and... banksy�*s back — again! the elusive artist leaves another animal picture on the streets of london. hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones. welcome to the programme. russian authorities are evacuating parts of the belgorod region. the area is close to kursk, where ukrainian forces launched a surprise offensive nearly a week ago. moscow has since sent reinforcements to the kursk region. our russia editor, steve rosenberg, has been monitoring the russian response. i think the language is very interesting here because i was watching the flagship news show on russian state television last night and although they did use the word invasion, they said that ukrainian soldiers had invaded russian territory, most of all, this was being portrayed as a terrorist attack and a provocation. in other words, to an extent playing

it down or trying to present to the russian people that what is happening right now in kursk region is containable. and also, i think that suggests that president putin right now doesn't want to take the next step, the next logical step, which would be, for example, a formal declaration of war against ukraine. we have this special military operation, as russia presents it, going on for the last two and a half years and i think the russian authorities want to keep it like that. they talk about special military operations, they talk about a counterterrorism operation now going on in three regions of southern russia. they don't officially want to call this a war. thanks to steve for that. our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse is near the border, in the sumy region in the north east of ukraine. if you've got evacuations announced in the belgorod region, if you've got clear advances to the north and north—west...

from where we are, this is clearly an attack ukraine is committed to. we've seen several military vehicles heading towards the border. they all have this triangle logo on, which suggests that they're part of the same operation and, dare i say, there is a sort of whiff of morale in the air for the first time in a long time because for the first time, there is movement in a year and a half. you need to imagine that — if we imagine the border between russia and ukraine and the front line's in ukraine itself, its effectively a stage which russia has been directing. it's been directing its bigger forces in ukraine, by admission of president zelensky, has been having to react. so clearly what has happened here is that ukraine has concentrated elite fighters here. these are well—trained soldiers on a weak part of the border. they've overwhelmed border guards there and they've clearly made these advances and it has russia, crucially, diverting forces from elsewhere and it's undermined the kremlin�*s strong image, if you like, as it undertakes this invasion that it

frames as defensive. so it's shaken things up and i think the hope is that forces a redeployment from other parts of the front line. at the moment, there are still russian advances in eastern ukraine. this is a high—stakes move because if it doesn't come off, then it really could be catastrophic closer to home. but for now, ukraine, president zelensky has decided something needs to change while it is still summer, while these are favourable fighting conditions and it really is a significant moment. thanks to james for that. let's speak to michael clarke, former director general of royal united services institute who analyses defence and security. thank you for coming on the programme. thank you for coming on the programme-— thank you for coming on the rouramme. , ., m programme. yes, good morning. james talkinu programme. yes, good morning. james talking about — programme. yes, good morning. james talking about the _ programme. yes, good morning. james talking about the potential— programme. yes, good morning. james talking about the potential high - talking about the potential high stakes of this incursion, what is your assessment? stakes of this incursion, what is yourassessment? he stakes of this incursion, what is your assessment?— stakes of this incursion, what is your assessment? he is absolutely ri . ht. this your assessment? he is absolutely right- this is _ your assessment? he is absolutely right- this is a _ your assessment? he is absolutely right. this is a bold, _ your assessment? he is absolutely right. this is a bold, audacious - right. this is a bold, audacious move by the ukrainians, surprised

everybody, and if it works, then it will take some pressure off ukrainian forces further south, where they are struggling and they do need to come if they can, to take some pressure off. if it works, it will take pressure off there and give the ukrainians a big political boost between now and the winter and we know the weather is pretty predictable in ukraine, so we know towards the end of october, the last couple of weeks of october, movement will get a lot more difficult, the battlefield will settle into a different rhythm. both sides want to establish their positions before then. so if it works, it will have that effect but if it fails, my goodness, it will be a disaster because they may lose the units and manpower they have committed to creating this pocket in kursk and still lose territory in the donbas region. if that is the case, i doubt that zelensky would survive that, so it is a big risky move.— it is a big risky move. interesting. you said if— it is a big risky move. interesting. you said if it _ it is a big risky move. interesting. you said if it works, _ it is a big risky move. interesting. you said if it works, what - it is a big risky move. interesting.

