hello, i'm helena humphrey. you're watching the context on bbc news. we had a very constructive meeting with prime minister netanyahu today. he confirmed to me that israel accepts the bridging proposal, that he supports it. it's now incumbent on hamas to do the same. as to how mr netanyahu| will characterise it, well, he talked about positive talks. as well, and said he was trying to maximise the number of hostages that can be released alive. _ there's a lot of open doors that have yet to be closed, so i think... i don't think there's enough urgency on the part of netanyahu — or sinwar, for that matter. washington's top diplomat, antony blinken, says it's now up to hamas to agree to a ceasefire in gaza after getting approval

from israel on concessions aimed at bridging the divide between the two sides. we are yet to receive any detail on what those concessions might be, but could it be the movement the region has been waiting for? also tonight... a desperate search for survivors, after a british superyacht sank off the coast of sicily. one man has died and six others are still missing — including british tech businessman mike lynch. as the crown prosecution service here in the uk works around the clock in the wake of the uk riots — the prison system is being stretched to its limits. we'll look at the pressure points in the system and the potential solutions. and we'll be live in chicago. it's the start of the democratic party's national convention. it's a crowning moment for kamala harris as the party's presidential nominee, but tonight it's all eyes onjoe biden when he takes the stage.

"this is a decisive moment" — the words of america's top diplomat, antony blinken, as he visits the middle east yet again, to try to push through a ceasefire deal for gaza. after meeting with prime minister benjamin netanyahu, the us secretary of state said that israel had approved a proposal aimed at bridging the divide between the two sides. mr blinken didn't clarify what, if any, specific concessions israel has made to help secure the deal, but said that the terms will now be put to hamas. he insisted there's a deep sense of urgency to get a deal agreed now and that it's "probably the best — "and maybe the last — opportunity to get "the hostages home and put "the middle east on a better path to enduring peace." for president biden, there's a deep sense of urgency in getting this done, and i also hear that throughout this country, as well as throughout the region. it's the single best way not only to get the hostages home,

to ease the suffering of people in gaza, it's also the best way to make sure that the conflict doesn't spread, that we don't see escalation. i'm joined now by former us ambassador and president of the middle east policy council, gina abercrombie—winstanley. a well welcome to you, good to have you back on the programme. i would like to start with the messaging that has been coming from the us secretary of state that you will have seen, saying essentially that this is the best moment and this indeed may be the last moment to get a deal done. what do you make of that? ~ 4' , that? well, i think everything the secretary says — that? well, i think everything the secretary says is _ that? well, i think everything the secretary says is exactly - that? well, i think everything the secretary says is exactly accurate | secretary says is exactly accurate about the need for it at the cost of not reaching it. the message underneath that, however, is communicating to both sides that this is the do or die moment and although we have had touches of this before, it is clear that the messaging coming from the united

states, as well as europe, the international community and states international community and states in the region that there is probably a little bit of the stick, shall we say, being shared as well? president biden has been so clear about his unequivocal support for israel over the last ten plus months, without good effect in coming to a ceasefire. he does not want to leave this for his successor and so, this pushes really going to become hard this week. i pushes really going to become hard this week. ., , ., pushes really going to become hard this week. . , ., . ~' pushes really going to become hard this week. ., ., ~ ., this week. i mean, you talk about that stick fare _ this week. i mean, you talk about that stick fare from _ this week. i mean, you talk about that stick fare from washington. | this week. i mean, you talk about that stick fare from washington. i wonder what, you know, to borrow your metaphor of the carrot really is here? when it comes to hamas, when it comes to israel, is the urgency of the same? unfortunately, the uraen urgency of the same? unfortunately, the urgency may _ urgency of the same? unfortunately, the urgency may be _ urgency of the same? unfortunately, the urgency may be the _ urgency of the same? unfortunately, the urgency may be the same - urgency of the same? unfortunately, the urgency may be the same for - urgency of the same? unfortunately, the urgency may be the same for the i the urgency may be the same for the leaders of both israel and hamas. we

have long been seeing the navigation of the israeli prime minister with occasionally moving the goalposts of taking steps on behalf of the nation of israel, but also that have impacts on the united states, as well as the region at large, without respect of whether the united states supports these specific moves. hamas under yahya sinwar, as well, their ability to remain in power, to remain in leadership for the palestinian people in gaza, after a ceasefire is reached is also unlikely. and so, both sides have reason to resist a ceasefire to remain in power. and that is where we stand now. is there enough impetus, push to have them take the steps that are needed by their people, but may endanger their

