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Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has asked for forgiveness from the families of the 57 victims of this week's train crash. In a Facebook message, Mr Mitsotakis said that "in the Greece of 2023... two trains heading in different directions cannot run on the same line and no-one notice". Clashes with police were reported on Sunday as thousands joined a demonstration in the capital Athens. They said seven officers were hurt and five arrests were made, the AFP news agency reports. Some demonstrators set fire to rubbish bins and threw petrol bombs. Police responded by firing tear gas and stun grenades, clearing the central Syntagma Square of the protesters within a few minutes. The protesters also reportedly released hundreds of black balloons into the sky in memory of the dead, with some holding signs reading "Down with killer governments". On the night of 28 February, a passenger train and a freight train that were travelling in opposite directions ended up on the same track. The first four carriages of the passenger train were derailed, and the first two caught fire and were almost completely destroyed. The train crash has been widely attributed to human error. A 59-year-old station master in Larissa, who was charged with manslaughter by negligence, appeared in court on Sunday and has been taken into custody. His lawyer Stefanos Pantzartzidis said the station master had admitted to having a share of responsibility in the accident. He faces between 10 years and life in jail if convicted. But many in Greece see the crash as an accident that had been waiting to happen, and the railway workers' union blamed successive governments' "disrespect" towards Greek railways for leading to this "tragic result". A government minister told the BBC that the lack of funding was the direct result of the strict terms of international bailouts imposed after the 2010 debt crisis. The scene of the crash near Larissa Union members were joined by residents of Athens and Thessaloniki in taking to the streets throughout the past week, shocked by the scale of the disaster. The protests were also attended by many students - several of the passengers on board one of the trains were students in their 20s returning to Thessaloniki after a long weekend celebrating Greek Orthodox Lent. "The rail network looked problematic, with worn down, badly paid staff," Nikos Savva, a medical student from Cyprus, told AFP news agency. Train drivers in Greece have said there have been long-running problems with the electronic systems that are supposed to warn them of danger ahead. The transport minister, Kostas Karamanlis, also resigned as a "sign of respect" for the people who had died. Mr Karamanlis he was taking responsibility for the government's failure to modernise the country's railways in the three-and-a-half years it had been in power. Immediately after the accident, the Greek government declared three days of national mourning and said the cost of the victims' funerals would be paid for from the public purse. BBC Europe correspondent Nick Beake says the crash seems to be becoming a defining political issue for Greece as it prepares to face a general election in the spring. Media reports have given 9 April as a possible date, but analysts say that date may now be pushed back.

DUP Leader says his party is happy to be involved in talks with all political parties DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said he is hopeful of progress in the next few weeks in his talks with the government about restoring Stormont. He was speaking after parties met the head of the civil service Jayne Brady. Sir Jeffrey said discussions have reached an "important stage". He added what happens then will determine of the government will be able to meet his party's demands on the protocol and "be able to deliver what is required" to restore the Executive. He said his party's priority remained getting the solutions it needed on the Northern Ireland protocol which he said was continuing to cause harm. The DUP collapsed power-sharing in February 2022 in protest against post-Brexit trading arrangements. He added that his party was happy to be involved in conversations around how to ease the budgetary pressures "if and when" the Executive was restored. Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy says there was "consensus" within the Stormont parties that they need support with the ongoing financial pressures. Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy says there is an elephant in the room around the DUP getting back to work But Mr Murphy questioned "the elephant in the room" around when the DUP would get back to work. He said: "We are doing preparation work for negotiations that might not happen." He added that the financial situation in regards to public funding was getting worse not better. This is the first hint of a timeline in the DUP's talks with the government. According to the party leader we are reaching an "important stage" in the next few weeks and he is hopeful of progress. That will coincide with a meeting of the UK and Irish governments in London hosted by Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris. Could that be the moment when the government sets out its legislative plan to deal with the DUPs protocol concerns? The government will be keen to pass any legislation before Westminster breaks for the summer recess on 20 July. But don't expect a quick decision from the DUP. The party may want assurances around a financial package to help plug Stormont's £1.1bn black hole. They may also decide to reserve judgement until the new arrangements agreed in Windsor Framework are put into operation in October. UUP leader Doug Beattie says the pace of executive restoration is ramping up Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie said the pace towards the return of a Stormont executive is being "ramped up". He said the all-party talks with the head of the civil service were positive. Mr Beattie said those around the table talked about "when" the Executive is restored. He said talks focused on the financial ask of the treasury to plug the £1.1bn black hole in Stormont's finances. Alliance MP Stephen Farry says serious work is being done to move forward Alliance MP Stephen Farry said that the talks and the progress being made should not be seen as a barrier to getting the Executive back up and running again. But he added the talks on Thursday were a positive sign and that "serious work" was being done to put together a plan from the parties for the UK government on moving forward. Mr Farry said: "There is some degree of momentum building in this process but it's still early days." Sir Jeffrey also criticised Sinn Féin MP John Finucane over his planned attendance at an IRA commemoration at the weekend in Armagh. He said his "attendance was wrong on so many levels". He added they were "building a fun day around celebrating volunteers who were one of the most feared killing machines in Northern Ireland during the troubles" He urged Sinn Féin to think again about its involvement this weekend and to think of the impact on the victims families who still carry the hurt and pain. Sinn Féin has previously said that "everyone has the right to remember their dead".

This year's Glastonbury festival is off to a rocking start as thousands of festival-goers party in the summer sun. Arctic Monkeys are headlining the iconic Pyramid stage on Friday night, mystery act the ChurnUps have been revealed as Foo Fighters to the delight of crowds and elsewhere Worthy Farm's visitors have been entertained by Texas, Gabriels, Flo and many more music acts from around the world.

We are pausing our live coverage of Travis King, the US soldier who crossed the border from South Korea to the North without authorisation. It's still unclear why he fled to North Korea. Pentagon officials are investigating the incident, and have said his safety is Washington's top concern. There has been radio silence from Pyongyang and behind the scenes, officials are desperately trying to open communication lines. We've learned from local media in the last few hours that King served two months in a South Korean jail on assault charges and was released on 10 July. His mum has also told US television that she couldn't believe what her son what had done, and wished he was home in the US safe. Our writers on this page were Kelly Ng in Singapore and Ali Abbas Ahmadi in London, with editing by Ayeshea Perera and Joel Guinto.

The report was carried out by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Some schools in Northern Ireland are teaching pupils that homosexuality is wrong in relationships and sex education (RSE). A Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) report said "many schools use language that shames and stigmatises young people" who had sex. Some told pupils that those who "engage in casual sex must bear the consequences of their actions". The NIHRC investigated schools policies on the teaching of RSE. The detailed investigation found most schools were not providing "age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on access to abortion services". "Some schools actively contributed to the shame and stigma surrounding unplanned pregnancy and abortion, by making statements such as 'abortion is not a means of contraception and those who knowingly engage in casual sex must bear the consequences of their actions'," the NIHRC report said. It also said about two-thirds of post-primaries promoted abstinence in their sex education policies. One school's policy stated that "sexual abstinence before marriage and fidelity within it, will be presented as the positive and desirable option and an achievable reality". The commission recommended that schools should be monitored to ensure sex education is taught in "an objective and non-judgemental manner". That should include "detailed assessments of the content and delivery of lesson plans". The NIHRC was established following the Good Friday Agreement. It has the power to conduct investigations and compel evidence. Its investigation into relationships and sex education focused mainly on legal and policy matters but it also made recommendations on delivery of the subject in schools. About three-quarters (149) of post-primaries in Northern Ireland provided evidence to the commission's investigation and 124 provided their RSE policies. Some schools provided lesson plans and teaching notes, and experts were also consulted by the commission. Speaking about the findings, NIHRC chief commissioner, Alyson Kilpatrick told Good Morning Ulster that "an awful lot more needed to be done by a majority of schools in relation to age appropriate, comprehensive, scientifically accurate education and sexual reproductive health and rights". "The Department for Education needs to work with schools, consult with parents and children, to work out what the appropriate content should be and that it is delivered properly," said Ms Kilpatrick. In 2018, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) said RSE in Northern Ireland should be compulsory and comprehensive. As a result, the Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris recently laid new regulations in parliament making teaching topics like abortion and prevention of pregnancy compulsory in schools in Northern Ireland. He said he had a legal duty to act on the recommendations made in the CEDAW report. But the change has been criticised by Protestant and Catholic church leaders. The NIHRC investigation into RSE was carried out before Mr Heaton-Harris's move. But the commission said that there must be monitoring to "ensure that schools are meeting their new obligations". "It's very easy to have a policy or to have a list of things you are going to teach, but it is the actual teaching of them and the way in which they are taught which is so influential," said Ms Kilpatrick. At present, each school in Northern Ireland has to teach sex education but can decide what to teach "based on the ethos of their school," according to Department of Education (DE) guidance. The NIHRC said that the majority of schools who submitted their RSE policy to the investigation "still promoted the value of the 'sanctity of marriage'", and related terms, such as "permanent committed sexual relationship", and "married love" in their RSE policies and school ethos. "In addition to this idealisation and promotion of abstinence, marriage, and monogamy, many schools use language that shames and stigmatises young people who do engage in sexual practices," the report continued. "Most schools also contributed to this association of shame with sexual activity, by attributing specific moral values and personal characteristics to those who engaged (or did not engage) in sexual behaviour." The NIHRC said about two-thirds of post-primaries taught pupils about contraception, but it was difficult to know if they offered accurate information. In their RSE policies, some schools stated that "they will present the Catholic teaching that 'the use of any artificial means of preventing procreation is not acceptable'," the report said. "Some schools even outline their beliefs that "homosexuality" is wrong," in their polices, the NIHRC said. "For example, one [school] writes that 'the belief that homosexual acts are against the nature and purpose of human relationships will be presented to pupils'," the report continued. One third of schools who provided information to the NIHRC said their school would teach pupils that "heterosexual relationships was the 'main' or 'ideal' context for sexual intimacy". The report also said most schools "indirectly contribute to the societal victim-blaming and slut-shaming of women and girls." It said this was because they focused on how young people could stop themselves becoming victims of sexual abuse or violence, rather than challenging the perpetrators. The NIHRC said that while their investigation showed some schools provided "comprehensive and scientifically accurate" relationship and sex education, the majority in Northern Ireland did not. The commission concluded that the case for reforming the RSE curriculum was "compelling". It provided 13 recommended reforms, including schools involving their students in drawing up RSE policies.

This year's Glastonbury festival is off to a rocking start as thousands of festival-goers party in the summer sun. Arctic Monkeys are headlining the iconic Pyramid stage on Friday night, mystery act the ChurnUps have been revealed as Foo Fighters to the delight of crowds and elsewhere Worthy Farm's visitors have been entertained by Texas, Gabriels, Flo and many more music acts from around the world.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch Catherine, Princess of Wales, appear in surprise Eurovision cameo Catherine, Princess of Wales, made a surprise appearance playing the piano during the opening performance of Eurovision. She played an instrumental piece, created by Joe Price and Kojo Samuel, recorded in Windsor Castle's Crimson Drawing Room earlier this month. She wore a blue Jenny Packham dress and earrings belonging to the late queen. The 10-second clip appeared in a performance by last year's winners Kalush Orchestra. That performance also included contributions from Lord Lloyd-Webber, Sam Ryder, Ms Banks, Ballet Black, Bolt Strings and Joss Stone. The opening Eurovision film showed Kalush Orchestra performing their winning entry Stefania, from the Maidan Nezalezhnosti metro station in Kyiv. Sweden's Loreen won the competition for the second time with her pop anthem Tattoo. The UK's entrant, Mae Muller, failed to replicate the success of Sam Ryder last year and finished in 25th place, out of 26. Sweden's victory means it will host next year's event, which will mark the 50th anniversary of Abba's historic victory with Waterloo in 1974. The instrumental piece was recorded in the Crimson Drawing Room of Windsor Castle The princess, who has grade three piano and grade five theory, previously accompanied pop star Tom Walker on piano while he sang his previously unheard Christmas song For Those Who Can't Be Here during a 2021 carol service she hosted at Westminster Abbey. The service, which was broadcast on ITV on Christmas Eve that year, paid tribute to the work of "inspirational" people who served their communities during the pandemic.

Madonna has said she is "on the road to recovery" in her first statement since a bacterial infection left her in a hospital's intensive care unit. On social media, the singer said "my focus now is my health" and thanked her fans for their "positive energy". The star, 64, said: "I assure you, I'll be back with you as soon as I can!" The pop star said her current plan was to reschedule her forthcoming North American concerts and begin her Celebration Tour in the UK in October. This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Madonna This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. In the statement, she wrote: "Thank you for your positive energy, prayers and words of healing and encouragement. I have felt your love. "I'm on the road to recovery and incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life. "My first thought when I woke up in the hospital was my children. "My second thought was that I did not want to disappoint anyone who bought tickets for my tour. I also didn't want to let down the people who worked tirelessly with me over the last few months to create my show. I hate to disappoint anyone. "My focus now is my health and getting stronger and I assure you, I'll be back with you as soon as I can! "The current plan is to reschedule the North American leg of the tour and to begin in October in Europe." She had been due to start the greatest hits tour in Canada on Saturday, 15 July. The European leg is scheduled to begin with four nights at London's O2 Arena from 14 October. She finished her statement by saying: "I couldn't be more grateful for your care and support." It comes two weeks after her manager Guy Oseary revealed the star had developed a "serious bacterial infection" on 24 June, which led to "a several day stay in the ICU". At the time, he said she would "need to pause all commitments, which includes the tour". Madonna's greatest hits span several decades - including Into The Groove (1985), Like A Prayer (1989), to Vogue (1990) and Hung Up (2005) to name a few. In announcing the tour back in January, she told fans: "I am excited to explore as many songs as possible in hopes to give my fans the show they have been waiting for." It is likely that she was in the final stages of a rehearsal regime when she became ill. She called off a number of shows in her more experimental, theatre-based Madame X tour in 2019 and 2020 because of knee and hip injuries.

John McKenna played for Scotby Football Club in Carlisle, who have paid tribute to him Tributes have been paid to a popular footballer who died after apparently falling from a hotel balcony in Ibiza. John McKenna, 22, from Carlisle, Cumbria, had been on holiday when the tragedy happened on Friday at about 11:00 local time (10:00 BST). The Scotby FC player, an electrician, is reported to have fallen from the third floor of his San Antonio hotel. His Sunday league club said it had "lost a legend, a brilliant player but an even better person". It added that he would be "never forgotten but loved always. RIP big John." Friend and former Carlisle United player Josh Dixon, who went to school with Mr McKenna, also paid tribute and said he was "absolutely heartbroken". "One of my closest mates all the way through school," he wrote. "Wherever you went you would put a smile on someone's face, will be a huge miss to us all. Rest easy big man." Flowers have been left outside the club's pavilion, alongside a football shirt. Scotby FC has received messages of support from other teams across the league The Cumberland Football Association said it was "so sorry to hear this tragic news". "Our thoughts are with John's family and friends as well as his teammates in the AFC Scotby family at this time and always". Clubs from the Carlisle City Premier Sunday League have also sent their condolences, as well as other teams from the county. The UK Foreign Office said it was supporting the family of a British man who died in Ibiza and was in touch with the Spanish island's authorities. An investigation is continuing into what happened, which is being led by the Civil Guard. Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Kim Jong Un, seen here in 2017, is known to be a heavy smoker British American Tobacco is to pay $635m (£512m) plus interest to US authorities after a subsidiary admitted selling cigarettes to North Korea in violation of sanctions. The US authorities said the settlement related to BAT activity in North Korea between 2007 and 2017. BAT's head Jack Bowles said "we deeply regret the misconduct". The US has imposed severe sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile activities. Tuesday's settlement was between BAT and America's Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. BAT is one of the world's largest tobacco multinationals and one of the UK's 10 biggest companies. It owns major cigarette brands including Lucky Strike, Dunhill and Pall Mall. In a statement, BAT said it had entered into a "deferred prosecution agreement with DOJ and a civil settlement agreement with OFAC, and an indirect BAT subsidiary in Singapore has entered into a plea agreement with DOJ". The DOJ said BAT had also conspired to defraud financial institutions in order to get them to process transactions on behalf of North Korean entities. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is known to be a heavy smoker. Last year the US attempted to get the UN Security Council to ban tobacco exports to North Korea, but this was vetoed by Russia and China. At a briefing on Tuesday, the DOJ's assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said the settlement was the "culmination of a long-running investigation", describing it as "the single largest North Korean sanctions penalty in the history of the Department of Justice". He said that BAT was engaged in an "elaborate scheme to circumvent US sanctions and sell tobacco products to North Korea" via subsidiaries. "Between 2007 and 2017 these third-party companies sold tobacco products to North Korea and received approximately $428m." Criminal charges were also revealed against North Korean banker Sim Hyon-Sop, 39, and Chinese facilitators Qin Guoming, 60, and Han Linlin, 41, for facilitating sales of tobacco to North Korea. A $5m (£4.4m) bounty was put for any information leading to the arrest or conviction of Mr Sim, and $500,000 (£402,905) rewards for each of the other two suspects. They were accused of buying leaf tobacco for North Korean state-owned cigarette makers and falsifying documents to trick US banks into processing transactions worth $74m. North Korean manufacturers including one owned by the military made about $700m thanks to these deals. Pyongyang has for years faced multiple rounds of tough sanctions in response to its ballistic missile launches and nuclear tests. However that has not deterred Mr Kim from continuing to develop the country's weapons programme. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

The Birmingham to Crewe leg of high speed railway HS2 will be delayed by two years to cut costs. The government suggested Euston station's opening could also be delayed as an "affordable" design is worked on. Transport secretary Mark Harper blamed soaring prices and said he was "committed" to the line linking London, the Midlands and North of England. HS2 has been beset by delays and cost rises. In 2010, it was expected to cost £33bn but is now expected to be £71bn. Mr Harper said "significant inflationary pressure" and increased project costs meant the government was to "rephase construction by two years". He said the decision had been "difficult" but that it was part of "controlling inflation and reducing government debt". Mark Thurston, chief executive of HS2 Ltd, recently told the BBC that he and the government were examining the phasing of the build and the timing. John Foster from business group CBI said the delay would harm investor confidence in the rail sector. "Delays to projects may create short-term savings, but they can ultimately lead to higher overall costs and slow down the UK's transition to a better, faster and greener transport network," Mr Foster added. Labour said the decision to pause the HS2 at Birmingham was "astonishing". Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said the party had committed to delivering HS2 in full if it gets into government, and to partly funding the work by its green prosperity plan. The head of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Henri Murison, said the delay was "disappointing" and "holds back economic benefits". The project is grappling with the rising cost of materials due to the high rate of inflation. The government hopes that the delays will allow it to spread the cost over a longer period of time, making it more affordable by reducing annual expenditure. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who will outline his Budget next week, wants debt to fall as a percentage of GDP within five years - a target explicitly set by the Prime Minister. Michael Fabricant, Conservative MP for Lichfield in Staffordshire, which contains part of the HS2 line, said he would ask the government whether the delay "marks the end of HS2 north of Birmingham for good and whether HS2 will make good the damage already done in southern Staffordshire". He added: "Simply saying the project is delayed is not good enough. The area has been blighted by whole fields turned into construction sites." Last week, Mr Thurston said the impact of inflation had been "significant" in the past year, affecting the costs of raw material, labour, energy and fuel. "We're looking at the timing of the project, the phasing of the project, we're looking at where we can use our supply chain to secure a lot of those things that are costing us more through inflation," he said. HS2 trains are scheduled to carry the first passengers between Old Oak Common station in West London and Birmingham, between 2029 and 2033. Euston station in London is currently scheduled to open later, by 2035. Further stretches to Crewe and then to Manchester are due by 2034 and 2041. Most of the HS2 leg to Leeds was scrapped in 2021.

Buzzfeed is to close its news site and cut its workforce by 15%, chief executive Jonah Peretti has said. It comes as the digital media company faces serious financial challenges, including a slump in advertising spending. Calling the decisions "deeply painful", Mr Peretti said he could not invest more in the unprofitable news site. He said the firm would focus on delivering news via the HuffPost, which Buzzfeed took over two years ago. "Our industry is hurting and ready to be reborn," he said in a memo to staff. "We are taking great pains today, and will begin to fight our way to a bright future." Founded in 2006, Buzzfeed was once one of the trendiest names in online media, known for its quizzes and viral content, as well as a serious news operation. But the firm, which employed more than 1,300 people globally at the end of last year, has shifted away from news, as bringing in ad revenue and audiences became more difficult and other lines of business, such as producing custom content, grew more quickly. It listed on the stock exchange in 2021, but raised far less money than it had hoped. "While layoffs are occurring across nearly every division, we've determined that the company can no longer continue to fund BuzzFeed News as a standalone organization," Mr Peretti wrote to staff. Many other advertising-reliant companies, including media firms and tech giants such as Facebook's owner Meta, have been making job cuts in recent months, while investors have been forced to reassess the values of upstart news ventures such as Vice News and Vox Media. News company Insider also revealed plans on Thursday to reduce its workforce by 10% or about 95 jobs. Mr Peretti said his company, which will continue to operate HuffPost, its food brand Tasty, Complex Networks, and its namesake website, had faced wider challenges but he also blamed himself. He said he had been "slow to accept" the difficulties of making money from online news with distribution dominated by big tech platforms. The firm should have generated more revenue after acquiring Complex in 2021, which runs the music site Complex and other brands, he added. "I could have managed these changes better as the CEO of this company and our leadership team could have performed better despite these circumstances." he said. In her own memo to staff, parts of which she shared on social media, Buzzfeed News editor-in-chief Karolina Waclawiak said the company should have tried to build a business around its news site earlier, describing the closure as "avoidable". This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Karolina Waclawiak This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. She said the failure was indicative of a wider crisis in journalism and she feared the results if subscription-based news models were the only ones that survive. "The implication is that only people who can afford to pay for it will have access to high quality information while everyone else will need to parse through the rampant misinformation that is widely shared across social platforms," she wrote. "The consequences of this are dire." Buzzfeed had already announced several rounds of layoffs in recent years, including one in December that affected roughly 170 people or 12% of staff. The latest cuts involve about 180 jobs. Buzzfeed said it expected to incur $7m (£5.6m) - $11m (£8.8m) in severance and other charges connected to the move. Some of the news staff may find roles in other parts of the firm, the company said. Shares fell 20% on Thursday on the news, reducing Buzzfeed's market value to about $100m (£80m) - a fraction of the more than $1.5bn (£1.2bn) valuation investors were reportedly discussing just two years ago. • None Online news site Buzzfeed to take over HuffPost

Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood has been questioned twice under police caution over five alleged sex offences. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police confirmed they are now investigating five accusations of offences alleged to have happened between 1982 and 2016. Detectives say they interviewed a 65-year-old man under caution on 15 March and 4 April. There has been no arrest. It comes after BBC News and the Guardian uncovered allegations from 18 women. He denied those allegations. In April last year, a number of women accused the former Radio 1 DJ of predatory and unwanted sexual behaviour and touching, in incidents between 1992 and 2017. They also accused him of abusing his position in the music industry. Some of the women told us they encountered Mr Westwood when they were under 18. One says that she was only 14 when Mr Westwood first had sex with her. The DJ stepped down from his Capital Xtra radio show after the allegations emerged. Last August the BBC launched an external inquiry into what the corporation did and did not know about Tim Westwood's conduct during his nearly 20 years working there. That inquiry is still ongoing. BBC News has attempted to contact Mr Westwood for comment. Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? You can share your experiences anonymously by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Remembering Dame Deborah James: 'One of those special people' The cancer campaigner, blogger, broadcaster and former teacher, Dame Deborah James, has died aged 40. She had been receiving end-of-life care for bowel cancer at home and had raised millions for cancer research. The host of the BBC's You, Me and the Big C podcast was given a damehood in May in recognition of her fundraising. Dame Deborah, a mother of two, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016. Her family described her as "amazing" and an "inspiration". They announced her death in a post on her Instagram page. "We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Dame Deborah James; the most amazing wife, daughter, sister, mummy," it said. She passed away peacefully surrounded by her family. Her family said Dame Deborah shared her experience of cancer to "raise awareness, break down barriers, challenge taboos and change the conversation around cancer". "Even in her most challenging moments, her determination to raise money and awareness was inspiring." Dame Deborah was praised for her no-nonsense approach to talking about cancer, having shared her experiences of treatment and daily life since her diagnosis in 2016. A deputy head teacher, she started a cancer blog, before writing for the Sun and becoming a BBC broadcaster. But on 9 May she announced that she was no longer receiving active care and did not know how long she had left. "My body just can't continue any more," she said in a post on her @bowelbabe Instagram account. She also launched a new fund, called the Bowelbabe fund, to raise money for research into personalised medicine for cancer patients. It surpassed £1m in less than 24 hours - smashing her initial goal of £250,000 - and has now raised almost £7m. In May, she was given a damehood by Prince William at her parents' home in Woking, Surrey, where she had chosen to stay. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - who donated to the research fund - praised her "tireless efforts" and thanked her for "giving hope" to those living with the disease. For her part, Dame Deborah said William's visit was "surreal". "You can imagine the cleaning antics and preparation went off the scale - but it was all irrelevant because William was so kind," she said. The money raised through her Bowelbabe fund will support Cancer Research UK, Bowel Cancer UK and the Royal Marsden Hospital - a specialist cancer treatment facility. Bowel Cancer UK, of which Dame Deborah was a patron, said she had turned her bowel cancer diagnosis "into an incredible force for good" and would save countless lives through her campaigning. Genevieve Edwards, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said the former teacher had an "incredible energy" and a "marvellous knack of making things happen". Paying tribute to the presenter's awareness-raising work, Ms Edwards said: "She had this incredible power to connect with people. She leaves a tremendous legacy behind her". Dame Deborah campaigned to raise awareness about bowel cancer, urging people to check for symptoms, during and after her treatment. Following one operation, while in an anaesthetic daze, she ordered a poo costume online - which she would wear while recording her podcast. Signing off her final podcast in May, she said: "Check your poo. Come on. I can't leave on any other word apart from check your poo. "I still have images of me dancing in poo outfits everywhere. So maybe I should leave on that final word. Check your poo." Regular bowel cancer screening is available to everyone aged 60-74 and this programme is expanding to include everyone aged 50-59. This expansion is happening gradually over four years and started in April last year. People in England aged 60-74 who are registered with a GP are automatically sent an NHS bowel cancer screening kit every two years. If you are outside this age group, you should still be aware of what bowel cancer symptoms are and visit your GP if you have any concerns. Prime Minister Boris Johnson described her as "an inspiration to so many", while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said her charity work was "truly inspirational... even in the most challenging moments". The director general of the BBC, Tim Davie said she was a "true inspiration" and the way she talked about cancer "moved the nation, inspired change and undoubtedly saved lives". This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: Deborah James "can't really do anything more" to fight cancer Dame Deborah co-hosted You, Me and the Big C with Rachael Bland and Lauren Mahon Dame Deborah began co-presenting You, Me and the Big C alongside Lauren Mahon and BBC Radio 5 Live newsreader Rachael Bland in 2018, with the show earning praise for its frank discussion of cancer. They spoke to celebrity guests and addressed practical matters, including hair loss, tips for dealing with finances and telling your nearest and dearest about illnesses. Bland died aged 40 in September 2018, two years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. BBC 5 Live presenter Tony Livesey, who was a friend of Dame Deborah and did her final broadcast interview earlier this month, said the campaigner was "one of the most remarkable women I've ever met". "All the fame she's had was a by-product of just the work she wanted to do to save one life," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. BBC News presenter George Alagiah, who is living with bowel cancer, recalled speaking to Dame Deborah at the Royal Marsden Hospital. Mr Alagiah told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme the campaigner answered his questions about the symptoms he might experience with the illness. The newsreader said he was struck by Dame Deborah's "sheer generosity" and that their chat was "typical of what I now know she was capable of doing and did for so many others". Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Lucie Kon, a BBC producer and friend of Dame Deborah, called the podcast host "the most amazing human out of anyone I know" and said she would be "alive in my mind forever". Lucie said Dame Deborah showed that cancer does not have to be a "life sentence", and that the 40-year-old "didn't want to be a victim". Dame Deborah's first book, called F*** You Cancer: How to face the big C, live your life and still be yourself, was published in 2018. Her second book, How To Live When You Could Be Dead, is due to be released on 18 August. This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Instagram The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip instagram post by bowelbabe This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Meta’s Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Have you been affected by issues covered in this story? Share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

A decision to quash a Department of Health policy on paying for care costs in nursing homes has been welcomed by the NI commissioner for older people. The commissioner, Eddie Lynch, was reacting to a decision by High Court judge Mr Justice Scoffield. The judge ruled the department failed to properly consider the impact on elderly people who could potentially lose life savings to meet health costs. He said it had been responsible for a "plain dereliction in its duty". The commissioner, Mr Lynch, took a judicial review on behalf of Robin McMinnis. The 75-year-old, who is quadriplegic and has complex medical needs, has been paying for his care while living in a Belfast nursing home. The Continuing Healthcare Policy relates to the assessment of whether a person's needs can be met in a hospital which will not cost anything or is social-care related which could incur costs. The judicial review highlighted that the criteria and threshold for when a person should pay for their care is unclear and operates differently between each health trust. Eddie Lynch said the High Court ruling was a win for older people All older people with assets worth more than £23,250 have to pay for their social care. A change to the policy, introduced in February 2021, uses a single criteria question where people are asked: "Can your care needs be met properly in any other setting other than a hospital?" Those people who are placed in a nursing home have to pay, while others who say they cannot go to a nursing home instead have their care paid for while in hospital. The judge ruled that Mr McMinnis was unfairly refused the funding and ordered the Belfast Trust to reconsider his application. He said he also proposed "to quash the decision of the department to adopt the 2021 policy". Mr McMinnis said it had been "a long journey for me personally over the past six years with many setbacks". "It has been a matter of principle for me, knowing that many others have been disqualified or were unaware of the Continuing Healthcare Policy," he continued. Reacting to the judgement, Mr Lynch said he was delighted for Mr McMinnis. "This is also a win for the many older people who have contacted my office over the past number of years in relation to issues with continuing healthcare assessments, all of whom will now be entitled to receive the fair assessment they deserve," he said. On Tuesday he told BBC's Good Morning Ulster the ruling shows the system "was not fit for purpose". "The bottom line here was older people were being failed by the system," the commissioner said. "Older people whose costs should have been picked up by the NHS were paying for their care. "People were left high and dry, people who were entitled to this [financial] support because the system was not set up properly to give them a fair assessment." He said this ruling "overturns and quashes a policy that was ageist". Mr Lynch said now that the policy has been quashed, the onus is on the Department of Health to "come up with a policy that treats people fairly". The department said it "will be considering the judgement, before deciding on next steps".

King Charles and Queen Camilla have been crowned in a ceremony steeped in tradition and symbolism inside Westminster Abbey. You will be able to catch up on the Coronation Ceremony on BBC iPlayer, but the BBC's coverage will continue throughout the bank holiday weekend. Here's a guide to following the events. A live stream and live page with coverage and analysis of The Coronation Big Lunch is continuing on Sunday morning on bbc.co.uk/news. Live TV coverage started at 12.30 with Coronation: The UK celebrates, a 90-minute special on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BBC News reflecting gatherings and parties all around the country. At 20:00, the Coronation Concert will be broadcast live from Windsor Castle on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. It will be hosted by Hugh Bonneville and feature performances from British pop group Take That, international superstar Lionel Richie, pop icon Katy Perry and opera star Andrea Bocelli. Kirsty Young will anchor the live coverage for BBC TV and BBC iPlayer and Clara Amfo and Jordan Banjo will be backstage with the artists. The concert will see a world-class orchestra play a host of musical favourites and will also feature, for the first time ever, a joint performance from The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera House, the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal College of Music and The Royal College of Art. Local radio in England is joining teams from around the country to hear how they are marking the historic weekend. In Scotland, BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal is covering the events in Gaelic. BBC Radio Wales will broadcast King and Country: How Wales made a monarch, on how being Prince of Wales meant more than a title to Charles, and the work he did in business, culture and conservation. BBC Radio Ulster/ Foyle have scheduled programmes in the lead-up to and on the Coronation weekend, reflecting local views on the occasion. These will include a special Gardeners' Corner programme. Read the latest from our royal correspondent Sean Coughlan - sign up here.

