and leigh ann caldwell — anchor at the washington post live. we will start with this developing news out of the us, out of georgia specifically. news out of the us, out of georgia specifically-— specifically. over the last couple of hours we've _ specifically. over the last couple of hours we've been _ specifically. over the last couple of hours we've been hearing - specifically. over the last couple of hours we've been hearing a i specifically. over the last couple l of hours we've been hearing a few more details and you may remember that this week we have learned that in georgia, former president donald trump will be facing criminal proceedings of allegations of election interference. the way that process happens is something called a special grand jury which is ordinary men and women hearing evidence in secret and deciding whether to proceed to further criminal case. these men and women have had their names and we think their addresses and social media profiles leaked online. there were rumours of this yesterday and into today. and in the last couple of hours, we got confirmation, effectively, from the fulton county sheriffs office. they said in a statement... is the lead agency, our investigators are working closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to track down the origin of threats in fulton county and otherjurisdictions. county and other jurisdictions. let's county and otherjurisdictions. let's speak now to our north america correspondent. just talk is free what is going on here. the identities _ what is going on here. the identities of _ what is going on here. the identities of the _ what is going on here. tue: identities of the jurors what is going on here. tte: identities of the jurors were actually in the indictment that was publicly released on monday night. and that is georgia state policy to publicly release the names of the 23 grand jurors who were put forward in the indictment in order to allow defence attorneys to review those names for any kind of questions that they have about the jurors, any kind of proceedings they want to bring. what has happened however is that donald trump supporters have taken these names and docks them. essentially looking up their addresses and details about them and shed them online. they have apparently made threats against some of thesejurors. notjust apparently made threats against some of these jurors. not just their apparently made threats against some of these jurors. notjust their home addresses but possibly their social media posts, their political leanings in an attempt to point out what they see as bias against donald trump amongst these jurors. that is why law enforcement has got involved, because there have been these reports of threats, death threats, made againstjurors and attacked down any credible threats and pursue them. just attacked down any credible threats and pursue them.— and pursue them. just remind us, because it — and pursue them. just remind us, because it is _ and pursue them. just remind us, because it is a _ and pursue them. just remind us, because it is a unique _ and pursue them. just remind us, because it is a unique system - and pursue them. just remind us, because it is a unique system in l and pursue them. just remind us, l because it is a unique system in the us, and lots of other countries, the uk for example, we hear the word jewelry and think that in the case must already be up and running. just talking through what the specific of jewellery is. talking through what the specific of “ewelle is. , ., talking through what the specific of “ewelle is. , . , ., ., , jewellery is. grand “uries are group of citizens that — jewellery is. grand 'uries are group of citizens that has— jewellery is. grand juries are group of citizens that has been _ jewellery is. grand juries are group| of citizens that has been assembled by the prosecution team in order to consider indictments against individuals. it is possible for prosecutors to bring indictments independent of a grand jury in some cases but for complicated cases like this, there can be a grand jury that they then present evidence to the grand jurors review this evidence and then vote on whether to indict or not. it is a process that does not involve defence attorneys. it is just a prosecution meeting with these grand jurors to go through the facts of the case, as has happened in this case and has happened typically. bringing witnesses to testify and then the grand jury, looking at the sum total of the case, they don't have to ascertain guilt at this point butjust decide whether there is sufficient evidence for an indictment to be handed down. it is different from a jury that sits and determines guilt or innocence in a trial. this is a preliminary staff that allows a citizen input during the investigatory process, the decision—making process that could lead to an indictment and lead to a trial. ,, , lead to an indictment and lead to a trial. ,, ._ . ., lead to an indictment and lead to a trial. ,, ._ u, . ~ trial. stay there, we will come back to ou in trial. stay there, we will come back to you in a — trial. stay there, we will come back to you in a moment. _ trial. stay there, we will come back to you in a moment. we _ trial. stay there, we will come back to you in a moment. we