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Boris Johnson has Partygate inquiry findings ahead of report's publication - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A committee is deciding whether the former PM purposely misled Parliament over lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street. | UK Politics | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Boris Johnson has been given the findings of an MP-led investigation into whether he misled parliament over Partygate.
The Privileges Committee is examining whether the former PM purposefully misled Parliament over lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street.
In evidence given in March, Mr Johnson admitted misleading Parliament, but denied doing it on purpose.
He now has two weeks to respond to a "warning letter" sent by the committee.
The letter details the criticisms it intends to make of Mr Johnson, along with any evidence which supports them, the BBC understands.
If the committee finds that Mr Johnson did mislead Parliament, it could recommend his suspension from the House of Commons for 10 days or more, triggering a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.
The letter will also inform Mr Johnson of any proposed penalties that the committee will suggest for MPs to approve.
MPs would be asked to endorse the findings, via a vote in the House of Commons.
Mr Johnson now has two weeks to reply. His response will be considered by the committee before it finalises its report - this is expected to happen by the end of June.
A spokesperson for the committee said it was "proceeding in accordance with its previously published procedure. Under that procedure, if the committee decides to criticise Mr Johnson, it will not come to a final conclusion until it has taken into account any further submissions from Mr Johnson."
Mr Johnson has been approached for comment. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65846876 |
Australia: Watch moment trapped humpback whale is cut free - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | null | A 10m humpback whale has been rescued after becoming entangled in a shark net off Australia’s Gold Coast. | null | A 10m humpback whale has been rescued after becoming entangled in a shark net off Australia’s Gold Coast. Workers used delicate equipment to cut the whale free during the early morning operation. Environmental groups have pushed for the removal of nets during the whale migration season, which sees tens of thousands of the mammals pass Australia’s east coast. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-65841142 |
Doorstep murder: Possible suspect jailed on drugs charge - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The killing of father-of-two Alistair Wilson in Nairn is one of Scotland's biggest crime mysteries. | Highlands & Islands | Alistair Wilson with his wife Veronica and their two children
A potential suspect over the unsolved murder of a banker who was shot on his doorstep 19 years ago has been jailed for an unrelated offence.
The killing of father-of-two Alistair Wilson in Nairn is one of Scotland's biggest crime mysteries.
Police Scotland have not named a suspect - but the BBC revealed last year that officers are now interested in a specific man.
He has now been jailed in connection with the supply of drugs.
Mr Wilson was shot on the doorstep of his family home in Nairn on the evening of 28 November 2004. He later died in hospital.
He and his wife Veronica had been bathing their two young sons and getting ready to read them a bedtime story when the killer came to the door.
A blue envelope, which had the name Paul on it, was handed to Mr Wilson on the doorstep.
He went inside and showed it to his wife, but the envelope had nothing inside. When Mr Wilson returned to the door he was shot dead.
No-one has been charged with the murder of Alistair Wilson despite cold case reviews and police carrying out thousands of interviews.
Last year, Police Scotland said a dispute over decking at the Havelock Hotel, which sits across the road from the Wilsons' home, was the most likely motive for the shooting.
The Havelock Hotel, with the Wilsons' house in the background
Locals have told the BBC that the person who police are now interested in kept guns in a locked cupboard at the time of the murder.
The man was in his early twenties at the time of the murder and some local people said he drank in the Havelock.
In a statement, Det Ch Insp Graham Smith said: "The investigation into the murder of Alistair Wilson is active and we continue to investigate any new information we receive.
"It cannot be stressed often enough that this crime has left a family devastated and Police Scotland is committed to finding the answers for them and bringing the offender to justice."
He urged anyone with information to contact the inquiry team.
The Doorstep Murder: A behind the scenes look at the investigation into the Alistair Wilson murder, one of Scotland's most baffling unsolved cases. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65833459 |
Ukraine war: Kyiv accuses Russia of shelling Kherson evacuations - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Russian shelling kills at least one person as residents flee floods caused by the Ukraine dam breach. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: View from a boat on what used to be a street
Ukraine has accused Russia of attacking evacuation points for those affected by the Kakhovka dam breach, after a person was killed by shelling in Kherson.
The Kherson prosecutor's office said two others were also injured, while the interior ministry said eight more were hurt by shelling in Korabelna Square.
The attacks came as President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the city, where he met with locals affected by the flooding.
2,000 people have been evacuated from the area, Kherson's governor says.
Speaking in a video statement posted to Telegram, Oleksandr Prokudin said the "evacuation from zones of flooding is continuing" despite the "immense danger and constant Russian shelling".
