:00:00. > :00:00.at the weather with John Hammond. That's all from the BBC News at Six.
:00:00. > :00:11.On BBC One we can now join the BBC's news teams where you are.
:00:12. > :00:15.Defiance from the Mayor of Tower Hamlets as he raises
:00:16. > :00:18.the Palestinian flag at the Town Hall, but opponents say the decision
:00:19. > :00:28.Many of them are women, children, the frail and vulnerable. We have a
:00:29. > :00:30.right to express our fears and our sorrows.
:00:31. > :00:34.Helping to cut alcohol related crime in London.
:00:35. > :00:37.The ankle tags checking how much offenders drink.
:00:38. > :00:39.A former Gurkha soldier from Berkshire, fights to be
:00:40. > :00:48.reunited with his family to help him cope with dementia.
:00:49. > :00:51.And giving you a taste of opera ` the surprising performances
:00:52. > :01:13.Good evening and welcome, I'm Asad Ahmad.
:01:14. > :01:16.People in four areas of London who repeatedly commit crimes while drunk
:01:17. > :01:19.will be forced to wear ankle tags which monitor how much they drink.
:01:20. > :01:22.For the first time in Britain, a pilot project is giving several
:01:23. > :01:24.courts the power to ban offenders from drinking alcohol
:01:25. > :01:29.Here's our Political Correspondent, Karl Mercer.
:01:30. > :01:31.Could this, an alcohol sniffing ankle bracelet,
:01:32. > :01:37.We could be about to find out in south London, with people found
:01:38. > :01:40.guilty of crimes involving alcohol now in line to be tagged.
:01:41. > :01:44.You put the breathalyser around the ankle.
:01:45. > :01:51.It's zero tolerance. One drink and it detects it.
:01:52. > :01:54.The device measures levels every half`hour.
:01:55. > :01:58.A single drink and the person could be back in trouble.
:01:59. > :02:01.What it does is it monitors whether that person is drinking again.
:02:02. > :02:06.If he drinks, if it is a he, if he drinks again,
:02:07. > :02:09.even if it is a glass of beer or wine, he will be in breach,
:02:10. > :02:14.he will be back before the court and he could face a custodial sentence.
:02:15. > :02:17.If you look at the graphs of your alcohol consumption over the last
:02:18. > :02:21.few days, it's basically almost continuous alcohol consumption.
:02:22. > :02:23.This one`year trial will cover Lambeth, Croydon,
:02:24. > :02:26.It is expected about 150 people will be tagged for
:02:27. > :02:31.If they drink, they could face a fine or prison.
:02:32. > :02:34.We support this trial, because we know that half
:02:35. > :02:39.of recorded crime is related to alcohol, implicated in it.
:02:40. > :02:41.This is one way of helping to break that link
:02:42. > :02:44.between going out and getting plastered and committing acts
:02:45. > :02:50.But we think it's not the only answer.
:02:51. > :02:53.The idea comes from America, where it has been successfully used
:02:54. > :02:57.The American firm that runs the scheme there will do the same here.
:02:58. > :03:01.There is not a defined human right to drink alcohol.
:03:02. > :03:05.So we find the argument that it is inhumane or
:03:06. > :03:08.not consistent with human rights to be counter to the fact that
:03:09. > :03:16.The pilot scheme runs until next summer.
:03:17. > :03:20.If it is ruled a success, expect to see many more of these
:03:21. > :03:30.Don't go anywhere just yet, as there's lots more to come
:03:31. > :03:33.before 7.00, including a hat`trick of golds for Hertfordshire gymnast
:03:34. > :03:34.Max Whitlock as he adds more medals to his Commonwealth games tally
:03:35. > :03:45.in Glasgow. Hardly a day goes by without yet
:03:46. > :03:48.another report being published on Today is no exception `
:03:49. > :03:54.and it's the turn of the Nationwide, who are reporting yet another
:03:55. > :03:56.increase in prices. At the same time,
:03:57. > :03:59.there's concern that a Government scheme designed to help first time
:04:00. > :04:17.buyers get onto the property ladder They are now settled into their new
:04:18. > :04:21.flat in north`east London. The three bed new building: They'll cost
:04:22. > :04:25.?350,000. They could only afford it because of the Government's help to
:04:26. > :04:32.buy scheme, which gave them a 20% loan which worked out at ?70,000. If
:04:33. > :04:40.require about ?85,000. I have less require about ?85,000. I have less
:04:41. > :04:46.than that. This scheme helped me a lot. New figures show across the
:04:47. > :04:53.country the number of get on the property ladder has gone up. Here is
:04:54. > :04:58.dropped. To 6% of all help to buy dropped. To 6% of all help to buy
:04:59. > :05:01.loans across England have gone to Londoners, who have received 10% of
:05:02. > :05:05.the ?1.1 billion the scheme has given out. More people have been
:05:06. > :05:12.helped in burrows to the east. Havering have the most with 204.
