israel's parliament approves of the reform plan. protests turn angry and police have used water cannons. this is the scene right now live in jerusalem outside. you can see there the demonstrations are continuing. more than eighty wildfires burn — across greece — as evacuations from resort islands continue. hello, welcome to bbc news now, 3 hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. we start with some heart—breaking news for the bbc. the highly—respected journalist — and our much—loved colleague — george alagiah, has died. he was 67 and had been battling

bowel cancer since 2014. george won many awards in a hugely successful career which took him from southern africa to many other parts of the world. but many who worked with him — here at the bbc — and elsewhere — will remember him most — as a thoroughly decent, unfailingly kind—hearted and generous colleague. the bbc�*s director general, tim davie paid tribute to george's "kindness, empathy and wonderful humanity." our special correspondent allan little looks back at his life. three, two, one... go. the grand war on iraq has begun. millions knew him as the face of the 6:00 news. good evening and welcome to the 6:00 news. and for his calm, unflappable authority, good evening and welcome to the bbc�*s news at six. he was born in sri lanka in 1955 to christian tamil parents. as a child, the family moved to ghana. this is the road.

and he was swept up in the early optimism of a young nation newly independent of british colonial rule. we knew that africa was going to be united and that ghana and this country was going to be the centre of it. and i think that was the kind of dream. at 11, he was a migrant again, this time to england, where his parents enrolled him in a portsmouth boarding school. here, though, there was some racism, he learned to adapt to a new culture and to thrive. at durham university, he met his wife, frances. i think when we got married, we were aware of a sort of meeting of cultures. you can see that in the wedding photos. we've got two sons, adam and matthew. in a turbulent and often dangerous working life. she and their two boys were the still and unwavering center of his existence, his solid ground. and welcome to the rainbow nation. forjust over a year now,

south africa has been my base as the bbc�*s africa correspondent. i knew george as a foreign correspondent. we work together in africa, the continent whose fate ran through his life like a thread through cloth. so this is your house? oh, it's nice. it's nice. i thought of him as a kind of mentor. i was inspired by his example. he was brave, calm and kind. ok, you get the water from here and do that. i admired his gift for reaching into the hearts of those caught up in war or natural disaster, winning their trust even at the worst moments of their lives. in a refugee camp in eastern zaire. hundreds were dying every day of preventable illness. i asked her what she wanted from life. "ajob", she said, so i can look after little petty. in somalia, he met a woman whose ten—year—old daughter had just died. his own children were

about the same age. it seemed wrong to be there at what should have been a moment of private grief. she said it was all right if it might help to save her other daughter. i haven't the heart to count and it doesn't really matter. there were moments when he crossed the line between merely witnessing and actively intervening in the pain of others. we took those we could manage to the french military hospital. at times like this, it's impossible not to cross the line that divides us, the observers and those we observe. the rwandese translator we worked with then, told us his tutsi wife had been murdered by hutu extremists, but he was later accused of complicity in her murder and jailed. george wanted to know the truth, however painful, and went to find him in prison. the nature of their reunion, the power of it says something profound about the george we knew and his extraordinary talent. well, looking better than i thought. yes. hey, seth, can we go and talk somewhere? it's wonderful. he even charmed men at the heart

of sierra leone's normally secretive diamond trading business. the world of the so called blood diamond is nothing to write home about. no, this is about 2000, $2,500. so you're in the clear. in ghana, he went back to his old school. somewhere in here is me? yes. well done. he would later say that he was destined to spend his adult life in africa, dispelling the dream he had nurtured so carefully as a child. he was injohannesburg in the mandela years, a time of bright promise. mandela in his 70s was about to remarry. and now, sir, the future... you're a man in love? it is a wonderful moment for me as anybody else to be in love. when he returned to the uk,

he brought to the studio a wealth of wisdom and experience gathered over years on the road. though in the seconds before his first 6:00 news, there was some trepidation. at 6:00, these are tonight's top stories. he was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 after a grueling round of treatment and multiple operations. he couldn't wait to be back in the tumult of the newsroom. he was deeply moved by messages of support and affection sent in by countless viewers he'd never meet. and on his first day back, made this small concession. and i just want to say, it's good to be back with you. that's all. off screen, george was funny, clever, a generous and confiding friend and full of energetic hope. there was something infectious about his optimism. you always walked away from time with george feeling better about the human race and the world in general. and that's the bbc�*s news at six. the migrant boy whose family left sri lanka with nothing found his home in a changing britain. and he took this country to his heart.