But he said that 68% of the flooded territory in the Kherson region was on Russian-held territory on the east bank of the Dnipro River.
The river has slowly swelled since the Kakhovka dam collapsed on Tuesday, causing thousands to flee their homes. The World Food Programme told the BBC on Thursday that the situation was a "public health crisis in the making" due to pollution including sewage, heavy oil and pesticides mixed into floodwater.
Ukraine says the flooding has affected an area of around 600 km sq (230 sq miles), and hundreds of thousands of people have been left without drinking water. The Ukrainian army has used drones to drop water bottles and food to some residents.
While the water level seems to have stabilised in Kherson itself, it still flows through streets at a daunting height, and flies now fill the air along with a pungent smell.
Rescue teams and volunteers are continuing to head out on boats to salvage anyone, or anything they can. Their efforts are punctuated by outgoing artillery fire.
Both Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of targeting evacuation points in the Kherson region. Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to President Zelensky, accused Russia of bombarding the city and of "preventing rescuers from evacuating the population".
The Kremlin-installed head of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, said on Telegram that two people died after Ukraine shelled a civilian evacuation point which was flooded after the dam breach.
And Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that Russian rescue workers are "forced to work in conditions of ongoing shelling from Ukraine, and this complicates their work". He did not provide evidence to back up these claims.
Speaking in Kherson, where he met with rescue workers, President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his criticism of the international community, including the UN and the Red Cross, for their slow response to the dam collapse.
And he vowed to local residents that his government would be available to help them rebuild their lives.
"You are going through this difficult ordeal now," Mr Zelensky said. "We will help you and rebuild everything that needs to be restored. I thank you and wish you good health."
The Kremlin said there were no plans for President Vladimir Putin to visit the affected zones.
Communities on small islands close to Russian occupied territory are said to be experiencing the worst of these floods. Whole homes there have been submerged.
And a local Russian-installed official said five people have died and 41 have been hospitalised by flooding in the region.
Elsewhere, fighting has continued in some areas, as analysts watch to see how Ukraine's long-anticipated advance takes shape.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday that his forces had withstood fierce attempts by Ukrainian troops to break through the frontline in Zaporizhzhia province overnight.
And footage posted to social media by pro-war Russian bloggers and geolocated by the BBC appeared to show units of Ukrainian armour coming under artillery fire as they advanced towards Russian held areas in Zaporizhzhia region.
The column appeared to be advancing towards fortifications at Tokmak, around 5-10km back from the limit of Russian control. The BBC cannot verify when the advance occurred.
In the east, Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said Kyiv's forces were continuing to advance around the city of Bakhmut.
In a daily intelligence update, the UK's ministry of defence said "heavy fighting continues along multiple sectors of the front," noting that Ukraine "holds the initiative" in most areas.
On Wednesday Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's national security council, denied reports of the new offensive and said that when Kyiv does launch an offensive "everyone will know about it".
Senior US officials have previously told the BBC's US partner CBS News that it is accurate to say that the Ukraine counteroffensive is in its opening phases, but that the main thrust has not yet begun. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65845444 |
LGBT+: Metropolitan Police chief apologises to Peter Tatchell over past failings - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Peter Tatchell Foundation wants all police chiefs to apologise for "decades-long victimisation". | UK | Peter Tatchell has received an apology from the Met Police
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has apologised to LGBT+ campaigner Peter Tatchell for the force's homophobic failings.
In what Mr Tatchell said was a "ground-breaking step forward", Sir Mark's letter said he was "sorry to all of the communities we have let down".
A damning report by Baroness Casey in March found there was racism, misogyny and homophobia in the Met Police.
Mr Tatchell said the apology "draws a line under past Met persecution".
It came on the day the Peter Tatchell Foundation launched a campaign calling on all UK police chiefs to apologise for "decades-long victimisation" of the LGBT+ community.
In his letter, Sir Mark admitted he accepted it "had systems and processes in place which have led to bias and discrimination in the way we have policed London's communities, and in the way we have treated our officers and staff, over many decades.
"Recent cases of appalling behaviour by some officers have revealed that there are still racists, misogynists, homophobes and transphobes in the organisation, and we have already doubled down on rooting out those who corrupt and abuse their position."
He added: "I am clear that there is much for us to do. I am sorry to all of the communities we have let down for the failings of the past and look forward to building a new Met for London, one all Londoners can be proud of and in which they can have confidence."
In response, Mr Tatchell thanked Sir Mark for "being the first UK police chief to say sorry" adding he hoped his apology would spur other police forces to follow suit.
"This will help strengthen LGBT+ trust and confidence in the police; encouraging more LGBTs to report hate crime, domestic violence and sexual assault," he added.
