that, of course, was someone�*s livelihood completely destroyed. this is where there were sunbeds. two buses arrived and there was a scramble. there was women, children, screaming their lungs out. it was just horrific. the foreign office advice is to stick very close - to your tour company. they are the people, - the tour operators, who know best what you should do. on the greek island of rhodes the fires are still burning and extra flights are trying to get people out. we'll look at the emergency operation and the damage that's being done. also in the programme. in israel the mass protests haven't worked. the parliament passes

a controversial bill to limit the power of the courts. we'll have the tributes to bbc news reader george alagiah, who's died at the age of 67. and we'll look at what's going on at twitter — why is it being rebranded as x? start in greece. strong words from prime minister. he says the climate crisis is already here, and greece is at war. more than 80 wildfires are burning right now. he says the mediterranean region would face even greater disasters as a result of climate change. the islands of rhodes, corfu and evia have been worst hit. parts of the mainland are on high alert. tens of thousands of locals and tourists have been evacuated. the european union has sent firefighter reinforcements to help. from lindos, our correspondent jenny hill sent this report. it seems like a miracle no—one was hurt. fire swept through this resort.

not much left behind. those were once water skis. so much of this island still looks... ..well, idyllic. and then you take a few steps and you come across a scene... ..well, like this. it's still smouldering. that, of course, was someone�*s livelihood, completely destroyed. this is where there were sunbeds just a few days ago. it wasn't just tourists who scrambled to safety. i was crying. it was making me feel terrible. edisa and herfamily, who all work in the hotels here, had to get out, too. when we met them, they'd only just learned their house had survived the fire. for the tourists, it was a really terrifying and bad experience, but for us, i think it's worse, because we live here. everything is burned. not everything. this hotel, one of the most

luxurious in lindos, escaped damage. but the guests are gone, and much of the surrounding countryside is destroyed. if you have seen the scenery around, it's like a biblical catastrophe. the hotel is a hotel that will be rebuilt and repainted, but the nature outside is the most important thing that we need to check what we are going to do because all of this is a result of the environmental crisis that we are facing. and all day, despite every effort, the fires have raged on, strong winds fanning the flames. it's far too soon to properly assess the damage done here. but on the nearby beach, a business owner had come to take a look. we lose the business. we arem _ we have good health, _ and we are hopeful to fix it again. it's a sign ofjust how quickly things change. the winds very strong now, and we've been told we need to get out, because the fire may

be coming towards us. it seems unstoppable. firefighters now battling to save more villages from the flames. all those who fled can do can is watch and hope. can do is watch and hope. jenny hill, bbc news, lindos. wildlife is particularly hard hit by the fires. no proper on site assessment is possible yet, but it's thought 12% of the area that's burnt in rhodes is a protected area, where animals like european fallow deer live. rhodes has 1,300 species of plants, with eight of these being locally endemic. these numbers come from the environmental ngo wwf on the ground. earlier, i spoke to their director, demetres karavellas. well, wildfires are quite common in mediterranean ecosystems. they have become adapted

to wildfires, but the reality is these wildfires are more frequent and more intense. it is not just it is notjust happening in greece, but many other count rips throughout the mediterranean. we heard it might be related to the climate crisis and the prime minister said there is a war on the climate crisis and the forest fires. well the reality is that the climate crisis is creating more favourable conditions for forest fires, but it is not the climate crisis itself that is responsible for the fires in the first place. we responsible for the fires in the first place-— responsible for the fires in the first place. responsible for the fires in the first lace. ~ ., ., first place. we looked at some of the damage _ first place. we looked at some of the damage being _ first place. we looked at some of the damage being done. - is there anything in a practical sense after the fire is burned through, after it's been put out, that your organisation

can actually do? in many cases, forests can naturally regenerate. one thing we need to do is ensure that we can allow mother nature to do its job and allow these forests to regenerate. in those areas that have been burned two or three times, we may have to re—forest these areas on the basis of scientific studies and what the right type of species. because it's important to be respectful of what the ecosystem look like and what the ecosystem all about. we can do that, we can also see how we can actually allow these areas to be natural forests rather than having a very important threat in the mediterranean. having for example illegal buildings built in places where forest existed in the past. i think there's also a lot to be done so that we don't face

