live from london. this is bbc news. pakistan's army launches a rescue operation for eight people including six children trapped in a cable car over a remote valley. thailand's parliament votes in a new prime minister hours after a former pm thaksin shinawatra is sent to prison. after the baby killer lucy letby is jailed in the uk, there are calls for health service managers to face tougher regulation. hello, i'm lucy hockings, welcome to bbc news now, 3 hours welcome to bbc news now, three hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. let's start with some dramatic developments in pakistan. military helicopters and commandos have begun a rescue operation to free eight people including six

school children who are stuck in a cable car. they are dangling precariously above a river bed in the mountainous khyber pakhtunkhwa province. the children were on their way to school when two cables of the aerial trolley snapped. lots of people on the ground watching the rescue operation, a huge amount of concern about what might happen. with me is our reporter courtney bembridge. how is the rescue operation going? in the pictures we just so we can see that the army has sent a couple of helicopters to the area but the rotor blades from the helicopters could disrupt the cables, so it is precarious, we can see the images now, it is hanging on its side, the cable car, it is an open cable car which means that the doors on each side, there is nothing to stop people falling out, which is adding to the risk, and the fact that there are children on board. we have heard from one of the men on board, he is

20 years old, and he has been in contact with some of our colleagues working on this story and he has said that there are eight people on board, that most of them are children aged between 15 and 20, and he said, sorry, there are also children aged 10—15, he said that one of them is a student who is 16 years old and has a heart condition. so, when we see some of those images and we saw the soldier, we have got some still images of the soldier being lowered to the area from the helicopter, there is some question about whether he was actually giving supplies to the people, rather than undertaking the actual rescue. perhaps just reassuring them as well that things were in hand and that they were doing what they could. why were their children on board the cable call, because i read that they were going to school?— were going to school? yeah, so, it is a very mountainous _ were going to school? yeah, so, it is a very mountainous region - were going to school? yeah, so, it is a very mountainous region as i were going to school? yeah, so, it| is a very mountainous region as you can see from the images and it is very common to use cable cars to get from one mountainous village to another, but of course there are safety concerns and the caretaker

prime minister has said that we need to look into it, the authorities need to look into the safety of all of these type of cable cars. and we've got some images i think we can show you of the type of cable cars we are talking about here that have been uploaded previously, there they are, they have been uploaded previously to the internet, this is the type of thing that we are talking about, i can't confirm that thatis talking about, i can't confirm that that is the exact cable car in the incident but you can see that they are common and in the mountainous terrain, it is the best way, this is described as a very beautiful region but very difficult to get around by road so often relying on this kind of thing. road so often relying on this kind of thin. ., ., , , , of thing. so, what now? everybody is followin: of thing. so, what now? everybody is following this — of thing. so, what now? everybody is following this around _ of thing. so, what now? everybody is following this around the _ of thing. so, what now? everybody is following this around the world - of thing. so, what now? everybody is following this around the world now, | following this around the world now, as well as on the ground, i saw pictures of people gathered to watch, but the army is obviously committed to staying and trying to make this work?— committed to staying and trying to make this work? yeah, you can see the crowds — make this work? yeah, you can see the crowds gathered _ make this work? yeah, you can see the crowds gathered watching - make this work? yeah, you can see the crowds gathered watching and i make this work? yeah, you can see i the crowds gathered watching and the whole nation and the world watching on to make sure that this has a positive outcome but it is going to take some time and they affected also by wind conditions, gusting

winds in the area could affect the cable and the rotor blades of the helicopter meaning that that risk needs to be carefully managed, so they will continue to try to reach them by helicopter, as they have said that is really the only way. it is so dramatic and such a worrying time, thank you so much, courtney bembridge. and you can keep across those developments on the website. well, there are fast moving developments too in thailand, world leaders have started arriving injohannesburg for a meeting of the group known as brics, brazil, russia, india, china and south africa. these are pictures of china's leader xijinping touching down. the summit will shine a light on the member nations' links with the kremlin. the russian president vladimir putin will be attending by video link due to a threat of arrest for alleged war crimes.