His foundation's #ApologiseNow campaign was supported by the late television star Paul O'Grady before his death in March.
The launch event on Wednesday featured a video from O'Grady, where he urged the police to say sorry for the often abusive, and sometimes illegal, way they treated LGBT people.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Activist Peter Tatchell on his life-long fight for gay rights
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Tatchell said the "ground-breaking" apology recognised the "abusive, insulting, violent and sometimes illegal" treatment LGBT+ communities have experienced at the hands of police.
He said "gay bars were often scenes of harassment" by police, adding that the apology would help to build trust between the community and police forces, increasing safety as a result.
Australian-born Mr Tatchell has been campaigning for human rights since he was a teenager, including supporting Australia's Aboriginal people.
He continued to campaign for human rights after moving to London in the 1970s, protesting against the likes of boxer Mike Tyson, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey over the years.
In 1999, he tried to perform a citizen's arrest on former prime minister of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe over his human rights abuses - but was severely beaten by Mr Mugabe's bodyguards.
Since 2011, he has been the director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65840770 |
Jodie Comer: Prima Facie star halts Broadway show due to wildfire smoke - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The actress left the stage saying she had trouble breathing due to poor air caused by Canada fires. | US & Canada | Jodie Comer plays a barrister who defends people who have been accused of sexual assault in Prima Facie
Actress Jodie Comer abruptly walked off stage during a Broadway performance on Wednesday after saying she had trouble breathing due to wildfire smoke.
Comer's one-woman show, Prima Facie, continued after her understudy stepped in to complete the matinee performance.
Canada wildfire smoke has blanketed New York City in recent days.
A performance of Hamilton and several sports matches were postponed on Wednesday as residents were advised to stay indoors or wear N95 masks outside.
"Today's matinee of Prima Facie was halted approximately 10 minutes into the performance after Jodie Comer had difficulty breathing due to the poor air quality in New York City because of smoke from the Canadian wildfires," a spokesperson for the production told The Hollywood Reporter.
Understudy Dani Arlington replaced the Killing Eve star in the role of Tessa, completing the roughly 100-minute performance and earning an enthusiastic applause, a witness told Deadline.
The audience member told Deadline that after about three minutes into her performance, Comer coughed and called out to a stage manager: "I can't breathe this air".
Reports on social media and in Variety indicated Comer was helped off the stage by a member of the production team.
By the time the announcement was made that the actress would not return to the stage that afternoon, some members of the audience had reportedly left their seats, with many requesting new tickets for a future performance or for refunds.
On Twitter, one audience member wrote: "We came to see Jodie Comer. She started [the] show. Had to stop for air quality. Now want us to see understudy. What is refund policy? Exchange? We came and paid high price to see Jodie."
Comer pictured signing autographs for fans in New York after a recent appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Comer, who hails from Liverpool in the UK, has received rave reviews for the show since its debut in April.
In Prima Facie she plays a barrister who defends people who have been accused of sexual assault, but is then herself attacked by a colleague.
Comer has been widely acclaimed for her performance in the play - she is nominated for best actress at this Sunday's Tony Awards and has already won an Olivier.
The British star, who has also appeared in The Last Duel and Free Guy, is due to continue playing the role on Broadway until 2 July.
Smoke from Canada has tinged the sky orange in New York and led to health warnings in parts of Canada and the US northeast.
The Environment Protection Agency has said the air quality in New York was "unhealthy", and citizens were warned to limit outdoor activity.
Wednesday evening's performances of Hamilton, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, and and Shakespeare in the Park's Hamlet, were among the shows cancelled due to the poor air quality in New York.
Other venues to be affected included the Vineyard Theatre, which cancelled Wednesday night's performance of This Land Was Made.
The off-Broadway theatre said the cancellation was "in the interest of prioritising the health and safety of our audience members, performers, and staff".
Some parts of Canada have been evacuated. About 7,500 people have left Chibougamau, the largest town in northern Quebec and roughly 4,000 residents have fled the Cree town, Mistissini.
Zach Taylor, a US National Weather Service meteorologist, said the weather pattern meant smoke was being funnelled into the US.
He said the air should begin to clear after rain this weekend and early next week, adding further relief would come from containing or extinguishing the fires.
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 | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65839794 |
Taurine may extend life and health, scientists find - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Researchers say the nutrient may be an "elixir of life" but warn against buying it until more research is done. | Health | Taurine - a nutrient found in meat, fish and sold as a supplement - extends life and boosts health in a range of animal species, scientists say.
Levels of taurine decline with age in different species, including people.
Experiments on middle-aged animals showed boosting taurine to youthful levels extended life by over 10% and improved physical and brain health.