ability to remain in power? find ability to remain in power? and ambassador, _ ability to remain in power? and ambassador, i— ability to remain in power? and ambassador, i do _ ability to remain in power? and ambassador, i do want to get your take on another dynamic in all of this and of course that is the looming spectre of iran, the possibility of retaliation, be it through iran, be it through its pop free proxies and whether you think potentially, if a deal is not reached this time round, what we are approaching is what many would see is a kind of very worrying scenario of a retaliation from iran and the possibility here of a broader war in the middle east? it is possibility here of a broader war in the middle east?— the middle east? it is absolutely ve real. the middle east? it is absolutely very real. this _ the middle east? it is absolutely very real. this is, _ the middle east? it is absolutely very real. this is, again, - the middle east? it is absolutely| very real. this is, again, another point of why it is so important to come to closure now. the iranians certainly would argue that it is their right and responsibility to respond to an assassination on their land, a guest, as it were, the political leader of hamas, you know,

it was embarrassing and they have said that they won't respond if a ceasefire is reached. so this delay we have seen over this last week or week—and—a—half is again trying to give space for a ceasefire. there is every reason to hope, if not expect that, if the ceasefire is reached, that, if the ceasefire is reached, that many of the conflict points that many of the conflict points that are currently raging and endangering the entire region could have the temperature lowered. right. former us ambassador _ have the temperature lowered. right. former us ambassador and _ have the temperature lowered. right. former us ambassador and president of the middle east policy council, gina abercrombie—winstanley. as ever, really good to get your take, thanks for being with us. absolutely. wright one man has died and six others, including four british tourists, four british tourists, are missing, after a yacht capsized and sank in an early morning storm. the uk marine accident investigation branch is sending a team to sicily to help the local authorities. the bbc has confimed that the british technology tycoon mike lynch is among those missing — as well as his daughter, hannah lynch. sources have also confirmed that his

wife, angela, has been rescued. the incident took place in the mediterranean, where our correspondent, off the coast of the italian island, sicily, from where our correspondent, mark lowen, sent this report. the search operation here in palermo, just off the coast of the sicilian capital, is continuing. it is where six of the 22 passengers on board the bayesian luxury yacht are still missing. it was thought that they were in their cabins, sleeping in the yacht at around 5 am when the ship was engulfed by a waterspout, a rotating column of cloud and water that engulfed it. it stood little chance. after the rescue, the retrieval, the sea giving up lives it snatched away. since the early hours, emergency teams have been scouring the site from the air and on the water where the yacht sank. 15 of the 22 on board were saved.

others — british, american, canadian — weren't so lucky. the wreckage, now some 50m below water where the search is focusing. a luxury superyacht that had won awards for its design, but that became a death trap. the british flagged bayesian off the port of porticello in sicily before it was reportedly hit by a waterspout, a tornado—like cloud from a heavy storm thought to have smashed the mast and capsized it. these pictures nearby show the force of the winds at around 5 a.m. the yacht couldn't withstand them. the captain of the ship that rescued the 15 at sea spoke of the nightmare. the other ship, strange enough, is 55m, i think, with a 72m long mast. they went flat on the water. yeah, and then down. with a light,

we saw that the ship was in sight and then we saw a triangle. so i think she went back down. terrible, terrible moments. yes. and in the life raft was also a little baby and the wife of the owner. among those missing is mike lynch, the british billionaire tech entrepreneur tried for fraud after selling his firm to hewlett—packard and cleared of all charges injune. his wife, angela bacares, who was rescued, is listed as the yacht company's owner. translation: it was a, shall we say, corporate | holiday in the sense that many were work colleagues of this person that you mentioned, who we were told was the owner of this sailing ship that sank this morning. so there were a lot of work colleagues, friends, a few husbands, wives or a couple of friends who had joined in. the rescued were taken to nearby hospitals. one british woman, the mother of a one—year—old child who also

survived, told of holding her baby above the water with all her strength. "it was all black," she said, "and i couldn't see in the water." "all i could hear around me," she added, "were the screams of others." local prosecutors tonight have opened an investigation into what happened, and british investigators have also arrived here in sicily. the website of the superyacht said that its 75 metre tall mast , aluminium mast, was the tallest of its kind in the world, but apparently it could not withstand the force of the waterspout. waterspouts are rare. they mainly occur in the tropics or the subtropics. they are even less common here in europe. so it appears that tonight this yacht was the victim of a freak weather accident that ended in tragedy. and you can see mark lowe in their reporting of the coast of sicily. we can take a look now at some live pictures as rescue workers continue their operations. it is a little after iopm there off the coast of italy and just to let you know, the bbc is currently running a live