Chinese-owned video streaming app TikTok says it will offer text-only posts as competition between social media giants heats up. The platform says the new feature gives users "another way to express themselves". Earlier this month, TikTok launched a new music streaming service to rival platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. And on Monday, Elon Musk's Twitter ditched its famous blue bird logo and switched to a black and white X. TikTok users will now be offered three options on the app - whether to post photos, videos or text. They will also be able to customise posts by adding sound, location or Duets, which are video reactions to posts by other TikTok users. "These features make it so your text posts are just as dynamic and interactive as any video or photo post," TikTok said. TikTok, which is owned by China's ByteDance, recently launched a new music streaming service, TikTok Music, in Brazil and Indonesia. Last week, the company also rolled out a beta version of the service in Singapore, Mexico and Australia. A spokesman said it would allow users to "listen, share and download the music they have discovered on TikTok, as well as share their favourite tracks and artists with their TikTok community". The app is testing other features including a new landscape mode with select users around the world. In 2021, TikTok became the world's most popular online destination as it had more hits than US search engine giant Google. That year, the app also said it had more than one billion active users globally. Competition between rival social media firms - such as Instagram owner Meta and X, Mr Musk's rebranded Twitter platform - have heated up in recent weeks. This month, Meta's new Threads platform went live on Apple and Android app stores in 100 countries, including the UK. Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg later said his company's Threads platform had signed up more than 100 million users in less than five days. Also this week, the blue bird branding on social network Twitter was replaced by a logo featuring a white X on a black background. The term tweets will also be changed to "x's", according to Mr Musk.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Two Greek air force pilots have died after a plane crashed while fighting wildfires on the Greek island of Evia, officials say. The water-bombing plane crashed while battling a forest fire near Platanistos, the defence ministry said. The pilots were named as 34-year-old Cdr Christos Moulas and his co-pilot, 27-year-old Pericles Stefanidis. An intense European heatwave has also sparked wildfires across Sicily, Algeria and Tunisia. Greek TV showed the Canadair aircraft flying low to drop water on a fire before turning sharply into a hillside and bursting into flames. State broadcaster ERT said the plane crashed over the town of Karystos on the island, where a fire was burning. The plane was among at least three other aircraft and about 100 firefighters tackling fires on Evia. Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said the pilots lost their lives "in the line of duty... while attempting to protect the lives and property of citizens, as well as the environment of our country". A three-day mourning period has been declared in the Greek armed forces, the defence ministry said. Rescuers at the site of the plane crash after a water drop in Platanistos on the island of Evia, Greece Emergency teams were fighting flames non-stop on dozens of fronts on Tuesday, Greek government minister Vassilis Kikilias said. Crete, the largest Greek island, has been put on high alert, with residents warned there is an "extreme risk" of fire. More evacuation flights are taking place from Rhodes, while more than 20,000 people have been evacuated from homes and resorts in recent days. An international panel of scientists has said the current conditions could not possibly have happened without human-caused climate change. Elsewhere in the Mediterranean, the Italian island of Sicily has been battling fires overnight after weeks of record-breaking temperatures. Local media warned that the city of Palermo was "encircled" by fires, including a blaze that forced the temporary closure of Palermo airport on Tuesday. Northern Italy has been reeling from violent storms and high winds that have uprooted trees and lifted roofs off buildings. In some places, tennis ball-sized hailstones injured people, damaged cars and destroyed crops. Firefighters are battling flames near the village of Vati on the island of Rhodes in Greece Algeria has also been battling to control wildfires along its Mediterranean coast that have killed at least 34 people. A number of people suffered burn injuries and smoke inhalation, while more than 1,500 were evacuated from fires in 16 provinces. An outbreak of 97 fires had mostly been brought under control, but 13 were still raging on Tuesday afternoon, the interior ministry said. In neighbouring Tunisia, where temperatures up to 49C (120F) were recorded, officials said authorities were investigating the causes of forest fires that had broken out across the country in recent days. One of the most severe fires in Maloula, near the Algerian border, has been brought under control after thousands were evacuated. A forestry official has called for anyone found to have started the fires deliberately to be prosecuted "with an iron fist". Could powerful heatwaves and summer wildfires, which have devastated communities and displaced tourists in Greece, become the new normal in Europe?

Zakhar Prilepin is one of Russia's most celebrated authors and a veteran supporter of ultranationalist politics A Russian pro-war writer who was seriously injured in a car bombing said he would not be intimidated by the apparent attempt on his life. Zakhar Prilepin, a vehement supporter of Russia's campaign in Ukraine, said he survived because he was driving. The bomb was under the passenger seat, and killed his friend Alexander Shubin, he wrote in a Telegram post. Investigators claim that a suspect, Alexander Permyakov, has admitted working for Ukraine. Initial reports suggested that Prilepin had been in the passenger seat and his driver had been killed, but Prilepin said he had been driving himself. The explosion broke both his legs, he said - and added that he had dropped off his daughter "five minutes before". "You will not intimidate anyone," he warned those behind the attack. "Thanks to everyone who prayed, because it should have been impossible to survive such an explosion," he added. The prize-winning author and veteran of Moscow's bloody wars in Chechnya is one of Russia's most celebrated writers, and before 2014 was a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin. But in recent years Prilepin - long known for his involvement in Russian ultranationalist politics - has seemingly reconciled with Mr Putin and become a strident supporter of the Ukraine invasion. The 47-year-old has admitted fighting alongside pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine and has called for the "return of Kyiv to Russia". Last year a group founded by Prilepin called on officials to "purge the cultural space" of all who oppose the conflict. Russia's Investigative Committee (SK), which handles serious crimes including terrorism, accuses Alexander Permyakov of having detonated a remote-controlled bomb, wrecking Prilepin's Audi. The bomb was allegedly planted on the road and detonated remotely The SK says he was caught in a neighbouring village. The region is more than 425km (265 miles) east of Moscow. He "admitted doing an assignment for the Ukrainian secret services", the SK alleges. The partisan group Atesh, which is made up of Ukrainians and Crimean Tartars, claimed it was behind the attack on Prilepin. "We had a feeling that sooner or later he would be blown up," they wrote on Telegram. "He was not driving alone, but with a surprise on the underside of the car." Ukraine's security service (SBU) issued its standard response, declining to comment on the attack or to a Russian foreign ministry allegation that Ukraine - backed by the US government - targeted Prilepin. The attack is the latest to target high-profile supporters of President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. Vladlen Tatarsky was killed last month. The blogger had reported from the Ukraine front line and gained notoriety last year after posting a video filmed inside the Kremlin in which he said: "We will defeat everyone, we will kill everyone, we will rob everyone as necessary. Just as we like it." Activist Darya Trepova, 26, was later arrested and was charged with terrorism following the publication of a video - believed to have been recorded under duress - in which she admitted bringing a statuette to the café that later blew up. And in August 2022, Darya Dugina - the daughter of a close ally of Mr Putin - was killed in a suspected car bombing near Moscow. It is thought her father, the Russian ultra-nationalist philosopher Alexander Dugin, who is known as "Putin's brain", may have been the intended target of that attack.

The UK is set to review the artificial intelligence (AI) market to make sure its benefits are available for everyone and that no single firm will dominate. The investigation by the competition watchdog will look at the software behind chatbots like ChatGPT. The industry is facing scrutiny over the pace at which it is developing technology to mimic human behaviour. AI's rapid take-up has sparked fears of job losses, privacy and the potential to circulate misleading information. Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), said so-called foundation models such as the software behind ChatGPT had the potential to "transform the way businesses compete as well as drive substantial economic growth". But she said it was crucial that the potential benefits were "readily accessible to UK businesses and consumers while people remain protected from issues like false or misleading information". The move comes days after Geoffrey Hinton - a man widely seen as the godfather of artificial intelligence - quit his job, warning about the growing dangers from developments in the field, which enables technology to create images or text that are barely distinguishable from the work of humans. Sir Martin Sorrell, founder of the advertising companies WPP and S4, told the BBC that AI would be an "industrial revolution" and "another major shift in technology , rivalling, maybe even more significant than the iPhone and similar developments". The digital advertising industry is already seeing the impact, he added, with firms using AI to "hyper personalise" ads for consumers. "Obviously that raises all sorts of issues around regulation as well," Sir Martin told the Today programme. He added that currently two companies dominate the AI space - Microsoft, which owns ChatGPT, and Google which has launched a rival chatbot called Bard. Sir Martin said the CMA had shown its willingness to stop tech firms having too much power, for example by blocking Microsoft's planned takeover of UK gaming giant Activision Blizzard last week which sparked a furious reaction from the tech giant. The US competition watchdog, the Federal Trade Commission, has also called for tougher regulation of AI. "The [UK's] regulator is saying bigger is bad," Sir Martin said. "But the cost of developing [AI] technologies is so huge and thereby hangs the dilemma... If you restrict it you will restrict progress." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: AI 'godfather' Geoffrey Hinton tell the BBC of AI dangers as he quits Google Some have warned that tools such as Bard and ChatGPT - which can write essays, do computer coding and even have conversations in a human-like way - could end up displacing hundreds of millions of jobs. Mr Hinton told the BBC that some of the dangers of AI chatbots were "quite scary", and that they could soon overtake the level of information that a human brain holds. "Right now, they're not more intelligent than us, as far as I can tell. But I think they soon may be." In March, key figures in artificial intelligence called for powerful AI systems to halted for at least six months amid concerns about the threats they posed. Twitter chief Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak were among those to sign an open letter warning of the risks, and say the race to develop AI systems is out of control. The CMA said the development of AI had raised several other issues, including safety; security; privacy; intellectual property and copyright; and human rights. The watchdog said it would specifically be looking at the impact on competition, with a view to creating a set of "guiding principles" to protect consumers as AI develops. The heads of Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic are due to meet US Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss issues surrounding AI on Thursday. Reuters reported that the invitation to the companies included President Joe Biden's "expectation that companies like yours must make sure their products are safe before making them available to the public".

Coverage: Ball-by-ball commentary of every County Championship match across BBC local radio, BBC Sport website and app with live text commentary on each day's play There is blossom on the trees, the mowers have been dusted off and birds - and cricketers - have been migrating back to the UK from warmer climes. Oh, and it is raining. It can only mean one thing - the 2024 County Championship campaign begins on Friday. Bazball might have lost a little of its buzz but some of its biggest names will feature in the early stages of the season. BBC Sport takes a look at who will be involved and some other things to look out for this year. Surrey looking for three in a row Not accounting for the Covid-hit seasons of 2020 and 2021, last season was effectively Surrey's third Championship title win from the last four, having also won it in 2018. Their squad is largely the same as last season, with England batter Dan Lawrence a notable addition, arriving from Essex. Overseas stars Sean Abbott and Kemar Roach will return to the Oval though all-rounder Aaron Hardie's planned stint has been called off by Cricket Australia. Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart, who is leaving the role at the end of the campaign, says they are hungry for more success. "Last March I said 'we want to attack this year not defend it'," he told BBC Radio London. "My dad [Surrey great Mickey Stewart] still goes on about being part of the team that won it seven times on the trot. We have now won it back-to-back. And adding Dan Lawrence gives us another top-class player, and more appetite to win it again." Head coach Gareth Batty said the club's mentality "has to be about winning things" and they do not want to stop at one trophy. "Knowing Alec isn't going to be around in a full-time capacity next year - for those that are driven by the emotional side it's a lovely add-on, for those who aren't it doesn't matter, it's still going to be winning - this group is driven for success," Batty said. Sounds ominous for the rest, so who can stop them? Essex hung around longer than anyone last season and took the title race to the final round, though they finished 20 points adrift in second place. One veteran Test opener has replaced another at Chelmsford with South Africa's Dean Elgar signed to fill the big shoes of the retiring Sir Alastair Cook. There's also an eye on the future as all-action keeper/batter Jordan Cox has been tempted over the Thames from Kent. The loss of Lawrence will certainly sting, but there are a host of talented young batters waiting in the wings and any side who can toss the ball to Jamie Porter, Sam Cook or Simon Harmer will fancy their chances. Essex were only denied victory over Surrey by the weather last season and this campaign, for the first time in five years, the two will face each other home and away. The final game of the season sees them face-off at Chelmsford. Lancashire took a step backwards in 2023 after finishing as runners-up in all three competitions the previous year. In a winter of change behind the scenes, head coach Glen Chapple has been replaced by Dale Benkenstein. The county have pulled off a coup with the arrival of Australia spinner Nathan Lyon for the first half of the campaign. Plenty of talk has been about how they pair him with Tom Hartley, fresh from a 22-wicket haul in England's Test series in India. Hampshire have quietly gone about their business after a pair of third-placed finishes. They have added promising Sussex top-order batter Ali Orr and Australia paceman Michael Neser. Will that be enough to end a 52-year wait for the title? James Vince, Liam Dawson, Mohammad Abbas, Keith Barker and Kyle Abbott are not getting any younger, but they did beat Essex and Surrey to finish the 2023 campaign. Durham's last game in Division One came against Hampshire in 2016 before they were relegated by the ECB at the end of the season, giving Hampshire a reprieve. They make a triumphant return to the top flight with a game against... Hampshire. They have plenty of quality in the pace bowling department. Australia's Scott Boland has signed an overseas deal until the end of July and they already have Ben Raine and Matthew Potts, who bagged 50 wickets apiece last year. South Africa batter David Bedingham returns for a full summer, while England skipper Ben Stokes also hopes to be involved at the start of the season. Worcestershire have seen New Road flooded seven times across the winter and their two home games in their opening six fixtures will be played at Kidderminster - with talk of them potentially leaving the ground permanently. While they have added West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder and Nathan Smith of New Zealand, in addition to Rob Jones from Lancashire and Northants duo Josh Cobb and Tom Taylor, their quest to avoid an immediate return to Division Two has not been helped by bowlers Dillon Pennington and Josh Tongue, and batter Jack Haynes, all moving to Notts. Nottinghamshire will be skippered by Haseeb Hameed, taking over from Steven Mullaney, in what feels like a new era at Trent Bridge with Samit Patel, Jake Ball and Stuart Broad all departing. There has been another change of captain at Somerset where Lewis Gregory succeeds Tom Abell, and though Ball arrives from Notts, one player who will not be at Taunton this summer is Aussie all-rounder Will Sutherland, who has pulled out of his stint through injury. Somerset have famously never won the title and went five without a win to start last season. They will hope the return of Matt Renshaw early in the season gives them more momentum. Will Rhodes has also stepped down as Warwickshire captain, though George Garton has joined the Bears from Sussex. The Bears, champions in 2021, start against rivals Worcestershire at Edgbaston and will hope to improve on a fourth-placed finish last year. Daniel Bell-Drummond is the new Kent skipper. He will be hoping the addition of Matt Parkinson from Lancashire, and overseas players Wes Agar and Beyers Swanepoel, will help them take 20 wickets and avoid another brush with relegation. Brook to star in Division Two Yorkshire start against Leicestershire at Headingley and could select Harry Brook, who missed England's Test tour to India and pulled out of the IPL for personal reasons, but will be available for the first five games of the Championship season. Joe Root is set to start a six-game domestic stint later this month too. The man who brought Ottis Gibson in as coach, Darren Gough, has left his role as managing director of cricket while Colin Graves is back as chair for a season where the White Rose look poised for a promotion push. Elsewhere Middlesex hope the signing of Derbyshire talisman Leus du Plooy will spearhead an immediate return to the top flight, though seamer Tim Murtagh will be watching from the sidelines after retirement. Northants, who finished bottom of Division One last season, have Australian Chris Tremain and India's Karun Nair for the start of the season, while Nair's countryman Prithvi Shaw returns from June. Sussex saw Ali Orr depart for Hampshire this winter but have added the experience of John Simpson from Middlesex and Lancashire's Danny Lamb, while West Indies bowler Jayden Seales and India batter Cheteshwar Pujara are around early in the campaign. A deal for Leicestershire seamer Chris Wright was cancelled for personal reasons but they do have England paceman Ollie Robinson available for the start of the season. Leicestershire have lost Colin Ackermann and Calum Parkinson to Durham, but Liam Trevaskis is coming the other way, while Ben Mike and Ben Cox have arrived from Yorkshire and Worcestershire respectively, and Scott Currie joins on loan from Hampshire. Glamorgan have appointed Grant Bradburn as head coach and installed Sam Northeast as Championship skipper, after David Lloyd's move to Derbyshire, while Mason Crane will spend a season on loan at Sophia Gardens from Hampshire. Neser's move in the opposite direction will not help Glamorgan's top-two hopes. Lloyd, who takes over the captaincy from Du Plooy, is followed to Derbyshire by veteran Patel, and Aneurin Donald and Ross Whiteley from Hampshire. Mark Alleyne is back in charge at Gloucestershire - who were winless last season - after Benkenstein's move to Old Trafford, while Cameron Bancroft and Beau Webster have signed overseas deals after spells with Somerset and Essex respectively. Relegated from Div One: Middlesex and Northamptonshire Promoted from Div Two: Durham and Worcestershire Many of the changes in 2024 will be the undoing of alterations introduced for the 2023 season. The five points for a draw experiment was short-lived, reverting back to eight, though batting and bowling bonus points stay the same as last year. Traditionalists will probably welcome the fact that, by popular demand, County Championship matches will be played in every month of the season. The campaign begins with eight consecutive rounds, played from Friday to Monday each week across April and May. Following a break for T20 cricket, and before England men's Test summer, the season returns with back-to-back rounds in late June and early July. After no Championship cricket in August last summer, two rounds take place towards the end of the month this year. The first half of the month will again be reserved for The Hundred and One-Day Cup. The final round of the Championship campaign starts on Thursday, 26 September. While it is unlikely to be widespread, for the first time hybrid pitches will be permitted in a one-year ECB trial. Hybrid tracks, which remain predominantly grass - but contain a small amount of synthetic fibres to help prevent deterioration and allow more cricket to be played on them - have previously only been used in white-ball cricket. Another thing to look out for is the return of the Kookaburra ball in place of the Dukes ball, with the number of rounds in which it will be used doubling from two to four. The ECB wants English players to be more experienced facing or bowling with it, with half an eye on the overseas Ashes series in 2025.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The Duke of Sussex unexpectedly appeared at the High Court as legal proceedings began over alleged phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy. Prince Harry, who is one of those suing Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, was joined in the court room by singer Sir Elton John. The duke claims "suspicion and paranoia" were caused by Associated's publication of some articles. The publisher "vigorously denies" all the claims against it. Prince Harry arrived at the High Court on Monday morning, while Sir Elton, who is also involved in the legal proceedings, joined proceedings at lunchtime. Sir Elton John arrived at the High Court on Monday lunchtime The pair, along with actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley, are among the individuals who allege unlawful information gathering by the company, which also publishes the Mail on Sunday. Others taking part in the legal action include Sir Elton's husband David Furnish, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence, the mother of Stephen Lawrence, who was murdered in a racist attack in 1993. The four-day preliminary hearing in London is considering legal arguments and a judge will decide whether the case will go any further. Associated Newspapers (ANL) wants to end the claims without trial. David Sherborne, the lawyer for the group of prominent individuals, said: "The claimants each claim that in different ways they were the victim of numerous unlawful acts carried out by the defendant, or by those acting on the instructions of its newspapers, the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday." He said the alleged unlawful activity included "illegally intercepting voicemail messages; listening into live landline calls; obtaining private information, such as itemised phone bills or medical records, by deception or 'blagging'". The activity also allegedly included "using private investigators to commit these unlawful information gathering acts on their behalf and even commissioning the breaking and entry into private property". He added: "They range through a period from 1993 to 2011, even continuing beyond until 2018." Actress Sadie Frost also appeared on Monday, and sat two seats away from Harry in the courtroom In a document filed on Prince Harry's behalf, Mr Sherborne said the duke was "troubled that, through Associated's unlawful acts, he was largely deprived of important aspects of his teenage years". In particular, he said, the prince had "suspicion and paranoia" caused by the publication of articles by ANL using unlawfully gathered information. The barrister said: "Friends were lost or cut off as a result and everyone became a 'suspect' since he was misled by the way that the articles were written into believing that those close to him were the source of this information being provided to Associated's newspapers." He added: "The claimant regards Associated's unlawful acts to amount to a major betrayal given promises made by the media to improve its conduct following the tragic and untimely death of his mother, Princess Diana, in 1997." Sir Elton's lawyer said the singer and his husband were "appalled" by ANL's alleged conduct The High Court was told Sir Elton and Mr Furnish's landline at their home in Windsor was tapped by a private investigator on the instructions of Associated Newspapers Limited. Mr Sherborne said they were "mortified to consider all their conversations, some of which were very personal indeed, were tapped, taped, packaged and consumed as a commercial product for journalists and unknown others to pick over regardless of whether or not they were published". The High Court heard Sir Elton and Mr Furnish had not seen a copy of their first child's birth certificate before it was unlawfully obtained by ANL. Baroness Doreen Lawrence, whose son Stephen was murdered in a racist attack, also attended court on Monday Mr Sherborne also told the court a private investigator acting on behalf of ANL hacked Hurley's phone and placed a "sticky window mini-microphone" outside her home. He added her ex-boyfriend Hugh Grant's car was bugged to unlawfully obtain information about her finances, travel plans and medicals during her pregnancy. He also told the court ANL paid a private investigator to unlawfully find the address of a man it believed was the male lover of Liberal Democrat politician Sir Simon Hughes. Baroness Lawrence's bank accounts were monitored to check whether she was receiving any money from other newspapers during the Daily Mail's Justice for Stephen Lawrence Campaign, Mr Sherborne alleged. "She finds it hard to believe the level of duplicity and manipulation that was clearly at play, knowing now as she does that the Daily Mail's outward support for her fight to bring Stephen's killers to justice was hollow and, worse, entirely false," he said. ANL has said it categorically denies the serious claims made in the litigation and will vigorously defend them if necessary. The group launched the legal action last year. ANL's lawyer Adrian Beltrami KC said, in written submissions, that the legal actions had been brought too late, were "stale" and the claims were "largely inferential". The barrister said the individuals had to prove they did not know earlier, or could not have discovered earlier, they might have had a claim against ANL for alleged misuse of their private information. He said none of the group said they believe they continued to be targeted by unlawful information-gathering after 2015. In a statement after Monday's hearing, it added: "A private investigator whose 'confessions' form a key element of a privacy case being brought against Associated Newspapers by Prince Harry, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Elton John and others has denied their allegations that he acted illegally against them on behalf of the Daily Mail or Mail on Sunday." It said while the Mail's "admiration of Baroness Lawrence remained undimmed", we are "profoundly saddened that she has been persuaded to bring this case". It added: "The Mail remains hugely proud of its pivotal role in campaigning for justice for Stephen Lawrence. Its famous 'Murderers' front page triggered the Macpherson report." The Duke of Sussex was last seen in the UK at the late Queen's funeral The duke's appearance on Monday is believed to be the first time he has been back in the UK since the late Queen's funeral in September. His surprise return comes nearly three months after he publicised his troubled relationship with his father the King and brother the Prince of Wales in his controversial autobiography Spare. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also released a Netflix documentary in December, titled Harry & Meghan. The King was due to be away on Monday on the first official state visit of his reign, but the trip to France was cancelled due to rioting over pension reforms. He is due to leave for a state visit to Germany on Wednesday morning. Buckingham Palace said he was not in Windsor or London on Monday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to vacate their UK home, Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate, in a move sanctioned by the King. The duke is also taking legal action against the Home Office over security arrangements when he is in the UK, raising questions about his own security provisions during this visit.

Counting is continuing in local elections in Northern Ireland, with nearly half of the seats filled So far, this has been a good day for Sinn Féin with most seats returned, followed by the DUP and then Alliance. 200 councillors out of 462 have been elected. A total of 807 people are competing for 462 seats in council chambers across Northern Ireland. A total of 1,305,553 people were eligible to vote, according to the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. With 200 councillors elected, nearly half of the seats were filled by 2100 on Friday Sinn Féin has made breakthroughs with its first councillors elected in Lisburn City and Ballymena. In Foyle, the party appears to have recovered ground lost at the last election. Party vice-president Michelle O'Neill has described it as a very positive day. The DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said this election was always about holding ground but said that it was time to stop splitting the Unionist vote. The Alliance Party became the third biggest at the NI Assembly election last May and so far it seems on track to replicate that in these council elections. The party has taken its first ever council seats in Ballyclare, Fermanagh and Limavady. It will be hoping to increase its share of the vote West of the Bann but, while the party has made gains, it has also had a key loss in Londonderry. The SDLP hopes to retain its 59 seats from the 2019 elections, but is under pressure from Sinn Féin. The Ulster Unionist Party is also facing a battle to hold its ground but its leader Doug Beattie said Unionism was likely to take a hit across the board. It has not been a good day for the Green Party. Their leader in Northern Ireland, Mal O'Hara, has lost his seat on Belfast City Council. Mr O'Hara became party leader last August after Clare Bailey lost her seat in the Stormont Assembly elections. The deputy leader of the party, Lesley Veronica, has also failed to get elected.

California's governor had blocked previous bids to release Leslie Van Houten (right) Leslie Van Houten, a former follower of notorious cult leader Charles Manson, has been released on parole after serving more than five decades of a life sentence for two brutal murders. Van Houten, 73, was a 19-year old member of the "Manson family" when she took part in the murder of a Los Angeles grocer and his wife in 1969. Five previous bids for her parole were blocked by California's governors. That decision was later reversed by a state appeals court. A former homecoming queen, Van Houten was the youngest Manson follower to be convicted of murder for her role in the death of a California grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary. During the killings - which took place just days after the murder of actress Sharon Tate and four others - Van Houten held down Rosemary LaBianca while someone else stabbed her. She later also admitted that she stabbed the woman after she was dead. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Van Houten's lawyer, Nancy Tetreault, told the BBC that she left a women's prison in California early on Tuesday morning and was likely to be on parole for three years. "She had a long job of detaching herself from the cult mentality and accepting responsibility for her crimes" Ms Tetreault said. "It took her a long time. She had decades of therapy. So she felt guilt and deep remorse." Charles Manson, considered one of America's most notorious cult leaders, directed his followers to commit nine murders and hoped the killings would start a race war, called "Helter Skelter" after a famous song by the Beatles. He died in prison in 2017. Following her life sentence, Van Houten earned both a bachelors and masters degree while in prison, where she also worked as a tutor for other inmates. After being denied parole dozens of times during her incarceration, Van Houten was finally recommended for parole in 2016. But the recommendations were rejected by California Governor Gavin Newsom and his predecessor, Jerry Brown. The last time she was blocked from parole, in 2020, was ultimately overruled by a California appeals court. On 8 July, however, Mr Newsom said that he would not block her parole this time, paving the way for her release on Tuesday. In a statement last week, the governor said he remained disappointed at her release, which he said was unlikely to be heard by California's Supreme Court if the legal battle continued. "More than 50 years after the Manson cult committed these brutal killings, the victims' families still feel the impact," the statement said. Leslie Van Houten (right) was the youngest Manson follower to be convicted of murder for her role in the death of Leno LaBianca Now out of prison, Van Houten is expected to spend about a year at a halfway house, where her lawyer said she would need to learn to navigate a reality much different to when she first was put behind bars. "She has to learn to use the internet. She has to learn to buy things without cash," Ms Tetreault told the AP. "It's a very different world than when she went in." In repeated parole hearings, Van Houten expressed regret for her role in the killings and involvement with Manson, later acknowledging that she had let him overpower her "individual thinking". "I bought into it lock, stock and barrel," she said of his beliefs in a 2002 parole hearing. "I took it at face value".

Malcolm Myers says 10-year-old rescue dog Buddy is his hero A man who was trapped under a fallen tree branch has said his life was saved by his dog. Malcolm Myers, from Thirsk, was walking his rescue dog Buddy on a footpath when he heard a loud crack. A branch from a horse chestnut tree hit him on the back and head, burying him - but he said Buddy dug away the foliage to help free him. North Yorkshire Council said it had contacted the landowner and had launched an investigation. Mr Myers, 63, was walking on a path near Thirsk and Sowerby Institute on 7 June at around 13:45 BST when he said he heard a sound like a "clap of thunder". "I was buried with a tree that had fallen on top of me, I was trapped, I couldn't move," he said. "There was a branch around my leg. It was sheer darkness, I couldn't see anything. I was really fearful for my life at this point." North Yorkshire Council has launched an investigation after the branch fell on to a footpath He said he could hear people screaming, but his terrier-chihuahua cross Buddy "frantically started digging" at the foliage. "I remember saying to him, 'keep digging Bud'. I put my hand out to his paw and then he gave me the strength to fight to get out." Mr Myers said he suffered a trauma injury and concussion as a result of being hit by the fallen branch, leaving him "mentally and physically totally wrecked". "All I can say is that he's my little hero, without Buddy by my side I would have died." Buddy helped dig his owner out from underneath the fallen tree He is now calling for the council to do more to inspect older trees that could be at risk of falling on passers-by. The tree, which is on private property, has a tree protection order on it. North Yorkshire Council's interim head of highway operations, Jayne Charlton, said the authority was investigating the situation."A member of the public alerted us to the incident, which we responded to immediately, closing the footpath while the debris was cleared," she said."We received a further report that a man walking his dog was hit on the back by a large branch, while a smaller one struck him on the head."We have made contact with the landowner to inform them of their responsibilities with regard to the tree, which is subject to a tree preservation order." Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Last updated on .From the section European Football Chelsea have it all to do if they are to advance to the Champions League semi-finals after losing to holders Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Karim Benzema's tap-in - his 90th goal in the competition - gave Real boss Carlo Ancelotti the perfect start against his former club. Real Madrid struggled to add to their lead before Ben Chilwell was shown a straight red card in the 59th minute for fouling Rodrygo as the Brazil forward threatened to go clean through on goal. Chelsea produced a battling performance but Real scored what could be a decisive second goal when substitute Marco Asensio finished well after the visitors were caught out following a short corner. Chelsea carried more of an attacking threat after the tepid performance against Wolves in Frank Lampard's first game back as interim manager, and had chances of their own. Joao Felix forced Thibaut Courtois into a smart save when the game was goalless before the former Chelsea keeper produced a fine diving stop to deny Raheem Sterling an equaliser. • None Check out all the latest Chelsea news in one place Chelsea must score at least twice in next Tuesday's quarter-final return leg at Stamford Bridge, but they are now without a goal in their past four matches. They were denied a late strike when former Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger produced a superb block to deny substitute Mason Mount a goal that would have sent the Blues into the second leg in high spirits. The Champions League is their last hope of a trophy in this most chaotic of seasons and Felix almost gave the Blues a dream start in the second minute, only to be denied by Courtois. While Real struggled at times for rhythm in midfield, the return of N'Golo Kante improved Chelsea's engine room, while Felix continued to keep Courtois on his toes before he was replaced after Chilwell was sent off in the 59th minute. Chelsea owner Todd Boehly said in an interview with Sky Sports before the game that "we're excited about the future" while also predicting his club would win 3-0 against Real Madrid. It is hard to see where the excitement is coming from after a fifth game without a win and the team drifting in the bottom half of the Premier League table. This was Chelsea's ninth Champions League game of the season with their third different manager. Since Ancelotti was sacked by the Blues in May 2011 after finishing second in the table, Chelsea have gone through 10 permanent managers - sacking seven, including Lampard in January 2021. Lampard had been due to work at this game as a television pundit until he answered Chelsea's call to take charge until the end of the season. The club legend, however, has now suffered 13 defeats in his past 16 matches in all competitions across spells with Everton and Chelsea this season. Ancelotti said on the eve of this tie that he was "sad" about Chelsea's poor form yet his Real Madrid side added to his former club's problems. Real were far from their fluid best but did enough to establish a healthy advantage as they look to win the competition for a record 15th time. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo were a handful as Real registered 18 attempts, while Courtois was a solid last line of defence. Rudiger's block to deny Mount at the end was crucial. Having helped Chelsea win the Champions League in 2021, the German showed what a shrewd addition he is after moving to Real on a free transfer last June. • None Attempt missed. Kai Havertz (Chelsea) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. • None Attempt blocked. Mason Mount (Chelsea) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. • None Attempt missed. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box is too high. • None Enzo Fernández (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing. • None Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. • None Attempt blocked. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by David Alaba. • None Éder Militão (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. • None Attempt missed. Marco Asensio (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Toni Kroos following a set piece situation. • None Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page

Time is running out if the police and the government are to restore public trust in policing, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary has warned. In his annual report, Andy Cooke said police forces were experiencing "one of their biggest crises in living memory". "Atrocious" crimes committed by serving police officers had fuelled distrust, while too few criminals were being caught, he added. Mr Cooke has called for new powers to enforce improvements. In his annual assessment of policing in England and Wales, Mr Cooke's first since his appointment last year, he said police were failing to keep up with rising demand from the public and too often were not doing the basics right. Charge rates had fallen by two-thirds since 2014, the report stated, while victims were increasingly dissatisfied with the police and wider criminal justice system. "I can't recall a time when the relationship between the police and the public was more strained than it is now," Mr Cooke said. "The public expectation of policing is that they prevent crime, they investigate crime properly, that they're in the communities, they're visible, that they answer 999 calls quickly. These are all the basics of policing. "We've seen too many occasions where opportunities are being missed to catch offenders who are causing misery in our communities." Mr Cooke says the police are often "picking up the slack" for other parts of public services. "Mental health is a great example," he said. "Last year policing attended 600,000 mental health incidents. Most of those incidents there was no requirement for police to attend." Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley wrote to health and social care services in Greater London in May, informing them the service would stop attending mental health incidents from September, except where there is an "immediate threat to life". Humberside Police introduced the Right Care, Right Person scheme in 2020 to ensure mental health calls are dealt with by relevant professionals. Mr Cooke welcomed investment that had seen more than 20,000 police officers added in England and Wales since 2020. However, he noted difficulties in vetting new recruits and the inexperience of a workforce which lost many established officers during David Cameron's time as prime minister. Furthermore, where failings have been identified, some forces have been too slow to implement improvements, he said. Mr Cooke called on Home Secretary Suella Braverman to grant new enforcement powers to enforce compliance with the Inspectorate of Constabulary's recommendations by the end of this year. Forces had taken too long to respond to recommendations in the 2016 State of Policing report relating to officers abusing their positions for sexual purposes, he said. "Two forces did from the start what they should have done," Mr Cooke said. "That should have been 43 forces. "In those seven years, we have seen some truly horrendous acts by officers. "The chances of these things happening would have been lessened had we had those powers at an earlier time. "It would ensure police chiefs across the country would have to make the changes that are required to keep the public safe." Labour shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper called the report "truly damning" and backed major reforms. She blamed successive Conservative home secretaries for a series of failings. "These include systemic failings in policing and a totally dysfunctional criminal justice system, with more criminals getting away with crimes, victims let down, vital neighbourhood policing devastated, record numbers of forces in special measures, and confidence in policing falling," she said. Ms Braverman said the report acknowledged a fall in crime rates but conceded "there is lots more to do". She added: "This is why I've been calling for common-sense policing. With the highest number of police officers than ever before, the police must deliver for victims. "It has always been my priority to reduce burdens on policing and ensure they have the resources they need." Baroness Louise Casey, who authored a damning report on the Met earlier this year, told the BBC's Political Thinking podcast that for people to consent to policing, officers need to be seen as "beyond reproach" on issues like violence against women. She said: "The thing I still feel is fairly unforgivable is that misconduct in a police officer is totally undermining of the fact that they can arrest me, they can cuff me, they can strip search me, they can literally take my clothes off and strip search me. "They can put me in a police cell for 24 hours, all on the basis of that officer's word." Have you been a victim of crime? How did the police respond? Share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. • None How did the government meet its police pledge?

