31/07/2014 BBC London News


31/07/2014

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at the weather with John Hammond. That's all from the BBC News at Six.

:00:00.:00:00.

On BBC One we can now join the BBC's news teams where you are.

:00:00.:00:11.

Defiance from the Mayor of Tower Hamlets as he raises

:00:12.:00:15.

the Palestinian flag at the Town Hall, but opponents say the decision

:00:16.:00:18.

Many of them are women, children, the frail and vulnerable. We have a

:00:19.:00:28.

right to express our fears and our sorrows.

:00:29.:00:30.

Helping to cut alcohol related crime in London.

:00:31.:00:34.

The ankle tags checking how much offenders drink.

:00:35.:00:37.

A former Gurkha soldier from Berkshire, fights to be

:00:38.:00:39.

reunited with his family to help him cope with dementia.

:00:40.:00:48.

And giving you a taste of opera ` the surprising performances

:00:49.:00:51.

Good evening and welcome, I'm Asad Ahmad.

:00:52.:01:13.

People in four areas of London who repeatedly commit crimes while drunk

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will be forced to wear ankle tags which monitor how much they drink.

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For the first time in Britain, a pilot project is giving several

:01:20.:01:22.

courts the power to ban offenders from drinking alcohol

:01:23.:01:24.

Here's our Political Correspondent, Karl Mercer.

:01:25.:01:29.

Could this, an alcohol sniffing ankle bracelet,

:01:30.:01:31.

We could be about to find out in south London, with people found

:01:32.:01:37.

guilty of crimes involving alcohol now in line to be tagged.

:01:38.:01:40.

You put the breathalyser around the ankle.

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It's zero tolerance. One drink and it detects it.

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The device measures levels every half`hour.

:01:52.:01:54.

A single drink and the person could be back in trouble.

:01:55.:01:58.

What it does is it monitors whether that person is drinking again.

:01:59.:02:01.

If he drinks, if it is a he, if he drinks again,

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even if it is a glass of beer or wine, he will be in breach,

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he will be back before the court and he could face a custodial sentence.

:02:10.:02:14.

If you look at the graphs of your alcohol consumption over the last

:02:15.:02:17.

few days, it's basically almost continuous alcohol consumption.

:02:18.:02:21.

This one`year trial will cover Lambeth, Croydon,

:02:22.:02:23.

It is expected about 150 people will be tagged for

:02:24.:02:26.

If they drink, they could face a fine or prison.

:02:27.:02:31.

We support this trial, because we know that half

:02:32.:02:34.

of recorded crime is related to alcohol, implicated in it.

:02:35.:02:39.

This is one way of helping to break that link

:02:40.:02:41.

between going out and getting plastered and committing acts

:02:42.:02:44.

But we think it's not the only answer.

:02:45.:02:50.

The idea comes from America, where it has been successfully used

:02:51.:02:53.

The American firm that runs the scheme there will do the same here.

:02:54.:02:57.

There is not a defined human right to drink alcohol.

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So we find the argument that it is inhumane or

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not consistent with human rights to be counter to the fact that

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The pilot scheme runs until next summer.

:03:09.:03:16.

If it is ruled a success, expect to see many more of these

:03:17.:03:20.

Don't go anywhere just yet, as there's lots more to come

:03:21.:03:30.

before 7.00, including a hat`trick of golds for Hertfordshire gymnast

:03:31.:03:33.

Max Whitlock as he adds more medals to his Commonwealth games tally

:03:34.:03:34.

in Glasgow. Hardly a day goes by without yet

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another report being published on Today is no exception `

:03:46.:03:48.

and it's the turn of the Nationwide, who are reporting yet another

:03:49.:03:54.

increase in prices. At the same time,

:03:55.:03:56.

there's concern that a Government scheme designed to help first time

:03:57.:03:59.

buyers get onto the property ladder They are now settled into their new

:04:00.:04:17.

flat in north`east London. The three bed new building: They'll cost

:04:18.:04:21.

?350,000. They could only afford it because of the Government's help to

:04:22.:04:25.

buy scheme, which gave them a 20% loan which worked out at ?70,000. If

:04:26.:04:32.

require about ?85,000. I have less require about ?85,000. I have less

:04:33.:04:40.

than that. This scheme helped me a lot. New figures show across the

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country the number of get on the property ladder has gone up. Here is

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dropped. To 6% of all help to buy dropped. To 6% of all help to buy

:04:54.:04:58.

loans across England have gone to Londoners, who have received 10% of

:04:59.:05:01.

the ?1.1 billion the scheme has given out. More people have been

:05:02.:05:05.

helped in burrows to the east. Havering have the most with 204.