:05:13. > :05:19.Neighbouring Bexley had 139. In Greenwich, it was 135. In Camden and
:05:20. > :05:23.Haringey, nobody has put on the property ladder thanks to help to
:05:24. > :05:26.buy. Doesn't consider the real crux of the housing issue in London.
:05:27. > :05:30.There are not enough property is being built. The property is being
:05:31. > :05:35.built are going to overseas investors. On the doorstep of City
:05:36. > :05:42.Hall, work continued on these new luxury flats. The top ones are on
:05:43. > :05:44.for ?16 million. Critics of this sort of development are highlighting
:05:45. > :05:52.how the cost of new builds across London have soared. A ?162,000 rise
:05:53. > :05:55.over seven years. The Government insisted that help to buy was
:05:56. > :05:59.creating a new generation of homeowners and the Mayor said he is
:06:00. > :06:03.on track to build 100,000 low`cost homes. For many Londoners, the
:06:04. > :06:08.housing dream is very different from reality.
:06:09. > :06:12.It's a conflict which is shocking the world, as the death toll in Gaza
:06:13. > :06:15.Latest figures show around 14,000 people have been killed
:06:16. > :06:19.in the violence with the UN saying nearly half are women and children.
:06:20. > :06:22.Here, anger has been provoked after the Mayor of Tower Hamlets,
:06:23. > :06:25.Lutfur Rahman, decided to raise the Palestinian
:06:26. > :06:31.It's led to accusations that the move is nothing more than divisive.
:06:32. > :06:34.But the Mayor remains defiant, saying the flag which was later
:06:35. > :06:56.In a single tweet, the council Mayor dragged in east London borough into
:06:57. > :07:00.the controversy of the conflict. He tweeted a picture of the flag flying
:07:01. > :07:05.on the town hall, saying it is a symbol of solidarity with Gaza.
:07:06. > :07:09.Overnight, the flagpole was vandalised and removed, igniting
:07:10. > :07:15.fears that tensions could spill over. Jewish leaders have accused
:07:16. > :07:21.the Mayor of effectively siding with Hamas, which controls Gaza. In a
:07:22. > :07:24.statement, a representative of the board of British Jews said it was
:07:25. > :07:29.totally inappropriate, and also destructive of relations between the
:07:30. > :07:34.communities that make up the capital city. Today, the Mayor defended his
:07:35. > :07:41.actions, saying it is a humanitarian and not political statement. We have
:07:42. > :07:48.a large constituency, and the constituency feels strongly that the
:07:49. > :07:52.violence should come to an end, the suffering of ordinary folks should
:07:53. > :07:56.come to an end. It is our solidarity with the people of that region. Also
:07:57. > :08:01.in your constituency you have a Jewish community, at any point did
:08:02. > :08:06.it cross your mind that flying the Palestinian flag would upset those
:08:07. > :08:11.members of your community? I am very grateful that we have a very diverse
:08:12. > :08:15.community in Tower Hamlets. I have a good relationship with the Jewish
:08:16. > :08:21.community. I have visited the synagogue... Well, you haven't now,
:08:22. > :08:24.have you? I have visited the synagogue in Whitechapel Way number
:08:25. > :08:31.of times. I believe the decent, right minded people will see the
:08:32. > :08:36.need for the violence to come to an end. More than 2000 miles away, the
:08:37. > :08:44.suffering of Palestinian families is in no doubt. But home support among
:08:45. > :08:48.Israelis to defend itself against attacks is bolstering. Senior
:08:49. > :08:50.politicians condemn the protest as unhelpful flag`waving, as
:08:51. > :08:57.international efforts continue to persuade Hamas and Israel to agree
:08:58. > :09:03.to a cease`fire. This is gesture politics, it gets you nowhere. It's
:09:04. > :09:07.playing up to one section of the community. I hope we have seen the
