In kyiv, regional air Defence Systems were deployed several times to repel missiles and drones targeting the capital. Yesterday, russia launched one of its biggest attacks on ukraine since the start of the war. Lets speak to maria mezentseva, mp for kharkiv. Thank you very much for coming on The Programme. Thank you very much for coming on The Programme thank you very much for coming on The Programme. Thank you for having me. Talk The Programme. Thank you for having me talk us The Programme. Thank you for having me. Talk us through The Programme. Thank you for having me. Talk us through the The Programme. Thank you for having me. Talk us through the impact The Programme. Thank you for having me. Talk us through the impact of. Me. Talk us through the impact of the two days me. Talk us through the impact of the two days now me. Talk us through the impact of the two days now of me. Talk us through the impact of the two days now of strikes. Me. Talk us through the impact of the two days now of strikes. The | the two days now of strikes. The strikes are the two days now of strikes. Tie strikes are happening the two days now of strikes. Tte strikes are happening across the two days now of strikes. Tt2 strikes are happening across ukraine on a daily basis, but such massive ones we havent experienced for a while. The independence day, the flag day for instance, my home city of kharkiv, they went very smooth and quite peaceful, but the day after and yesterdays night was very severe, shelling with different types of missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic, various types of drones, from iran and different types of bombs coming from north korea. All of these are following on children and civilians across ukraine. Wherever you go, whether it be the furthest western city or my home city of kharkiv, odesa, the northern part are even the home city of president zelensky kryvyi rih, where this night unfortunately peaceful citizens and residing in a hotel were targeted, two were killed and many more wounded. A masked terrorist attack. fin many more wounded. A masked terrorist attack. Terrorist attack. On all those attacks, what terrorist attack. On all those attacks, what is terrorist attack. On all those attacks, what is it terrorist attack. On all those attacks, what is it ukraine i terrorist attack. On all those attacks, what is it ukraine needs to prevent them . Attacks, what is it ukraine needs to prevent them . Currently we have two main coal prevent them . Currently we have two main goal is prevent them . Currently we have two main goal is to prevent them . Currently we have two main goal is to achieve prevent them . Currently we have two main goal is to achieve with main goal is to achieve with addressing international community. Point number one, this is to gain more systems of air defence like for instance to be stationed at the border to protect civilians. Point number two, to lift up the limitation the usage of long range missiles such as storm shadow. Here we need the support of the uk government, france and the us, all the nato members. This is very crucial for the purpose of not having. For having this limitation, we were forced to create sort of a buffer zone in kursk region where today Ukrainian Army moved ahead for several kilometres, where Ukrainian Army is fulfilling International Humanitarian law on the ground, delivering food and medication to those russian people who are staying in russia has left behind, who they dont care about. Also the prisoners of war. We are now aside have captured them according to International Humanitarian law. We hope to have another big swap as soon as we can but russians are capturing civilians, which is illegal, and we hope to break all of them back which is our main goal. Here we do hope for wider allies to help us with this purpose. For wider allies to help us with this purpose for wider allies to help us with this purpose. Maria mezentseva, thank ou this purpose. Maria mezentseva, thank you for this purpose. Maria mezentseva, thank you for coming this purpose. Maria mezentseva, thank you for coming on this purpose. Maria mezentseva, thank you for coming on the thank you for coming on The Programme. Rafael grossi, head of the un nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic energy agency, is to visit russias Kursk Nuclear plant on tuesday to independently assess events following ukraines cross border offensive into the russian region. Russian president Vladimir Putin last week accused ukraine of trying to attack the Kursk Nuclear power plant, which is less than 50 kilometres from fighting between russian and ukrainian forces. The iaea said russian authorities told them that Drone Fragments were found last thursday roughly 100 metres from the plants spent fuel Nuclear Storage facility. In the uk, Prime Minister sir keir starmer has delivered a major speech in Downing Street vowing to reverse what hes called a Decade Of Decline under the previous conservative government. The pm has warned the budget in october will be painful and asked the country to accept short term pain for long term good. The tories have dismissed the speech as a performative attempt to distract the public from promises sir keir never had any intention of keeping. Heres a little of what he