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Ban disposable vapes to protect children - doctors - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | But others warn that could stop some adults giving up cigarettes, which are much more harmful. | Health | Disposable vapes are the most popular vaping device among teenagers in the UK, surveys suggest
Children's doctors are calling for a complete ban on disposable vapes because they may damage young people's lungs and are bad for the environment.
But an anti-smoking campaign group says a ban would make it harder for some adults to give up smoking and increase the trade in illegal vapes.
UK governments are planning steps to reduce vaping among under-18s.
These are likely to include tighter rules on how vaping products are marketed and promoted.
Selling vapes or e-cigarettes to children is illegal, but that has not stopped a rise in 11 to 17-year-olds experimenting with vaping - from 7.7% in 2022 up to 11.6% in 2023, according to a YouGov survey for Action on Smoking and Health (Ash).
About 15% of 16 to 17-year-olds and 18% of 18-year-olds are current vapers, it suggests.
Brightly-coloured nicotine vapes in a variety of flavours, which are used once and then thrown away, are the most popular product among teenagers, who tend to get them from corner shops for about £5 each.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently said it was "ridiculous" that vapes were designed and promoted to appeal to children when they were supposed to be used by adults giving up smoking.
A BBC investigation found unsafe levels of lead, nickel and chromium in vapes confiscated from a secondary school, which could end up being inhaled into children's lungs. Scientists analysing the vapes said they were the worst lab test results of their kind they had ever seen.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) now says the UK government should "without a doubt" ban disposable e-cigarettes.
"Youth vaping is fast becoming an epidemic among children, and I fear that if action is not taken, we will find ourselves sleepwalking into a crisis," said Dr Mike McKean, paediatric respiratory consultant and RCPCH vice-president.
Health experts stress that smoking cigarettes, which contain tobacco, is still the single biggest cause of preventable illness and disease in the UK.
However, Dr McKean said vaping products were "not risk-free" and research on them was "still very much in its infancy", meaning it was not possible to predict the long-term impacts on young people's lungs, hearts and brains.
What's your reaction to a possible ban on disposable vapes? Get in touch via:
Last week, Mr Sunak announced he would close a loophole allowing vaping companies to give free samples to children in England, and look at increasing fines for shops selling vapes illegally. A call for evidence on how to curb youth vaping ends on Tuesday.
In Scotland, the First Minister recently said a ban on disposable vapes was under consideration in a report being compiled by an environmental expert group.
The RCPCH said governments should now decide whether to take further action "to prioritise our children and our planet".
But others say a ban on disposable vapes is not needed and would not have the desired effect.
Charity and campaign group Ash says a complete ban would end up boosting the market for illegal vapes and make it harder to recycle them.
And it said disposable vapes were a useful tool for adult smokers, particularly older people and those with learning disabilities, to quit tobacco.
"We need to be really careful about banning them - vapes and e-cigarettes have been invaluable in stopping people smoking," said Prof Ruth Sharrock, respiratory consultant in Gateshead, who works with patients with respiratory failure.
Although disposable vapes are just one kind of vaping product, Ash estimates that they are used by 20% of vapers who have quit smoking.
Prof Nick Hopkinson, respiratory physician and chairman of Ash, said smoking remained "the biggest health problem for adults and children", and urged more funding for stop smoking services as well as stricter rules on vaping.
Ash says disposable vapes can be bought for "pocket money prices" and is calling on the government to put a tax of £5 on their price. This means they would cost a similar amount to rechargeable, reusable vaping products - but still much less than a pack of cigarettes.
It also wants rules to be tightened around the way vapes are promoted in shops, to reduce their appeal to children.
The vaping industry also says a ban on single-use vapes is not the answer.
UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) director general John Dunne said: "Strong, targeted action directed at those illegally selling vape products to children is the way forward."
Green Alliance, an independent think tank, said disposable vapes wasted resources like lithium which are needed for batteries to power electric cars, and recycling them was costly.
It called current government proposals to restrict marketing and end free giveaways to children "laughably inadequate".
A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care in England said: "We are taking bold action to crack down on youth vaping through the £3m illicit vapes enforcement squad to tackle underage sales to children." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65809924 |
Ukraine dam: Thousands flee floods after dam collapse near Nova Kakhovka - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Around 40,000 people need to be evacuated, says Ukraine, after a collapse released a torrent of water. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: President Zelensky shared a video of the dam on Telegram
Thousands of people are being evacuated downstream of a major dam which has collapsed in Russian-held Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said 80 towns and villages may be flooded after the destruction of the dam at Nova Kakhovka, which he blamed on Russia.
Water is surging down the Dnipro river, and is said to pose a catastrophic flooding risk to the city of Kherson.
Russia has denied destroying the dam - which it controls - instead blaming Ukrainian shelling.
Neither Ukraine nor Russia's claim has been verified by the BBC.
The Kakhovka dam, downstream from the huge Kakhovka reservoir, is crucial to the region.
It provides water to farmers and residents, as well as to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. It is also a vital channel carrying water south to Russian-occupied Crimea.
Ukraine's state-owned hydropower plants administrator Ukrhydroenergo warned that the peak of a water spill downstream from the emptying reservoir was expected on Wednesday morning.
It said this would be followed by a period of "stabilisation", with the water expected to rapidly recede in four to five days.
There are concerns about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant - Europe's largest - which uses reservoir water for cooling.
The situation there is said to be under control and there is "no immediate nuclear safety risk" for the plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Video footage shows a torrent of floodwater gushing through a breach in the dam. Several towns are already flooded, while people in areas further downstream have been forced to flee by bus and train.
Abound 40,000 people need to be evacuated, Deputy Prosecutor-General Viktoriya Lytvynova said on Ukrainian television - 17,000 people in Ukraine-controlled territory west of the Dnipro River and 25,000 on the Russian-controlled east.
Also speaking on Ukrainian television, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said about 1,000 people had been evacuated so far and 24 settlements had been flooded.
He accused Russia of shelling the southern region of Kherson, from where people were being evacuated, and issued a warning about the dangers posed by mines being exposed by the rising water levels.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. A building is seen floating along the Dnipro river in the Kherson region
One local resident Andriy, who lives close to the dam - which was seized by Russian forces shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 - said he believed Russia wanted to "drown" his city.
In the Ukraine-controlled city of Kherson, a woman called Lyudmyla - who was loading her belongings including a washing machine onto a trailer that was attached to an old car - said: "We're afraid of flooding. We're taking our things a little higher up."
She called for Russian forces to be "kicked out of here... they're shooting at us. They're flooding us or doing something else".
Another resident of the city, Serhiy, said he feared "everything is going to die here".
"All the living creatures, and people will be flooded out," he said, gesturing at nearby houses and gardens.
The city of Kherson is 50 miles downstream of the dam
On the Russian-seized riverbank of Nova Kakhovka, the Moscow-installed mayor Vladimir Leontyev said the city was underwater and 900 people had been evacuated.
He said 53 evacuation buses were being sent by the authorities to take people from the city and two other settlements nearby to safety.
Water levels had risen to over 11m (36ft) and some residents had been taken to hospital, he added.
The small town of Oleshky was also heavily flooded, Kremlin-appointed officials said.
The Kazkova Dibrova zoo on the Russian-held riverbank had been completely flooded and all 300 animals were dead, it said in a post on its Facebook page.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
It is not yet clear what caused the breach in the dam in the early hours of Tuesday, but Ukraine's military intelligence has accused Russia of deliberately blowing it up.
This seems plausible, as Moscow may have feared that Ukrainian forces would use the road over the dam to advance into Russian-held territory, as part of their counter-offensive.
For Russia, anxious to defend conquered territory in southern Ukraine, the dam represented an obvious problem.
Just as Ukrainian forces attacked road and rail bridges further downstream last autumn in a successful effort to isolate Russian forces in and around Kherson, Russia may have decided to destroy the dam to hold up Ukraine's counter-offensive, which it fears could come from multiple directions.
However, a Russian official claims Ukraine carried out the attack on the dam to detract from what they said were the failures of its counter-offensive and to deprive Crimea - Ukraine's southern peninsula illegally annexed by Russian in 2014 - of fresh water.
A major Ukrainian push has long been expected. Kyiv has said it would not give advance warning of its start but a recent increase in military activity is being seen as a fresh sign that the counter-offensive may have begun.
On Tuesday evening, President Zelensky said the dam destruction would not stop Ukraine. "We will still liberate all our land," he said in a video address.
Earlier in the day, Mr Zelensky held an urgent meeting of the country's security and defence council to discuss the issue.
An aerial image shows water pouring through what appears to be a breach in the dam
On Monday, Ukraine's deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said Ukrainian forces had advanced around the "epicentre of hostilities" in Bakhmut, but did not say whether the counter-offensive had begun.
Bakhmut has for months been at the heart of fierce fighting. It has little strategic value - but is important symbolically both for Kyiv and Moscow.
Yuri Sak, an adviser to Ukraine's ministry of defence, told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme that phone intercepts suggest Russia wants to target more dams.
"They're actually calling to blow up more dams on the Dnipro river," he said.
Ukraine has branded the attack on the dam "ecocide" and said that 150 tonnes of engine oil has spilled into the Dnipro river.
Ukrhydroenergo said a power station linked to the dam had been "completely destroyed... the hydraulic structure is being washed away".
World leaders have laid the blame for the blast at Russia's door, with some calling it a war crime.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that if Russia was found to be responsible for the collapse of the dam it would "demonstrate the new lows that we will have seen from Russian aggression".
The head of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, said the destruction of the dam demonstrated once again the brutality of Russia's war in Ukraine, while Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said he was "shocked by the unprecedented attack".
The Geneva Conventions explicitly ban targeting dams in war due to the danger it poses to civilians. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65819591 |
Criminal investigation launched over royal escort crash - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Helen Holland, 81, died after being hit by a police motorcycle escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh | London | A criminal investigation has been launched into the death of an elderly woman who was struck by police escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh.
Helen Holland, 81, was hit by a police motorbike at a junction in Earl's Court, west London, on 10 May.
The police watchdog said the constable riding the vehicle was being investigated for offences including causing death by dangerous driving.
It will then decide whether to refer the case for potential charges.
Ms Holland suffered serious injuries in the crash and died two weeks later having suffered "multiple broken bones and massive internal injuries", according to her son.
Buckingham Palace said the Duchess of Edinburgh was "deeply saddened" by Ms Holland's death
In addition to causing death by dangerous driving, the officer is being investigated for causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving, as well as potential gross misconduct, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.
However, it does not necessarily mean that charges or disciplinary proceedings will follow.
IOPC director Amanda Rowe said it was crucial a "thorough, independent investigation" was carried out "to establish the full circumstances, which will include the actions and decision making of the officer under investigation".
"At the end of our investigation, we will decide whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision and whether the officer should face disciplinary proceedings," she said.
Buckingham Palace previously said the duchess was "deeply saddened" by Ms Holland's death and had sent her "deepest condolences" to her family.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said: "We are aware that the IOPC has launched a criminal investigation in relation to the actions of an MPS officer involved in a fatal collision at West Cromwell Road, on Wednesday, 10 May.
"We continue to fully support the IOPC as they work to establish the facts around this incident.
"The officer is currently on restricted duties."
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65826561 |
Remembrance service for Derrylin house fire victims - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Mourners are told the deaths of four members of a family 'stunned and bewildered' their community. | Northern Ireland | Denise Gossett, her son Roman, her daughter Sabrina and her granddaughter Morgana
About 100 people have attended a service for a family killed in a house fire in County Fermanagh in February.
They were Denise Gossett, her 16-year-old son Roman Gosset, her 19-year-old daughter Sabrina Gosset and Sabrina's 15-month-old baby girl, Morgana Quinn.
Flowers and teddy bears have also been left near their gutted bungalow on Molly Road, Derrylin.
Police renewed their appeal to anyone who was in contact with the family before their deaths to come forward.
The family were killed in a house fire on their Derrylin home on 27 February
Wednesday's interdenominational service was held at Derrylin's Church of Ireland Parish Church.
Denise Gossett's older daughter, Samantha, travelled from England to attend and was accompanied by her husband.
The Reverend Alastair Donaldson conveyed thanks on their behalf to the community for the support offered.
Father Gerard Alwill said the incident had shocked the village.
"The events of that Tuesday morning in late February brought a huge sense of shock to everyone in our community," the priest said.
"The loss of so many lives across three generations of the one family left us stunned and bewildered."
Prayers were also said for those who had tried to rescue the family and the emergency services who attended the scene.
A church bulletin said the service would mark "the recent tragedy in our parish"
On Monday, Enniskillen Magistrates' Court was told the four victims' remains have been formally identified and post-mortem examinations have been completed.
A 27-year-old man has been charged with their murders and he remains in custody.
Members of the family used different names and the PSNI said Denise Gosset was also known as Crystal while Sabrina Gosset was also known as Elektra.
Renewing the appeal for information, Det Insp Peter McKenna asked for "anyone who was in contact with Denise, Sabrina or Roman in the weeks leading up to their murders to get in touch with detectives".
"I would also like to hear from anyone who was in the area of Molly Road between the hours of midnight on Monday, 26 February through to 07.20 GMT on Tuesday, 28 February.
"Any information, no matter how trivial it may seem, could prove to be vital to this investigation," he added. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-43561959 |
Tottenham: Ange Postecoglou leaves Celtic to become new Spurs manager - BBC Sport | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | null | Tottenham confirm the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as their new manager, with the Australian leaving Celtic to take over at the Premier League club. | null | Tottenham: Ange Postecoglou leaves Celtic to become new Spurs manager Last updated on .From the section Tottenham
Postecoglou struggled in his early weeks at Celtic but guided the club to two league titles Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Ange Postecoglou as their new manager on a four-year contract. The 57-year-old leaves Celtic after winning successive Scottish Premiership titles in his two seasons in charge. He is Spurs' fourth permanent manager since Mauricio Pochettino led them to the Champions League final in 2018-19, following Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte. "We are excited to have Ange join us," said Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy. "Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play. He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy - everything that is important to our club," he added. Spurs have been searching for a new manager since Conte's departure in March, with Cristian Stellini and then Ryan Mason taking charge on an interim basis. Postecoglou - the first Australian to manage in the Premier League - arrives at Tottenham after winning a domestic treble in Scotland, where he has claimed five of the six trophies available to Celtic during his two campaigns with the club. He is one of only five managers - along with Jock Stein, Martin O'Neill, Brendan Rodgers and Neil Lennon - to secure a domestic clean sweep with Celtic. "It has been a pleasure working with Ange, a great football manager and a good man. He has served the club with such energy and determination and delivered a phenomenal level of success," Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson said. "Of course, we wanted Ange to stay at Celtic and while there is real disappointment we are losing him, he has decided he wants to look at a new challenge, which we respect."
• None All the best reaction to Postecoglou's appointment in one place
• None The boy from Greece who has become Tottenham's main man
• None He was four guys in one - how do Celtic replace Postecoglou? Spurs have spent 10 weeks searching for Conte's successor, with Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique, Arne Slot, Graham Potter, Julen Lopetegui, Rodgers and Pochettino all linked with the role at some point. Since losing 2-0 against Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final, they have claimed just one top-four finish in the subsequent four seasons. Postecoglou is no stranger to arriving at a club facing a significant task though, having taken over Celtic in the summer of 2021 after they had finished the season 25 points behind champions Rangers. When he arrived at Celtic, chief executive Peter Lawwell had been replaced by Dominic McKay, Nick Hammond stepped down as head of football operations and long-serving captain Scott Brown left to join Aberdeen. There are several similarities as he walks through the door at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with chairman Levy searching for a new sporting director following the exit of Fabio Paratici, who resigned after losing his appeal against a 30-month ban from football. Addressing the uncertainty surrounding the future of striker Harry Kane - with Real Madrid showing interest in the England captain - will be high on the agenda this summer as the new manager looks to shape a squad capable of taking Tottenham back into the Champions League. Postecoglou won five trophies across two seasons with Celtic Postecoglou's playing career was spent in Australia, primarily with South Melbourne, where he played under Ferenc Puskas, the legendary Hungarian to whom he attributes his coaching philosophy. He stepped into management in 1996 with South Melbourne before winning back-to-back A-League titles with Brisbane Roar between 2009 and 2012. After a season with Melbourne Victory he became manager of Australia in 2013 and guided his country to the 2014 World Cup as well as victory in the 2015 Asian Cup. Further silverware followed during his time in Japan with Yokohama F Marinos, where he ended the club's 15-year wait for a J-League title in 2019. Few in Scotland knew much about Postecoglou when Celtic appointed their new manager two years ago, but after initially struggling he delivered five trophies across two seasons.
• None Our coverage of Tottenham Hotspur is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment
• None Everything Spurs - go straight to all the best content | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65819185 |
Vinicius Jr: Seven people punished over racist chants and effigy of Real Madrid player - BBC Sport | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | null | Seven people are punished for acts of racism towards Real Madrid's Brazil forward Vinicius Jr. | null | Last updated on .From the section European Football
Seven people have been punished for acts of racism towards Real Madrid's Brazil forward Vinicius Jr.
Four men were fined 60,001 euros (£51,700) and given a two-year stadium ban for hanging an effigy of Vinicius near Real's training ground in January.
The four men were arrested 11 days ago and released on bail by a Madrid court.
Three other people were fined 5,000 euros (£4,300) and banned for one year for making racist gestures during Real's game at Valencia on 21 May.
Those three are aged between 18 and 21, the police said, and were detained two days after the game.
The sanctions were given by Spain's State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport, said the country's Sports Commission on Monday.
• None La Liga racism allegations - what happens next?
• None Listen: Can Vinicius episode be a turning point in racism battle?
Vinicius, whose red card for violent conduct late in the Valencia match was rescinded, later said the Spanish league "belongs to racists".
La Liga president Javier Tebas and the league's handling of the incident was widely condemned after he told Vinicius on social media that "you need to inform yourself properly".
Tebas later apologised to Vinicius, saying he did not mean to "attack" the 22-year-old.
The Brazilian government called for severe sanctions against those responsible for the racial slurs and La Liga said it will seek "more sanctioning powers" to ensure it can punish such incidents.
Brazil will play friendlies against Guinea in Barcelona on 17 June and Senegal in Lisbon three days later, as part of an anti-racism campaign. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65816425 |
Vision loss headset made in Belfast opens window on child's world - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A mum says a virtual reality headset gives her a new understanding of her girl's visual impairment. | Northern Ireland | Caroline Henderson now has a better understanding of her daughter Aibhilin's life
A woman who used virtual reality to understand her child's visual impairment says seeing the world through her daughter's eyes is "mind blowing".
Caroline Henderson's daughter Aibhilin, seven, was diagnosed with ocular albinism and nystagmus at 11 weeks old.
When Caroline and her husband Carl used a VR headset developed in Belfast, they found it "overwhelming".
It showed them just how frustrating her visual impairment was for Aibhilin.
"It was very overwhelming and it made us realise just how frustrating and how her world is very different to the way her dad and I see the world," says Caroline.
"It made perfect sense why the playground and classroom can be really frustrating and she doesn't read non-verbal social cues."
Aibhilin Henderson was diagnosed with ocular albinism and nystagmus weeks after she was born
The software was developed in Belfast by Sara McCracken, whose twins were born at 29 weeks and registered blind at just six months.
Peter and Connie have oculocutaneous albinism and nystagmus, which means their eyes move involuntarily from side to side and they have reduced vision.
Ms McCracken wanted the wider world to understand how people with visual impairments, like her twins, see every day.
The system recreates more than 30 eye conditions in a variety of settings such as a school classroom, a busy street, bus or play park.
The team involved include experts from the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast and Ulster University.
"We've developed software that can be manipulated to create lots of different eye conditions," says Ms McCracken.
Sara McCracken (right) says the software was inspired by with her daughter Connie (left) and her twin brother
"It's a very effective way of giving people who don't have clinical information or knowledge a really immersive impression of visual impairment.
"It's very effective for parents to be able to understand and change the way they advocate for their child but also for schools to understand the impact it has on children in the classroom or playground and, beyond that, for adults who have a visual impairment too."
For Caroline, the Empatheyes software has made her more understanding of Aibhilin's behaviour.
She says children with visual impairments often get very tired by the end of the week, their vision has deteriorated, and the way they are parented or taught needs to be adapted.
"I think sometimes the children with visual impairment, you're seeing the tip of the iceberg and not understanding what's underneath and driving that behaviour," she explains.
"Thursdays and Fridays are Aibhilin's most challenging days at school.
Sara McCracken has worked with Stephen Ellis from the Innovation Factory in west Belfast to develop Empatheyes
"But now, understanding her nystagmus and the way that she sees the world, and she's tired because she's held it together all week.
"I think without doing the VR technology we wouldn't understand the difference between the Aibhilin we have on a Monday and the Aibhilin we have on a Friday."
Empatheyes works as a social enterprise. Its team is based at the Innovation Factory in west Belfast.
Its software is being used in schools, healthcare settings and offices across the UK and Ireland.
Next month it will be shown to an international audience at the Vision 2023 conference in Denver.
"The United States is a massive market and they don't have anything like it there," says Ms McCracken.
"There's a lot of excitement already from professionals over there to see this VR system that we created right here in Northern Ireland." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65811076 |
Moment cat interrupts royal historian mid-BBC interview - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | null | Fleur the cat stole the limelight as her owner answered questions about Prince Harry live on BBC News. | null | An unexpected feline guest surprised royal historian Marlene Koenig as she was being asked questions about the Duke of Sussex's hacking court case.
Fleur the cat was eager to make her TV appearance and jumped up on to her owner's lap mid-interview, much to presenter Sally Bundock's surprise.
Ms Koenig tells the BBC her two-and-a-half-year-old rescue cat is "the queen of the house".
"Going viral was not on my bingo card today," she adds. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65816316 |
Cuba Gooding Jr settles rape lawsuit ahead of civil trial - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The actor, who has faced multiple misconduct allegations, has said the encounter was consensual. | Entertainment & Arts | Cuba Gooding Jr, pictured at an earlier court case in 2022. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr has settled a lawsuit with an unnamed woman who accused him of raping her in a New York City hotel room in 2013.
It came as jury selection was about to begin in a federal civil trial that was expected to include damaging testimony against him.
The Oscar winner, 55, has denied the allegation and insists his interactions with the woman were consensual.
He has been accused of groping and unwanted touching by dozens of women.
The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed.
Last year, Mr Gooding pleaded guilty to kissing a woman without her consent.
That case saw him spared from jail or a criminal history, with charges relating to three other accusers dismissed as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.
He was ordered to complete six months of alcohol and behavioural counselling.
But the testimony of those three women, who say the actor abused them between 2009 and 2019, was due to be heard at this civil case in Manhattan.
The now-settled lawsuit was filed in 2020 on behalf of a woman identified only as Jane Doe. The plaintiff sought $6m (£4.8m) in damages.
She alleged that, in the summer of 2013, Mr Gooding had introduced himself to her at a local restaurant and invited her to drinks at The Mercer Hotel in Soho, where he was staying.
At the hotel, she claimed, the actor told her he needed to change clothes, invited her up to his fifth-floor room and began to undress.
The woman said she had tried to leave but that Mr Gooding blocked her path, pushed her onto the bed, "wouldn't stop" touching her, "aggressively removed" her underwear and penetrated her twice.
A lawyer representing the defendant at the time called the allegations "completely false and defamatory".
The presiding judge ruled last week that he would allow testimony from three of Mr Gooding's other accusers because they were "sufficiently similar" to the plaintiff's allegation.
One woman, Kelsey Harbert, said last year that Mr Gooding's previous plea deal had been "more disappointing than words can say".
Jury selection in the trial was set to begin at 10:00 EDT on Tuesday, but neither Mr Gooding nor attorneys for either side showed up.
An entry on the court's electronic docket for the case reads: "TRIAL OFF. Reason for cancellation: The parties have resolved the matter." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65825715 |
Yousaf warning on deposit return scheme deadline day - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The first minister said he would struggle to see how the scheme could go ahead without glass. | Scotland politics | Mr Yousaf said he would struggle to see how the scheme could go ahead without glass
Humza Yousaf has said it is "very difficult" to see a future for Scotland's deposit return scheme if glass is not allowed to be included.
The first minister's deadline for UK ministers to remove the condition on its scheme for recycling cans and bottles is due to expire later.
He set the deadline in a letter to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Saturday.
But Circularity Scotland, the firm set up to run the scheme, has said it should still go ahead without glass.
Last week, the UK government approved a partial exemption to the Internal Market Act for the deposit scheme, but stipulated glass could not be part of it.
Circularity Scotland's programme director, Donald McCalman told the BBC "we absolutely believe the scheme is viable to launch" with aluminium and plastic containers only.
Mr McCalman said that if it was not delivered in Scotland it could make drinks producers think twice about backing a later UK-wide scheme.
The first minister said no final decision would be made until his cabinet met on Tuesday.
Mr Yousaf said he "would struggle to see how the scheme could go ahead if it doesn't include glass".
Speaking to a Scottish business forum event, he said he was "annoyed as well as upset" that the scheme had become a point of disagreement between the Scottish and UK governments.
And he told BBC Scotland he had yet to receive "even an acknowledgement" of his letter to Mr Sunak.
The Scottish government wants to include glass bottles in its plans
On Sunday, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack insisted the exclusion of glass remained a condition of their support.
But SNP deputy leader Keith Brown told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that the scheme had been "sabotaged by the UK government."
He said: "The first minister will be hoping Rishi Sunak can bring some pressure to bear on Alister Jack to see some sense."
He added: "I think people are bemused at why the UK government is taking this approach.
"We know action has to be taken. It reduces by around a third the effectiveness of the scheme if you take out glass, so let's just get some common sense on the table."
Mr Brown accused the Scottish secretary of "scandalous" mis-representation for stating that the scheme would not be recycling glass, but crushing it and using it as aggregate for filling roads.
Circularity Scotland said a target of 90% for the remelting and reuse of glass would rise to 95% once the scheme was launched.
If it goes live as planned in March 2024, the deposit return scheme would see a 20p charge placed on drinks containers which would be refunded to consumers upon their return in a bid to increase recycling levels.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. In an interview on the BBC's The Sunday Show, Mr Jack strongly defended the UK government's position
The UK government has said deposit return schemes should be consistent across the UK.
Mr Jack said he had received more than 1,000 letters of concern from businesses about the Scottish DRS.
He said: "It's those concerns that we've taken into account when we've come to our conclusion because we believe the deposit charge should be the same and reciprocated across the UK.
"If I get off the train in Carlisle and buy some recyclable material and it's 10p in Carlisle and 20p in Dumfries, I double my money. That makes no sense."
In his letter to the prime minister, Mr Yousaf cited concerns raised by C&C Group - one of the country's biggest brewers and the company behind Tennent's Lager.
In correspondence Mr Jack received from the firm, seen by the BBC, the company said it had been "misrepresented" in passages from the letter that appeared in the media.
C&C added it was "actively seeking and supports a UK-wide scheme introduced at the same time across the four UK nations".
Keith Brown denied any knowledge of C&C's letter being leaked to the media.
Scottish Greens environment spokesman Mark Ruskell said on Monday that the DRS was now "on the brink" and there needed to be negotiation around the detail of the conditions set down by the UK government.
He said: "If the UK government continues to require the exclusion of glass, then clearly that will have an economic impact on the viability of the scheme.
"It will also have a very damaging impact on the environmental benefits of the scheme as well."
Scottish Conservative MSP Maurice Golden said the Scottish government had "made a dog's dinner of DRS from day one by refusing to heed the warnings of businesses and recklessly ploughing ahead with an unworkable scheme". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65808060 |
Kathleen Folbigg: Mum pardoned for baby deaths claims win for science - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Kathleen Folbigg spent 20 years in prison after being convicted of killing her four infant children. | Australia | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch Kathleen Folbigg’s first statement after release from prison
An Australian woman convicted of killing her four infant children says a decision to pardon her after 20 years is "a victory for science" and "truth".
Kathleen Folbigg was released from prison on Monday after an inquiry upheld new evidence which cast "reasonable doubt" on her convictions.
Originally accused of smothering her children, the evidence suggested they died due to rare genetic abnormalities.
The 55-year-old said she was "humbled" and "grateful" to be free.
"For the past 20 years I have been in prison, I have forever, and will always, think of my children [and] grieve for my children," she said in a video statement.
Ms Folbigg also thanked her friends and supporters, who in recent years waged a campaign for her case to be reviewed.
"I would not have survived this whole ordeal without them," she said.
Ms Folbigg was met at the prison gates by long-time friend Tracy Chapman, who said she spent her first day of freedom enjoying simple pleasures.
These included a comfortable bed, pizza and garlic bread, and a Kahlua and coke, Ms Chapman told reporters, adding that Ms Folbigg was "in awe" of modern technology such as smartphones.
"There's no hate in Kath's heart. She just wants to live a life she missed for the last 20 years and move on," she said.
Ms Folbigg would now seek to have her convictions quashed in the Court of Criminal Appeal, lawyer Rhanee Rego said.
"If Australia really wants to make some good from a tragic story, they'll seriously consider reviewing the system of post-conviction review," she said, adding that it had taken too long for Ms Folbigg's case to be scrutinized.
Ms Folbigg, who always maintained her innocence, made two unsuccessful appeals against her conviction and an earlier inquiry upheld the guilty verdict.
But on Monday the New South Wales (NSW) attorney general said Ms Folbigg had been granted the unconditional pardon due to another recent inquiry into her case.
That inquiry, led by retired judge Tom Bathurst, heard all four children could have died from natural causes.
A team of immunologists found that Ms Folbigg's daughters, Sarah and Laura, shared a genetic mutation - called CALM2 G114R - that can cause sudden cardiac death.
The heart condition, known as calmodulinopathy, is so rare that only 134 known cases have been detected worldwide.
Evidence was also uncovered that her sons possessed a different genetic mutation, linked to sudden-onset epilepsy in mice. The inquiry heard Patrick had epileptic seizures in theffington months before his death.
It also heard that the diary entries from Ms Folbigg used in her original trial should not have been accepted as admissions of guilt.
Her ex-husband, Craig Folbigg, had contacted police after reading diary entries, which prosecutors later argued implied she had harmed the children.
He maintains she is guilty, and his lawyer said news of her release had "increased the pain and suffering his client had endured for two decades".
Ms Folbigg could eventually claim a substantial compensation payment from the state if her convictions are overturned.
If her appeal succeeds she could take then legal action against the NSW government, or seek a settlement payment from them. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-65817593 |
Civil servants to strike despite new pay offer - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The PCS union says members will walk out in Ireland and Wales this week and at the DVLA from 11 June. | Business | Civil servants around the UK are to continue striking despite an improved pay offer from the government.
Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members will take industrial action on Tuesday in Northern Ireland and Wednesday in Wales.
The PCS says the stoppages will continue while it considers the "significant concessions" to pay, redundancy terms and job security.
The government said the offer was the highest for civil servants in 20 years.
Union members have taken action for months and there have been three national walkouts. Previously, PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Ministers need to resolve the dispute by putting money on the table."
On Friday, the government made a new offer to try to break the deadlock. Union bosses said civil servants below senior grades had been offered a lump sum of £1,500 for 2022/23.
The deal was welcomed by the union and in a statement on Monday evening the PCS said it was the "first time in our union's history" that members had won "considerable extra money for members".
But it said "planned targeted action" would go ahead this month - members in the Northern Ireland Office will walk out for three days from Tuesday, while Audit Wales and the National Library of Wales will be affected from Wednesday.
It added members at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency will take part in a 15-day strike from 11 June and driving examiners in 286 test centres across England and Wales will take action from 15 June.
The union said any re-ballots for further action had been put on hold pending the outcome of talks with the government at the end of the month.
Officials had been calling for a 10% pay rise to reflect the rising cost of living but at the time the government said their demands would cost an "unaffordable £2.4bn".
The union said the latest offer was a "significant achievement... which, while short of our full claim, puts money in members' pockets and brings parity of treatment with other public sector workers".
The government, when it announced its new offer on Friday, said guidance for Civil Service pay allowed departments to award a 4.5% pay increase for staff, with the potential for an extra 0.5% increase for lower paid staff.
Cabinet Office minister Jeremy Quin said "constructive engagement" with the unions had allowed the department to make the £1,500 payment offer.
"This is both fair to the taxpayer and a recognition of the financial pressures civil servants have faced over the last year," Mr Quin said.
• None Offer made to civil servants in bid to end strikes | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65816361 |
Abortion access lessons to be compulsory in post-primary schools in NI - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | It will be compulsory for all post-primary schools to teach access to abortion and pregnancy prevention. | Northern Ireland | It will be compulsory for all post-primary schools in Northern Ireland to teach pupils about access to abortion and prevention of early pregnancy.
It comes after Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris laid new regulations in Parliament, covering relationships and sex education (RSE).
In a written statement, he said he had a legal duty to act on recommendations made in a United Nations (UN) report.
Until now individuals schools have decided how to teach sex education.
But the Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, or the CEDAW Report, it said RSE in Northern Ireland should be compulsory and comprehensive.
In practice that will mean pupils have to be taught about issues like how to prevent a pregnancy, the legal right to an abortion in Northern Ireland, and how relevant services may be accessed.
In a statement, Stormont's Department of Education said: "The department will now consider the implications of the new duties placed on it, including assessing any additional resources that will be required."
On Tuesday, Mr Heaton-Harris said: "I have today laid regulations in Parliament to implement the CEDAW recommendation to 'make age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, a compulsory component of curriculum for adolescents, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion in Northern Ireland, and monitor its implementation.'"
"The regulations will mirror the approach taken in England with regard to education about the prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion.
"It has always been my preference that, as a devolved matter, the Department of Education in Northern Ireland updates the curriculum.
"However, nearly four years have passed since the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Act 2019, adolescents in Northern Ireland are still not receiving comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights."
Each school in Northern Ireland is currently required by the department to develop its own RSE policy and to teach RSE.
However what is actually taught to pupils about RSE has been a matter for each school to decide, based on their school ethos.
That approach has previously been criticised by some experts, who have said it leads to "different and inconsistent learning experiences" for pupils.
The Executive Formation Act previously led to new laws on abortion being introduced in Northern Ireland.
But according to Mr Heaton-Harris, that act also required him to implement recommendations on RSE contained in the CEDAW report.
The CEDAW report said that young people were "denied the education necessary to enjoy their sexual and reproductive health and rights".
In his written statement on Tuesday, Mr Heaton-Harris said he was amending previous education acts in Northern Ireland to make aspects of RSE compulsory.
