we begin the middle east were diplomats are working towards peace while hoping to avoid a wider regional conflict. the us government has stepped up efforts to reach a ceasefire between israel and hamas in gaza. a deal that's seen as a way to avoid an escalation of the conflict, involving iran. the government in tehran has dismissed calls from the uk and other western countries to refrain from retaliation against israel for the killing of hamas leader ismail haniyeh in tehran last month. during a meeting on the un security council — which was punctuated by accusations — the us ambassador explained what washington was hoping to archive. the united states overall goal remains to turn the temperature down in the region, to deter

and defend against any future attack and avoid regional conflict. that starts with finalising a deal for conflict. that starts with finalising a dealfor an finalising a deal for an immediate finalising a dealfor an immediate ceasefire with hostage release in gaza. we need to get this over the finish line. at that same meeting, the palestinian ambassador to the un accused the security council of not doing enough and urged those present to impose sanctions on israel. israel does not care about your condemnations. let me repeat, israel does not care about your condemnations. it dismisses your resolutions, it does not even listen to your debates. meawhile, israel's representative accused hamas of using civilians as human targets and demanded more action to be taken on iran. the most unbelievable thing is

your inaction to condemn and stop the biggest danger and thread the entire region. iran, right now, as we speak here now, millions of israelis are preparing for a direct iranian attack. but president biden believes the best way to prevent that attack is by reaching a ceasefire and hostage swap. listen to this exchange between the american president and a reporter. let's see what they do and we will see what happens with the iranian attack but i'm not giving up. iranian attack but i'm not giving un— iranian attack but i'm not giving uni-— iranian attack but i'm not giving urn-— iranian attack but i'm not giving up. do you have the understanding _ giving up. do you have the understanding that - giving up. do you have the understanding that around i understanding that around consist— understanding that around consist to assist fss fire was still— consist to assist fss fire was still was _ consist to assist fss fire was still was possible?— consist to assist fss fire was still was possible? that's my exnectation _ still was possible? that's my expectation but _ still was possible? that's my expectation but we - still was possible? that's my expectation but we will - still was possible? that's my| expectation but we will seek. thank you. our north america correspondent david willisjoins me now from washington. hello to you. a lot of

back—and—forth and everybody wants progress to get across the line is we just heard on that un security council meeting, tell us more. i think that exchange _ meeting, tell us more. i think that exchange with _ meeting, tell us more. i think that exchange with joe - meeting, tell us more. i think that exchange with joe biden | that exchange withjoe biden was significant, we have seen and heard very little ofjoe biden in the three plus weeks in which she has been out of the presidential race and that statement today that a ceasefire deal in gaza will effectively lead to iran standing down and abandoning plans to attack israel is very significant. the big question, of course, is what will happen, as far as the ceasefire talks are concerned, they were due to resume in qatar on thursday tomorrow but there are indications that hamas is planning to withdraw from those talks. and of course, iran has said that if the talks collapse or indeed if israel is seen to

be dragging its feet, if you like, then it will carry out that attack. for the man in the building behind me though, there is a lot resting on this, joe biden has made a ceasefire deal in gaza are, as central to his political legacy and he has been staunchly loyal to israel, of course, and indeed today, the us state department announced that it was approving announced that it was approving a $20 billion weapons steel with israel and now that includes more than 50 fighter jets, not all of that consignment of weaponry will be delivered immediately, of course, staggered over the course, staggered over the course of a couple of years, it is nonetheless testament to the biden administration's, ironclad support, for israel, closest ally in the middle east, despite the fact that there are still many in his own party who would prefer thatjoe

biden scrap arms deals with this israel and given the growing the bloodshed in gaza, of course. ,. growing the bloodshed in gaza, of course. ., ~ of course. 0k, david, thank you very much _ of course. 0k, david, thank you very much indeed. _ of course. 0k, david, thank you very much indeed. the - very much indeed. the washington for us,. while the diplomacy continues in cities around the globe — on the ground, the war in gaza continues, with israel claiming to have killed around a hundred hamas fighters in rafah, in southern gaza in recent days, and palestinian medics saying 19 people died in israeli airstrikes tuesday, with four day old twins, their mother and grandmother, reported to be among the dead. lucy williamson has more from jerusalem. for four days, mohammed abu al-qumsan was a father. this day will haunt him for ever. the day he left his newborn twins, ayssel and asser, at home with their mother, while he went to collect their birth certificates, and returned to find them killed in a strike