Members of the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Midwives have voted to accept a new pay offer from the Scottish government. The unions had recommended its members back the deal which would see a 6.5% increase from April. On top of a 7.5% pay rise imposed for 2022/23, it means many staff will see their pay increase by 13-14% over two years. The votes to accept the offer ends the immediate threat of strike action. It comes after members of GMB Scotland, the union representing NHS and ambulance staff, accepted the offer last week. All three unions had mandates to strike after rejecting the 2022/23 pay offer but they were suspended in January ahead of intensive negotiations over the 2023/24 pay deal. The new deal also includes the commitment to modernising the Agenda for Change pay system, and to support workforce recruitment, sustainability and retention. The Scottish government has previously said the offer would make Scotland's NHS staff by far the best paid in the UK. The RCN confirmed just over 50% of eligible members took part in the consultative ballot with 53.4% voting to accept the offer. Among RCM members, 44% took part in the ballot, with 69% voting to accept the deal Announcing the result of the ballot, RCN director Colin Poolman praised the union's members for bringing the Scottish government back to the table. He added: "Members have narrowly voted to accept this offer but the Scottish government must be under no illusion, much more is required for nursing staff to feel valued and to ensure Scotland has the nursing workforce it needs." A new pay offer was made to staff including ambulance workers Julie Lamberth, chair of the union's Scotland board said it took "the real threat" of nursing strikes to secure the offer. She added: "While members voted by a narrow margin to accept the offer, the chronic staff shortages and low morale that led to the strike mandate are still very real." Jaki Lambert, RCM director for Scotland, added: "While pay is crucial this was also about midwives feeling seen and valued. Improving retention through better working conditions, professional midwifery issues and the wellbeing of staff are also a key component of this. "Most importantly, it was also about our members standing tall and being prepared to take action to ensure better care for women, babies, and their families." The Scottish government said it had committed an extra £568m to the 2023/24 offer to 160,000 NHS Scotland workers on Agenda for Change contracts - who includes nurses, paramedics, midwives and porters. Staff up to Band 8a would see an uplift of at least 6.5%. In addition, all staff would receive a one-off payment between £387 and £939 depending on banding. Nurses protest during a strike by NHS medical workers outside University College London Hospital in London Meanwhile, in England a 5% pay rise from April has been offered to NHS staff including nurses and ambulance workers. In addition, staff have been offered a one-off payment of at least £1,655 to top up the past year's pay award. Unions are recommending members back the deal, after nearly two weeks of talks with ministers, raising hopes the bitter dispute may be coming to an end. The offer covers all NHS staff except doctors, who are on a different contract. It comes after a winter of industrial action, with nurses, ambulance staff and physios all striking. The unions put further action on hold, after the two sides agreed to discussions last month.

Jason, six-months old, is currently up for adoption at All Dogs Matter Illegal imports of puppies have continued to thrive following the pandemic, a study into UK purchasing practices suggests. The Royal Veterinary College says the rise means dogs are at risk of being exposed to infectious diseases and a "very impoverished environment". The report highlights other irresponsible practices from breeders such as only offering online viewings. The government said buyers must go to a reputable seller or rehoming centre. The rise in puppy smuggling came amid a surge in demand for puppies during the coronavirus lockdowns, with prices in some areas more than doubling to an average of almost £1,900 each. In a study published on Thursday in the journal Animals and shared with the BBC, the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) highlighted trends in puppy purchasing across the UK. Dr Rowena Packer, first author of the study, said the rise in imported puppies was concerning. The study estimates 10% of puppies purchased in 2021 were imported, more than double the figure from 2019. Babaloo's owner, Ms Papantoni, describes her as "a very lovely, happy, energetic, kind, sensitive, and a bit of a naughty dog" In December 2020, Vasiliki Papantoni, in London, legally imported a puppy from Serbia after carefully planning the dog's journey to the UK. She said the breeder had a "good reference" from a friend and provided lots of paperwork. Ms Papantoni said she started her search for a puppy in the UK, but found that waiting lists were "very long". She said a previous attempt to purchase a puppy in the UK ended in her being "scammed" when a breeder stopped contact after receiving a £300 deposit. Dr Packer warns not all imported puppies receive good care when taken across Europe. "These could be puppies that were transported for several days without appropriate provisions, rest, food, water," she said. The RVC say puppies brought into the UK are "often under the minimum legal age" of 15 weeks, unlike Babaloo. The organisation asked UK puppy purchasers the same questions over three years via an online survey. They analysed 1,148 responses from 2019, 4,369 from 2020 and 2,080 from 2021. Dr Packer warns "poor welfare sources" also exist within the UK, such as "a breeder or a dealer or somebody who produces puppies without due regard to their health and welfare". "You can very rapidly and cheaply rear a puppy if you don't care about some of those factors," she said. Introduced in April 2020, 'Lucy's Law' requires puppies bred in England be shown with their mother and purchased from the place they were born. The law does not apply to rescue and rehoming organisations, Defra said. Dr Marc Abraham OBE, a vet, founded the campaign. He calls it a "first step in combating irresponsible breeding and selling practices". But he adds it was overshadowed by the pandemic. Ira Moss, founder of charity All Dogs Matter, says she knows of multiple puppy purchasers who were only shown pictures of the dog's parents, or were not allowed into the property where they were said to have been born. The RVC's study estimates people purchasing puppies in 2021 "were more likely to rely on online viewings, rather than in person, and to collect the puppy from outside the breeder's property". In 2019, only 7% of respondents viewed the puppy they purchased via a live video call. In 2021, the figure was 18%. The pandemic restrictions still in effect for parts of 2021 may have factored into that year's figure. Dr Abraham says the pandemic also led to a "huge surge in demand" for dogs, pushing up the price for a puppy and leading to more first time owners. He adds: "There's so many inexperienced dog owners around that I'm not not sure people did enough investment in how to look after a dog." In turn, he warns this has led to a "spike in dogs being abandoned". In October 2022, RSPCA data showed the charity had seen a 25% rise in abandonment cases. All Dogs Matter says the rescue sector now faces a "rehoming crisis". Ms Moss explains "there are too many dogs, not enough spaces". Furthermore, the cost of living crisis means "charities are losing money with less donations coming in". Dr Abraham says "rescue shelters have rules for a reason". "Please don't think…if they say no, that you should then go online and have a puppy delivered," he added. A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: "Buyers must do their research and ensure they go to a reputable seller or rehoming centre when looking for a pet. "We are committed to delivering the Kept Animals Bill measures individually, including on puppy smuggling, during the remainder of this Parliament and look forward to progressing these. We will be setting out next steps in due course."

Oil prices have risen after Saudi Arabia said it would make cuts of a million barrels per day (bpd) in July. Other members of Opec+, a group of oil-producing countries, also agreed to continued cuts in production in an attempt to shore up flagging prices. Opec+ accounts for around 40% of the world's crude oil and its decisions can have a major impact on oil prices. In Asia trade on Monday, Brent crude oil rose by as much as 2.4% before settling at around $77 a barrel. Opec+ said production targets would drop by a further 1.4 million bpd from 2024. The seven hour-long meeting on Sunday of the oil-rich nations came against a backdrop of falling energy prices. Oil prices soared when Russia invaded Ukraine last year, but are now back at levels seen before the conflict began. In October last year Opec+, a formulation which refers to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, agreed to cut production by two million bpd, about 2% of global demand. In April this year the group agreed to a further cuts, which were due to last to the end of this year. But Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that Sunday's talks led to "the extension of the deal until the end of 2024". On Sunday, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said that his country's cut of one million bpd could be extended beyond July if needed. "This is a Saudi lollipop," he said, in what is seen as a bid to stabilise the market. Before the two-day Opec+ meeting started, it was widely expected the oil cartel would make production cuts to prop up prices. It appears most members were against the idea, as any cuts would impact oil revenues, which are crucial to keep running their economies. Saudi Arabia's decision to make a voluntary reduction of one-million barrels per day was unexpected but does not come as a huge surprise. As the leader of the pack, and also the largest exporter of oil, it was the only one in a position to be able to lower output. From Riyadh's point of view, it is crucial the price of crude remains over $80 a barrel for it to break even. Saudi officials want elevated prices to keep spending billions of dollars on ambitious projects spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as he tries to diversify the kingdom's economy away from oil. The move by the Saudis also underlines the uncertain outlook for demand for fuels in the months to come. Concerns about the global economy, especially recessionary fears in the US and Europe are expected to put further pressure on crude prices. Oil producers are grappling with falling prices and high market volatility amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The West has accused Opec of manipulating prices and undermining the global economy through high energy costs. It has also accused the group of siding with Russia despite sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. In response, Opec insiders have said the West's monetary policy over the last decade has driven inflation and forced oil-producing nations to act to maintain the value of their main export.

The crossing forms part of the Strathspey Railway Safety barriers have been installed at the last automatic open railway level crossing in Scotland. Dalfaber Level Crossing in Aviemore was built in the early 1980s and is on a private line used by Strathspey Railway's steam locomotives. It was an open crossing with warning signs and lights but no barriers before the new improvements were made. New footways have also been constructed as part of the £1.1m upgrade to improve safety at the site. The crossing has been the scene of collisions and near misses involving cars and trains - including an incident in March last year. Police Scotland previously warned of motorists failing to stop as trains approached the crossing. The work is a condition of Scotia Homes' planning approval to build 75 new homes on a nearby site. Access to the new development involves using the crossing. Scotia Homes worked with Strathspey Railway and Highland Council on the upgrade. Strathspey Railway has been operating steam locomotives for 40 years. Its takes railway enthusiasts and other visitors on trips between Aviemore, Boat of Garten and Broomhill.

Last updated on .From the section Tennis Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. More coverage details Andy Murray dazzled under the Wimbledon lights again as he led Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a Centre Court thriller stopped by a 23:00 BST curfew. Britain's Murray is ranked 40th but showed his pedigree on the SW19 grass to lead 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-2) 6-4. The second-round match was stopped at 22:39 because of the restrictions put in place by the local council. Murray, who has regularly played late in recent years, and Tsitsipas will resume a captivating contest on Friday. Moments after 36-year-old Murray had wrapped up the third set, tournament referee Gerry Armstrong walked on to the court and discussed stopping play for the night with each player. Murray, who screamed out as he fell just before serving out for the lead, signalled to his team the match was being cut short, while 24-year-old Tsitsipas quickly packed his bags. The pair will return to Centre Court after Spanish top seed Carlos Alcaraz plays France's Alexandre Muller in the first match, which starts at 13:30. • None Djokovic set for 'duel of the veterans of the tour' Eyes were instantly drawn to this potential blockbuster when the draw was made last Friday and, after both players negotiated their opening matches on different paths, it was billed as the box-office match of the tournament so far. Further fuel was added by the memories from their feisty clash at the 2021 US Open, where Murray said he "lost respect" for Tsitsipas after a lengthy bathroom break before a final set which the Greek won. This time, all the drama remained on the court. Murray is a two-time champion at the All England Club and has been talking bullishly about his chances of going deep in the draw this fortnight. Despite missing out on a seeding, which left him vulnerable to a tough early test, the former world number one insisted he had the ability and nous to cause anyone problems. For many people, Tsitsipas felt ripe to be on the end of an upset. With grass not his favourite surface and a patchy record on the surface this year, there was an optimism among the home fans that Murray could earn his most notable Grand Slam win since having career-saving hip surgery in 2019. After cruising past Ryan Peniston on Tuesday, the Scot also had the benefit of a day off, while Tsitsipas only came through a five-set duel with Dominic Thiem at almost 20:00 on Wednesday. But the 2021 French Open runner-up and 2023 Australian Open finalist looked sharp - physically and mentally - as he showed glimpses of the form which has seen him long tipped to win one of the sport's four major titles. There were tense moments in a tight first set where both players dominated on serve, Tsitsipas taking control of the tie-break to move ahead. The second set followed a similar pattern. Tsitsipas was edging the rallies as he continued to find range with his forehand, leaving Murray struggling to cope with his ferocious and consistent hitting from that side. But, like he has done so often over the years, Murray continued to battle and managed to hold his service games with few issues as neither player conceded a break point. That teed up another tie-break - and this time it was Murray who dominated it after finding his first serve when it mattered. Murray playing under the floodlights on Centre Court always creates a special atmosphere and the player, by now demanding more noise from the almost-capacity crowd, thrived on the energy. After not having a serious look at Tsitsipas's serve in the opening two sets, Murray broke to love right at the start of the third and maintained the momentum to move into the lead. However, there was a serious scare when he fell on the baseline. The sound of his scream, along with the knowledge of his injury history, left the whole of Centre Court anxious and there was relief when he clambered to his feet before serving out. It had long felt the end of the third set was the natural point to suspend the match and once that was agreed, Murray walked off to a thunderous ovation. • None Alerts: Get tennis news sent to your phone

Thursday's blast damaged a number of buildings - it's not known if the explosive found on Saturday was from the same aircraft More than 3,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in the Russian city of Belgorod after an undetonated explosive was found. It comes two days after Russia accidentally dropped a bomb on the same city, damaging houses and injuring several people. It's not known if the bomb discovered on Saturday came from the same aircraft - a Russian Sukhoi-34 fighter-jet. The city is located about 40km (25 miles) from the border with Ukraine. The local governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, confirmed on Telegram that 17 apartment buildings had to be cordoned off "within a radius of 200 metres", affecting 3,000 residents. He later said people were starting to return to their homes after a "shell" had been removed. The undetonated device was found in the same area as the bomb that was accidentally dropped on Thursday evening, leaving a huge crater about 20 metres (60 ft) wide close to the city centre. The explosion was so large it blew a car on to the roof of a nearby shop. After that incident, the Russian defence ministry admitted that one of its Su-34 jets had "accidentally discharged aircraft ordnance" over the city. Dramatic CCTV footage of Thursday's blast shows an object landing near a crossroads with passing cars, and detonating about 18 seconds later. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. It's not the first such incident - last October a Sukhoi fighter-jet - again, an Su-34 - crashed in the Russian city of Yeysk killing at least 13 people. Russian jets regularly fly over Belgorod, a city of 370,000, on their way to Ukraine. It lies just north of Ukraine's second city, Kharkiv, and has come under periodic Ukrainian attack since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine last year.

President Joe Biden's call for a ceasefire in Gaza is the lead in the Guardian and the Telegraph. The Guardian's headline describes it as America's "strongest rebuke" yet to Israel since the start of the conflict. The Daily Telegraph quotes a confidante of President Biden as saying that the US is "at that point" where it must consider putting conditions on arms sales to Israel. The i reports that the prime minister is being urged to publish legal advice received by the government on arm sales. It says Rishi Sunak is preparing to suspend the sales to Israel if new guidance suggests the country has broken international law. The i also says that civil servants, who are overseeing the export of arms to Israel, are threatening legal action against the government over concerns they will be held "personally responsible" for any breach of the law. Israel strongly rejects the claim it is responsible for genocide in Gaza. President Biden said ongoing US support for Israel was dependent on "specific, concrete steps" Both the Times and the Daily Mail lead with stories about Conservative MP William Wragg, who has said to have admitted handing over colleagues' phone numbers to a man he met on a dating app. Speaking to the Times, Mr Wragg said he was scared that the man "had compromising things" on him and said he was "so sorry" his weakness had hurt other people. The paper says the incident has "heightened" concerns over the vulnerability of MPs to cyber-attacks. The Daily Telegraph carries a warning from French President Emmanuel Macron that Russia will seek to disrupt the Paris Olympics this summer. It reports that Mr Macron told Nato foreign ministers about a "bizarre and threatening" phone call between Russia's defence minister and his French counterpart. Sergei Shoigu is said to have "suggested", without evidence, that France was involved in the recent attack on a Moscow concert hall. Asked whether he was concerned that Russia may target the Games this summer, Mr Macron reportedly replied: "I have no doubt." William Wragg told the Times: "They had compromising things on me. They wouldn't leave me alone." The Sun carries a photo of King Charles and Queen Camilla during their visit to Australia in 2018 on its front page. The paper reports that the couple are planning a two-week return visit in October, after what it calls a "positive" start to the King's treatment for cancer. The Daily Express reports that every "loophole" is being closed to foil any attempt at blocking migrant flights to Rwanda. It says a source close to Home Secretary James Cleverly has confirmed there's been a real "step up" in preparations to deliver on the deportation scheme since Easter. A couple who won £2.7m in the lottery in 1995 are featured in the Daily Mirror. Elaine and Derek Thompson, who are big horseracing fans, used their winnings to buy three racehorses and set themselves the challenge of visiting all 57 racecourses in the UK. The paper says that this week they passed the finishing post after making their final trip to Ludlow in Shropshire. "National Trottery" is the headline. Sign up for our morning newsletter and get BBC News in your inbox.

Glory day: David Trimble, Bono and John Hume pictured together on stage in Belfast in 1998 It was the night that produced the defining image of Northern Ireland's progress to peace. To one side, the then Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble. On the other, the then SDLP leader John Hume. The man in between, holding their hands aloft like triumphant prize fighters, was the world's biggest rock star - Bono. The Concert for Yes, which took place on 18 May 1998 in front of about 2,000 schoolchildren, achieved its aim. Three days later, Northern Ireland overwhelmingly endorsed the Good Friday Agreement in a referendum. Tim Wheeler, lead singer of County Down band Ash, had a stage-side view of the historic moment - but his memories of the night are not quite so romantic. Instead, he remembers putting together songs on the fly and loaning guitars and equipment to the biggest band on the planet. "U2 just flew in before the whole thing and they didn't bring any of their gear, they had to use all our gear," Wheeler told BBC News NI's The Sunday News. U2's The Edge on stage with Tim Wheeler, David Trimble, John Hume and Bono He recalled how The Edge from U2 had borrowed a guitar belonging to Charlotte Hatherley, Ash's then lead guitarist. "He was trying to figure out the controls. He was trying to get more of a louder kind of sound and he stepped on one of her pedals and it was too huge a jump - and he sort of jumped. It was pretty funny." They may have been overshadowed by Bono et al, but it was Ash who did most of the on-stage heavy lifting on the night, delivering a 40-minute set and then performing a few hastily-arranged covers with U2. At the time, the young Downpatrick band were riding an upsurge of rising hype and popularity - their debut album, 1977, was a critical and commercial success, buoyed by heavy radio rotations for singles such as Girl from Mars and Oh Yeah. Charlotte Hatherley, Rick McMurray and Tim Wheeler from Ash in 2002 Wheeler and co were in the studio recording the follow-up when they got the call - would they like to get involved in a concert campaigning for a yes vote? "It all came about within a few days as far as I remember. I think it was just looking quite dicey whether the yes campaign would succeed. "I think it was maybe U2's management got in touch with our management a few days before. We were in the a studio in London and they were like: 'Can you make it over to Belfast in three days time?' "It was very important for us to be involved. I think U2 felt they needed a Northern Ireland band to make the concert really work - it was great." Wheeler, who was 21 at the time, added with a laugh: "U2 were a massive, worldwide, legendary band from the south and they needed some youngsters from the north - it was a really good pairing, I think." The free concert for young people was envisioned as a last push to help get the yes vote over the line in the week of the referendum. Mo Mowlam, Northern Ireland Secretary in 1998, at the referendum count While a huge turnout of Northern Ireland voters would comfortably vote the agreement through by 71% to 29%, the security of a "yes" vote was less certain beforehand. Catholics were expected to strongly support the agreement, but the deal needed cross-community backing and a solid majority to go ahead. As the Washington Post reported at the time, David Trimble had his concerns. "Over 70% we're safe. Under 60%, we're in difficulties. In between, you've got to look carefully at turnout, geographical variations to try to get an idea if we've got a secure enough base to proceed." Just three days and a couple of phone calls with Bono later, Ash were on stage at the concert in Belfast's Waterfront. Ash on stage at The Brickyard, Carlisle "Everything was last minute," said Wheeler. "I remember being on the tour bus driving there the night before - I think we were put on a mobile phone with Bono, trying to figure out what songs we'd do together and how the show would go." It was decided that Ash would play their own show, with U2 coming on at the end to do a few numbers with an assist from the local lads, including covers of The Beatles' Don't Let Me Down and John Lennon's Give Peace a Chance. According to Wheeler, Bono was "brilliant" although he did throw him for a loop by calling for a Ben E King classic. "Towards the end, Bono just turned round and said 'let's do Stand By Me'. He just pulled that out of thin air, no warning whatsoever. "It's four very simple chords, we just started winging it and then he just looked at me and said: 'You sing the next verse'. "I was like, I have no idea what the lyrics are at all, so I said 'you just do it'." Despite these understandable hiccups, the concert was a major success and, of course, produced that iconic image. Tim Wheeler says Belfast was "a very different place to grow up" Wheeler remembered "a great feeling of positivity" after the concert that resonated with a band whose three founding members had lived all their lives under the shadow of the Troubles. "Coming to Belfast always felt very edgy. The Army was everywhere, of course, and always bomb threats and incidents in our town. "I do remember I was up in Belfast and saw a policeman had just been shot and was being covered in a body bag. "Being children you just get on with it and think it's normal. And when we started travelling the world you realise it was a very different place to grow up." Two decades on from that night, and the 1998 agreement referendum, devolved government in Northern Ireland is out of action. It is a "very sad" situation, said Wheeler, but "at least we're living in a time that's a lot more peaceful". Maybe another star-studded night at the Waterfront could help? "I wonder! he said with a laugh. "Yeah, get it together - if a concert could work in a same way for that, we need to sit down and sort it out." You can hear the full interview with Ash's Tim Wheeler on The Sunday News at 13:00 GMT on Sunday.

The crash caused damage to the road's barrier A lorry was left hanging off a bridge after crashing into a barrier on the M1 in Leicestershire. Police were called to reports the vehicle had crashed on the southbound carriageway at junction 19 Catthorpe Interchange just after 04:30 BST. The southbound carriageway was closed at junction 19 as well as both sides of the A14 while the vehicle was removed. Both roads have since reopened. The driver safely left his vehicle and was not injured, police said. The lorry crashed at the Catthorpe Interchange between the M1 and the A14 in Leicestershire In a statement, Leicestershire Police said the lorry had "collided with the barrier leaving part of the vehicle and the barrier resting over the edge of the carriageway". National Highways thanked motorists for their patience during the lengthy road closures. The lorry has since been recovered No-one was injured in the crash Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Melissa Caddick went missing in 2020 after police agents raided her home When conwoman Melissa Caddick vanished from her luxurious eastern Sydney home in November 2020 - with only her partially decomposed foot found washed up on a beach months later - it set off a frenzy in Australia. The case blindsided investors, baffled police, and captured the imagination of a nation. The fraudster has inspired a hit podcast, a TV dramatisation, and countless outlandish theories - including that she had been swallowed by a shark or had severed her own foot to throw police off her scent. A long-running inquest into the case heard of a flawed police investigation, conflicting accounts from her husband, and all the extensive speculation surrounding her fate. But a coroner on Thursday ruled that exactly what happened to her would remain a mystery. "The conclusion I have reached is that Melissa Caddick is deceased. However... I do not consider the evidence enables a positive finding as to how she died, or when and where this happened," Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan wrote. For most, the Melissa Caddick story began with the news that the seemingly successful financial adviser was missing. But her life had actually begun to unravel months earlier when Australia's financial watchdog was tipped off that she had been using a friend's financial adviser's licence, having simply pasted in her own name on the document. Regulators suspect the 49-year-old stole up to $30m (£15.8m; $19.5m) from more than 60 clients, including many of her family and friends, to help fund a lavish lifestyle. There were overseas trips on private jets, high-end cars, designer clothes, and expensive jewellery. Her methods were not "particularly complicated", the coroner said. As new clients gave her money to invest, she would pay some out as dividends to existing clients before keeping - and spending - the rest. Coroner Ryan said she was struck by the "powerful impression of wealth and success" Caddick made on her clients and would-be investors. "Equally significant was the trust they had in her... almost all were either immediate family members, or close personal friends of herself and her family," she said. One would-be investor recalled: "I wanted to model myself and our family on successful people, and Melissa appeared to be successful". But everything fell apart on 11 November 2020 when police knocked on her door at dawn. The last confirmed sighting of Melissa Caddick was by officers at the raid on her home. Her husband, Anthony Koletti, told police they believed she had gone for an early run the next morning. Her car and all her personal belongings had been left behind. But she was not reported missing by Mr Koletti for more than 30 hours, and only after he had dialled in to a court hearing that she was due to attend and appeared surprised she had not turned up. Police initially explored two theories - that Caddick was still alive and had gone into hiding to escape justice, or had taken her own life. But the inquest heard how Mr Koletti, a hairdresser and part-time DJ, behaved erratically in the wake of his wife's disappearance, leading police to suspect he could be involved. Mr Koletti has denied any knowledge of his wife's crimes or any involvement in her disappearance, and police say they have uncovered no evidence to dispute that. Anthony Koletti has denied any knowledge of his wife's crimes But an investigator told the coroner's court Mr Koletti "didn't appear to be overly concerned" when his wife vanished. Lead Detective Sergeant Michael Kyneur also said Mr Koletti had visited a cliff top area near their home and taken a photograph of a shoe print, an action the policeman described as "extraordinary". "That's a dog park. It's like saying I found a footprint on Bondi beach." The inquest also heard that Mr Koletti had sent texts from Caddick's phone pretending to be her, told police he was "too busy" to attend an interview, and gave conflicting versions of events. For example, he was able to provide a description of what his wife was wearing on the morning she vanished, despite also saying he had not actually seen her, police said. Mr Koletti had also recounted his version of events by releasing a musical concept album containing tracks with titles such as "Melissa Is Missing" and "Above the Law". It was "regrettable" that Mr Koletti had not given a "full and frank" account of what had happened, Magistrate Ryan said on Thursday. The case took a grisly twist in February 2021 with the discovery of a rotting, trainer-clad foot on a remote beach 500km (310 miles) south of Sydney. Experts matched the body part to Caddick through DNA, but an autopsy couldn't determine if it was separated by force or decomposition. The inquest heard a slew of theories to explain how it ended at Bournda Beach, including that a shark ate and later regurgitated body parts. Police even considered throwing pig carcasses with running shoes on their trotters into the sea to determine how shark behaviour or ocean currents could have played a role, the inquest heard. An orthopaedic surgeon told the inquest it was unlikely Caddick could have severed her own foot, as it would require "significant force" to cut through bone, cause major blood loss, and require specialist post-surgical care. But scientists put forward a simple explanation at the inquest. Oceanographers said currents could have easily carried the foot that distance, while a pathologist described how human feet can detach from bodies during decomposition. The inquest also heard criticism of police handling of the case. Officers assigned to the Caddick case stuck too closely to their view that she had voluntarily vanished, some said. Police combed the cliffs in Dover Heights for any trace of Ms Caddick A crime scene examination of the house was not done until 19 days after Caddick disappeared, and a lawyer assisting the coroner questioned why the homicide squad wasn't brought in immediately, if only to rule out foul play. Another detective expressed surprise that NSW Police only sought out the corporate watchdog's affidavit on Caddick - which outlined its case against her - some months after her disappearance. The inquest was also told that Caddick had a life insurance policy, which included suicide cover, and had made a number of references to ending her life over the years - but police initially devoted limited resources to this line of inquiry. Magistrate Ryan on Thursday said the uncovering of Caddick's deception may have triggered a "narcissistic injury", with the illusion of her wealth and success shattered. "The Asic investigation and search warrant very likely caused her a catastrophic level of shame and despair," she said. "She may well have reached the conclusion that ending her life was the only option." But the manner of her death will ultimately remain unresolved, she said. Equally unresolved are the losses of her clients, many of whom saw huge sums of money vanish. "I sold my business as I was under the impression my money was safe, and I retired in 2017," one victim testified. "To rub more salt in the wound she has also stolen my mother's money, wife's, mother-in-law, son, brother and sister… wiping out three generations of my family's savings."