forest fires like this in the future, and that means more and more potential, actually investing time and resources to make sure these forests are managed. to israel now. protests are continuing after parliament approved a key part of a judicial reform plan. the reform will limit the powers of the supreme court to challenge government decisions. this was inside parliament. the law was voted through after the collapse of compromise talks, brokered by the country's president. opposition parties boycotted the vote. look at this. outside parliament and across the country. furious protestors have called the move an attack on democracy, and are continuing on the streets ofjerusalem. israel'sjustice minister said the government will ensure the will of voters is respected. these are live pictures from tel aviv. there have been a number of small fires on the streets and we have seen authorities put out those fires sporadically. also we can see

streets full of stationery traffic as people are out with their flags. it is i should say not a spontaneous protest, thousands upon thousands of protesters have been on the streets pretty much every weekend of most of this year. it has been a sustained campaign against these changes, against these reforms to the judiciary. but they have been unsuccessful, they have not worked. binyamin netanyahu, the prime minister, his government, have passed these reforms in parliament. theirjustification is they say passed these reforms in parliament. their justification is they say the power of the supreme court is out of balance and it is antidemocratic and that therefore means these changes are necessary. the protesters say this move by binyamin netanyahu is in fact antidemocratic. it doesn't seem like there is any particular

compromise or way through right now. the protesters are still out on the streets. earlier, i spoke to uri abulof — who is an associate professor at tel—aviv university s school of political science about 25% of the population are taking part in the protests and for the past two weeks, specially over the past two weeks, specially over the past two weeks, specially over the past week, it has come into a sort of summit of people running in the streets trying to make their voice heard. unfortunately, the current government has not heard the voices. ., _ current government has not heard the voices. ., ., ., , voices. you say unfortunately, the government's— voices. you say unfortunately, the government's position _ voices. you say unfortunately, the government's position is - voices. you say unfortunately, the government's position is that - voices. you say unfortunately, the government's position is that the, j government's position is that the, this is a move in favour of democracy, that the courts are too powerful and they're addressing the balance? . , ., ., balance? that is a rhetorical mechanism. _ balance? that is a rhetorical mechanism, if— balance? that is a rhetorical mechanism, if democracy i balance? that is a rhetorical i mechanism, if democracy was balance? that is a rhetorical - mechanism, if democracy was at the heart of it, it would be different. israel has no checks and balances

that we see in many liberal democracies over than the judicial system. even if we would settle for a minimalist understanding of democracy, that is the will of the people, then at the very least they should have tried to go for a referendum. the fact that they did everything in their power not to listen to the people expressed the fear they have. talk listen to the people expressed the fear they have.— fear they have. talk us through in simle fear they have. talk us through in simple term _ fear they have. talk us through in simple term what _ fear they have. talk us through in simple term what are _ fear they have. talk us through in simple term what are the - fear they have. talk us through in i simple term what are the changes? this is the first step that the current coalition is trying to implement. it is overrule the supreme court's capacity to use what is referred to as the reasonableness clause in order to make rulings in regard to any legislation. the over all move is to eradicate the separation of power.

i'm joined now by former us ambassador to israel and senior fellow at harvard's belfer center, edward djerejian. thank you for coming on the programme. ma; thank you for coming on the programme-— thank you for coming on the i programme._ we thank you for coming on the - programme._ we have programme. my pleasure. we have these live pictures, _ programme. my pleasure. we have these live pictures, extraordinary i these live pictures, extraordinary scenes, with the protesters still out on the streets, what do you make of that? ~ , , , . out on the streets, what do you make ofthat? ~ , , , . ., of that? well this is such a consequential— of that? well this is such a consequential political - of that? well this is such a consequential political and j of that? well this is such a - consequential political and basic legal crisis in israel that you could say the country is divided and the stakes are so high, because this legislation that has just been passed in israel amends the basic law, they do not have a constituency, they have a basic law, that really undermines to a significant extent the whole concept of checks and balances between the executive and the legislature. so

