a medical breakthrough with the uk's first womb transplant. surgeons in oxford have given a 34—year—old woman a new womb donated by her older sister. she's doing really, really well. she's started having menstrual periods, and that means her prospects of having a baby are very high. the operation has already been carried out in other countries, but we'll be assessing its significance. also this lunchtime... one of the children rescued from a broken cable car in pakistan says he thought it was the last day of his life. property is more affordable than it was a year ago, according to britain's biggest mortgage lender. in the next few minutes, india could become the first country to land a spacecraft near the south pole of the moon. coming up on bbc news, more problems for england ahead of the start of the rugby world cup. they'll now be without

billy vunipola for their opening match following his red card against ireland. good afternoon. it's been called a groundbreaking achievement. a 34—year—old woman has become the first here in the uk to be given a transplanted womb. she was born without a uterus because of a rare medical disorder. then her older sister, who already has children, offered to donate her womb for the transplant. it's an operation that has already been carried out successfully in other countries around the world, as our medical editor fergus walsh reports. a uk first as surgeons transplant a womb into a 34—year—old woman, donated by her ao—year—old sister.

the surgery in next door operating theatres at the churchill hospital in oxford in february lasted around 17 hours. it was an amazing day, absolutely amazing. these two surgeons led a team of more than 30. they recall the reaction of the younger sister when she came round. she was absolutely over the moon. there were a lot of tears, a lot of emotion. she was very, very happy. and the donor probably was even happier, because she had some time to recover from the anaesthesia. so it was a veryjoyous moment for everybody. the recipient was born without a normal uterus, but with functioning ovaries. with her husband, she already has eight embryos in storage and could go on to have two pregnancies, after which her sister's womb will be removed so she can stop taking powerful drugs which prevent her body rejecting the transplant.

so she's doing really, really well. she has started having menstrual periods, and that means her prospects of having a baby are very high. she needs to stay on immunosuppressive therapy and to be closely monitored, and we hope to be doing an embryo transfer in the autumn. in 2014, a woman in sweden became the first to have a baby after a womb transplant. since then, around 100 transplants have been performed worldwide, with 50 babies born. the surgical team here is funded by a charity, womb transplant uk, and has permission to carry out the procedure with both live and deceased donors. there are a dozen women with embryos in storage or who are going through ivf who are hoping for a womb transplant. for now, the charity has funding forjust three more operations. i'm really excited, yeah.

it's nice to feel that it's finally happening. and the demand here could be significant. around one in 5,000 women is born without a functioning womb, but many more, like lydia, lose theirs due to cancer. she says a transplant would feel miraculous. since getting diagnosed with cancer and the hysterectomy, the infertility was such a huge part of that. and you grieve, you really do. hopefully, being on the waiting list for a transplant would mean everything. being able to carry my own child and have that experience of feeling it, being able to breastfeed and being able to have a newborn baby at least once. the charity womb transplant uk has paid £25,000 to cover nhs costs. and all the staff involved gave their time for free. but they will need a big injection of funds if many more women are to benefit. and fergus is with me now.

as you were saying, this is a uk first, not a world first, but how do you assess the significance of this, what are the implications? it is not a world first _ what are the implications? it is not a world first. countries _ what are the implications? it is not a world first. countries like - a world first. countries like sweden, the usa, china, france, germany, many have carried out womb transplants. the team involved here, who spent five years, some of them, working on it, blame institutional delays and then covid for why it hasn't happened here already. i sense there has been some resistance in the health service, partly because it's not life saving surgery and also comes with risks to the donor and to the recipient. but now it has happened and been successful, it has happened and been successful, it will still be something that doesn't happen frequently, because it is paid for by a charity. they have enough funds to do three. but they got permission to do 15 operations. they want to raise

another £300,000 for that, with ten transplants involving deceased donors and five involving live donors. and of course, thejourney of this first patient in the uk isn't over. she is hoping by this time next year, hopefully, to have a healthy baby. time next year, hopefully, to have a healthy baby-— healthy baby. fergus walsh, our medical editor. _ one of the schoolchildren rescued from a broken cable car in pakistan yesterday has said he feared it would be the last day of his life. police have arrested the owner of the cab car and the operator. all eight people in danger were pulled to safety after dangling some 900 feet over a river canyon for several hours. caroline davies has the latest from islamabad. the final rescue, waiting arms and shouts ofjoy, palpable relief on the ground to see all back on firm earth. �* ,, �* ~