:09:08. > :09:10.last of it. This borough is used to receiving headlines for the wrong
:09:11. > :09:18.reasons. After it emerged he could face a legal peering over
:09:19. > :09:21.allegations of voting fraud, which he strenuously denies comic is
:09:22. > :09:26.making headlines again. But he wants the flag back. It should be back
:09:27. > :09:29.up. That is the wish and the desire of the people of this borough. The
:09:30. > :09:34.Mayor of Tower Hamlets. Customs and Immigration staff say
:09:35. > :09:36.they feel unprepared to deal with the possibility of people arriving
:09:37. > :09:39.in Britain with the deadly virus, Ebola. Yesterday, the Foreign
:09:40. > :09:41.Secretary, Phillip Hammond said the Government was taking the outbreak
:09:42. > :09:45.in West Africa very seriously. Caroline Hepker is here with more on
:09:46. > :09:56.this. Some very concerned staff? The
:09:57. > :10:01.general secretary of the immigration service union, which represents 4500
:10:02. > :10:04.or the staff, says that her members are extremely concerned about how to
:10:05. > :10:15.deal with the possibility of somebody with a Ebola infraction
:10:16. > :10:19.arriving `` infection. She said until recently staff had been given
:10:20. > :10:23.no guidance on what to do. Speaking to a virologist from the University
:10:24. > :10:26.of Reading, Doctor Benjamin Newman, he says he can understand why the
:10:27. > :10:35.border staff are concerned, because it bowler is very difficult to
:10:36. > :10:39.detect. `` Ebola. The symptoms looked just like the cold and flu
:10:40. > :10:43.early on. If you look at everybody around the world, there are maybe
:10:44. > :10:46.one person in 300 that would have symptoms like that from some other
:10:47. > :10:50.cause right now. You would end of detaining a lot of people and
:10:51. > :10:53.spending a lot of money on testing. But there are airports around the
:10:54. > :10:58.world that are beginning to screen passengers as they arrive, using
:10:59. > :11:05.thermal images. Running a high temperature, a fever, is one of the
:11:06. > :11:07.early signs of this deadly virus. Yesterday, the Government said they
:11:08. > :11:13.were taking it very seriously, what have they had to say today? Health
:11:14. > :11:16.officials and the Government are trying to reassure people. The idea
:11:17. > :11:29.of you bowler spreading further is extremely worrying. `` he. They have
:11:30. > :11:34.a specialist unit standing ready if there is any possibility of it
:11:35. > :11:39.arriving in the UK. It is still very concerning. 729 people have died in
:11:40. > :11:48.West Africa according to the UN. What are the risks? The risks are
:11:49. > :11:52.quite limited. It's difficult to catch, much more difficult than the
:11:53. > :12:02.flu. It is a difficult disease. The incubation period is between two and
:12:03. > :12:08.21 days. It is deadly for between 50% and 90% of people diagnosed. So,
:12:09. > :12:13.very high mortality rate. Right now, there is no known cure. That is
:12:14. > :12:15.extremely worrying. Many worried people out there, thank you for that
:12:16. > :12:18.important update. A former Gurkha soldier
:12:19. > :12:20.from Berkshire who's a Falklands veteran is now fighting to be
:12:21. > :12:23.reunited with his family after being Dumbar Bahadar Margar lives in
:12:24. > :12:29.Reading with his wife and disabled son, but his two daughters in Nepal
:12:30. > :12:44.have been refused permission to come A family that is not complete.
:12:45. > :12:53.Dumbar Bahadar Margar just wants to be reunited with his daughters. When
:12:54. > :12:58.they come, I am happy, because they can look after me. I don't speak
:12:59. > :13:04.Dutch English, that's a problem. Dumbar served on the front line in
:13:05. > :13:07.the Falklands. He and his wife settled in Reading. As is the
:13:08. > :13:17.Nepalese way, they want all of their children with them.