Chris Heaton-Harris says he is amending previous education acts in Northern Ireland to make aspects of sex education compulsory
Although the changes to the RSE curriculum will come into effect from 1 July, the Department of Education must issue guidance to schools by 1 January 2024 on what they are required to teach.
Mr Heaton-Harris said that would give six months for "meaningful engagement with teachers, parents and young people" about the changes.
He also said that parents could still withdraw their children "from education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, or elements of that education".
"This follows the approach taken in England and Scotland," he said.
"Consultation with parents on relationship and sexuality education is already common practice in Northern Ireland and we expect the Department of Education to ensure schools afford parents the opportunity to review relevant materials.
"Educating adolescents on issues such as contraception, and access to abortion in Northern Ireland, should be done in a factual way that does not advocate, or oppose, a particular view on the moral and ethical considerations of abortion or contraception."
The changes to RSE have been welcomed by the NSPCC in Northern Ireland.
Natalie Whelehan from the children's charity called the new regulations a "positive step".
"Making excellent quality RSE teaching available to all secondary school-aged children will ensure they receive information on what constitutes healthy and unhealthy relationships both online and offline and about their right to be safe, heard and protected," she said.
"This positive step also means that young people in Northern Ireland will now have consistent access to similar information available to young people in the rest of the UK."
The moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Dr John Kirkpatrick, said the Northern Ireland Secretary was trying to "impose a particular worldview on the education of children in Northern Ireland".
"In an increasingly pluralistic context, RSE of course should be taught in a sensitive and inclusive manner, where teaching is reinforced and supported by policies and processes that schools have in place around safeguarding, bullying and pastoral care," he said.
"Young people should have the opportunity to explore their own personal morals, values and beliefs including the moral and ethical considerations around sensitive issues like abortion and contraception.
"The secretary of state's actions run contrary to these aspirations," he continued. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65824502 |
Prince Harry witness statement key extracts: 'Thicko, cheat, underage drinker' - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | 'I couldn't trust anybody' - Harry on the impact of alleged unlawful information gathering on his life. | UK | Prince Harry has been facing a cross-examination in the High Court in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
He believes journalists from the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People exploited a security gap to access his voicemails and hear messages left by friends and family.
As he entered the witness box, Harry's 55-page witness statement was published, detailing the times when he says journalists at the newspaper publisher used unlawful methods to gather information to generate stories about him, including phone hacking. MGN denies phone hacking in this case.
Here are some key extracts from his statement which he is being challenged on in court by barristers on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"In my experience as a member of the Royal Family, each of us gets cast into a specific role by the tabloid press.
"You start off as a blank canvas while they work out what kind of person you are and what kind of problems and temptations you might have.
"They then start to edge you towards playing the role or roles that suit them best and which sells as many newspapers as possible, especially if you are the 'spare' to the 'heir'.
"You're then either the 'playboy prince', the 'failure', the 'dropout' or, in my case, the 'thicko', the 'cheat', the 'underage drinker', the 'irresponsible drug taker', the list goes on.
"As a teenager and in my early 20s, I ended up feeling as though I was playing up to a lot of the headlines and stereotypes mainly because I thought that, if they are printing this rubbish about me and people were believing it, I may as well 'do the crime'.
"It was a downward spiral, whereby the tabloids would constantly try and coax me into doing something stupid that would make a good story and sell lots of newspapers.
"Looking back, such behaviour on their part is utterly vile."
Prince Harry says journalists would blag information about his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy's flights to the UK to see him. The couple were in an on-off, sometimes long-distance, relationship for six years from 2004.
"I walked into the [airport] arrivals hall with a baseball cap on and immediately spotted five separate paparazzi sitting on benches with cameras in bags, their hands inside rucksacks and everyone else looking at me," says the prince.
"I remember that someone was videoing me with one of those tiny little cameras between their legs.
"I recall thinking how on earth did they know I was going to be there, but now it's obvious.
"Here were five big, burly and dodgy looking men, with their hands in their pockets or in rucksacks and satchels in a busy public place.
"My security and I simply couldn't know whether they were reaching for a camera or drawing some kind of weapon."
Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry were in an on-off relationship between 2004 and 2010
He adds: "I always felt the tabloids wanted me to be single, as I was much more interesting to them and sold more newspapers.
"Whenever I got into a relationship, they were very keen to report the details but would then, very quickly, seek to try and break it up by putting as much strain on it and creating as much distrust as humanly possible.
"The twisted objective is still pursued to this day even though I'm now married."
"Tabloids would routinely publish articles about me that were often wrong but interspersed with snippets of truth.
"This created an alternative and distorted version of me to the general public - the people I had to serve and interact with as a member of the Royal Family - to the point where any one of the thousands of people that I met or was introduced to on any given day, could easily have gone: 'You know what, you're an idiot. I've read all the stories about you and now I'm going to stab you."
Prince Harry on a walkabout in Edinburgh with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2018
Prince Harry says royal aides gave him his first phone when he went to Eton College, a boarding school in Windsor - and it became crucial to his daily life.
"As I was very heavily involved with various commitments, I would constantly be leaving and receiving voicemails, as text messaging was much less common back then," he says.
"It was my main means of communicating with my family [including my mother who I was obviously extremely close] ... my girlfriend at the time, my friends, members of the Royal Household and those I was working with.
"My voicemails would include incredibly private and sensitive information about my relationships, my operational security and that of my family [and in later years] my work both in the Army and as a senior member of the Royal Family."
He says knowing MGN journalists were listening in to private and sensitive voicemails suggests they could have heard "anything and everything".
This created huge stress, presented security concerns and created a "huge amount of paranoia" and suspicion in his relationships, he says.
"I felt I couldn't trust anybody, which was an awful feeling for me, especially at such a young age."
The King accompanied Prince Harry on his first day at Eton College in Berkshire
Prince Harry says numerous papers had reported a rumour that his biological father was James Hewitt - a man his mother had a relationship with after he was born.
At the time, he says, he wasn't aware of the timeline. Aged 18 and having lost his mother six years earlier, he says such stories felt were "hurtful, mean and cruel".
"I was always left questioning the motives. Were the newspapers keen to put doubt into the minds of the public so I might be ousted from the Royal Family?"
James Hewitt, a former cavalry officer, had a five-year affair with Princess Diana
A 2003 article by The People detailed a disagreement between Prince Harry and his brother, the Prince of Wales, over a potential meeting with their mother's former butler, Paul Burrell. He says the pair had strong feelings about Mr Burrell's indiscretion after he sold their mother's possessions and conducted interviews about her.
"We firmly believed that she would have expected some privacy in death, especially from someone she had trusted," he says.
William had wanted to set up a meeting with him - Harry was firmly against it, having made up his mind about Mr Burrell.
The article said he believed him to be a "two-faced shit", a phrase he believes could have been lifted from a voicemail message.
Paul Burrell said Princess Diana called him her rock
Breaking with the convention that royals never interfere with politics, Prince Harry attacks Rishi Sunak's government in his statement.
"Our country is judged globally by the state of our press and our government - both of which I believe are at rock bottom.
"Democracy fails when your press fails to scrutinise and hold the government accountable, and instead choose to get into bed with them so they can ensure the status quo."
Prince Harry says he is determined to see this action through to the end because he is convinced unlawful information gathering was known about by those at the top.
"The fact that it was not just the journalists who were carrying out the unlawful activity, but also those in power who were turning a blind eye to it so as to ensure that it would continue unabated - and who then tried to cover it up when the game was up - is appalling.
"The fact they're all ganging up to protect each other is the most disturbing part of all, especially as they're the mothership of online trolling.
"Trolls react and mobilise to stories they create. People have died as a result and people will continue to kill themselves by suicide when they can't see any other way out.
"How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65819707 |
Prince Harry surrounded by 'web of unlawful activity', court hears - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Prince Harry's lawyers claim his privacy was invaded by Mirror Group newspapers throughout his life. | UK | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Unlawful information-gathering "acted like a web" around the Duke of Sussex, a court has heard during his trial against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
Prince Harry's barrister told London's High Court no aspect of his youth was safe from press intrusion - citing stories about his relationship with Chelsy Davy appearing in the Mirror.
The duke is claiming MGN journalists used unlawful methods to gather information, including phone hacking.
Earlier, the judge in the case, Mr Justice Fancourt, said he was a "little surprised" to hear Prince Harry would not be attending court on Monday.
He had given an earlier direction that witnesses should be available on the first day of their individual case in case there was time to give evidence.
Andrew Green KC, for MGN, accused the prince's side of "wasting time", saying it was "absolutely extraordinary we were told just last week that he is not available for day one of his own trial".
Barrister David Sherborne, for Prince Harry, said the duke had flown in from Los Angeles after his daughter's birthday, and added: "He is in a different category from the three other claimants due to his travel and security arrangements."
The duke is likely to begin giving evidence on Tuesday, his lawyers said, making him the first senior royal in 130 years to testify in court.
Making his opening speech for the duke, Mr Sherborne, who is also representing three other people, said: "These methods acted like a web around the prince in the hope it would catch the valuable information that they sought through these unlawful means, some of which made it in stories."
He said Prince Harry did not have a "vendetta against the press" but he wanted to hold them to account.
Among the articles complained about that are being considered by the judge are stories concerning the prince and his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy.
"The ups and downs and ins and outs of their relationship; the beginning, the break-ups and finally the split between them were all revealed and picked apart by the three Mirror Group titles," Mr Sherborne continued, saying this was "clearly driven by unlawful activity".
He told the court a story published by the People in April 2005 detailed the prince's phone calls to her.
"It was as if they were never alone," he added.
Mr Sherborne suggested the stories led to the couple's circle of friends becoming "smaller and smaller" due to them suspecting friends of leaking to newspapers, but he accepted that there was little direct evidence of unlawful methods being used to get stories like this.
Eventually the couple's relationship ended. In a witness statement previously reported, the prince claimed Ms Davy decided that "a royal life was not for her" following repeated acts of harassment.
The court was also told about a 2003 article detailing an alleged row between the duke and his brother Prince William, now the Prince of Wales, over their mother's ex-butler Paul Burrell.
"Brothers can sometimes disagree," Mr Sherborne said.
"But once it is made public in this way and their inside feelings revealed in the way that they are, trust begins to be eroded."
Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry were in an on-off relationship between 2004 and 2010
The prince alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered at the trial.
At the start of the High Court hearing last month, the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People admitted a private investigator had been instructed to unlawfully gather information relating to Harry's conduct in a nightclub in February 2004.
This incident does not form part of the duke's claim for breach of privacy.
Mr Sherborne told the court on Monday the suggestion that there was only one instance of unlawful information-gathering was "plainly implausible", arguing it would have happened on "multiple occasions".
He said "every facet" of the prince's life had been splashed across the papers and it would have been "obvious" stories about his private life were driving sales for MGN.
But Mr Green said there was no evidence to support claims by the prince.
Summarising MGN's defence, Mr Green said there was no data showing that Harry had been hacked, "still less on a habitual basis".
Mr Green said none of the whistle-blowing journalists who have come forward admitting phone hacking said they had hacked the prince's phone.
"There's no evidence to support a finding that any mobile phone owned or used by the Duke of Sussex was hacked. Zilch, Zero, Nil, De Nada, Niente, Nothing," he said.
Alongside Prince Harry, Coronation Street actors Michael Turner - known professionally as Michael Le Vell - and Nikki Sanderson, as well as Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of the comedian Paul Whitehouse, have also brought claims against the publisher.
The claimants argue senior executives must have known about unlawful information gathering behind these stories and failed to stop it, which MGN denies.
Prince Harry's legal team argue MGN covered up and destroyed potential evidence of unlawful information gathering about Prince Harry but there remains enough of a trail for the court to follow.
They want the judge to take MGN's existing admissions of hacking, look at the alleged gaps in the defence case - and then make inferences about how some stories about Prince Harry must surely have been unlawfully gathered.
The judge only has to rule for or against the duke on the balance of probabilities.
No-one who has admitted phone hacking has said Prince Harry was among the victims.
Read the latest from our royal correspondent Sean Coughlan - sign up here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65808672 |
Coldplay Cardiff concert: Chris Martin casually arrives by train - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The lead singer hopped on to the platform ahead of the band's two nights of gigs in Cardiff. | Wales | Coldplay's Chris Martin arrived in Cardiff by train ahead of the band's two nights of gigs.
He jumped the gun, and listened to travel warnings before more than 100,000 fans descended on the city to see the band perform.
Martin got off the train at Cardiff Central wearing joggers, a grey top and baseball cap on Tuesday morning.
The band also made sure their gig is bilingual by kicking it off with a Welsh translation.
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Martin's arrival strikes a hard contrast to superstar Beyoncé's arrival to Cardiff for her Renaissance World Tour about three weeks ago.
The star faced criticism from some for bringing her 60-production truck and 18-coach strong entourage.
The singer herself arrived by private jet at Cardiff Airport just after 15:00 and was then flown back to London at 23:00 the same day.
One onlooker tweeted: "I worry about my recycling and here are all of #Beyoncé set trucks parked up in Cardiff... For one night! #ClimateEmergency #Carbon."
About 60 production trucks were outside Cardiff City Stadium ahead of Beyoncé's concert
Coldplay, who boast hits such as Paradise and Yellow, pledged to cut their carbon footprint after stopping touring in 2019.
Their "eco-friendly" tour is partially powered by a dancefloor that generates electricity when fans jump up and down, and pedal power at the venues.
Their opener on Tuesday and Wednesday night will also play a bilingual video educating fans on the sustainability elements of the tour.
"This will be truly appreciated by the people of Wales and will add to the enjoyment of their World of Spheres shows in the capital," said Gwyn Derfel, Welsh language manager of the Welsh Rugby Union.
"I'm truly grateful for the respect that Coldplay are showing to the Welsh language."
The video educates fans on the sustainability elements of the tour
The green movement continued with the band bringing support act Hana Lili just 8 miles (12.8km) from Sully, Vale of Glamorgan to Cardiff.
It took the singer by surprise who believed the email inviting her from Coldplay's team was spam.
"I sent the email to my dad and he was like 'ignore it, that's a fake email'," the folk artist, from Sully, Vale of Glamorgan said.
"It was a massive surprise, I'm really looking forward to it."
The band, pictured here in Vancouver, last performed in Cardiff in 2017
As with Beyoncé's concert, commuters were urged to plan ahead, with the M4 and surrounding roads expected to be very busy.
Coldplay were originally set to play a single night at the Principality Stadium, but a second night was added after overwhelming demand.
The gates opened at 17:00 and Cardiff council has urged passengers to plan their journey in advance to avoid disappointment.
For Ed Sheeran's tour in May 2022, queues were so long on the M4 that some fans arrived hours late and even missed it entirely.
There will be a full city centre road closure from 16:00 BST to midnight on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Cardiff council said congested roads can be avoided by using its Park & Ride facility at Leckwith Stadium or the Park & Walk facility at County Hall, in Cardiff Bay.
Transport for Wales was carrying out work for the South Wales Metro, so buses will be replacing rail on services north of Pontypridd (Treherbert and Merthyr Tydfil Lines) and Mountain Ash (Aberdare Line).
It provided additional services, but no post-event services to Birmingham or Holyhead.
Great Western Railway however did run extra services after the concerts.
They will operate from Cardiff Central to Swansea, Newport, Bristol and Swindon.
Both operators said it expected trains to be very busy and advised users to plan in advance.
You can visit the Cardiff council website for travel information around the city.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65807561 |
PGA Tour & DP World Tour agree shock merger with Saudi Arabia's PIF to end split in golf - BBC Sport | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | null | The PGA Tour and DP World Tour agree to merge with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund [PIF] in a deal that ends the split in the game. | null | Last updated on .From the section Golf
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have agreed to merge with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund [PIF] in a deal that ends the split in the game.
The surprise announcement comes after a year of unprecedented disruption in the men's game following the launch of LIV Golf, which is funded by the PIF.
It means pending litigation between the tours will be halted and they will move forward as part of the same enterprise.
"This is a stunning development," said BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter.
"The PGA and DP World Tours were sworn enemies of the LIV circuit, which had poached some of their best players. They viewed the breakaway tour as an existential threat and entered into bitter and expensive legal action."
• None The Sports Desk podcast: Has Saudi Arabia just bought golf?
Making the announcement on Tuesday Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, golf's leading circuit, said: "This is a historic day for the game."
An agreement has been signed that will combine the PGA Tour and LIV's commercial operations and rights into a new, yet to be named for-profit company.
The agreement includes the DP World Tour, formerly known as the European Tour.
The emergence of the LIV circuit fractured men's professional golf over the last year, with several top players lured by its huge prize funds and no-cut events, which include a team format.
LIV Golf is backed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), an entity controlled by the Saudi crown prince and which has been embroiled in anti-trust lawsuits with the PGA Tour over the last year.
"This is a momentous day - to partner in this new entity is energising and exciting," said DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.
What will golf now look like?
Monahan, his counterpart on the PGA Tour, said that a "comprehensive evaluation" of how best to integrate team golf will take place.
Yasir Al-Rumayyan is governor of the Saudi PIF, which is also the majority owner of Premier League club Newcastle United, who Al-Rumayyan serves as chairman. He will be chairman of the new commercial entity while Monahan will be chief executive.
Greg Norman has been a divisive figurehead as chief executive of LIV Golf but the former world number one was not mentioned during Tuesday's announcement.
"This transformational partnership recognises the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour's history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV - including the team golf concept - to create an organisation that will benefit players, partners and fans," Monahan added.
"I applaud Yasir Al-Rumayyan for his vision and collaborative and forward-thinking approach that is not just a solution to the rift in our game, but also a commitment to taking it to new heights. This will engender a new era in global golf, for the better."
A joint press release added that all parties will work in the months to come to finalise terms of the agreement.
Al-Rumayyan said: "We are committed to unifying, promoting and growing the game of golf around the world and offering the highest-quality product to the many millions of long-time fans globally, while cultivating new fans.
"There is no question that the LIV model has been positively transformative for golf. We believe there are opportunities for the game to evolve while also maintaining its storied history and tradition."
The next event of LIV's second season is due to take place on 30 June at Valderrama, Spain.
How did we get here?
In late 2021, it was announced that LIV Golf, fronted by Norman, was to commit more than $200m (£145m) to 10 new Asian Tour events to be staged annually over the next decade.
In March 2022, LIV announced a $250m eight-event invitational series and then, in May 2022, Norman told BBC Sport that he had secured an extra £1.6bn of funding from the PIF to turn the series into a 14-event league by 2024.
The first event took place in June last year featuring star names including Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and stalwarts of the European Ryder Cup team, including England's Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.
In April, the DP World Tour won its legal battle against 12 LIV players who committed "serious breaches" of the Tour's code of behaviour by playing in LIV Golf events without its permission.
The subsequent increased fines and suspensions prompted Sergio Garcia, Poulter, Westwood and Henrik Stenson to resign their memberships and become ineligible for this year's Ryder Cup, which will take place from 29 September to 1 October.
Stenson had been selected as captain of the European team for the matches in Rome, but when he joined LIV he was sacked and replaced by Luke Donald.
Those players could now return to the fold, with the new enterprise pledging to establish a "fair and objective process" for players to re-apply for membership after the end of this season.
What has been the reaction?
The latest event in LIV's 2023 season was played at Donald Trump's course in Sterling, Virginia.
The former US president said on social media: "Great news from LIV Golf. A big, beautiful and glamorous deal for the wonderful world of golf. Congrats to all."
Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, one of the first big names to switch from the PGA Tour to LIV, added: "Awesome day today."
American golfer Michael Kim said: "The hell is going on? Very curious how many people knew this deal was happening. About 5-7 people? Player run organisation right?"
• None Why is Saudi Arabia's involvement in sport controversial?
'Not likely to sit easily with the PIF's critics' - analysis
This is a stunning development that has taken the golf world by complete surprise. The PGA and DP World Tours were sworn enemies of the LIV circuit, which had poached some of their best players.
They viewed Greg Norman's breakaway tour as an existential threat and entered into bitter and expensive legal action. But this was becoming increasingly uncomfortable for LIV's Saudi Arabian backers, who faced the prospect of being interrogated under oath during the discovery process.
The PGA Tour were also looking at huge costs to finance a string of $20m (£16.1m) tournaments introduced to counter their new opposition and had already dipped into their reserves.
For both sides there was a significant peace dividend in a sport that could ill afford to be split in the first place. It is an extraordinary climbdown for the PGA and DP World Tours to acknowledge LIV as being "positively transformative for golf".
Nevertheless, this deal appears to signal Saudi Arabia's massive wealth as a unifying force for the men's professional game. That is not likely to sit easily with critics who have regarded the PIF's involvement with LIV as nothing more than sportswashing for a kingdom whose human rights record is often questioned.
How this will transform the game remains to be seen, but all sides will be happy the threat of legal action has gone away. LIV players also now have a pathway back into a more unified game.
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• None How to get cheap flight tickets: Martin Lewis gives us his top tips... | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/65825327 |
Vision Pro: Apple's new augmented reality headset unveiled - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The high price and two-hour battery life raise questions about how popular the new device will be. | Technology | Apple has unveiled a much-anticipated augmented reality headset, Apple Vision Pro, in its first major hardware launch for almost a decade.
Apple chief executive Tim Cook said the new headset "seamlessly blends the real world and the virtual world".
The tech firm also announced its latest iPhone operating system, as well as updates to MacBook Air.
The headset has a two-hour battery life, costs $3,499 (£2,849) and will be released early next year in the US.
The cost is considerably higher than virtual reality headsets currently on the market. Last week Meta announced its Quest 3 - which costs $499.
Apple said little about generative artificial intelligence - the buzzy technology that is the talk of Silicon Valley.
The company's share price fell slightly during the announcement, made at a developer's conference at Apple Park, the company's headquarters, in Cupertino, California.
The BBC was among the media outlets at the event, and technology editor Zoe Kleinman was one of the first people in the world to try out the headset.
"Since current boss Tim Cook took over in 2011, with the possible exception of the Watch, Apple has been unable to come up with the kind of world-changing product of the past," she said.
"Have they done it here?"
Apple Vision Pro looks different to similar headsets on the market - and is more reminiscent of a pair of ski goggles than a virtual reality headset.
Apple used the phrase "augmented reality" to describe what the new device does.
Augmented reality, also known as mixed reality, superimposes virtual objects in the world around us - enabling us to mix reality with virtual reality by looking through a screen.
"It's like your phone but right in front of you - big, bright and bold, wherever you are," Ms Kleinman said.
In letting you do things like watch videos of your family blowing out birthday candles or immerse yourself in your photography by making your panoramic photos life-size, she says it is pitched as a device which is "very much about being part of your daily life", unlike many other headsets on the market geared primarily towards immersive gaming.
How the Vision Pro's new app store will appear for headset users
Users can access apps, watch movies, and write documents in a virtual world. But so far, there is little evidence of a big market for this kind of wearable tech.
"It's still at the end of the day a VR headset," said Ms Kleinman. "Apple is going to have to have an awful lot of content to throw at this when it ships early next year.
"And of course the other thing is the price point - $3,499 is a lot of money."
Hartley Charlton, senior editor of MacRumors, was unsure how much the headset would appeal to the general public.
"It won't appeal to mainstream consumers at first on account of its extremely high price point and immediate shortcomings as a first-generation device, such as its separate wired battery pack," he said.
But he said Apple has a track record of "overcoming scepticism" about new devices, and has historically encouraged people to "part with their cash to add a new gadget to their repertoire".
Journalists and developers at Monday's conference saw a glimpse of the headset
In his sales pitch, Mr Cook said the headset allows users to "see, hear and interact with digital content just like it's in your physical space".
It is controlled by using a combination of your hands, eyes and voice - such as tapping your fingers together to select, and flicking them to scroll.
The announcement comes a week after Meta and Lenovo announced new iterations of their pre-existing virtual reality headsets, that do not superimpose objects on to a view of the real world.
Meta has also invested heavily in mixed reality - but right now the sector is struggling.
The headset market saw a 54% drop in global sales last year, according to the International Data Corporation.
Apple's last major hardware release was for the Apple Watch device in 2015.
Thomas Husson, of Forrester Research, told BBC News it may take time for Apple's new headset to take off.
"The overall AR/VR space has been a bit overhyped over the past few years with the metaverse and that kind of experience," he said. "That's the reason why I think it will take a bit more time.
"Having said that, if I told you 10 to 15 years ago that people would be ready to pay almost $2,000 for a mobile phone, I don't think many people would have said they would be willing to pay that."
Aside from the Vision Pro announcement, Apple also unveiled iOS17, the latest version of its iPhone operating system.
Updates include "contact posters" - a picture or image of yourself that will appear on a person's phone when you call them - and "live voicemail" - which provides a real-time transcription of an answerphone message being left to you.
This transcription will also apply to audio messages left using Apple Messages.
And Apple has introduced a system called Check-In - which will automatically tell a friend or family member when you have arrived home.
If your journey is substantially delayed, it has the power to tell others that you have not made it home safely yet.
The new operating system will be available this autumn. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65809408 |
Bournemouth beach deaths: Riptide may have led to drownings - inquest - BBC News | 2023-06-06T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Sunnah Khan and Joe Abbess died after being pulled from the sea near Bournemouth Pier on Wednesday. | Dorset | Sunnah Khan, a 12-year-old girl from Buckinghamshire, and 17-year-old Joe Abbess from Southampton both died in hospital on Wednesday
A riptide may have led to the deaths of a girl and a teenage boy off Bournemouth beach, an inquest heard.
Joe Abbess, 17, from Southampton, and 12-year-old Sunnah Khan, from Buckinghamshire, both died in hospital after the incident on Wednesday.
An inquest opening at Dorset Coroner's Court heard there was a "suggestion" a riptide had led to the pair drowning.
Dorset Police said it was keeping an "open mind" about the circumstances that led to the deaths.
The force said it was considering causes including the impact of weather conditions and the state of the water.
It has dismissed speculation the pair had jumped from the pier.
Stephanie Williams (pictured with Sunnah) said she had lost her "beautiful girl"
Riptides are strong currents running out to sea that can quickly drag people and objects away from the shallows of the shoreline and out to deeper water.
They can be difficult to spot and are a major cause of accidental drowning on beaches all across the world, according to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
Rip currents are often harmless, but around large headlands or piers - like Bournemouth Pier - they can be powerful.
They tend to flow at 1-2mph but can reach 4-5mph, which is faster than an Olympic swimmer, the RNLI explained.
In a hearing to open the inquest proceedings at Bournemouth Town Hall, Dorset coroner's officer Nicola Muller said post-mortem examinations identified drowning as the cause of the deaths.
"The brief circumstances are that emergency services were contacted by members of the public... following suggestion they had been caught in a riptide," she said.
The inquest in Bournemouth was opened and adjourned for a pre-inquest review hearing on 18 September.
Joe's family described him as "a fabulous young man", while Sunnah's mother Stephanie Williams has posted on Twitter to pay tribute to her "beautiful daughter".
Ms Williams tweeted: "No parent should ever have to go through what her dad and I are going through. We love you so much baby girl."
The beach was cleared as emergency services attended the incident
The incident involved 10 swimmers on a day when the beach was packed during half-term.
The Dorset Belle sightseeing boat was impounded by Dorset Police in the immediate aftermath, but the force said this was "just one of several lines of inquiry".
Det Ch Supt Neil Corrigan said: "We are working with experts from partner agencies to understand all of the factors and this will take time to establish.
"We continue to support the families of Joe and Sunnah and they are being kept updated by specially trained family liaison officers about our investigation.
"I would ask that the police investigation is allowed to continue without further unhelpful speculation around circumstances of the incident, and that there is respect for the families of those who have died so tragically."
Police were at the scene of sightseeing boat the Dorset Belle on Friday
Tobias Ellwood, Conservative MP for Bournemouth East, said he believed police should have released more information that would have helped "place into context the scale of this major incident".
"The absence of clarity led to really wild speculation on social media," he added. "Provide clarity early on - just so people can have an assurance of mind on what roughly happened."
David Sidwick, Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, said: "It is the family of Sunnah Khan and Joe Abbess who have to be first in our thoughts both with our condolences and also from the point of view of whatever information comes forth.
"This is a complex investigation - it includes a number of agencies."
Mr Sidwick added: "They are working together as fast as they can to find out what happened on that day and I truly believe that they need to be given the time and space to do that fully, thoroughly, professionally without hindrance.
"At this moment in time we have to understand that this is an immensely complex situation - the police moved to rule out those things which they could rule out when they had enough evidence to be able to do that.
"What they can't do is say what exactly happened. What is the point of saying to the family it's 'X' or it's not 'Y' if that isn't fully understood - we've got to let all these investigations work through."
Friends of Joe Abbess (L-R) - Jack, Ben, Leo and Jack - paid tribute to the "much-loved" student
The force said none of the swimmers were involved in any collision or contact with any vessel in the water.
It has appealed for witnesses and urged people to send it any photographic footage.
A man in his 40s, who was "on the water" at the time, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. He has since been released while inquiries continue.
City College Southampton, where Mr Abbess was studying catering, said teachers were "in tears" over his death.
Curriculum manager Joanne Pengelly said the teenager was a "rare gem... totally reliable, always happy [and] really supportive in the department".
His friend and fellow student Ben said: "Joe was kind of an inspiration to me. He was obviously very passionate about cooking. Head chef one day, for sure."
Another student Jack said: "He was definitely the life of the kitchen. Bubbly, happy, trying to spread the cheeriness throughout the kitchen.
"Now I'm heartbroken. We all loved him so much."
Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-65807339 |
Lionel Messi to join Inter Miami after leaving Paris St-Germain - BBC Sport | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | Argentina legend Lionel Messi will join MLS side Inter Miami after leaving Paris St-Germain. | null | Last updated on .From the section European Football
Argentina legend Lionel Messi will join American side Inter Miami after his exit from French champions Paris St-Germain.
Messi, 35, had a more lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal while a return to Barcelona became an impossibility because of Financial Fair Play (FFP) limitations.
"I've taken the decision that I am going to Miami," Messi told newspapers Diario Sport and Mundo Deportivo.
He added: "It's true that I had offers from another European team but I didn't even think about it because in Europe, my idea was only to go to Barcelona.
"After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it's time to go to MLS to live football in a different way and enjoy my day to day life more.
"Obviously with the same responsibility and desire to win, and to do things well, but with more calm."
The ex-Barcelona forward was keen on a return to the Catalan club this summer but the FFP limitations that will be in place for next season in La Liga made any ambitious plan to bring him back an impossibility.
The Spanish club were unable to keep Messi in 2021, leading to a tearful news conference as he left the Nou Camp and signed for PSG.
"I was afraid that it would happen again," he said.
"I really wanted, I was very excited to be able to return [to Barcelona], but after having experienced what I experienced and the exit I had, I did not want to be in the same situation again - waiting to see what was going to happen.
"I heard that they had to sell players or lower players' salaries and the truth is that I didn't want to go through that, nor take charge of obtaining something that had to do with all that."
Barcelona later released a statement saying Messi had chosen a Miami move over an offer from the Catalan club.
"President [Joan] Laporta understood and respected Messi's decision to want to compete in a league with fewer demands, further away from the spotlight and the pressure he has been subject to in recent years," it added.
The Miami deal includes collaboration from brands like Adidas and Apple.
Messi won the Ballon d'Or award for the world's best player seven times and is expected to win it later this year after World Cup success.
This is the first time Barcelona icon Messi has played outside Europe.
• None Quiz: How well do you know Messi?
With a Barcelona return failing to materialise, he had the straight choice between Inter Miami or Al-Hilal.
He was heavily tipped to be favouring a move to Saudi Arabia, where he would have joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the league in a deal that could not be matched financially.
But Messi was ultimately tempted to Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami for a variety of reasons including lifestyle, and a deal with big brands that extends beyond football.
He already owns a house in Miami, which he rents out.
Paris St-Germain won Ligue 1 in both his seasons at the club but went out in the Champions League last 16, which means his time in France was not seen as a huge success.
He netted 32 goals in 75 games for the club - and ended this season with 16 goals and 16 assists in Ligue 1.
Messi's two-year contract comes to an end this summer and both parties agreed to go their separate ways, with the forward suspended for two weeks in May for an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia.
His legacy comes from his time at Barcelona and winning the World Cup with Argentina in December.
He left Barca in 2021, after 21 years with the club, because of the club's financial problems.
Messi is Barcelona's record scorer with 672 goals and won 10 La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and seven Spanish Cups.
'If it was about money I'd have gone to Saudi'
Messi said he had chatted with close friend Xavi, the Barcelona manager, about returning to the club but "very little, once or twice at most" with president Joan Laporta.
"We were very excited, because when something came out we would discuss if he really wanted me to come back, if it was good for the team and for him, and we kept in communication," Messi said.
"We never even got to talk about the contract. A proposal was passed over, but never a formal, written, signed proposal, because there was still nothing and we did not know if it was going to be possible or not.
"There was the intention, but we couldn't advance anything, we didn't even talk about money formally.
"If it had been a matter of money I would have gone to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere."
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• None Can you crack the code to open the safe? Put your code-breaking skills to the test in this brainteaser | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65832658 |
Karim Benzema agrees to join Saudi champions Al-Ittihad after Real Madrid exit - BBC Sport | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema agrees terms with Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad after leaving Real Madrid. | null | Last updated on .From the section Football
Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema has agreed terms on a three-year deal with Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad after leaving Real Madrid.
French striker Benzema, 35, won 25 trophies - including five Champions Leagues and four La Ligas - in 14 years with Madrid but they agreed to let him leave his contract a year early.
He scored 354 goals for Real, second only to Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo, who hit 450 Real goals, plays for another Saudi club, Al-Nassr.
"It's a good league and there are many good players," said Benzema. "Cristiano Ronaldo is already there, a friend which shows Saudi Arabia is starting to further progress its level. I am here to win, like I did in Europe.
"I have been fortunate to achieve amazing things in my career and achieve everything I can in Spain and Europe. It now feels the time is right for a new challenge and project."
Al-Ittihad are managed by former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
Benzema played 648 times for Real after his 2009 move from Lyon and scored with his last touch for the club, netting a penalty in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao before being replaced.
On Monday it was announced Al-Ittihad were one of four leading Saudi Arabian clubs to be taken over by the country's Public Investment Fund, which also owns Newcastle United.
Ronaldo's Al-Nassr are another, and so are Al-Hilal, who have been strongly linked to Paris St-Germain's Lionel Messi this summer.