pictures, a live page. it is shortly after 9pm there in italy, i should say. the bbc running a live page with updates on that operation. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

here in the uk, the government has brought in emergency measures in the north of england to ease prison overcrowding, as more people are sentenced for their part in the recent riots. police cells will be used for defendants ahead of their court appearances until prison space becomes available. the prison officers' association said the most serious offenders would be guaranteed a prison cell. daniel sandford has the details. one of the worst riots of the last three weeks was when an angry crowd stormed the holiday inn express outside rotherham on 4th august. today, nathan palmer

and niven matthew mann were jailed for two years eight months for their part in the battle with police officers. the rioting in hartlepool on 31st ofjuly led to a mother of six being jailed for, among other things, throwing a brick at police. as a result of the disorder, more than 100 people have now been jailed, with 200 more in custody awaiting trial or sentence. today, the government had to adopt emergency measures to stop prisons overflowing. something the prime minister blamed on the previous government. there was a basic failure, a failure to have enough prison places for the number of prisoners being sentenced. that is about as basic a failure of government in the previous government as you could possibly have. the overcrowding is a result of decades in which the space in prisons has barely kept up with a number of inmates. with the number of inmates. on friday, the prison population stood at 87,893, a rise of almost 400 in just one

week, largely because of the number of people being jailed following the widespread disorder, following the widespread disorder. but the prison crisis began in 1990s,. the prison population has almost doubled since then and is expected to go past 100,000 in the next three years, far outstripping the number of prison places. under today's emergency measures, some of those charged will have their magistrates�* court cases delayed. in the meantime, they will be kept in police cells, or given bail. the magistrates courts are adept at carrying on through the various tribulations the justice system is facing. what i hope is that this latest crisis will mean that is a serious discussion about what can be done in terms of long—term solutions. prison reformers have long argued for a complete change of policy to avoid just lurching from crisis to crisis.

sending more and more people into prison is actually not cost—effective because, if you provide people with interventions earlier in the pipeline, where they are addressing the underlying causes of them offending in the first place, you are more likely to have people who address their issues. the current crisis means that, from september, some lower risk inmates will be released after serving only 40% of their sentences. daniel sandford, bbc news. to talk more about this now, i am joined by wendy sinclair—gieben, who is a former chief inspector of prisons for scotland. she was also a prison governor in england from 1998 to 2006. thank you so much for taking the time to be with us here this evening. we werejust time to be with us here this evening. we were just hearing about this operation to ease that overcrowding launched today in the north of england at this point. what

more do we know about how it will work? and of course, crucially i suppose the question is, do you think it will help?— think it will help? there is no auestion think it will help? there is no question that it _ think it will help? there is no question that it will _ think it will help? there is no question that it will help. - think it will help? there is no j question that it will help. the range of measures the government are putting in place for england and wales, and there are similar measures to some degree in scotland, will release the pressure at the shortest term. however, it doesn't resolve the issue, which is that the choice is stark. either they build the prison places necessary to meet the prison places necessary to meet the need or they completely reform the need or they completely reform the system and don't send so many people to prison. it is as simple as that. if, as a nation, we think it is important to send people to prison, then we have to build the prison, then we have to build the prison spaces. i prison, then we have to build the prison spam-— prison, then we have to build the prison spaces-— prison, then we have to build the prison spaces. i want to touch a bit more on that. _ prison spaces. i want to touch a bit more on that, wendy. _ prison spaces. i want to touch a bit more on that, wendy. i— prison spaces. i want to touch a bit more on that, wendy. ijust - prison spaces. i want to touch a bit| more on that, wendy. ijust wonder what you think about whether there is the risk, as some people may have been saying, that four police officers right now, this puts pressure on them in terms of who

they arrest? what do you make that? i think is perfectly possible, that they will feel pressurised, as will they will feel pressurised, as will the judiciary and feeling pressurised not to send people to prison, when in fact it is the appropriate disposal. but it doesn't alter that there are alternative and more effective proposals, particularly for short term sentences. short term sentences are better served by community disposals. and the evidence is there that it reduces reoffending. prisons are hugely expensive places on the public purse and therefore we do need to look at whether a greater prevention, greaterversion, greater opportunity for the less serious offences can be handled differently. i mean, you werejust talking bear about some of the options for trying to reduce offending. ijust want to touch on the current situation in