Kate Forbes, who finished second to Humza Yousaf in the SNP leadership race, has announced that she is leaving the Scottish government. Scotland's finance secretary was on maternity leave after the birth of her daughter when Nicola Sturgeon suddenly announced that she was quitting as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister. Within a couple of days of confirming she would be standing in the contest to succeed her, Ms Forbes found herself at the centre of a political storm. Her views on issues such as gay marriage, abortion, trans rights and having children outside of marriage were savaged by Deputy First Minister John Swinney, who had been standing in for the deeply religious Ms Forbes since last July. Ms Sturgeon herself also made thinly-veiled barbs at the woman she had appointed finance secretary at the age of 29, just hours before she had to deliver a budget speech. Scotland is a progressive country, Ms Sturgeon stated, and the views of the next first minister therefore matter. Ms Forbes saw several supporters desert her campaign in response to the furore, which was ignited when she told journalists that she would not have voted for gay marriage had she been an MSP at the time. She subsequently told Sky News that she believed that having children outside of marriage is "wrong" according to her faith as a member of the evangelical Free Church of Scotland, while stressing that: "In a free society you can do what you want." Ms Forbes has never hidden her religious beliefs, leaving pundits wondering why they had appeared to come as a shock to some of her supporters. The Free Church, of which she is a devout follower, has strongly opposed gay marriage since it was legalised in Scotland in 2014. Ms Forbes and her husband Ali celebrated the birth of daughter Naomi last year In 2018, Ms Forbes spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast for Scotland a day after a Westminster debate on abortion, when she called on politicians to "recognise that the way we treat the most vulnerable - whether the unborn or the terminally ill - is a measure of true progress". She was among the 15 SNP politicians who wrote an open letter to Ms Sturgeon the following year asking for a delay to gender recognition reforms that would allow people in Scotland to self-identify their sex. The final vote on the proposals was held when Ms Forbes was on maternity leave, but when she launched her leadership campaign she made clear that she still had significant concerns about self-identification and would not have been able to vote for the legislation in its current form. Several senior figures within the Scottish government reacted with fury to her comments, with Mr Swinney saying he profoundly disagreed with her views despite also having deep Christian faith. Humza Yousaf warned that independence could only be won if the SNP sticks to "progressive values" and avoids a "lurch to the right". This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The bubbling tensions boiled over in a televised STV debate, when Ms Forbes launched an attack on Mr Yousaf in which she slated his performance as a government minister. Ms Forbes told Mr Yousaf: "You were transport minister and the trains were never on time, when you were justice secretary the police were stretched to breaking point, and now as health minister we've got record high waiting times. "What makes you think you can do a better job as first minister?" Ms Forbes presumably did little to endear herself to the SNP hierarchy watching at home - although Ms Sturgeon says she didn't tune in for the debate - when she declared that it was time for a new generation to lead the party and that "more of the same is not a manifesto - it is an acceptance of mediocrity". The remark could be read as a dig at Mr Yousaf, who to some extent pitched himself as the "continuity candidate", and the record of Ms Sturgeon herself. She later doubled down by saying she would potentially have space for Mr Yousaf in her cabinet if she won the contest - but not as health secretary. Ms Forbes was born in Dingwall in the Highlands, but was partly raised in India as her parents travelled there twice as missionaries, the first time when she was four years old. Her parents are reported to have been members of the more liberal Church of Scotland, with Ms Forbes claiming that she had chosen to join the Free Church after returning from India as it was "just down the road". Ms Forbes (centre) had two spells in India during her childhood She went to a Gaelic school while in Scotland and became a fluent speaker of the language as a child. When she returned to India at the age of 10, she studied at Woodstock School - an international residential school in the foothills of the Himalayas. She went on to complete degrees at Cambridge University and Edinburgh University and became a chartered accountant for Barclays in London. She worked as an assistant to the SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Dave Thompson, for two years before being selected to replace him when he stood down. On the backbenches, the then 26-year-old campaigned to ban plastic straws and delivered a speech in the Holyrood chamber entirely in Gaelic. In 2018 she entered government as public finance minister working alongside Derek Mackay, who she would go on to succeed as finance secretary when he was forced to stand down just hours before delivering his budget speech after it emerged he had sent inappropriate text messages to a 16-year-old schoolboy. Ms Forbes became Scotland's first female finance secretary and was widely praised for delivering the budget speech with just a few hours' notice, having only received the call from Ms Sturgeon at 7am that morning. She has said the SNP needs to win over No voters by using the Scottish Parliament's existing powers to show that Scotland can flourish if it is to secure independence. Ms Forbes had only a few hours to prepare for a budget speech after being appointed to the finance brief Ms Forbes told the Guardian: "We keep holding ourselves as hostages to fortune by setting a timetable rather than by focusing on what is really going to shift the dial. "So day one, I would start the campaign for independence. But I would do that through gentle persuasion, making the economic case and earning people's trust back. The more successful and effective we are at that, the shorter the timetable becomes." She has said she would not raise income tax for higher earners and would instead focus on growing the economy and expanding the tax base by cutting red tape for businesses, improving transport infrastructure and having a "cautious" transition away from North Sea oil and gas. Ms Forbes has also described the government's bottle return scheme as well-intentioned but "badly executed". During a Channel 4 debate, presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy told Ms Forbes that her views on taxation and economic growth sounded "a bit like Liz Truss". The three candidates were Ash Regan, Humza Yousaf and Kate Forbes Little of this would be popular with the Scottish Greens, whose power-sharing deal with the SNP would have been very unlikely to survive under Ms Forbes - particularly because of her views on social issues. The SNP's social justice secretary, Shona Robison, said she would have to think long and hard about whether she would serve in government under Ms Forbes, while the party's deputy leader at Westminster, Mhairi Black, warned of a possible split if the finance secretary had won the leadership. Several of her colleagues were said to have been furious over her attack on Mr Yousaf's record, which they believe will be quoted repeatedly by opposition parties as they seek to attack the SNP's record in government. The Scottish Conservatives have already said they want to use Ms Forbes' remarks in their next party political broadcast.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Iran's Revolutionary Guards say seven officers have been killed in an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate building in Syria's capital, Damascus. Brig-Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of the elite Quds Force, and Brig-Gen Mohammad Hadi Haji-Rahimi, his deputy, were named among the dead. Iran and Syria's governments condemned the attack, which destroyed a building next door to the Iranian embassy. The Israeli military said it did not comment on foreign media reports. However, it has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of strikes in recent years on targets in Syria that it says are linked to Iran and allied armed groups which are armed, funded and trained by the Revolutionary Guards. The Israeli strikes have reportedly been stepped up since the start of the war in Gaza in October last year, in response to cross-border attacks on northern Israel by Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups in Lebanon and Syria. But Monday's attack will be seen as a serious escalation. The Israelis appear to be testing the resolve of the Iranians and their allies and signalling that they are serious about increasing pressure on their enemies. The Israelis are looking at the fact that both Iran and Hezbollah have not been pushing as hard as some might expect. Now they will see if Iran and Hezbollah are going to push back. There will be a response, but it may not be the one people expect. Rather than missiles, it may be some sort of cyber-attack. The Iranian embassy (left) does not appear to have been damaged in the strike on the next door consulate building Syria's defence ministry said Israeli aircraft targeted the Iranian consulate building, which was on a highway in the western Mezzeh district of Damascus, from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights at about 17:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Monday. Syrian air defences shot down some of the missiles they launched, but others made it through and "destroyed the entire building, killing and injuring everyone inside", the ministry added. The ministry said work was under way to recover the bodies and rescue the wounded from beneath the rubble, without saying how many casualties there were or naming any of them. Photos and videos from the scene showed smoke and dust rising from the remains of the collapsed multi-storey building. The Iranian embassy next door did not appear to have sustained any significant damage. The Iranian ambassador, Hossein Akbari, said Israeli F-35 fighter jets "brutally targeted my place of residence and the consular section of the embassy, along with Iran's military attaches". He told Iranian state TV that between five and seven people were killed, including some diplomats. Later, the Revolutionary Guards put out a statement saying that seven of its officers were killed, including Brig-Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi and Brig-Gen Mohammad Hadi Haji-Rahimi, whom it described as commanders and "senior military advisers". Iranian media said Zahedi, 63, was a senior figure in the Quds Force - the Revolutionary Guards' overseas operations arm - and served as commander in Lebanon and Syria between 2008 and 2016. Haji-Rahimi was meanwhile identified as Zahedi's deputy. Zahedi is one of the most high-profile Iranian figures believed to have been killed by Israel in the country's long campaign of targeted assassinations. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of sources on the ground in Syria, reported that eight people were killed - a high-ranking leader of the Quds Force, two Iranian advisers and five members of the Revolutionary Guards. Syria's Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said he strongly condemned what he called "this heinous terrorist attack", adding that it had killed "a number of innocent people". In a telephone conversation with Mr Mekdad, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian described the strike as "a violation of all international obligations and conventions" and "blamed the consequences of this action on the Zionist regime", the Iranian foreign ministry said. He also "stressed the need for a serious response by the international community". A White House spokeswoman said US President Joe Biden was aware of the reports. In a briefing to journalists on Monday, IDF spokesperson Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said an apparent drone attack on a naval base in the southern Israeli city of Eilat was "a very serious incident". The drone was "made and directed by Iran", he said. This attack followed suspected Israeli strikes on Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo last Friday, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said killed 53 people, including 38 Syrian soldiers and seven members of the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. In January, another strike in Mezzeh that was blamed on Israel killed five senior Revolutionary Guards and several Syrian security personnel. Israel has previously acknowledged carrying out strikes in Syria to combat what it calls Iran's "military entrenchment", as well as shipments of Iranian weapons to allied groups which it proscribes as terrorist organisations. Iran has said Revolutionary Guards have been sent to Syria to "advise" President Bashar al-Assad's forces in the country's civil war, but it has denied they have been involved in combat or established bases.

The Euclid telescope has successfully launched into space on a mission to understand some of the Universe's greatest mysteries. The €1.4bn (£1.2bn) telescope was primed to go up on a Falcon-9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Saturday. Euclid's goal is to make an immense 3D map of the cosmos in a bid to better understand so-called dark matter and dark energy. Researchers know virtually nothing about these phenomena, which appear to control the structure and expansion of the cosmos. Although primarily a European Space Agency project, the mission also has significant scientific and engineering inputs from the US space agency Nasa. Euclid will carry out its work from an observing position on the opposite side of our planet to the Sun.

Protester Matt Turnbull is one of the people arrested in the build up to the Coronation. Dozens of people have been arrested during the King's Coronation, including the leader of a prominent anti-monarchy group. London's Metropolitan Police said 52 arrests were made for a range of reasons, and all remain in custody. The arrest of anti-monarchy protesters earlier in the day has been labelled "alarming" by human rights groups.

Manchester City 4-1 Arsenal: Kevin de Bruyne scores two and makes one in dominant display Last updated on .From the section Premier League Manchester City delivered a masterclass to overwhelm Premier League leaders Arsenal and strike a huge psychological blow in the title race at Etihad Stadium. The confrontation billed as a potential title-decider turned into an embarrassingly one-sided affair. Pep Guardiola's side, now two points behind Arsenal with two games in hand, were inspired by the devastating partnership of Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne. Haaland sent De Bruyne away for a silky opener after seven minutes, and Arsenal then survived a constant bombardment of attacks before John Stones headed home from a free-kick in first-half stoppage time, the goal given by VAR after originally being ruled offside. City goal machine Haaland was outstanding throughout and again set up De Bruyne for the third in the 54th minute, the Belgian passing a classy finish between the legs of Gunners defender Rob Holding. Holding pulled one back for Arsenal late on before Haaland, denied four times by Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale earlier in the match, sealed a memorable night with his 49th City goal. City can go top with victory at Fulham on Sunday while Arsenal must somehow pull out of a slump that has seen them go four league games without a win at a crucial stage of the season. • None Title in our hands and we must use that - Guardiola • None Reaction from Man City-Arsenal, plus the rest of Wednesday's Premier League games • None How did you rate Man City's performance? Have your say here • None Go straight to all the best Arsenal content • None What did you make of Arsenal's display? Send us your views here City still have work to do to retain their title but, in the biggest game of the Premier League season, they delivered a brutal message. Guardiola was as fired up as his players in the early stages, raging in his technical area, even giving an animated lecture to goalkeeper Ederson after De Bruyne put them ahead. City were at their magnificent best as they tore holes in the Arsenal rearguard, the Gunners miraculously surviving all manner of close shaves after the opener before Stones' header gave them the cushion they deserved. Haaland had a rare night when his golden touch in front of goal deserted him until virtually the last kick of the game - although Ramsdale played his part in that - but the Norwegian demonstrated just how much his all-round game has improved under Guardiola by giving an exhibition in link-up play, twice assisting for De Bruyne and playing with an air of constant menace. And De Bruyne once more showed his enduring class with two precision finishes. The title is not run yet and no-one at City will be complacent, but this performance carried all the hallmarks of a side on a mission to keep their crown and who now have all the momentum with them. Another missed opportunity for the Gunners Manchester City 4-1 Arsenal: Mikel Arteta says team need to look in the mirror It was only a few short weeks ago that Arsenal's title challenge looked like it might well end with a first Premier League triumph since 2003-04. But that was before they carelessly threw away a two-goal lead at Liverpool, repeated the failing at West Ham and then faltered at home in a 3-3 draw with struggling Southampton. City presented the toughest of tests but also an opportunity to reassert themselves at the Premier League summit - but instead Mikel Arteta's team found themselves on the receiving end of a chastening beating. Arsenal looked nervous in the face of City's intensity and threat, the gap between the sides resembling a chasm right up to the final seconds when Haaland finally got on the scoresheet. The Gunners have desperately missed the authority of injured William Saliba in defence while they barely mounted an attack worthy of the name until it was too late. Arsenal have been outstanding this season and there will be no shame in coming up just short against this City team. If they do miss out - and remember, there is still hope - their recent dip in form will unquestionably leave them rueing a massive missed opportunity. If they are to somehow regroup from this mauling, they must do it quickly while also hoping City slip up somewhere along the line. On this evidence, however, that looks highly unlikely. • None Goal! Manchester City 4, Arsenal 1. Erling Haaland (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Phil Foden. • None Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing. • None Rodri (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. • None Reiss Nelson (Arsenal) wins a free kick on the right wing. • None Goal! Manchester City 3, Arsenal 1. Rob Holding (Arsenal) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Leandro Trossard following a corner. • None Attempt missed. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page • None Our coverage of your Premier League club is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment

Last updated on .From the section Tennis Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with comprehensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, BBC Sport mobile app and Red Button. Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from Wimbledon 2023 with a wrist injury. The Australian, 28, lost to Novak Djokovic in last year's men's singles final and has only played one tournament this year because of a knee injury that required surgery. Kyrgios announced on Sunday evening that he had torn a ligament in his wrist during his comeback. "I'm really sad to say that I have to withdraw from Wimbledon this year," he posted on Instagram. "I tried my hardest to be ready after my surgery and to be able to step on the Wimbledon courts again. "During my comeback, I experienced some pain in my wrist during the week of Mallorca. "As a precaution I had it scanned and it came back showing a torn ligament in my wrist. "I tried everything to be able to play and I am disappointed to say that I just didn't have enough time to manage it before Wimbledon."I'll be back and, as always, I appreciate the support from all my fans." Kyrgios was seeded 30th in SW19 and was set to face Belgian David Goffin in the opening round. Wimbledon responded to Kyrgios' withdrawal by wishing him a "swift recovery" on social media. "Sorry to hear your news Nick Kyrgios. Wishing you a swift recovery and hope to see you back on our courts next year," Wimbledon tweeted. • None Who's playing who? Details of the Wimbledon draw • None Alerts: Get tennis news sent to your phone The start of an injury-hit season saw Kyrgios pull out of the Australian Open in January, a decision made on the eve of the tournament that left him "devastated". Surgery on a cyst growing in his meniscus quickly followed and he was not able to return to competitive action until June. Kyrgios suffered a first-round loss to China's Wu Yibing at the Stuttgart Open, struggling with his movement during a straight-set defeat, then pulled out of the Halle Open the following week. He had been practising at the All England Club this week, saying his body felt "OK" after sets against fellow Australian Jordan Thompson and American Maxime Cressy. Kyrgios, known for his fiery temperament as well as his exciting tennis, reached his maiden major final at Wimbledon last year. He took the opening set before losing in four sets to Novak Djokovic. Britain's Joe Salisbury and American Rajeev Ram, three-time major men's doubles champions, were due to face Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinaki in their opening doubles match.

The jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is facing a new trial on charges of extremism that could keep him in prison for decades. Mr Navalny is already serving a nine-year sentence for parole violations, fraud and contempt of court. He and his supporters insist his arrest and imprisonment in 2021 was politically motivated. The latest trial will begin on Monday in the penal colony where he is being held, 250km (150 miles) east of Moscow. Mr Navalny is facing multiple charges, including creating an extremist network and financing extremist activity. He has said that could extend his prison term by up to 30 years. The 47-year-old has long been the most prominent face of Russian opposition to President Vladimir Putin and has exposed corruption at the very heart of Russian power for more than a decade. A charismatic campaigner, he seemed to be the only Russian opposition leader capable of mobilising people in large numbers across Russia to take part in anti-government protests. He was arrested in 2021 upon returning from Germany, where he recovered from a poison attack the previous year that he blamed on the Kremlin. The Russian authorities denied any involvement. In 2020, a report by the investigative outlet Bellingcat and Russian news site The Insider implicated several agents of Russia's internal security service, the FSB, in the attack. He was initially jailed for two and a half years for breaking bail conditions while being treated in a German hospital, but was then given an extra nine years for fraud and contempt of court. The latest case comes as the Kremlin intensifies its crackdown on opponents, more than a year after invading Ukraine, with most key opposition figures behind bars or in exile. Mr Navalny said that prosecutors provided him with 3,828 pages outlining all the crimes he is alleged to have committed while behind bars. "Although it is clear from the size of the tomes that I am a sophisticated and persistent criminal, it is impossible to find out what exactly I am accused of," Mr Navalny said. He has been charged with financing extremist activity, publicly inciting extremist activities and "rehabilitating the Nazi ideology", among other crimes.

Thank you for following our coverage We will now be closing this page - thanks for following along with us. For further updates on the crash at The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon, you can read our news story here. The day's coverage was edited by Heather Sharp and Alex Binley. The writers were Adam Durbin, Thomas Mackintosh and Laura Gozzi.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: Rishi Sunak on US providing cluster bombs to Ukraine Rishi Sunak has reiterated that the UK "discourages" the use of cluster bombs after the US agreed to supply them to Ukraine. The UK is one the countries to have banned the weapons, which have a record of killing civilians, under an existing convention. The PM emphasised the government's continued support for Ukraine. On Friday, US President Joe Biden said he had made a "very difficult decision" to supply them to Kyiv. Spain and Canada, two of 123 nations to ban cluster bombs, have criticised the decision to send them, which has also been condemned by human rights groups. Cluster munitions are a method of dispersing large numbers of tiny bomblets from a rocket, missile or artillery shell that scatters them in mid-flight over a wide area. They are meant to detonate on impact, but a significant proportion of them fail to explode initially - often when they land on wet or soft ground. This means they can explode at a later date, killing or injuring people. Neither the US, Ukraine or Russia are signatories of the international treaty - the Convention on Cluster Munitions - banning the use or stockpiling of them over the indiscriminate damage they can inflict on civilian populations. Speaking to reporters in Selby, Yorkshire, on Saturday, Mr Sunak said the UK is "signatory to a convention which prohibits the production or use of cluster munitions and discourages their use". "We will continue to do our part to support Ukraine against Russia's illegal and unprovoked invasion, but we've done that by providing heavy battle tanks and most recently long-range weapons, and hopefully all countries can continue to support Ukraine," he added. "Russia's act of barbarism is causing untold suffering to millions of people." Mr Sunak is due to meet with Mr Biden in London on Monday, ahead of a Nato summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on Tuesday. Rishi Sunak spoke carefully when asked for his response to the US now giving cluster munition to Ukraine. He didn't criticise the US's decision but did point out that the Convention discourages use of the bombs. The UK is the second largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine - only behind the US. As the conflict in Ukraine evolves, so too are the responses of Kyiv's allies - on this issue the US and UK have gone in different directions. Mr Biden justified supplying the weapons by saying the "Ukrainians are running out of ammunition". Speaking to CNN in an interview due to air on Sunday, he said it had taken "a while to be convinced" to make the "very difficult decision" to send them. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed the "timely" move to deliver the bombs. Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said his troops would not use them in urban areas to avoid risking civilian lives, adding "these are our people, they are Ukrainians we have a duty to protect". But Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles has said her government's position is that cluster bombs should not be used for the "legitimate defence of Ukraine". Germany, which has also signed the convention, said it would not provide them to Ukraine but that it understands the American position. In a statement, the Canadian government said it does not support the use of the weapons and emphasised its commitment to "putting an end to the effects cluster munitions have on civilians - particularly children". Human Rights Watch said both sides had used the weapons in the war, causing "numerous deaths and serious injuries to civilians". These comments were echoed by Amnesty International, who said cluster munitions pose "a grave threat to civilian lives, even long after the conflict has ended". The UN human rights office has also been critical, calling for their use to "stop immediately". Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said the military alliance takes no position on cluster munitions. Tobias Ellwood, the chairman of the UK's defence select committee, urged the US to "reconsider" its decision - which he said was the "wrong call and will alienate international goodwill". "Their use leaves deadly unexploded ordnance over the battlefield, killing and injuring civilians long after the war is over," the Conservative MP added. Russia described the US decision as an "act of desperation" in the face of the "failure of the much-touted Ukrainian counteroffensive".

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Rishi Sunak was challenged over his attendance record at PMQs Rishi Sunak has refused to say whether Tory MPs accused of undermining the Commons Partygate inquiry into Boris Johnson should apologise. The Privileges Committee said last week that the MPs, including Nadine Dorries and Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, had tried to "interfere" with the probe. Asked whether they should say sorry, the prime minister didn't say, adding he hadn't read the committee's report. MPs will decide whether to approve the findings at a debate next Monday. Last month, the Commons backed the committee's finding, in a separate report, that Mr Johnson misled Parliament over Covid rule-breaking in No 10. Mr Sunak has never said whether he agrees with the findings of that report - and missed last month's vote to approve it, blaming a diary clash. The follow-up report by the Privileges Committee, published last week, said several allies of Mr Johnson had sought to "influence the outcome" of its original probe into the former prime minister. It accused the seven MPs and three peers, all Conservatives, of mounting attacks on the committee designed to "discredit" its findings. The report has led to a free speech row, with several of those named, including Ms Dorries and Sir Jacob, saying there is no reason they should not be able to criticise its conclusions. At a scheduled appearance at the Commons Liaison Committee, Mr Sunak did not respond to a question from Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant about whether the MPs named should apologise. Instead, he said he had not read the report - which runs to a handful of pages - from "cover to cover," although he was aware of its findings. He confirmed he had asked Lord Zac Goldsmith, one of the Tory peers named in the report, to apologise - but said this was because of his then role as an environment minister. Lord Goldsmith quit his government post last week, citing unhappiness with green policies. He has denied a claim from Mr Sunak that he had refused to apologise over being named in the report. Sir Chris, who chairs the Privileges Committee but did not take part in its probe into Mr Johnson because he had criticised him before it began, also criticised Mr Sunak for missing the Commons vote on its findings. The prime minister replied he couldn't attend because he was scheduled to speak at a charity event, but the Labour MP accused him of choosing "not be in Parliament". "But yesterday, you opined on the rule of cricket. Take us through that," he added, in an apparent reference to Mr Sunak's criticism of the Australia team on Monday. In a series of testy exchanges, he also took a swipe at Mr Sunak's attendance record in Parliament, noting that he is scheduled to miss the next two sessions of Prime Minister's Questions. Mr Sunak replied he will miss this week's session because he is attending an event marking the 75th anniversary of the NHS, whilst next week he is at a summit of Nato leaders in Lithuania. He denied that he had any control over the timing of the NHS event, telling Sir Chris "I did not decide when that was."

Violence has erupted across France since the killing of a 17-year-old during a traffic stop on Tuesday A French policeman has been charged with homicide and is now in custody over the killing of a teenager during a traffic stop near Paris on Tuesday. The 17-year-old, named as Nahel M, was shot at point-blank range as he drove off and crashed soon afterwards. Anger at his killing has sparked violence across the country. A march led by the boy's mother was marred by clashes on Thursday afternoon. In a third night of unrest, 667 people were arrested, French officials say. In Paris, shops were ransacked and cars set on fire overnight despite a heavy police presence. Across France, 40,000 police officers were deployed, with 249 of them injured in Wednesday night's clashes, according to the interior ministry. Earlier, bus and tram services in Paris and the wider region stopped operating at 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Thursday. Night-time curfews were in place in some suburbs. In the town of Nanterre, where the teenager was killed, a huge fire engulfed the ground floor of a building where a bank is located. Video and pictures on social media also appear to show piles of rubbish ablaze in several places. Officers were injured on Thursday afternoon as well, during violence in Nanterre that followed a largely peaceful march calling for justice. It was attended by more than 6,000 people. Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne said she understood the outpouring of emotion following the 17-year-old's death, but condemned the riots. "Nothing justifies the violence that's occurred," she said. The teenager's death has sparked a wider conversation about the power of the police and the relationship between the authorities and people from France's suburbs, who feel segregated from the country's prosperous city centres. "We have a law and judicial system that protects police officers and it creates a culture of impunity in France," Nahel's lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, told the BBC World Service's Newshour programme. But Nahel's mother said she did not blame the police in general, or the system, for the killing - just the officer who fired the lethal shot that killed her son. The officer accused of killing him said he had fired because he felt his life was in danger. His lawyer told French radio station RTL that his client discharged his firearm "in full compliance of the law". Speaking to the BBC on Friday morning, Thierry Clair, deputy secretary general of Unsad-Police trade union, said an investigation would "determine whether this is a case of a legal or illegal use of a weapon". He said that by law, police officers may use their weapons in certain circumstances. "The key thing is the principle of proportionality with the nature of the threat," Mr Clair said. "For instance, one of the cases refers to stopping a vehicle whose occupants refuse to comply and present a risk for someone else if they attempt to escape. "And the incident we're talking about - in which a weapon was used - might fall into that category." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: 'They've taken my baby' - Mother of teen shot by police

Less than a year after the late Queen appeared on screen tapping out the beat of We Will Rock You over tea with Paddington Bear, the man who wrote the song - and whose band shared her moniker - has attended Buckingham Palace to receive a knighthood. Guitarist Brian May was given the honour on Tuesday for services to music and charity, with pictures showing him chatting with King Charles and posing with his medallion after the ceremony. As per tradition, King Charles tapped May on the shoulder with a sword during the investiture The pair were pictured chatting and laughing during the ceremony May has spent decades playing with Queen and is also known for his animal rights campaigning May's wife, actress Anita Dobson, who is best known for her role as Angie Watts in BBC soap EastEnders, also attended the event May posed with saxophonist YolanDa Brown, who was awarded an OBE May and the other members of Queen wrote numerous hit songs in the 1970s and 80s This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. From June 2022: The Queen meets Paddington Bear for Party at the Palace

Comedy legend Peter Sellers played the title role - and two more - in Dr Strangelove The family of director Stanley Kubrick have given their blessing for one of his classic films to be adapted for the stage for the first time. His 1964 apocalyptic Cold War comedy Dr Strangelove will be staged by Armando Iannucci, who is known for TV political satires The Thick of It and Veep. "As a story, weirdly it hasn't gone away," Iannucci told BBC News. "It seems the right time to remind people of the mad logic behind these dangerous games that superpowers play." The show will be staged in London's West End next autumn, co-written and directed by double Olivier Award winner Sean Foley. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Saturday Iannucci joked: "In these sad times, what better way to cheer the nation up than a stage show about the end of the world." Director Stanley Kubrick (left) with Sellers in character as the US president Kubrick's widow Christiane said: "We have always been reluctant to let anyone adapt any of Stanley's work, and we never have. It was so important to him that it wasn't changed from how he finished it. "But we could not resist authorising this project: the time is right; the people doing it are fantastic; and Strangelove should be brought to a new and younger audience. I am sure Stanley would have approved it too." Daughter Katharina Kubrick added: "The subject matter of this film is particularly relevant again in our prevailing political climate. "People often laugh when they would rather cry, and this is exactly how the film, and now the play, handles the possibility of the ultimate destruction of life on Earth; certainly, an important topic amongst many, to concentrate the mind." The late director's family also granted access to Kubrick's archive, in which Iannucci said he had found papers relating to the film including "some discarded scenes, first drafts [and] moments that they were going to shoot and then decided not to". He added: "There are little shards of ideas there, and one or two of them have developed into full-scale new moments and new scenes in the final [play]." Armando Iannucci is known for his TV and film work, but this is his first theatre project Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb - to use its full title - was released two years after the Cuban missile crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. Foley said it's not hard to see "the relevance to the idea of a type of Cold War between the West and Russia" today. "That's sadly come very much back into our lives," he said. "You don't have to look very far to understand a kind of relevance about the potential for nuclear conflict, given what's going on with the invasion of Ukraine and everything that Putin is saying." Iannucci added: "Not just with the war in Ukraine, but also the whole apocalyptic sense of global warming and so on - it feels like a very relevant reassertion of the message that, this is the madness staring at us if we don't do anything about it. "And currently, we aren't doing anything about it. So the outcome is not good. "But if you can leave the theatre with that message and a smile, then all the better." The pair have decided to keep the story set in the 60s, and Iannucci said it would feel both "retro" in its setting, and up-to-date with some of his trademark dialogue. "It's got one foot in the 60s and one foot in the present day," he said. Foley added: "There's something about how the men of that era behave in the film, and there was a specificity around the Cuban missile crisis and all of those things. "And the look of it is great, so we quickly decided we're going to keep it in that period and let the obvious resonances just echo." The film famously starred Peter Sellers in three main roles - the titular German scientist, a British officer who discovers a US general has unilaterally ordered a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union, and the American president who must attempt to avert all-out annihilation. The stage version is now seeking a star to play multiple roles - albeit without the luxury of the time Sellers had to change costumes and make-up. "They've got to be a great comic actor, of which we have very many," said Foley, who is artistic director of the Birmingham Rep. "They've got to be of that shape-shifting kind of quality. They've got to want it. "It's going to be a really tough gig. I'm sure some people, when we approach them, are going to go, 'No way, I'm not going to be compared with Peter Sellers in those roles.' "But there will be someone who has the appetite and skill and talent and sees the opportunity to do it in their own way." In Dr Strangelove, many of those holding great power over millions of lives are depicted as often actually being inept, ridiculous, reckless or unhinged. That's a strand of political satire that Iannucci picked up in his work like The Thick of It, US version Veep, and 2017 black comedy The Death of Stalin. "It's these individuals who are very human and very fallible, and yet on whose word and actions ride the fate of, in Stalin's case millions, and in Dr Strangelove's case humanity," he said. The writer and director is now also working on another theatre project about Boris Johnson and his role in the pandemic and Partygate, although full details have not yet been announced. "Rather than trying to do a TV exploration of what's happening now, doing something live on stage feels like just the right moment to do it," Iannucci said of that play. "Also, in the last three years, we've been so enclosed in our homes because of the lockdown, and have got addicted to our screens, so actually going out and seeing something live and in the flesh is all the more exciting. That's what excites me about actually doing it as a live stage show."

Carrick's sentencing hearing was told he had taken "monstrous advantage of women" between 2003 and 2020 More than 10 people have reported further offences by serial rapist and former police officer David Carrick since he was jailed, a force has said. Carrick was sentenced to 36 life terms after admitting 49 charges, including 24 counts of rape, in February. The 48-year-old committed most of his offences in Hertfordshire. The county's police force said it was working with prosecutors and investigating the new reports, which included allegations of sexual assault. Carrick's sentencing hearing was told he had taken "monstrous advantage of women" between 2003 and 2020, while serving as an officer with the Metropolitan Police. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The former police officer used his occupation to "entice victims", said Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb Ordering him to serve to a minimum term of 32 years in jail, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said he had been "bold and, at times, relentless, trusting that no victim would overcome her shame and fear to report you". She said "for nearly two decades", he had been "proved right", but a combination of the 12 women who reported him and the police colleagues who gave evidence against him had "exposed you and brought you low". Following the hearing, Det Insp Iain Moor, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire major crime unit, said officers had set up a special reporting portal for people to share information about Carrick. "If anyone else thinks they have been a victim, we still want to hear from you and we will support you," he said. In a statement, Hertfordshire Police said since February, "more than 10 people have contacted their local forces or the investigation team directly, to either report further offences, including sexual assault, or to share information relating to him". "The team are now working with the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] and investigating these new allegations," a representative said. They added that they would not be releasing "any further details relating to the new allegations". Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected] The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

The DUP withdrew from the Stormont executive in February 2022 The DUP leader has said he is hopeful his party can get the progress it needs to go back into power sharing. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson was speaking after a meeting with the head of the NI Civil Service, Jayne Brady. He will continue to engage with the government and has made "his summer available" for further talks on the Windsor Framework, he said. The party has insisted new legislation is needed before it will end its 18-month boycott of the executive. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) walked out of Stormont's power-sharing executive in February 2022 in protest over a Brexit deal which introduced new checks and restrictions on goods moving from Britain to Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said new legislation may be required at Westminster and the government now has "a lot more clarity" about what the DUP is seeking. Ms Brady's talks with the parties focused on how to run government in a future executive, in the context of a challenging budget position. Speaking after the meeting, Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill said this "process has come to the end of the road". Ms O'Neill added she didn't share the secretary of state's "overly optimistic assessment" that a Stormont executive would return in the autumn. Michelle O'Neill said the DUP needed to get over internal party wrangling and put people first Last week Chris Heaton-Harris said he was "hopeful" about the return and believed a resolution was "getting much closer". "I don't think there is any evidence to back that up," Ms O'Neill said. "I hope that changes but I don't think anyone who was sitting in that meeting today is under any allusions that anything has changed in terms of the DUP's and the British government's game of chicken." Stephen Farry described Thursday's meeting with Ms Brady as a "stock take exercise", and said discussions had gone as far as they could. The Alliance deputy leader said the current situation was "stalemate", with no progress over the past few weeks. Mr Farry said he was deeply worried about the future of Northern Ireland and believed excuses were being made for parties to stay out of government. The power-sharing government at Stormont collapsed in February 2022 Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie said: "I don't think it's about getting a bigger stick to beat the DUP with; I don't think that's going to work." He stressed that pressure was already on the DUP to return to the executive and he hoped Mr Heaton-Harris would assist in the restoration of Stormont. Mr Beattie said he remained optimistic about a return of the executive by the autumn. The SDLP was not at the talks as it has confirmed it will form the official opposition. It feels like a process which has now passed its best before date. It served a purpose in keeping the parties engaged with civil servants in the absence of Stormont. It also allowed preparations to be put in place for the executive's return in the face of mounting budget pressures. But with no hint of when or if Stormont might return, these talks have "run out of steam", to quote one party source. With no best before date set for the talks between the DUP and the government, the political drift is likely to continue for some time. Jayne Brady, who was appointed head of the NI Civil Service in June 2021, met political leaders on Thursday morning Ms Brady has previously warned that even if ministers are to return to an executive this year, an overspend of this year's budget was "now unavoidable". Ms Brady outlined her position in a letter to Mr Heaton-Harris earlier this month. She said Stormont departments have "reached the limit" of what they can do to manage budget pressures this year and the remaining gap did not stem from an "unwillingness" to act, but from a legal position.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been evacuated unharmed from a public event after what appeared to be a smoke bomb was thrown at him. A man was detained at the scene in Wakayama, where Mr Kishida had been due to give a speech, local media reported. A witness said they saw a person throwing something, followed by smoke, while another said they heard a big bang. No injuries were reported. Video showed officers piling on top of a person, believed to be a suspect. He was arrested on suspicion of obstruction of business and later identified by the authorities as 24-year-old Ryuji Kimura. His motivation is still unclear. Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, quoted Mr Kishida as saying there was a "loud blast" at the venue. "Police are investigating details, but I'd like to apologise for worrying many people and causing them trouble." NHK broadcast footage in which crowds of people appear to be running away from the scene. The footage also shows people swarm around one man, hold him down, and then carry him away. A man believed to be a suspect in the smoke-bomb throwing was held by police officers Mr Kishida had just started to deliver a speech after touring the fishing harbour in Wakayama for a campaign event when the object was thrown and he took cover. After the incident, Mr Kishida addressed a crowd in another location and said the incident should not disrupt the electoral process. A woman at the scene told NHK: "I was stunned. My heart is still beating fast." A person who said they saw an object flying through the air said it gave them a "bad feeling, so we ran away unbelievably fast". "Then we heard a really loud noise. It made my daughter cry," they added. Another witness told NHK that the crowd began to disperse in panic before the blast was heard, as someone said an explosive had been thrown. Hiroshi Moriyama, a member of Mr Kishida's Liberal Democratic Party, said: "That something like this happened in the middle of an election campaign that constitutes the foundation of democracy is regrettable. It's an unforgivable atrocity." Violent attacks are extremely rare in Japan. But there is nervousness about security around politicians, after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot dead while on the campaign trail last year.