The researchers say taurine may be an "elixir of life" - but topping up levels in people has not been tested.
So the team, at Columbia University, in New York, recommend against people buying taurine pills or energy drinks packed with taurine in an attempt to live longer.
The animal research is, however, the latest development in the hunt for ways of slowing ageing.
Dr Vijay Yadav holding a model of the chemical structure of taurine
This study started by analysing molecules in the blood of different species - to explore the differences between young and old.
"One of the most dramatically downgraded [molecules] was taurine," researcher Dr Vijay Yadav said. In elderly people, levels were 80% lower than in the young.
Taurine is virtually non-existent in plants. So the nutrient either comes from animal protein in diet or is manufactured by the body.
And for the past 11 years, the research team have been trying to flesh out its role in ageing.
A daily dose was given to 14-month-old mice, which is equivalent to about age 45 for humans.
The results, published in the journal Science, showed male mice lived 10% longer, females 12%, and both appeared to be in better health.
"Whatever we checked, taurine-supplemented mice were healthier and appeared younger," Dr Yadav said.
"They were leaner, had an increased energy expenditure, increased bone density, improved memory and a younger-looking immune system."
Increases in lifespan of 10-23% were also recorded in worms.
Then, 15-year-old rhesus monkeys were given a six-month course of taurine - too short to notice a difference in life expectancy but, again, the researchers found improvements in body weight, bone, blood-sugar levels and the immune system.
"I thought this is almost too good to be true," said Prof Henning Wackerhage, who was involved in the research at the Technical University of Munich. "Taurine somehow hits the engine room of ageing."
But many of the big questions remain unanswered:
The researchers performed an analysis of 12,000 people and showed those with more taurine in their blood were generally in better health.
If the data from mice applied to people, it would be the equivalent of an extra seven to eight years of life, they say.
But it will take proper clinical trials - where some people are given the nutrient and others a placebo pill - to see if any benefit can be detected.
Differences in human biology may stop taurine from working or there may be some evolutionary reason why levels are meant to fall with age. Current evidence - including energy drinks being on the market for decades - suggests taurine is safe.
While taurine is in our diet, it would be hard to eat the quantities used in the experiments. The equivalent dose from the animal experiments, scaled up to people would be 3-6g (0.2oz) per day.
Dr Yadav refused to say whether he chose to take taurine supplements himself, for fear of unduly influencing people.
He told BBC News: "Let us wait for the clinical trials to be completed before recommending to the wider population that they go to the shelf in a grocery store and buy taurine."
Prof Wackerhage said rather than rushing for supplements, there were already proven ways of living longer.
"If you want to live a long, healthy and happy life, then you need a healthy diet - that's one of the most important things - and of course, you should exercise," he said.
The scientific report suggests taurine plays a role in reducing cellular senescence - where cells in the body stop dividing - a hallmark of ageing.
The nutrient also appeared to keep mitochondria - the power stations in the body's cells - functioning.
But how it does any of this remains unexplored.
Prof Ilaria Bellantuono, from the University of Sheffield, said the findings "fits well with the existing evidence" on ageing, but the implications for people would remain "limited" until potentially very expensive human trials were conducted.
"If there is a demonstrable clinical impact it could be used to prevent multiple long-term chronic conditions such as osteoporosis, muscle weakness, diabetes and potentially neurodegenerative diseases."
Commenting on the findings, Joseph McGaunn and Joseph Baur, both from the University of Pennsylvania, said: "A singular focus on increasing dietary taurine risks driving poor nutritional choices, because plant-rich diets are associated with human health and longevity.
"Thus like any intervention, taurine supplementation with the aim of improving human health and longevity should be approached with caution." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65810138 |
Religious US broadcaster Pat Robertson dies at 93 - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The evangelical Christian ran for president and helped put religion at the heart of Republican politics. | US & Canada | Evangelical Christian leader Pat Robertson, who ran for president as a Republican, has died at the age of 93.
He was one of the driving forces of a movement to increase the influence of the religious right in US politics.
He founded the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in 1960 and helped grow it into a cable media empire.
For decades, Robertson hosted a CBN talk show called the 700 Club that combined religious news and political commentary with light entertainment.
CBN announced the news of his death on Thursday. No cause was given.
Robertson also founded the Christian Coalition, the organisation that grew to be a pivotal player in Republican politics starting in the 1980s.
It provided endorsements and financial and organisational support to candidates who echoed their views on hot-button social issues like abortion, religious liberty and "traditional" values.
In 1988, Robertson campaigned for the Republican presidential nomination.
He finished second in the Iowa caucuses behind Kansas Senator Robert Dole, with the the support of the state's large evangelical community.
