 75 years, which is the source of the violence. so we are looking at youth right now injenin whose grandparents, great parents —— great—grandparents who have already been forcibly expelled from other areas in 19118 who are still refugees, and who are completely and cleaved in this area. —— enclave. ifear we've been there, our parents and grandparents have been there... but our parents and grandparents have been there. . ._ been there... but the israelis are specifically _ been there... but the israelis are specifically saying _ been there... but the israelis are specifically saying that _ been there... but the israelis are specifically saying that that - been there... but the israelis are specifically saying that that campj specifically saying that that camp is a "refuge of terror", is it? it’s

is a "refuge of terror", is it? it's very convenient _ is a "refuge of terror", is it? it�*s very convenient for the israelis decriminalised an entire population, to use that war on terror narrative. we are looking at the besieged population, again that's been living as refugees under a brutal military occupation, and again what they call it withdrawal, or something somehow will become more quiet for the palestinians, the israelis will go back to the violence. that is the continued oppression that the palestinians live in, the racism, the check ins, the lack of rights. so de—escalating orjust withdrawing, the media will go and the reality will remain the same, and we will have the same continuity of the settler colonial expansion that we've seen before, and the population of palestinians who keep

being shrank and isolated, and confined in ghettoized enclaves of. by confined in ghettoized enclaves of. by the israelis are saying here this is not about a wider population, it's about specific targets, terrorists that they have gone after and, in their view, successfully eliminated.— and, in their view, successfully eliminated. yes, and they have killed minors, _ eliminated. yes, and they have killed minors, they've - eliminated. yes, and they have killed minors, they've attacked| eliminated. yes, and they have. killed minors, they've attacked a church, they've damaged electricity and water infrastructure, a hospital. we know the playbook, they've been applying this playbook to destroy it, confine and isolate, and try to force the population to flee to gaza. gaza has been exceptional eyes, marginalised and isolated for the last to get that i could decades, and now we see this withjenin —— for the last two decades. we see their villages being destroyed, their surrounding villages being destroyed, their families being killed and basically

being forcibly expelled and being dehumanized as a population. we must leave it there. — dehumanized as a population. we must leave it there, thank _ dehumanized as a population. we must leave it there, thank you. _ dehumanized as a population. we must leave it there, thank you. thank - leave it there, thank you. thank ou. we're joined now by merav michaeli, member of the knesset and leader of the israeli labor party. thank you so much for coming on the programme. thank you so much for coming on the programme-— thank you so much for coming on the rouramme. ., ~ i. ., ., programme. thank you for having me. we will come — programme. thank you for having me. we will come to _ programme. thank you for having me. we will come to events _ programme. thank you for having me. we will come to events in _ programme. thank you for having me. we will come to events in jenin - programme. thank you for having me. we will come to events in jenin in a i we will come to events injenin in a moment, but let's start in tel aviv and that attack in tel aviv — some palestinians describing it as a natural response to the attacks in jenin, is it? natural response to the attacks in jenin. is it?— natural response to the attacks in jenin, is it? ~' ., , ., , jenin, is it? god knows, god forbid, i hoe jenin, is it? god knows, god forbid, i hepe there — jenin, is it? god knows, god forbid, i hope there will— jenin, is it? god knows, god forbid, i hope there will never— jenin, is it? god knows, god forbid, i hope there will never be _ jenin, is it? god knows, god forbid, i hope there will never be anything l i hope there will never be anything natural about a person running deliberately into a bunch of civilians, pedestrians walking, one is a pregnant woman, and hurting them so dramatically. i really hope

that none of us ever sees this as something natural. {lilia that none of us ever sees this as something natural.— that none of us ever sees this as something natural. 0k, moving to jenin then. _ something natural. 0k, moving to jenin then. the — something natural. 0k, moving to jenin then, the damage _ something natural. 0k, moving to jenin then, the damage being - something natural. 0k, moving to| jenin then, the damage being done and the anger that this has caused amongst so many palestinians, do you defend this military operation? it defend this military operation? it is true thatjenin has become a refuge of terror, this is something that even those of us who are really supporters of peace and the peace process with the palestinians, and supporters of the two state solution and fighting for this in israel constantly — and i am the chair of the party that used to be the party headed by the late prime minister who gave his life fighting for this cause — we too cannot look away from the fact that there is terror and thatjenin has become a refuge of terror, and that israelis have every