From left to right: Footballer Mykhailo Mudryk, tennis player Elina Svitolina and boxer Oleksandr Usyk Ukraine's top athletes have paid defiant tributes to a Ukrainian prisoner of war (POW) shown apparently being killed by Russian troops in a video that has shocked the nation. The unarmed prisoner is seen smoking in a trench. "Glory to Ukraine!" he says, before being shot. Tennis star Elina Svitolina, Chelsea footballer Mykhailo Mudryk and others responded with "Glory to the Heroes!" in their video tribute. It is a battle cry in Ukraine's army. The saying became popular among ordinary Ukrainians after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula in 2014. It has seen a resurgence after Moscow's full-scale invasion launched last year. In the tribute video posted online, Ukrainian athletes representing several sports appear one-by-one saying "Glory to the Heroes!" It comes after a passionate call by President Volodymyr Zelensky. "I want us all to respond to his words together, in unity: 'Glory to the Hero! Glory to the Heroes! Glory to Ukraine!'" he said earlier this week. Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko and Taras Stepanenko, who plays for Ukrainian team Shakhtar Donetsk feature in the video. Legendary former player and now coach Serhiy Rebrov is also shown. Separately, Ukraine's boxing heavyweight world champion, Oleksandr Usyk, recorded a video of himself reciting a poem dedicated to the shot soldier, whose identity remains unclear. "Glory to Ukraine! - for these words you got a bullet," he reads. "You're no more - but memory is eternal of you, fighter". The graphic video first emerged on social media on Monday. In the footage, one of the shooters - believed to be a Russian soldier - is heard saying "die" and using an expletive after the POW is shot dead with automatic weapons. A screenshot from the video purportedly showing the Ukrainian prisoner of war before he was shot dead On Tuesday, Ukraine's military named the soldier as Tymofiy Shadura, citing preliminary information. However, there is some doubt over his identity, with one well-known Ukrainian journalist naming him as somebody else. The alleged killer or killers - who are not seen in the clip - have not been identified. The BBC has not verified where and when the footage was made, or how the soldier was captured. Ukraine's authorities have said the killing is "another proof this war is genocidal" and launched a criminal investigation, vowing to hunt down the perpetrators. Russia has not publicly commented on the video. Kyiv and its Western allies have accused Russian troops of committing mass war crimes - including torture, rape and murder - since President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion. Russia denies the allegations. Last July, a video emerged that showed another captured Ukrainian soldier being castrated in the Russian-occupied Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. There have also been accusations against Ukrainian forces, with Moscow accusing soldiers of executing a group of Russian prisoners in November. A Ukrainian official said the surrender was "staged" by Russian troops in an attempt to attack their captors.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has been in the UK for talks with the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The visit came ahead of a Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russian forces, expected to begin in the coming weeks. Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, the UK has been a major supplier of weapons and equipment to Kyiv, though on a much smaller scale than the US. So what exactly is being sent, and how much of a difference is it making? The UK confirmed that it had supplied Ukraine with long-range missiles earlier this month. The Storm Shadow cruise missile has a range of over 250km (155 miles), according to the manufacturer. By contrast, the US-supplied Himars missiles used by Ukraine only have a range of around 80 km (50 miles). Currently, Storm Shadow has the longest range of any missile available to Ukraine, and can therefore strike targets previously believed to be safe by Russian forces. Russia claims the system has already been used against its forces. The UK is the first country to supply cruise missiles to Kyiv. The UK also led the way in supplying Nato standard main battle tanks to Ukraine. In January the UK announced that 14 Challenger 2 tanks would be sent, alongside around 30 AS90 self-propelled guns. The Challenger 2 was built in the 1990s, but is significantly more advanced than Warsaw Pact standard tanks used by Ukraine. Following the UK's announcement, several others committed to sending tanks to Ukraine, including Germany with its Leopard 2 model. Many military analysts believe tanks, in co-ordination will other weapons systems, will be vital to any attempt by Ukraine to dislodge Russian forces from heavily fortified positions in the expected counter-offensive. On Monday, Downing Street said that it would supply "hundreds" of attack drones and air defence missiles. The statement did not reveal what kind of drones would be supplied, but it said they would have a range of over 124 miles (200km). It is anticipated they may be used to hit logistics and control facilities deep behind Russian lines. In 2022, the Ministry of Defence announced supplies of heavy lift drone systems to provide logistical support to isolated forces. Analysts say that drones can be very effective in getting supplies over the "last mile" to front line troops, particularly under threat of Russian artillery fire and in situations where there is a risk of encirclement. "It's the sheer quantity of stuff needed by troops," says Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi). "Every time you can use a drone instead of a soldier to get supplies forward is one less time someone is exposed to extreme danger." The donation of M270 multiple-launch rocket systems with M31A1 precision munitions to Ukraine was confirmed in 2022. The UK's M270 system is similar to the American Himars launchers. Jack Watling Rusi told the BBC: "These systems are precisely what Ukraine needs. They allow the Ukrainians to out-range a lot of the Russian artillery systems and also to strike with precision." The UK has sent more than 5,000 next generation light anti-tank weapons, or Nlaw, to Ukraine. Nlaws are designed to destroy tanks at short range with a single shot. Crucially for Ukraine's armed forces who need weapons immediately, the missiles are easy to transport and simple to use. A soldier can be trained to use them in less than a day. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Many analysts believe they had a major impact on the course of the conflict in the days following Russia's invasion. "Nlaw was absolutely critical to the defeat of Russian ground thrusts in the early stages of the war," says Mr Bronk. The weapons have been "particularly effective" when used in combination with artillery, he says. Maritime Brimstone missiles were also sent to Ukraine in 2022. Brimstones can be used against tanks, artillery and some smaller vessels such as landing craft, according to Capt Chris Carlson, formerly of the US Navy. The missiles are normally fired from aircraft, but in Ukraine they are being modified to be fired from trucks. Launching them from the ground reduces their effective range, says Capt Carlson. When used as anti-ship missiles, Brimstones are far too small to sink larger vessels, but could cause substantial damage. "It all depends where you hit," he says. "If you went through an engine or near the water line, you could give an enemy some serious trouble." Britain has donated at least 120 armoured vehicles to Ukraine, including Mastiff patrol vehicles. Mastiffs were very popular among British troops in Afghanistan as they provide a high level of protection against landmines and improvised explosive devices. Analysts say that in an area which as been as heavily mined as the Donbas, Mastiffs are likely to be very useful. It is understood that both sides in the conflict have used landmines extensively. Britain says it has donated at least six air defence systems, including Starstreak missiles. Starstreak is designed to bring down low-flying aircraft at short range. It ignores counter-measures such as flares and chaff deployed by many aircraft. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. "From a pilot's point of view, Starstreak is a very unpleasant thing," says Mr Bronk. "There's very little you can do about it." He says Russian forces may deem some operations too risky if they are aware that a weapon as deadly as Starstreak is on the ground. The UK has also supplied Stormer vehicles to act as a mobile platform for Starstreak missiles. Other equipment supplied by the UK includes:

Last updated on .From the section Tennis Coverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. More coverage details Andy Murray dazzled under the Wimbledon lights again as he led Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a Centre Court thriller stopped by a 23:00 BST curfew. Britain's Murray is ranked 40th but showed his pedigree on the SW19 grass to lead 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-2) 6-4. The second-round match was stopped at 22:39 because of the restrictions put in place by the local council. Murray, who has regularly played late in recent years, and Tsitsipas will resume a captivating contest on Friday. Moments after 36-year-old Murray had wrapped up the third set, tournament referee Gerry Armstrong walked on to the court and discussed stopping play for the night with each player. Murray, who screamed out as he fell just before serving out for the lead, signalled to his team the match was being cut short, while 24-year-old Tsitsipas quickly packed his bags. The pair will return to Centre Court after Spanish top seed Carlos Alcaraz plays France's Alexandre Muller in the first match, which starts at 13:30. • None Djokovic set for 'duel of the veterans of the tour' Eyes were instantly drawn to this potential blockbuster when the draw was made last Friday and, after both players negotiated their opening matches on different paths, it was billed as the box-office match of the tournament so far. Further fuel was added by the memories from their feisty clash at the 2021 US Open, where Murray said he "lost respect" for Tsitsipas after a lengthy bathroom break before a final set which the Greek won. This time, all the drama remained on the court. Murray is a two-time champion at the All England Club and has been talking bullishly about his chances of going deep in the draw this fortnight. Despite missing out on a seeding, which left him vulnerable to a tough early test, the former world number one insisted he had the ability and nous to cause anyone problems. For many people, Tsitsipas felt ripe to be on the end of an upset. With grass not his favourite surface and a patchy record on the surface this year, there was an optimism among the home fans that Murray could earn his most notable Grand Slam win since having career-saving hip surgery in 2019. After cruising past Ryan Peniston on Tuesday, the Scot also had the benefit of a day off, while Tsitsipas only came through a five-set duel with Dominic Thiem at almost 20:00 on Wednesday. But the 2021 French Open runner-up and 2023 Australian Open finalist looked sharp - physically and mentally - as he showed glimpses of the form which has seen him long tipped to win one of the sport's four major titles. There were tense moments in a tight first set where both players dominated on serve, Tsitsipas taking control of the tie-break to move ahead. The second set followed a similar pattern. Tsitsipas was edging the rallies as he continued to find range with his forehand, leaving Murray struggling to cope with his ferocious and consistent hitting from that side. But, like he has done so often over the years, Murray continued to battle and managed to hold his service games with few issues as neither player conceded a break point. That teed up another tie-break - and this time it was Murray who dominated it after finding his first serve when it mattered. Murray playing under the floodlights on Centre Court always creates a special atmosphere and the player, by now demanding more noise from the almost-capacity crowd, thrived on the energy. After not having a serious look at Tsitsipas's serve in the opening two sets, Murray broke to love right at the start of the third and maintained the momentum to move into the lead. However, there was a serious scare when he fell on the baseline. The sound of his scream, along with the knowledge of his injury history, left the whole of Centre Court anxious and there was relief when he clambered to his feet before serving out. It had long felt the end of the third set was the natural point to suspend the match and once that was agreed, Murray walked off to a thunderous ovation. • None Alerts: Get tennis news sent to your phone

Actress Angela Thorne, best-known for starring in To The Manor Born, has died aged 84, her family has said. She played Marjory Frobisher in the BBC comedy series, alongside Penelope Keith as Audrey Fforbes-Hamilton and Peter Bowles as Richard DeVere from 1979 to 1981. Thorne also starred in the BBC comedy Three Up, Two Down, opposite Michael Elphick, from 1985-1989. Her family said she died "peacefully at home". Thorne was also the mother of actors Rupert and Laurence Penry-Jones. and had been married to the late actor Peter Penry-Jones, who appeared in two episodes of To the Manor Born in 1981, A statement from Rupert said she died on 16 June, adding: "She was the beloved wife of Peter Penry-Jones, and is survived by her two sons Rupert and Laurie Penry Jones and her grandchildren, Florence, Peter, Giorgio and Delilah. "We will all miss her very much." Angela Thorne as Marjory, Penelope Keith as Audrey and Peter Bowles as Richard, back in To The Manor Born in 2007 Thorne trained on a scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music And Drama, and later performed in repertory seasons. In To the Manor Born, her character Marjory was the loyal friend of Audrey, who had a love-hate relationship with Richard until they married at the end of the show's three series in 1981. The three actors returned for a one-off 60-minute special of the show in 2007. Thorne and John Wells outside 10 Downing Street, promoting their play Anyone for Denis? Thorne was nominated for an Olivier Award in 1981 for her stage portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in Anyone for Denis? Three Up, Two Down: Lysette Anthony, Ray Burdis, Michael Elphick, Angela Thorne She went on to appear in the TV series Midsomer Murders and Foyle's War, and other TV credits included police drama series Heartbeat and drama series Elizabeth R, which starred the late Glenda Jackson. She also voiced the Queen Of England in the animated 1989 film adaptation of The BFG. In 2013, she appeared in a stage adaptation of 1955 black comedy The Ladykillers, alongside Death In Paradise's Ralf Little, The Fast Show's Simon Day and Gregory's Girl actor John Gordon Sinclair. Her son Rupert is best-known for playing Adam Carter in Spooks, QC Clive Reader in Silk and DI Joseph Chandler in Whitechapel. Laurence has appeared in Waking The Dead and Doctors.

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg's show on GB News is one programme being investigated by Ofcom The media expert who drew up the UK's broadcasting rules has urged the watchdog, Ofcom, to decide whether politicians should be allowed to present TV programmes on news channels. Chris Banatvala said no-one foresaw the rise of politician presenters when the rules were being designed in the 2000s. He said Ofcom should take "a view about whether what is emerging is acceptable in terms of due impartiality". The regulator is reviewing its rules around politicians presenting TV shows. Under Ofcom's rules, news must be presented with due impartiality, and politicians are not allowed to be newsreaders, interviewers or reporters "unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified". Ofcom says there are no rules against politicians hosting current affairs programmes, as long as they reflect a range of views. But there's been a debate about how these rules apply to the growing number of programmes fronted by politicians on GB News and Talk TV, both relatively new channels. Last month, Ofcom commissioned research into these programmes after receiving hundreds of complaints about politicians presenting shows. Then this week, the regulator launched two investigations into potential rule breaches on two programmes, including the GB News show presented by the former cabinet minister, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg. In the episode in question, Sir Jacob read out a breaking story about the jury verdict in a civil case involving the former US president, Donald Trump. Writing in the Telegraph this week, Ofcom's chief executive, Melanie Dawes, said the regulator had a "crucial role in preserving the integrity of broadcast news" and a duty to "ensure our rules remain effective". Mr Banatvala was Ofcom's director of standards when the regulator's rules around politicians presenting programmes were introduced in 2005. He told the BBC that in a changing media landscape, we need "a grown-up debate about whether and how we want to apply due impartiality to news". "It's evident now that news channels are blurring the boundaries between genuine news, current affairs and opinion," he said. "That may be a good reason for Ofcom to look at these rules in the round." He added: "We may need to look at whether these rules are fit for purpose, and whether we need to amend or adjust them." He said the tenor of programme on some channels in the UK "is something that's come across the pond from America". It's long been common to see politicians hosting programmes that veer between partisan commentary and news coverage on channels such as Fox News in the US. The UK's impartiality rules go back decades and were included in Ofcom's broadcasting code following its creation as the communications regulator in 2003. If broadcasters are found to have breached the code, Ofcom has powers to impose fines and other sanctions. When the impartiality rules were drafted, Mr Banatvala said, they were felt to be "ample and adequate to prevent any programme from using the same political party over and over again". "It wasn't ever envisaged that a news channel would use politicians from the same political party to present programmes, day in, day out," he said. Grilling two Ofcom directors at a meeting of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in Parliament on Tuesday, SNP MP John Nicolson asked why the regulator was not taking more action over programmes fronted by sitting politicians. John Nicolson suggested Jacob Rees-Mogg's show had "the grammar of a news programme" Singling out Mr Rees-Mogg's programme on GB News, Mr Nicolson said "every day, he churns out the same pro-Brexit, right-wing stuff", arguing "what he's doing is blurring news presenting and commentary". He asked: "Why don't you act to stop this?" Kate Davies, Ofcom's public policy director, said the watchdog looks at current affairs programmes "differently" to those focused solely on news. Following further frank exchanges, Mr Nicolson said "we've lost all sight of objective journalism" and suggested "we're going to proceed down a route where we end up with awful, American-style ranting at the camera, we're already seeing it, masquerading as news". Kate Biggs, Ofcom's content policy director, said the media watchdog takes its responsibility on impartiality and accuracy rules "very seriously". She said the regulator's investigations into programmes "do set a precedent for other editors". TalkTV said it "will engage with the Ofcom process and looks forward to defending its output." GB News has also been contacted for comment. Sign up for our morning newsletter and get BBC News in your inbox.

Tewkesbury Academy was locked down following the attack on Monday morning but reopened on Tuesday A teenage boy has been charged after a teacher was stabbed in a corridor at a school. The 15-year-old was charged with attempted wounding with intent and possession of bladed article following the attack at Tewkesbury Academy. Maths teacher Jamie Sansom was wounded just after 09:00 BST on Monday. The boy, who cannot be named due to his age, remains in police custody and will appear at Cheltenham Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. He was arrested in Stoke Orchard, some three miles (4.8km) from the school, about two hours after the stabbing. In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Sansom, who has taught at Tewkesbury Academy since 2017, said he had not been breaking up a fight between students when he was wounded. He said he was "recovering well" from his injuries and hoped to be back in the classroom before the summer break if doctors gave him the "all-clear". Police said he suffered a single stab wound and was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and was discharged later the same day. Jamie Sansom said he had received more than 100 messages of support, which he described as "a big boost" The academy was locked down and two neighbouring schools were also asked to shut their doors as a precaution following the incident, Gloucestershire Police said on Monday. It added there would be a police presence at the school over the coming days to provide reassurance to pupils. Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected] The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Nominations for those seeking to stand in May's local government elections have closed. The poll on 18 May was pushed back by two weeks due to the coronation of King Charles III on 6 May. It will be the first electoral test for Northern Ireland's political parties since last May's assembly elections. There are 462 seats that will be contested in all of Northern Ireland's 11 councils. Those seeking to be candidates in the election had to have their documentation submitted before the deadline. The DUP won the most council seats in 2019 elections at 122 seats with Sinn Féin not far behind on 105. However, they were overtaken by Sinn Féin in last year's assembly election. Since then, there has been stalemate at Stormont with the DUP's boycott of the executive and assembly in protest at the post-Brexit trading arrangements. Northern Ireland councils are funded via rates, government grants and fees charged for local services. They look after a range of services, including waste collection and disposal, local planning, street cleaning, sport and leisure services, and parks and open spaces. The elections use the single transferable vote (STV) system, the same as is used for elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly. For more information on what's at stake, read BBC News NI's local election guide.

Temperatures in southern Europe are expected to peak on Tuesday, as a days-long heatwave continues. Firefighters have been battling wildfires in countries across the region, including in Spain, Greece, and Switzerland.

Biden spoke of threats to democracy during speech On the motorcade route outside Ulster University earlier, a lone Trump flag waved to greet the US president. A familiar sight in America - but an unexpected one for this president who so proudly touts his Irish-American ties to this place. Another protester nearby held a sign that read "Fake Catholic. Fake president." Between folksy anecdotes designed for laugh lines about what Northern Ireland and the Republic mean to him, President Biden's remarks didn't focus solely on the international politics of this visit. “Those of you who have been to America know there is a large population that is invested in what happens here,” Biden said during his speech at Ulster University. "Supporting the people of Northern Ireland, protecting the peace, preserving the Belfast Good Friday Agreement is a priority for Democrats and Republicans alike in the United States, and that is unusual today because we have been very divided in our parties.” The president's oft-repeated ode to the importance of democracy here, in America, and around the world was not missing from his brief remarks. And his reference to the threats that American democracy faced during the 6 January riots at the US Capitol two years ago won’t have fallen on deaf ears for a city whose residents were once no stranger to persistent conflict and violence.

Band member Ian 'H' Watkins told Chippenham Pride he did not want to perform in Dubai because of the human rights issues there Steps turned down a show in Dubai over a contract clause which stated they were not allowed to mention sexuality, band member Ian 'H' Watkins has said. He told Chippenham Pride in Wiltshire he was at a point in his life where morals were more important than a "pot of gold gig". Watkins said nobody had known Steps were offered the show in the Middle East but he said it was "important" to raise the issue. In an interview with Bobbi Pickard, chief executive of Trans in the city, on Saturday, Watkins said he was "emotional" that he had not spoken up sooner and wished he had had "the guts" to do so. "This week we were offered a gig, a show, and it was in a country where there's lots of oppression, where the LGBTQ+ community is treated so horrendously," he said. "And in the contract it said 'no mention of sexuality' and that really jarred with me. "I'm at a point in my life now where my morals and what I strive for is more important that that pot of gold gig was in Dubai," he said. The popstar organised the first-ever Pride for his hometown of Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan Mr Watkins said he gave his reasons for not wanting to perform. "It's because of all the horrendous human rights issues that are happening there," he said. Dubai is one of the United Arab Emirates, which has strict laws against homosexuality. Nearby Qatar, which hosted the 2022 World Cup, has similar rules. It was criticised for its attitude to LGBT people, its human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers. "Respecting and backing H's position has shown fabulous allyship," Ms Pickard said. "They [Steps] have a strong Pride community following, and this reinforces their support and love for their fans." She added she would like to see other artists follow in Steps' example and think twice about performing in places where people in their fan base face imprisonment or the death penalty. Ian "H" Watkins publicly came out in 2007, a decade after Steps launched Mr Watkins said he had told the band they were welcome to perform without him, but the band decided to follow his decision. He said regardless of one's gender, sexuality, or colour, people should be able to live their best life, and be their authentic selves. "It felt like a little win. "If everybody did that, all of those ripples will make huge waves, and we will have a much more inclusive and beautiful place to live."

Water cremation is set to be made available for the first time in the UK. The process, known as resomation, uses a mix of potassium hydroxide and water to break down human remains in what is billed as a more sustainable option. It takes four hours - the bones remain, and are powdered then returned to loved ones in a similar way to ashes, in an urn. Resomation is used in Canada, South Africa and many US states. It will be the first alternative way to dispose of a body in the UK since the introduction of the Cremation Act in 1902 - and Co-op Funeralcare will be the first to offer it, starting later this year. The British company Resomation, which supplies the equipment, claims the process produces a third less greenhouse gas than cremation and uses a seventh of the energy. According to the founder of the company, Sandy Sullivan, the liquid used in resomation is "safely returned to the water cycle free from any traces of DNA". Anti-apartheid campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu chose the process for his funeral arrangements in South Africa - he died in late 2021. Gill Stewart, managing director of Co-op Funeralcare, said that "land for burials is running out", and that resomation could help the industry "improve its carbon reduction targets and meet the capacity challenges of a growing population". The funeral provider anticipates that the cost of resomation will be similar to that of a traditional cremation. Initially, resomation will only be offered in certain locations - which are yet to be announced - with the intention of expanding it across the UK, the funeral chain said.

The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann will not face German charges for alleged rape and sexual abuse in a separate case. Last year, a court in the city of Braunschweig charged Christian Brueckner with five sexual offences. But it now says it does not have jurisdiction because Brueckner last lived in a different part of Germany. Brueckner has never been charged over Madeleine's disappearance and has denied any involvement. In October 2022, evidence for additional allegations emerged during the McCann investigation. Braunschweig's chief prosecutor charged Brueckner with five offences alleged to have been carried out between 2000 and 2017 in Portugal, including the rape and the sexual abuse of two children. The five charges in full: Although the court in Braunschweig has dropped the case, it is understood Brueckner could still be charged with the same offences in a different court in Germany. Originally the case was taken up in Braunschweig because that was the region where he was last officially registered. But in reality, before moving to Portugal, he had been living in a caravan in the state of Saxony Anhalt. It is expected that prosecutors in other parts of Germany will now decide whether to pursue the charges and stake a claim to jurisdiction. Three-year-old Madeleine, from Rothley, Leicestershire, was on holiday with her family at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz, in Portugal's Algarve when she disappeared on 3 May 2007. Her whereabouts remain unknown. Brueckner has never been charged over her disappearance. The convicted sex offender is currently serving a seven-year sentence for rape which he committed in 2005 in Portugal. Madeleine McCann was three when she went missing in 2007

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Erin also plans to bring forward her wedding to her partner, Dan, to this year A mum who lost her youngest son in a caravan fire has said she has been given months to live after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Erin Harvey lost a son as a baby after he was born prematurely before Zac was killed three years ago - and now the 30-year-old has a rare form of cancer. Erin has written birthday and wedding cards for her two surviving sons, one of whom was seriously hurt in the fire. "They've already lost brothers and now they'll lose their mum," she said. "Just knowing that I'm not going to be there to watch them grow up, that's the hardest thing about this whole situation." Erin is focusing on making her remaining time fun for sons Alex, 13, and eight-year-old Harley - and plans to marry partner Dan before she dies. "We want to have a nice big celebration with all our family and friends," said Erin, who is from Ceredigion in mid Wales. "We want to go to Legoland for Harley. We've got a camper van so, in between chemotherapy, we'll take any chance we get to go away and make memories. "And we hope to have one last big, happy Christmas with all of the family around. Zac (left) died, aged three, in a caravan fire three years ago while his brother Harley, who was then four, survived "My main focus now is making the most of the time we have. I'm just not thinking about all the things that I'm going to miss and all of the things that we won't get to do." Erin, who has been documenting her cancer journey on TikTok, had been trying for a baby with fiancé Dan, who she was due to marry - but they are hoping to bring the wedding forward to this year. Erin, fiancé Dan and Harley are trying to go away in their camper van as much as they can "I've been trying to distract myself by doing positive things so I'm making the boys' scrapbooks and have bought birthday cards all the way up to their 21st birthdays," said Erin. "I've also done cards for their weddings and when they pass their driving tests. "I'm just focusing on the now and making this next few months as normal for the kids as we possibly can. I have to be strong for them, I don't want them seeing me being upset all of the time." Erin's second son Tyler, who had health complications after being born prematurely, died in December 2012 when he was just a few months old after suffering a cardiac arrest. Erin says the hardest thing she is dealing with is the knowing her two sons will grow up without their mum Erin's fourth and youngest son Zac died, aged three, during a sleepover with his dad Shaun after suffering smoke inhalation in a caravan fire in January 2020 that was probably caused by an electric fan heater. Zac's elder brother Harley suffered lifechanging injuries in the blaze after being airlifted to Bristol in a critical condition. He was treated in hospital for six weeks and was not expected to survive but has now recovered. Now Erin, a support worker for adults with disabilities who lives in Pontrhydfendigaid in Ceredigion, has been diagnosed with stage four Ampullary cancer, a rare form of the disease related to the digestive system. Erin had surgery to remove the tumour but the cancer has spread and now friends have started an online fundraiser to help the family "make magical memories". "It's terminal and I have been given months rather years to live," said Erin. Erin Harvey has documented being diagnosed with cancer on social media "I don't think anyone thinks they'd have that conversation with their kids about this situation, especially not at 30 years old and when they're still so young with a lot of growing up to do. "Alex has already lost two brothers in his lifetime and I think it's going to be really hard on them because they're so close since the fire. "I had to sit Alex down the other day about the terminal diagnoses and tried not to cry - but I did. Erin's son Harley climbed the equivalent of Everest to raise money for a burns charity in Wales after he was seriously injured in a fire that killed his brother "It's going to be tough but it's finding that balance between what we can do and what we can't because we don't have control over it. "Everyone around me is hurting and it's horrible to see people so upset, knowing that I can't do anything to make them feel better." If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, the BBC Action Line has links to organisations which can offer support and advice

"It's a bit scary isn't it after only two weeks to see those results." Aimee, 24, has spent two weeks on an ultra-processed diet as part of a test carried out by scientists from King's College London for BBC Panorama. Her identical twin, Nancy, was also on a diet containing exactly the same amount of calories, nutrients, fat, sugar and fibre - but she was consuming raw or low-processed foods. Aimee gained nearly a kilo in weight - Nancy lost weight. Aimee's blood sugar levels also worsened and her blood fat levels - lipids - went up. This was a short-term study on just one set of twins, but the results highlight growing fears among some scientists about the possible impact of so-called ultra-processed foods on our health, which BBC Panorama has been investigating. Prof Tim Spector, is a professor of epidemiology at King's College London, who studies trends in disease and oversaw the test. He told BBC Panorama: "In the last decade, the evidence has been slowly growing that ultra-processed food is harmful for us in ways we hadn't thought. "We're talking about a whole variety of cancers, heart disease, strokes, dementia." The term ultra-processed foods - or UPF - was only coined 15 years ago but it makes up about half the things we now eat in the UK. From sliced brown bread to ready meals and ice cream, it is a group of foods made with varying - but often substantial - levels of industrial processing. Ingredients used, such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners and emulsifiers, do not typically feature in home cooking. "Ultra-processed foods are among the most profitable foods companies can make," says Prof Marion Nestle, a food politics expert and professor of nutrition at New York University. Some academics think the link is not coincidental. Ultra-processed convenience foods contain chemicals that UK regulators say are safe, but Panorama investigates emerging scientific evidence of a link between some of these chemicals and cancer, diabetes and strokes. Watch on BBC iPlayer now, or on BBC One at 20:00 BST on Monday 5 June (20:30 in Northern Ireland and 23:10 in Wales) In January, one of the most comprehensive studies on ultra-processed food - by Imperial College's School of Public Health - was published in The Lancet medical journal. The study of 200,000 UK adults found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods may be linked to an increased risk of developing cancer overall, and specifically ovarian and brain cancers. And, as of last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) is now cautioning against the long-term use of artificial sweeteners - citing potential health risks. It follows dozens of studies linking increasing consumption of UPF to increased risk of developing serious illnesses. But proving that specific ingredients cause human harm can be challenging - there are a range of other factors in our lifestyles that can cause these diseases. For example: lack of exercise, smoking or sugary diets. The first investigations into mortality and consumption of ultra-processed food started in France at the University Sorbonne Paris Nord, as part of the ongoing study into the eating habits of 174,000 people. "We have 24-hour dietary records during which they tell us all the foods, the beverages and so on, that they are eating," explains Dr Mathilde Touvier who heads up the study. The ongoing research has already published results showing UPF may drive an increased burden of cancer. Nancy (l) and Aimee (r) took part in the two-week long test More recently, they have been looking into the impact of one specific ingredient - emulsifiers - which act as a glue in ultra-processed foods to hold everything together. Emulsifiers are the Holy Grail for the food industry - they improve the appearance and texture of food, and help to extend the shelf life far beyond that of less-processed food. They're everywhere, in mayonnaise, chocolate, peanut butter, meat products. If you eat, you're likely to be consuming emulsifiers as part of your diet. BBC's Panorama was given exclusive access to Dr Touvier's early results. They are yet to be peer reviewed - a crucial verification step for scientific studies - but she said they are still concerning. "We observed significant associations between emulsifier intake and increased risk of cancer overall - and breast cancer notably - but also with cardiovascular diseases," she says. This means that a pattern has been observed between consuming ultra-processed food and disease risk, but further research is needed. Despite the growing body of evidence, the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) - which regulates the food industry in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - has yet to issue any regulation restricting emulsifiers. When Panorama asked the FSA about the growing body of evidence that these additives could cause harm it said: "We have not been presented with any evidence - by this programme or otherwise - of any specific emulsifiers which are believed to pose a risk to health." But the FSA said it planned to hold a public consultation. Could the food industry itself be playing a role in pushing back on regulation? The BBC Panorama team spent the past eight months investigating. "Food companies are not public health agencies... their job is to sell products," food politics expert Prof Nestle told the BBC. She said the food industry has been known to fund research, sponsor experts and disparage existing studies to prevent regulation. The International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) is a body that receives funding from some of the world's largest food companies. It says its mission is to "provide science that improves human health" - but it has previously published studies globally undermining regulation and public guidance on healthy diets. In 2012, the European Food Safety Agency was so worried about potential conflicts of interest, it insisted anyone associated with ILSI either had to resign from the institute or leave the agency. Prof Alan Boobis, emeritus professor at Imperial College London, is an unpaid director of ILSI Europe and a former vice president of its board of directors. But he also heads up a group of UK scientists, known as the Committee on Toxicity which provides advice on the risk of chemicals in food to the FSA. More than half the members of the committee have recent links to the food or chemicals industries. And over the past 10 years, the committee hasn't supported a single restriction on the use of any chemical additive in our food. Prof Boobis told Panorama his advice wasn't slanted to favour industry, and he had always been "totally committed to conducting and identifying the very best scientific research... whoever is funding it." The Food Standards Agency said it had a "clear code of conduct… for declarations of interest" and that it had "no evidence" bias has affected its decisions. ILSI said: "[We] operate within a framework of the highest principles of scientific integrity." One of the most controversial additives in UPF is the sweetener aspartame. Two-hundred times sweeter than sugar, it has been heralded as a great low-calorie alternative - turning once unhealthy sugary drinks, ice cream and mousses into products marketed as "healthy". There have been questions about its potential harm over the past two decades. Then, last month, the World Health Organization said, although the evidence is not conclusive, it was concerned that long-term use of sweeteners like aspartame may increase the risk of "type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, and mortality". Aspartame is sometimes used to sweeten ice cream In 2013, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) decided - after looking at all the available evidence - that aspartame was safe. The UK's Food Standards Agency accepted this position. The Committee on Toxicity looked at a study into aspartame in 2013 and concluded that the results "did not indicate any need for action to protect the health of the public". Six years later, Prof Erik Millstone, emeritus professor of science policy at the University of Sussex, decided to review the same evidence considered by EFSA - to see who had funded the different studies. He discovered that 90% of the studies defending the sweetener were funded by large chemical corporations that manufacture and sell aspartame. And that all the studies suggesting that aspartame may cause harm were funded by non-commercial, independent sources. A spokesperson for the Food and Drink Federation, a membership body for manufacturers, told the BBC that companies took "the health of consumers, and safety of the food they produce, seriously - and adhere to the strict regulations". A spokesperson for the International Sweeteners Association said: "Low/no calorie sweeteners are safe to use, are amongst the most thoroughly researched ingredients in the world and have been approved by all major food safety bodies, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration." The FSA says it will look into WHO's ongoing assessment of aspartame. And the government says it is aware of the growing concerns around UPF and has ordered a review into the evidence on ultra-processed foods. Watch Panorama - Ultra-Processed Food: A Recipe For Ill-Health? - on BBC iPlayer and listen to 5Live listeners have their say with Nicky Campbell, Is ultra processed food okay?