mr putin has sent his foreign minister sergei lavrov who was welcomed by a troupe of traditional dancers at the airport. the term brics was first mentioned by a british economist in new york who grouped together brazil, russia, india and china. they were four economies with a high potential for growth who all had large populations. even though the four nations had dramatically different political systems the term stuck and the bric countries held their first official meeting in 2009 in russia. a year later south africa joined and it became known as brics. they're touted by many as an emerging diplomatic rival to the g7 group of nations which is dominated by western democracies. live now tojohannesburg to speak to our correspondent nomsa maseko. we have some live pictures of the world leaders arriving. live now tojohannesburg to speak to our correspondent nomsa maseko.

the focus today, nomsa, very much on the relationship between china and south africa, what can we expect? well, there was a meeting that was held between south africa's president of cyril ramaphosa and the chinese president xijinping president of cyril ramaphosa and the chinese president xi jinping at the union buildings earlier today and part of the discussions that were held there include trade relations, discussions also some agreements that were signed and of course china is here because it wants to strengthen its trade with south africa, already china is africa's biggest trade partner but of course the chinese want to expand more on that. . , ., ._ , the chinese want to expand more on that. ., ., , ., that. there was always talks when it comes to these _ that. there was always talks when it comes to these brics _ that. there was always talks when it comes to these brics meetings - that. there was always talks when it | comes to these brics meetings about the building of a new world order, the building of a new world order, the reshaping of how things work, moving away from the west, from the us, from the g7, combating western dominance of global institutions,

what is the view on all of that in south africa?— south africa? well, the south africans, many _ south africa? well, the south africans, many of— south africa? well, the south africans, many of them - south africa? well, the south africans, many of them are i south africa? well, the south i africans, many of them are quite excited about this because they say that south africa is showing that it also is a force to be reckoned with because it is in a grouping of emerging economies that want to be seen as a grouping that can actually take on the west and also part of the discussions that will be held at the discussions that will be held at the brics summit which starts in the next three hours is a possibility of a currency that will used by all the brics nations and of course that is to try and lessen the influence of the us dollar in global trade. there are many other _ the us dollar in global trade. there are many other countries _ the us dollar in global trade. there are many other countries who - the us dollar in global trade. there are many other countries who talk about wanting to join this group, is that something that south africa would support? that something that south africa would suoport?_ that something that south africa would support? indeed, the south african president _ would support? indeed, the south african president cyril— would support? indeed, the south african president cyril ramaphosa | african president cyril ramaphosa has said that his country and his government is in support of an expansion of the brics bloc and some

of the countries include saudi arabia, argentina, egypt and even africa's biggest economy nigeria have all applied officially to be part of brics but it remains unclear if a decision will be made at this current sitting in terms of allowing other countries to be part of it because it is not all the brics nations that are welcoming this expansion, particularly brazil has said that it does not really want to see an expansion of the bloc but of course negotiations are still going to continue on that. find course negotiations are still going to continue on that.— course negotiations are still going to continue on that. and what about the view of — to continue on that. and what about the view of russia _ to continue on that. and what about the view of russia and _ to continue on that. and what about the view of russia and the - to continue on that. and what about the view of russia and the war - to continue on that. and what about the view of russia and the war in i the view of russia and the war in ukraine, president putin expected to join by video link but saga lavrov is there, what is the general view on that across africa, nomsa? weill. on that across africa, nomsa? well, i can tell on that across africa, nomsa? well, i can tell you — on that across africa, nomsa? well, i can tell you that _ on that across africa, nomsa? well, i can tell you that for _ on that across africa, nomsa? well, i can tell you that for south - on that across africa, nomsa? well, i can tell you that for south africa i i can tell you that for south africa as a government there is much relief because they don't have to effect an arrest warrant of vladimir putin