on their building in deir al balah. today, he prepared to bury them. a new parent, comforted like a child. "i didn't even have time to celebrate them", he said. gaza's health ministry says 115 infants, including ayssel and asser, have been born and killed during this war. we asked the israeli army why the twins' family home was bombed and are waiting for a response. fighting has continued across the gaza strip, with both israel and hamas under fresh pressure to agree a ceasefire deal to calm spiralling regional threats. today, hamas released this video which it said showed rockets being launched from gaza towards tel aviv. israel's army said one had crossed

into israeli territory and fallen into the sea. in the southern city of khan younis, displaced residents, not long returned, fled artillery and air strikes again. "who will breast—feed this baby?" 0ne resident cried over the ruins of a building. "all her family were killed, even her mother." reem abu hayyah, three months old, was pulled from the rubble, bruised and battered, the only survivor of an air strike that her grandmother says killed her parents and eight siblings, along with ten other people. translation: they are the terrorists, the ones| that kill children. they are supported by america. out of 20 people, this one is the only one left. the focus on gaza now is shrinking as the threat of regional conflict grows. but each child left without a family, each father left without his children, is adding to the long

shadow of this war. lucy williamson, bbc news, jerusalem. joining me now is benjamin radd. political scientist and senior fellow at the ucla burkle center for international relations. good to see you again. my colleague, lucy, reminding us all that every day, lives are lost, families are dealing with huge tragedy in gaza. the us says that a ceasefire deal now could prevent a conflict between iran and israel, do you agree with that?— between iran and israel, do you agree with that? well, yes, and no and it's _ agree with that? well, yes, and no and it's more _ agree with that? well, yes, and no and it's more likely - agree with that? well, yes, and no and it's more likely to - no and it's more likely to assist without an that's because iran does not want to because iran does not want to be perceived as a spoiler if a deal is reached and satisfies all part including the us and the mediating countries, each

of them with hamas and israel, iran to go ahead and carry out an operation that could possibly disrupt or result in a backstabbing, it's a conflict that would put iran in the worst possible light so under those circumstances, i don't see around carrying out any patella tory action, having said that, it does have its own could ability at stake so it needs to do something, some act, maybe somewhere other than in israel, in is to target, soft targets around the world is benign to do in the past with proxy groups and other so that remains a possibility if the tax on israel.— that remains a possibility if the tax on israel. you do say that iran _ the tax on israel. you do say that iran doesn't _ the tax on israel. you do say that iran doesn't want - the tax on israel. you do say that iran doesn't want to - the tax on israel. you do say that iran doesn't want to be | that iran doesn't want to be seen as the spoiler, if a deal were to be brokered, but we've been talking about trying to reach a deal for weeks and weeks and weeks, we've been back—and—forth in terms of talks in qatar or wherever. what is the hope that we are nearly there now?—

what is the hope that we are nearly there now? well, in the last 24 hours, _ nearly there now? well, in the last 24 hours, it _ nearly there now? well, in the last 24 hours, it seemed - nearly there now? well, in the last 24 hours, it seemed to . last 24 hours, it seemed to have taken a turn to make it less likely and reports came out that the german netanyahu in negotiations that put forward some modifications from july, namely two of them that it would retain control of the border crossing known as the philadelphia court order and also would restrict or limit the way in the manner in which palestinians can return to their homes in northern gaza. —— benjamin netanyahu. where they would want to check and screen for any potential weapons or arms that might be carrying. those two elements have posted additional complications, netanyahu has complications, neta nyahu has maintained complications, netanyahu has maintained that its clarifying that hamas is considering those positions to be nonstarter is but is even beyond that on what is agreed to a ceasefire that does not result in the dismantling of hamas is military in upper 0rara that seems unlikely. —— benjamin