they represent a big political agenda behind this on the part of rule commission led by the prime minister binyamin netanyahu, the most right—wing nationalist zionist government in israel's history. their political agenda is clear, they want to proceed with the very right—wing policies of civil of their ministers in the coalition. they want to continue the israeli settlement projects in the west bank. they want to diminish the ability of the supreme court to use its reasonableness clause to vote on or to decide on ministerial appointments and other basic decisions that the government have made. ~ ., decisions that the government have made. . . . decisions that the government have made. ~ . ., ., ., made. what about the position of the government — made. what about the position of the government that _ made. what about the position of the government that actually _ made. what about the position of the government that actually the - government that actually the government, people have gone out,

they have voted, this is democracy in action, they view that the courts could be overreaching, they're standing up for democracy? yes. could be overreaching, they're standing up for democracy? yes, well there is a democratic— standing up for democracy? yes, well there is a democratic process - standing up for democracy? yes, well there is a democratic process under i there is a democratic process under way, israel is a democracy and this is a part of their democratic process. but obviously the very unique and extraordinary reaction of the body politic virtually more than half the other part of country demonstrating on mass and taking other actions to try to get the binyamin netanyahu government to pause this basic law amendment and go to a referendum or to at least try to garner a broader consensus. the opposition asked for a delay in

making this decision, going ahead with this legislation today, this was ignored by binyamin netanyahu and his coalition partners and the president of the united states very extraordinarily made an appeal, a public appeal, private and public, to the government not delay this vote and go for a larger consensus. what about that? because critics of binyamin netanyahu have been calling for the us to play a bigger role here, what does it show? either that the u. s doesn't have the influence it once did or the fact it hasn't used its influence as much as it could? ., , ., used its influence as much as it could? . , ., could? that is a good question. i think the united _ could? that is a good question. i think the united states - could? that is a good question. i think the united states is - could? that is a good question. i think the united states is the - could? that is a good question. i l think the united states is the most influential outside power in israel for all the obvious reasons of our strong support for israel since its creation. but the fact remains that what this government did is simply

ignore the advice of the united states president and i believe this will have consequences, as president biden has made clear a fundamental part of israeli/us relationship is not only based on politics and military and national security issues, but also on values. and in the american administration's opinion, this ruling, orthis the american administration's opinion, this ruling, or this new legislation, really diminishes the basic premises of israel's democracy. basic premises of israel's democracy-— around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some stories making news across the uk. the housing secretary michael gove has announced his intentions to relax planning rules in england to create more homes in towns and cities.

the plans aim to address the country's housing crisis by allowing more home extensions and conversions of shops into houses. the government has insisted it will meet its manifesto commitment to build a million new homes by 202a. the radical preacher, anjem choudary has been charged with three terror offences. the 56—year—old from east london is due to appear before westminster magistrates later on monday on charges including directing a terrorist organisation. police have charged a man with the murder of a woman found dead in a churchyard in lincolnshire. colette law, 26, was found in a tent in the grounds of st mary and st nicholas church in spalding on last week. paul neilson, who's 30 and of no fixed address, is due before magistrates on monday. you're live with bbc news. george alagiah, one of the bbc�*s most highly—respected, and much—loved presenters, has died.

he was 67 and he'd been living with bowel cancer since 2014. george died at home with his family today — nine years after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. george won many awards in a hugely successful career which took him from southern africa to many other parts of the world. the bbc�*s director general, tim davie, described him as "one of the best and bravestjournalists of his generation". but above all he was a very fine human being — as his friend and colleague allan little now reports. three, two, one... go tape. at six o'clock — the ground war on iraq has begun. millions knew him as the face of the six 0'clock news... good evening and welcome to the six o'clock 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, this country, was going to be at the centre of it, and i think that was a 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 centre 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 worked together in africa, the continent whose fate ran through his life like a thread through cloth. so, this is where... your house? hey? 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, seth ngarambe, 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. you're looking well, you're 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. this is the biggest you've seen all day and... the world of the so—called blood diamond. this is something to write home about? no, this is about $2,000, $2,500. so you're in the clear? in ghana, he went back to his old school. somewhere in here is me. go on, 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 six o'clock news, there was some trepidation. at six o'clock, these are tonight's top stories... he was diagnosed with cancer in 2014. after a gruelling 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 would never meet. and on his first day back made this a small concession. and i just want to say it's...good to be back with you. 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. remembering george alagiah. now, i want to take you back to tel aviv. there have been continuing protests on the streets. a hugely significant moment for israel and the country. you can see there is a small fire burning. there have been a number of very small fires on the streets of tel aviv and every now and again the authorities put them out. we have been watching the pictures for the last couple of hours. they are protesting because of what happened in parliament, binyamin netanyahu