the ground to see all back on firm earth. �* ,, ~ . ., the ground to see all back on firm earth, �* ,, �* ~ ., ., earth. translation: we were going to our school around _ earth. translation: we were going to our school around seven _ earth. translation: we were going to our school around seven in _ earth. translation: we were going to our school around seven in the - our school around seven in the morning when the cellist was halfway there, it's rope broke. it was dangling and i was terrified. after helicopter arrived and unsuccessfully tried to rescue us, i thought it was my last day and it was over for me.— thought it was my last day and it was over for me. relatives like his uncle thought _ was over for me. relatives like his uncle thought they _ was over for me. relatives like his uncle thought they might - was over for me. relatives like his uncle thought they might not - was over for me. relatives like his uncle thought they might not see l uncle thought they might not see their loved ones again. translation: it was like a doomsday _ their loved ones again. translation: it was like a doomsday for _ their loved ones again. translation: it was like a doomsday for the - their loved ones again. translation: it was like a doomsday for the area. i it was like a doomsday for the area. everyone _ it was like a doomsday for the area. everyone rushed out of their homes including _ everyone rushed out of their homes including our children and mothers and sisters, — including our children and mothers and sisters, because their children use the _ and sisters, because their children use the same cable car in the morning _ use the same cable car in the morning and in the afternoon while returning — morning and in the afternoon while returning i— morning and in the afternoon while returning. i kid from almost every household — returning. i kid from almost every household was here.— returning. i kid from almost every household was here. yesterday, six children and — household was here. yesterday, six children and two _ household was here. yesterday, six children and two adults _ household was here. yesterday, six children and two adults were - household was here. yesterday, six children and two adults were on - children and two adults were on board a cable car when the wire snapped, leaving those on board hanging hundreds of metres from the ground. army helicopters made multiple attempts to try to rescue those on board. today the bbc spoke to one man on board about those terrifying moments. translation: the helico ter's terrifying moments. translation: the helic0pter's wire — terrifying moments. translation: the helicopter's wire got _ terrifying moments. translation: the helicopter's wire got stuck _ terrifying moments. translation: the helicopter's wire got stuck in _ terrifying moments. translation: the helicopter's wire got stuck in the - helicopter's wire got stuck in the cable. at that point, we lost all

our hope. we were all praying. then tjy our hope. we were all praying. then by the grace of god, they were able to free it. , ., , ., to free it. they were able to save one bo , to free it. they were able to save one boy. but _ to free it. they were able to save one boy, but had _ to free it. they were able to save one boy, but had to _ to free it. they were able to save one boy, but had to leave - to free it. they were able to save one boy, but had to leave after i one boy, but had to leave after the light became too low to operate. instead, late into the night, rescuers and locals used zip lines and police to save the remaining seven. the survivors have told us of theirjoy seven. the survivors have told us of their joy of seven. the survivors have told us of theirjoy of being back with their families. questions remain about these informal cable cars and what can happen to make them safer in the future. it's set to be yet another swelteringly hot day on the european continent as another heatwave continues to drive temperatures up beyond a0 degrees. this is athens today, where nearby wildfires have seen thick smoke descend on the city. high alerts for more fires have been kept in place by the greek authorities. meanwhile, fires continue to cause problems in north america too — in canada, it's the worst wildfire

season in the nation's history. wyre davies reports from the city of kelowna in british colombia, where a team of 500 firefighters have been in action. the devastating wildfires of the last week, more than 1,000 in total, have been some of the worst in canada's history. firefighting services stretched to the limit, huge swathes of land consumed by flames and thousands fleeing for their lives. there's a fire right behind our house now. among those evacuated in haste and chaos from the lakeside town of kelowna was local businessman todd ramsay. now safe with his family and pets in vancouver, he described how one of the region's biggest lakes was no barrier to the blaze. nobody thought that the fire would actuallyjump across the lake. but we're sitting there on our deck and we could hear what sounded like hail.