because of alleged war crimes, he is only attending via video link and his forest minister —— foreign minister is going to be here. today there was a protest from a pro—ukrainian group that was saying that even the foreign minister of russia should not even be taking part in this summit here but there are also south africans who are pro russia because of the links and the history that russia shares with south africa.— history that russia shares with south africa. ., ., , south africa. nomsa, good to see ou, we south africa. nomsa, good to see you. we will _ south africa. nomsa, good to see you. we will be — south africa. nomsa, good to see you, we will be back _ south africa. nomsa, good to see you, we will be back throughout l south africa. nomsa, good to see l you, we will be back throughout the day, thanks forjoining us from johannesburg. well, there are fast moving developments too in thailand, a country still coming to terms with recent political upheaval and military control. the parliament in bangkok has voted for the candidate of the pheu thai party, srettha thavisin, to be the next prime minister. mr srettha won a majority of votes in a joint session of the elected lower house and unelected senate.

he heads a coalition which includes conservative, military—aligned parties which have previously opposed his party. the vote coincided with the return from a 15—year exile of former prime minister thaksin shinawatra. he's the founder and main funder of pheu thai and coincidentally a former owner of manchester city football club here in the uk. hours after his return, he was taken to prison for corruption. mr thaksin has long argued that the charges levelled against him were politically motivated. it's widely believed that a deal has been agreed that will allow mr thaksin to serve only a short portion of his eight—year sentence. straight to bangkok. 0ur south east asia correspondent jonathan head is there. cani can i ask you firstly about the big picture because you have got millions of thais who voted for what they saw as big structural changes in the country by voting for the move forward party, which is now not in power, and we have got this new prime minister today, i wonder

across the country is there a strong sense of disillusionment about democracy? i sense of disillusionment about democracy?— sense of disillusionment about democra ? ~ . , democracy? i think that has been there for a _ democracy? i think that has been there for a while, _ democracy? i think that has been there for a while, lucy, _ democracy? i think that has been there for a while, lucy, i - democracy? i think that has been there for a while, lucy, i think. there for a while, lucy, i think they understood that this country is operating at the moment inside a straitjacket of a constitution that was written by a militaryjunta after a military coup with the explicit goal of preventing any party which was too much of a threat to the status quo from taking power, and it has worked exactly as planned. the unelected and it looked move forward which was in alliance with pheu thai, both were seen as broadly reformist parties, they had a clear majority in the lower house, they were explicitly blocked, move forward was blocked by the senate and other parties from even being a part of a coalition, and so we have ended up with this hodgepodge of different parties, an 11 party coalition, very different backgrounds, former enemies in the case of pheu thai and the pro military altar of loyalist parties, it is not at all clear how well it is going to function, and srettha

thavisin is a successful business man, his company is one of the top property companies in the country, but not an experienced politician, not especially popular in pheu thai, no—one is sure how ee is going to hold this whole thing together, it is a rather unseemly and three months on from an election which actually did raise very high hopes of reforms but i think move forward the party that was pushed aside accept that in some ways, you know, if they are in opposition, they can stay pure, they can focus on building support and depending on how this government performs, the reformists might do even better at the next election. groups to jonathan, mr strettha is not familiar to many but a name that many of our viewers will know is that of thaksina shinawatra, he is back, what is the future for him now? interesting, he is in prison right now, i think he knew that was going to happen. it has always been clear that to come back he would have to accept even though he has challenged in the past the prison sentences passed on him for things he did when he was in power but