will - trial. stay there, we will come back to you in a moment. we will bring i to you in a moment. we will bring our panel for the first time this evening. let's start with you leanne, what do you make of this? my leanne, what do you make of this? tfi audio leanne, what do you make of this? ti audio is leanne, what do you make of this? ti1: audio is not great, so bear leanne, what do you make of this? ti1 audio is not great, so bear with me. what is happening here is that this is just like you said, this preliminary phase in what is going to be a very long proceeding for the former president. and what is happening is that his fall, the end of next week is going to be filled with court cases followed by the fall, winter and spring, deep into the presidential cycle. he is going to be in court forfar indictments that he is facing. meanwhile, he is still the republican frontrunner. he is going to fight this politically, he is going to fight this legally, butjust do know that his political operation is also very much tied into his legal operation as well. he is spending millions and billions of dollars that he has fund raised through his political entities on his legal bills.— through his political entities on his legal bills. interesting. paul, let's brin: his legal bills. interesting. paul, let's bring you — his legal bills. interesting. paul, let's bring you in. _ his legal bills. interesting. paul, let's bring you in. thoughts - his legal bills. interesting. paul, let's bring you in. thoughts on i his legal bills. interesting. paul, i let's bring you in. thoughts on the development in the last couple of hours, and i suppose more broadly as well, and what all this means for donald trump? i well, and what all this means for donald trump?— well, and what all this means for donald trum? ~ t, t, �* , donald trump? i think from a british oint of donald trump? i think from a british point of view. _ donald trump? i think from a british point of view, the _ donald trump? i think from a british point of view, the real— donald trump? i think from a british point of view, the real worry - donald trump? i think from a british point of view, the real worry would l point of view, the real worry would be the _ point of view, the real worry would be the integrity and the security of those _ be the integrity and the security of those jurors. be the integrity and the security of thosejurors. here in the uk, it would — thosejurors. here in the uk, it would be — thosejurors. here in the uk, it would be unheard of to publish the name _ would be unheard of to publish the name of— would be unheard of to publish the name of the jurors. obviously that is a different system in the us in terms _ is a different system in the us in terms of— is a different system in the us in terms of transparency, there is grandeur— terms of transparency, there is grandeurjury names were legally and publicly— grandeurjury names were legally and publicly available, but what has happened is that our transparency is coming _ happened is that our transparency is coming into— happened is that our transparency is coming into conflict with the sheer vitriol_ coming into conflict with the sheer vitriol of— coming into conflict with the sheer vitriol of the politics out of there _ vitriol of the politics out of there. and that means that this phenomenon of boxing or identifying people _ phenomenon of boxing or identifying people are piling on them, exposing their social — people are piling on them, exposing their social media accounts, becomes all the _ their social media accounts, becomes all the more — their social media accounts, becomes all the more toxic, really. and i think— all the more toxic, really. and i think what— all the more toxic, really. and i think what i_ all the more toxic, really. and i think what i would love to know is what _ think what i would love to know is what the — think what i would love to know is what the judge thinks about all of this. surely there are safeguards in place _ this. surely there are safeguards in place to— this. surely there are safeguards in place to protectjurors this. surely there are safeguards in place to protect jurors from abuse. it is place to protect jurors from abuse. it is one _ place to protect jurors from abuse. it is one thing having their names public, _ it is one thing having their names public, that is another making sure that in_ public, that is another making sure that in making them public that they are protected by the state and by the full— are protected by the state and by the full rigour of the law. it would be interesting to know what the judge _ be interesting to know what the judge is— be interesting to know what the judge is going to do about this and whether— judge is going to do about this and whether the law enforcement in fast will do _ whether the law enforcement in fast will do anything about it. could 'udicial will do anything about it. could judicial reminders _ will do anything about it. could judicial reminders about - will do anything about it. could judicial reminders about what l will do anything about it. colic judicial reminders about what the case and judges about? it is judicial reminders about what the case and judges about?