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Neighbouring Bexley had 139. In Greenwich, it was 135. In Camden and

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Haringey, nobody has put on the property ladder thanks to help to

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buy. Doesn't consider the real crux of the housing issue in London.

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There are not enough property is being built. The property is being

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built are going to overseas investors. On the doorstep of City

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Hall, work continued on these new luxury flats. The top ones are on

:05:36.:05:42.

for ?16 million. Critics of this sort of development are highlighting

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how the cost of new builds across London have soared. A ?162,000 rise

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over seven years. The Government insisted that help to buy was

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creating a new generation of homeowners and the Mayor said he is

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on track to build 100,000 low`cost homes. For many Londoners, the

:06:00.:06:03.

housing dream is very different from reality.

:06:04.:06:08.

It's a conflict which is shocking the world, as the death toll in Gaza

:06:09.:06:12.

Latest figures show around 14,000 people have been killed

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in the violence with the UN saying nearly half are women and children.

:06:16.:06:19.

Here, anger has been provoked after the Mayor of Tower Hamlets,

:06:20.:06:22.

Lutfur Rahman, decided to raise the Palestinian

:06:23.:06:25.

It's led to accusations that the move is nothing more than divisive.

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But the Mayor remains defiant, saying the flag which was later

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In a single tweet, the council Mayor dragged in east London borough into

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the controversy of the conflict. He tweeted a picture of the flag flying

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on the town hall, saying it is a symbol of solidarity with Gaza.

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Overnight, the flagpole was vandalised and removed, igniting

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fears that tensions could spill over. Jewish leaders have accused

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the Mayor of effectively siding with Hamas, which controls Gaza. In a

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statement, a representative of the board of British Jews said it was

:07:22.:07:24.

totally inappropriate, and also destructive of relations between the

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communities that make up the capital city. Today, the Mayor defended his

:07:30.:07:34.

actions, saying it is a humanitarian and not political statement. We have

:07:35.:07:41.

a large constituency, and the constituency feels strongly that the

:07:42.:07:48.

violence should come to an end, the suffering of ordinary folks should

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come to an end. It is our solidarity with the people of that region. Also

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in your constituency you have a Jewish community, at any point did

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it cross your mind that flying the Palestinian flag would upset those

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members of your community? I am very grateful that we have a very diverse

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community in Tower Hamlets. I have a good relationship with the Jewish

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community. I have visited the synagogue... Well, you haven't now,

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have you? I have visited the synagogue in Whitechapel Way number

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of times. I believe the decent, right minded people will see the

:08:25.:08:31.

need for the violence to come to an end. More than 2000 miles away, the

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suffering of Palestinian families is in no doubt. But home support among

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Israelis to defend itself against attacks is bolstering. Senior

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politicians condemn the protest as unhelpful flag`waving, as

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international efforts continue to persuade Hamas and Israel to agree

:08:51.:08:57.

to a cease`fire. This is gesture politics, it gets you nowhere. It's

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playing up to one section of the community. I hope we have seen the

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last of it. This borough is used to receiving headlines for the wrong

:09:08.:09:10.

reasons. After it emerged he could face a legal peering over

:09:11.:09:18.

allegations of voting fraud, which he strenuously denies comic is

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making headlines again. But he wants the flag back. It should be back

:09:22.:09:26.

up. That is the wish and the desire of the people of this borough. The

:09:27.:09:29.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets. Customs and Immigration staff say

:09:30.:09:34.

they feel unprepared to deal with the possibility of people arriving

:09:35.:09:36.

in Britain with the deadly virus, Ebola. Yesterday, the Foreign

:09:37.:09:39.

Secretary, Phillip Hammond said the Government was taking the outbreak

:09:40.:09:41.

in West Africa very seriously. Caroline Hepker is here with more on

:09:42.:09:45.

this. Some very concerned staff? The

:09:46.:09:56.

general secretary of the immigration service union, which represents 4500

:09:57.:10:01.

or the staff, says that her members are extremely concerned about how to

:10:02.:10:04.

deal with the possibility of somebody with a Ebola infraction

:10:05.:10:15.

arriving `` infection. She said until recently staff had been given

:10:16.:10:19.

no guidance on what to do. Speaking to a virologist from the University

:10:20.:10:23.

of Reading, Doctor Benjamin Newman, he says he can understand why the

:10:24.:10:26.

border staff are concerned, because it bowler is very difficult to

:10:27.:10:35.

detect. `` Ebola. The symptoms looked just like the cold and flu

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early on. If you look at everybody around the world, there are maybe

:10:40.:10:43.