:13:18. > :13:26.My husband, all the time is crying. A great injustice has been righted.
:13:27. > :13:31.The Joanna Lumley ruling in 2009 gave Dumbar the right to live in the
:13:32. > :13:34.UK. But as the law stands, their children that are over 18 cannot
:13:35. > :13:38.join them. The Home Office says it has no plans to change the rules.
:13:39. > :13:43.The family have gone to an immigration tribunal, a test case
:13:44. > :13:51.ahead of the government debate. As the hearing began, Dumbar but on his
:13:52. > :13:59.Gurkha hat and saluted. The court heard of his 17 year service record,
:14:00. > :14:03.how he has been diagnosed with dementia and how he cares for his
:14:04. > :14:11.disabled son, and that is why he needs his daughters here. Are you
:14:12. > :14:16.angry? I am happy, because I hope this is good for my battle. If we
:14:17. > :14:20.fail at this level, we will move onto the next one and the next above
:14:21. > :14:29.that if necessary. This sort of thing cannot go on. It is absolutely
:14:30. > :14:34.wicked. The judgement is due in two weeks. Supporters say because Dumbar
:14:35. > :14:35.fought for his country, he deserves to be supported by it. And his
:14:36. > :14:55.family. for the women's Rugby World Cup, one
:14:56. > :14:59.player tells us the trophy could be theirs. We are going to go and win
:15:00. > :15:07.the World Cup this summer. 21`year`old gymnast, Max Whitlock
:15:08. > :15:10.from Hemel Hempstead has emerged as He's having yet another gold
:15:11. > :15:14.winning medal day in Glasgow. We can cross now to the South Essex
:15:15. > :15:31.Gymnastic Club in Basildon where he Plenty to celebrate? Yes, so much to
:15:32. > :15:39.celebrate because Max Whitlock is now a triple Commonwealth Games gold
:15:40. > :15:44.medallist. And his third gold medal came early this afternoon in the
:15:45. > :15:50.floor final. We can see that now. That adds to the gold he won on
:15:51. > :15:56.Tuesday in the team event. Yesterday he got a gold medal in the all`round
:15:57. > :16:00.event. It has been a tremendous performance from him in these games.
:16:01. > :16:03.He is a contender for the World Championships later this year. One
:16:04. > :16:07.of his coaches, Matt Jackson, is here with me. How does it feel to
:16:08. > :16:14.see someone from this club do so well? It is an amazing achievement
:16:15. > :16:21.is phenomenal. It is brilliant for all of the kids to work alongside
:16:22. > :16:28.him in the gymnasium, great encouragement for the kids. The
:16:29. > :16:31.atmosphere is amazing. He got a silver in the pommel horse. What is
:16:32. > :16:37.a bit like watching him on the television? Nerve wracking for
:16:38. > :16:45.everyone. It is what happens on the day. Max had a tiny little fault
:16:46. > :16:48.today but to win a silver medal is still an amazing achievement.
:16:49. > :16:53.Hopefully it is the next stepping stone for a World Championship
:16:54. > :16:58.battle. What has impressed you most about his performances? Justice
:16:59. > :17:03.consistency. He is always so calm and relaxed. He is amazing. It is
:17:04. > :17:08.great for the kids to aspire to that. We are waiting to see where
:17:09. > :17:12.Max Whitlock has finished in the rings. There could be a bronze
:17:13. > :17:21.medal. It could get even better for him. From a legend in the making, a
:17:22. > :17:29.big night for a London man who is already a legend? Yes, David Weir
:17:30. > :17:34.goes in the 1500 metre final later tonight. It is his first
:17:35. > :17:38.Commonwealth Games. He has won so much and inspired so many,
:17:39. > :17:43.particularly one young man. David Weir has pretty much won the lot.
:17:44. > :17:48.Six Paralympic gold medals, six world titles, six London marathons.