• None Our coverage of your Premier League club is bigger and better than ever before - follow your team and sign up for notifications in the BBC Sport app to make sure you never miss a moment | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65827087 |
West Ham condemn fan behaviour after Fiorentina's Cristiano Biraghi hit by object thrown from crowd - BBC Sport | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | West Ham condemn the behaviour of "a small number of fans" after Fiorentina's Cristiano Biraghi is hit by an object thrown from the stands during the Europa Conference League final. | null | Last updated on .From the section West Ham
West Ham condemned the behaviour of "a small number of fans" after Fiorentina's Cristiano Biraghi was hit by an object thrown from the stands at the Europa Conference League final.
Biraghi was left bloodied after cups and other items were thrown as he took a corner during the match in Prague.
West Ham said "these actions have no place in football".
It followed trouble before the game, as 16 people were arrested after an incident at a bar.
Czech police said Italian fans attacked West Ham supporters in a bar, leaving three people injured.
West Ham said the fans' actions inside the Fortuna Arena "do not in any way represent the values of our football club and the overwhelming majority of our supporters".
The club added that fans had "behaved impeccably" in Prague and during their time in European competitions in the last two seasons, and that they would assist police in finding the culprits.
"In line with our zero-tolerance approach, anyone identified will have their details passed to the police and will be given an indefinite ban and therefore be unable to enter London Stadium and travel with the club," a statement said.
As Biraghi received treatment for his head injury in the first half, a PA announcement urged supporters to stop throwing objects onto the pitch and to "please respect players and the officials".
Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano said Biraghi "has big gash in the back of his neck and stitches".
West Ham ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy as Jarrod Bowen scored a last-minute goal to beat Fiorentina.
Earlier on, Hammers fans were attacked by the Italian side's supporters at the Tek-ila Tek-ila bar in Rytirska Street in the city centre.
Three people were injured, with police confirming an officer had also been attacked during the incident.
One West Ham fan, who did not want to be named, told PA News his friend was "quite badly" hurt with a "massive cut" on his head.
Prague emergency service spokeswoman Jana Postova told AFP two people were treated at the scene and one was transported to hospital with a light head injury,
The fan added: "About eight Italians walked past, swinging bands and chains. Five minutes later, there was a big group that come down the road and attacked us."
A 17-year-old witness, speaking to PA News, said West Ham fans had "done nothing wrong" and Fiorentina supporters "were throwing flares and firecrackers". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65837778 |
Francoise Gilot: Artist, writer and Picasso's former lover, dies at 101 - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Gilot, who was 101, emerged from Picasso's shadow to become acclaimed as an artist in her own right. | Entertainment & Arts | Francoise Gilot, who emerged from the shadow of her lover Pablo Picasso to become acclaimed as an artist in her own right, has died at the age of 101.
An accomplished painter, Gilot also wrote a best-selling 1964 memoir detailing her tumultuous relationship with the Spanish giant of modern art.
She described the "hell" of being Picasso's mistress and artistic muse.
France's culture minister Rima Abdul Malak called Gilot "one of the most striking artists of her generation".
Her "disappearance plunges the world of art into great sadness as her personality was bright and inspiring", Malak said.
Huffington Post founder and Picasso biographer Arianna Huffington thanked Gilot for "the insights, love and wisdom you brought into my life".
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 Arianna Huffington 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.
Born near Paris in 1921, to a businessman father and watercolour artist mother, Gilot set up her first studio in her grandmother's apartment.
She studied English, philosophy and law at the insistence of her father, who was reluctant to see her become an artist. But privately she kept painting.
While living in occupied Paris during World War Two, she was briefly arrested for her part in an anti-Nazi demonstration under the Arc de Triomphe.
Aged 21, she met the married Picasso, 40 years her senior, at a restaurant and the pair went on to strike up a personal and professional relationship.
After the best part of a decade together, which brought them two children, she left him.
"Pablo was the greatest love of my life, but you had to take steps to protect yourself," Gilot said in Janet Hawley's 2021 book Artists in Conversation. "I did. I left before I was destroyed."
The Spaniard was unsuccessful in his attempts to block her candid memoir, Life with Picasso, and cut off contact with Gilot and their two children, Claude and Paloma.
The book inspired the 1996 film of the same name, starring Anthony Hopkins as Picasso and Natascha McElhone as Gilot.
Although Picasso reportedly pressured galleries not to show her works, Gilot continued to exhibit them, and they are now in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, as well as the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
A 1965 portrait of her daughter, Paloma à la Guitare, sold for $1.3m (£1m) at auction in 2021.
Paloma à la Guitare by Francoise Gilot was sold at Sothebys in London in 2021
She ultimately moved to the US, marrying twice - including to the US polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk - and giving birth to another child, as well as becoming chairwoman of the fine arts department at the University of Southern California.
A keen travel artist, in 2018, Gilot - then 96 - published a book of sketches made during trips to India, Senegal and Venice. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65831824 |
London Irish suspended from Premiership after failing to provide financial assurances - BBC Sport | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | London Irish are suspended from the Premiership after missing a second deadline to pay staff and failing to complete a takeover. | null | Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
London Irish have been suspended from the Premiership after missing a deadline to pay players and staff.
The club, who were given until Tuesday to complete a takeover or risk being suspended, will not be allowed to play in any league next season.
A US consortium had been trying to buy Irish, who finished fifth in the Premiership during 2022-23.
A statement from governing body the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said the takeover had not materialised.
Despite plans announced in 2021 to expand its top division to 14 teams, English rugby faces the prospect of a 10-team Premiership next season after the earlier demise of Worcester Warriors and Wasps.
That outcome was discussed by clubs midway through last season, according to Leicester Tigers chief executive Andrea Pinchen.
RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said: "This is desperately sad news for everyone who is part of the London Irish community as well as all the players, fans, staff and volunteers for whom this club means so much."
Sweeney said the RFU had worked with the club, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players' Association to "do the utmost to secure the long-term viability of the club".
"To achieve this, it was imperative that transparent evidence of funding be presented to us," he added.
"This would have been either by the proposed buyers undertaking to provide all required working capital to meet the club's obligations for at least the 2023-24 season; or the club providing evidence that it would continue to fund its operations throughout the 2023-24 season.
"Despite requesting this evidence over the last six months and receiving assurances on multiple occasions that we would receive proof of ownership and funds; it has not materialised."
How did London Irish get here?
While Irish enjoyed a solid season on the pitch - finishing fifth and reaching the final of the Premiership Rugby Cup for the second successive season - there has been talk for some time of issues off the field.
The club are understood to have debts of about £30m, and owner Mick Crossan has been in protracted talks to sell to a US-based consortium.
Crossan had to step in to pay overdue wages in April, just minutes before players were preparing to submit breach-of-contract notices.
The club were initially given a deadline of 30 May to complete the takeover or risk being suspended from the Premiership next season, but the RFU pushed that cut-off point back to 16:00 BST on Tuesday.
As well as either completing the takeover or proving they had funding to operate for next season, Irish had to ensure all staff and players were paid in full for May, after just 50% of the money had been forthcoming.
The club were last week served a winding-up petition by HM Revenue & Customs over an unpaid tax bill.
Petitions were filed at the High Court on Friday against London Irish Holdings Limited and London Irish Rugby Football Ground Limited.
The winding-up petition came on the day the UK government appointed independent advisers to support the sport in the wake of the demise of Worcester and Wasps in the early months of last season.
Both clubs went into administration within the space of 21 days and ended up being expelled from the Premiership.
Wasps' demise as a leading domestic club was confirmed last month when the RFU withdrew a conditional offer of a place in the Championship for next season.
The two-time European and six-times English champions will instead play "at the bottom of the pyramid" after being demoted to the 10th tier of English rugby.
Wasps went into administration in October, the month after Worcester suffered the same fate.
They were taken over in December but lost their proposed place in the second tier after the new owners could not provide evidence they were able to pay creditors and other financial commitments.
Worcester, meanwhile, were suspended by the RFU after entering administration in September, just months after winning the Premiership Rugby Cup - their first major trophy.
Players and staff had their contracts terminated after part of the club was wound up over an unpaid £6m tax bill.
Worcester were formally taken over by the Atlas Group in May after initially agreeing a deal with administrators Begbies Traynor in February.
When, and in which division, the club will return to playing is unknown.
After being named as preferred bidders following the collapse of the club, Atlas - led by ex-Warriors chief executive Jim O'Toole - withdrew from negotiations with the RFU over playing in next season's Championship and backtracked on unpopular plans to rebrand as Sixways Rugby.
Although proposals remain to merge with the first team of local tier-five side Stourbridge, nothing official has been announced, with Atlas warned by the RFU any move to "buy their way" back higher up the league, rather than start at the bottom in tier 10, would not be allowed.
• None The story of how the Hollywood icon was let back into the wild
• None How to get cheap flight tickets: Martin Lewis gives us his top tips... | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/65819546 |
Bournemouth beach boat operations suspended after deaths - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Sunnah Khan and Joe Abbess died after being pulled from the sea near Bournemouth Pier. | Dorset | Sunnah Khan and Joe Abbess both died in hospital last Wednesday
All boat operations from Bournemouth Pier have been suspended "as a precaution" following the deaths of two children.
The council said the ban affected just one company, which operates the Dorset Belle sightseeing boat.
The vessel was impounded by police after the deaths of Joe Abbess, 17, from Southampton, and 12-year-old Sunnah Khan, from Buckinghamshire.
An inquest heard a "suggestion" a riptide led to the pair drowning.
The council said the ban on boat operations would remain pending the outcome of a police investigation.
The Dorset Belle pleasure boat was seen on Friday morning being guarded by police
Dorset Police said it was keeping an "open mind" about the incident last Wednesday and dismissed speculation the pair had jumped from the pier.
The force said it was considering causes including the impact of weather conditions and the state of the water.
The incident involved 10 swimmers on a day when the beach was packed during half-term.
In the immediate aftermath, the Dorset Belle sightseeing boat was impounded by police, but the force said it was "just one of several lines of inquiry".
It added that none of the swimmers were involved in any collision or contact with any vessel in the water.
Stephanie Williams (pictured with Sunnah) said she had lost her "beautiful girl"
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has said "no formal investigation has been launched" but it was continuing to make inquiries.
In a statement released earlier, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council said all boat operations from the pier had been paused "as a precaution" while police continue to investigate.
"We are aware the investigation is complex and will consult with Dorset Police when the investigation is complete," a spokesperson said.
A man in his 40s, who was "on the water" at the time, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. He has since been released while inquiries continue.
The beach was cleared as emergency services attended the incident
In a hearing to open the inquest proceedings at Bournemouth Town Hall on Monday, Dorset coroner's officer Nicola Muller said post-mortem examinations identified drowning as the cause of the deaths.
"The brief circumstances are that emergency services were contacted by members of the public... following suggestion they had been caught in a riptide," she said.
Riptides are strong currents running out to sea that can quickly drag people and objects away from the shallows of the shoreline and out to deeper water.
Joe's family described him as "a fabulous young man", while Sunnah's mother Stephanie Williams posted on Twitter to pay tribute to her "beautiful daughter".
She wrote: "No parent should ever have to go through what her dad and I are going through. We love you so much baby girl."
Friends of Joe Abbess (L-R) - Jack, Ben, Leo and Jack - paid tribute to the "much-loved" student
Sunnah's school described the 12-year-old as "bold and happy", whose personality "resonated throughout the school".
Bourne End Academy said in a statement: "Her energetic character and fierce sense of loyalty meant that she had built strong and positive relationships with her peers and teachers. She will be enormously missed."
Teachers at City College Southampton, where Joe was studying catering, said they were "in tears" over his death.
His friend and fellow student Ben said: "Joe was kind of an inspiration to me. He was obviously very passionate about cooking. Head chef one day, for sure."
Another student Jack said: "He was definitely the life of the kitchen. Bubbly, happy, trying to spread the cheeriness throughout the kitchen.
"Now I'm heartbroken. We all loved him so much."
The inquest was opened and adjourned for a pre-inquest review hearing on 18 September.
Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-65823704 |
Ukraine airdrops water bottles to people stranded by floods - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | Supplies are delivered to those trapped by floodwaters in Russian-controlled areas of the Kherson region. | null | Ukraine's army has released footage appearing to show drones delivering water bottles to people stranded by floodwaters in Russian-controlled areas of the Kherson region.
Water from the destroyed Kakhovka dam has engulfed the area, causing thousands to flee and sparking a humanitarian disaster.
Read the latest on the dam disaster here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65837846 |
Ukraine dam: Maps and before and after images reveal scale of disaster - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Satellite images reveal the full extent of the devastation caused by the collapse of the Kakhovka dam. | Europe | The scale of the floods caused by the destruction of a huge dam in the Russian-controlled area of southern Ukraine on Tuesday is starting to become clear.
Satellite images show how much water has already spread downriver from the Kakhovka dam to the city of Kherson about 75km (45 miles) to the west.
In closer images the water levels can be seen reaching the roofs of most buildings in the town of Oleshky, on the Russian-controlled side of the river just a few miles from Kherson, with many completely submerged.
Your device may not support this visualisation
The dam is next to the city of Nova Kakhovka, in the Kherson region, and holds back a reservoir that is so huge locals call it the Kakhovka Sea - because you cannot see the opposite bank in certain places.
Images from Nova Kakhovka on Tuesday showed buildings surrounded by floodwaters hours after the dam was destroyed.
It is unclear when exactly the dam was first damaged or how it happened, but satellite images suggest its condition had deteriorated over a number of days.
A road across the dam can be seen to to be badly damaged from 2 June, but there did not seem to be a change to the flow of the water until 6 June when the breach of the wall and collapse of nearby buildings can be clearly seen.
The entire south bank of the Dnipro River as far as the eastern end of the vast Kakhovka reservoir has been occupied by Russian forces since the invasion last year.
Apart from the flooding, the dam's destruction has raised concern about the state of the Zaporizhzia nuclear power station, about 130km upstream.
The reservoir provided cooling water to the plant, which is also under Russian control, but the reservoir is now emptying rapidly.
However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says there are alternative water sources to keep the plant cool.
Some reports suggest that water levels may be dropping in the town of Nova Kakhovka, closest to the dam, as the vast reservoir behind it empties.
But the city's Russian-appointed mayor Vladimir Leontyev said the village of Korsunka - about 15km west of the dam - was completely under water, with flooding up to roof level in three other villages.
Ukraine and Russia both say they have evacuated more than 1,000 people each.
However, Ukrainian officials say more than 40,000 people - 17,000 in Ukraine-held territory west of the Dnipro River and 25,000 in the Russian-occupied east - need to leave.
The Ukrainian authorities have released a list of settlements they want people to leave and details of some where rescue teams have been working on the west side of the river, while Russian-installed authorities have given details of places they say are flooded on the side of the river they control.
And Kherson itself had already seen heavy flooding on Wednesday morning - even though Ukrainian authorities were not expecting water levels to peak until the end of the day.
Once again the true scale becomes clearer from satellite images that show just how much of the city has been hit by the deluge.
It is just the latest tragedy to hit the city since Russia's invasion - occupation, liberation after heavy fighting and shelling most days.
And the BBC's James Waterhouse, who is in the city, says it has changed the atmosphere there, with morale lower. People have had enough, he says. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65836103 |
Hot weather: New health alert as weekend temperatures to hit 30C - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The first Heat-Health Alert of the year is issued across large parts of England. | UK | A heat-health alert has been issued for parts of England as temperatures are predicted to hit 30C (86F) over the weekend.
The alert is in place from 09:00 BST on Friday 9 June to 09:00 on Monday 12 June in London, the Midlands, eastern and southern England.
People are being asked to check on vulnerable friends and family.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says the health and social care sector could be impacted.
This first alert - graded yellow - means this weekend, predicted to be hotter than Ibiza and Madrid, could affect the vulnerable including the over-65s and those with an underlying health condition.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: "In the coming days we are likely to experience our first sustained period of hot weather of the year so far, so it's important that everyone ensures they keep hydrated and cool while enjoying the sun.
"Forecasted temperatures this week will primarily impact those over the age of 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
"If you have friends, family or neighbours who you know are more vulnerable to the effects of hot weather, it is important you check in on them."
The UKHSA also advises people to:
BBC Weather meteorologist Tomasz Schafernaker said some parts of the UK official heatwave threshold might be met in parts ofcentral and southern England this weekend.
In order for a heatwave to be declared, temperatures must be above the official heatwave threshold for at least three consecutive days.
He said: "Typically highs will reach the mid to high 20s widely across the country, but there is an outside chance of 30C in England. This is dependent on sunshine.
"The forecasts point to increasing amounts of cloud and the chance of thunderstorms which will have a bearing on the highest temperatures.
"Due to the increasing humidity the nights will also become uncomfortable over the weekend."
Large parts of the country have seen little rain recently, with some areas in England not experiencing any rain since 11 May.
Temperatures will be in the high 20s across the UK this weekend
Last year was the UK's warmest ever - Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, reached a record 40.3C on 19 July.
The UKHSA expects heatwaves are "likely to occur more often, be more intense and last longer in the years and decades ahead".
The new colour-coded alert system, launched last week, is run by the UKHSA and the Met Office. It is aimed at reducing illness and deaths among the most vulnerable.
There are two further alerts, not yet issued, representing more of a risk:
Individuals can sign up to receive alerts directly here, and people can specify which region they would like to receive alerts for. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65837317 |
Prince Harry says he is taking legal action to stop hate towards him and Meghan - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Duke of Sussex accuses Mirror Group Newspapers of hacking his phone "on an industrial scale". | UK | The Duke of Sussex has told a court he is suing the publisher of the Daily Mirror to stop "absolute intrusion and hate" towards him and his wife.
Prince Harry was giving evidence against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over illegal newsgathering claims, including phone hacking.
He was choked-up as he finished giving evidence for a second day, and said it had been "a lot".
MGN denies it used illegal methods to gather stories about the prince.
At London's High Court, the prince explained he started discussions about possible legal action after a chance-meeting in France in 2018 with David Sherborne, now his barrister.
The prince said before then he had no concerns over any particular newspaper stories due to unlawful activity because it "was all contained in the Palace".
When asked about his discussions with lawyers after that chance meeting with Mr Sherborne, Prince Harry said he had wanted to put a stop to the "absolute intrusion and hate that was coming towards" him and the Duchess of Sussex.
He said he also wanted to "see if there was any way to find a different course of action, rather than relying on the Institution's way".
But in cross-examination, Andrew Green KC, the lawyer representing the publisher of the Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People, suggested Harry had not found a single story that came from phone hacking.
Harry replied "there is hard evidence to suggest an incredible amount of suspiciousness" over how stories were sourced and he believed burner phones were used "extensively", referring to phones that can be disposed of so no records are kept.
Prince Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 - from his childhood into early adulthood - contained information gathered using unlawful methods, with a sample of 33 stories written about him being considered by the civil court.
Many of the stories the prince claimed were obtained illegally concerned his relationship with his ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy.
In a 2006 Sunday People article Ms Davy was said to have been "screaming for half an hour" at him on the phone and "blew her top" over his visit to a Spearmint Rhino lap dancing club in Berkshire.
Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry were in an on-off relationship between 2004 and 2010
Asked where he thought the information on her screaming had come from, the prince said: "At this point, knowing that my girlfriend's number was bizarrely in the hands of Mirror journalists, that they probably looked through her call data and saw missed calls, late calls… and managed to put together a story based on that."
"It was very suspicious that they had her number," he added, and he did not believe she would have given the Mirror Group or any journalists her phone number.
The prince told the court he once found a tracking device on Ms Davy's car at a time when the press were reporting on what was described as a "make-or-break" holiday for the couple.
He also highlighted another article in The People in 2007 which reported a "Palace source" saying the couple had been having "monumental" rows and their relationship was "in crisis after a string of bitter bust-ups". Again he said it was "incredibly suspicious" as he had never discussed his relationship with the Palace.
Mr Green responded by saying we are in the "land of total speculation about where this information might have come from".
The couple broke up in 2010 after a six-year on-off relationship. She attended the prince's wedding to Meghan in Windsor in 2018.
The prince was also asked about The People publishing photographs of the prince, a friend Mark Dyer and the late TV presenter Caroline Flack meeting up.
At the time he suspected one of his friends had leaked the details after they were confronted by photographers. In turn this led him and his brother William to stop talking to Mr Dyer for some time afterwards.
However he said: "I now believe the information came from our voicemails… Even those I trusted the most, I ended up doubting."
Asked how he would react if the court concluded that he had never been hacked by any MGN journalist, Harry said that he had been hacked on an "industrial scale" and he would "feel some injustice" if he did not win the trial.
After Prince Harry's evidence concluded, he stayed to see the Daily Mirror's former royal correspondent Jane Kerr give her evidence.
She had been a royal reporter for the newspaper and later royal correspondent for a decade up to 2007 and wrote a number of the articles under scrutiny in the case.
In her written witness statement, she denied voicemail hacking or using private investigators to carry out unlawful information gathering.
Asked about her use of private investigators, Ms Kerr told the court she had "no reason to believe" details for stories had been obtained unlawfully.
"These were people who were well known to the news desk, I did not think there was anything wrong with using them," she said.
Three other people are also bringing claims against MGN in this case - Coronation Street actors Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Le Vell, and Nikki Sanderson, as well as Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse.
The claimants 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.
The publisher has either denied or not admitted each of the claims. MGN also argues that some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65831289 |
Michael Bibi: Dance music DJ diagnosed with rare cancer - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The dance music DJ was due to play at the Parklife festival in Manchester and Glastonbury this summer. | Newsbeat | Michael Bibi's a big name on the UK dance scene, and is a regular in Ibiza
DJ Michael Bibi has been diagnosed with a rare form of brain and spinal cancer.
The dance music producer said it was "moving fast" and he was staying in hospital for treatment.
In an Instagram post on Monday night, he told fans he'd been diagnosed with primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma.
"I don't know what lies ahead, I'm tired but I know I am strong and I won't let this beat me," the 32-year-old added.
Michael is one of the British dance scene's most popular DJs, known for his groove style of house music.
He's been on residency at DC10 nightclub in Ibiza and was due to play at the Parklife festival in Manchester and Glastonbury this summer.
The DJ posted the news on Insta alongside a picture of him doing a peace sign with a cannula in his hand.
"Typing this message doesn't quite seem real and I'm sorry for the bad news," he wrote.
"I will be back stronger for you all. Love Bibi."
Solid Grooves, the record label he founded also posted on Insta, saying he'd taken the brand around the world "while maturing and growing into an international superstar".
"The entire team sends our love and support while he recovers, and we hope to have him back with us as soon as possible to make more memories," they added.
Michael Bibi (left) came to see Danny Howard in the Radio 1 studios a couple of years ago
Michael's rise has been sharp over the last five years - going from London heavyweight to global superstar is testament to his hard work and talent.
A brilliant producer and influential DJ, he's leading the new generation of ravers with his Solid Grooves-branded UK warehouse parties and popular Ibiza residency.
While his profile has soared, he's always remained humble and the same guy I used to support back in the day on my late-night Radio 1 show when he was breaking through.
Seeing the news is obviously a highly emotional time for everyone who's ever worked with or been connected with Michael.
We all need to be strong for him, send him love and support as he battles through this devastating time, I know the whole dance community is behind him.
Some of the biggest artists in dance music commented on Michael's Insta post to let him know they were thinking of him, including Skrillex and Jamie Jones.
Dutch DJ Martin Garrix wrote: "You got this bro! sending lots of strength and love."
"This is heartbreaking. Can't imagine what you're going through right now. Wishing you a speedy recovery," Belgian DJ Charlotte de Witte said.
Michael runs two of his own music labels, Solid Grooves and SG Raw, and is known for playing lengthy sets.
Earlier this year, he was forced to cancel some performances due to ongoing tinnitus health-related issues.
The DJ then posted a video online in May saying the problems were down to a "more serious" neurological concern.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-65820353 |
Plan for GPs to offer NHS patients Wegovy weight-loss jab - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | But experts warn "skinny jabs" are not a quick fix or a substitute for a healthy diet and exercise. | Health | GPs in England may start offering weight-loss jabs to some patients to reduce obesity-related illnesses and resultant pressure on hospitals.
Wegovy was approved for NHS use after research suggested users could shed over 10% of their body weight.
The drug blunts appetite, so users feel full and eat less.
Rishi Sunak said it could be a "game-changer" as he announced a £40 million pilot scheme to increase access to specialist weight management services.
But experts warn "skinny jabs" - widely used in the US and endorsed by many celebrities - are not a quick fix or a substitute for a healthy diet and exercise.
In trials, users often put weight back on after stopping treatment.
Similar injections, such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, which work in much the same way as Wegovy but are designed to treat diabetes, have not yet been approved for NHS use specifically for weight loss.
NHS drugs watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), says patients can access Wegovy for a maximum of two years via specialist weight-management services.
These are largely hospital based, meaning only about 35,000 have access, but the government says tens of thousands more could be eligible - although the UK has no supply of the drug yet.
The new scheme will test how GPs could safely prescribe such drugs and the NHS provide support in the community or digitally, contributing to the government's wider ambition to reduce pressure on hospitals and give patients access to the care they need where it is most convenient for them.
Semaglutide injections will be approved under NICE guidance
Mr Sunak said: "Obesity puts huge pressure on the NHS.
"Using the latest drugs to support people to lose weight will be a game-changer by helping to tackle dangerous obesity-related health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer."
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, welcomed the move but said there would need to be "sufficient resource and funding to account for the increased workload".
She added that there also needs to be enough of the drug available "so as not to raise patients' expectations, as there may be a significant number of people who would benefit from it".
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Health Secretary Steve Barclay pointed to the impact obesity has on rates of cancer and diabetes.
He continued: "We recognise it's often a real challenge for people to lose weight or keep the weight off, and that's why we're embracing the latest medication and making sure the NHS is at the front of the queue."
Mr Barclay also said there could be "potential economic benefits" from reducing the numbers of people absent from work because of health issues linked to obesity.
The government says obesity costs the NHS in England £6.5 billion a year, with more than one million hospital admissions linked to obesity in 2019-20.
More than 12 million adults in England are obese, estimates suggest.
And some High Street chemists are set to sell Wegovy to customers, prescribing and dispensing a weekly jab they can inject themselves using pre-filled pen devices.
As with any medication, there can be side-effects and risks.
The most common are nausea or an upset stomach, bloating and gas.
NHS medical director Prof Sir Stephen Powis said: "Pharmaceutical treatments offer a new way of helping people with obesity gain a healthier weight and this new pilot will help determine if these medicines can be used safely and effectively in non-hospital settings as well as a range of other interventions we have in place."
He said NHS England was negotiating with the manufacturer to secure long-term supplies at prices representing value for money for taxpayers. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65821450 |
Coldplay: Kelly Jones and choir join band in Cardiff gig - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Bridgend Male Voice Choir sang the Welsh national anthem at Coldplay's Principality Stadium gig. | Wales | Coldplay featured several Welsh acts during their first night at Cardiff's Principality Stadium
A member of Bridgend Male Voice Choir said it was "mindboggling" to join Coldplay on stage to perform the Welsh national anthem.
The choir sang Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau towards the end of Tuesday's show at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Hana Lili said it was "such an honour" to be a support act for the band.
Fans were also treated to a guest appearance from Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones.
Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Chris Jones, one of the choir's performers said: "We walked on and I couldn't stop grinning.
Chris Jones (front row, third from left) and his fellow choir members performed at a concert at National Museum Wales in December 2022
"I looked around at the 80,000 people and I couldn't stop laughing to myself and thinking 'what the heck am I doing here'."
Mr Jones said Chris Martin, the lead vocalist and guitarist of Coldplay, spoke Welsh several times on stage.
"He made the effort and he was wonderful."
Mr Jones said one of the chorister's sons went to university with Martin.
Coldplay often source their support acts from the area they are performing in
He said: "They've kept in touch of the years, and he's always said 'if I do need a male voice choir I'll give Bridgend a ring'.
"He kept his word," said Mr Jones.
Kelly Jones of Welsh rockers Stereophonics was also a surprise performer at the show, playing the band's number one hit Dakota for the Cardiff crowd.
Kelly Jones joined Coldplay on stage last night to play Dakota
Hana Lili, from Sully, Vale of Glamorgan, was the first support act of the night, and told : "It was so surreal, I still don't think it's quite sunk in yet.
"Sometimes I just catch myself and think 'that was absolutely insane'."
She said she almost did not reply to the email asking her to perform.
Hana Lili and her band were the support act for Coldplay
"I got an email from Coldplay's live team asking me if I wanted to support them in Cardiff," she said. "At first my dad thought it was fake and told me to ignore it, saying it was one of those scams.
"I said I'll answer just in case, and I'm glad I did."
"I think it so brilliant that their ethos as a band is wherever they're going to they have a local support act."
Commuters have been urged to plan their journeys ahead of the shows, with the M4 and surrounding roads expected to be very busy.
Coldplay were originally set to play a single night at the Principality Stadium, but a second night was added after overwhelming demand.
There will be a full city centre road closure from 16:00 BST to midnight on Wednesday.
Cardiff council said congested roads can be avoided by using its Park & Ride facility at the Cardiff City Stadium in Leckwith or the Park & Walk facility at County Hall, in Cardiff Bay.
Transport for Wales and Great Western Railway are both running extra services after the concert. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65831449 |
PGA Tour, LIV Golf & DP World Tour merger: Calls for Jay Monahan to resign in 'heated' players meeting - BBC Sport | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | Players call for PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan to resign in a 'heated' meeting following its shock merger with the DP World Tour and LIV Golf. | null | PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan has faced calls to resign at an "intense and heated" players meeting following the shock merger with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Several players left the American PGA Tour and European-based DP World Tour to join the $2bn (£1.6bn) Saudi-backed LIV circuit when it launched last year.
Monahan said those who joined LIV would not be welcome back on the PGA Tour.
"I recognise that people are going to call me a hypocrite," Monahan said.
Northern Ireland's world number three Rory McIlroy, who has been a firm defender of the PGA Tour, is set to speak to the media at around 15:00 BST on Wednesday.
McIlroy is the defending champion at this week's PGA Tour event at the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto and was at Tuesday's 75-minute players meeting.
There are reports that he was involved in an angry exchange during the meeting, telling world number 227 Grayson Murray to "just play better" as the American criticised Monahan. Murray reportedly swore at McIlroy but another player, Wesley Bryan, later confirmed the exchange on social media, adding they "were cordial and pleasant post meeting".
American golfer Johnson Wagner, a PGA Tour winner, told the Golf Channel: "There were many moments where certain players were calling for new leadership of the PGA Tour and even got a couple of standing ovations.
"I think the most powerful moment was when a player quoted Monahan from the 3M in Minnesota last year when he said, 'as long as I'm commissioner of the PGA Tour, no player that took LIV money will ever play the PGA Tour again'. It just seems like a lot of backtracking.
"Players were mad, players were calling for [his] resignation, and Jay sat there and took it like a champ, he really did."
An agreement has been signed that will combine the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV's commercial operations and rights into a new, yet to be named for-profit company and it means pending litigation between the tours will be halted.
But the announcement took players by surprise with many reacting with anger, while the specifics of how the Tours will look going forward is not yet clear.
Former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy added: "(Monahan) just sort of explained the structure, how it's going to look going forward.
"He didn't really talk specifics. It was a tough meeting for both sides because nobody really knows what this is going to look like in the end."
Human rights group Amnesty say the announcement is further evidence of Saudi Arabian efforts to draw attention away from the country's human rights record, known as sportswashing.
Meanwhile a 9/11 victims group say the PGA Tour should be "ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed" after Monahan previously referenced the terror attacks when criticising players for leaving the PGA Tour for LIV.
"Any time I've said anything I've said it with the information I had at that moment, and I said it based on someone that's trying to compete for the PGA Tour and our players," said Monahan.
"I accept those criticisms but circumstances do change and I think looking at the big picture got us to this point.
"It probably didn't seem this way to them but as I looked to those players that have been loyal to the PGA Tour, I'm confident they made the right decision.
"They have helped re-architect the future of the PGA Tour, they have moved us to a more competitive model. We have significantly invested in our business in 2023 and we're going to do so in 2024."
LIV players lost their places on DP World Tour and PGA Tour, were fined for taking part and also saw their world rankings plummet as LIV events were not officially sanctioned.
European players who resigned from the DP World Tour are also not currently eligible for the 2023 Ryder Cup, with Henrik Stenson removed as captain for this year's event, which takes place in Rome from 29 September to 1 October.
Stalwarts such as Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter are among the ineligible players but Padraig Harrington, who captained Europe in their defeat by the United States at Whistling Straits in 2021, told BBC Radio 5 live that he thinks the "rules will be changed" although he was unsure if that would be in time for this year's contest.
"I'm sure a mass of lawyers will be going over the details," added the Irishman, who also pointed out there are many financial and moral issues to resolve.
"The top six players who didn't go were offered $2.1bn (£1.7bn) between them to go. That payment can't be equalised. Someone can't come along and go here's the $2.1bn.
"What looks like will happen is the PIF will put enough money into the new entity that the players as a pool will get a share.
"All the players will gain financially but they're not going to gain like they would've done had they jumped ship."There were costs to jumping too. The guys who left lost sponsors. As much as they got upfront money, they lost other things."There is a financial situation to this but it's more the moral side.
"If you'd taken a stance and said you weren't going, how do you feel? I'm assuming that you don't have to [play]. It's not like you have to do anything in golf. I think players will still be able to speak out."
• None 'From shock to anger' - how golf reacted to historic merger
• None The Sports Desk: Has Saudi Arabia just bought golf?
Monahan said all golfers who joined LIV will be able to reapply for PGA Tour membership in 2024.
He also said that conversations about compensation may take place with golfers who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour, such as Tiger Woods and McIlroy.
Fifteen-time major winner Woods and turned down a lucrative offer to join LIV last year.
"Those are the serious conversations that we're going to have," said Monahan.
"Ultimately everything needs to be considered. Ultimately what you're talking about is an equalisation over time and I think that's a fair and reasonable concept."
High-profile players who accepted lucrative offers to join LIV, such as Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson, were supportive of the merger with Mickelson saying it was an "awesome day".
Former US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, told CNN it was "the best thing that could ever happen for the game of golf" adding: "We are better together and not apart."
But ex-PGA Tour player Brandel Chamblee, who is now a television analyst, has been critical, describing the announcement as "one of the saddest days in the history of professional golf".
• None Can The Night Manager outmanoeuvre the criminal world?