it's goodbye. the news continues, though, here on bbc one. i watched george for years up close and thought this of him, that people wanted to tell him their story because in his journalism they saw the outstretched hand of a shared humanity and of solidarity. so many tributes being paid to judge. let's hearfrom someone who worked closely with him. first judge. let's hear from someone who worked closely with him.— worked closely with him. first and foremost, worked closely with him. first and foremost. i _ worked closely with him. first and foremost, i would _ worked closely with him. first and foremost, i would like _ worked closely with him. first and foremost, i would like to - worked closely with him. first and foremost, i would like to come . worked closely with him. first and l foremost, i would like to come play my deepest sympathies to george's family. to his friends and indeed his colleagues. particularly his wife who stood by him throughout his cancer challenge. and also his two sons, adam and matty. together with their young children, george's

grandchildren. we are saddened, my family certainly and i, and many other colleagues, by the news of george's passing. i spent a lot of time with george. as alan mentioned there, we travelled across the continent of africa and went to zimbabwe. we went to sierra leone, liberia, the congo, kenny. all of those countries, we travelled together. and when you travel together. and when you travel together in places that going through turmoil, it bonds you and you become closer. we became more than colleagues, we became friends. and in fact, i was very proud when george graciously agreed to be the godfather to my son who was born in 2001. that brought to the families together. george was at my wedding in 1998. we have a picture of him

here at home on the display when he was standing at my parents in law's house at my wife's home. many memories that we shared. we travelled to iraq together. at the time when there was a flight plan so you couldn't fly into iraq under saddam hussein's regime. the only way we could get there to report for the bbc was to fly into jordan way we could get there to report for the bbc was to fly intojordan into a man and drive 15 hours across the desert to baghdad. george and i did the strips together. we spoke about our families, the strips together. we spoke about ourfamilies, what the strips together. we spoke about our families, what they meant to us, and of course, we were looking at the prospect that even we could be in the same fate as the iraqi people and get injured or worse. so as we were reporting, we were actually thinking about what it means to be alive. with me is the bbc�*s media and

arts correspondent, david sillito. david, we have a life page that is “p david, we have a life page that is up and running on the bbc website. it is remarkable the wonderful tributes that are coming in for george and they alljust reflect him in such a lovely way. one that i am just reading now is from our colleague nick 0'brien to use to work at the bbc. he is now in australia. he said something that i think is so true. it is rare in our industry for someone to be so universally loved.— industry for someone to be so universally loved. that is exactly it. i universally loved. that is exactly it- i looked _ universally loved. that is exactly it. i looked at _ universally loved. that is exactly it. i looked at from _ universally loved. that is exactly it. i looked at from nick - universally loved. that is exactly it. i looked at from nick and - it. i looked at from nick and occasionally i am asked by people, they say, what is that person that you really like? and you have to answer, well, and with george it really was what you saw on screen. the warmth, sincerity, the decency, compassion. he was so gentle. very serious, as well, about hisjob. everyone is saying the same thing. they all met at the same person. what really interested me with a

number of people as well was that they said that he took some time with me, he gave me some advice, he gave me some help, he was quietly kind behind the scenes as well. people would not be feeling this way across the bbc news today, and much further as well, if it wasn't entirely true. i often think to myself, why do journalists get story sometimes? and they get stories because... he was in the 90s going to places where he really was seeing the worst of the world. the worst tragedies and a dreadful thing is that he saw. he was having to get people to speak to him and people react to an energy about somebody. they very quickly work out whether or not you are sincere. whether you are decent. whether you are a person to be trusted with a story.— to be trusted with a story. whether the want to be trusted with a story. whether they want to _ to be trusted with a story. whether they want to share _ to be trusted with a story. whether they want to share their _ to be trusted with a story. whether they want to share their story - to be trusted with a story. whether they want to share their story with | they want to share their story with you? they want to share their story with ou? ~ , ., ., , ., you? whether they want to share with ou. you? whether they want to share with yom peeple — you? whether they want to share with you- people know _ you? whether they want to share with you. people know it _ you? whether they want to share with you. people know it within _ you? whether they want to share with you. people know it within seconds. i you. people know it within seconds. they can meet you and look you in