:17:49. > :17:56.15`year`old Ciaran is one of his biggest fans. David Weir is my
:17:57. > :18:03.favourite athlete. Until David Weir I had no idea there was even London
:18:04. > :18:11.Olympics or a Commonwealth Games for people like us. He is one of the
:18:12. > :18:14.most special ones. Cure and taken to the Commonwealth Games by BBC
:18:15. > :18:24.newsround but he had no idea what was about to happen. `` Ciaran was
:18:25. > :18:31.taken. RU Ciaran? Hello. Nice to meet you. A bit surprised? Yes,
:18:32. > :18:42.very. This is really weird. What was it like when you were growing up in
:18:43. > :18:47.a wheelchair? It was OK. Obviously I had my dark days like every disabled
:18:48. > :18:56.person has. But I had a strong family around me. How did you get
:18:57. > :19:04.into wheelchair racing? Through the London Marathon, really. The
:19:05. > :19:07.marathon was the only race that I saw wheelchairs in. What are you
:19:08. > :19:14.expecting from the Commonwealth Games? I will just do my best on the
:19:15. > :19:20.day. I would love to win a gold medal and Hampden Park for England.
:19:21. > :19:30.`` in Hampden Park. Any medal will do. Thank you very much. You're
:19:31. > :19:34.welcome. It will not just be Ciaran Shearing David Weir on to potential
:19:35. > :19:42.Commonwealth Games glory tonight. `` cheering. Good luck to David Weir
:19:43. > :19:53.tonight. Alex Dowsett has won a gold medal in the time trial. There was a
:19:54. > :19:58.silver friendly Puli `` for Emma Pooley in the women's time trial.
:19:59. > :20:01.Well done to them. They are getting ready to cheer on Max Whitlock eared
:20:02. > :20:07.again tomorrow in the parallel bars. They want another medal.
:20:08. > :20:10.Staying with sport for a moment, as the Women's Rugby World Cup
:20:11. > :20:15.England have been runners`up at the last three tournaments `
:20:16. > :20:17.so they're hoping to go one better this time around.
:20:18. > :20:20.In the squad is Richmond's, Emma Croker.
:20:21. > :20:24.Since the last World Cup, she's had a baby ` but now, she's back.
:20:25. > :20:33.Sara Orchard has been speaking to her.
:20:34. > :20:39.Running out for her 50th England captain was special for Emma Croker.
:20:40. > :20:45.She was running out with her daughter, Lucy. It was one of the
:20:46. > :20:48.most special moments of my life. Obviously to win 50 caps for your
:20:49. > :20:53.country is something you dream about. But then to run out with your
:20:54. > :21:00.daughter was just amazing. She did so well. She made it all the way
:21:01. > :21:03.across the page. After the last World Cup, Emma and husband James
:21:04. > :21:11.decided the time was right to start a family. She stopped playing and
:21:12. > :21:15.the baby was due in 2011. I found out I was pre`eclamptic. I got
:21:16. > :21:20.section. She was three weeks early. section. She was three weeks early.
:21:21. > :21:25.It was not ideal for rugby. But to be completely honest, I just wanted
:21:26. > :21:30.my baby to be OK at that moment. The moment they give you your daughter
:21:31. > :21:34.and she is healthy is just the most amazing moment ever. Despite having
:21:35. > :21:39.had a Caesarean section, Emma was soon back training. After four
:21:40. > :21:44.months she was playing for our club and after five, her country. We had
:21:45. > :21:50.to make sure she was physically right. As soon as she was, she was
:21:51. > :21:57.back on the pitch. Did she get `` de get any special treatment in the
:21:58. > :22:00.England squad? No! Everyone a supportive but when I am here I am
:22:01. > :22:06.proud of the England team. My job is to play rugby. The team are laughing
:22:07. > :22:10.and joking here. The World Cup is serious business and England have
:22:11. > :22:16.quite the story to tell. They have made the last three finals and lost
:22:17. > :22:19.them all to New Zealand. Spurs you on in those deep dark moments when
:22:20. > :22:24.it is proper British weather outside and you are going to go and win that
:22:25. > :22:28.World Cup this summer. My mother and husband are both coming out. They
:22:29. > :22:32.are there for the whole time. Lucy is there with them. She will be at
:22:33. > :22:37.every match. She has got her own ticket and her England kit.