• None Can you crack the code to open the safe? Put your code-breaking skills to the test in this brainteaser | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/65830431 |
Prince Harry: I couldn't trust anybody due to phone hacking - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Duke of Sussex is giving evidence in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers. | UK | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Prince Harry has accused tabloid newspapers of hacking his voicemails when he was a teenager, saying it made him feel he "couldn't trust anybody".
Appearing in court in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) he said he has "experienced hostility from the press" since he was born.
He is the first senior royal to give evidence in court in over 130 years.
MGN's lawyer said he had sympathy for the duke, but denied journalists' actions were "all unlawful".
Prince Harry arrived on Tuesday morning at London's High Court dressed in a dark suit and looking relaxed - dozens of journalists only had a matter of seconds to get their photographs as he made his way swiftly into the building.
In court he was cross-examined by MGN lawyer Andrew Green KC, who became increasingly direct in his challenges as the hearing wore on. The prince grew in confidence after a nervous start.
Mr Green - who has decades of experience and has been described as a "beast in court" - built up his line of questioning, asking in detail about the sourcing of stories, and suggesting they were based on official statements or publicly available information.
Prince Harry's responses were often short, stressing his suspicion that each story was connected with a payment to a private investigator.
In his written statement, issued as he appeared at court, Prince Harry accused the tabloid press of casting members of the Royal Family into roles and creating an "alternative and distorted version of me".
"They then start to edge you towards playing the role or roles that suit them best and which sells as many newspapers as possible, especially if you are the 'spare' to the 'heir'", he said.
"You're then either the 'playboy prince', the 'failure', the 'drop out' or, in my case, the 'thicko', the 'cheat', the 'underage drinker', the 'irresponsible drug taker'..."
The duke also said stories he believed originated from hacking not only caused security concerns, but damaged his relationships.
"I felt that I couldn't trust anybody, which was an awful feeling for me especially at such a young age," he said.
He said numerous papers had reported a rumour that his biological father was former Army officer James Hewitt - a man his mother, Princess Diana, had a relationship with after he was born.
At the time, he said, he was not aware of the timeline. Aged 18 and having lost his mother six years earlier, he said such stories were "hurtful, mean and cruel".
In his statement, he also:
His statement is critical of the broader tabloid press, while there are also specific claims levelled against the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People.
Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered in the court case. After being sworn in in court, the duke was initially addressed as "your royal highness" before saying he wanted to be called "Prince Harry".
Early in his cross-examination, Mr Green asked Prince Harry about his "hostility" towards the press, suggesting to the duke that this pre-dated his discovery that the tabloid press were using unlawful methods to gather information about him.
"I've experienced hostility from the press since I was born," Prince Harry responded, also admitting to having his own "long-standing hostility" towards the media.
He was also challenged on why he said in his witness statement he did not want to meet Paul Burrell, his mother's former butler, but wrote in his book Spare that he did.
"I honestly can't remember whether I wanted a meeting or not," he said.
He also claimed that remarks he had made about Mr Burrell to his brother, Prince William, were obtained illegally by MGN from a voicemail he left.
A pattern began to emerge in the courtroom battle, with Mr Green pinning Prince Harry down with questions about specific details - while the duke pushed back with broader scepticism about how newspaper stories were gathered.
Prince Harry said the media had a "twisted objective" to destroy his relationships
A key strand of MGN's case is that stories were legally reported because they were in the public domain, and Mr Green put it to the duke that some stories written by MGN papers were follow-ups to articles in rival publications.
Prince Harry said journalists were "desperate for anything royal" and "any element of our private lives is interesting to the public".
"Just because there was a story which came out previously doesn't mean there weren't attempts to take the story further," he told the court.
Mr Green said that while there was sympathy for the "extraordinary level of press intrusion" Prince Harry has faced "it does not follow that it was all unlawful activity".
Harry said that journalists had caused a lot of pain and upset, and asked if he was in court to "put a stop to this madness", he replied: "That is my hope."
After several hours of questioning in the witness stand from Mr Green, in the afternoon there was a brief pause in proceedings.
"My mind's gone blank for a moment," Prince Harry said, in response to questioning about an article on his part in a school cadet event.
By appearing at the High Court, the duke has become the first senior royal to give evidence in a court since Edward VII in 1891.
Prince Harry is one of four people suing the publisher, alongside Coronation Street actors Michael Turner - known professionally as Michael Le Vell - and Nikki Sanderson, as well as Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of the comedian Paul Whitehouse.
The claimants 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.
Prince Harry will return to continue his evidence on Wednesday. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65818521 |
Prince Harry: How did he handle his day in court? - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Prince Harry becomes the first royal in modern times to face cross-examination in court. | UK | Prince Harry arriving at the High Court where he spent the day being cross-examined
This was Prince Harry's highly-anticipated day in court - and by the end he sounded increasingly weary, but still doggedly sticking to his arguments.
There were no clear-cut knock-out arguments, no courtroom fireworks, no angry outbursts - instead it was a rather intense stalemate.
The Mirror's barrister Andrew Green has been described as a "beast" in court, but in this case he was more of a well-mannered bulldozer, repeatedly ramming into the prince's allegations of phone hacking.
Prince Harry sat behind a desk and computer screen, water at hand, quietly answering questions for hours about tabloid news stories that mirrored his life since childhood.
"My mind's gone blank for a second," he said at one point, but there was no bristling or irritation about the cross-examining, when royals might be accustomed to more stagey, softball interviews.
The historic hearing was in a modern, open-plan courtroom, full of strip-lighting, modular furniture and boxes of paper, more like the set of The Office than a Victorian court drama.
Like everything else in Prince Harry's life, there was huge press attention here, with a packed courtroom, hovering helicopters and banks of TV cameras and photographers crowded around the court entrance, fighting to get the best pictures for this press intrusion story.
When the hearing had begun this morning, Prince Harry initially seemed hesitant, but he changed the mood with a nervous joke about juggling with so many files of documents.
"You've got me doing a work-out," he told the court.
And he seemed to grow in confidence, with an increasingly frequently repeated reply to questions about his hacking claims.
When Prince Harry was asked whether he thought the disputed news stories were based on unlawfully gathered information - he said why not ask the journalists who wrote them.
"I do not believe that as a witness it's my job to deconstruct the article or be able to answer which parts are unlawfully obtained and which aren't. I think the journalist themselves should be doing that," he said in one reply.
Prince Harry's approach was not to get dragged into the detail
The Mirror's barrister kept drilling away at the foundations of Prince Harry's claims - saying they were "in the realms of total speculation".
In particular he highlighted that a number of these disputed Mirror news stories had already been published in other newspapers or news agencies.
Or in the case of a story about Prince Harry's role in a school army cadet force, the Mirror's lawyer said the story seemed to have come directly from a Palace press release, rather than any more nefarious sources.
The question left hanging in the air was why would hacking have even been necessary if the key information in these stories had already been openly published elsewhere?
Prince Harry's approach was not to get dragged into the detail - "if you say so" - he said ironically a number of times in response to questions.
Instead he got in some spiky barbs of his own. He cast much doubt on the credibility of the terms "royal sources" and "insiders" used in royal reporting.
And he talked about the "paranoia" created by the constant sense of intrusion into his private life, making him suspicious of everyone around him. Even going to the doctor at school was a worry for him, in case medical information was leaked.
There were unexpectedly wide attacks in his witness statement - claiming that the state of the government, as well as the press, was at "rock bottom", and this was from someone who remains a counsellor of state, although no longer a "working royal".
He has an almost evangelical ire, driving him forward, with his battle to change the media his "life's work".
There were glimpses too into the sheer oddness of his life.
"I don't walk down the street," he said emphatically, in questions about a news story about meeting friends in a Fulham restaurant.
That was because of security and he said it as if it were an obvious matter of fact, that the everyday pavements were off limits to him.
While the focus of the High Court was on the machinery of the legal process, there's no escaping that the public fascination in this spectacle was to see a senior royal facing questioning as a witness in open court.
The last time it was Edward VII, as Prince of Wales, in the 19th Century. It's been something of a taboo for royals in modern times, for fear of uncorking something that couldn't be put back into the bottle.
It's also a lonely place, in court on his own, with the gulf from the rest of the Royal Family seeming even wider.
But Prince Harry emerged from court so far unscathed, got into his car and was driven away into the London streets, where he says he never feels able to walk.
He'll be back for more of this journey, even further away from his comfort zone than his Californian home, for further questions on Wednesday morning.
Read the latest from our royal correspondent Sean Coughlan - sign up here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65827802 |
Daniel Allen pleads guilty to killing Gossett family in house fire - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Denise Gossett, her children Roman and Sabrina and granddaughter Morgana were killed in the blaze. | Northern Ireland | Denise Gossett, her son Roman, her daughter Sabrina and Sabrina's daughter Morgana were all killed in the fire
A man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing four members of the same family in County Fermanagh.
Daniel Sebastian Allen, 32, from Doon Road near Derrylin, changed his plea as his trial was about to start.
He admitted the murders of Roman Gossett, 16, his sister Sabrina, 19, and Sabrina's 15-month-old daughter Morgana Quinn.
But he denied murdering Denise Gossett, 45, and instead admitted manslaughter by reason of a suicide pact.
Craigavon Crown Court was told that plea was acceptable to the prosecution.
Daniel Allen, pictured at a previous court appearance, was at the scene of the fire when the emergency services arrived
Allen's voice broke as he pleaded guilty to a fifth charge of arson with intent to endanger life.
The fire happened at a cottage the family were renting just outside Derrylin on 27 February 2018.
Allen had been living with the family at the time.
When the emergency services arrived he was standing outside and four bodies were discovered inside.
Allen had previously denied murder and claimed he did not play any part in the deaths of Roman and Morgana.
The rural bungalow house was gutted by the blaze in February 2018
The judge said: "Since you have pleaded guilty to three counts of murder I now sentence you to life imprisonment."
A defence barrister said: "Obviously these are serious matters and reports will be required."
In addition to a pre-sentence report, he said time would be required for a number of other professional reports.
A sentencing hearing was set for 15 September when the judge will set the minimum number of years before Allen can be considered for release.
He will also be given prison sentences for manslaughter and arson.
Allen nodded as the judge told him he would serve life imprisonment for three murders before he was led from the dock in handcuffs. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65820447 |
Scottish deposit return delayed until October 2025 - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | It means the scheme is likely to launch at the same time as similar proposals for other parts of the UK. | Scotland politics | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Lorna Slater says 'no option but to delay' Deposit Return Scheme
The deposit return scheme in Scotland is to be delayed until October 2025 at the earliest.
The flagship recycling scheme was supposed to launch in March next year.
But Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said she had been left with no choice after the UK government excluded glass from the Scottish scheme.
She said she remained committed to introducing the recycling scheme - although it will be more limited than originally intended.
The delay means that the Scottish scheme is likely to launch at the same time as similar proposals for other parts of the UK - as many retailers and drinks companies had been calling for.
When it is finally introduced, the deposit return scheme (DRS) will see a 20p charge placed on drinks containers which would be refunded to consumers when they return the bottles and cans in a bid to increase recycling levels.
Larger stores, shopping centres and community hubs will operate reverse vending machines for people to return their containers.
Ms Slater said: "The overwhelming feedback from producers, retailers and hospitality is that they cannot prepare for a March launch based on the changes being required by the UK government without any certainty even about what those changes would be".
She added: "As of today, it is now clear that we have been left with no other option than to delay the launch of Scotland's DRS until October 2025 at the earliest based on the UK government's current stated aspirations.
"I remain committed to interoperable DRS schemes across the UK provided that we can work in a spirit of collaboration not imposition.
"Scotland will have a deposit return scheme. It will come later than need be. It will be more limited than it should be and more limited than parliament voted for".
Ms Slater is a co-leader of the Scottish Greens, and has a ministerial post under her party's power sharing agreement with the SNP in the Scottish Parliament.
Kat Jones, director of Action to Protect Rural Scotland, which has campaigned for a DRS, said: "This is a bleak day for anyone who cares about Scotland's litter crisis, or indeed the global climate crisis."
She also raised doubts about whether the UK government will be able to introduce a DRS for England by October 2025 - describing that date as being "at best provisional".
The scheme is now likely to launch at the same time as similar proposals for other parts of the UK
The UK government approved a partial exemption to the Internal Market Act for the Scottish deposit scheme last week, but said glass bottles would need to be excluded.
It said this was to bring Scotland into line with similar schemes that are due to launch in England and Northern Ireland in October 2025, which will also not include glass.
The exemption means that the Scottish deposit return scheme would only be allowed to cover PET plastic, aluminium and steel cans.
Glass is still included in proposals for a Welsh scheme, with the Welsh government having not yet asked for an exemption.
Circularity Scotland, the company set up to run the Scottish DRS, said there was no reason why it could not launch in March 2024 without including glass and that it was "disappointed" by Ms Slater's announcement.
Its chief executive, David Harris, said: "Further delaying the introduction of DRS will hinder Scotland's progress towards net zero and mean that billions of drinks containers continue to end up as waste."The board of Circularity Scotland will now consider the impact of this announcement and our immediate priority will be communicating with our people. We will provide further updates in due course."
Several major retailers and drinks companies, including Tesco and Tennents, had already called for Scotland to join a UK-wide initiative rather than introduce its own scheme a year earlier than everyone else.
The Federation of Small Businesses said the announcement was the "final admission that Scotland's deposit return scheme has met its inevitable demise".
Its Scotland policy chairman, Andrew McRae, said: "The delay until a UK-wide scheme has taken shape will give much-needed breathing space for the small producers and retailers who have spent months wrestling with the implications of DRS for their operations."
The UK government's Scottish secretary, Alister Jack, welcomed the announcement that the Scottish scheme would now start at the same time as the UK government's proposals were introduced.
He added: "Deposit return schemes need to be consistent across the whole of the UK, to provide a simple and effective system for businesses and consumers.
"We will continue to work with the Scottish government, and the other devolved administrations, on a UK-wide deposit return solution."
Ms Slater had to apply for an exemption to the Internal Market Act because of UK government concerns that the Scottish scheme would effectively introduce trade barriers in different parts of the UK if it was introduced first and had different rules to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Scottish Licensed Trader's Association has previously likened Ms Slater's approach to "building a 20-storey skyscraper then applying for retrospective planning permission".
Ms Slater revealed last month that businesses in Scotland have spent about £300m preparing for the introduction of the DRS, and there have been suggestions that many could seek compensation from the government now that it will not be introduced until much later than anticipated.
The Scottish Conservatives said the Scottish DRS had "already failed long before any intervention from the UK government" and that a great deal of time and effort could have been saved if the SNP and Greens had listened businesses calling for a UK-wide approach.
Scottish Labour MSP Boyack accused the Scottish and UK governments of being "more interested in a constitutional fight" than making the recycling scheme work, and said Scotland was "paying the price for two bad governments".
The DRS was originally due to launch in Scotland in July of last year but had already been delayed twice amid concern about its implementation from many businesses which would be affected.
We now have confirmation of what was starting to feel inevitable. Scotland's deposit return scheme won't start next March - it will be operating by October 2025 at the earliest.
The logic behind that date is that it's when the UK government wants to have its own scheme.
There's been a long-running argument about glass being excluded from the Scottish scheme. But this, Lorna Slater told MSPs, was just the tip of the iceberg.
She argued that more "sabotage" came via other UK government conditions: such as one administration fee and one logo for the schemes that will (eventually) operate across all of the UK.
But this is about more than how beer bottles, cartons and juice cans are recycled. This is about how devolution works.
Scottish ministers feel that the UK government has thwarted plans to introduce legislation in an area where they have responsibility.
The UK government argues that their approach is sensible. If all UK schemes are to align at a later point, then they say they have to ensure certain conditions are put into place in Scotland now.
Many businesses may be less concerned with who's to blame, and more concerned with the money and time spent preparing for a project that's now been kicked into the long grass. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65836297 |
Andrew Tate 'choked me until I passed out', UK woman claims - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The woman is the latest to allege sexual violence against the controversial social media influencer. | UK | Andrew Tate is being investigated by Romanian authorities
A British woman says Andrew Tate choked her until she lost consciousness while they were having sex, and then subjected her to threatening behaviour.
The woman, who was 20 at the time, says she first met the controversial social media influencer in August 2014.
She says consensual sex turned violent when Mr Tate choked her and when she woke up, he was still having sex with her, adding: "I didn't consent to it".
Mr Tate said he "vehemently denies" the allegations against him.
A spokesman said Mr Tate does not condone violence of any kind towards women, and that all sexual acts he had taken part in had been consensual.
Evie - not her real name - told BBC Newsnight she first met Mr Tate in a bar in Luton, before he was an influencer with millions of followers. She says he was working as a club doorman and she was a student.
She says she had consensual sex with Mr Tate before meeting him again at her flat later in 2014, in late November or early December. It was then a consensual sexual encounter became violent, she says.
She says Mr Tate "put his hand on my throat and strangled me". Evie says when she came round "it was a bit confusing at first", saying the influencer was "still having sex with me."
Evie, now aged 30, claims Mr Tate also subjected her to violent threats, including threatening to kill her, until he left the following morning.
"He kept saying: 'I own you, you belong to me'," she says. "All throughout the night he was being fairly aggressive and saying horrible things." The next day, Evie says the white part of one of her eyes had completely turned red.
Evie did not report the alleged incident to police at the time.
Asked by the BBC why she did not go to the police to report a rape, Evie said she did not realise she had been the victim of an alleged crime.
She added: "I think I knew what had happened I didn't consent to. But I didn't see it as rape or sexual assault because this was 10 years ago."
She says it wasn't until about six years later when she described the alleged incident to her friends that she began to think she had been sexually assaulted.
Three people who know Evie - and say they remember her describing what had happened - have told her lawyers they are prepared to give evidence in court to that effect.
She says she wants to share her experience to raise awareness about Mr Tate and get justice.
"Hopefully it can teach women what [consent] looks like and encourage more women to come forward with stories," she added.
Evie is the latest British woman to join a planned lawsuit against Mr Tate. Together with three others, they are pursuing civil claims for damages.
The women, all in their late 20s and early 30s, allege they were victims of sexual violence by Mr Tate between 2013 and 2016, when he was living in the UK.
Addressing the former kick boxer, Evie added: "You're going to be held accountable for what you've done."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
In an interview with BBC News last week, Mr Tate denied fuelling a culture of misogyny and defended his reputation.
He also dismissed the testimonies of individual women involved in the current investigation who have accused him of rape and exploitation.
He was first arrested, together with his brother, Tristan, at their Bucharest home, in Romania, in December 2022. The pair were later moved from custody to house arrest following a ruling by a Romanian judge.
Prosecutors are investigating the brothers for crimes of suspected human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. No charges have so far been brought against them. They deny those allegations.
A spokesman for Mr Tate told the BBC: "Andrew strongly encourages women who have experienced assault, in any form, to report it to the relevant authorities.
"He is saddened that a few opportunistic women who he has allegedly spent time with nearly a decade ago have decided to try and take advantage of his current situation. We will not be commenting any further on anyone's alleged intention to pursue legal action unless such action is submitted to the authorities."
If you are affected by any of the issues in this story you can contact the BBC Action Line. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65822365 |
The Iron Sheik: WWE wrestling champion dies at 81 - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | During the peak of his wrestling career in the 1980s he faced many greats, including Hulk Hogan. | US & Canada | The Iron Shiek squared off against other wrestling greats including Hulk Hogan
The Iron Sheik, a heavyweight champion WWE wrestler and hall-of-famer, has died aged 81, his family announced.
He was a "true legend, a force of nature and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark" on the wrestling world, they said in a statement on Wednesday. "It is with great sadness that we share the news."
Born in Iran, the wrestling icon's real name was Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri.
His cause of death has not been given.
At the peak of his wrestling career, in the 1980s, Vaziri faced off against other greats in the ring including Bob Backlund, Sgt Slaughter and Hulk Hogan.
He defeated Backlund for the WWF World Heavyweight title in December 1983.
One month later, in front of an electric crowd of over 20,000 at New York's Madison Square Garden, Hogan took down Vaziri and won the championship belt for the first time. The upset launched Hogan's career.
The WWE called the event "one of the most famous wrestling matches of all time".
Vaziri was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.
"He was a trailblazer, breaking barriers and paving the way for a diverse range of wrestlers who followed in his footsteps," the family said.
With his iconic shaved head, handlebar moustache and curled-toe shoes, Vaziri paid tribute to his Iranian heritage with his persona.
According to ESPN, before wrestling he was a bodyguard for Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi of Iran.
He almost made his country's Olympic wrestling team in 1968.
Vaziri eventually moved to the US, became an assistant coach for the American wrestling team, and joined the WWE (then under the name WWF) in 1979.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Caryl Vaziri, and his children Tanya, Nikki and Marisa.
"He was a loving and dedicated father," his family said.
"He instilled in them the values of perseverance, determination, and the importance of following their dreams. The Iron Sheik's guidance and unwavering belief in their potential served as a driving force for his children, empowering them to become the best versions of themselves." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65836317 |
'More and more water is coming every hour' - people flee as Kakhovka dam bursts - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Towns and villages are under water with thousands of people trying to flee flooded areas after dam breach. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. A building is seen floating along the Dnipro river in the Kherson region
A major catastrophe has been declared in southern Ukraine after a major dam in the Kherson region was breached. President Volodymyr Zelensky said nearly 100 towns and villages are under water with thousands of people being evacuated as a result. Ukraine and Russia are accusing each other of being saboteurs, but once again civilians are facing immediate consequences.
"This is a huge ecological catastrophe," Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko told the BBC, adding that more than 150 tonnes of engine oil from the dam near the town of Nova Kakhovka is contaminating the water.
"Maybe more will come," he says. "The consequences will last decades."
Mr Goncharenko warned that tens of thousands of lives are at risk on both sides of the River Dnipro - including in the Russian occupied region of Ukraine to the south and in the city of Kherson to the north which was regained by Ukraine back in November.
"We see with our own eyes the level of water is increasing," he adds. "Also we can see the water is moving really quickly. To destroy the bridge with such awful consequences is just so barbaric."
Local residents wait for an evacuation train at a railway station in Kherson
Videos on social media show water gushing through the breach near the dam in the town of Nova Kakhovka.
"Flood waters are coming," Andriy Kostin, prosecutor general of Ukraine told the BBC. "We expect the maximum will come in several hours."
He said 17,000 people have already been evacuated as he warned over 40,000 people are in danger of being flooded.
A man wades through water in Kherson - a city which sits on the west bank of the Dnipro
Hanna Zarudnia, 65, was one of those evacuated from the village of Antonivka - which is just north of the banks of the River Dnipro.
"Our local school and stadium downtown were flooded, the stadium was completely under water and the floodwaters were reaching the school," she told Reuters.
"The road was completely flooded, the bus was stuck. Only one elevated point could be reached by the bus and this is where we were taken from."
Another Kherson resident, Olga, said she was woken up at 08:00 local time by messages that houses were flooded and the evacuation was under way.
She says she has packed her suitcase and has prepared everything she needs but she has four cats and two dogs and doesn't know how she'll take all of them with her.
"I'm 62 and my whole life I've lived here. My kids had to leave, and I stayed... I don't want to leave this place," she told BBC Radio 5 live.
Cats, dogs, cows and other animals have been rescued by Kherson residents as water sweeps through the region
On the southern banks of the River Dnipro one official in the Russian-occupied province of Kherson said the town of Oleshky has been "completely flooded".
"Evacuation... is possible only using special equipment," Andrei Alexeyenko said on Telegram.
He also posted videos showing one car standing in floodwaters up to window level and a lorry driving along a highway in water at least a foot (30 cm) deep.
The Red Cross said eight teams were involved in the evacuation of more than 70 people
Russian soldiers were patrolling the streets, several local people told Reuters.
"Getting close, and especially taking a photo or video, is deadly. They say they are ready to shoot without warning," said one local man, Hlib.
Yevheniya, another resident, said the water was up to the knees of Russian soldiers walking the main street in high rubber boots.
"If you try to go somewhere they don't allow, they immediately point their machine guns at you," she said.
"More and more water is coming every hour, it's very dirty."
Elsewhere, a local Ukrainian politician in the Mykolaiv region, just north of the Nova Kakovka dam, told the BBC he expects to receive a large number of refugees fleeing flooding in the coming days.
Oleh Pylypenko, the head of the Shevchenkivka United Territorial Community, said: "We have an aid point for refugees, where they are provided with food, medicine, clothing and psychological assistance."
He said civilians would then be taken to temporary accommodation elsewhere in the Mykolaiv region by bus.
At least 24 different settlements in the Kherson region are already flooded, Ukraine's interior ministry says
On Tuesday in an address to the Bucharest Nine - a summit which brings together nations on Nato's eastern border - President Volodymyr Zelensky detailed the immediate affects of the floods.
He said: "At least 100,000 people lived in these areas before the Russian invasion.
"At least tens of thousands are still there. Eighty towns and villages are under water."
President Zelensky, who claimed back in October that Russia was plotting to blow up the Kakhovka dam, warned the evacuations are just the initial consequences.
President Zelensky said the Russian-controlled dam on the River Dnipro was destroyed by an internal explosion, but Russia insists Ukrainian shelling destroyed the dam
It may take some time for questions over who breached the dam to be answered as much of the evidence is also under water.
But Nato general secretary Jens Stoltenberg is clear civilians on both sides of the war will have to deal with the consequences of the flooding threats.
He tweeted: "The destruction of the Kakhovskaya Dam today puts thousands of civilians at risk and causes serious damage to the environment.
"This is an outrageous act that once again demonstrates the cruelty of Russia's war in Ukraine ." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65825178 |
Canada wildfire smoke live updates: Worst air in years hits Washington DC and Philadelphia - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Air quality in the US and Canada is the worst in the world today due to smoke billowing from hundreds of fires. | US & Canada | Images of the Statue of Liberty in New York - obscured by a thick haze of smoke caused by wildfires in Canada - have shocked the United States.
But in the Indian capital Delhi, the iconic India Gate hidden behind a layer of smog is a reality every winter.
The air gets hazardous, with pollution reaching levels nearly five times what the World Health Organization considers safe.
Residents are asked to stay inside, keep the windows and doors closed and wear masks when stepping out.
It is like a scene from a dystopian novel or an apocalyptic film, except that it is real.
Those who can afford it rush to buy expensive air purifiers. But these only work in closed rooms.
Experts say exposure to such high levels of pollution make people more prone to all kinds of infections. They can elevate the risk of heart attacks and damage vital organs like the liver and brain.
Experts say cleaning up the air requires drastic measures - but they are not a top priority for the country's leaders.
You can read more about how Delhi deals with pollution here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-us-canada-65835239 |
Met Police will apologise if mistakes made over Coronation arrests - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Met Asst Commissioner Louisa Rolfe said the force is reviewing its policing of the event. | London | The Met said most of those who protested at the coronation were not arrested
One of the Met Police's most senior officers has said the force will apologise if it finds mistakes were made in its policing of the Coronation.
It has been criticised for some of the arrests made, which included six anti-monarchy protesters.
Asst Commissioner Louisa Rolfe told the London Assembly on Wednesday it is reviewing its policing of the event.
She said: "If we've got things wrong, we will apologise to individuals affected and we'll work through that."
The members of the group Republic were detained for for 16 hours before being released and were later told no further action would be taken.
Three women's safety volunteers were also incorrectly arrested before the Coronation and were also released later without charge.
Met Commissioner Mark Rowley had previously said the force had "significant" intelligence that protesters were planning to disrupt the coronation of King Charles III.
Questioned by the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, AC Rolfe was asked if officers were acting on evidence.
"The way that we work and we operate, is that we have to respond swiftly to a developing intelligence picture and it may not always be feasible or practical to ensure evidence before an arrest is made," she said.
She added the law allowed officers to act on "reasonable suspicion".
Asst Commissioner Louisa Rolfe said officers acted in a way to keep the public safe
She added: "They will make inquiries to validate the information they hold but also they will sometimes need to make very fast time decisions to ensure that they're carrying out their duties to ensure the safety and security of an event."
She later told the committee: "We want to understand the detail of what happened, and those individual arrests, and the circumstances surrounding them, will be fully explored in our debrief process."
AC Louisa Rolfe said there was currently no timeline for the review.
The female safety workers were carrying rape alarms. The Met had said previously that some protesters had been planning to use to frighten participating horses.
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The group of six protesters, including the chief executive of Republic Graham Smith, was arrested on the day of King Charles III's coronation under a controversial new law - the Public Order Act 2023 - which allows police greater powers to deal with protests.
They were held on suspicion of going equipped to lock-on, which is when a person attaches themselves to an object so that they cannot be easily moved.
Asked if officers were using their new powers correctly, AC Rolfe said officers understood the practical application of the new legislation.
The Met's security operation, which involved 11,500 officers and staff and volunteers, was also praised by several committee members.
A total of 64 arrests were made during the policing operation for the Coronation, the Met previously said.
It added 52 of those were related to concerns people were going to disrupt the event.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65832186 |
Telegraph owners say no risk to titles over loans - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Barclay family, which also owns the Spectator magazine and courier Yodel, owes debts to Lloyds Bank. | Business | The billionaire owners of the Telegraph newspapers say their businesses are in good shape following claims they are on the cusp of receivership.
The BBC understands Lloyds Banking Group wants to recover debts from loans made to the Barclay brothers' family.
There are reports the Telegraph and Spectator titles could be sold within days.
The family said "speculation about the business entering administration is unfounded and irresponsible".
It is unclear how much money is owed to Lloyds but the Financial Times (FT) reported it to be in the "hundreds of millions of pounds".
One person close to the talks said the banking group's patience over the debt was "running out", the FT said.
Sky News said Lloyds Banking Group was being advised by financial firm Lazard and it planned to appoint another bank to immediately begin selling the Daily and Sunday Telegraph titles.
A spokesperson for the Barclays said: "The loans in question are related to the family's overarching ownership structure of its Media Assets. They do not, in any way, affect the operations or financial stability of Telegraph Media Group."
The statement said businesses within its portfolio continued to trade strongly and the Telegraph was performing "extremely well".
Frederick Barclay has been named as the richest person in the Channel Islands
The twin brothers, Sir Frederick and Sir David Barclay, bought the newspapers in 2004 from their owner Hollinger, following the dismissal of chairman Conrad Black. Sir David died in 2021.
The business, which is now run by Sir David's son Aidan, includes the Spectator magazine and stretches beyond the media world to include the courier Yodel and Shop Direct, with the online retail outlets Littlewoods and Very.
The sale of the Ritz hotel in London in 2020 exposed a bitter rift between the two families of the twins, with claims of commercial espionage over the bugging of business meetings.
At the centre of the affair was CCTV footage allegedly showing Sir Frederick's nephew handling a device. It saw the billionaire and his daughter, Amanda, sue three of Sir David's sons for invasion of privacy.
Further legal issues arose last August - the Guardian newspaper reported Sir Frederick, 88, avoided a prison sentence after a high court judge gave him three months to pay money owed to his ex-wife. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65829169 |
Why is Japan redefining rape? - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Japan moves to reform its sex assault laws, finally recognising consent. | Asia | Warning: this article contains details that some readers may find distressing.
Days after their rape, Megumi Okano says, they already knew the attacker would get away scot-free.
Megumi, who uses they as a personal pronoun, knew the man who did it, and where to find him. But Megumi also knew there would be no case, because Japanese authorities were not likely to consider what happened as rape.
So the university student decided not to report the incident to the police.
"As I couldn't pursue [justice] that way, he got to live a free and easy life. It is painful to me," Megumi says.
But change may be coming. The Japanese parliament is now debating a landmark bill to reform the country's sexual assault laws, only the second such revision in a century.
The bill covers a number of changes, but the biggest and most significant one will see lawmakers redefine rape from "forcible sexual intercourse" to "non-consensual sexual intercourse" - effectively making legal room for consent in a society where the concept is still poorly understood.
Current Japanese law defines rape as sexual intercourse or indecent acts committed "forcibly" and "through assault or intimidation", or by taking advantage of a person's "unconscious state or inability to resist".
This is at odds with many other countries which define it more broadly as any non-consensual intercourse or sexual act - where no means no.
Activists argue that Japan's narrow definition has led to even narrower interpretations of the law by prosecutors and judges, setting an impossibly high bar for justice and fostering a culture of scepticism that deters survivors from reporting their attacks.
In a 2014 Tokyo case, for instance, a man had pinned a 15-year-old girl to a wall and had sex with her while she resisted. He was acquitted of rape as the court ruled his actions did not make it "extremely difficult" for her to resist. The teenager was treated as an adult because the age of consent in Japan is only 13 years - the lowest among the world's richest democracies.
"The actual trial processes and decisions vary - some defendants were not convicted even if their acts were proven to be non-consensual, as they did not meet the case of 'assault or intimidation'," says Yuu Tadokoro, a spokesman for Spring, a sexual assault survivor group.
It's why Megumi says they did not go to the police after the assault by a fellow university student.
According to Megumi, the two of them were watching TV together when he began making sexual advances towards Megumi, who said "No".
Then, he attacked. The two "wrestled" for a while, says Megumi, before Megumi froze and gave up resisting. This well-documented response to an attack is sometimes not covered by the current law, according to activists.
Japan's current law has long deterred women from reporting assault, activists say
In the days afterwards Megumi - a law student - pored through the penal code and case precedents and realised what had happened would not meet court standards of "assault and intimidation".
They had also heard of survivors experiencing victim blaming and "second rape" - where survivors are re-traumatised when encountering insensitivity from the police or hospital staff - in Japanese investigations.
"I did not want to go through that process [of an investigation] for my scarce hope of getting justice. That's why I didn't go to the police. I wasn't even sure whether my report would be accepted," they say.
Instead, Megumi says, they went to the university's harassment counselling centre, which launched an investigation and ruled the attacker had committed rape.
When approached by the BBC, the centre refused to comment on the case, citing confidentiality.
By the time the investigation concluded, the attacker had graduated - so he suffered little consequences apart from receiving a warning, says Megumi. "I felt disappointed that I could not make this person properly regret his action through criminal procedure."
Megumi is not alone. In Japan only a third of cases recognised as rape result in prosecutions, slightly lower than the general criminal prosecution rate.
But there has been a growing public clamour for change.
In 2019, the Japanese public was enraged when a series of four sexual assault cases, each resulting in the acquittal of the alleged attacker, emerged within a month.
In one case in Fukuoka, a man had sex with a woman who'd passed out drunk - which could be considered as sexual assault in other places. The court heard the woman took part for the first time at a regular drinking session at a restaurant.
According to reports, the man said he thought "men could easily engage in sexual behaviour" at the event, which was known for its sexual permissiveness, and others who witnessed the incident did not stop him. He also assumed the woman gave consent because at one point during intercourse she had opened her eyes and "uttered noises".