right to, as much as i am advocating and fighting here politically for renewing a peace process, at the same time fighting for our security and for our lives here. but same time fighting for our security and for our lives here.— and for our lives here. but there'll be --eole and for our lives here. but there'll be peeple on _ and for our lives here. but there'll be peeple on the _ and for our lives here. but there'll be people on the palestinian - and for our lives here. but there'll be people on the palestinian side| be people on the palestinian side who concede every country's right to defend themselves, but they draw a distinction here saying this is beyond israel protecting itself, this is protecting its expansion, which is different. find this is protecting its expansion, which is different.— this is protecting its expansion, which is different. and again, i'm auainst which is different. and again, i'm against the _ which is different. and again, i'm against the expansion _ which is different. and again, i'm against the expansion of - against the expansion of settlements, and at the same time there is terror within the territories of israel as we have seen today and tel aviv, for instance, and we are seeing in many places all across the country. and thankfully, we are seeing very few of the attempts that actually turn into terror incidents because our security forces are very successful

in preventing many of them, but there is a constant attempt to execute terror attacks on israel's legal territory. {eek execute terror attacks on israel's legal territory-— execute terror attacks on israel's legal territory._ but - execute terror attacks on israel's legalterritory._ but i i legalterritory. ok but... butl want to say — legalterritory. ok but... butl want to say something, - legalterritory. ok but... but i| want to say something, lewis, listen. this ongoing, bloodied conflict between israel and the palestinians, it's clear that we should all seek for a peaceful solution. and again, i am the voice that represents the party that really voices this idea in the strongest possible way in israel. i strongest possible way in israel. i understand that, but one more question on the specifics of this operation because there were teenagers killed in this operation, the angerfrom teenagers killed in this operation, the anger from palestinians that this will escalate for generations — do you honestly believe that this

specific military operation will make israel safer in the long run? as i said, the thing that will make everyone safer in the long run is a political process for a two state solution, for a political peaceful solution. in the meantime, sometimes it comes to a point where israel has no alternative but to protect itself. the idea of putting a lot of effort into avoiding hurting innocent people and civilians. and this was a very, very big investment. also in this operation, i know that for a fact. but at the end of the day, as much as i want a political solution, sometimes we have to deal with terror in order to protect our civilians and citizens. thank you very much for coming on the programme, thank you.-

thank you very much for coming on the programme, thank you. thank you so much. good — the programme, thank you. thank you so much, good night. _ the programme, thank you. thank you so much, good night. i— the programme, thank you. thank you so much, good night. i want— the programme, thank you. thank you so much, good night. i want to - the programme, thank you. thank you so much, good night. i want to get - the programme, thank you. thank you so much, good night. i want to get a l so much, good night. i want to get a view from directly _ so much, good night. i want to get a view from directly on _ so much, good night. i want to get a view from directly on the ground. . joining me now is adam bouloukos, the director of the united nations relief and works agency affairs in the west bank. thank you very much for coming on the programme. thank you very much for coming on the programme-— thank you very much for coming on the programme._ can i thank you very much for coming on | the programme._ can you the programme. thank you. can you live us an the programme. thank you. can you give us an idea _ the programme. thank you. can you give us an idea of _ the programme. thank you. can you give us an idea of some _ the programme. thank you. can you give us an idea of some of— the programme. thank you. can you give us an idea of some of the i give us an idea of some of the challenges of the united nations and other organisations operating in jenin camp over the last two days? firstly i should say thatjenin camp, thejenin refugee camp is a very densely populated place it's about half a square kilometre, there's some 25,000 residents, and there's some 25,000 residents, and the intensity of the israeli incursion is such that nearly all buildings will be damaged in some way, road works have been damaged, water systems, electricity — we don't even know the extent of the damage, we have bits and pieces of

videos, we have not gained full access as a un country team yet, although we did have a mission to thejenin townjust although we did have a mission to thejenin town just outside the camp today where we saw thousands of people who had fled the camp with stories and videos of what they had seen on their escape. find stories and videos of what they had seen on their escape.— stories and videos of what they had seen on their escape. and given some ofthe seen on their escape. and given some of the challenges, _ seen on their escape. and given some of the challenges, i _ seen on their escape. and given some of the challenges, i just _ seen on their escape. and given some of the challenges, i just want - seen on their escape. and given some of the challenges, i just want to i of the challenges, i just want to talk about some of the language being used here — a refuge for terrorism is how the israelis have described jenin camp, is that accurate?— described jenin camp, is that accurate? . �* , _ , ., accurate? that's their description of this. accurate? that's their description of this- it's _ accurate? that's their description of this. it's not _ accurate? that's their description of this. it's not to _ accurate? that's their description of this. it's not to say _ accurate? that's their description of this. it's not to say that i accurate? that's their description of this. it's not to say that there l of this. it's not to say that there aren't actors in the west bank, palestinian armed actors, we know that, and there are armed actors in refugee camps. we are part of the community, these refugee camps — 19 of them that we help to support with medical services, of them that we help to support with medicalservices, education, relief, social services and infrastructure. but of course, they are part of a community that's under occupation