you said if it works, what does . it is a big risky move. interesting. | you said if it works, what does the strategic win look like here from a ukrainian point of view? goad strategic win look like here from a ukrainian point of view? good point. the battle to — ukrainian point of view? good point. the battle to come, _ ukrainian point of view? good point. the battle to come, and _ ukrainian point of view? good point. the battle to come, and this - ukrainian point of view? good point. the battle to come, and this battle i the battle to come, and this battle has onlyjust the battle to come, and this battle has only just started, the battle to come, and this battle has onlyjust started, but the battle to come, and this battle has only just started, but the battle to come in this kursk pocket will be measured in days and weeks, not weeks and months, because the russians will not allow this to stand. they will put into this pocket whatever it takes to snuff it out, whatever it takes, because whatever happens in ukraine is less important than what happens on the russian border. so this will not resolve itself into a battle of attrition. so if the ukrainians can make the russians pay dearly over the next couple of weeks or whatever, before they would like to hope withdraw in good order is what they would like to do and get back to their own side of the border, if they can really hurt the russians while that process happens then they will have taken pressure off operations elsewhere and will have scored a big political victory in the west, particular in america coming up to the american

advantages, lots of advantages in that. forthem advantages, lots of advantages in that. for them it will feel good. i am certain in my own mind, i'm guessing buti am certain in my own mind, i'm guessing but i am certain, the ukrainians don't expect to be in this pocket until the end of the year. it would be astonishing if they were, ijust year. it would be astonishing if they were, i just don't think they will. ithink they were, i just don't think they will. i think they will get the best out of it and then withdraw. i see. and before _ out of it and then withdraw. i see. and before you — out of it and then withdraw. i see. and before you go, _ out of it and then withdraw. i see. and before you go, the _ out of it and then withdraw. i see. and before you go, the attitude i out of it and then withdraw. i see. and before you go, the attitude of many western allies, nervousness about ukraine using western whatever... ammunition, weapons on russian territory. what does this move due to those feelings now? it makes them more queasy, undoubtably. we know confirmed that american stryker armoured vehicles are there. the german vehicles, infantry and armoured vehicles are there. there are good reports that the bradley m2, the star of the battlefield this year, american bradleys seem to be there. almost certainly german leopard tanks so a fair amount of western equipment being used because

these are elite units ukrainians are committing to this very dangerous move. those elite units are equipped with a lot of western material. the west has not said they can't do this but my goodness, they are more queasy because of it. it is another threshold crossed and i have always had from the beginning, this war will get more dangerous before it is over and that is the case. against that, we shouldn't be so alarmed because the russians always threaten dreadful consequences and they are doing their worst as it is. it is not clear how much worse they could be in their reactions. so i don't think, whatever the russians say, they will find it difficult to make good on their most dire predictions, to be honest. good on their most dire predictions, to be honest-— to be honest. michael clarke, great to be honest. michael clarke, great to net to be honest. michael clarke, great to get your — to be honest. michael clarke, great to get your analysis _ to be honest. michael clarke, great to get your analysis has _ to be honest. michael clarke, great to get your analysis has always, - to get your analysis has always, thank you. let's get some of the day's other news now. hong kong's top court has dismissed an appeal by the former media tycoonjimmy lai and six other pro—democracy campaigners to have their convictions overturned. the group had been found guilty of"unauthorised assembly" during protests in 2019.