In another case in Nagoya, where a father had sex with his teenage daughter repeatedly over many years, the court doubted he had "completely dominated" his daughter because she went against her parents' wishes in picking a school to attend, even though a psychiatrist testified she was generally psychologically incapable of resisting her father.
Following the public outcry, most of these cases were re-tried and the attackers were found guilty. A nationwide campaign, known as the Flower Demo, was launched by activists to show solidarity with sexual assault survivors.
Activists say this, along with the burgeoning #MeToo movement and journalist Shiori Ito's landmark victory, helped to spur the national conversation on sexual assault and moved the needle on legal reform.
As part of the redefinition of rape, the new law explicitly sets out eight scenarios where it is difficult for the victim to "form, express, or fulfil an intention not to consent".
They include situations where the victim is intoxicated with alcohol or drugs; or subject to violence or threats; or is "frightened or astonished". Another scenario appears to describe an abuse of power, where the victim is "worried" they would face disadvantages if they do not comply.
The age of consent will also rise to 16 years, and the statute of limitations will be extended.
Some rights groups have called for more clarity on the scenarios, saying they are too ambiguously worded. They also fear that they make it more difficult for prosecutors to prove the charges. Others have said the statute of limitations should be extended even further, and that there should be more protection for survivors who are minors.
Nevertheless, if passed, the reforms would mark a victory for those who have long lobbied for change.
"The very fact that they are changing even the title of this law, we are hoping that people will start this conversation in Japan on: What is consent? What does non-consent mean?" says Kazuko Ito, vice-president of the Tokyo-based Human Rights Now
But time is running out. The upper house of the Diet, Japan's parliament, must pass the new law by 21 June, but it is currently embroiled in a debate over immigration.
Missing that deadline would throw the sex assault reforms into uncertainty. Activists last week denounced the delay as "unacceptable" and called on lawmakers to take action immediately.
But the reforms address only one part of the problem, say activists, whose call for change stretches well beyond the courtroom.
Sexual assault is still a taboo subject in Japan and has gained national attention only in recent years in the wake of high-profile cases such as Shiori Ito's court battle, former member of the Self Defence Force and sexual assault survivor Rina Gonoi's public statements, and the Johnny Kitagawa expose.
Part of the problem, Kazuko Ito says, is that generations of Japanese have grown up with "a distorted idea of sex and sexual consent".
On the one hand, sex education is usually taught in a veiled and modest way, and consent is hardly touched upon. And yet, Ms Ito says, Japanese children have easy access to porn where an all too common trope is of a woman enjoying having sex against her will.
Scenes from a 2019 protest following string of rape acquittals
Japan should offer more financial and psychological support for sexual assault survivors, says lawyer and rights advocate Sakura Kamitani.
But the attackers should also receive help, she adds. "Sex crimes have such a high recidivism rate, we must focus on prevention, otherwise there would be more and more victims."
But the more important task at hand now, activists say, is ensuring the reforms are passed and enacted, encouraging survivors to report cases.
"If this becomes a superficial change and doesn't actually save victims, it would be devastating to people," says Ms Ito.
Megumi says they would consider reporting their attack to the police if the law changes - but not immediately.
"I kind of succeeded in settling my feelings already. I think it is too hard to put myself into that serious position of the 'first penguin'," they say, using a Japanese term for the first person to take the plunge into something new.
Instead Megumi, who identifies as gender-fluid, is focusing on campaigning for sexual assault survivors and sexual minority rights, and hopes to start a law firm to help these groups.
"I am relieved that I now see some hope. Many are starting to realise that the current situation we are in is distorted and wrong.
"I believe things are going to change faster and more significantly than we think, if everyone joins in and works together. My message [to everyone] is: 'If you think something is wrong, let's change it together.'"
If you are affected by the issues in this story you can contact the BBC Action Line. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-65762707 |
Shell adverts banned over misleading clean energy claims - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | They failed to mention Shell's more polluting activities, the advertising watchdog rules. | Business | Oil and gas giant Shell has had some of its adverts banned for misleading claims about how clean its overall energy production is.
The ban applies to one TV advert, a poster displayed in Bristol and a YouTube ad, all shown in 2022.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled they all left out information on Shell's more polluting work with fossil fuels.
Shell said it "strongly" disagreed with the ASA's findings.
The adverts cannot be shown in their current form again, the ASA ruled.
Shell had stated that the ads were intended to raise awareness of the lower emissions energy products and services it is investing more money in.
The ASA ruled that the YouTube advert incorrectly gave the impression that low-carbon energy products made up a significant proportion of Shell's energy products, when in fact they did not.
Shell said that people who saw the adverts would already be well-informed of its operations and would mainly associate the brand with petrol sales.
But the ASA said the selection of ads were likely to mislead consumers as they "misrepresented the contribution that lower-carbon initiatives played, or would play in the near future" compared with the rest of the company's operations.
One of the banned advertisements was a poster shown in Bristol, with the text "Bristol is ready for cleaner energy". It included text quoting the number of homes in the South West of England which used renewable electricity. The ASA ruled the poster was misleading because it gave the impression that Shell as a whole was providing cleaner energy.
The ASA said Shell's poster gave the wrong impression that overall, Shell provided predominantly clean energy across its whole business
"We also considered that the emphasis the ads placed on "Ready", implied that lower-carbon energy products, like those shown in the ads, already comprised a significant proportion of the energy products Shell invested in and sold in the UK, or were likely to do so in the near future," the ASA said.
A spokesperson for Shell said the ASA's decision "could slow the UK's drive towards renewable energy".
"No energy transition can be successful if people are not aware of the alternatives available to them. That is what our adverts set out to show, and that is why we're concerned by this short-sighted decision," the spokesperson added.
The ruling comes as the ASA is combatting companies overstating their environmental friendliness, known as "corporate greenwashing". Last year, it banned a Tesco plant-based burger ad, a Persil advert, and two HSBC adverts over their claims of environmental benefits, which the agency deemed "misleading". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65820813 |
Ukraine war: Twenty-nine communities flooded after dam breach, says official - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | President Volodymyr Zelensky says hundreds of thousands of people are without access to drinking water. | Europe | A flooded residential area of Kherson today after the Kakhovka dam was breached Image caption: A flooded residential area of Kherson today after the Kakhovka dam was breached
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken to his counterparts in both Ukraine and Russia, and called for a joint investigation to establish the cause of the breach of the Kakhovka dam. Tens of thousands of people have been left at risk of flooding as a result of the incident.
Turkey has attempted to play a mediator role during the Ukraine war.
Erdogan office says he told Russian President Vladimir Putin a comprehensive investigation was needed to establish how the dam was damaged. He suggested Turkey could establish an international commission to carry this out alongside the UN.
Erdogan earlier made the same proposal to Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president. Zelensky's statement about the call does not mention the suggestion of a commission, and says they discussed "the humanitarian and environmental consequences of the Russian act of terrorism".
Ukraine's leader says he gave Erdogan a list of "urgent needs to eliminate the disaster", adding that Turkey's "voice is important when it comes to the withdrawal of occupation troops from Ukrainian territory".
The Kremlin has yet to release its own statement about the call, but has previously denied being responsible for the breach of the dam. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-65816109 |
Beaver explores flooded Kherson district after dam breach - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | The streets in the district of Neftehavan have been flooded by rising water. | null | The streets in the district of Neftehavan have been flooded by rising water after a major dam in Ukraine was breached. More than 17,000 people are being evacuated.
Ukraine's President Zelensky says the dam was "mined by Russian occupiers" who "blew it up" however Moscow denies this and has claimed Ukraine damaged the dam in a "deliberate act of sabotage". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65827355 |
Catching the men who sell subway groping videos - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Thousands of clips filmed in East Asia are sold online. BBC Eye reveals the men who are cashing in. | Asia | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. "You cash in on sexual violence against women" - Tang Zhuoran questioned by BBC reporter Zhaoyin Feng
Women who are groped on trains in East Asia face the further threat of their assault being filmed and uploaded for sale online. In a year-long investigation, the BBC World Service's investigative unit, BBC Eye, has gone undercover to unmask the men cashing in on sexual violence.
It was the morning rush hour in Tokyo. The train was packed and rocky.
Takako (not her real name) was on her way to school. The 15-year-old tried to hold on to a grab bar.
Suddenly, she felt a hand pressing on her behind. She thought someone had accidentally bumped into her.
But the hand started to grope her.
"That's when I finally realised - it was molestation," Takako recalls.
The hand quickly disappeared in the crowd. "I couldn't do anything about it." She arrived at school in tears that day.
That was her first time being sexually assaulted on public transport, but Takako was molested almost daily for more than a year on her commute. On countless nights, she went to bed crying. "I felt like there was no hope in my life," she says.
Takako. who was sexually assaulted many times as a teenager, wears a badge that warns off potential attackers
Many women like Takako are targeted in public by sexual predators. In some cases, they face another violation - the attack is filmed and the videos are sold online.
Most videos follow the same pattern - a man secretly films a woman from behind and follows her on to a train. Seconds later, he sexually abuses her. The men act discreetly, and their victims can seem totally unaware. These graphic videos are then listed on the websites for sale.
In a year-long investigation, we traced the men behind three websites which sell and produce thousands of these sexual assault videos.
Encountering sexual abuse almost daily, Takako found herself unable to speak up during the act due to fear and shame. But every night, she covered her mouth with a towel and repeatedly practised in front of the mirror how to call out a harasser: "This person is a 'Chikan'!"
"Chikan" is a Japanese term describing sexual assault in public, especially groping on public transport. It also describes the offenders themselves.
Chikan perpetrators typically take advantage of crowds, and the victims' fear of causing a scene. In Japan, speaking too directly and openly may be seen as rude.
Thousands of arrests are made every year for Chikan offences, but many more go undetected and unpunished. Saito Akiyoshi, mental health professional and author of a book about Chikan, says that only about 10% of victims report the crime.
The Japanese police encourage victims and eyewitnesses to speak up, but the crime is far from being eradicated. The problem is so widespread that even the UK and Canadian governments warn travellers to Japan about it.
Chikan has been normalised by its prominence in Japan's adult entertainment industry. One of the most popular types of pornography in the country - the Chikan genre - has spread to other Asian countries.
The metro trains in Tokyo become incredibly crowded at certain points of the day
One Chinese-language website called DingBuZhu (which means "I can't hold it" in Chinese) immediately caught our attention.
It's a marketplace for Chikan videos, filmed secretly on mobile phones in crowded public places, such as trains and buses. They are shot across East Asia, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China.
Some videos cost less than a dollar. The site even once allowed users to order tailor-made abuse videos.
We also found links on DingBuZhu to two other websites - Chihan and Jieshe - with the same type of content.
There is a Telegram group with 4,000 members who share tips on how to sexually abuse women.
One name kept coming up on the Chikan websites - "Uncle Qi".
He was hailed as the guru in this community. Dozens of abuse videos were labelled as his work. On Twitter, he put up teasers of the websites' videos to his 80,000 followers. But who was he?
The Telegram group we had been monitoring revealed a clue. One day, an admin claimed in a series of messages that he had abused a woman with Uncle Qi.
The messages were accompanied by photos of a woman standing on what appeared to be a metro platform.
Within hours, we found a match for the location - Ikebukuro station in Tokyo.
BBC Eye investigates websites selling thousands of videos of men sexually assaulting women on trains, buses and other crowded public places across East Asia.
Watch on BBC iPlayer now (UK only), or on BBC Three at 22:50 BST on Thursday 8 June
And there were more leads pointing us to Japan.
The websites listed a Paypal account receiving Japanese yen which was linked to a Gmail address. When we put the address through Google Contacts, the profile picture that came up was a young man with an elaborate hairstyle and theatrical makeup.
A reverse image search put a name to the face - Noctis Zang, a 30-year-old Chinese-born singer living in Tokyo. He was the frontman of a metal band called The Versus.
An internet search revealed the name of Noctis Zang, a Chinese rock singer
Noctis had a glamorous public image, but we soon found something hidden behind it.
In early 2022, The Versus' photographer had alleged on Chinese social media platform Weibo that Noctis built "porn websites" alongside another band member, Lupus Fu.
He had posted pictures of a notebook, which showed some accounting and video categories similar to those on the websites. The photographer had also posted a video which appeared to show Noctis's browsing history, with links to Chihan, Jieshe and the admin pages of DingBuZhu.
Could this rock singer be Uncle Qi?
Posing as a music talent scout called Ian, our undercover journalist met Noctis at a fancy rooftop bar in Tokyo.
They first talked about music, but the chat soon moved on to the subject of sex. When Ian said his company used to make porn films, Noctis's eyes lit up.
The two met several more times, and they even celebrated Noctis's birthday together.
Noctis introduced Ian to his fellow band member Lupus Fu, whose name had been mentioned by The Versus' photographer. Lupus, also from China, was studying sociology in Japan.
Ian said his company planned to invest in porn sites and asked if they knew anything about this business.
Our undercover reporter, Ian, met key figures linked to one of the abuse video sites in a Tokyo bar
Noctis confessed he had "some exposure" through a friend, "Maomi", who had created his own porn sites with "metro" content.
Lupus and Noctis both laughed: "That's Maomi's website!"
They revealed that the person behind the Chikan websites was a Chinese man in Tokyo nicknamed Maomi. They said Maomi was reclusive and paranoid.
Noctis and Lupus also admitted that they played admin roles for the websites.
They spelled out their business model.
"In China, sex is the most suppressed," Noctis said, "Some men are very perverted, they just want to see women getting…" Lupus finished the sentence: "screwed over."
Lupus said he was in charge of promoting abuse videos on Twitter. Noctis revealed that he had uploaded more than 5,000 videos on the websites, received payments for the business and taken 30% of revenue. The rest he had transferred to Maomi.
Lupus also said he could help connect Ian to Maomi.
On a quiet back street in the red-light district of Yokohama, a storefront decorated like a metro station catches your eyes. A sign spells out its concept: "legal Chikan trains".
In this sex club, called Rush Hour, customers can pay to enjoy the Chikan experience legally.
Its manager Hasuda Shuhei welcomes us on board. "We let people do things that can't be done outside. That's why people come here."
Inside, a sickly-sweet smell of cleaning products permeates the air. Private rooms are decorated like train carriages and equipped with a sound system that plays train announcements. Even the club's membership cards look exactly like Japan's transportation cards.
Decorated like a train carriage, the Rush Hour sex club offers customers the chance to act out fantasies of public groping
"I think it's important for men to be able to pay to vent in place like this, so they don't commit rape and other forms of sexual assault," says Hasuda.
Mental health professional Saito says that the matter is not as straightforward as Hasuda claims. He says that most Chikan perpetrators are aroused by the idea of domination over and humiliation of their victims.
"They do not treat their victims as equals, but as objects."
It's an opinion that rings true with Takako.
After months of assaults, she fought back one day. As she felt a hand reach for her skirt in a packed train carriage, Takako shouted at the top of her lungs and grabbed the assaulter by his wrist.
Takako took the man to court, where he only got a suspended sentence, even though he had previously been caught for Chikan offences.
Disappointed by the outcome of her case, Takako went on to start an anti-Chikan campaign, producing colourful badges reading "Chikan is a crime!" People can wear them to show they will not keep silent.
"It's a deterrent for criminals," says Takako, who is now 24. There is now an annual anti-Chikan badge design contest among Japanese high school students.
Campaigners make anti-Chikan badges to raise awareness of sexual assaults on public transport
Maomi means "kitty cat" in Chinese. However, Lupus said his personality was more like a hamster. "He's harmless, but cautious of everything and he sometimes overreacts."
Lupus was right. Maomi repeatedly refused to meet Ian.
But on Chinese New Year's Eve, Ian's luck changed. Maomi agreed to a meeting at a karaoke bar.
The air was thick with cigarette smoke, the sound of clinking glasses and Chinese pop songs.
The person who turned up was not who we expected. A skinny young man wearing half-rim glasses and a dark trench coat, Maomi looked like he could be a college student. He said he was 27.
Showing an interest in investing in his business, Ian asked how much he made.
"Our daily turnover is around 5,000-10,000 Chinese Yuan (US$700-$1,400; £565-£1,130)," Maomi said proudly, showing the transactions on his phone. "Very stable income, right?"
Ian acted impressed, and mentioned the name Uncle Qi.
But to our surprise, he revealed Uncle Qi was not just one person.
He managed a team of 15 people, including 10 in China who made videos under the same name. Maomi received 30 to 100 videos from them each month.
The videos were then sold on the three websites which Maomi confirmed he owned. They had more than 10,000 paying members, mostly Chinese men.
"The key is to be authentic. It has to be real," Maomi said. He later told us his websites even sold videos of drug-facilitated rape.
Maomi talked about his business as though it were any other budding start-up. He described his team as "passionate" and "brave". He even casually mentioned he had been training others to carry out and film sexual assaults.
But there was one thing he never mentioned - the women in his videos. It was as if they didn't matter to him at all.
We wanted to know Maomi's real identity. At another meeting with Ian, he opened up about how he got into this business.
Like many boys, Maomi liked Superman, anime and video games growing up. But when he was 14, he started watching sexual assault videos like the ones he sold now.
He knew his business was not risk-free.
"I am so cautious," Maomi said. "Safety first." To avoid scrutiny from the Chinese authorities, he planned to naturalise as a Japanese citizen.
However, as careful as Maomi was, he made a mistake.
When Ian asked where to send the investment funds, Maomi pulled out his bank card and handed it to Ian.
The card revealed his real name - Tang Zhuoran.
Later, we confronted Maomi with our allegations.
As we approached, he tried to cover his face and walked away. And all of a sudden, he snapped, hitting out at our camera and crew.
The next day, by coincidence, we spotted Maomi at the airport. He was leaving Japan.
Uncle Qi's Twitter account, where he openly promotes the abuse videos, is still active.
Twitter did not respond to our request for comment. Instead, they sent us a poo emoji, which has been an automatic reply to any inquiry directed to their press email since March.
We also put our allegations to Noctis and Lupus. They did not respond. We have since learned they no longer work with Maomi.
On a spring day, we meet up with Takako to tell her about our investigation. Appalled, she says: "We women are just content in their videos. They see us as objects. They don't think we have a heart."
Takako advocates for tougher laws against these crimes.
Japan is set to reform its sexual assault laws. However, campaigners say these changes don't go far enough.
But Takako will not give up. "We will not cry ourselves to sleep."
You can watch the full film in English on the BBC World Service YouTube channel.
If you are affected by the issues in this story you can contact the BBC Action Line. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-65811838 |
Prince Harry survives his courtroom high wire act - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | After a day and a half in the witness box, how did Prince Harry handle his questioning in court? | UK | Prince Harry seemed to grow in confidence during the second day of his court appearance
It might have been the sense of relief, but there was an emotion-packed pause before Prince Harry answered one of his final questions in the witness box.
"You have had to go through these articles and answer questions knowing this is a very public courtroom and the world's media are watching. How has that made you feel?" Prince Harry was asked by his barrister at the end of his court appearance in the case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
After a day and a half of giving evidence at London's High Court, he looked exhausted and the pause got longer.
"It's a lot," was all he said in the end, sounding distinctly choked up.
In the witness box over the course of two days he had spoken quietly, often in terse, quickfire answers, interspersed with some nervous quips - "if you say so", he said a few times ironically to some details being presented to him.
He has accused the Mirror, Sunday Mirror and the People of hacking and illegal information-gathering.
The great majority of his time in court has been facing questions from the Mirror Group's barrister, Andrew Green, an interrogator with a reputation fearsome enough for him to be known as a "beast in court".
But in the end, it was quite possibly Prince Harry who will have left the court feeling better about the last couple of days. He'd finished his high-wire act without falling off.
He hadn't crumbled or got wound up or tetchy, he hadn't been dragged into too many awkward questions, he'd stuck to his own lines. You couldn't exactly say he'd been an eloquent witness, but he'd not walked into any traps.
"For my whole life the press has misled me and covered up the wrongdoing," he claimed.
He talked of how paranoid it had made him. In evidence he said he'd never walk down a London street. But he wouldn't even walk around this court building with its airport-style scanning checks, going everywhere within a bubble of security guards. A guard had stood across the doorway as he went into the toilet.
But when the hearing was over, Prince Harry looked relieved and relaxed, chatting to his lawyers and those backing him in his battle against the tabloids, before heading downstairs to his waiting car.
The Mirror's barrister had aimed to punch some big holes in the prince's claims - saying that just because Harry had faced a lifetime of press intrusion, that didn't mean that this specific newspaper group had hacked his phones or done anything unlawful to him.
He argued that a number of these disputed news stories hadn't even originated with the Mirror's papers, they'd already been published elsewhere or had been based on press releases, rather than by unlawful surveillance.
But as the hearing progressed it felt like Prince Harry was growing in confidence, his wrist bands on show as he looked at the computer screens on his desk with the evidence under discussion.
For such an historic event, the first senior royal in the witness box for over a century, it was a low-key setting, a modern open-plan court that was more budget airport departure lounge than mahogany-filled courtroom.
There was also a sense of history about some of the pun-tastic tabloid articles under discussion.
For younger audiences it must have seemed like journalistic archaeology, these inky front pages and half-forgotten celebrities. You couldn't search for some of these stories now, because they were published before Google was even invented.
While Prince Harry has talked about his "life's work" being to change the media landscape, technology has already done much of the work for him.
When some of these stories were being published 20 years ago, the Daily Mirror was selling 2 million copies a day, while the most recent ABC circulation figures show sales of about 280,000.
Since the era of these phone hacking claims, mobile phones and digital news have chipped away at the world of the tabloids.
There was also a sense from his emotional testimony that Prince Harry is still slightly trapped in these tabloid years, making him seem younger than he really is. He's only five years younger than the prime minister, but Harry in the public eye is still somehow remembered as the younger brother mourning the loss of his mother.
This unprecedented appearance in the High Court also showed how for the prince the blurring between private and public life must be a very strange experience.
We've spent two days looking at stories chronicling his life in headlines. And when he entered the court building he'd have walked past a photo and a video of his late grandmother, who opened this building. The Dieu et Mon Droit symbol in the courtroom is the motto of the monarch, his father.
But during this court appearance he also explained precisely why he was really here - why he was bringing this legal action, when previous royals had fought shy of facing questions in court.
It was a deliberate attempt to find a different course of action "to stop the abuse, intrusion and hate that was coming towards me and my wife".
Rather than the longstanding royal policy of "don't complain, don't explain", he has taken the higher-risk strategy of going into battle in the courtroom.
It's also an unexpected journey that has seen him making comments a long way from the usual royal political neutrality. In his written statement he seemed to be wading into the culture war with a swipe at a "rock-bottom" government.
It will be up to the judge to decide on balance who seems to be more convincing, the Mirror Group or Prince Harry and other claimants - and it's quite possible that the result won't be known until the autumn.
If he FaceTimes his family in California, as he said yesterday, it might be more relaxed this evening.
But given the number of other legal claims involving Prince Harry, this could be the first of a number of courtroom appearances. From the royal court to the law court. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65838056 |
Fiorentina 1-2 West Ham United: Jarrod Bowen goal decides Europa Conference League final - BBC Sport | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | Jarrod Bowen scores in the 90th minute as West Ham win the Europa Conference League - beating Fiorentina in a tense and dramatic final. | null | Last updated on .From the section European Football
West Ham finished 14th in the Premier League this season, the lowest position any team has finished in the table in the same season they won a major European trophy. West Ham ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy as Jarrod Bowen scored a last-minute goal to beat Fiorentina and win the Europa Conference League in Prague. The final seemed to be heading for extra time after Said Benrahma's second-half penalty was cancelled out just seven minutes later by a well-taken effort from Giacomo Bonaventura. It was a testy and sometimes bad tempered game - and at one point it got downright ugly as Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi was struck by a plastic bottle thrown from the West Ham section. The match was settled in the most dramatic manner. Bowen timed his run to perfection as Lucas Paqueta slid a superb pass through the Fiorentina defence. The England man ran free, steadied himself, then beat Pietro Terracciano with a calm finish to thrill the Hammers fans - who were far greater in number than the 5,000 tickets they were allotted - and send manager David Moyes running down the touchline to celebrate the first major silverware of his career. It means captain Declan Rice, in probably his final game for the club, emulated club greats Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds by leading the club to glory. Moore captained West Ham to the 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup and Bonds led them to the FA Cup in 1975 and 1980. The victory also seals a place in next season's Europa League and means European football for the third year running for the first time in the club's history.
• None What did you make of West Ham's Europa Conference League win? Send us your views here Said Benrahma opened the scoring for West Ham in the 62nd minute The manner of victory could not have been any sweeter for West Ham. Whilst Nayef Aguerd took time out to console Morocco team-mates Sofyan Amrabat at the final whistle, the celebrations of the Premier League team were something to behold. From 18-year-old forward Divin Mubama, who played no part, to Moyes himself, finally a trophy-winner after such a long career in management, all joined in joy, leaping around trying to take it all in. There will be an unwanted post-script as Uefa is bound to come down hard on the Hammers for the unwanted first-half scenes that left Biraghi playing with a bandage round his head for the last hour of the contest and forced the club to condemn those responsible. Fiorentina's Biraghi was hit in the head by an object thrown from the West Ham end However, that is for another day. The reaction from the pitch and the stands at the final whistle give a lie to anyone who feels this tournament is beneath them and should give hope to Aston Villa, England's entrants next season. At the centre of it all was Rice. There was no thought of his future as he lapped up the adulation of the fans who have followed his journey from rising academy star to full England honours. David Moyes on goal celebration and West Ham's 'super season' in Europe Some West Ham fans must have thought they had won it when Benrahma coolly drove home his spot-kick after the video assistant referee intervened to rule Biraghi had handled Bowen's header. But the loss of Kurt Zouma to injury just before Benrahma scored disrupted West Ham's rhythm and after Nicolas Gonzalez had provided the knockback, Bonaventura's excellent control and shot was too good for Alphonse Areola, preferred in goal to first-choice Lukasz Fabianski and maintaining his 100% appearance record in the competition. Areola had been fortunate to escape conceding the opener in the final minute of the opening period when he failed to get down to a Christian Kouame header, which bounced off a post and fell kindly for Luka Jovic. Areola should have kept out Jovic's header, which was straight at him. Instead, he fumbled it over the line. The Frenchman was hugely relieved to see the offside flag raised, a decision confirmed by VAR. Jovic got an accidental boot in the face from Tomas Soucek instead and had to be replaced at the break. The game didn't really develop any momentum as too many players exaggerated non-existent fouls, which made it a tough evening for Spanish referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande, much as it was for Anthony Taylor in the Europa League final seven days earlier. Grande did keep command of the contest, rightly booking Benrahma for diving at one point. In the end though, all this was a footnote. Bowen scored. West Ham got their trophy and Rice got to lift it.
• None Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina) wins a free kick on the right wing.
• None Lucas Paquetá (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
• None Goal! Fiorentina 1, West Ham United 2. Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lucas Paquetá with a through ball following a fast break. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page
• None Can The Night Manager outmanoeuvre the criminal world?
• None Can you crack the code to open the safe? Put your code-breaking skills to the test in this brainteaser | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65826820 |
Heathrow security officers announce summer strikes - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | About 2,000 security officers will walk out for 31 days in June, July and August. | Business | Long security queues at Heathrow were last seen during the pandemic
Security officers at Heathrow airport will take part in a fresh wave of strikes this summer that could affect travellers at the UK's busiest airport.
About 2,000 officers who are members of the Unite union will walk out for 31 days between 24 June and 27 August.
Terminals 3 and 5 and checks for non-passengers will be affected and the action could spark queues at security.
Unite described it as "a major escalation" in its pay dispute with the airport.
It said workers had rejected a "below inflation pay offer of 10.1%", while noting that the higher rate of inflation, RPI, is now 11.4%.
Previous strikes have appeared to have little impact on passengers due to Heathrow's contingency measures, but the fresh wave of strikes will include Terminal 3 workers for the first time.
Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world and people from all over the UK could be affected.
The strikes could lead to longer queues going through security, but it is unclear at the moment whether any airlines will cancel flights, says the BBC's transport correspondent Katy Austin.
The walkouts coincide with busy times for travel including the Eid festival (28, 29 and 30 June), the beginning of the school holidays (21, 22, 23 and 24 July) and the August bank holiday (24, 25, 26 and 27 August).
A Heathrow spokesperson said it will do "everything" it can to minimise disruption during the strikes.
"Unite has already tried and failed to disrupt the airport with unnecessary strikes on some of our busiest days and we continue to build our plans to protect journeys during any future action.
"The simple fact remains that the majority of colleagues do not support Unite's strikes. There is a two-year inflation-beating pay rise ready for colleagues, if only Unite would allow them to have a say".
They added that talks to resolve the dispute with Unite would continue.
The strikes come as Heathrow is struggling to recover from the impact of the pandemic. The airport's operator recorded a £139m loss in the first three months of this year.
But Unite's Sharon Graham said: "This is an incredibly wealthy company, which this summer is anticipating bumper profits and an executive pay bonanza", adding that the airport had "got its priorities all wrong".
Border Force staff at Heathrow who are members of the PCS union held a series of separate walkouts this year, prompting the government to bring in military personnel to staff entry gates.
Hundreds of thousands of workers in several UK industries have been holding strikes since last summer.
Most are demanding improvements to terms and conditions and for pay to match the cost of living, which is rising at its fastest rate in nearly 40 years.
There was chaos at airports last summer when strikes and staff shortages coincided with a surge in demand for travel post-pandemic.
Unite regional co-ordinating officer Wayne King said on Wednesday that customers could expect more of the same.
"Delays, disruption and cancelations will be inevitable as a result of the strike action. But this dispute is completely of Heathrow Airport's own making."
The consumer group Which? says if an airline cancels a flight because of staff strikes, passengers are entitled to compensation unless they are given two weeks' notice.
However, if a flight is cancelled because of airport staff, Border Force or air traffic control strikes, this will be classified as an extraordinary circumstance.
According to Which?, this means that passengers due to travel should be offered a refund or alternative flight, but are not owed compensation.
Will you be affected by the strikes? 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. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65831998 |
Chris Mason: What Sunak is trying to achieve in the US - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The challenge for the prime minister now is delivery, and quickly, with a general election expected next year. | UK Politics | This is the fourth time in as many months that the prime minister has met President Biden.
I have been in tow each time, and it's been fascinating to get a glimpse of their growing relationship.
And quite some growing it's had to do.
When Rishi Sunak became prime minister, President Biden, in congratulating him, managed to call him Rashee Sanook.
Not long after that, Mr Sunak acknowledged to me that the UK's reputation had "taken a bit of a knock," courtesy of the rolling political chaos of much of 2022.
Core to his brand as prime minister is attempting to personify the opposite: hoping to be seen as dependable, believable, credible, trustworthy.
Little wonder, then, he ducked a question on the way here about what he made of Prince Harry's remarks that the UK is judged globally by the state of the press and the government - both of which the prince reckons are at "rock bottom."
But, having tried to prove he can be the gentle jazz of politics rather than the heavy metal that came before, the challenge for Rishi Sunak now is delivery, and quickly, with a general election expected next year.
Ukraine will be a recurring theme on this trip.
Mr Sunak has told us the UK is looking into who was to blame for the destruction of the huge dam there.
He said it was too soon to make "a definitive judgement."
But, he added, if it was intentional, it would represent "the largest attack on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine since the start of the war."
The UK and US's ongoing support for Kyiv will be central to the discussions between the leaders at the White House on Thursday.
Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden met in Japan, last month
Also on the agenda, the regulation of artificial intelligence and economic cooperation.
On AI, the prime minister is expected to make the case that the UK can be a global leader on its development and regulation.
And on the economy, Rishi Sunak has said he will "continue discussing" America's Inflation Reduction Act - which has seen billions in new subsidies targeted at green industries in the US - with some fretting the UK is being left behind.
You can read more about it here from my colleague Faisal Islam.
The gulf between the president and the prime minister's instincts on this is wide, if not surprising: a Democratic president opting for massive state intervention, in the hope of greening his economy, reviving left behind areas and bringing manufacturing back to the US.
And a Conservative prime minister not naturally drawn towards huge interventions like this - and suggesting "subsidy races," as he put it, were a "zero sum" game.
But even if there is a philosophical opposition from some to what the president is doing, what are the political responses to it?
Rishi Sunak said "we've created lots of jobs" in green industries and "reduced carbon faster" than comparable countries.
He doesn't believe attempting the same plan as Washington would be wise.
Meanwhile, Rachel Reeves - who hopes to become the UK's first ever female chancellor if Labour win the next election - was in the US capital just a few weeks ago, and openly embracing a strategy very similar to Joe Biden's.
Is her plan affordable, and achievable? They are big and, as yet, unanswered questions.
What is much clearer is President Biden's attempts to rewire the global economy has implications all over the place - not least on our own domestic economy - and politics. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65829915 |
Ukraine dam: Dislodged mines a major concern as residents flee Kherson - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Many landmines planted near the Dnipro river are likely to have been washed away by the surging water. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. See the extent of the dam breach devastation and rescue attempts
The breaching of a major dam in southern Ukraine will have a catastrophic effect on locating landmines, the Red Cross has warned.
Thousands of people have already been evacuated from parts of the Kherson region as water continues to surge down the Dnipro river which divides Russian and Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Both Ukraine and Russia blame each other for sabotaging the Kakhovka dam.
Three flood-related deaths have been reported in the Russian-held Oleshky.
Yevhen Ryshchuk, the town's exiled Ukrainian mayor, told public broadcaster Suspilne he believed there would be more casualties.
The BBC has been unable to verify claims by Ukrainian and Russian officials.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has visited the flood-hit region of Kherson where he said the priority was to "protect lives and help people as much as possible".
During his visit on Thursday, the Ukrainian leader also went to a medical facility and met people evacuated from the region.
The president earlier appealed for international effort to help people and accused agencies of failing to help, including the UN.
Erik Tollefsen, head of the Red Cross's weapon contamination unit, warned dislodged mines had sparked major concerns not just for Kherson residents, but also those coming to help.
"We knew where the hazards were," he told AFP news agency. "Now we don't know.
"All we know is that they are somewhere downstream."
Nataliya Humeniuk, a spokeswoman for Ukraine's military South Command, told Ukrainian TV: "Many anti-infantry mines [in Russian-seized areas] have been dislodged, becoming floating mines.
"They pose a great danger," she said, explaining that they were likely to explode if they collided or hit debris.