netanyahu. seems unlikely. -- ben'amin netanyahnfi seems unlikely. -- ben'amin netan ahu. ., ~ . netanyahu. thank you so much for talking _ netanyahu. thank you so much for talking to _ netanyahu. thank you so much for talking to us. _ let's head to japan. the japanese prime minister, fumio kishida, says he will not stand in his party's leadership contest next month, clearing the way for a new prime minister. mr kishida — who came to power in 2021 — said it was important to show the public that his liberal democratic party was changing. they have governed japan for most of the period since the second world war. the huge wildfires in greece that have been threatening the capital athens, have been brought under control. at least one person has died, while dozens have been injured, and thousands of have had to leave their homes. here's jessica parker. shadows in the night as this monster blaze ripped into the outskirts of athens. whether a firefighter,

soldier or citizen, they tried to contain the flames. now, with daylight, this is what's left. thanassis, a stone merchant, leafs through the scorching hot wreckage of his business. he fears there's up to £25,000 worth of damage. translation: the fire | passed through and burnt all the wooden pallets. everything that was here is now useless. pallets, marble, tiles and even further beyond. everything is garbage now. as water bombers work to douse hotspots from on high, on the ground, there's anguish. and while everything was happening, even our school burnt down. all of our memories were there. it's just a couple of metres down the line. marina despairs that greece goes through this time and again. the fire department is so underfunded.

it has nothing to do with personal responsibility and everything to do with how the government is handling this. and the answer is that it's simply not. it's not handling it. the authorities say their response was rapid in the face of extreme conditions, including drought. down there, you can see the path of the fire as it burned its way to the city of athens, the heat and high winds the perfect conditions to allow the blaze to spread. this is a city that, over decades, has sprawled its way into the hills and forests. unwise, say some, in an area populated with highly flammable pine trees, while countries like greece also grapple with rising temperatures. the whole mediterranean is a hotspot of climate change. we have an estimate that more than 100 square kilometres were burned by this fire during the last two days. i think it is among or maybe the largest wildfire in the greater athens area in the last ten years.

as layers of ash blanket the ground, the fire service says there are now no active blazes here, but the wildfire has left fresh scars on this landscape that mark a familiar agony for greece. jessica parker, bbc news, in athens. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

some breaking news now — the head of russia's belgorod declared a state of emergency in the border region, blaming attacks by ukrainian forces. it comes as president biden says ukraine's surprise cross border incursion into russia, provides a real dilemma for vladimir putin. kyiv now claims to control more than 70 communities in the kursk region of western russia, an area of around 1,000 square kilometres. this map shows just how rapid the advance has been in the last seven days, with ukraine claiming to have taken more territory in a week,

than russia has all year. james waterhouse, has more from frontline province of sumy, bordering kursk. ukrainian soldiers in western—made vehicles, driving into russia, a potentially seminal sight which few saw coming. the russian guards were quickly overwhelmed. it has been a while since this border crossing was used in peacetime, and the ukrainians have not stopped here. the central square of sudzha. a ukrainian armoured vehicle drives through a russian town. it's a military inversion which has restored momentum and morale to kyiv�*s war effort. and instead of directing events in ukraine, moscow's reacting to surprises at home.

more of its kursk region is falling in the most dramatic of battlefield changes. "we've just been to this russian supermarket, "and the selection isn't very good," remarks this soldier. slava ukraini! russia is struggling to contain this weighty offensive, but it is trying. across the border in ukraine's sumy region, evidence ukraine is deploying some of its best troops for a goal that is still unclear. military equipment is branded with a triangle, the symbol of this operation. ukraine is committing to this gamble, but success might not come here with the capturing of territory across the border. it may well come elsewhere, where russian forces might be forced to redeploy. if this gamble doesn't come off, the consequences for ukraine's war effort could be catastrophic. for the border villages habitually hit by russian glide bombs, there is no fear of what

moscow's response might be. translation: i want them to take it and do this. - translation: russia attacked first, not us. j now our guys responded, showed what we're capable of. if we had permission to do this earlier, we would have captured russia a long time ago. in the city of sumy, evacuees give their details to be rehoused. as with across the border, tens of thousands have been moved after an increase in air strikes. ukraine has benefited from secrecy, but its civilians less so. in a choreographed briefing you would usually see in moscow, the head of the armed forces, 0leksandr syrskyi, tells president zelensky they are still advancing.