there has been a lot of negotiation and he has a rich man who lives in a great deal of comfort, he would not have come back here if he thought he was going to spend long in prison. but in some ways he is a hostage because yes, his party is in government but it is in the coalition, his party is not as big as it used to be in the past and they are going to have to focus on keeping mr thaksin out of prison, the family fund the party, so how much can they possibly pursue the reforms that they have promised in the past, for example, to demand a better constitution, to demand limits on the military and politics, these are things which used to bdo to the heart of pheu thai supporters but the party is not going to be able to pursue those within this coalition and when it is worried about keeping mr thaksin out of jail. so i think in some ways the military has given up our and the government it was associated with and didn't do well in the last election but it is continuing its influence and what it has done with pheu thai is, over time it has ground down what was a very powerful

election machine to be a much smaller one with much more limited ambitions and it has marginalised move forward, the one party that is really excited those who want change. i think thai politics is still very fluid and still in motion but we are seeing with the return of mr thaksin in this new, rather unseemly government, i think the end of pheu thai as a really powerful political force in thailand. jonathan, thank you forjoining us. donald trump says he'll travel to georgia on thursday. he's required to appear at the state's fulton countyjail — under the terms of his indictment — over allegations he tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election results there. mr trump is expected to be fingerprinted and photographed. posting on his truth social platform, the former president described the case as a "witch hunt". earlier, a judge set mr trump's bail at $200,000 and placed strict conditions on his use of social media. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

let's look at some other stories making news. network rail is to face prosecution over an aberdeenshire train crash claimed three lives. train driver brett mccullough, conductor donald dinnie and passenger christopher stuchbury died when the train derailed at carmon in august 2020. the train hit a landslide after heavy rain. the case will call at the high court in aberdeeen next month. a children's charity in england says the cuts to the number of hours young people spend doing sport should be a national concern. new data shows a further 4,000 hours of physical education have been lost from the curriculum in state—funded secondary schools last year. the youth sport trust says it's a further threat to pupils' wellbeing. analysis by the think—tank the high pay centre suggests that the bosses of britain's 100 biggest ftse—listed companies saw their pay increase by an average

of 16% last year as many workers' wages struggled to keep up with inflation. the figure is a median value based on earnings disclosed in the companies' annual reports. you're live with bbc news. here, the lead consultant on the neonatal unit where the child killer lucy letby worked has told the bbc that health service managers should be regulated in the same way as doctors and nurses. letby will spend the rest of her life in prison after she was sentenced for murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six more at the countess of chester hospital. dr stephen brearey said his initial concerns about the nurse were not immediately acted upon and his experience is not unusual. doctors and nurses all have the regulatory bodies that we have to answer to, and quite often we'll see senior managers who have no apparent accountability for what they do in our trusts, and they move to other trusts, and you worry about their future actions.

and there doesn't seem to be any system to make them accountable and for them to justify their actions. the bbc put dr brearey�*s comments to nhs england and they pointed to their updated freedom to speak policy every trust is expected to adopt. a spokesperson said... well, it appears the government is open to the idea of nhs bosses facing tougher regulation. let's bring in our political correspondent damian grammaticus. damian, what has the government said about this idea?— about this idea? lucy, i was talking to the education _ about this idea? lucy, i was talking to the education secretary - about this idea? lucy, i was talking to the education secretary a - about this idea? lucy, i was talking to the education secretary a little l to the education secretary a little bit earlier this morning, so, this

obviously isn't her area, health, but it is the big issue around at the minute so i put it to her and said, these calls coming, as you heard there, from the senior doctors at the hospital, who warned about lucy letby, told their managers, said their managers didn't take action in that case, there was a senior doctors saying they think nhs managers should be regulated, professionally observed and scrutinised and held to standards just as doctors and nurses are, well, the education secretary gillian keegan told me that she said that the inquiry that is going on, or that we'll be going on, looking into this whole case, should consider all of these issues in the round, she said, including what lessons need to be learned, what changes need to be made, to both the nhs, its management and the legal profession as well. so, certainly suggesting that the inquiry should consider this issue but it is worth saying a couple of things, one is, it is notjust to doctors, the