Local residents have tried to save pets and livestock from flooded areas
The dam in Russian-controlled Nova Kakhovka was breached in the early hours of Tuesday, leading to mass evacuations as water levels downstream rapidly increased.
Officials say 30 towns and villages along the river have been flooded and nearly 2,000 homes have been submerged in the city of Kherson - the region's capital controlled by Ukraine.
One woman, who arrived in Kherson on a rescue boat from the Russian-occupied east side of the river, explained how quickly the situation escalated after she heard about the disaster early on Tuesday.
"We managed to collect our things but the water kept rising. At that moment I was cooking buckwheat and my feet were already underwater. It started to flood really fast," Kateryna Krupych, 40, told the BBC.
"It feels like we lived a whole life in just one day."
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the Ukrainians are developing a plan to help people on both sides of the Dnipro river.
"We are saving everyone on the right [Ukrainian-controlled] bank and developing a plan to help people on the [Russian-held] left bank."
Of the 30 flooded towns and villages, 20 were controlled by Ukraine and 10 were temporarily occupied by Russia, he said.
Mr Klymenko also accused the Russians of leaving "people to fend for themselves".
Rising water levels were expected to peak in Kherson late on Wednesday, but officials fear a catastrophic impact on agriculture as the vast Kakhovka reservoir - upstream of the dam - empties into the Black Sea.
Kherson's regional head Oleksandr Prokudin said 1,700 have so far been evacuated while Kremlin-installed officials on the other side of the river say 1,200 people have been taken to safety.
Officials say more than 40,000 people - 17,000 in Ukraine-held territory west of the Dnipro and 25,000 in the Russian-occupied east - need to leave.
Unicef's Damian Rance said the charity has seen homes completely destroyed as concerns continue to linger around trapped residents.
"Safe water has been impacted in many of these locations as the water supply obviously came from the reservoir there, as has the electricity supplies that have been cut off."
Police, state emergency service and charity workers have been evacuating people since the dam burst
President Zelensky said earlier on Wednesday that hundreds of thousands of people across the Kherson region were without drinking water.
Both sides blame each other for the destruction of the dam.
Ukraine says it was mined by Russian forces, and accuses Russia of doing little to help people in flooded areas of the Russian-occupied east bank of the river.
America's Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who chairs the upper chamber's influential Foreign Affairs Committee, told the BBC he was "not certain yet" that Russia was responsible for blowing up the dam.
"But then again the Russians have denied all the actions they've taken against critical infrastructure in Ukraine - and those actions we know have been taken by Russia," he added.
Russia says the damage was caused by Ukrainian shelling, and President Vladimir Putin it "a barbaric act" in a phone call with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
This is just the latest difficulty to hit the city of Kherson. It was occupied by Russian forces soon after the war began last year, but liberated by Ukraine in November. Since then the city has been bombarded with shelling.
Viktoria Yeremenko, 57, told the BBC her house was destroyed in February and she moved to her son's apartment which has now been flooded.
"We managed to get out," she said. "There was panic, we had to leave quickly and grab the dogs. My brother is half paralysed too."
In recent years the Kakhovka dam has become a symbol of leverage between Kyiv and Moscow.
When Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, Kyiv closed down the dam and cut off Ukraine's southern peninsula from a major water supply.
Then last year, invading Russian forces were accused by Ukraine of planting the dam with explosives, which the Kremlin denied.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65835742 |
Prince Harry: British press and government at rock bottom - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Duke of Sussex says the press have "got into bed" with the government to ensure the status quo. | UK Politics | Prince Harry has accused the press and the government of being at "rock bottom" in his High Court privacy case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
In a witness statement, Prince Harry said journalists were harming democracy by "getting into bed" with the government to "ensure the status quo".
He later gave evidence in person in the High Court.
MGN denies using unlawful methods, including phone hacking, to find out sensitive information about him.
Rishi Sunak declined to be drawn on the remarks during a trip to the US, telling reporters it was a "long-standing convention" for prime ministers not to comment on royals.
By appearing in the witness stand, Harry became the first senior royal to give evidence in a court of law since the future Edward VII in 1891.
In a written statement issued to the High Court, he said: "Democracy fails when your press fails to scrutinise and hold the government accountable, and instead choose to get into bed with them so they can ensure the status quo.
"In my view, in order to save journalism as a profession, journalists need to expose those people in the media that have stolen or highjacked the privileges and powers of the press, and have used illegal or unlawful means for their own gain and agendas.
"I feel that I need to make sure that this unlawful behaviour is exposed, because obviously I don't want anybody else going through the same thing that I've been going through on a personal level.
"But also on a national level as, at the moment, our country is judged globally by the state of our press and our Government - both of which I believe are at rock bottom."
Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered in the court case.
The 55-page statement is critical of the broader tabloid press, while there are also specific claims levelled against MGN - the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People.
The Duke is bringing claims against the publisher alongside Coronation Street actors Michael Turner - known professionally as Michael Le Vell - and Nikki Sanderson, as well as Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse.
The claimants 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.
The publisher has either denied or not admitted each of the claims. MGN also argues that some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65822218 |
Virginia shooting: Two killed, five injured after high school graduation ceremony - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A 19-year-old suspect has appeared in court and faces at least two murder charges. | US & Canada | A student and his stepfather were killed and five others injured in a shooting at a high school graduation ceremony in Virginia.
Police identified a 19-year-old suspect as the gunman and said they believed the attack was "targeted".
The shooting outside the Altria Theater in Richmond sent hundreds of people, many of them wearing graduation gowns, running for safety on Tuesday evening.
"It was obviously chaos," the city's police chief said. "People scattered."
Renzo Smith, 36, was celebrating the graduation of his 18-year-old stepson, Sean D Jackson, when the gunman opened fire. Both men were killed.
A nine-year-old girl who is "related to the family" was also hit by a car during the ensuing chaos, police said. She was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The suspect, identified as Omari Pollard, 19, was arraigned in court and faces two counts of second degree murder, officials said at a news conference on Wednesday. Police believe the shooting was "targeted" and the "result of an ongoing dispute".
Officers did not fire their weapons when apprehending the suspect and several guns were recovered from the scene.
Police said all five victims injured in the attack have recovered and are in "non-life-threatening condition".
"A day that should have been a moment of joy and celebration with friends and family was taken away in seconds and lives changed forever," said Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. "Our city, our community, will not be defined by this violence."
The gunman opened fire in Monroe Park, which is directly opposite the theatre, shortly after the ceremony for Huguenot High School had finished at around 17:15 (21:15 GMT).
Families and graduates were leaving the theatre, which is near the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, when at least eight shots rang out.
People ran to escape, some carrying young children and babies, while others sought cover in nearby buildings. Graduates hugged and cried when they were reunited after the attack.
As well as those who were shot, police said another 12 people were injured in the rush or treated for anxiety due to the chaos.
"This should have been a safe space. People should have felt safe at a graduation," said interim Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards.
"It's just incredibly tragic that someone decided to bring a gun to this incident and rain terror on our community," he said.
Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools Jason Kamras said the attack occurred on what was "supposed to be a joyous day when our kids walk the stage and get their diploma".
"I don't have any more words on this, I'm tired of seeing people get shot, our kids get shot and I beg the entire community to stop," he said.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Richmond mayor: 'Day of joy changed in seconds and life's changed forever' | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65829241 |
Jude Bellingham: Real Madrid agree 103m euro deal to sign England midfielder - BBC Sport | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | Real Madrid have agreed a deal with Borussia Dortmund to sign England midfielder Jude Bellingham for 103m euros (£88.5m). | null | Last updated on .From the section European Football
Real Madrid have agreed a deal with Borussia Dortmund to sign England midfielder Jude Bellingham for 103m euros (£88.5m).
The 19-year-old, who joined Dortmund from Birmingham City in July 2020, was one of England's top performers at last year's World Cup.
Bellingham wants the move and will have a medical in the next few days.
The midfielder, who has been linked with some of Europe's top sides, will sign a six-year deal.
Dortmund have confirmed in a statement that the Spanish side have agreed to pay 103m euros, with various potential add-ons on top of that.
If those add-ons are achieved, the deal could reach 133.9m euros (£115m).
Manchester City and Liverpool were two of the sides keen on Bellingham, who is set to become the world's third-most expensive teenager.
The Bundesliga's player of the season will also become the second-most expensive English footballer and Real Madrid's second-most expensive signing after Eden Hazard's 115m euro move from Chelsea in 2019.
In April, Liverpool dropped out of the race to sign Bellingham because of the cost involved. Asked about Bellingham at the time, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp compared talk of big-money transfers to a "child wanting a Ferrari for Christmas".
When Bellingham left Birmingham for Dortmund for £25m, becoming the most expensive 17-year-old in the history of football, the Championship side were mocked by some for retiring the teenager's shirt number, despite him only playing one full season of professional football.
He excelled at Dortmund and in October last year he made history by becoming the club's youngest captain aged 19.
Bellingham has played 42 times for his club this season - scoring 14 goals and registering seven assists.
• None Can The Night Manager outmanoeuvre the criminal world?
• None Can you crack the code to open the safe? Put your code-breaking skills to the test in this brainteaser | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65836734 |
Ukraine dam breach: Tears and a hug as people rescued - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | The BBC's James Waterhouse witnesses an evacuation in the Ukrainian city of Kherson. | null | The BBC's James Waterhouse witnessed an emotional rescue in the city of Kherson, as people were evacuated through the flooded streets in dinghies.
Thousands of people are being evacuated after a dam collapsed by the Russian-controlled city of Nova Kakhovka. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65837844 |
PMQs: Dowden and Rayner clash over Covid inquiry - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Angela Rayner accuses the government of obstructing the Covid inquiry - Oliver Dowden denies it. | UK Politics | The deputy prime minister also said at PMQs: "What do we have from the party opposite? Plans for an unfunded £28bn spending spree. And what would that do? Drive up borrowing, push up interest rates, adding £1,000 to everyone's mortgage."
We've asked Downing Street how he worked that out and have not yet heard back, but he may be referring to a report in Monday’s Daily Mail of Treasury analysis (that we have not seen) of Labour's plans to increase investment in the green economy.
The thrust of the analysis, according to the Mail, is that the Bank of England would increase interest rates in order to prevent extra government spending causing inflation.
The article’s sources say this could add 0.75 percentage points to the Bank of England’s rate, which in turn could feed through to mortgages.
Such an increase, if it happened, would add a little less than a £1,000 to the cost of the average outstanding mortgage, which is a bit less than £200,000.
Interest rates have been going up over the last year as mortgage lenders reacted to global events, attempts to combat inflation and the government’s mini-Budget last Autumn. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-65830963 |
Marks & Spencer scraps milk use-by dates to cut waste - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Supermarket becomes the latest to remove the dates, urging customers to use their judgement instead. | Business | Marks & Spencer has become the latest retailer to scrap use-by dates on milk as part of efforts to cut food waste.
The dates, which are meant to tell customers when food is safe to eat, will be replaced by best-before dates instead, which are recommendations on freshness.
The supermarket chain urged customers to use their judgement on whether the milk is safe to use.
Milk is among the foods that are thrown away the most by UK households, alongside bread and potatoes, according to environmental charity Wrap.
It said nearly 490 million pints are wasted each year, and the "main reason is not drinking before the use-by date".
M&S said better shelf-life and improvements in milk quality meant consumers could use "their judgement on what's still good to eat" without having to rely on labels.
The changes to labelling on M&S Select Farms British and organic fresh milk will come into effect this week.
Rival retailer Morrisons said in January it would get rid of use-by dates on 90% of its own-brand milk and encourage its customers to "use a sniff test".
That followed a similar move by dairy giant Arla in 2019.
According to food regulators, whether milk needs a use-by date depends on how much it has been processed.
Food businesses should assess the "microbiological risk" before deciding whether to apply a use-by date or best before date, the Food Standards Agency said.
It warned that a "sniff test" is not always reliable.
"People can't always smell the bugs that cause food poisoning," it said in 2022.
It advised against consuming milk after a specified use-by date "even if it smells fine".
However, milk with a best before date label "can be sniffed to see if it has gone bad," it said.
People who have a problem with their sense of smell should get someone else to check it, or not use the milk after the best-before date, it added.
Supermarkets have been ditching use-by dates on fruit and vegetables to help reduce food waste for a number of years. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65704475 |
Technology minister urges caution on AI 'Terminator' warnings - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Paul Scully says there should be more of a focus on the good artificial intelligence can do. | Technology | Tech minister Paul Scully has warned so-called "Terminator-style" risks to humanity from artificial intelligence (AI) should not be highlighted at the expense of the good it can do.
Last week several firms warned AI could pose a threat to human existence.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is about to travel to the US where AI is one of the items he will be discussing.
AI describes the ability of computers to perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence.
When it came to AI, there was a "dystopian point of view that we can follow here. There's also a utopian point of view. Both can be possible", Mr Scully told the TechUK Tech Policy Leadership Conference in Westminster.
A dystopia is an imaginary place in which everything is as bad as possible.
"If you're only talking about the end of humanity because of some, rogue, Terminator-style scenario, you're going to miss out on all of the good that AI is already functioning - how it's mapping proteins to help us with medical research, how it's helping us with climate change.
"All of those things it's already doing and will only get better at doing."
The government recently put out a policy document on regulating AI which was criticised for not establishing a dedicated watchdog, and some think additional measures may eventually needed to deal with the most powerful future systems .
Marc Warner, a member of the AI Council, an expert body set up to advise the government, told BBC News last week a ban on the most powerful AI may be necessary.
However, he argued that "narrow AI" designed for particular tasks, such as systems that look for cancer in medical images, should be regulated on the same basis as existing tech.
Responding to reports on the possible dangers posed by AI, the prime minister's spokesperson said: "We are not complacent about the potential risks of AI, but it also provides significant opportunities.
"We can not proceed with AI without the guard rails in place."
Labour's shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell told the BBC that while there was a "level of hysteria going on and that's certainly dominating the public debate at the moment, there are real opportunities with the development of a technology like AI".
However, she added: "But we do have to think really carefully about the risks, make sure we've got good regulation in place."
It was also important that everyone benefited from the impact of AI and it "doesn't just go to the big tech giants in the US as happened in the last technological revolution".
Ms Powell earlier told the Guardian she felt AI should be licensed in a similar way to medicines or nuclear power, both of which had dedicated regulators.
AI company OpenAI recently blogged that a global regulator like the International Atomic Energy Authority might be needed for super-intelligent AI.
At the same event, Microsoft president Brad Smith said the most powerful AIs may need safety licences to operate.
"Before a model can be deployed it will have to pass some some kind of safety review."
Mr Smith argued it would be better if there was international co-operation and a single model of regulation. He said that when it came to cyber and national security, the UK and US were well placed to work together.
He told reporters at the event that Microsoft would not join "the fear parade", adding it would be better to reduce some of the rhetoric and focus more on current problems.
A number of other experts have also said focusing on sci-fi-like disaster scenarios is a distraction from current issues with AI, such as the risk of racial or gender biases in algorithms. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65822884 |
William and Kate offer to restock burgled Swansea food bank - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Prince and Princess of Wales pledge to replace all items stolen by thieves. | Wales | The Prince and Princess of Wales visited St Thomas Church in 2022
The Prince and Princess of Wales have offered to help replace items stolen from a food bank.
St Thomas Church in Swansea had food, drink, baby toys and even bikes stolen on Saturday evening.
The Reverend Steve Bunting said he received the unexpected call from Kensington Palace on Wednesday.
"They were keen to make sure we could replace the items taken from the food bank," he said.
"I've no idea how they got wind of the story, but I got a phone call early today expressing that the Prince and Princess of Wales were concerned about what happened."
The royal couple visited the church in 2022 in their first visit to Wales since they were given the Prince and Princess of Wales titles.
While at the church the prince revealed for the first time that he had begun learning Welsh, like his father had before him.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The Prince and Princess of Wales visited St Thomas Church last year
"I couldn't really believe it to be honest," added Mr Bunting.
"It's been a crazy 48 hours and we have been overwhelmed by kindness, from people dropping in £5 to the phone call this morning.
"They all wanted to do something about it and it's testament to the people of this area and city."
Following the royal visit in September Mr Bunting was not surprised that the prince and princess wanted to help, describing them as "a part of our team here, although a very distant part".
The Reverend Steve Bunting says he is not surprised the Prince and Princess were willing to help
Mr Bunting and the team at the church are also extending the hand of forgiveness to the thieves responsible.
"There are always people who react to these type of incidents either by saying we should lock them up or by saying these people must be desperate.
"I am of the last type and we would like to help change people's lives and this is why we are running a food bank and we would like to be part of the redemption of these people." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65838731 |
Julie Goodyear: Coronation Street's Bet Lynch actress reveals dementia diagnosis - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Coronation Street actress's husband says there is now "no hope of a reversal in the situation". | Entertainment & Arts | Julie Goodyear, known for playing Bet Lynch in Coronation Street, has received a "heartbreaking diagnosis" of dementia, her husband has said.
The actress had sought medical advice after "suffering forgetfulness" but there was now "no hope of a reversal in the situation", Scott Brand said.
Goodyear, 81, played the leopard-skin-loving barmaid from 1966 to 2003.
"My darling wife and I have had to come to terms with this heartbreaking diagnosis," Mr Brand said.
"Unfortunately, Julie has been suffering forgetfulness for some time and we have been seeking medical advice and assistance - but we now know that there is no hope of a reversal in the situation and that her condition will get progressively, and perhaps speedily, worse.
"We have taken the decision to publicly announce the diagnosis as Julie still loves visiting friends and eating out. Inevitably, she is recognised and fans love to meet her - and she them - but she can get confused, particularly if she is tired. I hope people will understand."
Thanks to Goodyear, Bet Lynch became one of the ITV soap opera's longest-serving and best-loved characters.
The actress has also appeared on reality shows such as Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Fit Club.
Hilary Evans, chief executive of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "Our hearts go out to Julie Goodyear and her family, following the announcement that she is living with dementia.
"So many of us have such fond memories of watching Julie on screen, playing the iconic role of Bet Lynch.
"It is incredibly brave of Julie's husband to share this news and help raise much-needed awareness of dementia, a condition affecting almost one million people in the UK today.
"With no treatments to slow or stop the diseases that cause dementia, a diagnosis is truly heartbreaking." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65831828 |
BBC, BA and Boots issued with ultimatum by cyber gang Clop - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The group warns personal details of 100,000 staff will be published if employers do not get in touch. | Technology | A prolific cyber crime gang thought to be based in Russia has issued an ultimatum to victims of a hack that has hit organisations around the world.
The Clop group posted a notice on the dark web warning firms affected by the MOVEit hack to email them before 14 June or stolen data will be published.
More than 100,000 staff at the BBC, British Airways and Boots have been told payroll data may have been taken.
Employers are being urged not to pay up if the hackers demand a ransom.
Cyber security research previously suggested Clop could be responsible for the hack which was first announced last week.
The criminals found a way to break into a piece of popular business software called MOVEit and were then able to use that access to get into the databases of potentially hundreds of other companies.
Analysts at Microsoft said on Monday they believed Clop was to blame, based on the techniques used in the hack.
It has now been confirmed in a long blog post written in broken English.
The post, seen by the BBC, reads: "This is announcement to educate companies who use Progress MOVEit product that chance is that we download a lot of your data as part of exceptional exploit."
The post goes on to urge victim organisations to send an email to the gang to begin a negotiation on the crew's darknet portal.
This is an unusual tactic as normally ransom demands are emailed to victim organisations by the hackers, but here they are demanding that victims get in touch. This could be because Clop itself can't keep up with the scale of the hack which is still being processed around the world.
"My take is that they just have so much data that it is difficult for them to get on top of it all. They're betting that if you know then you will contact them," says SOS Intelligence CEO Amir Hadžipasić.
MOVEit is supplied by Progress Software in the US for many businesses to securely move files around company systems. Payroll services provider Zellis, which is based in the UK, was one of its users.
Zellis has confirmed that eight UK organisations have had data stolen as a result, including home addresses, national insurance numbers and, in some cases, bank details. Not all firms have had the same data exposed.
Zellis customers which has been breached include:
Nova Scotia Government and the University of Rochester is also warning staff that data may have been stolen through the MOVEit vulnerability.
Advice from experts is for individuals not to panic, and for organisations to carry out security checks issued by authorities like the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Authority in the US.
Clop claims on its leak site that it has deleted any data from government, city or police services.
"Do not worry, we erased your data you do not need to contact us. We have no interest to expose such information," it reads.
However, researchers say the criminals are not to be trusted.
"Clop's claim to have deleted information relating to public sector organisations should be taken with a pinch of salt. If the information has monetary value or could be used for phishing, it's unlikely that they will simply have disposed it," said Brett Callow, threat researcher from Emsisoft.
Cyber security experts have long tracked the exploits of Clop, which is thought to be based in Russia as it mainly operates on Russian speaking forums.
Russia has long been accused of being a safe haven to ransomware gangs - which it denies.
However, Clop runs as a "ransomware as a service" group, which means hackers can rent their tools to carry out attacks from anywhere.
In 2021, alleged Clop hackers were arrested in Ukraine in a joint operation between Ukraine, US and South Korea.
At the time, authorities claimed to have taken down the group which they said was responsible for extorting $500m from victims around the world.
But Clop has continued to be a persistent threat. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65829726 |
Nova Kakhovka: Who benefits from breaching the dam? - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Russia and Ukraine are pointing the finger at one another, but where does the truth lie? | Europe | A huge dam in the Russian-occupied area of southern Ukraine has been breached, unleashing a flood of water downstream. So who benefits from this act of vandalism?
With both sides, Russia and Ukraine, blaming the other for breaching the dam, there are echoes of last year's unexplained Nordstream gas pipeline explosions. In both cases western suspicions have immediately fallen on Russia. But both times Moscow has responded with: "It wasn't us. Why would we do this? This hurts us".
In the case of the Kakhovka dam breach Russia can point to at least two ways it damages their own interests. The flooding of land downstream has forced it to evacuate troops as well as civilians eastwards, away from Kherson and the banks of the broad River Dnipro. This will provide some limited respite for Kherson's residents who have had to live with daily Russian artillery and missile strikes.
Secondly, this could affect the water supply for Russian-occupied Crimea, an arid peninsula that relies on fresh water from a canal close to the breached dam. Since it was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014 it has become a heavily fortified piece of land that both Russia and Ukraine claim as their own.
But the breaching of the Kakhovka dam needs to be seen in the wider context of the Ukraine war and more specifically in the light of Ukraine's summer counter-offensive, which shows signs of already being under way.
In order for this counter-offensive to succeed, it needs to break Russia's stranglehold over a swathe of territory it seized last year that connects Crimea to Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. If Ukraine can find a way to break through Russian defensive lines south of Zaporizhzhia and split that territory in two then it can isolate Crimea and achieve a major strategic victory.
But the Russians have learnt a lot of lessons since their full-scale invasion in February last year. They've looked at the map, worked out where Ukraine is most likely to attack and spent the last few months building truly formidable lines of fortifications to block any Ukrainian advance towards the Sea of Azov.
It's by no means certain that Ukraine was planning to send its forces around to the western side of those defences. The High Command in Kyiv sensibly keeps its cards close to its chest to keep Russia guessing.
But this action, whoever did it, now makes that option far more problematic.
The Dnipro was already a wide river by the time it reaches southern Ukraine and getting an armoured brigade across it, under Russian artillery, missile and drone fire would be extremely hazardous.
With the dam across it now breached and huge swathes of land downstream flooded the area on the left (eastern) bank opposite Kherson has effectively become a no-go area for Ukrainian armour.
One historical footnote is that Russia does have past form in this area. In 1941 Soviet troops blew up a dam over the same River Dnipro to block the advance of Nazi troops. Thousands of Soviet citizens are said to have perished in the ensuing floods.
The bottom line now though, is that whoever breached the Kakhovka dam this week has upset the strategic chessboard in southern Ukraine, forcing both sides to make a number of major adjustments and possibly delaying Ukraine's next move in its long-promised counter-offensive. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65821052 |
Covid inquiry lawyers ask for Sturgeon's messages - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Lawyers have questioned whether Nicola Sturgeon's messages are relevant to the Covid inquiry. | Scotland politics | Lawyers representing bereaved families in the Covid-19 inquiries have demanded clarity on former first minister Nicola Sturgeon's WhatsApp messages.
Counsel acting on behalf of Scottish ministers said Ms Sturgeon did not have any relevant informal correspondence.
However, lawyers for the bereaved said it should be up to inquiry officials to decide what was considered relevant.
This could include private messages, emails or diaries regarding the handling of the pandemic.
Aamer Anwar is the lead solicitor for the Scottish Covid Bereaved group.
The group has made further legal submissions to the UK Covid Inquiry calling for all unredacted WhatsApp messages and other relevant materials to be provided.
The Covid inquiries are intended to help government officials and the public work out what ministers got right and wrong - before, during and after the pandemic.
In a new statement, Mr Anwar said a request "should be made of Scottish ministers to provide to the inquiry any communications held by informal means in order that the primary relevance test can be carried out by this inquiry".
He said: "The government is, and should be, answerable to the people, this applies to both the Scottish government as well as the UK government.
"We were advised by the Scottish ministers' counsel that Nicola Sturgeon has advised them she does not have such informal messages - i.e. WhatsApp messages.
"Today we have sought full clarity from the UK and Scottish Inquiry as to what has happened to Ms Sturgeon's WhatsApp messages, and why they are not being disclosed in their entirety.
Lawyers Aamer Anwar and Stuart Gale KC met the Scottish Covid Bereaved group in May
"Ms Sturgeon and other Scottish ministers should be in no different of a position to that of Mr Johnston, Rishi Sunak or Matt Hancock - the job of establishing the relevance is a matter for this inquiry.
"We have said before and say it again, no individual, no matter how powerful, can be allowed to interfere with the pursuit of truth, justice and accountability in this inquiry.
"Those who lost their lives to Covid-19 deserve nothing less."
Ms Sturgeon will give evidence to the Scottish inquiry at a later date, alongside former deputy first minister John Swinney, health secretary Jeane Freeman and Scotland's former chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood.
It comes as a transparency row erupts between the UK inquiry and the Westminster government after WhatsApp submissions from senior aides had been redacted.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson said he would give unredacted WhatsApp messages dating back to May 2021 directly to the Covid inquiry.
This will bypass the UK 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 prime minister and officials, arguing that many of the messages are irrelevant to the investigation.
It said they needed to protect the privacy of ministers and others. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65823328 |
Canada wildfires: US East Coast sees worst air quality in years - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | US President Joe Biden says the dense cloak of smoke is a "stark reminder" of climate change. | US & Canada | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: How to keep safe from wildfire smoke
Washington DC and Philadelphia experienced their worst air quality in years as intense wildfires in Canada continue to impact millions.
The poor conditions have forced event cancellations and grounded flights across the US.
Nearly 100 million people are experiencing very poor air quality in North America.
US President Joe Biden described the fires as a "stark reminder of the impacts of climate change".
Data from the US Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index (AQI) shows that cities in North America had the worst air quality in the world on Thursday morning.
Cities including Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York had significantly worse air quality than cities abroad such as Lahore, Dhaka and Hanoi.
The smoke has caused the cancellation of school outings and sporting events, and, in the capitol, the White House's planned pride celebrations.
The National Zoo was also closed, with its animals, including three giant pandas, taken indoors to shelter.
In nearby Baltimore, residents were wearing masks as they went about their day-to-day activities. One local, Sean Montague, said people "have to put your health first and be cautious".
At the city's Inner Harbour, friends Sharifah and Sheila disembarked from a water taxi, eager to hurry indoors.
They said they originally planned to spend the day in Baltimore's Fells Point, a waterside neighbourhood known for its galleries, shops and outdoor seafood restaurants.
But once on the water, their eyes stung and the smoke was so thick, so they agreed the ride was "miserable" and decided to return home.
Much of the smoke is coming from Quebec, where 150 fires are burning. It is already Quebec's worst fire season on record.
Some areas of Canada continued to experience very high levels of contamination on Thursday. The city of Janvier in Alberta, for example, had an AQI of 338, far above Washington DC's 293.
Mr Biden said he spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday and deployed more than 600 firefighters to help battle the blazes in Canada.
On a typical Thursday, Washington DC's Union Market would usually be packed with customers, dining al fresco in the afternoon sun.
But with smoke thick in the air, dozens of tables and chairs sat empty. A nearby rooftop bar was completely deserted except for a small group of Canadian tourists, who jokingly apologised for the disruption.
One customer, Tori, sat back in a lone Adirondack chair, with a mask tied around her wrist having just travelled from West Virginia.
"As I was driving, I noticed it was more hazy, and I just feel a little bit different too. I had a headache," she said. "It's very scary, if you think about it."
Environment Canada said conditions were worsening in Toronto on Thursday, as more smoke poured in. The agency has recommended that anyone outdoors wear a mask.
"These fine particles generally pose the greatest risk to health. However, respirators do not reduce exposure to the gases in wildfire smoke," the Environment Canada statement said.
In New York, an orange haze blanketed the city's skyline and shrouded landmarks including the Statue of Liberty.
Public health officials have cautioned people not to exercise outside and to minimise their exposure to the smoke as much as possible, as the air poses immediate and long-term health risks.
Canadian officials say the country is shaping up for its worst wildfire season on record.
Experts have pointed to a warmer and drier spring than normal as the reason behind the trend. These conditions are projected to continue throughout the summer.
Fires across Canada have already burned an area that's 12 times the 10-year average for this time of year.
Climate change increases the risk of the hot, dry weather that is likely to fuel wildfires.
The world has already warmed by about 1.2C since the industrial era began, and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.
Experts say exposure to wildfire smoke can cause a litany of health issues, such as an elevated pulse, chest pain, and inflammation in the eyes, nose and throat.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. BBC Weather forecaster Chris Fawkes looks at when the wildfire smoke might clear
How have you been affected by the wildfires or air quality? What precautions are you taking? 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. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65828469 |
Just Stop Oil eco-zealots writing Labour energy policy - Sunak - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Labour dismisses the idea Just Stop Oil supporters are influencing policy, | UK Politics | Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said "eco-zealots" from Just Stop Oil are "writing Keir Starmer's energy policy".
Labour has pledged to ban new licences for oil and gas production in the UK. Some unions have warned this risks creating a "cliff-edge" for jobs.
Dale Vince, a major donor to campaign group Just Stop Oil, has also given Labour more than £1.4m.
Labour dismissed the idea Just Stop Oil influence policy, saying Sir Keir has condemned its protests.
Mr Vince's green energy firm Ecotricity, has donated more than £1.4m to Labour since 2014, according to filings to the Electoral Commission. He has also donated to the Green Party as well as given money to environmental campaign group Just Stop Oil.
There is no suggestion Just Stop Oil have funded Labour directly. But Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands has called for Labour to return donations, arguing it legitimises Just Stop Oil's tactics.
Speaking to reporters in Washington DC, where he is due to meet President Biden, Mr Sunak said "it does appear that these kind of eco-zealots at Just Stop Oil are writing Keir Starmer's energy policy".
The prime minister said: "Not content with disrupting our summer and cherished sporting events, they are essentially leading us into an energy surrender.
"My view is we should focus on energy security, not weakness and dependency which seems to be the Labour Party's policy.
"They are putting ideology ahead of jobs, ahead of investment, and ahead of our energy security. I think that is wrong.
"It is a completely bizarre policy which says, 'we won't ban oil and gas; we will just ban British oil and gas'.
"The only people that benefit from Keir Starmer's energy policy are dictators and autocrats like Vladimir Putin."
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is currently in Washington DC ahead of a meeting with US President Joe Biden
Labour said that Sir Keir had been "outspoken in his condemnation" of Just Stop Oil, "who he believes have put lives and livelihoods at risk".
"The idea that they have influenced our policy is for the birds," a Labour spokesperson said.
"The modern Labour Party doesn't bow to fringe lobbies or extremists.
"Every position we take and everything we do is firmly focused on providing security and opportunity for hard working Brits." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65839733 |
Watch: Water gushes through damaged Ukraine dam - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | President Zelensky shared a video of the Kakhovka dam, in Kherson region, on his Telegram page. | null | Ukraine's military has accused Russian forces of blowing up a major dam in the Moscow-seized region of Kherson in the south of the country.
President Zelensky shared a video of the damaged Kakhovka dam on his Telegram page.
Read more on this story. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65818715 |
'Ducking hell' to disappear from Apple autocorrect - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | One of the most common swear words will no longer be automatically changed when typing. | Technology | Apple has said it will no longer automatically change one of the most common swear words to 'ducking'.
The autocorrect feature, which has long frustrated users, will soon be able to use AI to detect when you really mean to use that expletive.
"In those moments where you just want to type a ducking word, well, the keyboard will learn it, too," said software boss Craig Federighi.
He announced the development at Apple's developers' conference in California.
iPhone users have often complained about how autocorrect forces them to rewrite their own messages - with the term "damn you autocorrect" becoming an acronym, a meme, an Instagram account and even a song.
The changes to the function will happen thanks to the use of a transformer model, which learns context by tracking relationships in data, like the words in this sentence, using mathematical techniques.
Initially flagged in a 2017 paper from Google, transformers are some of the most powerful classes of AI models, and autosuggest - or predictive text - systems are beginning to become more mainstream.
The autocorrect change will be part of the iOS 17 operating system upgrades which are expected to be available as a public beta in July, with the general release in September.
It should mean that iPadOS 17 also carries the new function.
Elsewhere at the developers' conference, Apple unveiled an augmented reality headset, Apple Vision Pro which will retail at $3,499 (£2,849).
Apple chief executive Tim Cook said the new headset "seamlessly blends the real world and the virtual world".
It will be available early next year in the US and in other countries later in 2024.
On Monday, Apple's market valuation reached just under $3 trillion - a new company record.
Have you sent any funny or unfortunate autocorrect texts? What happened next? You can share with us 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. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65823482 |
Colorado wildlife officer frees bear from inside a car - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | The uninvited guest managed to open the door of the vehicle and went in it to get dog food left inside. | null | According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials, bears know how to open car doors and they will if there is food inside.
This unlucky car owner had dog food in his unlocked vehicle in Evergreen, Colorado. The bear locked itself inside the car, until wildlife officials arrived. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65828941 |
War in Ukraine - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | War in Ukraine | War in Ukraine | Ukrainian fencer Olga Kharlan is handed a spot in the Olympics and has her World Championships ban lifted following her refusal to shake hands with Russian Anna Smirnova. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-60525350 |
Croydon: Dozens evacuated as crews tackle fire at block of flats - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | About 80 people escape a five-storey block of flats as fire crews tackle a blaze. | London | The blaze spread to four floors within the five-storey block of flats
About 80 people were evacuated from a block of flats after a fire spread through three floors in south London.