translation: first, - i thank our guys and girls. also, i ask you not to forget to develop our important next steps. what ukraine does next will be crucial, especially with the moment of surprise now behind it. james waterhouse, bbc news, sumy region. let's speak to colonel brendan kearney, a retired colonel from the united states marine corp. good to have you on the programme again. give us your reaction to their surprise incursion on the part of the ukrainians, what is a tell you about the military and how they are operating at the moment. i think it tells us a lot of things, it tells us about the most senior leadership in the willingness to go ahead and take a chance in attempting to regain the initiative and momentum because there's essentially been a stalemate in

the war between ukraine and russia here for the last number of months. but they launched an offensive action into the region and it's been going on now for a week and it's been highly successful which reflects not only their intelligence estimated the situation was superior to what the russians clearly must�*ve start might come or didn't think would come but, you know, they've done it should ordinarily well and they are continually exploiting a situation that the russians are not reacting to.— not reacting to. does it also as well illustrate _ not reacting to. does it also as well illustrate their - not reacting to. does it also as well illustrate their skill, j as well illustrate their skill, the military because they are using recently, very recently, supplied modern western weaponry that they may not be that familiar with i have used that familiar with i have used that very much before, i don't know? ., ~ ., ~ ., ., ,

know? you know, ukrainians surprised _ know? you know, ukrainians surprised all— know? you know, ukrainians surprised all of _ know? you know, ukrainians surprised all of us _ know? you know, ukrainians surprised all of us with - know? you know, ukrainians surprised all of us with their| surprised all of us with their ability — it's a very technical astute nation and the soviet union days, that's where the vast majority soviet armoured vehicles were produced and i think they've chernihiv since the start of the ward that they have done things with drones in terms of technological innovation in the way they've employed which is the most important aspect of weapons employment. they've constantly surprise the west and i think we have to hand to them, the only nation that i can of that has come close to being as innovative over the years is the israelis where they were given world war ii surplus equipment and they are pension, a gun did the vehicles, they put new communications gear in and the next thing you know, is they are running circles around all the most military equipment

in warfare and that's what the ukrainians are doing right now. question is what will happen next, i guess vladimir putin's response to all of this as ukraine keeps the pressure on and russia. it’s ukraine keeps the pressure on and russia-— and russia. it's an excellent question. — and russia. it's an excellent question. i _ and russia. it's an excellent question, i think _ and russia. it's an excellent question, i think the - and russia. it's an excellent - question, i think the immediate reaction is going to obviously be the russians starting to contain this incursion in the ukraine but here we are, weak into it and their response has been early inept. the forces they said they seem to be disorganised, doesn't seem to be first rate forces of any type. what you need to do is reinforce and contain and they are not doing that.— reinforce and contain and they are not doing that. thank you. thank you _ are not doing that. thank you. thank you for— are not doing that. thank you. thank you for your _ are not doing that. thank you. thank you for your time, - are not doing that. thank you. thank you for your time, good j thank you for your time, good to get your analysis in what is happening in russia and ukraine at the moment.— here in the uk, taylor swift's concerts at wembley stadium this week will have additional ticket checks. the performances are sold out and ticketless fans have been

warned to stay away. it comes after three shows in vienna were cancelled over an alleged plot by suspected terrorists to attack the venue and fans. chi chi izundu reports. this is what wembley bosses do not want to see. 40,000 ticketless swift these took over the grassy hill outside the munich venue to listen to her perform her error store. fans call it tailgating, soaking up the atmosphere. and last time, taylor was here, taylor fans take gated at wembley, cardiff and liverpool. but for her next five days at wembley, officials are asking fan not to do this. a reminder was posted on the van es website which read that everyone will be checked before entry and we don't want any bad blood, we had to have you turn away. they added...