the eye and see you. he was one of those people who you looked in the eye and you went, yes, i trust you. he came with that. and also, he had a background that was different. you know, born in sri lanka. his primary school days and the newly independent to ghana. he brought a different sensibility to his reporting, based on having a different background. find reporting, based on having a different background. and the fact that he was _ different background. and the fact that he was such _ different background. and the fact that he was such an _ different background. and the fact that he was such an advocate - different background. and the fact that he was such an advocate for. that he was such an advocate for africa and other stories that he was passionate about. he gave them importance, he raised the profile of some of those stories. we care because he could.— some of those stories. we care because he could. absolutely. it was really interesting _ because he could. absolutely. it was really interesting watching _ because he could. absolutely. it was really interesting watching him - really interesting watching him returning to ghana, because he went in as a child in 1961, newly independent ghana, and that feeling of the early days of independence and hope and seeing the pleasures and hope and seeing the pleasures and the joy. and hope and seeing the pleasures and thejoy. so much of and hope and seeing the pleasures and the joy. so much of the africa

reporting has been over the years what next tragedy will route report for? but he was coming from a sensibility of, well, this is the place ofjoy and hope and people living their lives. people doing well. and because he had lived it and knew it. i think that made a huge difference. some of the interesting things about the reactions today are the number of people who are growing up and saying, hang on a second, there is someone who looks like me reading the news. someone who looks likely reporting. in the number of households where they go, hold on, judges and the news. people would come and they will look and they would say, there is a different face there. he says he was the first person of colour who was a bbc foreign correspondent. and i thought back and i thought, yes... it is living memory. back in the late 80s. he brought with it that background

and that approach to the world. that decency. and that approach to the world. that decen . , ., ., , decency. there will be not a dry house upstairs. _ decency. there will be not a dry house upstairs. a _ decency. there will be not a dry house upstairs. a dry _ decency. there will be not a dry house upstairs. a dry eye - decency. there will be not a dry house upstairs. a dry eye in - decency. there will be not a dry house upstairs. a dry eye in the house upstairs i mean. in the newsroom. we are all overwhelmed by reading some of the tributes and remembering him. please do go on to the website and look at what people are saying. david, thank you so much. it really is lovely. david and i were just reflecting as well, he was so kind to us. he shed his support, he shed his kindness, he was a lovely, lovely man. do log on and just take a look at some of the things that people are saying as we remember and reflect on the live of george alagiah. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. michael gove has announced his intention is to relax planning rules intention is to relax planning rules in england to build more homes into

towns and cities. his plans to aim towns and cities. his plans to aim to address the country's housing crisis by allowing more home extensions and conversions of shops into houses. the government has insisted that it will need its manifesto commitment to build a million new homes by 202a. add run charity has preached in court for being a member of the banned group. the prosecution said it is known in north america as the islamic thinker society. choudhury has been charged with addressing meetings to encourage support for the banned organisation. police have charged a man with the murder of a woman found deadin man with the murder of a woman found dead in the churchyard of lincolnshire. collect law who was 26 was found in a tent in the grounds last week. you're live with bbc news.

police have used water cannons and are battling protesters on the streets ofjerusalem. the reform is aimed to curb the form. if they are passed, the supreme court would no longer have the power to overrule government ministerial decisions which it deems to be unreasonable. the power of the supreme court to review our throughout laws would be weakened with a simple majority able to overturn decisions. the government would have a decisive say who becomes a judge. including in the supreme court by increasing its representation on the committee which appoints them. ministers would no longer be required to obey the advice of their legal advisers, guided by the attorney general. heading to the unfolding drama as well, we have seen the prime

minister being discharged from hospital and he had an operation to have a pacemakerfitted. his medical condition didn't keep away from the can s it and he is seen here entering the chamber earlier today. we have seen a lot of him throughout the day after having that pacemaker fitted on sunday. paul adams is in jerusalem for us and explained the events unfolding in the parliament earlier. irate events unfolding in the parliament earlier. ~ . . events unfolding in the parliament earlier. ~ ., ., ., ., earlier. we are having a debate that is auoin to earlier. we are having a debate that is going to go _ earlier. we are having a debate that is going to go on — earlier. we are having a debate that is going to go on all _ earlier. we are having a debate that is going to go on all afternoon - earlier. we are having a debate that is going to go on all afternoon and l is going to go on all afternoon and into the evening. in the building that you can see right behind me. essentially, what they are dealing with are scores of objections to the bill that the government is bringing to web vote tonight. that bill is just a small part of benjamin's wider plans to reform the judiciary here in israel. but it is a key part. it is what is known as the reasonable best cars. that is the ability of the supreme court justices to reject the government's decisions on the basis of whether or

not there's decisions are reasonable. it is something that has been at stake in a number of key issues in the past. for the protesters who have been gathered outside the building and outside the supreme court, they say is, in their view, the thin end of the wedge. this is the beginning of an erosion of the checks and balances that exist in israel's democratic system. which they fear will lead to a more authoritarian government. unshackled by any kind of legal niceties and able to do and a point and say whatever they want. that is why you are seeing such heated protests and such critical protests from key people. don't forget, this is a country that prides itself on being ready to go to war at any moment. now, some of the people who will be called upon to do precisely that, in particular airforce pilots called upon to do precisely that, in particular air force pilots and called upon to do precisely that, in particular airforce pilots and many other reservists, have said that if