and has been for decades. so certainly... and has been for decades. so certainly- - -— and has been for decades. so certainl ., ., ., certainly... coming from the other oint of certainly... coming from the other point of view. _ certainly... coming from the other point of view, attacks _ certainly... coming from the other point of view, attacks on _ point of view, attacks on infrastructure, hospitals can be classified as war crimes. do you think that is worthy of an investigation here? i think that is worthy of an investigation here? i think all these deaths _ investigation here? i think all these deaths and _ investigation here? i think all these deaths and all - investigation here? i think all these deaths and all this i investigation here? i think all- these deaths and all this violence is worthy of an investigation. now we document these things, the un also documents what happens, we write letters of protest to the israeli government, we hope that they are investigated. there was an attack on a municipal hospital in jenin today where people were seeking medical attention coming out of the camp, and then there were a series of shots fired and tear gas canisters. the fact that the emergency ward of the hospital had to relocate to another part of the hospital to provide health services — should this be investigated? 0f — should this be investigated? of course. as a un agency, we are here to provide operational support and

delivery of services to a refugee population until there is a just solution to this conflict. population untilthere is a 'ust solution to this conflict. adam, thank you _ solution to this conflict. adam, thank you very _ solution to this conflict. adam, thank you very much _ solution to this conflict. adam, thank you very much for i solution to this conflict. adam, | thank you very much for coming solution to this conflict. adam, i thank you very much for coming on the programme, thank you.- thank you very much for coming on the programme, thank you. thank you ve much. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's take a look at some other stories making headlines here in the uk. a man who killed his neighbour and her two daughters by setting their flat on fire has been found guilty of murder. jamie barrow had admitted their manslaughter, but denied three counts of murder. the trial heard barrow had poured petrol through the flat�*s letterbox and set it alight. jurors heard he was unhappy about bags of rubbish being left by the family nearby. plans are expected to be announced tomorrow that will eventually see the closure of most railway ticket offices in england. the industry says sales at kiosks have dropped from 85% in 1995, to an average of 12% today. changing passenger habits have seen more tickets bought online or at machines.

thames water has been fined £3.3 million after pleading guilty to four charges relating to polluting rivers. the court heard how millions of litres of undiluted sewage caused rivers to turn "black" and kill more than 1,000 fish near gatwick airport in 2017. you're live with bbc news. in france, president macron has met more than 200 mayors from areas affected by days of unrest following the police shooting of a teenager. after days of clashes, the last two nights have seen fewer arrests. but thousands of police officers are still deployed across the country. straight to paris — tom symonds is there for us now. hi tom, what's been happening today? well you know, rain is the police officer's best friend when it comes to preventing protests, and it's symbolic that tonight the heavens

have opened. tonight on the champs—elysees where we are now, it's back to normal. there are no troubles here. but there are some shops that are continuing to board up shops that are continuing to board up their plate glass windows just in case something happens overnight. and we've heard some figures recently in the last hour or so that, during this last week, hundreds of hundreds of shops and banks, and ten shopping laws have been attacked by protesters. but president macron said today that the peak of the trouble is past. his meeting with the more than 200 mayors from all over france was an attempt to start to find solutions to what had happened here. did the mayors of all political persuasions here but they wanted to? well, we caught up with the mayor who represents the people of a residential area southwest of paris, a not very well off area that has suffered quite badly in these protests. translation: ~ �* protests. translation: �* ., ., protests. translation: ., ., ., translation: we've had enough of leaders basically _ translation: we've had enough of leaders basically giving _ translation: we've had enough of leaders basically giving france i