and there were pine cones, pine needles, like, big chunks of carbon that were still warm to the touch that were falling down on our deck. luck has played its part, but it's been a superhuman effort to avoid any fatalities here, and there's still an abundance of caution. ok, this is yourfirst time here? yeah. so i'm going to give you a card. at one of two evacuation centres in kelowna, families get food, clothing and help with accommodation. such is the demand, they have to be patient. so the colours represent 100 people that are waiting in the queue, times all the colours that are there, so you have about 1,100 people ahead of you in line. 0k. some fled their homes, not knowing what they'll be returning to. it's all up in the air, they haven't given us any clue on when. we just keep looking for updates so that we know if we can go home and make sure everything's still there. hopefully, everything's still there. the intense smoke, too, is a worrying health hazard

for shane and his baby daughter, elizabeth. the reason for so many wildfires will be debated, but for many, climate change has to be a factor. unseasonable conditions have brought challenges to humans and wildlife in a part of canada proud of this normally pristine environment. wyre davies, bbc news, kelowna. the uk's biggest mortgage lender says property is more affordable now than it was a year ago, because of falling house prices and higher wages. but the halifax says many people still can't afford to buy their own home because of soaring mortgage rates. our cost of living correspondent kevin peachey is with me. kevin, tell us more about what the figures show? it kevin, tell us more about what the figures show?— figures show? if we go back a year a . o, figures show? if we go back a year aao, at figures show? if we go back a year ago. at that _ figures show? if we go back a year ago, at that time, _ figures show? if we go back a year ago, at that time, buying - figures show? if we go back a year ago, at that time, buying a - figures show? if we go back a year ago, at that time, buying a home | figures show? if we go back a year i ago, at that time, buying a home was less affordable than at any other time before. as a result, the

multiple of buying a home, the cost of a home was more than seven times the average earnings of a full—time worker for the average earnings of a full—time workerfor a the average earnings of a full—time worker for a year. that's workerfor a year. that's because house prices have peaked because of demand during the pandemic. but figures today from the halifax show that that has got a bit better for people. the average has come down, so we are now at a position where we have just less than seven times earnings. the reason for that is that house prices have come down a bit, earnings have risen at a rate of about 7% in a year and it has got a bit betterfor of about 7% in a year and it has got a bit better for first—time of about 7% in a year and it has got a bit betterforfirst—time buyers too, who are clearly going to be looking at these figures. i5 too, who are clearly going to be looking at these figures.- looking at these figures. is that aood looking at these figures. is that good news _ looking at these figures. is that good news for _ looking at these figures. is that good news for everybody? - looking at these figures. is that l good news for everybody? well, looking at these figures. is that i good news for everybody? well, it looking at these figures. is that - good news for everybody? well, it is of course more _ good news for everybody? well, it is of course more complicated - good news for everybody? well, it is of course more complicated than - of course more complicated than that, because house prices vary across different regions. if you are in london, then it's more than nine times average earnings to buy a home, whereas somewhere like the north—east of england or scotland,

it is five times. but the critical point for many people is that the mortgage rates that people are facing are much more expensive than they are used to. we are now at a position where the average, according to the financial information service money facts is 6.4% on an average two—year fixed deal. so that is really going to stretch people. so even though things are getting a bit more affordable, clearly, people are still going to find it tough. kevin, thank ou still going to find it tough. kevin, thank you very — still going to find it tough. kevin, thank you very much. _ victims of gun crime are calling for tougher rules on owning firearms. campaigners want more robust medical checks and higher fees for people who apply for a gun licence. a consultation which has been looking into firearms regulation closes today. our correspondent kathryn stanczyszyn has been to talk to gun owners as well as relatives of shooting victims. a festival of all things countryside. at the annual game fair in warwickshire, people gather to

share a love of outdoor hobbies and outdoor livelihoods. for many, that involves guns. you're talking somewhere in excess of 600,000 people in the uk who have either a firearms certificate or a shotgun certificate or both. so, you'll have people who control vermin, you will have deer managers and then you have recreational shooters, you have target shooters. if you look at the public safety record with regard to firearms, there's actually quite strong evidence to say that police forces pretty much get it right. it's not in our interests for anyone who should haven't a firearms certificate or a shotgun certificate to get one. events like these celebrate a culture, a way of life, and that way of life includes gun ownership. so how to properly balance public safety with the hundreds of thousands of people who responsibly own guns? that's a question the government's looking at again. the amount of violent crime committed by licensed gun owners is small, but when it happens, the results are devastating

for family and communities. andrew foster's life changed because of the actions of his brother, christopher. on 26th august 2008, he killed the animals in his house, set fire to the house and then shot my sister—in—law and my niece with a licensed firearm. it's 15 years this year, and it still has the same impact 15 years on. christopher had been to the doctor and spoken of suicidal thoughts. there was no flag coming up at west mercia saying, "well, hold on, this guy's a licensed gun holder, he's got x amount of guns, there's a problem here, we should go and take his guns away." in recent years, other cases have made headlines. the killings of kelly, ava and lexie in west sussex in 2020. maxine, lee, sophie, stephen and kate in plymouth in 2021. and emma and lettie in epsom