medical union that speaks for them is also called for managers to be regulated, but the government itself was already looking at this issue backin was already looking at this issue back in 2019, even before that, a couple of years before that it was all being discussed, sort of put on hold, but also put on hold because it is a complicated area, i think, the managers have different responsibility to doctors and one of theissues responsibility to doctors and one of the issues concerning the government back then was managers coming from outside the health professions, how would you bring them in and bring them under regulation? so there are a lot of issues to contend with. saying that it should go into the process of this inquiry does mean that it would take months and months more consideration.— more consideration. some news 'ust in, in the more consideration. some news 'ust in. in the past — more consideration. some news 'ust in, in the past fewi more consideration. some news 'ust in, in the past few minutes, i more consideration. some news 'ust in, in the past few minutes, the h in, in the past few minutes, the african union has suspended niger from all its activities following the military coup. it has called for

the military coup. it has called for the release of the elected president and for the military to return to their barracks. so, this has been on their barracks. so, this has been on the cards for a while, confirmed now, from the african union, suspending nigerfrom all now, from the african union, suspending niger from all of now, from the african union, suspending nigerfrom all of its activities following the military coup, calling for the coup leaders to release the elected president. let's talk about the happy scenes in spain after winning the world cup. spain's victorious football team have been enjoying a welcome reception from the country's prime minister. they lined up to be greeted by pedro sanchez in madrid. those winners' medals all on display as well as the world cup trophy itself. a great moment for them and it must be said for mr sanchez, who is in a tough political battle to stay in office after a close election.

the reception comes after a night of celebrations in madrid with 0lga carmona being thrown up into the air by her teammates in front of 20,000 fans who welcomed the newly crowned champions after returning from australia. carmona, who scored the winning goal in the final, participated in the celebrations despite being told after the match that her father had died following an illness. more than 20,000 people joined the players to celebrate the title. of course here in the uk there are more despondent scenes as the lionesses returned home without the hoped—for trophy. we can go live now to emma clarke, surrey fa youth forum chair, who was on the flight back with the lionesses which arrived a little earlier. tres emma, is it difficult to see all of those scenes of celebration in madrid? ~ all of those scenes of celebration in madrid?— in madrid? well, obviously heartbroken _ in madrid? well, obviously heartbroken for _ in madrid? well, obviously heartbroken for the - in madrid? well, obviously - heartbroken for the lionesses, i was out there supporting them on their journey in the world cup but spain

did incredibly well, deserve the result in the end, so, massive congratulations to them. did you mana . e congratulations to them. did you manage to _ congratulations to them. did you manage to speak— congratulations to them. did you manage to speak to _ congratulations to them. did you manage to speak to any - congratulations to them. did you manage to speak to any of - congratulations to them. did you | manage to speak to any of them? yeah, fortunately enough on their way home i was on the flight with the team and just chaired the pride that i feel for them and how well they've done it was incredible to support them, and following this team has been such a pleasure. find team has been such a pleasure. and what did they say to you, emma? i i what did they say to you, emma? i mean, they have always been so grateful for the support of the fans, so i think that was just the main thing, thanks for your support, and as i said it hasjust been a fantasticjourney. d0 and as i said it has 'ust been a fantastic journey._ and as i said it has 'ust been a fantastic journey. fantastic “ourney. do you think they were fantastic journey. do you think they were aware — fantastic journey. do you think they were aware of _ fantastic journey. do you think they were aware ofjust _ fantastic journey. do you think they were aware ofjust how— fantastic journey. do you think they were aware ofjust how much - fantastic journey. do you think they i were aware ofjust how much support there was back at home, how many people were glued to theirjourney, the millions of people who watched the millions of people who watched the final? i the millions of people who watched the final? ., ., , ,., the final? i mean, i hope so, i thinkthat— the final? i mean, i hope so, i think that has _ the final? i mean, i hope so, i think that has been _ the final? i mean, i hope so, i think that has been reflected i the final? i mean, i hope so, i| think that has been reflected in lots of their social media posts within the last few hours about how thankful they and i hope they will be able to see that over the next few days is welcome as they come