Robertson's White House run faltered after eventual nominee and president George HW Bush won the New Hampshire primary.
Despite the defeat, Robertson's campaign - he came top in four state-nominating contests - demonstrated that evangelical Christians were a growing force in Republican politics.
The evangelical leader would go on to become a kingmaker in Republican politics for decades.
He was sharply criticised for appearing to blame American cultural liberalism - including the gay rights movement and abortion - for the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US.
In 2010, he claimed a devastating earthquake in Haiti was because its people made a "pact with the devil" during their fight for independence from France.
After Donald Trump was elected president, Robertson said those who opposed him were "revolting against what God's plan is for America". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65846402 |
Banks accused of 'measly' interest rates on savings - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | MPs criticise banks as instant access savings rates sit well below the Bank of England base rate. | Business | Loyal bank customers are being offered "measly" rates of interest on their savings, a committee of MPs has said.
The trend, which particularly affects older and more vulnerable customers, are the result of banks chasing higher profit margins, MPs on the Treasury Committee claimed.
Rates on instant access savings products are much lower than the Bank of England base rate.
Banks said they had to balance the needs of savers and borrowers.
In the past few months MPs on the committee have been challenging major banking bosses on the returns offered to their savings customers.
In February, the chief executives of the four biggest banks in the UK - Lloyds, NatWest, HSBC and Barclays - were given a grilling in Parliament.
Described as the highest-paid panel which had sat before the committee for some time - collectively earning more than £10m a year - the quartet of bank bosses argued that the debate incorrectly centred on the interest rate offered on easy access savings accounts.
They argued that regular saver deals offered market-leading rates of interest, and that instant access products were often a "gateway" to higher interest deals.
The hearing was followed by a string of letters to those banks, and the next tier of providers. Their responses have just been published.
Among them was a letter from Debbie Crosbie, chief executive of the Nationwide, who said that the building society needed to be prudent, it tried to help customers to get a better deal, and balance was required.
She said that included weighing up "the interests of savers with our mortgage borrowers, particularly with cost-of-living pressures".
The committee appears to be unimpressed with the providers' defence. It pointed out that the the big four High Street banks offered instant access savings rates of between 0.7% and 1.35%, compared with a Bank of England base rate of 4.5%.
"It is clearer than ever that the nation's biggest banks need to up their game and encourage saving," said Harriett Baldwin, who chairs the committee.
"While other products are available to those who shop around, the measly easy access rates on offer lead us to conclude that loyal customers are being squeezed to bolster bank profit margins.
"We remain concerned that the loyalty penalty is especially prominent for elderly and vulnerable customers who may still rely on High Street bank branches."
On Wednesday, UK Finance - the trade body for the banking sector - published data that showed total household savings shrunk year-on-year for the first time in at least 15 years.
The value of deposits in instant access accounts fell by 4% to £867bn in March compared with £905bn a year earlier, as people dipped into savings pots to cover larger bills and food shopping. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65844839 |
The Iron Sheik: WWE wrestling champion dies at 81 - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
William and Kate offer to restock burgled Swansea food bank - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
Coleraine: No more births to take place at Causeway Hospital - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A decision has been made to consolidate maternity services within Antrim Area Hospital. | Northern Ireland | The Northern says birth numbers in the Causeway Coast and Glens area have declined year-on-year
Births will no longer take place at Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, County Londonderry, following a decision by the Department of Health (DoH).
The DoH permanent secretary approved the move to consolidate maternity services at Antrim Area Hospital.
The Northern Trust had recommended that all births in the area should permanently move to the Antrim site.
Antenatal and postnatal clinics will be retained and enhanced at Causeway Hospital, the department said.
Permanent Secretary Peter May said the decision was made to ensure safe, consistent and sustainable care for mothers and babies in the trust area.
The recommendation was made by the Northern Trust board following a 14-week public consultation.
The changes will come into effect from 17 July 2023.
Any women who are due to give birth at Causeway Hospital will be contacted directly by the trust and there is also a helpline to answer any queries from women who are due to give birth at the hospital.
A trust spokeswoman said the decision for all hospital births to go to Antrim Area Hospital was a welcome one.
"We strongly believe this is the best outcome for women and babies in our care," she said.
"It will allow us to continue providing the highest standard of inpatient maternity care and births at one, dedicated site, with a safer, more sustainable staffing model."
The trust said it recognised it had been an uncertain time for the "dedicated team of maternity staff at Causeway Hospital and we will be supporting them through this period of transition."
The trust has said birth numbers in the Causeway Coast and Glens Council area have declined year-on-year.