A witness reported seeing adults and children running from the five-storey building in Whitehorse Road, Croydon.
Ambulance crews treated one man and one woman at the scene.
Some 60 firefighters spent nearly two hours putting out the blaze, which started at 17:00 BST. London Fire Brigade said the cause was not yet known.
Two flats and two balconies on the first and second floors of the building were destroyed by fire. Most of a third-floor flat and balcony were also damaged.
Two people were treated at the scene by paramedics
Station commander Chris Young said: "Around 80 people left the building, thankfully uninjured.
"Road closures are expected to be in place for a number of hours this evening and we're urging people to avoid the local area."
The fire caused traffic queues in the area
Witness Allan Brown, 44, who lives and works in Croydon, said: "From where I was standing, which was quite close at one point, many residents, including children, could be seen running from the building's lower floor, with some residents trying to get back into the building.
"This was before the fire department arrived with the first two engines. There were residents leaving the building and trying to get back into it, but the blaze was very high.
"We had to clear the area due [to] the smoke that filled the area."
The LFB sent eight engines to the scene, with police and ambulance crews also responding.
The brigade said it received more than 40 calls about the fire, with crews from Croydon, Woodside, Wallington and surrounding fire stations deployed to the scene.
An LAS spokesperson said it sent an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team in response.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65837165 |
Ukraine dam: Thousands flee floods after dam collapse near Nova Kakhovka - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Around 40,000 people need to be evacuated, says Ukraine, after a collapse released a torrent of water. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: President Zelensky shared a video of the dam on Telegram
Thousands of people are being evacuated downstream of a major dam which has collapsed in Russian-held Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said 80 towns and villages may be flooded after the destruction of the dam at Nova Kakhovka, which he blamed on Russia.
Water is surging down the Dnipro river, and is said to pose a catastrophic flooding risk to the city of Kherson.
Russia has denied destroying the dam - which it controls - instead blaming Ukrainian shelling.
Neither Ukraine nor Russia's claim has been verified by the BBC.
The Kakhovka dam, downstream from the huge Kakhovka reservoir, is crucial to the region.
It provides water to farmers and residents, as well as to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. It is also a vital channel carrying water south to Russian-occupied Crimea.
Ukraine's state-owned hydropower plants administrator Ukrhydroenergo warned that the peak of a water spill downstream from the emptying reservoir was expected on Wednesday morning.
It said this would be followed by a period of "stabilisation", with the water expected to rapidly recede in four to five days.
There are concerns about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant - Europe's largest - which uses reservoir water for cooling.
The situation there is said to be under control and there is "no immediate nuclear safety risk" for the plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Video footage shows a torrent of floodwater gushing through a breach in the dam. Several towns are already flooded, while people in areas further downstream have been forced to flee by bus and train.
Abound 40,000 people need to be evacuated, Deputy Prosecutor-General Viktoriya Lytvynova said on Ukrainian television - 17,000 people in Ukraine-controlled territory west of the Dnipro River and 25,000 on the Russian-controlled east.
Also speaking on Ukrainian television, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said about 1,000 people had been evacuated so far and 24 settlements had been flooded.
He accused Russia of shelling the southern region of Kherson, from where people were being evacuated, and issued a warning about the dangers posed by mines being exposed by the rising water levels.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. A building is seen floating along the Dnipro river in the Kherson region
One local resident Andriy, who lives close to the dam - which was seized by Russian forces shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022 - said he believed Russia wanted to "drown" his city.
In the Ukraine-controlled city of Kherson, a woman called Lyudmyla - who was loading her belongings including a washing machine onto a trailer that was attached to an old car - said: "We're afraid of flooding. We're taking our things a little higher up."
She called for Russian forces to be "kicked out of here... they're shooting at us. They're flooding us or doing something else".
Another resident of the city, Serhiy, said he feared "everything is going to die here".
"All the living creatures, and people will be flooded out," he said, gesturing at nearby houses and gardens.
The city of Kherson is 50 miles downstream of the dam
On the Russian-seized riverbank of Nova Kakhovka, the Moscow-installed mayor Vladimir Leontyev said the city was underwater and 900 people had been evacuated.
He said 53 evacuation buses were being sent by the authorities to take people from the city and two other settlements nearby to safety.
Water levels had risen to over 11m (36ft) and some residents had been taken to hospital, he added.
The small town of Oleshky was also heavily flooded, Kremlin-appointed officials said.
The Kazkova Dibrova zoo on the Russian-held riverbank had been completely flooded and all 300 animals were dead, it said in a post on its Facebook page.
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It is not yet clear what caused the breach in the dam in the early hours of Tuesday, but Ukraine's military intelligence has accused Russia of deliberately blowing it up.
This seems plausible, as Moscow may have feared that Ukrainian forces would use the road over the dam to advance into Russian-held territory, as part of their counter-offensive.
For Russia, anxious to defend conquered territory in southern Ukraine, the dam represented an obvious problem.
Just as Ukrainian forces attacked road and rail bridges further downstream last autumn in a successful effort to isolate Russian forces in and around Kherson, Russia may have decided to destroy the dam to hold up Ukraine's counter-offensive, which it fears could come from multiple directions.
However, a Russian official claims Ukraine carried out the attack on the dam to detract from what they said were the failures of its counter-offensive and to deprive Crimea - Ukraine's southern peninsula illegally annexed by Russian in 2014 - of fresh water.
A major Ukrainian push has long been expected. Kyiv has said it would not give advance warning of its start but a recent increase in military activity is being seen as a fresh sign that the counter-offensive may have begun.
On Tuesday evening, President Zelensky said the dam destruction would not stop Ukraine. "We will still liberate all our land," he said in a video address.
Earlier in the day, Mr Zelensky held an urgent meeting of the country's security and defence council to discuss the issue.
An aerial image shows water pouring through what appears to be a breach in the dam
On Monday, Ukraine's deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said Ukrainian forces had advanced around the "epicentre of hostilities" in Bakhmut, but did not say whether the counter-offensive had begun.
Bakhmut has for months been at the heart of fierce fighting. It has little strategic value - but is important symbolically both for Kyiv and Moscow.
Yuri Sak, an adviser to Ukraine's ministry of defence, told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme that phone intercepts suggest Russia wants to target more dams.
"They're actually calling to blow up more dams on the Dnipro river," he said.
Ukraine has branded the attack on the dam "ecocide" and said that 150 tonnes of engine oil has spilled into the Dnipro river.
Ukrhydroenergo said a power station linked to the dam had been "completely destroyed... the hydraulic structure is being washed away".
World leaders have laid the blame for the blast at Russia's door, with some calling it a war crime.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that if Russia was found to be responsible for the collapse of the dam it would "demonstrate the new lows that we will have seen from Russian aggression".
The head of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, said the destruction of the dam demonstrated once again the brutality of Russia's war in Ukraine, while Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said he was "shocked by the unprecedented attack".
The Geneva Conventions explicitly ban targeting dams in war due to the danger it poses to civilians. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65819591 |
Asylum hotel: Llanelli Stradey Park protest safety fear - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | An MP and a protester both air worries about safety amid plans to put asylum seekers in a hotel. | Wales | The Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli is set to house up to 207 asylum seekers from 3 July
An MP and an opponent of plans to house hundreds of asylum seekers in a hotel have both voiced concerns about people's safety amid protests.
The Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, is set to house up to 207 asylum seekers from 3 July.
MP Dame Nia Griffith appealed that nobody should be hurt and said hotel staff were under "immense stress".
Robert Lloyd, of protest group Furnace Action Committee, said the situation was "getting out of control".
"We are trying to object on reasonable grounds but there are elements creeping into town which lead me to fear for people's safety," he said.
Mr Lloyd, who described his group's campaign as "not racist or nimby (not in my back yard) in any way", said he was concerned that "commuter campaigners" were coming into town and being "threatening".
"I worry that somebody's going to be hurt or even killed in all this because it's getting a little bit out of control," he told the BBC Radio Wales Phone-In.
"I can see particularly on social media some of the things that are being said; it's quite awful."
Robert Lloyd said he had heard of a Christian group feeling "threatened" by right-wing groups in the area
Carmarthenshire council, which has said it is "firmly against" the Home Office plan, has confirmed the hotel will accommodate up to 207 people across 77 rooms.
On Tuesday, five boulders appeared at the entrance, with a hotel manager - who did not want to be identified - and the local authority saying they did not know who was responsible.
The Furnace Action Committee denied involvement in placing the boulders, but said it hoped it would help the hotel "see sense".
Dame Nia said: "What I would really stress to people is please don't let anybody get hurt.
"Please do not make it more difficult for the staff at this time, they're under immense stress with worries about their jobs," she told Radio Wales Breakfast.
"People have the absolute right to express opinions and protest but think not to cause any accidents or cause any unnecessary stress on the wrong people."
No group has yet claimed responsibility for placing the boulders
Carmarthenshire council leader Darren Price has previously said he was "outraged" the plan was going ahead.
"Even at this stage I call on the hotel owners, Sterling Woodrow, to reconsider their position and stop this from progressing," he said.
Last week, a couple from Llanelli said the plan has caused them "stress and sleepless nights" after paying £2,000 towards their October wedding at the hotel.
The Home Office said: "The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain.
"Under normal circumstances, someone seeking asylum in the UK would stay in a hostel-style accommodation, before being provided with longer term housing.
"Due to a backlog in asylum applications waiting a decision, has led to hotels like Stradey Park to be used." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65832755 |
Rishi Sunak to raise trade issues in US talks with Joe Biden - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The prime minister says "subsidy races" are not a solution to hitting climate goals, as he visits Washington. | UK Politics | Rishi Sunak spoke to reporters on the plane trip to Washington DC
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he expects to discuss Joe Biden's flagship package of investment in green industries when he meets the president during his trip to the United States.
Travelling to Washington DC, Mr Sunak said "subsidy races" were not a solution to hitting climate goals.
Some British ministers have criticised Mr Biden's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as harmful to world trade.
The law includes $370bn (£297bn) to boost green technology in the US.
In a drive to cut carbon emissions, billions in tax credits and subsidies has been allocated to speed up the production of solar panels and wind turbines, and encourage the up-take of electric cars.
The European Union has described the law as anti-competitive, while earlier this year, Energy Secretary Grant Shapps said the package was "dangerous because it could slip into protectionism".
It is expected to be one subject of discussion when Mr Sunak meets Mr Biden for the fourth time this year, for talks at the White House on Thursday.
The prime minister's spokesman suggested Mr Sunak would also talk about boosting green tech, the war in Ukraine, and the regulation of artificial intelligence.
Downing Street said the prime minister would seek to boost economic security, bringing it into line with the level of UK-US co-operation on defence.
Mr Sunak began the formal events of the US trip on Wednesday by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
Personnel from the US army, navy, marines, air force and coastguard formed a guard of honour.
The ceremony comes ahead of meetings with senior US politicians and business leaders, as well as the president.
Tensions over the global implications of Mr Biden's economic package have been building ahead of the visit, Mr Sunak's first official trip to Washington DC as prime minister.
The UK government has said it had no plans to emulate the scale of the US plans, prompting accusations from Labour that the UK could fall behind in a global race to attract future industries.
Mr Sunak's visit was made the day after the 79th anniversary of D-Day
During his flight to Washington, reporters asked Mr Sunak if there was anything Mr Biden could do to ease the economic impacts of his package on the UK.
"It's something that he [President Biden] and I have discussed in the past and you'd expect us to continue discussing it," Mr Sunak said.
When asked whether Mr Sunak accepted President Biden's argument that a resilient economy sometimes required a protectionist approach to key sectors, the prime minister referenced a joint statement issued by the G7 at the end of its latest summit in Japan.
The statement, he said, "makes it very clear that G7 countries don't believe in protectionism as the answer to this challenge and also don't believe in in subsidy races that are zero sum".
There have been reports his trip could see the two sides unveil a critical minerals pact that would allow British carmakers that export electric vehicles to the US to benefit from some of the tax credits offered to American firms.
The US signed such a deal with Japan earlier this year, and has entered into talks with the EU.
However, one area where progress has stalled is over a wider UK-US free trade deal, where President Biden has put talks on ice, leaving the UK to deepen trade ties through less comprehensive mini-deals with around 20 states.
Another area where Mr Sunak hopes to hold discussions is the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), where Mr Sunak is seeking to carve out a role for the UK as a global player.
The prime minister is hosting a global summit on AI regulation in the autumn, and has reportedly expressed an interest in the UK hosting any new international regulator for the emerging technology.
However, the extent to which the UK will be able to shape new global rules outside the EU is unclear, with the UK now shut out of key gatherings between European and American regulators such as the Tech and Trade Council (TTC).
The two leaders will also discuss the war in Ukraine, which is expected to enter a decisive period soon, with signs a long-awaited counter-offensive from Ukrainian forces may have begun.
It comes after Ukraine blamed Russia for the collapse of the Kakhovka dam in Russian-held Ukraine, prompting the evacuation of thousands of people. Moscow has denied destroying the dam, instead blaming Ukrainian shelling.
Speaking to reporters on the plane to the US, Mr Sunak said it was "too soon" to make a "definitive judgement" on whether Russia was behind the attack.
But he said if Russia were found to be responsible, it would "demonstrate the new lows that we will have seen from Russian aggression." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65828817 |
Birmingham the luckiest place for Lottery players - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The National Lottery says 205 ticket-holders in the city have become millionaires since 1994. | Birmingham & Black Country | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. A total of 205 millionaires have been created in Birmingham since the lottery began in 1994
Birmingham has been named the luckiest place to live in the UK by the National Lottery.
It said 205 millionaires had been created in the city since the lottery began in 1994, an equivalent of one every seven weeks.
There have been 35 millionaires made in the city in the past three years.
Kathy Garrett, who hands over prizes to the winners, said the distribution across the nation was "quite even", but Birmingham just came out on top.
One of the most recent Birmingham winners, Celeste Coles, said she had taken her family to Barbados after receiving £3.6m in the summer.
Celeste Coles, from Birmingham (right), won £3.6m on the lottery and was presented with her winnings by Kathy Garrett (left)
She said: "My mum hadn't been back to Barbados, where she was born, for nearly 60 years.
"My sister, my nieces, nephew, they had never been to Barbados, so it was a fantastic [time] for them."
She also bought a property in Spain and said it was a "dream come true".
Ms Garrett said one of her favourite winner stories was a young couple who had a six-month-old baby with some disabilities.
She said: "The mum was due to go back to work because she couldn't afford to take time out and stay at home.
"And suddenly, they won £1m on the lottery, and it truly was life-changing for them."
The couple were able to buy a new home with a sensory room for the child and the mum could at stay home and look after her and give her all the care she needed.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-65830686 |
Criminal investigation launched over royal escort crash - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Helen Holland, 81, died after being hit by a police motorcycle escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh | London | A criminal investigation has been launched into the death of an elderly woman who was struck by police escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh.
Helen Holland, 81, was hit by a police motorbike at a junction in Earl's Court, west London, on 10 May.
The police watchdog said the constable riding the vehicle was being investigated for offences including causing death by dangerous driving.
It will then decide whether to refer the case for potential charges.
Ms Holland suffered serious injuries in the crash and died two weeks later having suffered "multiple broken bones and massive internal injuries", according to her son.
Buckingham Palace said the Duchess of Edinburgh was "deeply saddened" by Ms Holland's death
In addition to causing death by dangerous driving, the officer is being investigated for causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving, as well as potential gross misconduct, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said.
However, it does not necessarily mean that charges or disciplinary proceedings will follow.
IOPC director Amanda Rowe said it was crucial a "thorough, independent investigation" was carried out "to establish the full circumstances, which will include the actions and decision making of the officer under investigation".
"At the end of our investigation, we will decide whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision and whether the officer should face disciplinary proceedings," she said.
Buckingham Palace previously said the duchess was "deeply saddened" by Ms Holland's death and had sent her "deepest condolences" to her family.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said: "We are aware that the IOPC has launched a criminal investigation in relation to the actions of an MPS officer involved in a fatal collision at West Cromwell Road, on Wednesday, 10 May.
"We continue to fully support the IOPC as they work to establish the facts around this incident.
"The officer is currently on restricted duties."
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65826561 |
Boxford wood carving is 6,000 years old, experts say - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A carved piece of wood found during a construction project is believed to be the oldest in Britain. | Berkshire | Historic England said the purpose of the markings on the wood is not known
A piece of decoratively carved wood found during a construction project has been declared the oldest in Britain.
The 6,000-year-old piece of oak, found in Boxford, Berkshire, is only the second wood carving to be found from the Mesolithic period.
It was discovered preserved in peat at the bottom of a trench.
The wood is being conserved by Historic England at Fort Cumberland, Portsmouth, and will eventually go on display at West Berkshire Museum in Newbury.
The timber was preserved in peat at the bottom of a trench that had been dug for foundations
Landowner Derek Fawcett has been working with Historic England and the Boxford History Project since finding the timber four years ago.
He said: "It was clearly very old and appeared well preserved in peat. After hosing it down, we saw that it had markings that appeared unnatural and possibly man-made."
The timber has been carbon dated to between 4640 BC and 4605 BC, making it around 2,000 years older than Stonehenge, and 500 years older than the only other known piece of carved Mesolithic timber, which was found near Maerdy in Rhondda Cynon Taf in 2012.
The large timber was carved 2,000 years before Stonehenge was built
Historic England chief executive Duncan Wilson said: "This exciting find has helped to shine new light on our distant past and we're grateful to the landowner for recognising its significance.
"Amazing discoveries like these remind us of the power of archaeology to uncover the hidden narratives that connect us to our roots."
The waterlogged carved oak is one metre long, 0.42 metres wide and 0.2 metres thick.
The wood is being conserved at Historic England's Fort Cumberland facility
It was found about 1.5 metres (5ft) below the surface not far from the present course of the River Lambourn in a layer of peat.
Mr Fawcett has donated the timber to the West Berkshire Museum in Newbury where it will eventually go on display.
The museum is also working with the Boxford History Project to arrange for the timber to go on loan to the Boxford village heritage centre.
:: Fort Cumberland's Gill Campbell talks to BBC Radio Berkshire's Andrew Peach about Britain's oldest wood carving. Listen to the full interview here on BBC Sounds.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-65824134 |
Ros Atkins unpacks the Ukraine dam breach - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | The BBC’s analysis editor looks at what we know about the Ukraine dam collapse at Nova Kakhovka. | null | The BBC’s analysis editor Ros Atkins looks at what we know about the Ukraine dam collapse at Nova Kakhovka and the flooding it has caused.
Thousands of people are being evacuated downstream and President Zelensky has said 80 towns and villages are at risk of flooding. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65829075 |
Prince Harry in court latest: I brought hacking case to stop hate against Meghan - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Prince Harry says the press have "misled" him his whole life as he finishes two days of cross-examination in court. | UK | The trial continues - but we're off for now
After two long days, we’re going to end our live coverage of Prince Harry's hacking trial here. Don't worry though, there's more for you:
• Get up-to-speed in our story here
• Sign up for insider views on this and more with our BBC's Royal Watch newsletter here
• Recap what the trial is about here Our reporters James Gregory, Jemma Crew, Dominic Casciani, Tom Symonds and Sean Coughlan have been updating us from the High Court. And in our London newsroom it's been Malu Cursino, with the page edited by Owen Amos and me. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-65767193 |
Telegraph Media Group set to be put up for sale - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Lloyds is looking to recover debts owed by the network of companies controlled by the Barclay family. | Business | The Daily and Sunday Telegraph newspapers and The Spectator magazine are set to be put up for sale due to debts owed by their parent group.
Receivers Alix Partners have now taken control of the group, and replaced the current owners, the Barclay family.
The receiver said it doesn't expect the changes to affect the operations of the papers, which are profitable.
Lender Lloyds Bank is unlikely to recover the original value of the loan, worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
The bank has placed B.UK, a Bermuda-based holding company controlled by the Barclay family, into receivership.
Alix Partners said on Wednesday that it has taken control of Telegraph Media Group, which owns the newspapers, and the company which runs The Spectator.
Family members Howard and Aidan Barclay have been removed as directors, it said.
Lloyds Banking Group said it "regrettably" had no choice other than to appoint receivers, but said "it was willing to continue discussions to find a suitable solution."
"The decision... follows numerous discussions with B.UK's parent company, Penultimate Investment Holdings Limited (PIHL). The aim of these discussions, which were held over a long period and undertaken in good faith, had been to find a consensual solution and repayment of PIHL's borrowing to Bank of Scotland.
"Unfortunately, no agreement could be reached."
While the bank remains open to returning the titles to the Barclays' control if the loans are repaid, it is likely that they will now move to a sale, and the investment bank Lazard has been appointed to start exploring options.
Lloyds and the receiver say they will not seek to influence the editorial decisions of the newspapers while in receivership.
Analysts estimate the titles to be worth around £500m, though a wealthy buyer keen to acquire the Telegraph as a trophy asset may pay in excess of that figure.
For the last few years the Telegraph's billionaire owners have consistently denied rumours that their newspapers could be sold.
Twin brothers Sir Frederick and Sir David Barclay bought Telegraph Media Group for £665m in 2004 from the company Hollinger, following the dismissal of its chairman Conrad Black.
Sir David died in 2021 and the business is now run by his son Aidan. Its interests stretch beyond the media and include the courier Yodel.
Sir David Barclay and his twin brother Sir Frederick collecting their knighthoods in 2000
A spokesperson for the Barclays confirmed discussions with Lloyds Banking Group were "ongoing".
"We hope to come to an agreement that will satisfy all parties," they said. "As Alix Partners made clear, this situation is in no way related to the financial health or performance of the Telegraph or Spectator businesses."
The Barclay family previously owned the Ritz hotel in London, before selling in 2020.
The sale of the iconic hotel exposed a bitter rift between the two brothers' families, including claims of commercial espionage over the bugging of business meetings. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65835312 |
Canada fires shroud New York City with orange haze - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | Timelapse video of the city's skyline shows the air quality worsen in a matter of a few hours. | null | Millions across North America are breathing the hazardous air from the wildfires in Canada. The country is facing its worst wildfire season in history.
New York City, which is hundreds of miles south of the blazes, has been shrouded with orange haze because of the air quality. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65840256 |
Ukraine dam: Hundreds of thousands without drinking water, says Zelensky - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Ukraine's president says hundreds of thousands have no access to drinking water after the dam disaster. | Europe | There are fears that floodwaters will rise further in the coming hours
Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are without normal access to drinking water after the Kakhovka dam was destroyed, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Tens of thousands remain in flooded areas in southern Ukraine, he said, accusing Russia of failing to help those trapped in parts they controlled.
There are fears that water levels could rise further.
Ukraine and Russia accused each other of blowing up the dam on Tuesday, but the BBC cannot verify the claims.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the breach "a barbaric act" in a phone call with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Kremlin said in a statement.
Mr Zelensky said he had also spoken to President Erdogan, and had stressed the "humanitarian and environmental consequences" of the disaster.
"Hundreds of thousands of people have been left without normal access to drinking water," Ukraine's president said on his Telegram channel.
"We can only help on the territory controlled by Ukraine. On the part occupied by Russia, the occupiers are not even trying to help people," he added.
As mass evacuations continued on Wednesday in Ukraine's Kherson region, satellite images highlighted widespread devastation there.
One of the photos showed a flooded port and industrial area in the regional capital Kherson, which is under Ukrainian control.
Ukrainian authorities say water levels were expected to peak by the end of Wednesday.
The UN warned the destruction of the dam would have "grave and far-reaching consequences". UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said the scale of the catastrophe would only become clear in the coming days.
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Both Ukraine and Russia say they have evacuated more than 1,000 people each.
However Ukrainian officials say more than 40,000 - 17,000 in Ukraine-held territory west of the Dnipro River and 25,000 in the Russian-occupied east - need to leave.
Some reports suggest that water levels may be dropping in the town of Nova Kakhovka, closest to the dam, as the vast reservoir behind it empties.
Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said Russian forces had shelled parts of the region including the city of Kherson several times, and that one person had been killed and one injured.
Nova Kakhovka's Russian-appointed mayor Vladimir Leontyev said the village of Korsunka was completely under water, with flooding up to roof level in three other villages.
The huge Kakhovka reservoir provides water to farmers and residents, as well as to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. It is also a vital channel carrying water south to Russian-occupied Crimea.
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There are concerns about the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant - Europe's largest - which uses reservoir water for cooling.
The situation there is said to be under control and there is "no immediate nuclear safety risk" for the plant, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
There are also concerns about agricultural land being washed away.
Ukraine's agriculture ministry said 10,000 hectares of farmland on the Ukrainian-controlled bank of the Dnipro had been flooded, and several times more on the occupied bank.
Kherson resident Viktoriia Yeremenko, 57, said her house was destroyed in February so she moved to her son's apartment, which is now flooded.
"I'll see what happens next. I don't know what to do," she told the BBC.
Flooding was reported by the Kremlin-appointed officials in the nearby small town of Oleshky. Residents say some homes are almost under water, with elderly people sitting on roofs waiting to be evacuated.
Valery Melnik, 53, saying authorities were "not doing anything".
He told Reuters: "We're waiting until the water leaves, we will dry it out."
It is not yet clear what caused the breach, but Ukraine's military intelligence has accused Russia of deliberately blowing up the dam to halt an expected Ukrainian counter-offensive.
Russia says Ukraine carried out the attack on the dam to detract from what Moscow says are Kyiv's failures of its counter-offensive and to deprive Crimea - Ukraine's southern peninsula illegally annexed by Russian in 2014 - of fresh water.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: President Zelensky shared a video of the dam on Telegram
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Inquests may curb more mental health killings - lawyer - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The mum of a boy who killed his father and tried to kill her is still waiting for an inquest. | Wales | Amanda, who was stabbed by her son, says she was "appalled" at the time it had taken for the case to be reviewed
Inquests held by coroners would make the biggest difference in preventing future killings involving mental health patients, according to a senior barrister.
There have been seven Welsh homicides carried out by acutely unwell mental health patients since 2016.
However none of these have received a full coroner's inquest.
The Ministry of Justice said it could not comment on decisions by individual coroners.
A senior barrister said the Welsh government's new system to review such cases was unlikely to be enough.
Lord Alex Carlile said it would take more to hold services to account and teach the necessary lessons.
The Welsh government said its new reviews would see learning from mental health killings "adopted throughout Wales".
BBC Wales Investigates found one patient in Borth, Ceredigion, stabbed a stranger 10 days after being released from a psychiatric unit.
He was discharged despite doctors highlighting his "worsening mental state" and the risk he "posed with knives".
David Fleet, who was 20 at the time, attacked Lewis Stone, 71, while he was walking his dog because of "the voices in his head".
An internal review by Hywel Dda University Health Board into David Fleet's care found "missed opportunities," but lessons from the case were not shared directly with other health boards or made public.
The killing in 2019 received no coroner's inquest hearing or independent review.
"In Wales, in my view, the biggest single difference [to preventing mental health homicides] would be to mandate that there should be a proper inquest in each case of this type," said Lord Carlile, a previous chairman of parliamentary committees on mental health legislation.
Lord Carlile said it was vital to look "at the lessons from past cases"
"It's public, so it is accountable, and the evidence is tested forensically, by which I mean the barristers or solicitors can cross-examine witnesses, including expert witnesses, to ascertain that everything is revealed," said Lord Carlile.
He said it was vital to look "at the lessons from past cases".
Several coroners' offices told BBC Wales Live that mental health homicides which all go through the crown court were unlikely to get inquest hearings too as it risked duplicating already heard material.
However, some of the families involved are concerned.
They believe more should be done to hear about potential failings and missed opportunities in the build-up to killings.
Four months after he was discharged from a psychiatric unit, Garvey Gayle stabbed his mum Amanda multiple times and killed his father in 2020.
Amanda said the attack could have been prevented if her son had been given more support.
More than two-and-a-half years later, she is still waiting to find out if there will be a coroner's inquest into Michael's death.
She is worried lessons, which could help prevent similar incidents, are taking too long.
Garvey Gayle was discharged from a psychiatric unit months before he attacked his parents
"I just want some answers about how, maybe, this could have been prevented if we'd had more help," she said.
"There are a lot of unanswered questions at the moment we're still waiting on."
Amanda is now pushing for a special type of inquest, called an Article 2 inquest.
This would look at Michael's death and whether any organisations involved in her son's care need to make changes.
She said it was vital for her family that they learned whether anything could have been done to prevent the attack.
The Welsh government's new process for independent reviews into these cases is supposed to take less than a year from the time they are commissioned.
Garvey Gayle's case will be one of the first to be looked at under the new system.
Amanda said she had been told not to expect the results until after the third anniversary of Michael's death.
Amanda says the waiting time is not fair on the families
She said she was "appalled" at the time it had taken.
"I don't think it's fair on the family at all," Amanda added. "I don't understand why these things have taken so long. I just hope another family doesn't have to experience what we're going through."
South Wales Police, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and the Welsh government said they could not comment on the case because of the review.
The Welsh government said its new review system would recognise the need for "greater co-ordination and communication" between organisations when investigating mental health homicides."
A spokesperson said the new system "eliminates" the need of multiple "onerous and traumatising reviews".
They added it will "build a greater understanding of what happened during an incident and why, and provide a clear action plan to improve services.
"Importantly, it will ensure learning is adopted throughout Wales," they added. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65826762 |
Sgt Matiu Ratana: Murder jury shown CCTV of policeman being shot - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Louis De Zoysa "pulled the trigger on purpose" when he shot Met Sgt Matiu Ratana, his trial hears. | London | A jury has been shown the moment when a Met Police sergeant was shot with an antique revolver in a custody holding cell in south London.
Louis De Zoysa, 25, denies killing Matiu Ratana, 54, with a gun concealed in an underarm holster at Croydon Custody Centre in 2020.
"Louis De Zoysa pulled the trigger on purpose four times," prosecutors said.
Duncan Penny KC added Mr De Zoysa "injured himself with the fourth shot".
The prosecution alleges Sgt Ratana, who was also known as Matthew and was the on-duty custody sergeant, was killed while Mr De Zoysa was handcuffed in a holding cell.
Mr Penny KC told the jury Mr De Zoysa bought the antique gun at an auction in June 2020, that it was legal to own, and he had made his own bullets because ammunition for it was no longer manufactured.
Officers who arrested and searched Mr De Zoysa earlier in the day "did not find" he was carrying a loaded revolver in a holster, the court heard.
Mr Penny KC told Northampton Crown Court: "The prosecution say Louis De Zoysa pointed his gun at Sgt Ratana", and that he "pulled the trigger on purpose twice when he was pointing the gun at Sgt Ratana".
"There is CCTV footage and other video of what happened," he added.
Mr De Zoysa bought the antique revolver in an online auction in June 2020, the court heard
"The video and the audio shows Louis De Zoysa killing Matthew Ratana," the prosecutor said.
On the opening day of the case on Tuesday, the court heard the fourth shot hit Mr De Zoysa in the neck, causing him to suffer brain damage.
As a result, he will be assisted by an intermediary during his trial and uses a whiteboard because of communication difficulties, the jurors were told.
"I am going to be talking in short sentences and simple words," Mr Penny KC told the court on Wednesday. "This is so that Louis De Zoysa can understand what I am saying."
The prosecution opened their case by recounting the events that led up to the shooting.
It told the jury that: "On Friday 25 September 2020, Louis de Zoysa was walking along London Road, in Norbury."
He was stopped by the police and searched by officers on the street and handcuffed, the prosecution told jurors, who were also shown the officers' body-worn camera footage.
"The police officers found that Louis De Zoysa was carrying cannabis and seven rounds of ammunition but the police officers did not find that Louis De Zoysa was carrying a loaded revolver in a holster.
Sgt Matiu Ratana suffered a fatal injury to his heart and lung
"The gun and holster were probably concealed under one of his armpits," the court was told
Mr De Zoysa, who was 23 at the time, was then taken to Croydon Police Station and put in a holding room, still handcuffed.
Jurors were told: "Louis De Zoysa kept the gun hidden and was able to point the gun at Sgt Ratana," who was on duty.
"He deliberately shot Sgt Ratana, once to the chest, at very close range. He did not give a warning."
The court heard the other officers present were not able to stop Mr De Zoysa, and the shot caused a fatal injury to Sgt Ratana's left lung and heart. The prosecution says this was "deliberate".
Three further shots, including the one that injured Mr De Zoysa, were fired during a struggle with the other officers, the court was told.
The prosecution alleges: "The second shot was another deliberate shot at Sgt Ratana." That hit the officer in the leg.
The third shot hit the cell.
The prosecution told the court Mr De Zoysa "must have been able to get hold of the gun after he was arrested and before he left the police van".
The court has previously been told Mr De Zoysa has an autistic spectrum condition.
Defence barrister Imran Khan KC told jurors: "Louis De Zoysa says he did not mean to or want to kill Sgt Ratana, or to cause him really serious harm.
"Louis De Zoysa says that he is not guilty of murder.
"The reason Louis De Zoysa says he is not guilty of murder is because at the time he was suffering from an abnormality of mental function.
"The abnormality of mental function that Louis De Zoysa was suffering was an autistic meltdown."
Mr De Zoysa, of Banstead, Surrey, has pleaded not guilty to murder.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65833109 |
Cuba Gooding Jr settles rape lawsuit ahead of civil trial - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The actor, who has faced multiple misconduct allegations, has said the encounter was consensual. | Entertainment & Arts | Cuba Gooding Jr, pictured at an earlier court case in 2022. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr has settled a lawsuit with an unnamed woman who accused him of raping her in a New York City hotel room in 2013.
It came as jury selection was about to begin in a federal civil trial that was expected to include damaging testimony against him.
The Oscar winner, 55, has denied the allegation and insists his interactions with the woman were consensual.
He has been accused of groping and unwanted touching by dozens of women.
The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed.
Last year, Mr Gooding pleaded guilty to kissing a woman without her consent.
That case saw him spared from jail or a criminal history, with charges relating to three other accusers dismissed as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.
He was ordered to complete six months of alcohol and behavioural counselling.
But the testimony of those three women, who say the actor abused them between 2009 and 2019, was due to be heard at this civil case in Manhattan.
The now-settled lawsuit was filed in 2020 on behalf of a woman identified only as Jane Doe. The plaintiff sought $6m (£4.8m) in damages.