For Dads By Dads runs a 10-week programme to educate new and expectant dads A dad who suffered a breakdown after witnessing the traumatic birth of his son says the impact a new baby can have on fathers is often overlooked. Mark Williams, 48, said both the birth and supporting his wife through postnatal depression had a "massive impact" on his mental health. "The first time I had a panic attack was in the labour ward thinking my wife and baby were going to die," he said. Mark, from Bridgend, said he suffered in silence with depression for years. Mark was diagnosed with anxiety, depression and later ADHD after the birth of his son Then in 2004 when his wife went into labour he witnessed her in prolonged pain and had to stand by helpless when she was rushed to theatre. When their baby was still small his wife was diagnosed with post-natal depression. "Obviously I witnessed my wife go through those things as well," he said. "I was really unwell, I was drinking, avoiding situations." He began looking for support but struggled, and found a lack of conversation around new dads and mental health. He was eventually diagnosed with anxiety and depression and later Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He said therapy, medication and learning coping skills through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy all played a part in improving his mental health. Today he is an advocate for fathers' mental health and wants to see more support for new and expectant dads. "If dad is suffering with mental health or confidence, whatever that looks like, that can have an impact on the relationship and obviously on the child as well," he said. "So it's really important that all parents should have our support." Mark has been supporting the For Dads By Dads group in Torfaen, educating new and expecting men on the challenges of the early years of fatherhood. The group was set up by another dad, Jacob Guy, who said: "There were times where I did feel a little bit isolated and needed more information to be the best dad that I could be. Jacob Guy found a lack of support for new dads when he became a father so set up a group When Jacob, 41, from Chepstow, Monmouthshire, became a dad he felt that he did not have a network of people who were going through the same thing and would understand how he was feeling. He looked around for dad groups but was unable to find the support he was looking for. In 2022 he decided to set up a 10-week programme aimed to give dads a safe space and to educate new and expectant dads by running workshops covering a wide range of subjects. For Dads, By Dads aims to build confidence in new fathers The group gives opportunities to fathers to share experiences, build a network of support and tackle the challenges that come with fatherhood. And that support is vital: According to the British Journal of Midwifery, one in 10 fathers are affected by post-natal depression, which is about the same rate as mothers. Up to 38% of new dads are worried about their mental health and want more support, according social enterprise DadPad, which was developed with the NHS and real-life dads. The Welsh government said it was investing in the development of perinatal mental health teams and networks. "We remain committed to improving perinatal mental health services and will consider what further action can be taken," it said. Jacob said he had seen the positive impact being around other dads had had on new fathers. "It's built their confidence to know we're not going to get it right all the time," he said. "If we make mistakes, we dust ourselves down and we start again."

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Greg Ead called the attack a "devastating blow for the community” A five-month-old baby has been taken to hospital after a dog attack, police have said. Emergency services were called to Penyrheol, Caerphilly county, on Saturday morning, Gwent Police said. The baby was taken to Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales. The child's injuries are unknown but are not believed to be life-threatening. Caerphilly MP Wayne David said he was shocked by the incident, after two recent fatal dog attacks in the area. All three incidents have happened within a half mile (about 0.8 km) radius of each other. The Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed it was called to a dog attack at 09:00 BST. Caerphilly councillor, Greg Ead, said witnesses heard screams coming from the property at the time of the attack. Local groups met on Thursday to discuss how to stop the rising numbers of attacks, with campaigners saying more needs to be done. Police say they will be making further inquiries and will remain at the scene as the investigation continues Gwent Police said officers seized the dog and confirmed no other animals were involved. "We were called to an address in Penyrheol, Caerphilly at around 9.10am on Saturday 29 April, following reports of a dog attack," said the force. "A five-month-old baby has been taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. "The dog was seized by officers. No other animals were involved in the attack." Chief Insp Laura Bartley said officers would be making further inquiries and would "remain at the scene as the investigation progresses". "It is possible that you may see ongoing police activity in Caerphilly as part of this work, but please do not be alarmed. "If you have concerns or information then please do stop and talk with us." Penyrheol councillor, Greg Ead, said his son was staying at his girlfriend's home on the same street where they heard and shouts and screams. Mr Ead called the attack "traumatic" for everyone on the road. "I think another death would be absolutely devastating for this community," he said. The incident comes after two fatal dog attacks in the area. The latest is understood to have happened at Y Cilgant in Penyrheol. A previous dog attack in Penyrheol saw Jack Lis, 10, killed by an XL Bully dog back in 2021 Jack Lis, 10, from Caerphilly, died after being mauled by an American or XL Bully dog - a legal breed - in November 2021. And Shirley Patrick, 83, died in hospital after suffering a "violent and unnatural" death after being attacked by a dog in Caerphilly in December. Jack's mum Emma Whitfield has been campaigning for changes in the law about breeding and selling dogs since his death. "At the moment anyone can buy and sell a dog with no knowledge of where the dog has come from or who it is going to," she told BBC Wales on Sunday. Ms Whitfield said she wanted to see more emphasis placed on breeding and selling dogs. "With owners, I think people need to start realising that they have responsibilities. "This problem is not going away." This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. "I can't say out loud what I saw because I don't want other people to have to picture it either" In February, Welsh Labour MS Lesley Griffiths said the Welsh government had updated its animal welfare licensing regulations and closed "loopholes relating to pet sales". She told the Senedd: "We need to make sure the public are making informed decisions when they buy a pet, but there is absolutely more we can do. "I've asked officials to actually start to look at dog licensing again." Details of the dog's breed involved in Saturday's attack has not yet been released by police. Caerphilly MP Wayne David added: "There have been a number of incidents around Penyrheol. "It shows there needs to be recognition that all dogs are potentially dangerous, particularly ones with a strong physique. "Dogs like this need to be handled with great care and caution. They need to be trained properly. "It's about responsible dog ownership. Children should not be able to go near them. "The more general issue is all sorts of cross breeds being breed for the wrong reason with many not appropriate to be pets. They are bred to be violent. "Not sure that's the case here. "The aim is to have a different kind of approach to the issue of dogs. "We must make sure that all owners are aware of what they are taking on when they are small puppies to make sure that people recognise that keeping a dog like this is a big undertaking." Mr David said it was too difficult to ban certain breeds because of crossbreeding. "So many of these breeds are now cross breeds, it's not that easy, you would have a list of thousands of breeds. "What is happening is that the regulations are being broken, the wrong kinds of dogs are being bred." The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Researchers in Cambridge are developing gene-edited potatoes that don't bruise in order to reduce food waste Gene-edited food can now be developed commercially in England following a change in the law. Supporters of the technology say it will speed up the development of hardier crops that will be needed because of climate change. Critics say that the change could bring ''disaster'' to our food production and the environment. Gene editing involves making precise changes to an organism's DNA to enhance certain characteristics. The new law also opens the door to the development of gene-edited farm animals, but a further vote by MPs will be required before it is allowed, again only in England. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments have not permitted the commercial use of gene editing. Scientists say that gene editing can help to produce new climate-change resistant crops quickly Gene editing in England had been covered under the same tight regulation that has restricted the commercial development of GM crops under EU law. Brexit has enabled the Westminster government to relax the rules for the newer technology. The chief scientific advisor for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Prof Gideon Henderson, says that the new rules will lead to better food production and bring jobs and investment to England. "What's changed is that we can now use precision breeding technology developed in the lab and take it into the fields so that we can grow better crops and bring them to market more readily so that we can use the technology to enhance agricultural outcomes and food production in the UK and globally," he said. The Precision Breeding Act allows only genetic changes that could also have been produced naturally or through traditional crossbreeding programmes already in use today. GM can involve the introduction of genes from other species and will not be permitted. Gene editing enables researchers to make precise genetic changes to a plant's DNA, for example adding a gene to boost its growth or reduce dependence on fertiliser. The same change could be produced by crossbreeding different varieties, but it would take much longer. The new law allows for the use of gene editing and other methods that may arise in the future, provided the end result is a crop that is no different to a variety that could have been naturally produced. Gene-edited tomatoes rich in a chemical with calming effects are on sale in Japan Critics of genetically altered food, such as Pat Thomas of Beyond GM, are concerned that gene-edited crops will not have to go through the extensive testing required of GM foods in the EU, which may result in the introduction of toxins and allergens into the food chain. "The entire process of this bill has been of the government consulting scientists with vested interests, usually in the biotech industry, who are reassuring the government that this change in the law will have no consequences," she said. "History has shown that when you remove regulatory control, particularly for food and the environment, there is looming disaster on the horizon.'' Defra's response is that the Food Standards Agency, the FSA will only authorise products for sale if they are judged to present no risk to health. There is also concern that labelling of gene-edited food is not a requirement and it is unclear how GE food from England will be prevented from entering other parts of the UK, where it is still banned. A US firm is gene editing blackberries that don't have seeds A Welsh Government spokesperson said that this would create "unavoidable consequences for Wales". "Gene-edited plants, animals and products from England will be marketable here without the authorisations our law requires," they said. "This undermines the devolution settlement. The UK Government chose not to engage with us, despite our efforts, whilst developing the bill and this means the effects of it have not been properly considered." The Scottish government has a long-standing opposition to GM and wishes to stay in step with the EU, though its stance is opposed by NFU Scotland who says it puts Scottish farmers at a competitive disadvantage. The Northern Ireland government has to follow the protocol negotiated with the EU which requires that it remains in step with rules regarding the definition of GM crops in Europe, which also cover gene-edited crops. There is however enthusiasm for the use of gene editing among some plant breeders in England. The National Institute of Agricultural Botany, just outside Cambridge, has been breeding new varieties of crops for UK farmers for more than a hundred years. They crossbreed different varieties to produce new ones that grow better and are more resistant to diseases. It can take ten to fifteen years of development. The head of the lab, Prof Mario Caccamo told BBC News that he wants to use the technology to develop new varieties that can grow well in the hotter, drier conditions that the UK is experiencing more regularly, because of climate change. "When we look to how the population is growing and how much we are increasing our yields using traditional methods, we are lagging behind," he said. "The projections show that we have to have an acceleration into how we can improve crops otherwise we are going to be struggling to feed the world." A new variety of barley being tested by KWS plant breeders in Hertfordshire will take twelve years to come to market using conventional breeding techniques. The firm claims that gene editing will significantly reduce that time. The UK is among the world leaders in research into plant genetics. But that expertise has not been able to take off, because of the effective ban on the commercial development of the technology, according to its supporters. The hope is that the change in law will attract new investment leading to new companies, new jobs and new foods. Bayer Crop Science has developed GM crops for use across the world, employing more than 30,000 people. But in the UK, it has a staff of 90 who are involved in traditional plant breeding. The company isn't ready to announce any new investment plans in England yet - but the firm's head of marketing in the UK, Lindy Blanchard, welcomed the change in the law. "We are really, really excited and we are committed to help farmers overcome the challenges of climate change and we want to provide safe sustainable food for society, so no doubt we will be looking at this but it is step by step." The new act also has provision to allow gene-edited animals on English farms, like these disease resistant pigs, developed in Scotland. But that will require another vote by MPs in Westminster once the government is satisfied that animals won't suffer. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Raymond Beggs, from St Mark's High School in Warrenpoint, and Noreen Kelly from St Dallan's Primary School on a picket line Teachers taking part in a strike that has closed most schools in Northern Ireland say they had no choice but industrial action. Members of all five Northern Ireland teaching unions are on strike, mostly over a long-running pay dispute. "Why is my labour worth so much less than it is in the rest of the UK when we have a world class education system?" teacher Melanie Doherty asked. She said teachers will leave Northern Ireland if they did not act. Public service workers are also on strike with ports, MOT centres and courts affected. Speaking before she joined the picket line with her colleagues at Foyle College in Londonderry, Ms Doherty told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster that she was "downhearted" but that teachers felt there was "no other way" to put their point across. "We have a world class education system, but if we continue with the cuts and devaluing teachers we're not going to have that in Northern Ireland for much longer," she said. For the first time, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) is taking part in the full day's strike, joining four teaching unions who staged a previous walkout on 21 February. The unions involved include the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (Nipsa) the civil servants union, along with members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the National Union of General and Municipal Workers (GMB), Unite and all the teachers' unions. The action by the unions representing teachers is mainly due to a pay dispute, with a stalemate over a deal running for more than a year. In February 2022, unions rejected a pay offer from employers for the years 2021-2023 as "inadequate". Since then the cost of living has spiralled with inflation at more than 10%. But with Stormont's education budget under severe pressure it is not clear how much money is available to make teachers a pay offer the unions would accept. Members of the NASUWT (National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers) who work in further education (FE) colleges in Northern Ireland will, for the first time in the current dispute, join their colleagues on strike. It is the first time in its 125-year history that members of the NAHT have taken strike action over pay. Mark McTaggart, northern secretary for INTO (Irish National Teachers' Organisation), warned there would be a crisis in recruitment and retention of teachers in Northern Ireland. "Teachers are significantly underpaid compared to every other teacher in these islands and schools across the north have no budgets in real terms," he told Good Morning Ulster. "We are already talking about an education system which is half a billion pounds in debt - if there a 10% cut we are talking about £0.75bn debt. "All that is going to lead to a reduction in the number of teachers in schools, which is going to have a devastating effect on the life chances of our young people across the north." The president of the Ulster Teachers' Union (UTU), Lynelle Fenton, said: "I really don't think parents realise the cuts that are coming and the profound, potentially irreparable damage they will do to our education system, a system which until now has often been the envy of other parts of the UK." NASUWT members who work in further education (FE) colleges in Northern Ireland will, for the first time in the current dispute, also join their colleagues in schools in striking ​In a statement, a spokesperson for the five unions said their members had "waited far too long for a satisfactory offer from the employers". "Teachers' pay, in real terms, has dropped by nearly a quarter in the 'lost decade' since the pay freeze of 2010-11," it added. A large number of teachers in England are also due to strike on Thursday 27 April and Tuesday 2 May. Further Education lecturers at the Belfast rally Elsewhere, the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland has said its public services could be affected by industrial action by civil servants. Strike action began with a walk-out at midnight from Larne and Belfast ports and government departments have all been affected. Nipsa general secretary Carmel Gates said: "Our members have had the worst pay offer of any group of workers on these islands. "In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis the pay offer to civil servants was £552 for the year and that's before tax. "This increase wouldn't even pay for their milk for the week." Members of Nipsa protest outside the Department for Communities offices in Belfast Ms Gates said workers were being forced on to the bread line. "Workers here have faced the worst pay award of any group on these island so it is essential that the secretary of state sets a budget that allows workers to get the pay rise they deserve," she said. In a statement, the Department of Infrastructure said that as "far as possible, contingency arrangements have been developed but the public are advised to expect disruption to many services as well as prioritisation of assistance to those incidents with most impact to life and property". The department said the Strangford ferry would not operate due to an ongoing strike and that there would be a significant reduction in its capacity to respond to flood emergencies should they occur.It said Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) test centres are expected to open but services may be affected. Customers with booked appointments should attend as scheduled unless directly notified by the DVA not to attend.

The former prime minister has not handed over any messages from before April 2021 - more than a year into the pandemic The government is likely to lose its legal case against the Covid inquiry, a government minister has said. The Cabinet Office has said it will seek a judicial review of the inquiry's demand that it submit Boris Johnson's WhatsApp messages unredacted. Science minister George Freeman told the BBC's Question Time he had "very little doubt" a court would find the documents should be handed over. But, he added, it was "worth testing" if officials had a right to privacy. On Thursday, the government missed a 16:00 BST deadline to submit messages sent between Mr Johnson and 40 other ministers and officials during the pandemic. The Cabinet Office - which supports the prime minister in running the government - has argued many of the messages are not relevant, and that to hand them over would compromise ministers' privacy and hamper future decision-making. Baroness Hallett, the retired judge and crossbench peer who is chairing the inquiry, has said it is up to her to decide what material is relevant. Mr Johnson has said he has given his messages to the Cabinet Office and would be "more than happy" for them to be passed to the inquiry unredacted. But the former prime minister has not handed over any messages from before April 2021 - more than a year into the pandemic - because his phone was involved in a security breach and has not been turned on since, his spokesman said. In April 2021, it emerged that Mr Johnson's personal mobile phone number had been freely available on the internet for 15 years, leading to concerns over the device's security. Mr Johnson has written to the Cabinet Office to ask whether technical support can be given so the content can be retrieved without compromising security, his spokesman added. Documents released by the Cabinet Office also list questions put to Mr Johnson by the inquiry earlier this year, including: "In or around autumn 2020, did you state that you would rather 'let the bodies pile high' than order another lockdown, or words to that effect? If so, please set out the circumstances in which you made these comments." The inquiry also asked the former prime minister if he received advice to sack Matt Hancock as health secretary between January and July 2020. Asked about the government's legal case against the Covid inquiry, Mr Freeman told the BBC he thought the "courts will probably take the view" that Baroness Hallett is entitled to decide "what evidence she deems relevant". But he added that "people's privacy is really important" and that the question of how private correspondence should be handled was a "point worth testing". "I would like to see a situation where the inquiry says: 'Listen, we will wholly respect the privacy of anything that's not related to Covid. We will redact it'," he said. The challenge is thought to be the first time a government has taken legal action against its own public inquiry. Dame Deirdre Hine, who led the review into the 2009 swine flu outbreak, said the government taking legal action would be "most ill-advised". She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think this is unwise on the part of the government and they have no right to withhold the documents." Lord Gavin Barwell, who worked as chief of staff to former prime minister Theresa May, said he thought the government was making a "bad mistake" by not handing over the full WhatsApp messages. "We're having the enquiry to give people confidence we're getting to the truth. And if the government is controlling what the inquiry can and can't see, then people are not going to get confidence in the outcome," he told Today. Relatives of the bereaved have expressed frustration at the government's stance The saga comes just two weeks before the inquiry - tasked with identifying lessons from how the pandemic was handled - is due to hold its first public hearings. Lobby Akinnola, from the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, expressed exasperation at the government's decision to bring the challenge and said he feared it was part of an attempt to render the inquiry "lame". "I'm frustrated, I'm angry," he told the BBC's The World Tonight, adding that "we're trying to understand what went wrong so we can prevent it happening again and that... is what the government is hindering." Opposition parties have also urged the government to comply with the inquiry's requests. Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, described the legal challenge as a "desperate attempt to withhold evidence" that would serve "only to undermine the Covid Inquiry", while the Liberal Democrats called it a "kick in the teeth for bereaved families who've already waited far too long for answers".

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. A million people are without power across Ukraine after Russian missiles targeted energy infrastructure. There is no electricity in the second-largest city of Kharkiv, the regional head says, and more than 53,000 households in Odesa are without power. Ukraine's energy minister, German Galushchenko, accused Russia of trying to provoke "a large-scale failure of the country's energy system". Russia said it was revenge for recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory. At least five people have been reported killed and 14 wounded. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the latest wave of attacks showed that Western allies must give more military aid to Ukraine, including additional air defence systems. "There are no delays in Russian missiles like there are in assistance to our country," he wrote on Telegram. Some 90 missiles and 60 Shahed drones were launched into Ukraine during the wave of overnight attacks, he said. Among the targets was Ukraine's largest dam - the DniproHES in Zaporizhzhia, which was hit eight times according to Ukrainian officials. Video footage appeared to show the dam on fire, but authorities say there is no threat of an imminent breach. Officials also say that a trolleybus which was crossing the dam at the time caught fire after a missile strike, killing the driver. "At 04:30 all hell broke loose. Terrible fireworks and explosions. At one point, our house tilted," Valentyna, an eyewitness whose house overlooks the dam told the BBC. The UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, said the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant lost connection to the main power line for almost five hours on Friday following the Russian attacks. This highlighted the "ever-present dangers to nuclear safety and security during the conflict", it said. The plant, however, continued to receive external electricity for reactor cooling from its only remaining back-up power line. Regional head Ivan Fedorov said seven buildings in Zaporizhzhia had been destroyed and 35 others damaged. Strikes were also reported in President Zelensky's hometown of Kryvyi Rih and in Vinnytsia, both in central Ukraine. They damaged a "critical infrastructure object", said Ukrainian officials. Russia's defence ministry said the assault on Ukraine's power grid was part of a series of revenge attacks against Kyiv for its earlier incursions into Russian territory. Local officials in the Russian region of Belgorod, near the border with Ukraine, said on Thursday that a woman had been killed and many other people wounded by a Ukrainian strike. The fresh attacks come a day after Russian forces launched one of their biggest air strikes in weeks on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. At least 17 people, including a child, were injured by falling debris. Attacks on the energy grid has been part of Russia's warfare against Ukraine since 2022. Moscow has previously carried out strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure plunging millions of people into darkness and depriving them of heat, power and water. Attacks during the autumn and winter of 2022 left 17 million Ukrainians without a regular supply of electricity for extended periods. But the head of the Ukrainian grid operator, Volodymyr Kudrytsky, said Thursday night's attacks were worse. "Even last winter, attacks on our energy system weren't so bad as last night. Dozens of grid facilities have been hit. This is on a global scale." Mr Kudrytsky added that the worst affected area was Kharkiv, where "Russia literally tried to destroy all the main energy facilities feeding the city". Firefighters at a power station in Kharkiv after Russian missile attack President Zelensky has often described the Russian attacks on power stations as "energy terrorism". The White House condemned Thursday's attacks and renewed its call for urgent additional air defences for Ukraine as soon as possible. Earlier this month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for two top Russian commanders, accusing them of ordering attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Last updated on .From the section Cricket Australia retained the Women's Ashes with a dramatic three-run victory over England, who so nearly pulled off a remarkable victory through Nat Sciver-Brunt's masterful unbeaten century. Sciver-Brunt, who scored 111 off 99 balls, dragged England from 203-7 to a position where they needed 15 runs from the last over and five off the final ball. However, Australia and Jess Jonassen, who bowled the final over, held their nerve to retain the urn with one match to spare by virtue of being the holders. The points-based series, which is now 8-6 in favour of Australia, concludes at Taunton on Tuesday. Australia owe plenty to number eight batter Georgia Wareham, who smashed 26 from the last over of the tourists' innings, bowled by Lauren Bell, to drag them from 240-7 with three overs remaining. While it was a match-defining over, England were also left to rue another sloppy performance in the field, dropping all-rounder Ellyse Perry three times in her innings of 91. In the second ODI at Bristol, England levelled the series with their highest-ever run chase and were set the task of breaking that record again to keep their hopes alive once more. England started positively, with opener Tammy Beaumont continuing her fine form with 60 from 62 balls before Australia's spinners once again proved the difference. All seven England wickets fell to spin as leg-spinner Alana King and off-spinner Ash Gardner took three each to unravel the middle order. Sciver-Brunt stood firm with a chanceless knock, her third unbeaten century in her past four ODI innings against Australia, but she slumped to her knees in devastation as she could only manage a single from the final ball. England can still draw the series with a win in the final ODI, but were visibly distraught by the defeat having dragged themselves back into contention after Australia initially raced into a 6-0 lead in the points-based series. • None Pick your team of the 2023 Women's Ashes • None Ashes has been best ever in women's cricket history - Knight In the 2022 World Cup final Sciver-Brunt hit a sublime 148 not out in England's pursuit of a mammoth 356 against the same opponents. There were echoes of the same innings at Southampton: Australia favourites, but England's talismanic all-rounder standing between them and glory. At 144-5, few had hopes of an England comeback, as ruthless Australia reverted to their best - which has been absent throughout the series. But Sciver-Brunt found company in Amy Jones, who scored 37 in a stand of 57, until the game tilted back towards the visitors when Jones and Sophie Ecclestone departed in the same Gardner over. She then found perhaps more unlikely company in Sarah Glenn, who played her number nine role expertly as she nudged and nurdled her way to 22 from 35 balls to give England hope, needing 21 from the last two overs. Sciver-Brunt found the boundary at key moments to keep England in the game, and her fitness allowed her to run singles and twos between the wickets against Australia's incredible fielders. As England's star player, there is more pressure on Sciver-Brunt and there were signs she was feeling it, without a half-century in the white-ball series until now. She saved her best for when it mattered most, with the Ashes on the line, but once again fell cruelly short and had to watch even more jubilant Australian celebrations. Spin the difference as Australia serve reminder of class Australia's spinners have been excellent throughout the series, even in defeat, but it has actually been a rare triumph for them. England have attacked them, and unsettled their usual dominance, and it has shown in the performances with the bat, in the field and from the seamers. A brave selection call was made, dropping pacer Darcie Brown for another spinner in King, and it proved pivotal. King bowled with variation, deception of pace and changed the game with a beautiful turning delivery to bowl Beaumont and disrupt England's free-flowing scoring. Gardner has had a phenomenal series, kick-started by her eight wickets in the Test, while Jonassen showed all her experience to expertly close out the game. They also corrected their mistakes in the field, exemplified by Phoebe Litchfield's stunning full-length dive to turn a boundary into two runs, which may not have looked significant at the time but given the margin of victory, it was crucial. England once again fought so bravely, but were ultimately edged out by moments of greatness. 'We showed all our grit and determination' - what they said Australia captain Alyssa Healy: "It was a really, really good game of cricket. Both sides really hung in there and Nat Sciver-Brunt, yet again, played an incredible innings - I thought she was going to take it away from us at the end. "But full credit to our girls, they showed all their grit and determination again and we got ourselves over the line. "To know that the Ashes are coming home with us is hugely exciting." England captain Heather Knight on BBC Test Match Special: "It's been a ridiculous series, and has to go down as the best ever in history. "How Nat played to get so close was brilliant. To nearly chase down that total was really good. "Our focus now is to win both white-ball series. We're gutted we weren't able to keep the momentum." Ex-Australia batter Alex Blackwell on TMS: "I haven't seen a tighter series between these two, it's been outstanding. England should be very, very proud. They were 6-0 down after the first T20 and they found a way to level it." • None Can you trust your best mate to be your best man? Find out in Jason Manford and Steve Edge’s new podcast • None Can certain foods make you hungrier? Professor Tim Spector takes Michael Mosley through his top food and nutrition tips

Relations between Beijing and Washington have plummeted in recent years The US and China have pledged to stabilise their tense relationship following US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's two-day visit to Beijing. Mr Blinken met China's President Xi Jinping for talks on Monday, restarting high-level communications between the rival superpowers. Mr Xi said they had made progress, while Mr Blinken indicated that both sides were open to further talks. But the top US diplomat made clear that there remained major differences. "I stressed that... sustained communication at senior levels is the best way to responsibly manage differences and ensure that competition does not veer into conflict," Mr Blinken told reporters after the 35-minute meeting at the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square. "I heard the same from my Chinese counterparts," he said. "We both agree on the need to stabilise our relationship." But Mr Blinken, 61, said he was "clear-eyed" about China and there were "many issues on which we profoundly - even vehemently - disagree". Relations between Beijing and Washington have plummeted in the wake of a Trump-era trade war, Beijing's assertive claims over Taiwan and the shooting down of an alleged Chinese spy balloon over the US earlier this year. Mr Blinken's visit is the first by a top US diplomat in almost five years. Discussions between him and Mr Xi included everything from Russia's war in Ukraine and America's fentanyl crisis to Taiwan, North Korea and alleged human rights abuses by China, the US state department said. And although there were no clear breakthroughs, Mr Xi suggested relations could be moving in a positive direction. "The two sides have also made progress and reached agreement on some specific issues," he said, in a transcript of his remarks released by the US state department. "This is very good." The meeting with Mr Xi was not originally on Mr Blinken's schedule and was announced just an hour before it took place. It would have been widely viewed as a snub had it not happened, however, especially since Microsoft's co-founder Bill Gates met Mr Xi in Beijing earlier this week. Instead, the Americans will be able to point to the secretary's visit - which also included meetings with China's top diplomat Wang Yi and Foreign Minister Qin Gang - as a successful re-engagement with the Chinese government after months of frosty relations. US President Joe Biden and officials in Washington have said they view the Chinese as rivals and competitors and not adversaries. It is a fine line to walk, however, as the competition - both militarily and economically - heats up. With the meeting, Mr Xi was also sending a message to his own people that his government was reaching out to Washington. Taiwan is the biggest area of contention between the two countries and the one that has the highest potential of escalating. China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province and Mr Xi has indicated that he wishes to bring Taiwan under Beijing's control during his term in office. However, Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland with its own constitution and leaders. US President Joe Biden said last year that the US would defend Taiwan in the event of an attack from China, a move condemned by Beijing. But on Monday, Mr Blinken again stressed that Washington does not support Taiwan independence, adding that he sought to "disabuse" China of the notion the US is "seeking to economically contain them". He said China gave some assurances too. It again stressed that it would not supply lethal aid to Russia to use in Ukraine, but Mr Blinken shared concerns about private Chinese companies aiding Russia's military. However, China knocked back a US proposal to restart communication channels between the countries' militaries - a key objective of the talks. While the trip yielded no great progress - as was expected - when concluding his news conference, Mr Blinken said he hoped it signalled better communication in the future. "Progress is hard. It takes time. And it's not the product of one visit, one trip, one conversation," he said.