said. Ill have to turn to the country and make big asks of you, as well, to accept short term pain for long term good, the difficult trade off for the genuine solution. And i know that after all that you have been through, that is a really big ask and really difficult to hear. That is not the position we should be in. Its not the position i want to be in, but we have to end the politics of the easy answer that solves nothing. Live now to our Political Correspondent rob watson. Just talk us through what keir starmer is trying to do with this beach. I starmer is trying to do with this beach. ~ � ,. , beach. I think its fairly straightforward beach. I think its fairly i straightforward actually, beach. I think its fairly straightforward actually, lewis, beach. I think its fairly straightforward actually, lewis, he is basically saying to the country that we have inherited a terrible mess and the purpose of doing that is, if you like, to set the framework for the political debate in the uk over the next ten years, and that is to say, look, to fix ms is not going to be quick and easy, its even going to be painful was the word he used, and things will get worse before they get better. So its about framing the political discourse in this country and preparing voters for some tricky times ahead. Preparing voters for some tricky times ahead preparing voters for some tricky times ahead. �. , , times ahead. And what has been the reaction to this times ahead. And what has been the reaction to this from times ahead. And what has been the reaction to this from opposition reaction to this from Opposition Conservatives . Im reaction to this from Opposition Conservatives . Reaction to this from Opposition Conservatives . Im sure you can ruess conservatives . Im sure you can guess the conservatives . Im sure you can guess the answer conservatives . Im sure you can guess the answer to conservatives . Im sure you can guess the answer to that, conservatives . Im sure you can| guess the answer to that, lewis. Conservatives . Im sure you can i guess the answer to that, lewis. It is that labour is overdoing the gloom about the state of the uk economy and finances, and this is all about labour trying to do what it always wants to do, the conservatives would say, which is paid Public Sector unions more money and raise taxes. Interestingly, also and raise taxes. Interestingly, also a group that advocates at lower levels of taxation has also criticised the tenor of the speech saying, look, if you really want to prioritise growth, you need to be careful about things like expectations of rises in Capital Gains taxes because that discourages investment. ~ ,. , investment. When questioned, he said he didnt want investment. When questioned, he said he didnt want to investment. When questioned, he said he didnt want to preempt investment. When questioned, he said he didnt want to preempt the he didnt want to pre empt the budget, just remind us what is the budget when it comes . The important thin about budget when it comes . The important thing about the budget when it comes . The important thing about the budget budget when it comes . The important thing about the budget in budget when it comes . The important thing about the budget in this thing about the budget in this country is that it sets how much the government is intending to raise taxation and sets out the Growth Expectations and levels of Public Spending as well, so in other words it is the very nuts and bolts of governance in this country. From what keir starmer was saying, clearly its going to be a pretty painful affair all around, with tax increases no doubt and of course a squeeze on Public Spending. And why all of that matters is that taxes in this country are already at a 70 year high and people already feel as though Public Services, things people rely on like schools, transport, they are already stretched. Transport, they are already stretched. ,. ,. , transport, they are already stretched. ,. , stretched. Ok, rob, thank you for that. We stretched. Ok, rob, thank you for that we are stretched. Ok, rob, thank you for that. We are going stretched. Ok, rob, thank you for that. We are going to stretched. Ok, rob, thank you for that. We are going to dig stretched. Ok, rob, thank you for that. We are going to dig down i that. We are going to dig down into some of the numbers, what it means for peoples pockets. Lets speak to pauljohnson director of the institute for fiscal studies. An independent Economics Research institute. Thanks for coming on The Programme, just talk us through what you made from the broad brush speech from the Prime Minister. He from the broad brush speech from the Prime Minister. Prime minister. He is setting out somethin Prime Minister. He is setting out something we Prime Minister. He is setting out something we have Prime Minister. He is setting out something we have known Prime Minister. He is setting out something we have known for i Prime Minister. He is setting out something we have known for a l Prime Minister. He is setting out something we have known for a long time which is that the Public Finances are really struggling, Public Services are really struggling, and if Spending Cuts are to be avoided, there will be some significant tax rises in the forthcoming budget which