:22:38. > :22:38.Good luck to England. With a remit to bring opera to
:22:39. > :22:41.the widest audiences, a company of performers has arrived
:22:42. > :22:44.in Kings Cross to present musical and song to the masses
:22:45. > :23:03.in a series of pop up events. This is an attempt to bring opera to
:23:04. > :23:07.the masses. It is one of a series of pop`ups taking place this summer
:23:08. > :23:13.around the public spaces in King's Cross and is part of the Tete`a`Tete
:23:14. > :23:17.Opera Festival. Our main aim is to get a wider public to enjoy new
:23:18. > :23:22.opera. The other aim is to attract attention for the more rehearsed,
:23:23. > :23:31.Fuller shows that we are doing in theatres. I kept laughing because it
:23:32. > :23:35.was a bit funny. It was kind of interesting. But I think if they are
:23:36. > :23:40.trying to attract newcomers, then perhaps it makes more sense to play
:23:41. > :23:47.some of the classics. I was perplexed but the kids seemed to
:23:48. > :23:55.love it. Each day there will be five pop`up performances here at Granary
:23:56. > :23:59.Square. It is hoped Londoners will embrace what they see here and be
:24:00. > :24:06.inspired to buy tickets for the full`length performances, such as
:24:07. > :24:12.this one showing at the platform theatre nearby. This operates blows
:24:13. > :24:19.the relationship between humanity and the planet. There are so many
:24:20. > :24:23.amazing things to do in London. This will take up an hour of your time
:24:24. > :24:29.and hopefully enlighten you about some really important issues, and
:24:30. > :24:33.hopefully entertain you as well. Adventurous audiences to get a taste
:24:34. > :24:38.for it will have the opportunity to see more than 30 world premiers and
:24:39. > :24:40.around 100 performances in the next ten days if they so desire. ``
:24:41. > :24:51.premiers. Yesterday you said you were not a
:24:52. > :24:58.big fan of the warm weather but it continues. It does. It is the end of
:24:59. > :25:01.July. July has been the eighth successive month where temperatures
:25:02. > :25:05.have been above average. Although it looks as if it will start one in
:25:06. > :25:10.August, there is the greater chance of rain in the next couple of days.
:25:11. > :25:18.We have had more cloud today despite the wall`to`wall sunshine yesterday.
:25:19. > :25:21.Temperatures averaged 24 degrees in the capital. Thunderstorms been
:25:22. > :25:26.triggered by the heat to the north and the West. For most of us it is
:25:27. > :25:33.still a dry picture. It will be a dry, quiet, warm night. Missed in
:25:34. > :25:39.the Valley first thing in the morning. A decent start to the day.
:25:40. > :25:46.Some decent sunshine. There is a chance that tomorrow we may catch
:25:47. > :25:52.the odd shower. Hit and miss. Still pretty warm. A lot of rain
:25:53. > :26:03.evaporating. 23, possibly 24 in the capital. The greater chance of rain
:26:04. > :26:08.on Friday or Saturday. The potential for more thunderstorms from the
:26:09. > :26:11.channel on Saturday. Some lengthy downpours first thing on Saturday.
:26:12. > :26:22.Dry for a time before we get more showers. Unsettled at the moment on
:26:23. > :26:29.Saturday. Still very warm. This area of low pressure will bring some
:26:30. > :26:33.nasty conditions north and west, would tear away to allow drier
:26:34. > :26:35.weather across the south`east and the London regions as we head into
:26:36. > :26:39.Sunday. Rain possible. Before the we go, a reminder
:26:40. > :26:42.of tonight's main news headlines: Israeli prime minister
:26:43. > :26:44.Benjamin Netanyahu has said that, with or without a ceasefire,
:26:45. > :26:47.Israel is determined to destroy tunnels built by Palestinian
:26:48. > :26:49.militants from Gaza into Israel. He said he would not accept any
:26:50. > :26:52.truce that did not allow Israel I hope you can join me again during
:26:53. > :27:07.the 10 o'clock news on BBC One. Until then enjoy the coverage
:27:08. > :27:11.of the Commonwealth Games