not to holders will be moved on. i? not to holders will be moved on. ~ , ., ., ~ , not to holders will be moved on. ~ ,., on. # when you wake up and fine... last — on. # when you wake up and fine... last week _ on. # when you wake up and fine... last week in _ on. # when you wake up and fine... last week in vienna, | fine... last week in vienna, fans are _ fine... last week in vienna, fans are sang _ fine... last week in vienna, fans are sang in _ fine... last week in vienna, fans are sang in the - fine... last week in vienna, fans are sang in the street i fans are sang in the street after organisers cancelled all the concert after austrian security officials foiled our plan terror attack. i security officials foiled our plan terror attack.- plan terror attack. i think civen plan terror attack. i think given what _ plan terror attack. i think given what happened - plan terror attack. i think given what happened in l plan terror attack. i think - given what happened in vienna just the other week, it makes sense at wembley stadium would issue a statement especially when are so many young people and families that will be attending over the five nights and i think it will be a reassurance to a lot of fans that the stadium is taken security seriously. we that the stadium is taken security seriously. we are 'ust really hoping i security seriously. we are 'ust really hoping that i security seriously. we are 'ust really hoping that maybe h security seriously. we are just really hoping that maybe a - really hoping that maybe a ticket _ really hoping that maybe a ticket will fall into our lab, we will— ticket will fall into our lab, we will be here for a while and we will be here fora while and she's— we will be here for a while and she's in— we will be here for a while and she's in town for a while. but sadly for— she's in town for a while. but sadly for super _ she's in town for a while. iei,ii sadly for super fans, all she's in town for a while. elf sadly for super fans, all the wembley knights sadly for superfans, all the wembley knights are sold out. and ticket experts are warning people to be careful because of some tickets being sold online do not exist and could leave

fans disappointed and out of pocket. we've got business today here next, i like to discuss as ever, stay with us, i will see you injust ever, stay with us, i will see you in just a ever, stay with us, i will see you injust a moment. hello there. tuesday wasn't as hot or as humid, but still with some sunshine across norfolk and suffolk before we got a few light showers, temperatures reached a very warm 29 degrees. other parts of the uk have cooled down a bit already, and it's still quite mixed through the rest of the week. there'll be some sunshine at times, but we're also going to find some spells of rain, and our weather essentially is going to be coming in from the atlantic. at the moment things have slowed down a bit and this weather front still bringing some rain early in the morning, particularly across the midlands. but a sunny start and a chilly start in scotland. some sunshine for northern ireland. it will cloud over

here in the afternoon and later in the day into western scotland. but more sunshine develops across northern england, wales and the southwest. and even though we've got more cloud, the midlands towards the southeast, that should tend to thin and break up a little bit. we will trigger a few showers in the southeast in the afternoon. it's not going to be as warm here as it was on tuesday, of course, 23 or 24 degrees and elsewhere, those temperatures very similar to what we had on tuesday. so our weather is coming in from the atlantic, and this is the next weather system to bring some wind and rain in from the northwest. and it could be quite wet through much of thursday across scotland and northern ireland. this band of rain is only moving slowly into northern england and wales. it's going to be late in the day before we see some sunshine, but through the midlands, towards the southeast it may well be a dry day with more broken cloud we've got a chance for things to warm up again. temperatures could reach as high as 27 degrees, but for scotland and northern ireland, it's likely to be a cooler day on thursday. that rain is slowly

moving its way southwards, and that weather front will eventually take some rain into more southern parts of england. it could hang around for a bit on friday, we're likely to find the rain tending to move away from the southwest, but the southeast it could be a bit more of a struggle. that rain could still be around into the afternoon at least more cloud. we've got sunshine elsewhere once again until you reach the far northwest, with a bit of rain coming in here again as the breeze tends to pick up. so temperatures scotland and northern ireland 19 degrees at best. 0therwise our top temperature further south 23 or 24 celsius. i think it's those sort of temperatures that we'll see over the weekend. so not a hot weekend, but it looks like a fairly decent weekend. most places will be dry with some sunshine. just a few showers, perhaps towards the northwest.

sticky inflation: the uk is expected to report its first increase this year, before attention is turned to the us, where price rises are projected to remain stubbornly high. cashing in on the ai boom: the world's largest maker of iphones, foxconn, is set to reveal huge profits, thanks to apple's upcoming new generation smartphone. miners on strike: trade union leaders have refused to restart talks following their decision to down tools at the world's largest copper mine in chile.

and we take you to indonesia's new capital city — built from scratch in the borneo rainforest. but is this hugely ambitious project ready to welcome residents? live from london, this is business today. i'm sally bundock. you got the sense from those headlines does a lot to fit in. let's get started. it's a big day for inflation data — both the uk and us will publish the latest on how much prices have risen in the month ofjuly. this data will be watched very closely by both traders and policy makers for any signs their economies are on the right track. so let's take a look at what we are expecting. in the uk, economists expect a rise of 2.3% — that's slightly higher than the steady 2%

inflation rate in may and june, and would be a setback