— case and judges about? it is a sprawling _ case and judges about? it is a sprawling case. _ case and judges about? it is a sprawling case. it _ case and judges about? it is a sprawling case. it regards - case and judges about? it is a sprawling case. it regards thei sprawling case. it regards the pressure that donald trump and people amounting put on georgia officials to try to overturn the results of the presidential election in georgia. joe biden when the state of georgia narrowly, but he won the state of georgia and donald trump questioned the validity of that. he said that there was massive evidence of voter fraud. and said that there was massive evidence of voterfraud. and not said that there was massive evidence of voter fraud. and not only questioned it publicly but also pressured georgia state officials and his associates also pressured officials and also pressured individual election workers to try to get them to admit that there was a voterfraud. in a way to get them to admit that there was a voter fraud. in a way that the prosecution is alleging was illegal. they are alleging a vast scheme, racket, conspiracy, to illegally overturn the judge results. racket, conspiracy, to illegally overturn thejudge results. and racket, conspiracy, to illegally overturn the judge results. and they are using laws that have in the past been used to prosecute more gangs as well as public officials who have been corrupt, in order to paint this as notjust an individual incident, notjust questioning an election worker here are pressuring a government official here, or hacking or gaining a legal access to voting information here, that all of this is part of a broader web, a broader conspiracy, to disrupt the functioning of the election and overturn a legally run, legally authorised election. it is going to be a difficult case to pursue. i9 defendants. it is going to take a considerable amount of effort on the part of the georgia prosecution. but they are going to try to make this case that what donald trump did was illegal. case that what donald trump did was ille . al. ~ ., case that what donald trump did was illeaal. . ., ., case that what donald trump did was illeaal. t ., t, ~ t, case that what donald trump did was illeaal. t t, t, ~' t, t, illegal. what do we know about the timeline of that? _ illegal. what do we know about the timeline of that? well, _ illegal. what do we know about the timeline of that? well, the - timeline of that? well, the prosecution, _ timeline of that? well, the prosecution, in _ timeline of that? well, the prosecution, in this - timeline of that? well, the prosecution, in this case, | timeline of that? well, the i prosecution, in this case, has timeline of that? well, the - prosecution, in this case, has said that they want to try to bring this to trail within six months. they have proposed a trial date in early march, which would be during the republican presidential campaign. roughly the same time as super tuesday primaries which is a vast string of primaries in seven states that could determine who the presidential nominee for the republican party will be. now, a judge has to agree with that. a judge has to agree with that. a judge is going to take into consideration donald trump and his fellow defendant's claims. as well as taking into consideration the fact that donald trump is going to be basing trials in three other indictments. one in miami, one in new york and one in washington, dc. they are weighing a whole bunch of different competing factors to try to find a time when this can go to trial. and as i mentioned, this is a massive case. i think a lot of legal experts are looking at this and saying it is unlikely that it could be brought before a jury or a jury injust six months. be brought before a “my or a “my in just six months.“ in just six months. thank you so much for talking _ in just six months. thank you so much for talking us _ in just six months. thank you so much for talking us through - in just six months. thank you so | much for talking us through that. thank you to our panel. we will be back with you a little later. now to get the latest on the canada wildfires. thousands of people have been told to make a get out of their homes. these pictures give you some reason why. 20,000 people, specifically who live in a yellowknife, in northern territories, have been told to get out of the city by noon on friday. that is the deadline given to them for their evacuation. they have been told that the fires could reach the outskirts of the city by the weekend. we do know that some people have been leaving already. canada, just for a bit of background, is seeing its worst wildfire season on record. overiooo seeing its worst wildfire season on record. over 1000 fires are burning as of wednesday. a little earlier i spoke to a reporter for cbc north and she is one of the tens of thousands who have already evacuated from yellowknife. yellowknife is a very remote community. it is a tremendously long drive to get to any of the evacuation centres, the closest that has been established so far for people driving is over 1000 kilometres by car. tbs, people driving is over1000 kilometres by car.