and his government passed a reform limiting the power of the supreme court, limiting its ability to overturn government decisions. these protesters on the streets are angry at that decision. they say it is antidemocratic and it is this government destroying checks and balances in the system. i should say these protests are big and are going through the night, it is coming up to midnight in tel aviv, but they are farfrom new. thousands have been out on the streets across the country weekend after weekend throughout this year. they were hoping to stop or at least delay these reforms, but they have been unsuccessful. opposition parties inside the parliament today boycotted the vote, which means the bill was passed. it is the first of a few different reforms here, part

of a bigger package. as for the government and binyamin netanyahu, he says the reforms are necessary, they are prodemocratic, the courts have been overreaching and he has his supporters in his right—wing government. as we can see, as the camera zooms in, you can see a bit of the tension between authorities and protesters out on the streets. traffic has stopped in other live pictures that we have, as protesters are on the streets there. we have been keeping across these pictures over the last few hours and we will continue to do so deep, deep division in israel. hello. southern parts of europe are still baking in that heatwave, whereas in our neck of the woods

the weather is the exact opposite, it's changeable, it's rainy. it's on the cool side and the outlook remains the same for the rest ofjuly and also into august. unsettled with rain at times, frequent showers and, in fact, large weather systems being spawned by the fairly strong jet stream across the atlantic, and here is the animation over the next five days or so. the forecast showing that meandering jet stream, and meandering jet stream is an indication of these low pressures being spawned across the atlantic. now, the jet stream has crucially been to the south of us, which means that that cooler air has been often invading us from the northern climes, whereas in the south, we've got the heat. and indeed, on tuesday, sicily may once again hit 47 celsius, we had that on monday. this could happen again on tuesday. we could even nudge up to around 48 celsius, which would come close to the all—time european temperature record — the maximum. let's have a look at the weather across our part of the world for the next few hours. satellite picture showing a fair amount of cloud across the uk.

it's been a showery day for many of us, and this is the case through tonight. there will be clear spells around here and there, but frequent showers crossing parts of northern and central scotland, and there will be showers elsewhere out towards the southwest. the early morning temperatures around 8—11 celsius. so the forecast for tuesday then shows a fair amount of bright weather first thing, even some decent lengthy spells of sunshine, but then the clouds will once again bubble up in this unstable air mass, and we will see showers forming, heaviest of which should occur across these more eastern and northeastern parts of the country. i think the best of the weather will be the further west you are, and certainly closer to the coast. temperatures 17—21 celsius. now, here's another weather map, a different look with the pressure lines there, the isobars, and at low pressure approaching us, our neck of the woods, on wednesday. now, early in the day, i think there will be some sunshine around, but through the afternoon, this weather front will spread across the country. initially, it will turn wet in northern ireland and these western fringes of the uk,

but come the evening hours, i think all of us will have least some rain. here's the outlook for the week ahead and into the weekend, very little change, unsettled, temperatures below average.

hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones. you're watching the context on bbc news.

twitter�*s blue bird is dumped as elon musk changes the platform's logo to x. we'll be gauging the reaction. let me introduce you to our panel. caroline flint, former labour party government minister and mp. leigh ann caldwell — the washington post live anchor. we will hear their thoughts in a moment or two. first i want to take you to sudan. first i want to take you to sudan. monday marks 100 days since the war in sudan started. 20 years on from darfur s genocide, it s that same region that is seeing the most casualties today. human rights groups have called it an ethnic cleansing. the para—military rapid support forces — rsf has been fighting the sudanese

army in khartoum since mid april.