translation: we've had enough of leaders basically giving france if i leaders basically giving france if you kilos — leaders basically giving france if you kilos to cool things down without — you kilos to cool things down without offering any substantial solutions. i've seen president macron— solutions. i've seen president macron from being absolutely out of breath _ macron from being absolutely out of breath and out of touch from the people _ breath and out of touch from the people protesting today. despite alerting — people protesting today. despite alerting him time and time again, he procrastinated, and here we are. the story— procrastinated, and here we are. the story is— procrastinated, and here we are. the story is always the same as, we atways— story is always the same as, we always have no resources, we are out of the _ always have no resources, we are out of the circus— always have no resources, we are out of the circus the micro circuit. and when _ of the circus the micro circuit. and when it— of the circus the micro circuit. and when it burns, it's us, it's ours —— we are _ when it burns, it's us, it's ours —— we are out— when it burns, it's us, it's ours —— we are out of— when it burns, it's us, it's ours —— we are out of the circuit. when it burns, it's us, it's ours -- we are out of the circuit.— we are out of the circuit. present macron stresses _ we are out of the circuit. present macron stresses the _ we are out of the circuit. present macron stresses the government we are out of the circuit. present i macron stresses the government has put money into communities which do need more income and do need to be more cohesive and integrated. in today, president macron announced an emergency bill to start to speed up repairs to the infrastructure in schools, and other street furniture, that sort of thing that had been damaged in this last week. but it's quite clear that he still has a lot

of work to do to try to repair some of work to do to try to repair some of the tears in the society of his count . ., ., ~', of the tears in the society of his count . ., ., ., ., now, to the war in ukraine. the governor of the kharkiv region in northeastern ukraine says 43 people have been injured in a strike by a russian missile. 12 of those wounded are said to be children. the attack happened in pervomaiskyi, a small town about 60 kilometres from ukraine's second city, kharkiv. the missile struck the car park of a residential building. images from the scene show burnt out cars and a large crater. it comes after russia was targeted by a drone strike earlier on tuesday. russia media say five drones have been intercepted in moscow and the nearby kaluga region. a number of flights scheduled to land at moscow's vnukovo airport were redirected to other airports. it comes as ukraine's counteroffensive enters its second month. on monday, ukraine said it had taken more than 37 square kilometres of territory.

let's ta ke let's take a few minutes to assess how it's going. live now to kyiv — maria avdeeva is a ukrainian security expert and research director at the european expert association. thank you so much for coming on the programme. thank you so much for coming on the programme-— thank you so much for coming on the rouramme. . ~ i. ., ., programme. thank you for having me. so what's your — programme. thank you for having me. so what's your assessment _ programme. thank you for having me. so what's your assessment of - programme. thank you for having me. so what's your assessment of how i programme. thank you for having me. so what's your assessment of how the | so what's your assessment of how the ukrainian counteroffensive has gone so far? , ., , ukrainian counteroffensive has gone so far? , . , ., so far? there is heavy fighting all alon: the so far? there is heavy fighting all along the front _ so far? there is heavy fighting all along the front line, _ so far? there is heavy fighting all along the front line, there i so far? there is heavy fighting all along the front line, there is i so far? there is heavy fighting all along the front line, there is not | so far? there is heavy fighting all| along the front line, there is not a single area where this counteroffensive action is happening — it's happening all over the front line in the south in east of ukraine. ukraine had made some gains, not some major push, because the russian lines of defence are very much protected and defended, and they have several layers, and they are very heavily mined. in the ukrainian troops have put a lot of effort to go and break these russian

defence lines, and they are proving whether they will be successful, and they combined this tactic with a hyper sized missile attacks on the russian attack routes. for that, they also used strong missiles. in they also used strong missiles. in terms of territory again, do you think there be those in the ukrainian military who are surprised, disappointed that more gains haven't been made? there surprised, disappointed that more gains haven't been made? there is no disappointment. _ gains haven't been made? there is no disappointment, as _ gains haven't been made? there is no disappointment, as president - disappointment, as president zelensky has said, this is not hollywood, this is not a show. every inch and metre of the liberated territory costs lives of ukrainian soldiers, and ukraine wants to be sure that we make this progress, that troops will make progress when they can do that. no needless

sacrifices of the lies that are lives of soldiers should be made, and the tactics which are shown now, step—by—step, they go... and the tactics which are shown now, step-by-step, they go. . ._ step-by-step, they go... we've highlighted _ step-by-step, they go... we've highlighted here _ step-by-step, they go... we've highlighted here the _ step-by-step, they go... we've highlighted here the problems i step-by-step, they go... we've i highlighted here the problems with landmines left behind by russia, which makes progress very slow. is there a set of weaponry, a tactic that could provide an extra boost here that could lead to a breakthrough? here that could lead to a breakthrou~h? ~ ,,., , .,, breakthrough? absolutely, as the commander-in-chief _ breakthrough? absolutely, as the commander-in-chief and - breakthrough? absolutely, as the commander-in-chief and said, i breakthrough? absolutely, as the| commander-in-chief and said, no commander—in—chief and said, no other country will go on this offensive without air superiority, and ukraine does it, and ukraine now needs the air supply of fighterjets and more hyper sized missiles. because without that, ukrainian troops are in an open space where russia attacked them with their