- people driving is over 1000 kilometresb car. �* , t, t kilometres by car. a huge distance. just talk is free _ kilometres by car. a huge distance. just talk is free what _ kilometres by car. a huge distance. just talk is free what are _ kilometres by car. a huge distance. just talk is free what are the - just talk is free what are the personal decision was for you, what things where you weighing up? i was things where you weighing up? i was actuall on things where you weighing up? i was actually on vacation _ things where you weighing up? i was actually on vacation at _ things where you weighing up? i was actually on vacation at a _ things where you weighing up? t —" actually on vacation at a time and wasn't reporting. i had two children. i had read earlier in the spring the book fire weather byjohn valiant, who talks about this very thing, the issue of climate driving greater hotter and more dangerous wildfires. that effectively can't be stopped without massive amounts of rain or otherwise some sort of afterthought. so i felt fearful and i booked flights and the day that i landed in calgary, where i am now, that night the 30 evacuation was announced for parts of yellowknife. and the next day, the whole city was ordered to get out. just and the next day, the whole city was ordered to get out.— ordered to get out. just how unusual is this for people _ ordered to get out. just how unusual is this for people living _ ordered to get out. just how unusual is this for people living there? - ordered to get out. just how unusual is this for people living there? it - is this for people living there? it is this for people living there? it is so striking. i moved to yellowknife in 2013 and the following summer was terrible year of fires. it is remembered now as the summer of smoke, we had fires burning all over the territory, it was relentless. fire tankers were in the sky at all hours of the day and that season, looking back on it, was extremely mild compared to what we are seeing now. we sell a total of one community evacuated briefly in 2014, it was a community of about 40 people, theyjust received another evacuation alert this morning. but that was it. and this year we have seen multiple communities evacuated, some more than once. we have seen fires go right into communities and take houses off the edges. we saw total destruction back in may. those people were evacuated once again for their own safety. it is just absolutely unheard of and the very idea that one would order a city of 20,000 to empty out in the face of out—of—control fires is not something a lot of people are prepared to imagine. is something a lot of people are prepared to imagine.- something a lot of people are prepared to imagine. is there any sense of when _ prepared to imagine. is there any sense of when this _ prepared to imagine. is there any sense of when this will _ prepared to imagine. is there any sense of when this will end? - prepared to imagine. is there any sense of when this will end? we l prepared to imagine. is there any - sense of when this will end? we have been covering and reporting on the developments for a while now, is there any sensitive... you mentioned there any sensitive... you mentioned there would need to be an act of god or rain or whatever, is there any sense on what might happen next? that is really the million dollar question. i heard an interview a few weeks ago with some firefighters working in quebec who said that the fires they are dealing with really need a season—ending event, that is what they called it. i believe that means a deluge of rain or sun otherwise massive change in the weather situation. otherwise massive change in the weathersituation. but otherwise massive change in the weather situation. but with the extreme dryness that we are seeing here, the lack of rain, i am just not sure what is going to change the situation that we are in right now. lets bring back our panel. lee and, let's start with you. we have been covering these wildfires in canada and the wildfires in hawaii. the destruction isjust huge. hawaii. the destruction is 'ust hue. , t, , , huge. yes, that is absolutely right. we have been _ huge. yes, that is absolutely right. we have been dealing _ huge. yes, that is absolutely right. we have been dealing with - huge. yes, that is absolutely right. | we have been dealing with wildfires and the effects of wildfires in canada and the united states all summer as well. i do not want to compare what is happening there but i am on the east coast and the canada wildfires on the eastern part of canada. we have been hit with that smoke multiple times and have extreme smoke considerations. then wejust saw what extreme smoke considerations. then we just saw what happened tragically in hawaii in maui. an island where they think that there was perhaps a power line issue that caused the fire, but a severe weather event exasperated it dramatically. more than 100 people have died so far, making it the deadliest wildfire in united states, at least in the last 100 years of the united states history. we are seeing this as we are seeing extreme heat in the southern part of the united states. each that is just unrelenting and not letting up. we are seeing these extreme weather events over and over again and they are only getting more common. t, t t, , t, again and they are only getting more common. t, t t, t, common. paul, here, closer to home, there have — common. paul, here, closer