back into england and see people in and around the streets. but we couldn't go anywhere without hearing or talking about the tournament whilst we were out there so i hope they know that it has been reflected here, too. we they know that it has been reflected here, too. ~ ., they know that it has been reflected here, too. ~ . ., ., ., ., here, too. we have heard a lot about what the tournament _ here, too. we have heard a lot about what the tournament has _ here, too. we have heard a lot about what the tournament has done - here, too. we have heard a lot about what the tournament has done for. what the tournament has done for football, orfootball as what the tournament has done for football, or football as they call it in australia and new zealand, but what are you hoping the success of the lionesses and the profile of the tournament is meant for grassroots football here in the uk? i tournament is meant for grassroots football here in the uk?— football here in the uk? i think that is one _ football here in the uk? i think that is one of _ football here in the uk? i think that is one of the _ football here in the uk? i think that is one of the most - football here in the uk? i think i that is one of the most important thing is, i myself am involved in women's football and even whilst i have been out at the tournament i have been out at the tournament i have had loads of people contacting me about getting involved in the game and starting to play after not having been involved in football before so i think that is a real legacy i am already seeing. and i hope many people can see now that you, too, can play football, boys and girls, men and women, it really is a place for everyone.— is a place for everyone. emma, really good _ is a place for everyone. emma, really good to _ is a place for everyone. emma, really good to talk _ is a place for everyone. emma, really good to talk to _ is a place for everyone. emma, really good to talk to you, - is a place for everyone. emma, really good to talk to you, and | is a place for everyone. emma, l really good to talk to you, and it was not the result so many were

hoping for here in england but they were fantastic, the lionesses, and everyone was very proud of them. if you travel by plane this might interest you. baggage mishandling rates hit the highest in a decade globally last year. a report shows around 26 million pieces of luggage were lost, delayed or damaged in 2022. this was partly due to staff shortages and the introduction of automated technology, but new data seen by the bbc indicates the situation is improving as passenger numbers return to pre—pandemic levels. chloe flew to italy for her friend's wedding but her luggage got lost on the way there i spent the first couple of hours which you would normally think i will go and see the sights, running around shops trying to find some pharmacies to get toothpaste, toiletries a lot of stress i did not particularly want on my first holiday in quite a few years. on my first holiday in quite a few ears. �* , . ., years. and the experience of witnessing — years. and the experience of witnessing my _ years. and the experience of witnessing my friend - years. and the experience of witnessing my friend getting | witnessing my friend getting married, unfortunately i will never be able to relive that because that is a once—in—a—lifetime opportunity. chloe's experience is rare, but last year saw the worst loss of baggage rates globally in a decade. taste