one person in 300 that would have symptoms like that from some other

:10:44.:10:46.

cause right now. You would end of detaining a lot of people and

:10:47.:10:50.

spending a lot of money on testing. But there are airports around the

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world that are beginning to screen passengers as they arrive, using

:10:54.:10:58.

thermal images. Running a high temperature, a fever, is one of the

:10:59.:11:05.

early signs of this deadly virus. Yesterday, the Government said they

:11:06.:11:07.

were taking it very seriously, what have they had to say today? Health

:11:08.:11:13.

officials and the Government are trying to reassure people. The idea

:11:14.:11:16.

of you bowler spreading further is extremely worrying. `` he. They have

:11:17.:11:29.

a specialist unit standing ready if there is any possibility of it

:11:30.:11:34.

arriving in the UK. It is still very concerning. 729 people have died in

:11:35.:11:39.

West Africa according to the UN. What are the risks? The risks are

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quite limited. It's difficult to catch, much more difficult than the

:11:49.:11:52.

flu. It is a difficult disease. The incubation period is between two and

:11:53.:12:02.

21 days. It is deadly for between 50% and 90% of people diagnosed. So,

:12:03.:12:08.

very high mortality rate. Right now, there is no known cure. That is

:12:09.:12:13.

extremely worrying. Many worried people out there, thank you for that

:12:14.:12:15.

important update. A former Gurkha soldier

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from Berkshire who's a Falklands veteran is now fighting to be

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reunited with his family after being Dumbar Bahadar Margar lives in

:12:21.:12:23.

Reading with his wife and disabled son, but his two daughters in Nepal

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have been refused permission to come A family that is not complete.

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Dumbar Bahadar Margar just wants to be reunited with his daughters. When

:12:45.:12:53.

they come, I am happy, because they can look after me. I don't speak

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Dutch English, that's a problem. Dumbar served on the front line in

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the Falklands. He and his wife settled in Reading. As is the

:13:05.:13:07.

Nepalese way, they want all of their children with them.

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My husband, all the time is crying. A great injustice has been righted.

:13:18.:13:26.

The Joanna Lumley ruling in 2009 gave Dumbar the right to live in the

:13:27.:13:31.

UK. But as the law stands, their children that are over 18 cannot

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join them. The Home Office says it has no plans to change the rules.

:13:35.:13:38.

The family have gone to an immigration tribunal, a test case

:13:39.:13:43.

ahead of the government debate. As the hearing began, Dumbar but on his

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Gurkha hat and saluted. The court heard of his 17 year service record,

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how he has been diagnosed with dementia and how he cares for his

:14:00.:14:03.

disabled son, and that is why he needs his daughters here. Are you

:14:04.:14:11.

angry? I am happy, because I hope this is good for my battle. If we

:14:12.:14:16.

fail at this level, we will move onto the next one and the next above

:14:17.:14:20.

that if necessary. This sort of thing cannot go on. It is absolutely

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wicked. The judgement is due in two weeks. Supporters say because Dumbar

:14:30.:14:34.

fought for his country, he deserves to be supported by it. And his

:14:35.:14:35.

family. for the women's Rugby World Cup, one

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player tells us the trophy could be theirs. We are going to go and win

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the World Cup this summer. 21`year`old gymnast, Max Whitlock

:15:00.:15:07.

from Hemel Hempstead has emerged as He's having yet another gold

:15:08.:15:10.

winning medal day in Glasgow. We can cross now to the South Essex

:15:11.:15:14.

Gymnastic Club in Basildon where he Plenty to celebrate? Yes, so much to

:15:15.:15:31.

celebrate because Max Whitlock is now a triple Commonwealth Games gold

:15:32.:15:39.

medallist. And his third gold medal came early this afternoon in the

:15:40.:15:44.

floor final. We can see that now. That adds to the gold he won on

:15:45.:15:50.

Tuesday in the team event. Yesterday he got a gold medal in the all`round

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event. It has been a tremendous performance from him in these games.

:15:57.:16:00.

He is a contender for the World Championships later this year. One

:16:01.:16:03.

of his coaches, Matt Jackson, is here with me. How does it feel to

:16:04.:16:07.

see someone from this club do so well? It is an amazing achievement

:16:08.:16:14.

is phenomenal. It is brilliant for all of the kids to work alongside

:16:15.:16:21.

him in the gymnasium, great encouragement for the kids. The

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atmosphere is amazing. He got a silver in the pommel horse. What is

:16:29.:16:31.

a bit like watching him on the television? Nerve wracking for

:16:32.:16:37.

everyone. It is what happens on the day. Max had a tiny little fault

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today but to win a silver medal is still an amazing achievement.