It expect birth rates to fall in the area by 11% within the next 20 years.
The trust had said maternity services in the area were "vulnerable and unsustainable".
The Department of Health said: "[The] unsustainability of the current Causeway maternity unit relates to falling birth numbers at the hospital and associated difficulties of recruiting and retaining consultants and other staff."
The permanent secretary said: "An overriding priority for our health service must be the provision of safe care for our population.
"This decision is in the best interests of mothers and babies in the Northern Trust area."
Antenatal and postnatal clinics will be retained and enhanced at Causeway Hospital
He said maintaining the current service across the Causeway and Antrim sites "would not be sustainable".
"Avoiding planned change would simply lead to unplanned and forced change," Mr May added.
Causeway maternity unit has become reliant on locum and temporary staff, making the provision of consistent care more difficult.
Dr Dave Watkins, medical director of the Northern Health & Social Care Trust and a consultant paediatrician, said: "Trying to run two services on two sites clearly dilutes the expertise available and the number of staff available.
"We feel that this is the safest proposal and it allows us to plan forwards for a safe, sustainable and high quality service for our women here in Antrim Hospital."
Anne Wilson from the Royal College of Midwives said: "We are always disappointed whenever there is a reduction in choice for mothers birthing in maternity services - so it is disappointing."
However, Ms Wilson said she understood the reason behind the decision.
"I think ultimately safety of mothers and babies especially giving birth is the main goal and priority here," she added.
The Department of Health said: "Conditions of the approval include making planned capacity changes at Antrim Hospital as outlined in the public consultation."
The trust will also be required to prioritise the development of an interim three-bedded alongside midwife-led unit at Antrim.
A protest was held in Coleraine in May against the cuts to Causeway Hospital maternity services
The department said this will offer additional capacity in advance of longer-term plans for a new-build women and children's unit.
Setting out the department's decision-making process, Mr May said he had reviewed the trust's consultation outcome in line with its policy and guidance on change or withdrawal of service.
"It is also consistent with the wider health transformation agenda which acknowledges that changes need to be made to ensure sustainability of services," he said.
The trust said it was committed to maintaining acute services and an Emergency Department at the site.
"We recognise that the hospital and its staff play a vital role in serving the local community, and we want to enhance rather than diminish that role."
The trust added: "Causeway Hospital will retain its high quality antenatal and postnatal care which we recognise are critical local services for women.
"We will also be enhancing these services so that pregnant women will have access to complex antenatal care and clinics at Causeway Hospital."
Gregory Campbell, the MP for East Londonderry, said he was "disturbed" by the trust's explanation for the move.
He said: "The inability to staff hospital wards and in this case a maternity unit, points to a planning and management failure more than lack of need in the community."
Mr Campbell said the Northern Trust and DoH must spell out the sustainability of the Causeway Hospital.
The proposals had been met with some opposition over the last number of months.
About 100 people gathered in Coleraine town centre after the Northern Trust approved the recommendation to remove births from the hospital in May.
In June Mother-of-three, Heidi Wright from Portrush, said she was concerned about the length of time it would take to travel to Antrim.
In less than a year, the Northern Trust has managed to deliver a major permanent change to how one of its core services will be delivered with little fuss or opposition.
In Northern Ireland that is remarkable.
While for decades transforming health care has been much talked about, in practice little has happened.
Most recently, and in 2016, Prof Rafael Bengoa said Northern Ireland faced "a stark choice".
The man who chaired the last local healthcare review said people could "either resist change and see services deteriorate to the point of collapse over time, or embrace transformation and work to create a modern sustainable service".
At present, these two contrasting viewpoints are being played out across three different health trusts.
In the Southern and Western Trusts, resisting change over many years at Daisy Hill and the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) has now triggered a rush to transform how some services are being delivered, a move likened by the BMA to "falling off the cliff edge".
Some have said that the change feels "unplanned and out of control".
Politicians have led rallies and debates in protest.
But in the Northern Trust the picture is different.
Officials have said that before maternity services get to to the point of "collapse" they are implementing change that is planned, deliberate and intentional.
While all the health trusts conducted consultations, it seems that Causeway will be able to consolidate all births at Antrim Area Hospital while maintaining an antenatal and post-natal assessment hub at Causeway.
It hasn't been without some public protest - but nowhere near the extent of that seen in Enniskillen and Newry.
All other health trusts must be looking to the Northern Trust in wonder.
How did it do what the Southern and Western trusts couldn't?
The big difference, it seems, is the lack of political interference at Causeway.
In 2016, the then health minister - the DUP's Simon Hamilton - said political consensus was key to the future of NI's health service.