year saw the worst loss of baggage rates globally in a decade. we have seen a 7596 — rates globally in a decade. we have seen a 75% increase _ rates globally in a decade. we have seen a 75% increase year-on-year i rates globally in a decade. we have i seen a 7596 increase year-on-year and seen a 75% increase year—on—year and that is— seen a 75% increase year—on—year and that is as _ seen a 75% increase year—on—year and that is as a _ seen a 75% increase year—on—year and that is as a result of the post—pandemic we have seen staff shortages — post—pandemic we have seen staff shortages and we have seen a surge in passenger traffic so people are really— in passenger traffic so people are really anxious about travelling with baggage _ really anxious about travelling with baggage and we have seen that with the baggage mountains, ithink what we want _ the baggage mountains, ithink what we want to— the baggage mountains, ithink what we want to do is put confidence back into passengers travelling with bags — into passengers travelling with bars. �* , ., ., , into passengers travelling with bars.�* ,., ., , ~ into passengers travelling with bars.�* ., , ~ ., bags. airlines are now using al to help reunite _ bags. airlines are now using al to help reunite holidaymakers - bags. airlines are now using al to help reunite holidaymakers with i help reunite holidaymakers with their lost luggage.— their lost luggage. there is an algorithm _ their lost luggage. there is an algorithm which _ their lost luggage. there is an algorithm which works - their lost luggage. there is an algorithm which works out - their lost luggage. there is an. algorithm which works out what their lost luggage. there is an - algorithm which works out what is the next _ algorithm which works out what is the next best available flight and that baggage is sent directly onto that baggage is sent directly onto that flight without any human intervention.— that flight without any human intervention. . ., , intervention. there are a few things ou can intervention. there are a few things you can do — intervention. there are a few things you can do to _ intervention. there are a few things you can do to reduce _ intervention. there are a few things you can do to reduce the _ intervention. there are a few things you can do to reduce the chance - intervention. there are a few things you can do to reduce the chance ofl you can do to reduce the chance of your luggage going missing. make sure you've got your name and address on the inside and outside of your bag so if it does go missing the airline knows where to send it. make your bag stand out, by adding colourful straps or stickers so someone at the airport doesn't pick up someone at the airport doesn't pick up your bag instead of theirs. you can add a gps tracker to follow the journey of your luggage, keep your valuables in your hand luggage. just for your peace of mind, they will be with you at all times, and always

check your insurance before you fly so if anything does go missing, you're covered. easyjet has apologised to chloe and said it will keep looking for her bag for 45 days before it is declared lost dad that means i am going almost two or three months without getting any compensation for my bag and there is items in their right straight nose, hairdryer, things that i need on a daily, weekly basis that i have had to buy again so that is more money that i am out—of—pocket. for now, all chloe can do is wait and hope her bag is found. let's take you to pretoria, we are watching the south african president cyril ramaphosa addressing an audience, he has been meeting with china's leader xi jinping talking about economic co—operation but this is all with the backdrop of the gop leaders who are meeting in south africa, the loose association of major emerging

economies, they are meeting to see how they can assert their voice as a counterweight to western dominance, something we are going to be talking about coming up. hello again. over the next few days, pollen levels are going to be high across parts of england and wales. we're talking weed pollen. in fact, the weather over the next few days is going to be very samey, as well. sunshine and showers, a lot of which will be across the north and the west, warmer and drier with sunshine in the south, but it all changes at the end of the week. what we have is low pressure anchored to the north, high pressure to the south and a weak front in between. that weak front has been producing some cloud and some showers in the northern half of the country through the day. it is a breezy day and that westerly breeze blowing in some showers across western scotland and northern ireland. the driest conditions across southern england

and this is also where we're going to have the highest temperatures. yesterday in parts of suffolk it reached 26 degrees. it could easily do that again today, but, generally speaking, our range is low 20s to mid 20s. as we head on through the evening and overnight, a lot of the showers will fade, but not all of them. at the same time, we've got a weak weather front coming in across wales bringing thicker cloud and some splashes of rain. that could head over towards the midlands by the end of the night. clear skies, with overnight lows of 10 to 16 degrees, but cooler than last night in parts of scotland. as we head through tomorrow, our weather front is still very much with us, but it is weakening all the time as it moves across the area of high pressure. although we start with some rain across wales and also around cheshire, for example, that will tend to give way to just cloud through the afternoon and there will be a lot of dry weather, but still some showers, in the north and the west. the north and the west seeing highs of 15 to 19 degrees, the south and the east 21 to about 25. moving through the latter part

of the week, low pressure starts to drift eastwards, ending up in the north sea. this weather front sinks south. it's a cold front, so fresher conditions will pull in behind that as we head through the weekend. on friday, you can still see the hint of the oranges before, on saturday, as that cold front moves away, the cooler, fresher conditions move into all of us behind that. as we head on into the latter part of the week, we still are looking at that mixture of sunshine and showers. some of the showers could be heavy and thundery during the course of thursday. it's also going to cool down a bit, with highs of about 20.