mr lai is the founder of the pro—democracy apple daily newspaper. he's been held in solitary confinement since december 2020. injapan, tropical storm maria has dumped more than a month's worth of rain in the northeast of the island of honshu, after it made landfall there. the storm, which has now been downgraded after it lost some of its strength over land, forced the cancellation of dozens of flights and trains. more than 300,000 residents have been told to be ready to evacuate because of potential landslides a helicopter has crashed into the roof of a hotel in the northern australian city of cairns, killing the pilot. two people staying at the hotel — a man in his eighties and a woman in her seventies — were injured and taken to hospital. the company which owns the helicopter say it was being taken on an unauthorised flight when it crashed. australian media say two of the helicopter�*s rotor blades came off, with one landing in the hotel pool.

here in the uk... the funeral has been held for alice da silva aguiar, one of the three young girls killed in a knife attack at a dance class in southport. family and friends were among the hundreds who gathered to mourn the nine—year—old at st patrick's catholic church. alice's parents paid their own moving tribute, describing her as their "perfect dream child". fiona trott watched the service. applause a public display of love. trying to ease a parent's private pain. singing. alice's father carried her on his shoulder. but few fathers, or mothers, have the strength to speak on a day like this. instead, their words

were read by alice's uncle. you moved our world with your confidence and empathy. being around you was a privilege. we cherished every milestone. you completed us. you were taken away from us too soon. and we often ask, "why? "why here? "why us? "why you?" we wonder if you ever thought of us, called for us. we wondered if you felt any pain. we hope not, my darling. little alice knew nothing about politics and division. how confronting it was acknowledged here today. you have shown great courage in asking me to be here today, to speak, to give a message from you, alice's family, to say that you do not want there to be any more violence on the streets of the united kingdom, in the name of your daughter. i am ashamed, and i'm so sorry that

you had to even consider this in the planning of the funeral of your beautiful daughter, alice. this is the last photograph taken of alice, the moment she went into the taylor swift dance class that day. but it's her love of dance, her outgoing personality that people are choosing to remember now. hey, guys. today, it's me. i got my make—up on to test my teacher. look at this. and now, guys, thank you for watching all my videos. mr bowen was alyssa's favourite teacher. —— alice's. she wished for mr bowen to be her teacher again and again. we are letting you go dancing now, alice. teach those angels a few dance moves. keep daydreaming, alice.

it's a magical place to be, in your own thoughts. let your beaming smile guide you, alice, and shine brightly on us all. singing. who would have imagined the tragic event that brought them all together? alice's life was too short, but it was celebrated here today. fiona trott, bbc news, southport. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

amid ongoing warnings of a wider escalation in the middle east, there is mounting concern about an increasingly unstable condition in the west bank. 615 palestinians have been killed since the start of the war in gaza — according to the palestinian authority health ministry. the un say at least 17 israelis, including 12 security forces

personnel, have also been killed in the west bank. on the palestinian side, many are armed fighters but others are civilians. in one recent incident, the focus fell on the killing of a young palestinian customs officer by an israeli undercover unit — an episode recorded on cctv. the bbc�*s diplomatic correspondent paul adams has been to the west bank town of tubas, where it happened. a quiet morning in a west bank town, an anonymous white van pulls up next to a palestinian customs office. a guard, abdel nasser sarhan, emerges to see what's going on. an israeli soldier in plain clothes shoots him dead. soon, the street is swarming with other soldiers. the following day, a makeshift memorial at the spot where abdel nasser fell, the guard post and walls riddled with bullets. the israeli army says it came to tubas to arrest two wanted men. abdel nasser, it says,

was killed in an exchange of fire, but that's not how this happened. it was just after 6am and abdel nasser and a colleague had just come on shift. the white van drew up here, just across the wall. the driver got out, said hello in arabic. abdel nasser walked out to greet him. seconds later, he was shot and fell right here. translation: this rings a warning bell, especially for us _ in the security services. how can we enforce law and order and offer services to the people and protect them while you are obstructing my work and killing my officers? the shooting in tubas is part of a much, much bigger problem. with all eyes focused on gaza, another war is raging in the west bank, the israeli military cracking down on armed groups it says are being bankrolled by iran. from one city to another, one refugee camp to another, the brush fires are burning. more than 600 palestinians have been killed in the west bank since last october.