prisons right now. what is the impact that we may already be seeing of overcrowded prisons? whether that be in terms of reports of violence, a drugs market, for example, and how does that then feed into the possibility of people coming out and reoffending? 50. possibility of people coming out and reoffendin: ? �* , possibility of people coming out and reoffending?— reoffending? so, let's look at it from the view _ reoffending? so, let's look at it from the view of _ reoffending? so, let's look at it from the view of the _ reoffending? so, let's look at it from the view of the victim. - reoffending? so, let's look at it| from the view of the victim. the victim has a right to expect that if they go into prison, but they won't come out until they are due to come out and that while they are in prison, everything that got them tangling with the police in the first place will be dealt with intensively, so that when they do come out of prison at the right time, the risk of them treating another victim is reduced. when you have overcrowding, it becomes what is commonly called humane containment. you have the same number of staff to deal with significantly more prisoners. they are often locked in a room for 22

hours a day with a total stranger who may not have the same hygiene standards as they do. bored out of their minds. it is not the way to reduce reoffending, to make people very, very bored for a long period of time. the prison service will do its best, but the reality is with overcrowding, they cannot work intensively with people, build the relationships and do the work that reduces their reoffending.- reduces their reoffending. wendy sinclair-gieben, _ reduces their reoffending. wendy sinclair-gieben, a _ reduces their reoffending. wendy sinclair-gieben, a former - reduces their reoffending. wendy sinclair-gieben, a former chief i sinclair—gieben, a former chief inspector of prisons for scotland and also a prison governor in england. really good to get your thoughts, thanks for being with us, wendy. thoughts, thanks for being with us, wend . ., �* _, thousands of delegates are beginning to gather in chicago ahead of the democratic national convention which is getting under way in the next few hours. the four—day event will see kamala harris formally accept the party's nomination as the presidential candidate following president biden's withdrawal from the race last month. her supporters are buoyed by poll numbers that show her having

wiped out the clear lead that her republican rival, donald trump, had established. but despite the buzz around the harris—walz campaign, there are concerns that divisions over the war in gaza could undermine party unity. protests against the gaza war are taking place outside the democratic national convention, with hundreds of people gathering. with me now is our very own caitriona perry at the dnc. really good to see you, and of course all eyes on tonight, very much on chicago. what are you expecting from the days ahead? thanks, you are very welcome to the united centre here in chicago. it is very noisy here at the moment because i can tell you the country music star is currently doing her sound check rehearsal on the stage here down behind us. there is a rumour doing the rounds this week that beyonce may turn up to the dnc

and mickey is the artist that beyonce credits with opening the door to country music for black artists. so this linkage between kamala harris, beyonce, b pop culture seeing, just continuing to grow momentum on demand feeding into that energy that the democratic party is keen to spread as their message. we have heard the word joy time and time again since, harris became the top of the ticket for the democratic party, that that is the message they want to send out loud and clear from the four days of this convention and they say that is in contrast to the messaging they say donald trump and senatorjd lance are sending out, which is a darker message, that there are dark days in america. so we can expect to hear that fema a lot throughout the week. do specifically the theme is we the people and it is very much aboutjoe biden. he is going to be here giving his keynote address. this is the only day he will be at the convention. and we are told it is going to be a celebration of him,

his administration and his presidency and his entire life in public service and there will very much be a tribute to him in terms of the programming we will see. you were 'ust the programming we will see. you were just touching down some of the joy, were just touching down some of the joy, some people call it the vibes will be energy that has been surrounding the harris campaign. we are waiting to see whether any big music stars are going to be joining us. as you just said. but i wonder beyond that, beyond those vibes, are we getting the sense that harris will be putting some more flesh on the bones when it comes to setting out her policy? and whether that will be at all a departure from biden? ~ ., , will be at all a departure from biden? ~ . , , biden? well, that is the big question. — biden? well, that is the big question, isn't _ biden? well, that is the big question, isn't it? - biden? well, that is the big question, isn't it? she - biden? well, that is the big question, isn't it? she has. biden? well, that is the big - question, isn't it? she has been criticised for so much and just a few weeks since she became the official nominee about what she stands for, what her policies are and what her platform is that she is taking to the american people on the 5th of november. it is a very fine line that she and her campaign have to walk between the biden policies they want to have ownership of, that