this one measure passes tonight, they will not be willing to serve in they will not be willing to serve in the future. that is how critical this issue has become.- the future. that is how critical this issue has become. lets you show ou the this issue has become. lets you show you the scene — this issue has become. lets you show you the scene outside _ this issue has become. lets you show you the scene outside the _ this issue has become. lets you show you the scene outside the building . you the scene outside the building injerusalem. you can see so many protesters are out on the street at the moment. to confirm for you, we have seen the israeli parliament are proving a key part of the judicial reforms proposed by the government. they were voted through because there had been talks of a compromise earlier, president hertzog was involved in that. they collapsed because the opposition parties decided to boycott the vote. we have seen a key part of the reforms being proposed and being voted through. the news just in because proposed and being voted through. the newsjust in because it proposed and being voted through. the news just in because it is developing all the time is that opponents are now appealing this traditional reform plan passed just a short time ago. as you can see, out on the streets there are still a huge amount of protesters. some of

the biggest we've seen in israeli history. things looked calm early but earlier there were some scuffles and police used water cannons out on the streets ofjerusalem. we will keep across all of those developments for you in israel throughout the day. there's a political stalemate in spain after sunday's snap general election failed to produce a decisive winner. neither the right nor the left have a clear route to forming a new government. the conservative people's party, led by alberto n ez feij o, won the most seats, but fell short of a majority. mr feij o said the task fell to him to try to form a government and urged other parties not to stand in his way. the outgoing governing socialists fared better than had been predicted, with the prime minister pedro s nchez claiming voters had emphatically rejected right—wing policies. more than eighty wildfires are now burning in greece,

with tens of thousands of residents and tourists forced to flee. the greek government says it's launched the biggest rescue of its kind in response to the emergency. this footage was filmed in island of corfu on sunday evening. over 2000 people have been evacuated from the island. and this video was filmed in a corfu hotel, as guests were dining. the government says it has sent boats to evacuate residents by sea, if required. the greek emergency services are dealing with several fires — including two in areas east and south west of the capital, athens. and as well as the blaze on corfu, the eastern island of rhodes has also been badly hit. 0ne fire brigade official there says around one in ten of the hotels in the central and south eastern parts of the island have been affected. this satellite image gives an idea of where the worst fires have been burning. you can see how the flames and smoke — shown in red — have made their way to a popular part of the coastline. and this is what those flames look like from the ground.

many people have gone to the airport, to take an evacuation flight home, after their accomodation was destroyed. 0ur correspondent azadeh moshiri is at the airport — and she gave me an idea of how the people were feeling... anger is exactly the right word. that's what we've been hearing throughout the day. and that anger is firmly directed at the airlines because they feel that after they've been through so many traumatic experiences, they literally escaped fires, they had orange haze around them. they made it to boats that people were fighting over. and they get to the airport and they feel like they didn't get the support that they expected from travel companies. it's worth listening to exactly what they said. the greek people started to turn up with food and water and supplies. they've been amazing. the only help that we have had through this whole thing has been from greek people. we've had no help from any any british holiday companies or any british authorities who've had no help whatsoever.

generic texts with phone numbers to phone for help. and when you phone them that it's automated or they listen to what you've got to say and then they get no help comes. no support whatsoever. i am absolutely disgusted. i worked in travel myself 25 years ago. i know how it should be run. nothing. i'm absolutely disgusted. absolutely disgusted. now, when i spoke to kelly, she did say that she received so much kindness from the people of rhodes, at the airport. there is a table that is being replenished with greek treats, peanut butter sandwiches, warm food and water bottles for people who have been sleeping here overnight and are alljust arriving now for their repatriation flights. but the fact is that now, easyjet, tui, a lot of them are sending more staff to respond to some of the concerns that kelly did share there. lets find out what is actually happening with the weather at the moment_ happening with the weather at the moment is taking to how a presenter.