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Hopefully it is the next stepping stone for a World Championship

:16:49.:16:53.

battle. What has impressed you most about his performances? Justice

:16:54.:16:58.

consistency. He is always so calm and relaxed. He is amazing. It is

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great for the kids to aspire to that. We are waiting to see where

:17:04.:17:08.

Max Whitlock has finished in the rings. There could be a bronze

:17:09.:17:12.

medal. It could get even better for him. From a legend in the making, a

:17:13.:17:21.

big night for a London man who is already a legend? Yes, David Weir

:17:22.:17:29.

goes in the 1500 metre final later tonight. It is his first

:17:30.:17:34.

Commonwealth Games. He has won so much and inspired so many,

:17:35.:17:38.

particularly one young man. David Weir has pretty much won the lot.

:17:39.:17:43.

Six Paralympic gold medals, six world titles, six London marathons.

:17:44.:17:48.

15`year`old Ciaran is one of his biggest fans. David Weir is my

:17:49.:17:56.

favourite athlete. Until David Weir I had no idea there was even London

:17:57.:18:03.

Olympics or a Commonwealth Games for people like us. He is one of the

:18:04.:18:11.

most special ones. Cure and taken to the Commonwealth Games by BBC

:18:12.:18:14.

newsround but he had no idea what was about to happen. `` Ciaran was

:18:15.:18:24.

taken. RU Ciaran? Hello. Nice to meet you. A bit surprised? Yes,

:18:25.:18:31.

very. This is really weird. What was it like when you were growing up in

:18:32.:18:42.

a wheelchair? It was OK. Obviously I had my dark days like every disabled

:18:43.:18:47.

person has. But I had a strong family around me. How did you get

:18:48.:18:56.

into wheelchair racing? Through the London Marathon, really. The

:18:57.:19:04.

marathon was the only race that I saw wheelchairs in. What are you

:19:05.:19:07.

expecting from the Commonwealth Games? I will just do my best on the

:19:08.:19:14.

day. I would love to win a gold medal and Hampden Park for England.

:19:15.:19:20.

`` in Hampden Park. Any medal will do. Thank you very much. You're

:19:21.:19:30.

welcome. It will not just be Ciaran Shearing David Weir on to potential

:19:31.:19:34.

Commonwealth Games glory tonight. `` cheering. Good luck to David Weir

:19:35.:19:42.

tonight. Alex Dowsett has won a gold medal in the time trial. There was a

:19:43.:19:53.

silver friendly Puli `` for Emma Pooley in the women's time trial.

:19:54.:19:58.

Well done to them. They are getting ready to cheer on Max Whitlock eared

:19:59.:20:01.

again tomorrow in the parallel bars. They want another medal.

:20:02.:20:07.

Staying with sport for a moment, as the Women's Rugby World Cup

:20:08.:20:10.

England have been runners`up at the last three tournaments `

:20:11.:20:15.

so they're hoping to go one better this time around.

:20:16.:20:17.

In the squad is Richmond's, Emma Croker.

:20:18.:20:20.

Since the last World Cup, she's had a baby ` but now, she's back.

:20:21.:20:24.

Sara Orchard has been speaking to her.

:20:25.:20:33.

Running out for her 50th England captain was special for Emma Croker.

:20:34.:20:39.

She was running out with her daughter, Lucy. It was one of the

:20:40.:20:45.

most special moments of my life. Obviously to win 50 caps for your

:20:46.:20:48.

country is something you dream about. But then to run out with your

:20:49.:20:53.

daughter was just amazing. She did so well. She made it all the way

:20:54.:21:00.

across the page. After the last World Cup, Emma and husband James

:21:01.:21:03.

decided the time was right to start a family. She stopped playing and

:21:04.:21:11.

the baby was due in 2011. I found out I was pre`eclamptic. I got

:21:12.:21:15.

section. She was three weeks early. section. She was three weeks early.

:21:16.:21:20.

It was not ideal for rugby. But to be completely honest, I just wanted

:21:21.:21:25.

my baby to be OK at that moment. The moment they give you your daughter

:21:26.:21:30.

and she is healthy is just the most amazing moment ever. Despite having

:21:31.:21:34.

had a Caesarean section, Emma was soon back training. After four

:21:35.:21:39.

months she was playing for our club and after five, her country. We had

:21:40.:21:44.

to make sure she was physically right. As soon as she was, she was

:21:45.:21:50.

back on the pitch. Did she get `` de get any special treatment in the

:21:51.:21:57.