they want to have ownership of, that they view as being successful and something that appeals to voters and those who want to distance themselves from. and so we are waiting to see what she says in her speech on thursday night. she will make a few brief remarks here tonight, but that is more to do with that celebration ofjoe biden and the themes that will run through the week. a big policy position people are looking out for in this city specifically is what her approach will be to the war in gaza, what israel policy will be. as you mentioned earlier, there are protest is a short distance from here in union park, a few thousand protesters there who are going to walk here to the united centre shortly to have their voices heard and the city is home to the largest palestinian population in the us. many of those gathered outside, who want a change in the us policy and they went to her specifically to do something to tell them what she is going to do in relation to those who are suffering in gaza currently. find are suffering in gaza currently. and as ou are suffering in gaza currently. and as you say. —

are suffering in gaza currently. and as you say. all _ are suffering in gaza currently. and as you say, all eyes _ are suffering in gaza currently. and as you say, all eyes will be on the swing states, particularly at a time when polls are just so very tight. briefly, if you don't mind? indeed, the ollin: briefly, if you don't mind? indeed, the polling is _ briefly, if you don't mind? indeed, the polling is something _ briefly, if you don't mind? indeed, the polling is something the - the polling is something the democrats here are keen to stress because donald trump has lost ground, kamala harris has risen in the polls for the last week or two, but what they are looking out for is is this just a honeymoon bounce expected to continue through this week at razzmatazz and theatre and p0p week at razzmatazz and theatre and pop and ceremony? or whether she can hold onto that in the weeks and months ahead. ilil" hold onto that in the weeks and months ahead.— hold onto that in the weeks and months ahead. our chief presenter there, caitriona _ months ahead. our chief presenter there, caitriona perry, _ months ahead. our chief presenter there, caitriona perry, inside - months ahead. our chief presenter there, caitriona perry, inside the i there, caitriona perry, inside the windy city there in chicago and she will be there for the next few days covering every twist and turn of the dnc. caitriona perry, good to talk to you, thank you. stay with us here on bbc news. plenty more coming up on the other side of a short break. i will see you soon.

hello there, good evening. still some hazy sunshine at times today towards eastern areas of england. the colours in the sky affected by the particles of smoke from wildfires in north america still, but a lot of heavy rain too, especially in the north and the west. weather fronts pushing eastwards, and that sets the scene for the rest of this week. it will feel very autumnal at times. more heavy rain, unseasonably windy, particularly blustery for irish sea coasts, but still some sunny spells. the best of the dry, sunnier weather further south and east. but low pressure very much a dominating force for the rest of the week. it's out towards the north and the westjust pushing these fronts further eastwards. and we'll continue to see some more showers, again, especially in the north—west overnight tonight. the winds ease down a little. there will be some clear spells if you want to see the full moon outside for central swathes of the uk. a very mild night to come, too. it will feel quite muggy for some,

especially towards south—east england, parts of east anglia, but temperatures a lot higher than they were last night. into tuesday morning, still a legacy of cloud and some outbreaks of rain across east anglia, south—east england. that clears away. it's a day of sunshine and showers across the board, but more dry weather through the afternoon. the focus of the showers will tend to be out towards the north and the west, and some of those showers merging together to form what will feel like longer spells of rain. windy, too, particularly for these irish sea coasts, and a fresher feel to things across the board. temperatures will be lower, high teens, low 20s. and there's more rain to come on wednesday. the heaviest of the rain will be across northern ireland, pushing into western areas of scotland, and coupled with high spring tides and very strong gusty winds, there could be some problems, perhaps caused by the weather within this area. there are already localised weather warnings in force. further south, then, it's a drier story with high pressure just starting to build in from the south. it won't last for too long because it starts to push away. this is the remnants

of hurricane ernesto, and that's going to be with us through the day on thursday. again, further downpours of rain, fresher—feeling conditions eventually behind that cold front, but it will feel rather humid for a while. again, some strong gusty winds expected, particularly for irish sea coasts, and it will be very blustery across england as we head through friday. more rain into the start of the bank holiday weekend, perhaps. bye— bye.

hello, i'm helena humphrey. you're watching the context on bbc news. how he went from the fringes of a family to the very top of one of the world's richest countries — a new bbc documentary tries to clear the fog around saudi crown prince mohammed bin salman. sport first, and for a full round—up from the bc sports centre, -- bbc —— bbc sport centre, here is paul scott. thank you, helena. we are going to start with football. the final game of the first round of premier league matches is under way, with leicester's return to the top flight seeing them take on tottenham at the king power stadium. spurs' new signing dominic solanke was handed his first competitive start for the club. and it spurs, the visitors, have just gone i—0

and it spurs, the visitors, have just gone 1—0 up from an unlikely source, page rapport with a