0ne moment is taking to how a presenter. one of— moment is taking to how a presenter. one of the _ moment is taking to how a presenter. one of the big issues is the wind, thatis one of the big issues is the wind, that is what is fanning the fires, how windy is it right now? absolutely, it spreads like wildfire. the wind is blowing out the north—west. these are the temperatures, a0 degrees. it is obviously bone dry. gusts of about 30 miles an hour or so. any wildfires that break out in the islands tend to spread southward and eastwards. so we have rhodes there, corfu here. really nasty conditions in terms of the heat. it is just going to get hotter over the next couple of days. pare going to get hotter over the next coople of days-— going to get hotter over the next couple of days. are we expecting this teacher _ couple of days. are we expecting this teacher lasted _ couple of days. are we expecting this teacher lasted much - couple of days. are we expecting this teacher lasted much longer? couple of days. are we expecting l this teacher lasted much longer? it is going to last certainly in greece for another couple of days or sober to the peak of the heat will be another part of the mediterranean. here is sicily, today we have the highest temperature ever recorded in palermo. it got up to a5 degrees. today, also a7 has been registered in sicily. tomorrow we could get a7a8 degrees. really hot weather, but it does look as though things are going to off... well, turn less

hot over the next couple of days. we see a jet stream dripping in from the south so will get temperatures closer to a round of the seasonal norm there. but i think a couple more days of this extreme heat. titers; more days of this extreme heat. very briefl , more days of this extreme heat. very briefly. looking _ more days of this extreme heat. very briefly, looking at _ more days of this extreme heat. very briefly, looking at fighterjet stream, is that weight is just the mediterranean being affected? mediterranean being affected ? absolutely. mediterranean being affected? absolutely. let's take a look at the big picture across our neck of the woods. thejet big picture across our neck of the woods. the jet stream big picture across our neck of the woods. thejet stream has been generally quite fast out here. it is quite a strong one. a big temperature contrast between the southern climes and further north so thatis southern climes and further north so that is why we have quite a rush of wind there. that is also why it has been so miserable in the other parts of europe. notice that deep in the jet stream there, over the next couple of days, that is going to help the temperatures ease little bit. ., , ., ., ., bit. that is good to hear, thanks forjoining _ bit. that is good to hear, thanks forjoining us. — bit. that is good to hear, thanks forjoining us, to _ bit. that is good to hear, thanks forjoining us, to stay _ bit. that is good to hear, thanks forjoining us, to stay with - bit. that is good to hear, thanks forjoining us, to stay with us. .

the mixed bag continues over what was a mixed weekend. the weather was more typical this weekend of autumn andindeed more typical this weekend of autumn and indeed a little change is expected for the rest of this week. and quite possibly into august as well. i want to show you the weather system is developing across the north atlantic and heading in our direction in this wide picture here. let's have a look at this animation once again. you can see the cloud, the outbreaks of rain and this undulating jet stream. where we see these troughs in the jet stream, thatis these troughs in the jet stream, that is where the low pressure centre form. crucially, over the next few days, the jet stream will be generally to the south of us. an autumn —like pattern, hence that colder air streaming in from the north keeping things very fresh horrors. fortoday, north keeping things very fresh horrors. for today, a lot of cloud across the uk and it will thicken in the second half of the day. this is where the showers will be in the southern areas. it is not raining

all the time today there will be decent sunny spells but it is on the cool side. temperatures will be around 16 to 18 degrees. tonight again, it is the same pattern. there will be clear spells here and there that shows up once again becoming more frequent in scotland and a few showers elsewhere. not too cold in city centres, around nine to 11 celsius, but in rural spot, as is always the case, it will be a little bit colder. tomorrow starts off quite bright and even sunny in some areas. this is relatively what we call unstable air so that means the clouds tend to grow quite quickly and produce sharp showers. some of the showers will be quite heavy across northern parts of england and southern scotland. in this sort of situation, the best bit of weather tends to be out to add to the south—west. particular coastal areas. i showed you that animation early run with a jet stream and the developing weather systems, he was a different look of it. this is an area of low pressure approaching is very early on wednesday. early in the day i think there will be some

very decent weather particularly in northern and eastern parts of the country. but then quickly, this next when front will sweep in and bring outbreaks of rain and certainly at times the rain could be heavy and it has already been a very wet month. and if you look at the outlook throughout the week and into the weekend, it is unsettled.

a double box—office blockbuster — barbie and 0ppenheimer take the cinemas by storm, providing the big screen with its biggest footfall in four years. and bye—bye blue bird. twitter becomes x — but will the new logo revive the fortunes of elon musk�*s social media giant? welcome to world business report, i'm ben thompson. let's start with two movies which have got the world's attention at the box office this past weekend. barbie and 0ppenheimer delivered the strongest opening weekend at the box office this year as fans rushed to experience the barbenheimer phenomenon. following a marketing blitz from toymaker mattel and warner bros, the barbie film was always expected to do well. globally its estimated to have made around $337 million during its opening weekend. in north america, barbie made $155 million