fighterjets... but russia attacked them with their fighterjets- - -— russia attacked them with their fighter jets. .. fighter 'ets... but should ukraine have fighterjets... but should ukraine have waited _ fighterjets... but should ukraine have waited for _ fighterjets... but should ukraine have waited for air _ fighterjets... but should ukraine have waited for air cover? i fighterjets... but should ukraine have waited for air cover? well, | have waited for air cover? well, ukraine is _ have waited for air cover? well, ukraine is doing _ have waited for air cover? well, ukraine is doing the _ have waited for air cover? well, ukraine is doing the slow- have waited for air cover? -ii ukraine is doing the slow progress, what has been done since russia started this progress, and some areas are faster, some areas are slower, it depends on the situation in the battlefield. but it's possible the progress will be faster, but we cannot stop because if we stop, then we will give russia time, and russia will use that time to move forward.— time, and russia will use that time to move forward. understood, thank ou so to move forward. understood, thank you so much — to move forward. understood, thank you so much for— to move forward. understood, thank you so much for your _ to move forward. understood, thank you so much for your time _ to move forward. understood, thank you so much for your time and i to move forward. understood, thank you so much for your time and for i you so much for your time and for coming on the programme.- you so much for your time and for coming on the programme. there's plenty more to come, i'll be backin there's plenty more to come, i'll be back injust a there's plenty more to come, i'll be back in just a couple minutes' time, there's always plenty more on the bbc news website and app. i'm lewis vaughanjones, this was bbc news, bye—bye.

hello there. quite a lot of you will have seen some fairly heavyish rain around through tuesday afternoon. 0n the satellite picture, you can see a couple of bands of cloud. this one for scotland and northern ireland brought some showery conditions. this one in the south was a system that continued to develop, and we saw rain become extensive across southern england, southern wales, the midlands and east anglia. this system is going to continue developing through the course of the night. and so we're looking at a band of heavy rain moving its way eastwards. the wettest weather for norfolk and suffolk, where we could see around 30—1i0mm of rain by the end of the night. and as that low pressure deepens, we've got a swathe of windy weather to the east coast of england with gusts of wind running into the forties of miles an hour by the time we get into the first part of wednesday morning. so wet and windy weather to start the day here. then this area of low pressure clears off into north west europe where it will be bringing some potentially disruptive winds, perhaps strong enough to bring down a few trees. for us, though, it's a day

of sunshine and showers. now because it's going to be quite a breezy day if you do see a shower, it won't last very long, maybe 15 minutes the rest of your day dry with some sunshine. temperatures still a little bit below par for the time of year. now at wimbledon compared with the wash—out that we had on tuesday afternoon with rain really curtailing play, we're looking at much better weather for wednesday. there could be a passing shower. it won't last very long and for most of the day, play will get under way unaffected, really, could just see a 15—minute delay or so. low pressure then moves in to the west of the uk for thursday, and this is going to be bringing some heavy rain, particularly to western counties of northern ireland, where there's a risk of seeing some localised surface water flooding, hazy spells of sunshine elsewhere across the uk. and given that we should start to see the weather turn a little bit warmer, those temperatures getting close to average for the time of year across england, wales and eastern areas of scotland. for friday, still the threat of some heavy rain across the northwest of the uk thanks to these wiggling weather fronts. but across more eastern areas, we start to get southerly winds drawing in some much warmer weather. and for england and wales,

that means temperatures will be surging upwards. and indeed, on friday, we could see highs reaching around 28 celsius in london. so feeling hot and quite humid, warm weather for wales, 26 in cardiff, and starting to warm up for the eastern side of scotland as well. the weekend, more warm, if not hot, weather across eastern areas of the uk, but otherwise there'll be lots of showers and thunderstorms around through the second part of the weekend and deep into next week as well.

hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones. you're watching the context on bbc news. in the uk, police re—open their investigation into whether covid regulations were broken during a "jingle and mingle" party at conservative headquarters in 2020.