Ukraine claims success in counter-offensive

A senior adviser to Ukraine's defence minister says his country's forces are making steady progress in a counter-offensive against Russian forces on the southeastern frontline. We get an update from our colleague with BBC Monitoring. We also talk about Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan who has been disqualified for refusing to shake hands with Russian Anna Smirnova at the World Fencing Championships.

After weeks of extreme heat and wildfires in many parts of the world, we hear about the debate on climate change in Greece, Pakistan and the US.

Following the military coup in the West African state of Niger this week, we bring together two journalists from Burkina Faso and the Gambia to share what it was like to cover and experience a coup in their countries.

We talk about what it is like to have a long name after a viral video showed a university student with a very long name - Boluwatife Oluwasemilore Oluwadamiloa Oyekunle Ayanfeoluwa Emmanuel Michael Oladele - receiving his degree at a graduation ceremony.

Presenter: James Reynolds.

(Photo: Soldiers carry out stabilization operations in the village of Staromayorske, Donetsk Region, Ukraine in this screengrab taken from a social media video released on July 28, 2023. Credit: 35th Separate Marines Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces via REUTERS)