to home, there have been _ common. paul, here, closer to home, there have been wildfires _ common. paul, here, closer to home, there have been wildfires in _ there have been wildfires in tenerife, heat waves of very hot temperatures across europe too. yes. temperatures across europe too. yes, no question- _ temperatures across europe too. yes, no question- it — temperatures across europe too. yes, no question. it brings _ temperatures across europe too. yes, no question. it brings into really sharp— no question. it brings into really sharp focus this whole question of the so—called costs of going green. the costs— the so—called costs of going green. the costs of— the so—called costs of going green. the costs of tackling climate change _ the costs of tackling climate change. when you see the cost to human— change. when you see the cost to human life — change. when you see the cost to human life and the cost economically of these _ human life and the cost economically of these upheavals, caused by floods. — of these upheavals, caused by floods, wildfires and heatwaves, and you really— floods, wildfires and heatwaves, and you really have to think that politicians may be at some point will finally wake up and that they will finally wake up and that they will wake — will finally wake up and that they will wake up to the crisis. and these — will wake up to the crisis. and these arguments that they readily trot out— these arguments that they readily trot out that we can't afford to go green _ trot out that we can't afford to go green so — trot out that we can't afford to go green so quickly, pale in significance when it comes to the costs. _ significance when it comes to the costs. the — significance when it comes to the costs, the sheer costs of relocating the whole — costs, the sheer costs of relocating the whole village, the whole town, rebuilding — the whole village, the whole town, rebuilding an island like has been seen _ rebuilding an island like has been seen in_ rebuilding an island like has been seen in hawaii. across the whole of the western — seen in hawaii. across the whole of the western world and the whole world, _ the western world and the whole world, the idea of rebuilding cities is now— world, the idea of rebuilding cities is now a _ world, the idea of rebuilding cities is now a commonplace. a commonplace after these _ is now a commonplace. a commonplace after these disasters. those costs are enormous and surely it is the most _ are enormous and surely it is the most cost—effective thing to try to prevent _ most cost—effective thing to try to prevent it — most cost—effective thing to try to prevent it and try to prevent the excess — prevent it and try to prevent the excess deaths which we are seeing from _ excess deaths which we are seeing from heatwaves alone across the whole _ from heatwaves alone across the whole of — from heatwaves alone across the whole of europe. excess deaths now on an— whole of europe. excess deaths now on an unparalleled scale and we need a response _ on an unparalleled scale and we need a response that matches the response that we _ a response that matches the response that we had _ a response that matches the response that we had to go for it. where effectively the world woke up. will the world — effectively the world woke up. will the world woke up to this?- effectively the world woke up. will the world woke up to this? thank you both very much- _ the world woke up to this? thank you both very much. we _ the world woke up to this? thank you both very much. we will— the world woke up to this? thank you both very much. we will be _ the world woke up to this? thank you both very much. we will be back - the world woke up to this? thank you both very much. we will be back with | both very much. we will be back with you in a moment. for now though, around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. we willjust take a quick look at some of the stories now. school staff in 10 local authority areas will go on strike on 13 and 14 september. gmb scotland's members, which includes non—teaching school staff, rejected a pay offer of 5.5% in april, calling it "unacceptable". the union said the offer "does not come close" to matching the surging cost of living. the family of a pregnant woman killed by a speeding driver have welcomed a decision to have his 12—year prison sentence reviewed by the court of appeal. frankiejules—hough died, along with her unborn daughter, when adil iqbal crashed into her car shortly after he'd filmed himself driving at 123 miles per hour. an mp has told a public meeting he will pursue a law granting better protection for heritage venues in the name of a pub which was demolished after a fire. about 100 people attended the meeting after the 18th century crooked house, near dudley, was destroyed less than two days after the fire. you're live with bbc news. saudi arabia's crown prince, mohammed bin salman, has been invited to visit the uk. the visit is likely to prompt sharp criticism. it would be the first trip to the uk by the crown prince since the murder ofjournalist jamal khashoggi at the saudi consulate in istanbul in 2018. us intelligence agencies concluded that the prince must have authorised the killing. we can get the latest from my conversation