as many as 10,000 have been arrested. some fear this could erupt into a full—scale uprising. if it goes into an intifada, this is a much, much bigger problem. this is a much more complicated problem to solve. militarily, we handle things. better, less, but when it goes into a civil rebel or intifada, it is a totally different story, and it might go there. in a refugee camp on the edge of nablus, abdel nasser�*s family is grieving, drawing their own conclusions about the actions of the israeli army. he is coming to kill, just to kill. muhannad can barely comprehend the loss of his son. the idf says it's still looking into what happened. it did not, we were told, go as planned. paul adams, bbc news, on the west bank.

a seventh artwork by the elusive artist banksy has appeared on the streets of london. this time, he's spray painted swimming piranha's on a city of london police sentry box. it's the latest in his animal series as yasmin rufo reports. what we've got a moment in england is a real problem across all of these areas.— is a real problem across all of these areas. ~ ., �* ., , ,, ., these areas. we don't really know because i don't _ these areas. we don't really know because i don't think _ these areas. we don't really know because i don't think he _ these areas. we don't really know because i don't think he ever- these areas. we don't really know| because i don't think he ever really says _ because i don't think he ever really sa s. , ., ., ., ., says. the fish follow a host of animals that _ says. the fish follow a host of animals that have _ says. the fish follow a host of animals that have popped - says. the fish follow a host of animals that have popped up| says. the fish follow a host of - animals that have popped up over the capital. i5 animals that have popped up over the caital. , ., ., �* animals that have popped up over the caital. , . ., �* ~' capital. is it art? i don't think stenson is — capital. is it art? i don't think stenson is art, _ capital. is it art? i don't think stenson is art, its _ capital. is it art? i don't think| stenson is art, its advertising, isn't it? ~ . , stenson is art, its advertising, isn'tit? ., , ., , u isn't it? what is he advertising? a him. isn't it? what is he advertising? a him- these _ isn't it? what is he advertising? a him. these artworks _ isn't it? what is he advertising? a him. these artworks are - isn't it? what is he advertising? a him. these artworks are designedj isn't it? what is he advertising? a i him. these artworks are designed to cheer people — him. these artworks are designed to cheer people up _ him. these artworks are designed to cheer people up or— him. these artworks are designed to cheer people up or may _ him. these artworks are designed to cheer people up or may have - him. these artworks are designed to cheer people up or may have an - cheer people up or may have an environmental angle but banksy is yet to comment. i environmental angle but banksy is yet to comment.— yet to comment. i like the idea, brinuain yet to comment. i like the idea, bringing more — yet to comment. i like the idea, bringing more nature, _ yet to comment. i like the idea, | bringing more nature, especially towards places like the city of

london, where you just have architecture. you see no single tree on this street. so go, banksy, more of that, please. i on this street. so go, banksy, more of that. please-— of that, please. i think what i like is it hels of that, please. i think what i like is it helps to _ of that, please. i think what i like is it helps to bring _ of that, please. i think what i like is it helps to bring us _ of that, please. i think what i like is it helps to bring us together . of that, please. i think what i like is it helps to bring us together as | is it helps to bring us together as a community and enjoy and celebrate the art _ a community and enjoy and celebrate the art. is _ a community and en'oy and celebrate the art. , , ~ the art. is this the end? we will 'ust have the art. is this the end? we will just have to _ the art. is this the end? we will just have to wait _ the art. is this the end? we will just have to wait and _ the art. is this the end? we will just have to wait and see - the art. is this the end? we will just have to wait and see what l just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow. a meteor shower passed above us in the uk last night — creating a bit of a spectacle for those who stayed up anyway! these pictures were taken in the sperrin mountains in northern ireland, at around 3am. the perseid meteor shower passes through our atmosphere every year when the earth orbits through debris left by a comet. reseachers in rio dejaneiro way humpback whales are returning to the waters off the the brazilian city — a trend they hope will continue. these giant mammals skirt the coast every year during theirjourney from antarctica. thanks to a ban on hunting, their population is now estimated to number in the thousands. but despite these efforts humpback