earlier this year. all carried out by men with gun licences. this summer's consultation asks a series of questions, including if checks should be more frequent than every five years and if current mental health issues should be flagged. but campaigners say one of biggest issues is the way the system's funded, something that worries police forces too. at the moment, the shortfall in staffordshire alone is around £300,000. now, that is several police officers that could be doing something else that we are subsidising the industry by. with checks costing at least five times more than the £88 fee, it's a national shortfall of millions. and gun owners say it means they're not getting an efficient service either. the home office says our gun laws are strict and as well as this consultation, they'll review fees soon. these tragedies continue to happen. you won't stop them in its entirety, but you will lower the

percentage of these incidents if it was properly funded and properly managed. kathryn stanczyszyn, bbc news. our top story this afternoon: the uk's first womb transplant — surgeons in oxford give a 34—year—old woman a new womb donated by her sister. look away now if you're feeling queasy — the big dipper is 100. and coming up in sport on bbc news, after his bronze in the 100 metres, britain's zharnel hughes eases into the 200 metres semifinals after winning his heat at the world athletics championships in budapest. in the next few minutes, india is aiming to become the first country to land a spacecraft near the south pole of the moon, days after a similar russian mission crashed in the same region.

the chandrayaan—3 mission is aiming to hunt for water—based ice, which scientists say could support human habitation on the moon. our correspondent harry farley reports. excitement has reached fever pitch for these children in chennai today as their country attempts to land on the moon. two, one, zero... the chandrayaan—3 blasted off last month and hopes to land an unmanned craft on the lunar surface. if successful, india willjoin the us, russia and china as the only countries to do so. it's important for global information as well, india will be the first country to land on the moon, but also the very first one to land on the south pole. so national pride and inspiration for future generations is also very important. one of the chandrayaan's cameras has been scanning the surface for landing sites.

all previous missions touched down around the moon's equator, but this craft is aiming to land near its south pole, which brings extra challenges, as well as extra possibilities. the south pole of the moon has, or we think it has at least, lots of ice. ice is of course really useful if you're going to send people to the moon, because they will want to drink, they will want to perhaps split the water into hydrogen and oxygen and breathe the oxygen. after russia failed in its attempt to land at the south pole just days ago, this mission has gripped india. prayers for success are being said across the country's religions. i obviously feel very happy i for my country and i feel that if we do this we would be _ challenging the world system and we would rise up as one of the biggest powers in the world. _ in the next few minutes, the lander will makes its

treacherous descent to the moon's uneven and cratered surface. india hopes this mission will demonstrate its on lift—off to status as a global power and bond. harry farley, bbc news. our correspondent samira hussain is at mission control in bengalaru. the descent is just beginning i think? the descent is 'ust beginning i think? ., , ., think? the final phase of the descent has _ think? the final phase of the descent has already - think? the final phase of the descent has already begun . think? the final phase of the l descent has already begun and think? the final phase of the - descent has already begun and in fact we are expecting that it should touch on the moon's surface in less than 15 minutes. you can see those pictures of mission control, you can imagine that the scientists there are very nervous, but here there is are very nervous, but here there is a lot of excitement. this group promotes space education among india's young and there is a lot of hope riding on india's ability to make this historic landing. not only

for the scientists and the people in this room, but for the entire country. if india is successful it would mean an enormous success for india's space agency, its robust space plans and missions and it really puts india on the map when it comes to the global space race, to achieve something that no other country has achieved would be an until feat and to achieve a soft landing would be something that only three other nations in the world have been able to accomplish. thank ou. add you can watch a life coverage of the landing on the bbc news website. details of graphic evidence compiled by romanian prosecutors, alleging that andrew tate coerced women into sexual acts, have been seen by the bbc. both andrew tate and his brother are facing trial in romania

for human trafficking and forming an organised criminal group with two other defendants. andrew tate is also facing a charge of rape. they deny all the charges against them. here's lucy williamson. over hundreds of pages, romanian prosecutors outlined the testimony and the evidence they say they have gathered against andrew tate. it includes transcriptions of what the prosecution say are text and audio messages which appear to show how the alleged trafficking operation was managed and the apparent coercion, control and abuse of women by mr tate and his co—defendants. in one transcribed exchange, andrew tate appears to coerce an alleged victim into group sex, using abusive language. his brother tristan is also quoted in prosecution transcripts, allegedly talking about "slaving" women for ten to 12 hours a day. the bbc can't verify whether these transcripts are accurate, because the original evidence is not