Up to quarter of a million operations and appointments could be postponed due to next week's junior doctors' strike, the NHS Confederation warns. Patients are likely to see more of an impact because the four-day walkout comes after the Easter weekend, said Dr Layla McCay, director of policy at the health bosses' confederation. Health bosses "are more concerned about this than they have been about any other strike", she said. The walkout is due to start on Tuesday. Hospital bosses have said they cannot guarantee patients will be safe as managers struggle to arrange staffing during the strike, which will affect both emergency and planned care. The British Medical Association (BMA) says it will not exempt any services but that there are plans to protect patients, which could involve pulling junior doctors off the picket line if individual hospitals report lives are in immediate danger. It is calling for a 35% pay rise to make up for 15 years of below-inflation wage rises. Dr McCay told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "In the last junior doctors' strike, we saw about 175,000 appointments and operations having to be postponed. "In terms of the disruption that we're anticipating this time, we reckon it could be up to about a quarter of a million so that is a huge amount of impact for patients up and down the country. The walkout will be from 07:00 BST on Tuesday to 07:00 BST on Saturday. During last month's strike, hospitals drafted in consultants to provide cover but it is estimated a quarter of them are on leave due to the Easter holidays. "With the junior doctors out for the four days, but those four days being bookmarked either side by the Easter weekend and another weekend, the disruption is going to go on for 10 or 11 days," said Dr McCay. "What we expect to see is really significant diminished capacity within the health service." On health leaders' fears about the strikes, she added: "They think the impact is going to be so significant that this one is likely to have impact on patient safety, and that is a huge concern for every healthcare leader." Postponements are likely so that hospitals can focus on the most urgent and life-threatening cases, said Dr McCay. Health Secretary Steve Barclay has been urged to meet union representatives over the bank holiday weekend to try to resolve the issue. Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-director of the junior doctors' committee at the BMA, said they want to be sure Mr Barclay "is serious about pay erosion" - but added he is yet to put a credible offer on the table. "All we're asking for is a credible offer that shows us he's serious, that we can start a path of negotiations to try to address the real-terms pay cut," he said. The Department of Health and Social Care has said the BMA has to call off the strike for any negotiations to take place. It says the government is working with NHS England to put contingency plans in place to protect patient safety during the strike. "The NHS will prioritise resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, maternity and neonatal care, and trauma," a spokesman said. Are you a junior doctor with a view on the strike? Are you a patient affected? Share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

Late on Thursday night, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) convened a meeting for a group of international journalists at the defence ministry building in Tel Aviv. The IDF then set out for us the results of their initial inquiry into the killing of seven aid workers in Gaza. Retired Maj Gen Yoav Har-Even described how the IDF's drone operators mistook an aid worker carrying a bag for a gunman, and then targeted one of the World Central Kitchen vehicles with a missile. The IDF then described how two people escaped that vehicle and got into a second car, which was hit by another missile from a drone. The military confirmed that there were survivors from the second explosion, who managed to get into the third vehicle - which was then also hit by a missile. By the end, all the aid workers were dead. The IDF's investigation concluded that the army unit involved had believed the vehicles they were tracking from the sky had been taken over by Hamas gunmen, and that they were not aware of the coordination procedures put in place between the military and World Central Kitchen for that evening. It also said they also did not know the cars belonged to the charity, and the three air strikes were in violation of the army's own procedures. Three of the charity's cars were struck during the attack The evidence from the investigation has been passed to the Military Advocate General - the Israeli army's top legal authority - to determine if there has been any criminal conduct. In addition, the army has sacked the major in charge of fire support. The brigade's chief of staff, a colonel, has also been sacked. The divisional commander, brigade commander and the general in charge of the IDF's Southern Command have been formally reprimanded. The IDF sought to explain the context leading up to the fatal events of that evening. The aid workers had been overseeing the distribution of food aid that had arrived on a ship from Cyprus and unloaded at a recently constructed jetty in the northern Gaza strip. Under coordination with the IDF, the World Central Kitchen team were transferring these supplies to a warehouse a few kilometres further south. During this process, the IDF says their drone operators spotted a gunman riding on the roof of a large aid lorry that was being escorted by the WCK team. They played those of us at the briefing a somewhat blurry video - which has not been released to the public - showing a figure holding a gun, on top of the lorry. At one point the gun is fired, showing up clearly on the slowed-down black and white footage. At this stage the military contacts World Central Kitchen but they are in turn unable to reach the team on the ground - where phone communication is patchy and aid agencies say they are prohibited by the IDF from using radios. The drone footage also appears to confirm that at night, the stickers on the roof of the World Central Kitchen vehicles, with the charity's logo, are not visible to the drone operator. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: US says Israel must make changes in the coming "hours and days" The military then tracks the convoy, including the aid lorry, to a warehouse. Then the convoy splits - the aid lorry remains in the warehouse and four SUV-type cars emerge. One of those vehicles heads north, and is then shown to contain gunmen, with weapons clearly visible from the drone footage, as they emerge next to another aid warehouse. The IDF say that these gunmen were not targeted, because of their proximity to an aid facility. Meanwhile, three remaining vehicles belonging to World Central Kitchen begin to head south. The drone team, the army says, now working under the assumption that they are dealing with Hamas militants and not an aid convoy, had misidentified one of the aid workers as a gunman, and claimed to have seen them enter one of the three WCK cars. No footage of this moment was provided, but the military investigation concluded that it was a "misclassification... they saw that it's a rifle but at the end of the day it was a bag". Under the mistaken belief that one vehicle now contained a gunman, authorisation to fire a missile is sought, and granted by superior officers. At 23:09 the first vehicle is struck, two minutes later the second, and at 23:13 the third final, fatal strike is launched. The military's conclusions are that three major failings occurred:

The house met its auction guide price of £1.5m A house on the Thames in south east London, which has long been the subject of local intrigue, has sold for £1.5m. The property, said to be known as the "leaning tower of Rotherhithe", is four storeys high and 3.5m wide. It was purchased by a buyer from the area. Savills lot negotiator Steven Morish said: "Auction works really well for quirky lots like this. "The value in this is an art rather than a science; the buyers will set the value." The house, which was once part of a row of buildings, has a run-down exterior but still attracted "a really good level of interest" from across the globe. The row as it looked before World War Two. The house is to the right of "H. Pocock" The house boasts views of the City The building, now 1 Fulford Street, was formerly 41 Rotherhithe Street. Now the only house on the street, it was once surrounded by shipping businesses. To the west of the property, the buildings were destroyed during the Blitz in World War Two. In the 1960s, London County Council bought the remaining houses on the row but the owners of 41 Rotherhithe Street, barge constructors Braithwaite & Dean, refused to sell. The company employed lightermen - workers who used flat-bottomed barges to move goods between ships and quays - and they would pull up to collect their wages from the premises. Savills said it believed the buyer intended to live in the house. The former owners sold up as they were said to no longer require a London bolthole. The four-storey property had been in the same hands for 28 years The house has several bedrooms Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and events during the period of national mourning cost the government an estimated £162m, the Treasury has said. The state funeral on 19 September 2022 came 11 days after her death. During that period of national mourning hundreds of thousands of people visited Westminster where she was lying in state. The Home Office (£74m) and Department of Culture, Media and Sport (£57m) spent the most. The costs incurred by the government departments relate to the Queen's funeral and other events in the run-up, including the monarch's lying-in-state. John Glen, chief secretary to the Treasury, said the government's priority at the time had been to make sure "these events ran smoothly and with the appropriate level of dignity, while at all times ensuring the safety and security of the public". In a written ministerial statement made to Parliament, Mr Glen said the Treasury had provided additional funding where necessary and the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments were "fully" refunded for their respective costs. After Queen Elizabeth II died on 8 September 2022 aged 96, the UK started 10 days of national mourning. The late Queen's coffin was laid to rest in St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh for 24 hours, before the monarch was taken to Westminster Abbey in London where thousands of mourners queued for hours to pay their respects. People lined up in London at all hours of the day, often in chilly temperatures, to pay their respects - including David Beckham. The wait time at one stage was estimated to be more than 24 hours; and the queue snaked from Westminster Hall, down along the River Thames and stretched south for almost seven miles (11km). The scale of the state funeral and mourning arrangements led to what police described at the time as "probably the biggest operation we're likely to launch in the UK". Queen Elizabeth II's coffin being carried out of Westminster Abbey World leaders and foreign royalty joined the Royal Family for the state funeral at Westminster Abbey. Members of the 2,000-strong congregation included the Queen's great-grandchildren, the prime minister at the time Liz Truss and US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill. The event was watched by millions of people across the country and around the world. It was the first state funeral since Sir Winston Churchill's in 1965 and the biggest ceremonial event since World War Two. After the funeral, the Queen's coffin travelled in a procession to Wellington Arch and then on to its final journey to Windsor Castle and a committal service. Queen Elizabeth II's death was followed by 10 days of national mourning The cost was used to facilitate the smooth running of the event and ensure mourners from the UK and across the world could visit and take part safely, Downing Street has said. "Of course, a major international event of this scale, we wanted to ensure that we could enable people to pay their respects," a No 10 spokesman added.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has faced calls to be more open about his financial affairs Rishi Sunak paid more than £1m in UK tax over the last three years, details of the prime minister's financial affairs show. The UK tax was paid on earnings of more than £4.7m from income and a US-based investment fund. Mr Sunak first said he would publish a tax return during his unsuccessful campaign to be Tory leader last year. He faced calls to be transparent about his finances after it emerged his wife, Akshata Murty, had non-dom status. The tax details came as MPs questioned former Prime Minister Boris Johnson over whether he misled Parliament over Partygate. Mr Sunak is thought to be one of the richest MPs in Parliament and his personal wealth is something opposition parties have often used as a political attack line. The PM worked in finance before entering politics and he and his family are thought to own several properties, including a Grade II-listed manor house in his North Yorkshire constituency. In the last financial year alone, 2021-2022, the prime minister earned more than £1.9m in income and capital gains, according to the records. Capital gains are taxed at 20% in the UK, while the highest income tax band is 45% on earnings over £150,000. The records show the total UK tax he paid was: Nimesh Shah, chief executive of tax advisory firm Blick Rothenberg, pointed out that Mr Sunak only released a summary of his income and gains, rather than a traditional tax return filed with HM Revenue & Customs. "Whilst the public knows more now than it did before the release, it doesn't show the full picture," he said. Mr Shah said the supporting notes from Mr Sunak's accountants "give an explanation of how his tax position is made, rather than it being left to interpretation of his tax returns". "The release is a fairly controlled way of publishing his tax information." Earlier this month, during a trip to Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Sunak said he had been too "busy" to publish sooner. Labour said it was right Mr Sunak had published his tax returns "after much delay". The party's deputy leader Angela Rayner said: "They reveal a tax system designed by successive Tory governments in which the prime minister pays a far lower tax rate than working people who face the highest tax burden in 70 years." Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he hoped to be able to publish his tax returns on Thursday. The Liberal Democrats said Mr Sunak "snuck" the records out "whilst the world is distracted with Boris Johnson's Partygate grilling". "People will be much more concerned today about the staggering tax hikes Rishi Sunak has imposed on them," the party's Cabinet Office spokesperson Christine Jardine said. Mr Sunak said he was glad to publish his tax return "in the interests of transparency". Asked on a visit to north Wales if, given his wealth, he could understand what it is like for people struggling to heat their homes, Mr Sunak said: "Ultimately what people are interested in is what I'm going to do for them." Pointing to government support with energy bills, he said tackling the cost of living was his "number one priority". While there is not a long tradition of prime ministers publishing their tax returns, some of Mr Sunak's predecessors have chosen to do so in recent years. Former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron published his tax return in 2016 after revelations about his late father's offshore fund were revealed in the Panama Papers. Theresa May released her tax return during her campaign to be Tory leader in 2016, but did not do so when she was prime minister. The two previous prime ministers, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, did not publish their tax returns. The financial affairs of Mr Sunak and his family were thrust into the media spotlight when he was chancellor in 2022. Mr Sunak's wife, Ms Murty, revealed she had non-dom status, which meant she did not pay UK tax on her overseas earnings. Ms Murty is the daughter the billionaire founder of Indian IT giant Infosys and owns a share of the company, entitling her to dividend payments. As Mr Sunak came under political pressure, Ms Murty released a statement saying she would pay UK tax on her overseas income but retain her non-dom status. At about the same time, Mr Sunak admitted he had held a US green card - allowing permanent residence in that country - while he was chancellor. He returned the green card in October 2021, ahead of his first trip to the US as a UK government minister. Following these revelations, Mr Sunak referred himself to the prime minister's ethics adviser, who cleared him of breaching ministerial rules over the declaration of his financial arrangements. The document released by the government includes an explanation of the prime minister's tax affairs from 2019. The document says all of Mr Sunak's investment income and capital gains "relate to a single US-based investment fund", which is listed as a "blind management arrangement" on the register of ministers' interests. Politicians with share portfolios and investments routinely set up blind trusts when they get government jobs. This allows them to continue earning income from their investments without knowing where the money is invested to avoid any conflicts of interest. The document says "some of the income of the US-based investment fund is also subject to tax in other jurisdictions (including the USA)". Mr Sunak is thought to be one of the richest MPs in Parliament Mr Sunak - who has previously worked as an analyst for the investment bank, Goldman Sachs - has acknowledged that his investments are kept in a financial arrangement known as a blind trust. In February, in an interview with TalkTV presenter Piers Morgan, he was asked whether it was right for prime ministers to have blind trusts. Mr Sunak said: "I think that's better than them having control over them." Mr Sunak's records also show that the prime minister paid tax in the US on dividends in the country. A dividend is a sum of money paid by a company to its shareholders out of its profits. "These US dividends were also subject to tax in the UK," the document says. The document says Mr Sunak's previously held green card status did not impact his tax liability in either the UK or the US during the three financial years reported.

Shekhar Kapur says Hollywood's push to cast actors of colour comes from guilt Director Shekhar Kapur has said Hollywood's push for more diverse casts has come from its guilt over "all the actors who are not getting work". Kapur said the inclusion of ethnic minority actors in shows such as Netflix's Bridgerton is "a good thing" in terms of opportunity. But, he said, it hides "a greater, more fundamental issue" of which stories are brought to the big screen. He added the rise in protests had helped bring the issue to the fore. "Hollywood should be telling stories of that culture, of the culture of the brown people, of the African-American people, of the black people, of Asians," he told BBC Newsnight's Sima Kotecha. "But what's happening is they're still addicted to their, you know, the narrative is still their point of view." Kapur is best known for his films Elizabeth and its sequel The Golden Age, both starring Cate Blanchett, and Bollywood films such as Mr India and Bandit Queen. When asked about Hollywood's efforts to increase the diversity of actors in its films, Kapur described it as "a guilt trip" and woke. "It's Hollywood feeling guilty about all the actors that are not getting work. And because there's a huge rise of protests," he said. The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid released in cinemas in May starred black actress and singer Halle Bailey as main character Ariel, which caused controversy in some quarters. Halle Bailey starred in Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid earlier this year Kapur joined the film industry in India as an actor, before going on to become a director. His 1998 film Elizabeth, about the early years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, received widespread critical acclaim and several Oscar nominations. Following its release, the director said many of the scripts he received went on to be "a huge success", including ones that he turned down. Discussing international scripts he would receive, he said: "It's always an American going in, fixing the world's problem, going to Africa... and I said, 'Don't send me those scripts because it's not true'. Kapur was educated in Delhi before moving to London for a career as a management consultant and chartered accountant "For example, if you were going to make Gandhi the answer, the question was: 'Who's the American in it? Who's the American who goes and fixes all the problems? And who's the white man in the film?' "And I would refuse to do those films. Absolutely. Because it's not patently not true." Kapur was educated in Delhi before moving to London for a career as a management consultant and chartered accountant, but later turned to film directing, releasing his first film Masoom in 1983. The 77-year-old, whose most recent film What's Love Got To Do With It? starred Shazad Latif and Lily James, suggested the film industry is contained within far too small a geographical area. "I really believe that Hollywood's too concentrated together as like a group," he said. "I think it needs to be taken away and spread out. "I would love to see it in Shanghai if you can. I would love to see it in Mumbai or in Tokyo or as it's happening in Seoul."

Ms Frendo said Saul "always had the biggest infectious smile and was full of love" A teenager who died when his e-bike collided with an ambulance after he was followed by police was "the most sweetest, kindest boy ever", his mother has said. Saul Cookson, 15, was being followed by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) traffic officers in Salford on Thursday until bollards blocked their vehicle's path. His e-bike then collided with the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) vehicle. Emma Frendo said her son had been "loved by all that met him". "He was the sweetest, most kindest boy ever, and always had the biggest infectious smile and was full of love," she said. "Saul was a much-loved son, brother, grandson, and nephew, loved by all that met him." The Independent Office for Police Conduct has begun an investigation into Thursday's collision The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said an investigation into the collision. It said Saul had been riding a black off-road Sur-Ron e-bike and was followed by officers along Fitzwarren Street and on to Lower Seedley Road at about 14:00 BST before the crash on Langworthy Road. While not on an active call at the time of the crash, NWAS said its vehicle was being driven back to a nearby ambulance station. Its crew were immediately able to treat the boy before taking him to hospital, where he later died. Police and independent investigators have been examining the scene of the crash Writing on Facebook, Taylor-Jade Cookson paid tribute to her brother and said "words cannot describe my feelings at the moment". "Rest in peace Saul I love you," she added. Dozens of people have been leaving flowers and cards at the scene. Two sapphire blue, heart-shaped balloons have been tied at the foot of a lamppost, along with flowers, candles, cards and a large white banner full of handwritten messages. Another, circled with red hearts, simply reads "Gone but not forgotten". One of Saul's relatives who attended the scene to lay flowers said the family was "a mess" following their loss. Saul's friend, 21-year-old Mitchell Murden, said he had been due to meet him on the day he died. He described Saul as "a good lad" who "kept himself to himself". Family friend Jacob Bailey said "no-one had a bad word to say" about Saul Family friend Jacob Bailey, 19, told BBC Newsbeat he came to lay some flowers and pay his respects as he had "known Saul since I was about five". "He was just one of those proper nice kids," he said. "He never ever caused anyone any harm. "No-one had a bad word to say about Saul." Neighbour Karen Cosgrove said she had passed the scene at about 14:30 BST on Thursday and saw Saul lying on the ground. "I walked away, I could barely look at it," she said. "His mum was there, she was screaming. Heartfelt messages have been left at the crash scene Some concerns have been expressed by local people about the availability and use of high-powered e-bikes. Mr Murden said "the majority" of young people in the area had them. Mike McCusker, lead member for transport at Salford City Council, said there was "growing concern" in the community about e-bikes, particularly "very young men riding round without helmets on". "The ones we have on our loan schemes are limited to about 15mph, but there are unregulated ones that can go up to speeds of 60mph. "We don't think regulation is keeping track with the technological advancements around e-bikes." Flowers and candles have also been left at the scene In a statement, GMP said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the boy who tragically died." The IOPC said it had begun gathering evidence, including dashcam footage from the police vehicle, and had taken initial statements from two police officers, who were being treated as witnesses. A representative said there was "no indication at this early time... of direct physical contact between the police vehicle and the e-bike", but examinations of both were "continuing". IOPC regional director Catherine Bates said it was "important we understand the events leading up to this incident and will be looking at the actions and decision-making of police prior to the collision, including the reason for the decision to follow the bike". She asked anyone who witnessed or had dashcam footage of the collision or "events leading up to it" to get in touch. Were you in the area? Did you witness the incident? You can share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected] • None Teen on e-bike dies after being followed by police

As well as rising numbers of post-Covid illnesses, those suffering from mental health and back issues account for many on long-term sick "Written off" and "ashamed" - this is how one woman described the experience of being on long-term sick leave. Emma - not her real name - from north Wales, said she wanted to return to work but had lost her self-esteem and confidence. It comes as official data shows those not working due to long-term sickness remain at record levels in the UK. The Welsh government said it was working to help people with ill health back into employment. Emma has been away from her healthcare role since contracting Covid and said she felt ashamed about not being able to return to her job. She said: "I feel written off. I feel a lot of it was blamed on mental health."I was told that I should be mindful and getting out in the fresh air, which felt very patronising." Emma said she believed that if her employer were to make some changes, she would be able to return to her role. "I was told I'd need to complete a high number of hours on my first week of return - not all illnesses can accommodate strict policy," she said. Nicola Allen has recently returned to work with a friend's company Nicola Allen from Whitchurch, Cardiff, started experiencing health issues during pregnancy and was later diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. "I always had the plan that I would return to work when my son was in school full-time, but that didn't happen," she said. Nicola had worked in London for many years as an assistant buyer for a popular high street clothes shop. After about eight years out of work, Nicola was recently offered a part-time employment opportunity through a friend's company. She said: "My previous career was demanding so I was nervous, but they were clear they wanted me, as me - and they understood my conditions. "I even told them I was frightened, because I didn't want to let them down, or myself down." The support Nicola is given means she can manage her health as and when she needs to. She said she felt more confident as a result. "Long-term sick doesn't mean we don't want to work, we do - we're just unfortunately not being given the opportunities that work with our illnesses," she said. About 2.5 million people in the UK are not working due to health problems, the Office for National Statistics said. It said an increase in mental health issues and people suffering back pain, possibly due to home working, were the main causes of the rise. Typically, for every 13 people currently working, one person is long-term sick. "Figures had started going up before the pandemic but that trend continued into the pandemic and accelerated in 2021 to reach a record high," said David Freeman, head of labour markets and household at the Office of National Statistics. He said there had been a change in types of illnesses - including post-viral fatigue "which could be linked to long-Covid". He also described rising cases of people affected by back and mental health issues. Head of Wales at Federation of Small Businesses, Ben Cottam, said: "Illness costs businesses financially across the UK £5 billion a year, so there is a definite economic impact, which is why we'd like to see government-targeted intervention." In a statement, the Welsh government said: "We are working to help people suffering with ill-health back into work. Our plan for employability and skills prioritises people most in need of help. "This includes supporting people to stay in work and those further away from the labour market to find employment. "Furthermore, in February 2023, we announced the Out of Work Service to support 10,500 people recovering from mental ill-health and/ or substance misuse into education, training or work by March 2025." The Department for Work and Pensions said: "We know for many people there are significant benefits to being in work, including for their wellbeing. We're investing £3.5 billion to help millions, including those with long-term illness, to start, stay and succeed in work. "Our plan is working - inactivity in Wales has fallen since last quarter - but for those who can't return to work yet, employers can choose to pay more occupational sick pay for longer, while Universal Credit provides a strong financial safety net for those needing extra support."

Snowmelt has brought waves of ice down the Yukon and Kuskokwin rivers in Alaska, causing massive flooding and a disaster declaration from the state's governor.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. I am very disappointed by Labour's lack of ambition, says union leader Labour needs to be "bolder" and "more ambitious", rather than "tinkering around the edges", the head of the UK's second largest union has told the BBC. Unite leader Sharon Graham warned that otherwise "apathy" would be the winner at the next general election. The union gives more money to Sir Keir Starmer's party than any other. Ms Graham saw off a bid this week by some members to end Unite's affiliation to Labour, which guarantees the party nearly £1.5m a year. She argued it would be the worst time to leave the Labour Party when it was "within touching distance of power, because that would reduce union influence". Ms Graham's membership spans public and private sectors, so what influence does she want to exercise? Next Saturday, Labour's National Policy Forum meets behind closed doors in Nottingham. It brings together trade union representatives with MPs, grassroots members, and some shadow ministers. Although any policies agreed there are not guaranteed to be included in the next election manifesto, trade unions can make very clear where their priorities lie. For Unite, taking energy companies and the struggling steel industry into public ownership are near the top of its agenda. During a number of meetings with the Labour leadership, Ms Graham has pressed her case that it would be cheaper to buy a steel industry that has lost much of its market value, than to bail out its private owners. The Labour leader was publicly urged to do this when he spoke at Unite's policy conference in Brighton this week. But while he has talked of "preserving" the industry if Labour wins power, he would not commit to acquiring it for the state. Ms Graham is now intending to take a less conventional approach to policy-making. The plan is for "hundreds of organisers" to go to marginal seats and talk to voters there about the case for taking key industries into public hands. The message will be reinforced by Unite-funded billboards. The hope is that then voters will press local Labour parties and local candidates to commit to backing nationalisation. "We will take our ideas to the people," Ms Graham told me. "The real decision-makers are the voters. If they push those ideas, politicians tend to move when they speak to voters." Her over-arching criticism is that Labour's leadership is not setting out a distinctive enough alternative to the government, and feels too constrained by the state of the economy. She argued that "we need be as bold as the 1945 Labour government" which created the NHS. "There wasn't much money about then, I can tell you," she said. The next Labour government could leave a lasting legacy, she suggested. "People will say they remember when energy companies were privatised and when they paid massive bills, and it was a Labour government that stopped all that." The Labour leadership would argue that unless the party is trusted on the economy, many of the things trade unions want - like increased employment rights - simply won't happen. Its strategists also believe that it has to be seen to be moving away from Corbyn-era policies to win back voters who abandoned the party in 2019. But Ms Graham told me that abiding strictly by shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves's "fiscal rules" had led to "inertia", and people were beginning to ask: "What's the difference?" between government and opposition. "If Labour are saying what's happening now is awful, and it is absolutely awful, they have to come out with solutions to that." While Labour is criticising the number of children in poverty, its shadow ministers have been told they can't commit, for example, to provide free school meals for all primary children, because that would be a spending commitment. Ms Graham said the party must "talk about what they can do to change Britain. People want something to vote for." She told her members this week that maintaining Unite's financial link to Labour would give her "maximum leverage" with the party. But so far she hasn't moved policy on energy and steel. So by guaranteeing funds to Sir Keir Starmer, wasn't she actually reducing her bargaining power? "The affiliation fee is what you pay to be part of the club. But most of the money we gave Labour traditionally was outside the affiliation fee," she said. For example, the union donated an additional £3m to Labour before the last election. But Ms Graham warned there were "no blank cheques". "I want to see some movement if we are going to give what we usually give... We would be better off with a Labour government, but I am very, very disappointed with the lack of ambition."

A large tree has fallen in Killyleagh, County Down Fallen trees and power outages have caused disruption across Northern Ireland during Storm Kathleen. A yellow warning for strong winds ended at 22:00 BST, with the strongest gusts recorded reaching 69mph in County Down. Some flights - including all Aer Lingus services at Belfast City Airport - and ferry sailings were cancelled. For the second time this year, part of the roof of Titanic Belfast was damaged by strong winds. The Met Office had warned of possible travel disruption, power cuts, and a risk of injuries from large waves. Similar weather warnings were also issued in the Republic of Ireland. A spokesperson said Titanic Belfast visitor centre was shut on Saturday afternoon and would remain closed on Sunday as a "precautionary measure". "Due to the ongoing inclement weather, access to the roof to assess the damage is limited and remedial works can not yet begin to take place," they said. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Pre-booked customers are to be refunded, with the attraction expected to re-open on Monday. It had previously been impacted by Storm Isha in January. Fallen trees, downed power lines and some flooding also led to the closure of a number of roads including: Stena Line cancelled four sailings between Belfast and Cairnryan on Saturday due to the adverse weather. A 19:30 sailing from Cairnryan to Belfast has also been delayed. Stena Line services between Dublin and Holyhead were also cancelled. P&O said its ferry sailings between Larne and Cairnryan at 12:00, 16:00 and 20:00 were off. A British Airways flight from London Heathrow was diverted to Belfast International on Saturday morning. Passenger Jonathan Pankhurst said the flight made two attempts to land in its original Belfast City destination before landing in Aldergrove instead. "It was a rollercoaster ride to be honest, I think I was at Blackpool Pleasure Beach," he told BBC News NI. Jonathan Pankhurst's flight from London's Heathrow was diverted to Belfast International on Saturday NIE Networks said about 750 customers have been left without power after high winds caused "a low level of damage to the electricity network". "Our teams are working to repair any damage caused and restore power as quickly as possible," a spokesperson added. In the Republic of Ireland, 12,000 homes, farms and businesses were left without electricity by Storm Kathleen. ESB Networks said the largest outages were in counties Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Laois and Wicklow. A spokesman said crews aim to restore supply power to the "vast majority" on Saturday evening, however some would be without power overnight. "We apologise to all homes, farms and businesses impacted for the inconvenience caused," he said. The colourful houses of Whitehead were sprayed by the waves on Saturday morning Stormont departments had advised people not to visit forests, country parks or nature reserves in the affected areas and to be careful when driving. The Stormont Estate was also closed as a precaution while vehicle access to forests, including for caravanning and camping, was also suspended for the duration of the weather warning. Travellers have been advised to check providers for updates. The strongest wind was recorded at 69mph (111 km/h) at Orlock Head in County Down. As of noon on Saturday, other strong winds were recorded at: The Department for Infrastructure said on Friday that "multi-agency partners including the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland), NIE (Northern Ireland Electricity), the Department for Infrastructure and other emergency response and public sector organisations have met to prepare for Storm Kathleen". Belfast City Council said due to the weather conditions, all grass pitches at Victoria Park, Cherryvale, Wedderburn and Strangford would be closed. A yellow warning for wind in parts of the Republic of Ireland was lifted at 20:00 local time. But a fresh yellow warning has been issued for Donegal, Mayo and west Galway until 16:00 local time on Sunday. Waterford and Wexford are also impacted by strong winds for several hours overnight. Dublin Airport said it was open, but passengers should continue to check for updates. Large waves caused by Storm Kathleen battered the coast in Salthill, County Galway Six flights - three inbound and three outbound flights - had been cancelled by noon. A separate flight from Dallas to Dublin was diverted to Paris due to the weather conditions, the airport said. This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Dublin Airport This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Met Éireann is warning of some coastal flooding, travel disruption, and fallen trees. Sunday will also be a windy day with widespread gusts of more than 65km/h (40mph). Storm Kathleen is the 11th named storm of the season which runs from 1 September 2023 until 31 August 2024. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. It is also the first time storms have reached the letter K in the alphabet since Storm Katie in late March 2016. Storm Jocelyn brought major disruption to the road network across Northern Ireland in January.