It seems that is much easier said than done. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65841686 |
Odey Asset Management investigated as sexual harassment claims emerge - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | News of the investigation comes as founder Mr Odey is accused of sexually harassing or assaulting 13 women. | Business | The hedge fund firm founded by multi-millionaire hedge fund manager Crispin Odey is understood to be being investigated by the City watchdog.
The news comes as a Financial Times investigation accused Mr Odey of sexually harassing or assaulting 13 women over 25 years.
Conservative donor Mr Odey is one of the City's most well-known figures who backed the Brexit campaign.
The allegations made by some of the women are of a very serious sexual nature.
It is understood the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been investigating Odey Asset Management for two years, although the details of the investigation are not clear and the FCA has declined to comment.
JP Morgan, one of the banks providing services to Odey Asset Management, is thought to be reviewing its relationship with the company.
In 2020, Mr Odey was accused of assaulting a female investment banker at his London home in 1998, but he was later cleared.
According to Electoral Commission figures, Crispin Odey made political donations valued at a total of £1.7m between 2007 and 2019.
Most of them were from him personally but a few were from his company, Odey Asset Management. In some cases he's listed as Robin Odey or Robin C Odey in Electoral Commission filings.
The biggest donations, £1.3m in total, were made to groups campaigning for Brexit around the time of the EU referendum.
£355,000 of the total was given to the Conservatives plus a donation of £10,000 directly to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in June 2019. He's also given smaller amounts to UKIP and the Christian Party. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65849544 |
Glastonbury: Disposable vapes added to 'what not to bring' list - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The festival extends its "reduce, reuse, recycle" slogan to "environmentally hazardous" e-cigarettes.. | Newsbeat | Glastonbury will happen from 21 June to 26 June this year
Glastonbury festival has asked fans not to bring disposable vapes.
Its organisers have added the items to its official "do not bring" list - which also includes gazebos and knives.
The updated message says disposable vapes - which contain lithium batteries - "pollute the environment and can be hazardous at waste centres".
There's no suggestion the devices will be confiscated - but BBC Newsbeat has approached the festival for more information.
Glastonbury has also urged festivalgoers to "reduce, reuse and recycle" and avoid other single-use items like body glitter and body wipes.
It's banned the sale of plastic bottles on-site since 2019 - fans are encouraged to bring reusable bottles instead.
Vapes have become a common sight at festivals
Arctic Monkeys and Guns N' Roses will top the bill at this year's Glastonbury, which takes place from 21 June to 26 June.
Other acts on the line-up include Lizzo, Lana Del Rey, Lewis Capaldi, Lil Nas X and Flo.
When the line-up was announced, there was criticism on social media that all the main stage headliners were male - though there is almost a 50:50 split between male and female acts elsewhere.
"We try our best and we obviously aim for 50:50," Emily Eavis previously told the BBC. "Some years, it's more, some years, it's less.
"This year, we did have a female headliner, and she unfortunately had to pull out... It changes all the time.
"But next year it's looking like we've got two female headliners, so fingers crossed."
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-65849909 |
Ukraine airdrops water bottles to people stranded by floods - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
French Open 2023 results: Aryna Sabalenka loses to Karolina Muchova in Paris semi-finals - BBC Sport | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | null | Karolina Muchova, one of lowest-ranked players to reach the French Open women's final, saves a match point before beating second seed Aryna Sabalenka. | null | Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Coverage: Live text and radio commentaries of selected matches across BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, the BBC Sport website and app
Czech player Karolina Muchova became one of the lowest ranked players to reach the French Open women's final as she edged a thriller against Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Ranked 43rd in the world, Muchova won 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 after saving a match point at 5-2 in the decider.
Defending champion Swiatek, 22, won 6-2 7-6 (9-7) against Brazilian 14th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia later on Thursday.
Sabalenka's exit means Swiatek will remain world number one, a position she has held for 62 consecutive weeks, after she beat 27-year-old Haddad Maia.
Sabalenka, 25, served for the match in the decider but was overcome with tension as Muchova kept her composure to win an epic in three hours 13 minutes.
"I don't really know what happened," said Muchova, who is the fourth lowest-ranked woman to reach the final after Swiatek, Jelena Ostapenko and Renata Tomanova.
"It is unbelievable. I tried to keep fighting and it worked. I'm so happy."
Muchova covered her face with a towel as she sat and contemplated the magnitude of her achievement, a stark contrast to when she sobbed on her chair at Roland Garros last year after having to retire injured from her third-round match.
Swiatek will be the overwhelming favourite to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen for a third time, having reached the final without losing a set and only dropping 23 games in her six matches.