is something that was entirely plain before the election but of course, Neither Party was willing to say that before the election. The Prime Minister is now saying that that is the case, and i absolutely agree with him. The chancellor will have a choice between some pretty chunky tax rises or promising some fairly significant Spending Cuts over the next few years. I5 significant Spending Cuts over the next few years significant Spending Cuts over the next few years. Is he right when he is sa in next few years. Is he right when he is saying this next few years. Is he right when he is saying this was next few years. Is he right when he is saying this was all next few years. Is he right when he is saying this was all a next few years. Is he right when he is saying this was all a bit next few years. Is he right when he is saying this was all a bit of next few years. Is he right when he is saying this was all a bit of a is saying this was all a bit of a surprise, the fact that when you are not in power you dont have access to the details of the numbers and so by saying its worse than we thought is actually justified . By saying its worse than we thought is actuallyjustified . Hat by saying its worse than we thought is actually justified . Is actually ustified . Not really, no, not is actually ustified . Not really, not in is actuallyjustified . Not really, no, not in terms of is actuallyjustified . Not really, no, not in terms of the is actuallyjustified . Not really, no, not in terms of the Big Is Actuallyjustified . Not really,. No, not in terms of The Big Picture. Yes, there are some small surprises in the Public Finance numbers this year, but The Big Picture over the next few years was always completely clear, which was that, and this is something the Office For Budget Responsibility pointed out in march and we have pointed out time and time again during the election campaign, which is that the plans the government inherited imply cuts to Public Spending over the next few years. To avoid those cuts while keeping to their own clearly stated fiscal targets in terms of borrowing, then there would need to be some tax rises. Numbers may be a little bit worse than they thought at the time, and i think there were some things that were hidden from view, but the overall picture over the next four or five years is very similar to what we knew before the election. �. ,. , similar to what we knew before the election. �. ,. ,. , election. And what are some of the o tions election. And what are some of the options here election. And what are some of the options here then . Election. And what are some of the options here then . Some election. And what are some of the options here then . Some things i election. And what are some of the | options here then . Some things like income tax will not be changed at all, so what is next . I income tax will not be changed at all, so what is next . All, so what is next . I think that is one of the all, so what is next . I think that is one of the deep all, so what is next . I think that is one of the deep problems all, so what is next . I think thatj is one of the deep problems this government has created for itself to some extent, by ruling out those changes. Somewhat cynically the last Government CutNational Insurance contributions by Something Like £20 billion in its last months in government but the Labour Party Opposition agreed, voted for them and said they will keep them. They said they wont increase income tax, vat or Corporation Tax which between them account for three quarters of all the tax revenues. That leaves them with some complex choices. There are some things they might want to do to the taxation of pensions, some of those will be really quite damaging. There are some smaller things they could do to make things better and some quite complicated things they could do to Capital Gains tax which i think is required, but thats notjust about increasing the rates. It requires a reform to the whole Capital Gains tax system. There are various strange loopholes they could close in some parts of Inheritance Tax and stamp duty and so on, but they dont raise very large amounts of money. If you look across the western world, there are lots of countries that have much more tax revenue than we do and spend more on Public Services, but every single one of them, and i mean every single one of them, and i mean every single one of them, raises more tax on peoples average earnings than we do. Whilst we do have tax at high levels, it is the case that taxes on people on average earnings are the lowest they have been for 50 years, and trying to significantly increase taxes without impacting that group of people will be very complex and potentially have some negative economic consequences. Pauli potentially have some negative economic consequences. Pauljohnson, thank ou economic consequences. Pauljohnson, thank you for economic consequences. Pauljohnson, thank you for talking economic consequences. Pauljohnson, thank you for talking us economic consequences. Pauljohnson, thank you for talking us through thank you for talking us through that, the budget, the Big Statement Decision coming in october. Coming up, Rock And Roll stars 0asis announce theyre getting back together for a global tour. The gallagher brothers havent been on stage together for 15 years, after splitting up following a fight at a gig in paris. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. Its the news 0asis fans have been waiting for. The gallagher brothers are getting back together. Heres how it was announced. Me and him are like telepathic, you know what i mean . I me and him are like telepathic, you know what i mean . Me and him are like telepathic, you know what i mean . I know my brother better than anybody know what i mean . I know my brother better than anybody else. Know what i mean . I know my brother better than anybody else. When know what i mean . I know my brother better than anybody else. When we i better than anybody else. When we both come together, better than anybody else. When we both come together, you better than anybody else. When we both come together, you have i both come together, you have greatness. Liam and Noel Gallagher had teased an announcement through posts on social media before revealing tour dates for 2025. Formed in 1991, the British Group rose to fame with hits including wonderwall, dont Look Back In Anger and live forever. In 1994, the band released their chart topping album definitely maybe, helping to kick off the britpop era and propel them to mega stardom. In 1996, an incredible 2. 5 Million People applied for tickets to their two dates at knebworth in england. Its well documented that the brothers had a tough relationship, and in 2009 a backstage fight led to noel leaving the band. Heres our culture correspondent Charlotte Gallagher with more. I think theyre getting on. They must have buried the hatchet, after 15 years of not appearing on stage together. They had this huge bust up in 2009, in paris. It was so bad that they didnt go on stage that night, and theyve not performed together since. Theyve said all sorts about each other in the press. Noel said liam was the angriest man youll ever meet. He said he was a fork in a world of soup not really sure what that means. And liam called noel a potato. And theyre some of the things that i can repeat so theyve been pretty open about their tempestuous relationship. But now, theyre obviously back on speaking terms and they both seem really committed to this 1a date tour in the uk and ireland. We will be getting plenty more reaction. Well be talking to roisin 0connor, the independent� s music editor, later in The Programme. The Us National Security adviser, Jake Sullivan, is in beijing for three days of talks with chinas foreign minister. Ahead of mr sullivans arrival, china said it planned to voice its serious concerns over taiwanese independence a red line for beijing. The relationship between the us and china has improved slightly this year following a flurry of diplomatic visits, but many areas of disagreement remain. Its hoped the visit could ease tensions between the superpowers ahead of the us election in november. 0ur china correspondent, laura bicker, sent this update from beijing. Chinese state media said before Jake Sullivan arrived that this meeting came at a criticaljuncture in us china relations, and there is certainly a lot of differences between the two. The key to these meetings is to try to manage those differences. Beijing, ahead of time, has made their priorities clear. For them, taiwan is the red line and will always be the red line. They maintain that the self governing island is part of the mainland, and president xi has vowed to retake it by force if necessary. They resist any attempts by american congressmen, american politicians to encourage taiwanese independence. They are also furious that america has given military aid to taiwan. Secondly, there is the south china sea, and this is becoming a major issue in this week alone. There have been at least three skirmishes between chinese coastguard boats and filipino boats in the south china sea. And this is critical because the philippines is a key ally of the United States. And us assets, us warships come very, very close to their chinese counterparts along the Taiwan Strait and the south china sea. And what Jake Sullivan would like to do during these meetings is encourage more military to military communication. The third big issue will be on ukraine when the Secretary Of State, us Secretary Of State antony blinken, arrived here earlier this year, he had a warning for his chinese counterparts. He told them that if Chinese Companies continued to supply russia with components that russia could use in its war in ukraine, there would be consequences. America has carried out that promise. They have issued rafts of sanctions. And in fact, on the day that Jake Sullivan announced that he would be coming to beijing, america announced another raft of sanctions against Chinese Companies. And certainly, when it comes to that, china denies that they are helping the russian war effort, and they have told america to stop interfering in internal affairs. There is also the issue of trade, where the us has imposed large tariffs on everything from electric cars to solar panels. As i said, these are vast differences between the United States and china. The key is to manage them, and the key is the fact that theyre even talking. 