included in the 300—page summary that we have seen. in that summary, the prosecution also says that women were forced by the defendants to make pornographic content online and alleges that some women did not control the money they made and were fined for crying on camera, orfor not working hard enough. a spokeswoman for the tate brothers said they vehemently deny the serious allegation against them and accused the bbc of lacking impartiality, but she didn't provide any detail or respond to the specific allegations we raised. defence lawyers are expecting to challenge the prosecution evidence in a pretrial hearing later this month. lucy williamson, bbc news, paris. in the year and a half since president putin's invasion of ukraine, tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed. russian forces have been replenishing their ranks with convicts released from russia's notoriously brutal prisons.

some are dangerous criminals who are then sent home to russia, where they're said to commit more serious crimes. from moscow, will vernon reports. anna has fond memories of her grandma. she was 85 years old and she lived in a wooden house. she liked to sing songs. in march this year, anna's grandma yulia was at home when a man knocked on the door. she knew him, she let him enter to her house and he killed her with a knife in her own home. tens of thousand of russian convicts like him were released from prisons

and sent to the front line, many with the wagner group. after serving for six months, some are allowed to return home. it's obvious that if they were in the prison, they may have i think we are hearing this now in

english. it looks like he is addressing, you can see him on the screen, addressing the people admission control. , ., , addressing the people admission control. , ,, , ., , addressing the people admission control. , ,, , ., control. this key moment. he is at the brexit summit _ control. this key moment. he is at the brexit summit in _ control. this key moment. he is at the brexit summit in south - control. this key moment. he is at the brexit summit in south africa. | the brexit summit in south africa. he has clearly broken away from the political discussions to be part of this moment. irate political discussions to be part of this moment.— political discussions to be part of this moment. ~ ., . , this moment. we are currently in the midst of the — this moment. we are currently in the midst of the fine _ this moment. we are currently in the midst of the fine breaking _ this moment. we are currently in the midst of the fine breaking stage - midst of the fine breaking stage which will continue for three minutes and our altitude will be reduced to nearly 800 metres at the

end of this phase. we can see the visual of the lander module and we can see that the down range travelled is nearly 831, hers. —— mike kilometres. you can see how quickly some of those figures are coming down now. the altitude, just over two kilometres the chandrayaan—3 is now from the surface of the man. these

really are the final crucial moments of this dissent. these are live pictures of mission control that you are watching now. we can see clapping and you can see the nerves as well. there is the indian prime minister again. this looks to be him watching. he is on the screen. so, just over one kilometre now to go. the chandrayaan—3 is moving toward the moon a's service. the the chandrayaan-3 is moving toward the moon a's service.— the moon a's service. the final -hase the moon a's service. the final phase which — the moon a's service. the final phase which will _ the moon a's service. the final phase which will be _ the moon a's service. the final phase which will be the - the moon a's service. the final| phase which will be the vertical navigation phase.

applause., listen to that. the vertical velocity is showing as a zero now on the screens in mission control. still some nervous faces. but that round of applause said a lot, didn't it?— lot, didn't it? that indicates that now the performance _ lot, didn't it? that indicates that now the performance has - lot, didn't it? that indicates that now the performance has been l lot, didn't it? that indicates that - now the performance has been done and where in the vertical phase one. the altitude has been brought down from 800 metres and we are nearing and approaching the lunar surface. these are live pictures from mission

control in india where you can see this graphic that is showing you what is happening right now. india's prime minister that. he is watching from the brakes on it and you can see the figures going down and down, just 500 metres now above the moon's surface. as india waits and watches... some of those watching parties that we have been showing you up and down the country... the lander you up and down the country... tue: lander module you up and down the country... tta: lander module has you up and down the country... "tt2 lander module has begun you up and down the country... tt2 lander module has begun its descent to the landing site. less lander module has begun its descent to the landing site.— to the landing site. less than 300 metres now- _ to the landing site. less than 300 metres now. for _ to the landing site. less than 300 metres now. for the _ to the landing site. less than 300 l metres now. for the chandrayaan-3 metres now. for the chandrayaan—3 were lander.