whales are still threatened by illegal fishing, heavy shipping traffic and water pollution. but for now, they seem happy to enjoy the crystal—clear waters around the marvelous city. ijust want i just want to show you these pictures we are keeping a cross from greece. just north of athens, the wildfires there. these are some of the latest pictures we have. to give you some of the numbers, to give you an idea of the scale, plenty people on alert for evacuation from the area. as for the efforts to try and tackle these wildfires, last estimates, around a0 fires broken out there in greece since saturday afternoon. firefighters still battling seven of them. you can see some of the helicopters, different machinery and the more standard

method of the water hose, trying to keep them under control. 500 firefighters now involved. 150 vehicles have been deployed there. to keep you up—to—date with the very latest, we have a live page running on the website with all the latest details of those fires in greece. so stay up to date there. you are watching bbc news. taking your driving test can be a stressful experience at the best of times — but learners are also facing an average wait of four—and—a—half—months to get a test slot, according to data from the dvsa. those delays are causing some people to pay well over the odds to book their test through brokers on social media, who use special software to grab available slots. josie hannett has been looking into this. oh, my days! the excitement of finding one available driving test in the whole

of kent in the next six months. but it's been snapped up as quick as it's appeared, and that's the reality. and still not a single test available. and i've gone through to december. no, no. it only goes up to the 5th of january 2025 and still there's nothing. what speed is this road, ava? 30. across england, scotland and wales, learner drivers are facing an average wait time of four and a half months. so a little bit further down the road we're going to turn right. ava lives in tunbridge wells and has recently turned 18. she had to book a test nearly a0 miles away and then wait for a cancellation locally. west wickham, nothing. and it keeps sending me to these places that are just too far away. she checked the dvsa website so much it thought she was a robot and stopped herfrom being able to book a test for months. i think with so many people logging

on and booking tests, there has to be some sort of better system because obviously you're going to check every day. if there aren't tests available, you have to check for cancellations. but if you can't even get onto the website, you can't do that. it's like, it's such a catch 22, it's really, really annoying. ava's finally passed thanks to her instructor teresa, who like many, feels frustrated with the backlog. the dvsa says some learners are booking tests before they're ready. nearly 10% are doing so before having a single lesson behind the wheel. i was with a lad this morning. we've both been looking. he can't find anything. he's quite at the beginning of his training. we've only been out four times. i would never normally be suggesting he looked for a test. but we know we must, because we know we could be waiting five or six months, which is about the time it would take to train him in the first place. but we can't even achieve that. i think that the government really need to look into this and look

into this extremely carefully. they could arrange it that only certain people can book the test, for instance, driving instructors, who can then honestly make an honest booking for somebody they feel is ready. the desperation from some learner drivers to try and get hold of a driving test has meant some of them are paying well over the odds to secure them. brokers are block booking tests and selling them on on social media. for example on whatsapp, i'm speaking to a broker now who can get me a test in crawley in just two days' time. i asked him how much is it going to set me back? he said £220. when i asked him why it's so much more than the usual £62 you'd pay on the dvsa website, he said if i rely on them i'll be waiting eight to nine months. many of these resellers use bots. essentially, it's a software that can book a test more quickly on the dvsa website than a human can. the reselling of them for a profit isn't illegal, but the dvsa says it exploits learners. someone who did pay

above the odds was nayana, who now works for the bbc. i ended up speaking to my friend and she gave me the number of the person that she booked her test through on snapchat. he originally said £150. how quick could he get it for you? sometimes a week ahead, two weeks ahead. ifelt like, you know, i'm a pawn in this game, and it's notjust me. so many of my friends, so many of my peers my age, i'm only 21, have gone through this similar experiences, and i think collectively we've all said it's becoming, you know, a difficult thing to drive. so how long were you in the industry for? for 20 years. 20 years? the impact of covid and the stress of backlogs made richard end his career as a driving instructor after two decades. there were too many things against being able to give the job the way i wanted to give the job, you know, with kindness and understanding, because it's very difficult when somebody is saying, "i need a test," and you're saying, you can't get one for another six months. towards the end, the job ruled me as opposed to, i ruled the job.