Mark Drakeford has been Welsh Labour leader since 2018 In an emotional speech to his party First Minister Mark Drakeford has said his grief losing his wife will not stop his work for Labour. Close to tears, the Welsh party leader thanked those who showed him kindness after his wife Clare died in January. He also called for Sir Keir Starmer to ditch first past the post in favour of proportional representation. But the UK Labour leader said it was not a priority for an incoming Labour government. Earlier Sir Keir said he would return control over economic aid to Welsh ministers if he became PM. Mr Drakeford spoke at Welsh Labour conference in Llandudno on Saturday. He said in recent weeks he had been given "words of kindness and sympathy, from people within our party, and also from people I've never met". "That has been a strength to me, personally - a heartfelt thanks to you all." Later he added: "Even when our hearts are weighed down with the intolerable burden of grief, we know our duty, our moral obligation... that this party has to run towards the dangers that blight so many lives, and never ever run away from them." In his speech he gave his strongest support yet for major reforms to the Westminster electoral system. He called for Sir Keir Starmer to bring an end to the first past the post voting system, which sees MPs elected based on which candidate wins the most votes in a constituency. Keir Starmer and Mark Drakeford both spoke on the first day of Welsh Labour conference. "The next Labour government must lead the task of democratic renewal," he said. "I do not believe that we can go on simply accepting a system which time and time again produces Conservative majorities on a minority of the votes cast." Appearing to address critics of proportional representation within his own party, Mr Drakeford said: "To those who continue to fear a change in the electoral system. "I say simply look at what we have done here in Wales - 25 years of winning and working within a proportional electoral system." He accused the Conservatives of hollowing out democracy with a "dreadful brand of selfish, self-enriching politics, where even a football commentator is expected to toe the Tory line or to find their job at risk". Responding to Mr Drakeford's calls for voting reform, Sir Keir said praised Mr Drakeford's "powerful speech". "I don't think anybody could not be moved by Mark's speech." He added: "It's not a priority for an incoming Labour government." This was an emotional speech from Mark Drakeford whose enthusiasm for public life is clearly undimmed by his recent tragedy. With all eyes at conference on an expected general election in 2024 he gave a rousing endorsement of UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. But while Mr Drakeford is passionate about securing a UK Labour victory, it's also the case that the two men have very different views on some policy issues. Sir Keir looked uncomfortable when Mr Drakeford argued for electoral reform at Westminster and the avowed socialist, Mark Drakeford, looked less than enthused by Sir Keir's emphasis on "sound money" . Welsh Labour conference has always loved Mark Drakeford as first minister and his rapturous reception continued this time. Delegates gave Sir Keir a notably warmer reception than he's had at previous Welsh party conferences, a sign perhaps of the party's increasing confidence ahead of the next election.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Dorset Police was involved in carrying out raids as part of Operation Mille Police have seized up to £130m worth of cannabis plants and arrested almost 1,000 people in the UK's largest ever crackdown on organised crime. More than 180,000 plants were discovered in raids across England and Wales in June. Officers also seized 20 firearms, £636,000 in cash and 20kg of cocaine, with a potential street value of £1m. The operation has been described as the "most significant" of its kind ever run across UK law enforcement. Some 182,422 plants were seized, worth an estimated £115m-£130m Operation Mille targeted what law enforcement believe is a cash cow for organised crime gangs (OCGs) who are also involved in other offences such as money laundering, Class A drug smuggling and violence. Cannabis is a Class B drug, not Class A like heroin or cocaine, but large-scale cannabis cultivation is seen as a key source of illicit income for criminal gangs. The aim of the month-long operation was to disrupt OCGs by taking out a key source of their revenue, apprehending those involved and gathering intelligence on how the networks operate. Steve Jupp, the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) lead for Serious and Organised Crime, said the operation had "successfully disrupted a significant amount of criminal activity". "We know that organised networks involved in cannabis production are also directly linked to an array of other serious criminality such as Class A drug importation, modern slavery and wider violence and exploitation," he said. "The intelligence gathered will also help inform future law enforcement across the country." Around 11,000 officers from all 43 police forces in England and Wales, as well as the National Crime Agency and Immigration Enforcement, co-ordinated over 1,000 warrants in June. Of those arrested, more than 450 people have since been charged. "Cannabis-related crime is often thought to be 'low level', however there are clear patterns around the exploitation and violence organised crime groups are using to protect their enterprises," Mr Jupp added. "We also frequently find that cannabis production is just one aspect of their criminal operations and that they are complicit in wider offending which blights our communities." The NPCC is a body which brings leaders across police forces in the UK together to set policy direction. This was among the items seized during the operation Almost £650,000 in cash was seized

Hundreds of properties were left without power and trees blocked roads as Storm Noa swept across Devon and Cornwall. Gusts of more than 60mph (96.5km/h) were recorded on the Isles of Scilly and the Met Office predicted wind speeds of up to 70mph (113km/h). A tree fell on to a house in Raleigh Avenue, Cockington, Torquay. Police said the road would be closed for the remainder of the day and Thursday until the tree was cleared. It confirmed the fire service, highways and a tree management team were in attendance, and everyone in the house was accounted for. A female driver suffered a face injury after hitting a tree which had blocked the A377 in Devon Police also confirmed a woman was left injured when her car hit a tree that had fallen across the A377 near Copplestone, Devon. She sustained a facial injury and was taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. The tree, which had blocked the road, was cleared with the help of a local farmer and emergency services. Tree surgeons cut down and removed a fallen tree in Plymouth A fallen tree was also reported outside of the Plymouth Guildhall with three cars damaged when it landed on them. At 14:00 BST, the National Grid said 268 properties in Devon were without power. More than 700 homes were also reportedly without power in the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall. The National Grid confirmed power had been restored to most properties in St Austell and it was working to restore supplies to all homes later. A tree fell outside the Plymouth Guildhall on to three cars Speed restrictions were in place on the main rail line between Plymouth and Penzance and drivers on the M5, A38 and A30 were urged to take extra care. Stagecoach South West reported its buses were diverted in Torquay due to a fallen tree in Hawkins Avenue and other services were delayed in Plymouth. Ed Parkinson captured the crashing waves in Ilfracombe on Wednesday The National Trust closed some of its sites on Dartmoor. In a yellow warning, which was valid until 20:00, the Met Office predicted strong winds with severe coastal gales in the south and west. It said the winds, low temperatures and heavy rain or showers were down to an Atlantic low-pressure system slowly moving eastwards across the UK. Some campers evacuated campsites as winds tore down tents. Steve Ackland, of Monkey Tree Holiday Park near Newquay, said: "We had some fantastic weather last weekend and this is the flip side of that. "It is what you expect in Cornwall in April and the fact that there are still so many people around is testament that it's a great place to be." Others like holidaymaker Katrina Kay were sticking it out. "If you go camping you know what you're letting yourself in for, it's not been bad really," she said. Have you been affected by Storm Noa? You can share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Last updated on .From the section The Hundred The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is "starting to pursue" private investment in The Hundred teams, says chief executive Richard Gould. The Hundred, a 100-ball tournament launched in 2021, is currently funded by the ECB, with capital filtered down to the associated counties. Gould said discussions had led to investment being sought at team level rather than in the tournament itself. "We're looking at how that might manifest itself," Gould told BBC Sport. "The Hundred is a good vehicle for private investment to come into the game." Private investment in cricket has grown with the owners of Indian Premier League teams - the world's biggest franchise league - investing in sides in South Africa, the United States and the United Arab Emirates. The ECB has invested a further £100,000 in salaries for the women's game for 2024, but both the men's and women's players earn significantly less than in franchise tournaments in India, which has made it difficult to attract the world's best overseas players. "Most of our counties are privately-owned members clubs. That has provided a great stable base for a number of decades but, sometimes, in order to be able to compete on a global scale we need to bring in private investment also," said Gould at a launch event before the new English domestic season starts on Friday. The Hundred was created by the ECB to attract a more diverse audience and to fit into shorter broadcast slots. A record 580,000 fans attended matches in 2023, with 41% of tickets sold to families and 30% to women. However, the tournament has faced criticism from traditional cricket fans, who are unhappy with how some of the 18 counties are represented in the tournament. The eight Hundred sides see counties combined, such as Yorkshire and Durham at Northern Superchargers, but others face lengthy journeys with fans of Somerset and Gloucestershire having Cardiff-based Welsh Fire as their nearest side. Asked if there was a danger that investment at team level may result in money being harder to filter down and teams feeling more marginalised, Gould said he did not think that was the case. "The way that our sport is organised and governed, everything under one umbrella, does allow us to make sure that any money that is available is invested in the area that is most appropriate and where we'll get the most return," said Gould. The ECB are committed to the tournament until 2028 in a broadcast deal with Sky Sports, and Gould feels investment will take the tournament to new levels over the next five years. "The excitement levels will significantly increase," he said. "We'll be able to make sure we retain and attract all the best players in the world and have a game that either broadcasters, supporters or new fans want to be involved with. "I'm very excited by what that could bring for the whole ecosystem of cricket, whether that is franchise led teams or county clubs." Sam Billings, who captained Oval Invincibles to the 2023 men's title, told BBC Sport: "We want to be the second-best competition in the world, so it is how we do that. "It might be a partnership, and that is a really key word, because if it is and it is always invested back into the fabric of our game then those are the key components, because ultimately we still want the English game to be incredibly strong in 50-100 years." The 2024 edition of The Hundred begins on 23 July, with selected games on BBC TV.

The battle for Bakhmut has become the longest of the war that Russia launched last year Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated the Wagner paramilitary group, after it claimed to have captured the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin - posing with some of his fighters - made the claim in a video posted to social media on Saturday. Ukraine's deputy defence minister rejected the claim, but admitted the situation in the city was "critical". One of the war's bloodiest battles, fighting has raged since August. Wagner paramilitary forces have led the Russian attack on Bakhmut - which analysts say is of little strategic value to Moscow - and has seen thousands of troops killed. Ukraine, for its part, has also decided to make a stand in a battle which has become the longest and bloodiest of the war so far. But in comments carried by Russian state media, Mr Putin claimed Wagner troops, supported by Russian air force jets, had completed "the operation to liberate" Bakhmut on Saturday after months of intense fighting. Mr Prigozhin, a close ally of the Russian president, leads the thousands-strong group, nominally a private military company. He has claimed before that his forces have taken Bakhmut - or most of it - only for Ukrainians to swiftly deny the claims. Mr Prigozhin has also targeted top Russian military officials, criticising them publicly for not supplying his troops with enough ammunition. In his latest video claiming control of Bakhmut, Mr Prigozhin said "no-one can pedantically reproach us for the fact that at least some piece was not taken". Explosions can be heard in the background, suggesting fighting continues close to the city, if not inside it. He also promised to hand the city over to regular Russian troops later in the month. His claims were echoed by the Russian defence ministry on Saturday night, state media in Moscow reported. Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed to control Bakhmut in a video flanked by Wagner fighters But in a statement on the messaging platform Telegram moments afterwards, Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said: "Heavy fighting in Bakhmut. The situation is critical. "As of now, our defenders control some industrial and infrastructure facilities in the area and the private sector." Western officials estimate between 20,000 and 30,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in Bakhmut, while Ukraine's military has also paid a heavy price. There is hardly a building left unscathed, and the city's entire population has vanished. The latest Wagner claim came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky went to Japan to attend a meeting of the leaders of the world's most industrialised countries, the G7. His Western allies pledged more support, including taking a significant step towards providing F-16 fighter jets, and announced more sanctions on Russia. Russian troops invaded Ukraine on 24 February last year and control parts of its east. Ukraine has been expected to launch an offensive to retake seized territories, but Mr Zelensky recently said that more time is needed to prepare. He has called Bakhmut "a fortress" of Ukrainian morale. Ukraine's hope is that the fight over Bakhmut has blunted Russia's ability to conduct its own offensive operations, and exhausted its army and supplies.

This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Protesters ran onto the Scottish Grand National course Police have charged 24 people after animal rights protesters tried to disrupt the Scottish Grand National. A large group breached fences at Ayr racecourse and made towards the track at about 15:20 before a further smaller group tried to disrupt a later race. Police Scotland said officers "safely removed" people on both occasions and no injuries were reported. The force confirmed all 24 charges were over breach of the peace. All were released and are due to appear at Ayr Sheriff Court on Monday. Security was ramped up at the racecourse after protests delayed the start of the Grand National last week. The Ayr protest followed the death of horse Oscar Elite in the 13:50 race on Saturday. Activists said they wanted to stop other horses from dying or coming to harm. Although the activist group Animal Rising claimed to have delayed the 18-horse event, won by Kitty's Light, it started only three minutes late. The group said it wanted to highlight the exploitation of animals for sport and food. It said it will continue with more race disruptions as well as a series of farm occupations and animal "rescues". Protester Sarah McCaffrey from the group said last week's protest at the Grand National started a "crucial conversation about our relationship with animals and nature". On Saturday, she said: "Today we continue that conversation. As a society, we love animals, but we have to find a way to care for them without harming them." Ms McCaffrey called for an end to horse racing and a transition to a plant-based food system. Animal rights campaigners attempted to rush onto the course Police Scotland Assistant Ch Con Tim Mairs said police officers and stewards had responded swiftly to intervene and "prevent further escalation". He said: "We worked closely with the event organisers and other partners ahead of the Scottish Grand National to ensure a proportionate plan was in place to keep people safe and facilitate peaceful protest." Ayr's managing director David Brown also praised the swift action of the police and security teams on course. He said: "The race went off to time, there was no notable delay and the professionalism of the team up here in Scotland was a credit to them, they dealt with it in a very efficient manner." Following the Grand National at Aintree last week, Merseyside Police said they arrested 118 people over disruption which saw nine people enter the course. Up to 17,000 people were expected at Ayr racecourse for the Scottish version of the race. The Scottish Grand National was inaugurated in Ayrshire in 1867 and has taken place at Ayr since 1966.

The home of Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell was searched for two days at the start of March Police had to wait two weeks before they were given permission to raid the home of Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, it has emerged. The Crown Office was told on 20 March that Police Scotland wanted a search warrant. It was not until 3 April - a week after the SNP leadership contest ended - that the application for a warrant was approved by a sheriff. Officers searched the home of the former first minister two days later. Details were released by Police Scotland in response to a Freedom of Information Request (FOI) by the Scottish Conservatives that was first reported by the Scottish Sun. Sources close to the inquiry have denied that there was an undue delay. But opposition parties said the revelation would "raise eyebrows" and questioned the role of Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC, who heads the Crown Office but is also a Scottish government minister. Ms Bain did not answer when she was asked by Sky News whether the warrant had been deliberately delayed. A spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: "In all matters, Scotland's prosecutors act independently of political pressure or interference."It is standard that any case regarding politicians is dealt with by prosecutors without the involvement of the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General." BBC Scotland understands that a draft search warrant was submitted by the police which the fiscal then discussed with officers before its contents were finalised. The warrant, which is reported to have included a long list of items the police wanted to seize, was then signed by a sheriff on the same day it was finished. Mr Murrell, who had quit as the SNP's chief executive on 18 March, was arrested when officers investigating the party's finances arrived at the Glasgow home he shares with Ms Sturgeon early on the morning of 5 April. Several boxes of evidence were removed from the SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh Police spent two days searching the house, with several boxes of evidence being removed. Mr Murrell was released without charge pending further investigations. The SNP's headquarters in Edinburgh was also searched on 5 April and a luxury motorhome that sells for about £110,000 was seized from outside the home of Mr Murrell's mother in Dunfermline. Colin Beattie, who was the party's treasurer at the time, was arrested on 18 April before also being released without charge while further inquiries were carried out. He subsequently quit as treasurer. The contest to succeed Ms Sturgeon as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister had ended on 27 March when Humza Yousaf, who was the party hierarchy's preferred candidate, narrowly defeated Kate Forbes. Newspaper reports earlier this year claimed that some people within Police Scotland were frustrated by the direction they were being given by the Crown Office on the SNP investigation. Scottish Conservative MSP Russell Findlay told BBC Scotland: "There has been this continual sense of something not feeling quite right and of some frustration being expressed not by journalists, not by politicians, but by police officers and this latest revelation perhaps only feeds into that sense. "From what I understand the Crown Office is suggesting this was perfectly regular and routine, but the entire investigation is so sensitive and is subject to a huge amount of speculation and the more transparency there is around it the better." Mr Findlay said the case also raised "fundamental questions" about the role of the Lord Advocate, who heads the independent prosecution service while also sitting as a minister in Scottish government cabinet meetings. He added: "It doesn't feel appropriate. And that separation needs to happen." Jackie Baillie, the deputy leader of Scottish Labour, said the two-week delay was a "very interesting revelation that will lead to raised eyebrows across Scotland". She added: "While I accept that the Lord Advocate may not have had a direct influence on the timing, this story underlines why we need to have a serious discussion about separating the role of the Lord Advocate to ensure that no perception of conflict of interest can ever occur." Alba MP Kenny MacAskill, who served as justice secretary in the SNP government led by Alex Salmond, called for a judge-led inquiry into the Crown Office's role in the granting of the warrant to search Ms Sturgeon's house and the SNP HQ. He said this would "reassure the public that the decisions taken by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service have not been influenced by political considerations". Privately, prosecutors and police are deeply frustrated by the latest headlines and vehemently deny that the SNP's leadership contest played any part in the timing of the searches. Some legal figures describe the two-week process to secure search warrants as unusually long. A senior lawyer who has worked with the Crown Office in the past said: "It all depends on why it took two weeks. If it was for operational reasons, there's nothing wrong with that. "If it was for further inquiries, there's nothing wrong with that. If it was for political reasons, to delay things, there's a lot wrong with that." One source close to the inquiry said: "The concept that there was a delay is misplaced. The decision was taken by a procurator fiscal with no political affiliation." Given the apparent complexity of the investigation and the fact that the stakes are so high, it would be astonishing if prosecutors were not taking their time and the greatest of care. Inevitably, in something like this, it's a case of "damned if they do, damned if they don't". Police launched their Operation Branchform investigation almost two years ago after receiving complaints about how a total of £666,953 donated to the SNP by activists was used. The party pledged to spend the funds on a future independence referendum. Questions were raised after its accounts showed it had just under £97,000 in the bank at the end of 2019, and total net assets of about £272,000. Last year it emerged Mr Murrell gave a loan of more than £100,000 to the SNP to help it out with a "cash flow" issue after the last election. The party had repaid about half of the money by October of that year. It still owes money to its former chief executive, but has not said how much. Ms Sturgeon has previously said the police investigation played no part in her decision to announce on 15 February that she was standing down as SNP leader and first minister. She also said the first she knew that the police wanted to search her home and arrest her husband was when detectives arrived on her doorstep. She added: "There are many questions that I would want to be able to answer and in the fullness of time I hope I will answer, but it would be wrong and inappropriate for me to go into any detail of what the police are currently investigating."

Pouria Zeraati said he he is "feeling better" and recovering An Iranian TV host stabbed in London has been discharged from hospital and says he is now staying in a safe place. Iran International presenter Pouria Zeraati, 36, was repeatedly stabbed in an attack by a group outside his home in Wimbledon, south London, on Friday afternoon, his channel said. The London-based station said it had faced "heavy threats" for 18 months. Counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation. The Iranian regime has denied any involvement. Mr Zeraati thanked well-wishers for their "sympathy, kindness and love in the past few days". "Fortunately, I am feeling better, recovering and I have been discharged from the hospital," he posted on X. "My wife and I are residing at a safe place under the supervision of the Met Police." Mr Zeraati claimed the suspects in the attack had purposefully planned it. A neighbour, who wanted to remain anonymous, told BBC News an officer had spoken to them and said there were three attackers who ran up the road and were picked up. Iran International says it provides independent coverage of events in the country, but the regime in Tehran has declared it a terrorist organisation. The channel's spokesman told BBC Today programme on Saturday the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) had been targeting journalists and their families. Adam Baillie said: "It was a shocking, shocking incident, whatever the outcome of an investigation reveals. "But for him as a leading presenter, as with our other presenters and journalists, yes, it is a great shock. "It's the first attack of its kind." Iran's charge d'affaires in the UK, Mehdi Hosseini Matin, said "we deny any link" to the incident. Mr Zeraati posted a picture on Instagram on Saturday, showing him smiling from his hospital bed. No arrests have been made, the Metropolitan Police said. The force said it was not yet able to provide further information about any motive behind the attack, but Mr Zeraati's occupation coupled with recent threats towards UK-based Iranian journalists meant the investigation was being led by specialist counter-terrorism officers. Cdr Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: "I appreciate the concern this incident has caused, for local people as well as for those in similar lines of work and from Iranian communities." In January, the Foreign Office announced sanctions against members of the IRGC's Unit 840 following an ITV investigation into plans to assassinate two of Iran International's presenters in the UK. At the time, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said "the Iranian regime and the criminal gangs who operate on its behalf pose an unacceptable threat to the UK's security". Iran International resumed its operations in London last September after temporarily moving its broadcasting studios to Washington DC in February 2023 because of a "significant escalation in state-backed threats from Iran". In a separate case in December last year, Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, a Chechen-born Austrian national, was jailed for three-and-a-half years for spying on Iran International before a "planned attack" on UK soil. The Met Police said last year that since the start of 2020, 15 plots to either kidnap or kill UK-based individuals perceived as enemies of the Iranian regime had been foiled. Nearly 18 months ago, Iran International became one of the main providers of news during a wave of anti-government protests in Iran. Pouria Zeraati is the television host of the Last Word program on Iran International

We are now ending our coverage of today's events in France after yesterday's knife attack at a playground in the eastern city of Annecy. To read the latest on this story, head here. If you need support after reading about these distressing events, you can find details of organisations which can help using BBC Action Line. Today's page was brought to you by our writers Laura Gozzi, Jack Burgess and Sam Hancock; the editors were Alexandra Fouché, Alys Davies and James FitzGerald; and we had help from video producer Anna Boyd.

Eleanor Williams was found guilty of eight counts of perverting the course of justice Three men tried to take their own lives after being falsely accused of rape and trafficking, a court has heard. Eleanor Williams accused the men of attacking her and posted on Facebook in May 2020 that she was the victim of an Asian grooming gang. The 22-year-old of Barrow-in-Furness was found guilty of perverting the course of justice in January. During a sentencing hearing at Preston Crown Court, Mohammed Ramzan, said the lies had made his life "hell on earth". Mr Ramzan said two weeks after he was arrested following Williams' claims, he attempted to take his own life. He said: "I still bear the scars to this day." Mr Ramzan said his property had been damaged and his businesses had been "ruined" after he and his family were targeted "in the most horrendous way". "I have had countless death threats made over social media from people all over the world because of what they thought I was involved in," he said. One of the men she falsely accused, Jordan Trengove, spent 73 days in custody In a statement read to the court, Jordan Trengove said the word "rapist" had been spray painted across his house. He said he spent 73 days in prison, sharing a cell with a convicted sex offender, after he was charged as a result of Williams' claims. He said: "Things had calmed down a bit until the Facebook post in 2020. "This made things even worse for me. There were big protests and marches in Barrow. "The lowest point was when I tried to end my life in August 2020." Oliver Gardner said his chance encounter with Williams in Preston led to him being sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Mr Gardner, who was accused of rape, said it was a "real shock" when he was contacted by Cumbria Police and told of her claims. He said: "It was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time." In his statement, he said he tried to end his life before being sectioned. Cameron Bibby, who was the first man accused of rape by Williams in 2017, said he had to remove himself from most social media because of abuse and was scared to pick his son up from nursery because of the way people looked at him. Williams' trial heard that police believed she inflicted the injuries on herself with a hammer He said after Williams posted her account on Facebook, his neighbours displayed "Justice for Ellie" stickers in their windows, which "intimidated" him. The court was shown videos of English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson attending protests at Hollywood Retail Park in Barrow in May 2020. In a statement, Supt Matthew Pearman said there was "unprecedented outcry on social media within the town of Barrow" after Williams posted about her injuries. He said: "Barrow had not seen such public displays of mass anger for over 30 years." Louise Blackwell KC, defending Williams, said she "continues in her allegations against the various people in pretty much the same circumstances". Williams is due to be sentenced on Tuesday. Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

The former prime minister has not handed over any messages from before April 2021 - more than a year into the pandemic Boris Johnson has said he is giving unredacted WhatsApp messages dating back to May 2021 directly to the Covid inquiry, bypassing the government which has refused to hand them over. The Cabinet Office has launched a legal challenge to the inquiry's demand for texts from the former PM and officials. It argues that many of the messages are irrelevant to the investigation. However, the head of the inquiry, Baroness Hallett, has said it's her job to decide what is and is not relevant. In a letter to Baroness Hallett, Mr Johnson said that he understood why the government was taking legal action, but that he was "perfectly content" to release messages he had already sent to the Cabinet Office. Mr Johnson added he would like to send messages pre-dating April 2021, but that he had been told he could no longer access his phone from that period "safely". Security concerns were raised over the phone, after it emerged the number had been freely available on the internet for 15 years. The messages received before this date would be likely to cover discussions about the coronavirus lockdowns implemented in 2020. Mr Johnson said he wanted to "test" the advice received from the security services and had asked the Cabinet Office for assistance in turning his old phone on securely. He added he no longer had access to his contemporaneous notebooks as he had handed these to the Cabinet Office. "I have asked that the Cabinet Office pass these to you. If the government chooses not to do so, I will ask for these to be returned to my office so that I can provide them to you directly." Speaking to BBC Radio 4's World At One programme, cyber-security expert Prof Alan Woodward said the risk of turning on Mr Johnson's old phone was "minimal", adding: "It is perfectly possible to do that without exposing it to the potential threat." Earlier this week, the inquiry told the government to submit messages sent between Mr Johnson and 40 other ministers and officials during the pandemic by 16:00 BST on Thursday. Mr Johnson said he was "more than happy" to give the unredacted material to the inquiry. The Cabinet Office - which supports the prime minister in running the government - also holds communications between ministers and civil servants which do not involve Mr Johnson. On Thursday, it missed the deadline and said it would "with regret" be launching a judicial review of the demand, but promised to "continue to co-operate fully with the inquiry". Defending its decision not to hand over certain messages, the Cabinet Office argued that many of the communications were "unambiguously irrelevant", and that to submit them to the inquiry would compromise ministers' privacy and hamper future decision-making. "It represents an unwarranted intrusion into other aspects of the work of government. It also represents an intrusion into their legitimate expectations of privacy and protection of their personal information," the Cabinet Office said, in a letter to the inquiry. Speaking to the BBC One's Question Time on Thursday, science minister George Freeman said he thought the "courts will probably take the view" that Baroness Hallett was entitled to decide "what evidence she deems relevant". But he added "people's privacy is really important" and that the question of how private correspondence should be handled was a "point worth testing". "I would like to see a situation where the inquiry says: 'Listen, we will wholly respect the privacy of anything that's not related to Covid. We will redact it'," he said. Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, described the government's legal action as a "desperate attempt to withhold evidence". The Liberal Democrats called it a "kick in the teeth for bereaved families". Lord Barwell, who worked as chief of staff to former Prime Minister Theresa May, told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme he thought the government was making a "bad mistake". He added: "We're having the inquiry to give people confidence we're getting to the truth. And if the government is controlling what the inquiry can and can't see, then people are not going to get confidence in the outcome."

Last updated on .From the section Cricket Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has spoken to leaders at the England and Wales Cricket Board after a report highlighted discrimination in cricket. The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) said racism, sexism, classism and elitism are "widespread" in the game. "For people who love cricket that was hard to read," said Sunak. "My first reaction was that it is really sad to see a sport I love being described like that." The ICEC was announced by the ECB in March 2021 in the wake of global movements such as Black Lives Matter and Me Too. The damning report made 44 recommendations, including that the ECB makes an unreserved public apology for its failings. ECB chair Richard Thompson apologised on Tuesday. "I've spoken to the team at the ECB and I think they have approached it in the right way," Sunak told BBC Test Match Special during the second Ashes Test at Lord's. "They commissioned this report off their own back because they wanted to be proactive, so they deserve credit for that. "From conversations I have had, they are absolutely committed to fixing the problems and for this to be a reset moment for cricket. "We all want it to be open for everybody from all backgrounds and where everybody can feel respected and supported when playing it. "I'm confident the leadership of the whole cricketing family share that ambition." Sunak said he will monitor the ECB's response to the report in the coming months. "I want to see cricket to be inclusive and open to everybody," he said. "I don't want to pre-empt how the ECB will respond." The ICEC criticised the lack of cricket in state schools, saying a talent pathway structurally aligned to private schools is partly to blame for "elitism and class-based discrimination". Sunak praised the African Caribbean Engagement Programme (ACE), which helps young people from more diverse communities into the game, and was asked how cricket could be brought back into state schools when many pitches had been sold off by a series of governments. He said: "We as a government have put more money into school sports - £600m over the next couple of years. The government, typically, doesn't dictate what sports schools should play. "After meeting the Lionesses [the England women's football team] we did support their campaign to make sure girls had access to the same sports as boys, as well as a minimum amount of sport we want all schools to do." Sunak spoke of his own childhood playing and watching cricket. He said he had not experienced racism in the game but had in wider society. "There are instances in your childhood that stay with you," he said. "But those instances I suffered as a child don't think would happen to my kids today because we have made incredible progress as a country. "Of course there are pockets where we are not doing as well and we have to strive to be better." Sunak was also asked about the pressures of running the country and admitted it "weighs very heavily". "When we have inflation at the levels it is at, the impacts on pay packets, budgets and what people can do for their kids," he added. "It is my responsibility to fix it and make the situation better." The prime minister distanced himself from his predecessors, saying he wanted to "act with integrity" when asked how he would restore trust in politicians. He said: "There are lots of ways you can do that, acting with integrity, doing the right thing and doing the things you say."

The publisher of the Mirror newspapers has made a court apology to the former Coronation Street actor Nikki Sanderson after admitting using private investigators to get stories about her. A barrister for Mirror Group Newspapers said it "unequivocally apologises" to her, adding "it shouldn't have happened and won't again". Ms Sanderson was giving evidence in her High Court case against the newspapers. Despite the admissions, MGN denies targeting her more widely. She is claiming damages for 37 articles published in the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People newspapers between 1999 and 2009. Andrew Green KC, for the newspapers, said she had lived through "much press intrusion" and giving evidence would be "unpleasant and stressful." In her witness statement, Ms Sanderson said she had been "abused" by MGN and "attacked" by people with more power than her. Ms Sanderson joined Coronation Street in 1999, aged 15, playing the role of Candice Stowe and immediately became of interest to the media, the court heard. Crowds would regularly gather outside the studios and photographers would appear to get pictures of her. Ms Sanderson alleges the newspapers used information from her mobile phone voicemails which were hacked, and paid private investigators to get personal information about her. Mr Green said a small number of records for calls from journalists to her phone numbers had been disclosed, but showed no evidence they were to hack her phone. However, within invoices for payments to private investigators, Mr Green said four were for the firms ELI and Avalon, which have been implicated in unlawful information gathering Making the apology, he said MGN admitted on four occasions in 2004 and 2005 journalists used the investigators to target Ms Sanderson. Mr Green is continuing to cross-examine Ms Sanderson about the stories she has put at the centre of her case. Prince Harry has said he is suing the publisher of the Daily Mirror to stop "absolute intrusion and hate" towards him and his wife. The case is also due to hear from other claimants including Coronation Street actor Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Le Vell, and Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse. They all allege unlawful methods were used to obtain information for stories and say senior executives must have known about it and failed to stop it, which MGN denies. MGN, which has admitted widespread unlawful information gathering against other celebrities, has argued Ms Sanderson should have brought her legal action years ago, under rules that civil claims must be made within six years. She called this "gaslighting" in her witness statement. Describing herself as a "young girl" at the time, Ms Sanderson accused the publisher of "hiring random men" to follow her. "They could have done anything to me," she said, adding that it was "particularly distressing to learn that these illegal activities continued for a period of many years". Describing her experiences as "abuse", she said she did not use the word "lightly". "The fact is these people were in positions of power and I was a child and a young female, and I was attacked by people who were more powerful than me - I did nothing to deserve this treatment." Ms Sanderson also said she was tricked into giving away the name of a hotel she was staying at in Zakynthos, Greece. She said someone working for "Disney or Universal" contacted her mother saying they were interested in making her part of a film and needed to send a telegram. "The next thing I know, the paps [paparazzi] and press had managed to find me, she said, adding she "was little more than a child and they deceived me". Ms Sanderson also said she was subjected to "mental and physical abuse" as a result of public backlash from articles written in the Mirror. As well as being shouted at in the street, she said on one occasion a group of girls set fire to her hair in the toilets of a club. "Fortunately, I wasn't wearing any hair product, otherwise, my hair would have gone up in flames," she said. Ms Sanderson said she came to think that "random people" or others at Coronation Street were selling stories about her. She also said she was "really hurt" by one article which accused her father of being a "womaniser". "To have my personal life splashed over the papers for people to indulge in was heart-breaking."

Last updated on .From the section Championship Jeremy Sarmiento's goal in the final seconds gave Ipswich Town a dramatic victory over 10-man Southampton and put them top of the Championship. Leif Davis' powerful strike was cancelled out a minute later by Che Adams' equaliser for the visitors. Adam Armstrong slotted home to give the Saints the lead but Nathan Broadhead levelled in the 68th minute with an instinctive turn and finish. James Bree was sent off after bringing Davis down with five minutes left, before Sarmiento netted at the death. The result leaves Ipswich two points in front of Leicester City, having played one game more. It was also a big blow to Southampton's slim hopes of automatic promotion. Ipswich got off to the perfect start, with a lethal strike by Davis into the top left-hand corner opening the scoring. Portman Road erupted as the ball flew into the net, venomously struck by the left-back, beating keeper Gavin Bazunu at his near post. Russell Martin's side equalised immediately when Adams helped on Joe Aribo's pass into the back of the net. Stuart Armstrong then made a determined run down the left-hand side before cutting infield and splitting open Ipswich's defence, finding Adam Armstrong, who fired low into the bottom corner of Vaclav Hladky's goal to give Southampton the lead. Ipswich came close to equalising in the 65th minute when Al-Hamadi struck the post. Broadhead then scored to level the game again with a first-time finish on the spin to beat Bazunu and trigger a deafening roar from the home crowd. And with seconds remaining, Davis crossed to the penalty spot where Sarmiento mis-kicked before instinctively lashing out with his right foot, nudging the ball beyond Bazunu. "I feel really proud of the effort everyone put in there. You have to enjoy moments like that. What a game to be a part of. "There were so many good things in the performance and so much to improve. It was a real step up for us in quality to play a team like that. "All of the subs had a great impact and it's the sign of our culture. All of our players and staff are joyous in the dressing room. We have to enjoy it." "Their (winning) goal came out of nothing. It shouldn't go in and Gavin (Bazunu) should do better. He'll know that. "At 2-2 I thought we'd be the team that could win it but the red card changed everything. We should score more and can't concede the way we did. "We came here with so many brilliant performances. It's so disappointing to lose. We were the best team tonight. "The performance was great but moments have cost us. There's 24 points to play for and we have to win every game now." • None Goal! Ipswich Town 3, Southampton 2. Jeremy Sarmiento (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Leif Davis. • None Attempt saved. Nathan Broadhead (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. • None Jan Bednarek (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. • None Attempt blocked. Nathan Broadhead (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Leif Davis. • None Attempt blocked. Nathan Broadhead (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jack Taylor. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page