16 months ago, when a chinese spy balloon was floating over north america and was shot down, certainly then the relationship was at a very, very low point. The Us Ambassador here in china has told me that he was one of the few americans able to talk to anyone in beijing. Since then, things have changed, and Jake Sullivan has met wang yi on four other occasions. There does seem to be at least a channel between the two to avoid Competition Veering into conflict. To ukraine now, and ukraine say they now control 100 russian settlements in the kursk region of russia as the incursion continues. President zelensky is speaking right now, lets take a listen. Translation ,. ,. ,. ,~ lets take a listen. Translation ,. ,. ,. , ~. , translation they try not to talk to me about that. Translation they try not to talk to me about that, but translation they try not to talk to me about that, but i translation they try not to talk to me about that, but i try. Translation they try not to talk to me about that, but i try. Table i me about that, but i try. Table ten is still here. Thanks for having me, mr president. Injuly, the in july, the president injuly, the president announced the eu had injuly, the president announced the eu had requested transporting of gas across eu had requested transporting of gas across the eu had requested transporting of gas across the ukrainian territory. Since across the ukrainian territory. Since then across the ukrainian territory. Since then ukrainian military. Under since then ukrainian military. Under control. Talk about transit, so what under control. Talk about transit, so what is under control. Talk about transit, so what is the position of ukraine on gas so what is the position of ukraine on gas transit in 2024 and 2025 as its continuation . We on gas transit in 2024 and 2025 as its continuation . Its continuation . We will continue to keep an its continuation . We will continue to keep an ear its continuation . We will continue to keep an ear across its continuation . We will continue to keep an ear across president i to keep an ear across president zelensky answering questions and we will come back to that event in kyiv if any more details come out about the incursion into russia. Here in the incursion into russia. Here in the uk. Three men have been arrested over the stabbing of a 32 year old woman who attended Notting Hill Carnival in london with her young child. She remains in a critical condition. Police say eight people were stabbed over the course of the weekend, with a total of 334 people being arrested during the event. More than1 Million People were expected at the carnival on monday, with thousands of officers deployed to europes biggest street party. The us president ial race is getting into full swing. But theres a new disagreement ahead of the first debate between donald trump and kamala harris. Democrats want both candidates microphones to be live throughout the full broadcast on abc on september 10th. While mr trump has said it doesnt matter to him either way, the Republican Campaign are reported to want him to be muted unless its his turn to speak. When President Biden was the democratic candidate, both sides had agreed to the muting of mics. Lets speak to cbs news correspondent, jarred hill. Jarred, great to see you. Just talk us through this microphone debate. Yes, this was an agreement made when former President Trump and President Biden had theirfirst and only debate of this cycle a couple of months ago, that these microphones would be muted when one person was not speaking, considered an effort to try to get rid of some of the bickering and chaos we saw during one of the debates in the 2020 election. But now Vice PresidentKamala Harriss team is saying lets have the microphones on presumably in an effort for her to be able to push back against some of the claims live and in the moment, something we have seen her do in previous debates as well as her term while she was in the senate. They are also painting this, as they say it, trumps handlers prefer the muted microphone because they dont think their candidate can act president ial for 90 minutes on his own. Former President Trump said it doesnt really matter to him. His campaign seems like they are on the other side but we will have to wait and see what the rules end up being for this debate. Theres also the question of whether this will happen at all because we know former President Trump multiple times has said he doesnt like the network that this debate is going to be held on because he feels they are not friendly or fair to republican voices. ,. , friendly or fair to republican voices. ,. , voices. Interesting, so the debates of course one voices. Interesting, so the debates of course one part voices. Interesting, so the debates of course one part of voices. Interesting, so the debates of course one part of the voices. Interesting, so the debates of course one part of the campaign j of course one part of the Campaign Butjust of course one part of the campaign but just talk to us a of course one part of the Campaign Butjust talk to us a little bit more broadly. What can we expect from the candidates and campaign now . ,. , from the candidates and campaign now . ,. ,. ,. , now . These candidates are really hittin the now . These candidates are really hitting the road now . These candidates are really hitting the road hard, now . These candidates are really hitting the road hard, especially i hitting the road hard, especially the battleground states, the ones that at this point are still a bit of a toss up for either of these candidates and will end up likely really saying who wins the white housein really saying who wins the white house in november, so they are focusing on these estates, trying to get not necessarily sway any voters to come over to their side but trying to get as many of the potential voters who might be kind of on the fence about whether they are going to show up to the polls, getting those folks out to the polls because its believed at this point that will be the thing that takes either one of these folks over the edge. Getting people who may not be the most enthusiastic about showing up the most enthusiastic about showing up to actually show up. Also thats important because we are talking about these down ballot races, not just a race for the white house but also who controls congress, and all of that will dictate what the make up of governing looks like in the United States over the next couple of years. The United States over the next couple of years couple of years. Jarred, great stuff, couple of years. Jarred, great stuff. Thank couple of years. Jarred, great stuff, thank you couple of years. Jarred, great stuff, thank you for couple of years. Jarred, great stuff, thank you for that. I stuff, thank you for that. Just to keep you up to date with events in ukraine in kyiv, we are listening in to president zelensky speaking live, answering questions from journalists. One of the significant lines over the last few hours as ukraine says it controls 100 russian settlements in the kursk region as its incursion into that part of the region continues. I am lewis vaughanjones, this is bbc news. Hello again. Its been a wet start to the day across the north and the west of the country, some heavy rain. Thats slowly going to be pushing southwards and eastwards today. Its a blustery day, especially windy through the irish sea and the northwest. That will ease later. But its going to be warm in the southeast, warmer than it was yesterday, and if anything, tomorrow it will be warmer again. But then we pull in more of a westerly, a fresher direction for us, before the weekend comes along, introducing once again the amber colours, so warmer by the weekend. So what we have at the moment is our Weather Front draped across northern england, across parts of wales into the southwest, slowly trying to push southeastwards. Ahead of it a lot of dry weather, some sunshine, and behind it were looking at some sunshine but also some showers. The wind slowly easing a touch through the day with highs up to about 25 or 26 in the southeast. Now, tonight, our weatherfront still tries to sink south. It bumps into that High Pressure so its weakening all the time. There will be showers across the north and the west. Not a particularly cold night. Temperatures falling away between 10 and 15 degrees. So tomorrow we still have our Weather Front with us. Again theres a band of cloud, the odd spot of rain in it. Slowly it will push eastwards through the day, so the sunshine ahead of it turning hazy. And then weve got some showery outbreaks of rain coming in across Western Scotland and also northern ireland, and some of those could be heavy and also thundery. Temperatures tomorrow potentially up to 28 in the far southeast. Then, as we move from wednesday into thursday, our Weather Front bearing the cloud and the showery rain moves away. Were back into that westerly flow so it will feel fresher. The other thing about thursday is weve got this Weather Front in the north thats pushing eastwards, taking its showers with it. Could hear a rumble of thunder in Northeast Scotland but come south across much of england, wales and northern ireland, therell be a lot of dry weather and also some sunshine to look forward to. Then, as we head from thursday into friday in the weekend, weve got this area of High Pressure building. Now, it might move a bit further north and if it does so, that could allow some showery rain into southern areas. But at the moment, it looks like for the weekend many of us will be dry with some sunshine and a touch warmer than on friday. This is bbc news. The headlines. Russia has conducted a second day of mass drone and missile strikes on cities across ukraine. Here in the uk, the Prime Minister says hes inherited an Economic Black Hole and warns future tax and spending decisions will be painful. The Pacific Islands are in danger from rising sea levels, warns United NationsSecretary General at a leaders meeting in tonga. A chocolate breakthrough. Swiss scientists have found a way to cut waste and sugar. Ukraine is continuing its offensive into russias kursk territory, according to kyiv� s top military commander. President zelensky is talking, one of the details we are president zelensky is talking, one of the details we are getting president zelensky is talking, one of the details we are getting is from more on the russian incursion into russia. Ukraine says it controls 100 russian settlements, as it continues. There was another day of Missile Attacks across cities across ukraine. Lets speak to Zhanna Bezpiatchuk from bbc ukraine, whojoins me from kyiv