earlier on. there's a real economic opportunity here for the uk and it's an opportunity that rishi sunak really needs for him for his personal career, and he deems it necessary for the british economy and that necessity for rishi sunak and his colleagues at least, means sacrificing the broader british ideals of human rights and democracy on the altar of realpolitik. and that looks like to be the realjustification for the invitation going out. and how do you think this will be received? well, mohammed bin salman has been very keen to deepen relations with the uk. perhaps the most obvious example of that is the purchase of newcastle united by the the sovereign wealth fund. but it's also deeper than that. there's also increasing numbers of students from saudi arabia coming to british universities, undergraduate graduate students. there's there's growing levels of cultural exchange. and i think that that mohammed bin salman will be open to that, but he will want other things as well. there's rumours suggesting that he's after better access to military hardware that the uk has been selling saudi over the years. so there will be some serious demands coming from riyadh for london to deal with. saudi arabia is an incredibly powerful state are becoming more and more powerful by the day. we know that mohammed bin salman is the power behind the throne. he is the one that is driving this transformative vision and if some of these big projects, the neon project, the line, this move away from oil, really do come off, it is going to leave saudi arabia increasingly powerful, increasingly influential in the world stage. and the uk struggling to have a way of finding its own niche there. and so while rishi sunak may decide to raise these issues, he may well not and may think that it will do more harm than good to raise human rights concerns, and i certainly hope that he does raise them because it is incredibly important, but it may be that he deems them to be sort of sacrifice. sacrifice will in order to get access to this huge amount of money for the government. and for the huge numbers of businesses that can benefit from the transformative processes going on in saudi arabia. let's pick through this with our panel. paul, let's start with you. what do you make of this? well, i think realpolitik _ what do you make of this? well, i think realpolitik certainly - what do you make of this? well, i think realpolitik certainly is - what do you make of this? well, i think realpolitik certainly is in - think realpolitik certainly is in play. rishi sunak, after brexit, we are not part of a big economic bloc any more in the eu. and so we are desperate for global partners. and if that means in working people that we are not considered to be really savoury regimes, then so be it. i think that is the approach largely of the government. of course rishi sunak will raise human rights, all western leaders do. but it has now almost become quite performative, they will raise it at the beginning of the meeting, packet, and then they will talk real money. and it is money that is driving this. it is notjust in sport, it is investments as was just stated, in terms of selling british airspace arms, flights, jet pilots, towards them. there is all sorts of oil considerations, diplomatic considerations, diplomatic considerations about the saudi and gulf states, the role they are playing with iran, and ultimately, i think rishi sunak is bubbly going to take its lead from president biden who famously said that when he was running for office that he would treat saudi arabia as a pariah state and then last year he first bumped mohammed bin salman. despite the fact that he had said that he was convinced that mohammed bin salman had a clear role in the murder of the journalist. had a clear role in the murder of thejournalist. i think had a clear role in the murder of the journalist. i think thatjust says everything that the west is going to take the lead from president biden when it is going to come to these relations and look what he has done.— come to these relations and look what he has done. what do you make of it? that is — what he has done. what do you make of it? that is right. _ what he has done. what do you make of it? that is right. the _ what he has done. what do you make of it? that is right. the united - of it? that is right. the united states's relationship _ of it? that is right. the united states's relationship with - of it? that is right. the united| states's relationship with saudi arabia — states's relationship with saudi arabia has obviously been very tenuous — arabia has obviously been very tenuous. of course, the murder of the journalist who was a contributor for the _ the journalist who was a contributor for the washington post. and when president _ for the washington post. and when president biden did go to saudi arabia — president biden did go to saudi arabia last year and did that fist bump, — arabia last year and did that fist bump, it — arabia last year and did that fist bump, it was an attempt, as oil prices _ bump, it was an attempt, as oil prices in— bump, it was an attempt, as oil prices in the united states were quite _ prices in the united states were quite high. there were a lot of concerns— quite high. there were a lot of concerns