She alleged that, in the summer of 2013, Mr Gooding had introduced himself to her at a local restaurant and invited her to drinks at The Mercer Hotel in Soho, where he was staying.
At the hotel, she claimed, the actor told her he needed to change clothes, invited her up to his fifth-floor room and began to undress.
The woman said she had tried to leave but that Mr Gooding blocked her path, pushed her onto the bed, "wouldn't stop" touching her, "aggressively removed" her underwear and penetrated her twice.
A lawyer representing the defendant at the time called the allegations "completely false and defamatory".
The presiding judge ruled last week that he would allow testimony from three of Mr Gooding's other accusers because they were "sufficiently similar" to the plaintiff's allegation.
One woman, Kelsey Harbert, said last year that Mr Gooding's previous plea deal had been "more disappointing than words can say".
Jury selection in the trial was set to begin at 10:00 EDT on Tuesday, but neither Mr Gooding nor attorneys for either side showed up.
An entry on the court's electronic docket for the case reads: "TRIAL OFF. Reason for cancellation: The parties have resolved the matter." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65825715 |
I'm not worried about Covid inquiry messages, says Rishi Sunak - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The prime minister says he is acting transparently, despite the government's legal action over WhatsApp disclosures. | UK Politics | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The BBC's Chris Mason asks Rishi Sunak if he has something to hide from the Covid inquiry
Rishi Sunak says he is not worried about being embarrassed by messages seen by the Covid inquiry, despite a legal wrangle over their disclosure.
The government has taken the unprecedented step of suing the inquiry over its demands to see unredacted WhatsApps sent during pandemic.
But the prime minister insisted he was being transparent in his approach.
He added that he was personally providing information, and it was taking up "a lot of my own time".
The inquiry has asked to see unredacted messages on former prime minister Boris Johnson's phone, between him and around 40 politicians and officials, including Mr Sunak.
But the government says some of them are not relevant to the inquiry's work, and could compromise individuals' privacy if handed over unredacted.
Last week, it launched legal action against the inquiry over its demands to see the unredacted WhatsApps, as well as Mr Johnson's notebooks.
Speaking to BBC political editor Chris Mason during a two-day trip to the United States, Mr Sunak said he could not comment on the specifics as the case was ongoing.
But he insisted the government had acted with "candour and transparency", including disclosing more than 55,000 documents so far, with "more to come".
Asked directly whether he was worried about something coming out that would embarrass him personally, he replied: "No, not at all.
"I as well am co-operating and providing information to the inquiry," he added. "It's actually taking a lot of my own time, and that's right that I do that."
Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner questioned his response, writing on Twitter: "So why are you taking legal action to hide them [the messages]?"
The inquiry, set up in May 2021, is investigating the government's handling of the pandemic and is due to begin public hearings next week.
Mr Johnson has said he is happy to hand over unredacted WhatsApps on his phone dating back to May 2021, around a year into the pandemic response.
He says he is unable to hand over messages prior to that point, because the messages were on his old phone, which he changed for security reasons.
However, he has said he is happy to co-operate with security officials to find a way to ensure the messages are passed to the inquiry.
On Tuesday, a lawyer for the Covid inquiry said it had written to the Cabinet Office to get hold of the old device and confirm how it will be "accessed fully".
The prime minister laid a wreath in Arlington National Cemetery earlier on the first day of his trip to Washington DC
Elsewhere in his BBC interview, Mr Sunak said it was too early for a "definitive answer" about who was responsible for damage to the Kakhovka dam in Russian-occupied Ukraine, with British security officials continuing their investigations.
But he added if Russia was found to be responsible, it would fit with a "pattern of behaviour" it had displayed throughout the war to "deliberately attack" civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine has blamed Russia for the collapse of the dam, which has prompted the evacuation of thousands of people. Moscow has denied responsibility, instead blaming Ukrainian shelling.
Mr Sunak also said the UK should "have confidence" in its ability to act as a global leader in regulating artificial intelligence (AI), a topic he is set to discuss with President Biden at a White House meeting on Thursday.
The prime minister is hoping to put post-Brexit UK in the driving seat of efforts to set new global rules for the emerging technology.
Some experts have questioned the extent to which the UK will be able to shape new global rules outside the European Union, with the UK now shut out of key gatherings between European and American regulators such as the Tech and Trade Council.
But Mr Sunak said the level of AI investment in the UK, and the quality of British research, meant it could "shape the conversation" on future rules.
"Other than the US, there's no other democratic country that has that strength in AI," he argued. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65837270 |
Welsh Labour: Frontbench MP beats left-winger in seat battle - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Beth Winter calls the party's selection process to be the election candidate for a new seat "unjust". | Wales politics | A left-wing Labour politician has accused her party of running an unfair selection after she lost a contest to be the candidate for a new seat.
Fellow MP Gerald Jones defeated Beth Winter in the selection for the new constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon.
Ms Winter said the process, which had no in-person hustings, was "unjust" and accused the party of placing "unacceptable obstacles" in her way.
The two constituencies Ms Winter and Mr Jones currently represent - Cynon Valley, and Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney - are due to be scrapped under UK boundary changes.
Gerald Jones is a frontbencher in Keir Starmer's Labour party, as shadow Wales Office minister.
Meanwhile Beth Winter is a member of the Socialist Campaign Group of left-wing Labour MPs, and had been a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn.
In her statement, Ms Winter said she sought reselection "as Labour's candidate on a platform of solidarity with striking rail workers, nurses, and teaching staff, all of who I have been proud to stand with on the picket line".
"However, unacceptable obstacles were placed in the way of this grassroots campaign, undermining the democratic process," she said.
"The online-only process was bulldozed through in just two weeks, with no face-to-face hustings.
"This was not a fair contest, and I will be taking advice and soundings in the days ahead about my next steps."
Beth Winter previously called the selection process undemocratic and wanted it to be paused
Mr Jones said: "I'm incredibly grateful that Labour members have chosen me to be their candidate for Merthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon.
"This contest was only needed due to Tory changes to parliamentary boundaries and it's regrettable that members were forced to choose between myself and Beth Winter.
"That so many members took part in the selection process, is a sign of active political engagement."
BBC Wales reported last month that First Minister Mark Drakeford had voiced support at the party's Welsh executive for a longer contest with in-person hustings.
Gerald Jones has represented Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney since 2015
A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: "Congratulations to Gerald Jones on his selection today.
"Thanks to him, fellow candidate Beth Winter and all members across the new constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon for taking part in the selection process. "It is regrettable that the boundary review meant two sitting Welsh Labour MPs have been forced to stand against one another.
"The selection procedure was designed to give all members across the new seat a chance to take part in selecting their candidate and as a result we saw a very high turnout."
A Labour source said that the selection process had been over three weeks "from start to finish", there had been a "very high" turnout of voters and all party members had been written to.
Members unable to vote online were given the chance to cast a proxy postal vote, the source added.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-65760166 |
JK Rowling: Oxfam sorry for video after 'cartoon JK Rowling' accusation - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | It denies a character with red eyes and a "Terf" badge is based on Rowling but re-edits the animation. | Entertainment & Arts | Oxfam has apologised after posting an animation for Pride Month featuring a character in a "hate group" who some say resembles author JK Rowling.
The charity has denied the cartoon woman with red eyes and a "Terf" badge is based on the Harry Potter writer.
In trying to make a point about "the real harm caused by transphobia", Oxfam said it had "made a mistake".
Rowling has attracted controversy for voicing concerns about how transgender issues affect women's rights.
Oxfam has now removed the section featuring two angry men and a woman alongside fingers pointing at rainbow-coloured figures.
Accompanying wording said "LGBTQIA+ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex and asexual] people around the world" were being "preyed on by hate groups online and offline".
Terf (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) is a derogatory term for those considered hostile to transgender people.
Rowling has spoken against allowing trans women access to women-only spaces. But the author denies being transphobic and says she supports trans rights.
Oxfam has been criticised by both those offended at the original video and those who say the charity bowed to pressure by re-editing it.
Its statement said: "Oxfam believes that all people should be able to make decisions which affect their lives, enjoy their rights and live a life free of discrimination and violence, including people from LGBTQIA+ communities.
"In efforts to make an important point about the real harm caused by transphobia, we made a mistake.
"We have therefore edited the video to remove the term 'Terf' and we are sorry for the offence it caused.
"There was no intention by Oxfam or the film-makers for this slide to have portrayed any particular person or people.
"We fully support both an individual's rights to hold their philosophical beliefs and a person's right to have their identity respected, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65831823 |
Abortion access lessons to be compulsory in post-primary schools in NI - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | It will be compulsory for all post-primary schools to teach access to abortion and pregnancy prevention. | Northern Ireland | It will be compulsory for all post-primary schools in Northern Ireland to teach pupils about access to abortion and prevention of early pregnancy.
It comes after Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris laid new regulations in Parliament, covering relationships and sex education (RSE).
In a written statement, he said he had a legal duty to act on recommendations made in a United Nations (UN) report.
Until now individuals schools have decided how to teach sex education.
But the Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, or the CEDAW Report, it said RSE in Northern Ireland should be compulsory and comprehensive.
In practice that will mean pupils have to be taught about issues like how to prevent a pregnancy, the legal right to an abortion in Northern Ireland, and how relevant services may be accessed.
In a statement, Stormont's Department of Education said: "The department will now consider the implications of the new duties placed on it, including assessing any additional resources that will be required."
On Tuesday, Mr Heaton-Harris said: "I have today laid regulations in Parliament to implement the CEDAW recommendation to 'make age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, a compulsory component of curriculum for adolescents, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion in Northern Ireland, and monitor its implementation.'"
"The regulations will mirror the approach taken in England with regard to education about the prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion.
"It has always been my preference that, as a devolved matter, the Department of Education in Northern Ireland updates the curriculum.
"However, nearly four years have passed since the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Act 2019, adolescents in Northern Ireland are still not receiving comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights."
Each school in Northern Ireland is currently required by the department to develop its own RSE policy and to teach RSE.
However what is actually taught to pupils about RSE has been a matter for each school to decide, based on their school ethos.
That approach has previously been criticised by some experts, who have said it leads to "different and inconsistent learning experiences" for pupils.
The Executive Formation Act previously led to new laws on abortion being introduced in Northern Ireland.
But according to Mr Heaton-Harris, that act also required him to implement recommendations on RSE contained in the CEDAW report.
The CEDAW report said that young people were "denied the education necessary to enjoy their sexual and reproductive health and rights".
In his written statement on Tuesday, Mr Heaton-Harris said he was amending previous education acts in Northern Ireland to make aspects of RSE compulsory.
Chris Heaton-Harris says he is amending previous education acts in Northern Ireland to make aspects of sex education compulsory
Although the changes to the RSE curriculum will come into effect from 1 July, the Department of Education must issue guidance to schools by 1 January 2024 on what they are required to teach.
Mr Heaton-Harris said that would give six months for "meaningful engagement with teachers, parents and young people" about the changes.
He also said that parents could still withdraw their children "from education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, or elements of that education".
"This follows the approach taken in England and Scotland," he said.
"Consultation with parents on relationship and sexuality education is already common practice in Northern Ireland and we expect the Department of Education to ensure schools afford parents the opportunity to review relevant materials.
"Educating adolescents on issues such as contraception, and access to abortion in Northern Ireland, should be done in a factual way that does not advocate, or oppose, a particular view on the moral and ethical considerations of abortion or contraception."
The changes to RSE have been welcomed by the NSPCC in Northern Ireland.
Natalie Whelehan from the children's charity called the new regulations a "positive step".
"Making excellent quality RSE teaching available to all secondary school-aged children will ensure they receive information on what constitutes healthy and unhealthy relationships both online and offline and about their right to be safe, heard and protected," she said.
"This positive step also means that young people in Northern Ireland will now have consistent access to similar information available to young people in the rest of the UK."
The moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Dr John Kirkpatrick, said the Northern Ireland Secretary was trying to "impose a particular worldview on the education of children in Northern Ireland".
"In an increasingly pluralistic context, RSE of course should be taught in a sensitive and inclusive manner, where teaching is reinforced and supported by policies and processes that schools have in place around safeguarding, bullying and pastoral care," he said.
"Young people should have the opportunity to explore their own personal morals, values and beliefs including the moral and ethical considerations around sensitive issues like abortion and contraception.
"The secretary of state's actions run contrary to these aspirations," he continued. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65824502 |
Pupils face 'lost decade' in education after Covid, MPs warn - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A report urges ministers to improve uptake to a tutoring scheme designed to help students in England catch up. | Family & Education | Disruption to schools during the Covid-19 pandemic led to lost learning for many pupils
Some pupils are facing a "lost decade" of progress in schools in England if action is not taken, MPs have warned.
Their report expressed alarm that it could take 10 years for the gap between disadvantaged children and others to narrow to what it was before Covid.
It urged the government to take faster and more effective action, such as improving uptake of a tutoring scheme designed to help students catch up.
The government said it had made £5bn available for education recovery.
About 13% of schools in England did not take part in the National Tutoring Programme (NTP) in 2021-22. It was set up in November 2020 to help children catch up after Covid lockdowns disrupted education.
The NTP provides primary and secondary schools with funding to subsidise tutoring, including one-to-one and group lessons.
The Department for Education (DfE) initially subsidised 75% of the costs which schools incurred for delivering the NTP, but this reduced to 60% this year and will go down to 50% next year.
The report from the Public Accounts Committee recommended that the DfE find out why some schools were not taking part and act to improve uptake.
It also said the DfE should monitor how much tutoring is being provided while it is being subsidised, and "intervene if tutoring levels drop significantly" afterwards.
"There is a risk that without this central subsidy, the National Tutoring Programme will wither on the vine," the report said.
"We are not convinced that the department fully appreciates the pressures schools are under as they seek to help pupils catch up."
The BBC revealed in April that more than £200m earmarked for the scheme was left unspent.
Nigel Attwood, head teacher at Bellfield Junior School in Birmingham, said he cannot afford to run the NTP in the next academic year.
He said he encountered problems with affordability, capacity, and bureaucracy.
"We have so many little bits of pots of money that is ring-fenced and it can be really difficult to spend it because capacity is not there," he told the BBC.
"What we need is the the money, and the staffing to be able to give the children what they need."
Nigel Attwood is the head teacher at Bellfield Junior School
The report also called for the DfE to:
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said the government was "in denial" about the scale of the problems schools are facing.
"The growing attainment gap with all its implications for children's life chances can't be allowed to continue and the government must take immediate action," he added.
The government does not have to act on the recommendations, but it does have to respond to them within two months. It is expected that it will then set out a timeline for implementing them.
A DfE spokesperson said: "We are conscious of the effect the pandemic has had on pupils' education which is why we have made £5bn available for education recovery.
"Despite the effect of the pandemic, England came fourth out of 43 countries that tested children of the same age in the Pirls international survey of the reading ability of nine and 10-year-olds.
"We remain committed to addressing the attainment gap which is why the National Tutoring Programme is targeted at the most disadvantaged students, and has had over three million course starts to date, backed by more than £1bn investment." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-65814786 |
Pope Francis, 86, has abdominal surgery - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The three-hour operation at a Roman hospital was completed without complications, says the Vatican. | Europe | Pope Francis has faced a series of health issues in recent
Pope Francis has undergone abdominal surgery "without complications", the Vatican says.
The hernia operation at Rome's Gemelli hospital lasted three hours. The 86-year-old is expected to stay in hospital for several days to recover.
All of his commitments for the next 10 days have been cancelled as a "precautionary measure".
The Pope has faced a series of health issues in recent years, and uses a cane and a wheelchair.
In a statement, the Vatican said the pontiff's medical team had decided in recent days that surgery was needed.
Earlier on Wednesday, Pope Francis carried out his weekly audience as normal and did not mention his planned operation.
The Pope was at the same Rome hospital on Tuesday for a scheduled check-up, months after he was taken to hospital with bronchitis.
He spent three days in hospital in March to treat a lung infection.
In 2021, Pope Francis spent 10 days in hospital after having a part of his colon removed.
Last month, he pulled out of his Friday audiences due to a fever.
But while his predecessor Benedict XVI quit in 2013, the Pope has dismissed the possibility of leaving office too.
"You don't run the Church with a knee but with a head," he is said to have told an aide last year.
The Pope is considered to have been in general good health during his decade leading the Catholic Church
He continues to maintain a busy schedule, and is due to visit Portugal and Mongolia from August. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65821047 |
Prince Harry witness statement key extracts: 'Thicko, cheat, underage drinker' - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | 'I couldn't trust anybody' - Harry on the impact of alleged unlawful information gathering on his life. | UK | Prince Harry has been facing a cross-examination in the High Court in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
He believes journalists from the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People exploited a security gap to access his voicemails and hear messages left by friends and family.
As he entered the witness box, Harry's 55-page witness statement was published, detailing the times when he says journalists at the newspaper publisher used unlawful methods to gather information to generate stories about him, including phone hacking. MGN denies phone hacking in this case.
Here are some key extracts from his statement which he is being challenged on in court by barristers on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"In my experience as a member of the Royal Family, each of us gets cast into a specific role by the tabloid press.
"You start off as a blank canvas while they work out what kind of person you are and what kind of problems and temptations you might have.
"They then start to edge you towards playing the role or roles that suit them best and which sells as many newspapers as possible, especially if you are the 'spare' to the 'heir'.
"You're then either the 'playboy prince', the 'failure', the 'dropout' or, in my case, the 'thicko', the 'cheat', the 'underage drinker', the 'irresponsible drug taker', the list goes on.
"As a teenager and in my early 20s, I ended up feeling as though I was playing up to a lot of the headlines and stereotypes mainly because I thought that, if they are printing this rubbish about me and people were believing it, I may as well 'do the crime'.
"It was a downward spiral, whereby the tabloids would constantly try and coax me into doing something stupid that would make a good story and sell lots of newspapers.
"Looking back, such behaviour on their part is utterly vile."
Prince Harry says journalists would blag information about his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy's flights to the UK to see him. The couple were in an on-off, sometimes long-distance, relationship for six years from 2004.
"I walked into the [airport] arrivals hall with a baseball cap on and immediately spotted five separate paparazzi sitting on benches with cameras in bags, their hands inside rucksacks and everyone else looking at me," says the prince.
"I remember that someone was videoing me with one of those tiny little cameras between their legs.
"I recall thinking how on earth did they know I was going to be there, but now it's obvious.
"Here were five big, burly and dodgy looking men, with their hands in their pockets or in rucksacks and satchels in a busy public place.
"My security and I simply couldn't know whether they were reaching for a camera or drawing some kind of weapon."
Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry were in an on-off relationship between 2004 and 2010
He adds: "I always felt the tabloids wanted me to be single, as I was much more interesting to them and sold more newspapers.
"Whenever I got into a relationship, they were very keen to report the details but would then, very quickly, seek to try and break it up by putting as much strain on it and creating as much distrust as humanly possible.
"The twisted objective is still pursued to this day even though I'm now married."
"Tabloids would routinely publish articles about me that were often wrong but interspersed with snippets of truth.
"This created an alternative and distorted version of me to the general public - the people I had to serve and interact with as a member of the Royal Family - to the point where any one of the thousands of people that I met or was introduced to on any given day, could easily have gone: 'You know what, you're an idiot. I've read all the stories about you and now I'm going to stab you."
Prince Harry on a walkabout in Edinburgh with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2018
Prince Harry says royal aides gave him his first phone when he went to Eton College, a boarding school in Windsor - and it became crucial to his daily life.
"As I was very heavily involved with various commitments, I would constantly be leaving and receiving voicemails, as text messaging was much less common back then," he says.
"It was my main means of communicating with my family [including my mother who I was obviously extremely close] ... my girlfriend at the time, my friends, members of the Royal Household and those I was working with.
"My voicemails would include incredibly private and sensitive information about my relationships, my operational security and that of my family [and in later years] my work both in the Army and as a senior member of the Royal Family."
He says knowing MGN journalists were listening in to private and sensitive voicemails suggests they could have heard "anything and everything".
This created huge stress, presented security concerns and created a "huge amount of paranoia" and suspicion in his relationships, he says.
"I felt I couldn't trust anybody, which was an awful feeling for me, especially at such a young age."
The King accompanied Prince Harry on his first day at Eton College in Berkshire
Prince Harry says numerous papers had reported a rumour that his biological father was James Hewitt - a man his mother had a relationship with after he was born.
At the time, he says, he wasn't aware of the timeline. Aged 18 and having lost his mother six years earlier, he says such stories felt were "hurtful, mean and cruel".
"I was always left questioning the motives. Were the newspapers keen to put doubt into the minds of the public so I might be ousted from the Royal Family?"
James Hewitt, a former cavalry officer, had a five-year affair with Princess Diana
A 2003 article by The People detailed a disagreement between Prince Harry and his brother, the Prince of Wales, over a potential meeting with their mother's former butler, Paul Burrell. He says the pair had strong feelings about Mr Burrell's indiscretion after he sold their mother's possessions and conducted interviews about her.
"We firmly believed that she would have expected some privacy in death, especially from someone she had trusted," he says.
William had wanted to set up a meeting with him - Harry was firmly against it, having made up his mind about Mr Burrell.
The article said he believed him to be a "two-faced shit", a phrase he believes could have been lifted from a voicemail message.
Paul Burrell said Princess Diana called him her rock
Breaking with the convention that royals never interfere with politics, Prince Harry attacks Rishi Sunak's government in his statement.
"Our country is judged globally by the state of our press and our government - both of which I believe are at rock bottom.
"Democracy fails when your press fails to scrutinise and hold the government accountable, and instead choose to get into bed with them so they can ensure the status quo."
Prince Harry says he is determined to see this action through to the end because he is convinced unlawful information gathering was known about by those at the top.
"The fact that it was not just the journalists who were carrying out the unlawful activity, but also those in power who were turning a blind eye to it so as to ensure that it would continue unabated - and who then tried to cover it up when the game was up - is appalling.
"The fact they're all ganging up to protect each other is the most disturbing part of all, especially as they're the mothership of online trolling.
"Trolls react and mobilise to stories they create. People have died as a result and people will continue to kill themselves by suicide when they can't see any other way out.
"How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65819707 |
Ukraine dam: Swans seen swimming through Nova Kakhovka - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | null | The city was flooded after Ukraine accused Russia of destroying a huge dam nearby. | null | Swans were seen swimming through the city of Nova Kakhovka, in southern Ukraine, after Kyiv accused Moscow of destroying a huge dam nearby.
Evacuations are under way after the incident in the Russian-held region of Kherson. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65818722 |
Crocodile found to have made herself pregnant - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Researchers have found the first case of a crocodile who made herself pregnant. | Science & Environment | ''Virgin births'' in crocodiles may be common, say the researchers.
The first case of a crocodile who made herself pregnant has been identified at a zoo in Costa Rica.
She produced a foetus that was 99.9% genetically identical to herself.
The phenomenon of so-called "virgin birth" has been found in species of birds, fish and other reptiles, but never before in crocodiles.
The scientists say the trait might be inherited from an evolutionary ancestor, so dinosaurs might also have been capable of self-reproduction.
The research has been published in the Royal Society journal, Biology Letters.
The egg was laid by an 18-year-old female American crocodile in Parque Reptilania in January 2018. The foetus inside was fully formed but stillborn and so did not hatch.
The crocodile who laid the egg was obtained when she was two years old and was kept apart from other crocodiles for its entire life. Because of this, the park's scientific team contacted Belfast-born Dr Warren Booth, now working at Virginia Tech in the US. He has been studying virgin births, known scientifically as parthenogenesis, for 11 years.
Dr Booth analysed the foetus and found that it was more than 99.9 % genetically identical to its mother - confirming that it had no father.
He told BBC News that he wasn't surprised by the discovery.
''We see it in in sharks, birds, snakes and lizards and it is remarkably common and widespread''.
He speculated that the reason that parthenogenesis has not been seen in crocodiles is because people have not been looking for instances of them.
''There was a big increase in reports of parthenogenesis when people started keeping pet snakes. But your average reptile keeper doesn't keep a crocodile," he said.
One theory is that it happens in species capable of parthenogenesis when numbers dwindle, and they are on the verge of extinction. And Dr Booth told BBC news that this may have happened to some species of dinosaurs when their numbers dwindled due to environmental changes.
''The fact that the mechanism of parthenogenesis is the same in so many different species suggests that it is a very ancient trait that has been inherited throughout the ages. So this supports the idea that dinosaurs could also reproduce this way. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65834167 |
School devastated by boy's death after 'isolated incident' - BBC News | 2023-06-07T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The 14-year-old pupil from St Kentigern's Academy in West Lothian died in hospital on Tuesday. | Edinburgh, Fife & East Scotland | Police Scotland said they were trying to establish the full circumstances of the death at St Kentigern's Academy
A school says it has been devastated by the death of a 14-year-old boy after an "isolated incident" on its grounds.
Emergency services were called to St Kentigern's Academy in Blackburn, West Lothian, on Tuesday afternoon.
Police officers were sent to the school at about 13:20. The S3 pupil, who has not been named, was taken to hospital but died a short time later.
Police Scotland said inquiries were ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the death.
In a statement, St Kentigern's Academy said it was an "isolated incident within the school grounds".
It added: "All parents of pupils directly affected have been contacted and we are assisting the relevant authorities with their ongoing inquiries.
Head teacher Andrew Sharkey said the school community was "devastated to learn of the tragic death of one of our pupils".
He said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends and we extend our deepest condolences and offers of support.
"We would like to respect the family's privacy at this incredibly painful time."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Head teacher Andrew Sharkey said "thoughts and prayers" are with the pupil's family and friends
Mr Sharkey told BBC Scotland that the school - where singers Lewis Capaldi and Susan Boyle are former pupils - remained open and pupils were being supported.
He said: "We deal with it as a community, we provide support, we look after them and we make sure they are always as safe as we can make them."
Scotland's Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: "My heartfelt sympathies go out to the family and friends of this pupil, and all of the students and staff at the school affected by this terrible news."
Linlithgow and East Falkirk MP Martyn Day offered his "deepest condolences" to the boy's family and friends.
He added: "I would ask everyone to respect the family's privacy whilst a full investigation takes place into this tragic incident." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-65831563 |
Stormont stalemate: Donaldson hopeful for progress after talks - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says he is hopeful of progress as a result of talks about restoring Stormont. | Northern Ireland | 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". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65842092 |
Kerri-Anne Donaldson: Former Britain's Got Talent contestant dies aged 38 - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Kerri-Anne Donaldson was part of the super-group Kings and Queens, who reached the 2014 semi-finals. | Entertainment & Arts | Kerri-Anne Donaldson (front row, second left) was a member of dance supergroup Kings and Queens
Former Britain's Got Talent contestant Kerri-Anne Donaldson has died aged 38, her family has confirmed.
She performed on the ITV talent show in 2014 as part of the super-group Kings and Queens.
Her death was confirmed by her sister, Cara Donaldson, who said: "My beautiful baby sister is no longer with us and I don't know how to process it."
Strictly professional Neil Jones, who was also part of the group, said Donaldson had a "heart of gold".
Cara Donaldson added: "I love you Kerri, you're my best friend, we were inseparable and right now I don't know how to fill the void. Be peaceful and hold Nan tight."
Kerri-Anne Donaldson's cause of death has not been confirmed.
Kings and Queens reached the semi-final of Britain's Got Talent's eighth series.
Other members of the group included Kai Widdrington and Neil and Katya Jones, all three of whom later became professional dancers on Strictly.
Neil Jones called Donaldson his "friend" and "like a big sister" on Twitter, writing: "Kerri Anne Donaldson - remember that name and please never forget it because it belongs to a woman who loved to dance, create and perform, she had the cheekiest laugh and a heart of gold."
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Fellow Strictly pro Amy Dowden said she was "so shocked and sad" following Donaldson's death.
"Such a beautiful dancer and kind soul. Sending love to all your family and friends. Heaven has certainly gained an angel. Keep dancing up there lovely," Dowden said.
Former Strictly pro Joanne Clifton said Donaldson's death was "truly devastating", while her brother and fellow ex-Strictly dancer Kevin Clifton described her as the "loveliest girl."
"We've known you and shared the dance floor with you basically all our lives... dance up there with the angels Kerri... you beautiful dancer, you beautiful soul."
It Takes Two host and former Strictly pro Janette Manrara commented: "How sad to see this news. She was a such a lovely person. My hearts goes out to all her friends and family during this time." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65847290 |
Key cancer waiting time target set to be missed in England - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | NHS England says its key cancer recovery target could be delayed a year as record numbers seek care. | Health | The NHS is set to miss a key cancer treatment target laid out in the Covid recovery plan, the national cancer director for England has said.
The NHS had committed to cutting the backlog of people waiting more than two months to be diagnosed and begin cancer treatment to pre-pandemic levels.
But Dame Cally Palmer told MPs a spike in demand meant NHS England would miss the March 2023 target.
She said a new target of March 2024 was now being discussed with ministers.
In its Covid recovery plan published in February 2022, NHS England committed to tackling the substantial backlog of people with suspected cancer who are facing long waits to either start treatment, or be tested and receive the all-clear.
It set a target to cut the total number of patients having to wait more than two months - or 62 days - to the pre-pandemic level of 14,000 by the end of March 2023.
"We've made very significant progress, the backlog was at an all-time high of around 34,000 last summer," Dame Cally told the Health and Social Care Committee.
"Last week it was 23,500, so we've dropped by about 10,000 but there's still further to go."
Most of the patients on that waiting list will ultimately be told they do not have cancer but, giving evidence to the committee, NHS officials said that long waits for a diagnosis create "a lot of anxiety for people".
Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, told MPs: "I don't think anybody is comfortable with the fact that we have a large number of people who are waiting too long to get their diagnosis and start their treatment.
"What we need to do is contend with a very large number of referrals - between 200,000 to 260,000 people every month are referred for investigation of possible cancer, [of] whom only about 6% will have cancer."
Dame Deborah James raised millions for cancer research before she died aged 40
Dame Cally said the spike in referrals from GPs has been linked to a number of factors including a rise in cancer rates in the population; more people putting off care during the pandemic who are now coming forward; and a wider increase in awareness attributed to publicity campaigns and high-profile cancer cases.
She said there was a "big surge" in people coming forward with possible bowel cancer after the death of Dame Deborah James in June 2022.
The NHS in England has been struggling to meet every one of its nine cancer care targets since the the start of the Covid pandemic in February 2020.
Under the NHS constitution, 85% of patients diagnosed with cancer should start treatment within two months of an urgent referral, although that level of performance has not been achieved since 2015.
The latest figures show that, in December 2022, 61.8% of patients started treatment within 62-days, up slightly from 61% the previous month.
Other parts of the UK have been under similar pressure:
"What we're seeing across cancer services right now is devastating," said Minesh Patel, head of policy at the cancer support charity Macmillan.
"While we welcome recent efforts to improve the numbers of people referred and diagnosed early, waiting times in England still reached record highs in 2022.
"Behind these unacceptable figures are real people who are having to put their lives on hold whilst they face anxious waits." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64876835 |
Donald Trump indictment: Seven charges over classified documents case - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | He "never thought it possible that such a thing could happen" to a former US president, he says. | US & Canada | The charges include conspiracy, false statements and illegally retaining classified documents, says Mr Trump's attorney
Former US President Donald Trump has been charged over his handling of classified documents after he left the White House.
Mr Trump, 76, faces seven counts, including mishandling classified documents and obstructing efforts to investigate the storage of the files at his Florida home, his lawyer said.
Both are federal crimes which can carry a prison sentence on conviction.
Mr Trump is campaigning to make a return to the White House in 2024.
Legal experts say the indictment does not prevent him running for the presidency again.
It is the second time Mr Trump has been charged with a crime, but now he is facing a federal case. These typically carry harsher sentences.
He is the first former president ever to be criminally prosecuted by the government he once headed.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Mr Trump said he had been summoned to appear on Tuesday afternoon at a federal court in Miami, Florida, where the charges against him will be read.
"I never thought it possible that such a thing could happen to a former president of the United States," Mr Trump wrote.
He added: "This is indeed a dark day for the United States of America. We are a country in serious and rapid decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!"
The charges have not yet been made public, but the details were laid out by his lawyer Jim Trusty. He told CNN they include conspiracy, false statements, obstruction of justice, and illegally retaining classified documents under the Espionage Act.
Mr Trump was at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Thursday when news of the indictment broke.
On Friday, the US Secret Service will meet Mr Trump's staff and security officers to plan his journey to the Miami court next week.
Prosecutors had also presented evidence in court in Washington DC, but a decision to file the indictment in southern Florida instead may offer some consolation for the Trump team.
Legal experts say the state - where the former Republican president is popular - is likely to produce a less Democratic-leaning jury pool than if the case had been prosecuted in the US capital.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: How much do you know about classified documents?
The investigation into Mr Trump's handling of classified documents has been overseen by special prosecutor Jack Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November.
Mr Smith, a former war crimes investigator, is also overseeing a separate probe into Mr Trump's role in the storming of the US Capitol.
In the documents case, prosecutors have said that Mr Trump took about 300 classified files to his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, after leaving the White House.
About 100 of those - some labelled top secret - were seized when the FBI searched the Palm Beach mansion last August.
Reports surfaced last week that prosecutors had obtained an audio recording of Mr Trump acknowledging he kept a classified document after leaving the White House in January 2021. Transcripts of that tape circulated in US media on Friday.
It is against US law for federal officials - including a president - to remove or keep classified documents at an unauthorised location.
Legal experts say Mr Trump will still be able to enter the White House race.
"He can be indicted any number of times and it won't stop his ability to stand for office," says David Super, a professor at Georgetown University Law Centre.
Opinion polls show Mr Trump is currently the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination. He could continue running even if convicted in the documents case.
As Mr Trump issued a fundraising email with the subject line "BREAKING: INDICTED" on Thursday, several leading Republicans voiced their support for him.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, said it was "unconscionable for a president to indict the leading candidate opposing him".
"House Republicans will hold this brazen weaponisation of power accountable," he wrote on Twitter.
An itemised list of property seized in the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago
Mr Trump's rival for the 2024 nomination, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, said: "We have for years witnessed an uneven application of the law depending upon political affiliation.
"The DeSantis administration will bring accountability to the DOJ, excise political bias and end weaponisation once and for all."
Mr Trump became the first former president to be charged with a crime in April, after he pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records over a hush-money payment to a porn star.
He faces a trial in that case in New York next year.
Adding to his legal jeopardy, a prosecutor in Georgia is expected to announce this summer whether Mr Trump will be charged over alleged efforts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in that state. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65852062 |
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