and that makes me quite sad because you build up relationships with pupils, you try and be honest and try and be as professional as you possibly can. and, actually, you can't provide the service that they need. the dvsa says the reason waiting times are so long is because of an increase in demand, but there are plans to continue to recruit more examiners and stop the companies who use bots. meanwhile, the department for transport says tackling the backlog of driving tests is a key priority for the new government, saying dodgy sites reselling expensive tests is unacceptable. josie hannett, bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather. hello again. we've had some heavy thundery downpours, especially in parts of the north and the west this morning, and also some high temperatures to start the day. it's going to be hot and humid once again in parts of the south eastern quarter, with some areas potentially reaching 35 celsius.

that will make it the hottest day of this year so far. now, as we go through the course of this morning into the afternoon, what you'll find is all those thunderstorms will clear away. there'll be a lot of dry weather, a lot of sunshine. there's a chance you could catch the odd thunderstorm in parts of lincolnshire or yorkshire and the odd shower moving from the midlands towards the south east, but they will be the exception rather than the rule. fresher in the north and west, hot and humid with highs up to 35 in the south east and quite windy too across the northwest. that will ease as we go through the evening and overnight period. a lot of clear skies. if you're hoping to see the meteor shower, you could well be in luck. but out towards the west, the could is going to build and we'll see the arrival of some rain. the other thing is, it's still going to be quite a fresh night for many areas away from the south east, where it will still feel quite humid. now, if we pick up that weather front tomorrow, it's out in the west. through the course of the day, it's going to be drifting eastwards, but it will continue to weaken in doing so. so a lot of dry weather, a fair bit of sunshine to start the day.

our weather front pushes from the west to the east. you can see how it wraps around bringing more rain into the outer hebrides. windy across parts of western scotland and northern ireland, and still hot and humid as we push down towards the south east, with highs up to 28. our weather front eventually makes it on wednesday down towards the south east. a ridge of high pressure builds across us, so a lot of dry weather and a fair bit of sunshine as the dregs of our weather front continue to pull away. a cooler day for the south east with highs up to 2a, but that's still around about what we'd expect at this time of year and another weather front waiting in the wings. that weather front will come into the north west and sink southwards during the course of thursday. ahead of it, some sunshine and on the other side of, it too, we are looking at some sunshine as well. temperatures up to about 23 or 2a. and then as we head into friday and saturday, still a fair bit of dry weather around, you might catch the odd shower. there's some rain in the forecast

as well, not all of us seeing it, and a little bit fresher.

live from london. this is bbc news. russia starts evacuating parts of the belgorod region close to kursk, where ukrainian forces continue their surprise offensive. thousands of people near the greek capital athens are ordered to move to safer areas as wildfires rage in the area. warnings missed about the mental health of valdo calocane, who went on to kill three people in nottingham last year. and �*cruise—ing' into the stade de france, someone makes

a special appearance, as the paris olympics draws to a close. hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones. welcome to the programme. we begin in russia, where authorities are evacuating parts of the belgorod region in the south west of the country. it neighbours kursk, where ukrainian forces launched a surprise offensive nearly a week ago. the governor of belgorod says the evacuation is due to activity by ukrainian forces on the border. meanwhile in ukraine, an attack on the zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has sparked accusations from both moscow and kyiv. russia's state media reports that the main fire at the plant was extinguished in the early hours of monday. ukrainian president zelensky shared these pictures on social media. he said russian officials who control the plant had deliberately started the fires. but the kremlin—installed governor of zaporizhzhia claimed the fire erupted after shelling by ukrainian forces.