about an oncoming recession, there were lots of concerns— recession, there were lots of concerns about inflation and so he took that — concerns about inflation and so he took that trip and then afterwards increase _ took that trip and then afterwards increase the costs of oil. it kinda flew in _ increase the costs of oil. it kinda flew in the — increase the costs of oil. it kinda flew in the face of the whole purpose _ flew in the face of the whole purpose of the trip. but to the united — purpose of the trip. but to the united states is putting aside to an extent— united states is putting aside to an extent these human rights to solidify— extent these human rights to solidify this relationship a little bit more — solidify this relationship a little bit more. | solidify this relationship a little bit more. t, , t, , solidify this relationship a little bit more. t, , t, solidify this relationship a little bitmore. t, , t, t, t, , bit more. i am sorry to have to “ump in there because i bit more. i am sorry to have to “ump in there because time i bit more. i am sorry to have to “ump in there because time has h bit more. i am sorry to have to jump in there because time has beaten i bit more. i am sorry to have to jump| in there because time has beaten us. we have a few seconds left. we will be back with you in just a moment. thank you. hello there. the next 24 hours looks fairly unsettled with the risk of some really heavy, thundery rain in places and also strong winds. so quite a mixture of weather to come for friday. windy in places. it will feel quite warm and humid, and we'll have thundery showers spreading northwards. now, we've got two weather fronts associated with the low pressure system. this is the main weather front. ahead of it, we'll see a line of showers and storms spreading northwards. that's during friday. but through tonight, it should stay largely dry across much of the country, clear spells, more cloud through central and eastern areas. but we'll start to see those showers pushing to northern ireland, wales and south—west england, and some of them may turn out to be heavy and thundery in places. quite a warm and muggy night to come, particularly towards the south. then for friday, that line of showers, thunderstorms spreads northwards across northern ireland, wales, central, southern england, but starts to fizzle out as it moves northwards. it'll become very windy around irish sea coasts, especially northern and western wales, with gusts in excess perhaps of 60 mph. not a bad day to come across scotland. best of the sunshine in the west, high teens here. further south, because there's a bit more cloud around and some showers, top temperature around 22—23 degrees, but it will feel humid. and then through friday night, the action really gets going. this band of heavy and thundery rain spreads northwards across pretty much all areas. you can see the livid colours indicating embedded thunderstorms there, so localised flooding could be an issue in one or two locations. and a warm and humid night to come for many, particularly across england and wales. so into the weekend, that area of thundery rain will continue to journey northwards with fairly strong, gusty winds on it. moving northwards across scotland through saturday morning, becoming confined to the northern isles, and then the rest of the country has a fine day. sunny spells with scattered showers across northern and western areas, and it'll be more blustery here with temperatures in the low 20s. so feeling fresher, but still warm in the south—east, 25—26 degrees. similar story for part two of the weekend. most of the blustery showers will be in the north and the west of the country, where it'll feel a bit fresher. but again, across central, southern and eastern areas, closer to high pressure in the near continent, it'll stay sunnier, less windy. and we should see temperatures again around the mid—20s. now it could turn very warm or even locally hot across the south—east for a time monday and tuesday. plenty of sunshine here, but cooler and fresher with showers further north and west. hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones. you're watching the context on bbc news. fears that russia could spark a war with nato — by intercepting ships in the international waters of the black sea. there are fears that russia could spark a direct war with nato by intercepting ships in international waters and seeking to impose an economic stranglehold on ukraine. speaking to politico, nato's former supreme allied commander in europe, admiraljames stavridis says "russia's actions in the international waters of the black sea create a real risk of escalating this to a war at sea between nato and the russian federation." he said nato, "is not going to provide all the weapons and money for ukraine, only to watch russia strangle their economy with an illegal blockade." tensions in the black sea have escalated dramatically since russia unilaterally withdrew from a u.n. grain deal injuly and warned that ships travelling to ukrainian ports could be seen as military targets. in response, nato secretary general jens stoltenberg accused russia of "dangerous and escalatory actions in the black sea." he was also referencing russia's bombardment of ukrainian ports.