England squad? No! Everyone a supportive but when I am here I am

:21:58.:22:00.

proud of the England team. My job is to play rugby. The team are laughing

:22:01.:22:06.

and joking here. The World Cup is serious business and England have

:22:07.:22:10.

quite the story to tell. They have made the last three finals and lost

:22:11.:22:16.

them all to New Zealand. Spurs you on in those deep dark moments when

:22:17.:22:19.

it is proper British weather outside and you are going to go and win that

:22:20.:22:24.

World Cup this summer. My mother and husband are both coming out. They

:22:25.:22:28.

are there for the whole time. Lucy is there with them. She will be at

:22:29.:22:32.

every match. She has got her own ticket and her England kit.

:22:33.:22:37.

Good luck to England. With a remit to bring opera to

:22:38.:22:38.

the widest audiences, a company of performers has arrived

:22:39.:22:41.

in Kings Cross to present musical and song to the masses

:22:42.:22:44.

in a series of pop up events. This is an attempt to bring opera to

:22:45.:23:03.

the masses. It is one of a series of pop`ups taking place this summer

:23:04.:23:07.

around the public spaces in King's Cross and is part of the Tete`a`Tete

:23:08.:23:13.

Opera Festival. Our main aim is to get a wider public to enjoy new

:23:14.:23:17.

opera. The other aim is to attract attention for the more rehearsed,

:23:18.:23:22.

Fuller shows that we are doing in theatres. I kept laughing because it

:23:23.:23:31.

was a bit funny. It was kind of interesting. But I think if they are

:23:32.:23:35.

trying to attract newcomers, then perhaps it makes more sense to play

:23:36.:23:40.

some of the classics. I was perplexed but the kids seemed to

:23:41.:23:47.

love it. Each day there will be five pop`up performances here at Granary

:23:48.:23:55.

Square. It is hoped Londoners will embrace what they see here and be

:23:56.:23:59.

inspired to buy tickets for the full`length performances, such as

:24:00.:24:06.

this one showing at the platform theatre nearby. This operates blows

:24:07.:24:12.

the relationship between humanity and the planet. There are so many

:24:13.:24:19.

amazing things to do in London. This will take up an hour of your time

:24:20.:24:23.

and hopefully enlighten you about some really important issues, and

:24:24.:24:29.

hopefully entertain you as well. Adventurous audiences to get a taste

:24:30.:24:33.

for it will have the opportunity to see more than 30 world premiers and

:24:34.:24:38.

around 100 performances in the next ten days if they so desire. ``

:24:39.:24:40.

premiers. Yesterday you said you were not a

:24:41.:24:51.

big fan of the warm weather but it continues. It does. It is the end of

:24:52.:24:58.

July. July has been the eighth successive month where temperatures

:24:59.:25:01.

have been above average. Although it looks as if it will start one in

:25:02.:25:05.

August, there is the greater chance of rain in the next couple of days.

:25:06.:25:10.

We have had more cloud today despite the wall`to`wall sunshine yesterday.

:25:11.:25:18.

Temperatures averaged 24 degrees in the capital. Thunderstorms been

:25:19.:25:21.

triggered by the heat to the north and the West. For most of us it is

:25:22.:25:26.

still a dry picture. It will be a dry, quiet, warm night. Missed in

:25:27.:25:33.

the Valley first thing in the morning. A decent start to the day.

:25:34.:25:39.

Some decent sunshine. There is a chance that tomorrow we may catch

:25:40.:25:46.

the odd shower. Hit and miss. Still pretty warm. A lot of rain

:25:47.:25:52.

evaporating. 23, possibly 24 in the capital. The greater chance of rain

:25:53.:26:03.

on Friday or Saturday. The potential for more thunderstorms from the

:26:04.:26:08.

channel on Saturday. Some lengthy downpours first thing on Saturday.

:26:09.:26:11.

Dry for a time before we get more showers. Unsettled at the moment on

:26:12.:26:22.

Saturday. Still very warm. This area of low pressure will bring some

:26:23.:26:29.

nasty conditions north and west, would tear away to allow drier

:26:30.:26:33.

weather across the south`east and the London regions as we head into

:26:34.:26:35.

Sunday. Rain possible. Before the we go, a reminder

:26:36.:26:39.

of tonight's main news headlines: Israeli prime minister

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Benjamin Netanyahu has said that, with or without a ceasefire,

:26:43.:26:44.

Israel is determined to destroy tunnels built by Palestinian

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militants from Gaza into Israel. He said he would not accept any

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truce that did not allow Israel I hope you can join me again during

:26:50.:26:52.

the 10 o'clock news on BBC One. Until then enjoy the coverage

:26:53.:27:07.

of the Commonwealth Games

:27:08.:27:11.

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