Against 27-year-old Haddad Maia, the 2020 and 2022 champion faced moments of uncertainty but ultimately had enough quality to come through her toughest test yet.
After losing serve to love in the opening game, Swiatek quickly recovered to break back and won the final four games to wrap up the first set.
Haddad Maia, playing in her first major semi-final after never previously going past the third round, moved 3-1 ahead in the second set and pushed Swiatek with her consistent returning.
While Swiatek broke back for 3-3, Haddad Maia's level remained high and it needed a tie-break to separate them.
Haddad Maia saved a match point with a winner down the line, but was powerless to stop the second which sparked a manic celebration from the relieved Swiatek.
On reaching a third final in four years, she said: "It's really amazing."
Muchova keeps nerve as Sabalenka loses hers
Before play started on women's semi-finals day, many expected Swiatek would be trying to set up another final against Sabalenka when she walked out on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The pair have been the two dominant players in the world this year, already contested the Stuttgart and Madrid finals on clay, and both moved serenely through the draw to the last four.
But, in an unexpected twist, Australian Open champion Sabalenka came unstuck against the unheralded Muchova, who fell down the rankings after being ravaged by injuries.
Muchova reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2021 before the physical problems stalled her progress, but has reminded everyone at Roland Garros of her undoubted talent.
Playing with her usual nous and variety, Muchova posed questions for Sabalenka throughout and showed her resilience to hang in when it looked as though she was heading towards defeat.
Sabalenka had started stronger in the decider, Muchova fighting off four break points for 1-1 before the Czech lost serve to trail 4-2.
Knowing two holds of serve would be enough to see her through, Sabalenka moved 5-2 ahead but was unable to close out victory when Muchova saved a match point with a crunching forehand.
But, serving for the set, Sabalenka became tight - an old failing that resurfaced at the worst possible time as she aimed to reach back-to-back Grand Slam finals.
A poor game allowed Muchova to restore parity, more nerves creeping in for Sabalenka when she served for a 6-5 lead.
Last year, Sabalenka used a psychologist in a bid to rectify the issue of producing costly double faults and, after stopping working with a specialist in pre-season because she wanted to "take responsibility" herself, had stemmed the flow in a successful year.
However, the problem returned against Muchova and heavily contributed to ending her participation in a tournament where she had skipped open news conferences to protect her mental health and faced questions about her stance on Belarus' involvement in Russia's war in Ukraine.
From a commanding position of 40-15, the Belarusian produced back-to-back double faults, hit a heavy backhand long and then made another error to hand momentum to her opponent.
Muchova, with the crowd now behind her, retained her composure and served out to love before taking the warm acclaim of the Chatrier crowd.
"I was serving for the match, after that game she stepped in and started playing a little bit more aggressive," said Sabalenka, who also confirmed she has received a UK visa to play at Wimbledon after saying last month that she was still waiting for it.
"I lost my rhythm. I wasn't there. It's a very tough match for me to lose.
"It's been great couple of weeks with some challenges, emotional challenges, but I think I get through it. I think I'll be stronger."
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Plaid Cymru: Rhun ap Iorwerth set to be new leader - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The last two Senedd members who could have run in the contest confirm they will not challenge him. | Wales | As things stand Rhun ap Iorwerth will become leader next Friday
Rhun ap Iorwerth is set to become the new Plaid Cymru leader.
The last two members of Plaid's Senedd group who had not ruled out standing against him have now confirmed they will not be entering the contest.
Deputy leader Sian Gwenllian and Sioned Williams made the announcement in a joint statement on Friday morning.
Only Senedd members (MSs) can lead Plaid Cymru and, unless there is a U-turn from a Plaid MS, Mr ap Iorwerth will become leader next week.
Nominations are due to close on 16 June.
Plaid Cymru has been looking for a new leader since Adam Price stood down in May.
It followed reports that a toxic culture of harassment, bullying and misogyny had become worse under his leadership.
In their joint statement, Ms Gwenllian and Ms Williams said: "We are not putting our names forward as candidates for the leadership of Plaid Cymru, although we agree with comments made by former leader Leanne Wood in an interview this week that a woman would have been the best choice to lead Plaid Cymru at this time.
"We will campaign to introduce a new model of joint leadership in the future which would be more inclusive and ensure equality."
The Green Party of England and Wales has a joint leadership structure, meaning a man and a woman share the responsibility of leading the party.
The other Plaid Senedd members who were eligible to run for Plaid Cymru leader were Mabon ap Gwynfor, Cefin Campbell, Luke Fletcher, Heledd Fychan, Llŷr Huws Gruffydd, Delyth Jewell, Elin Jones, and Peredur Owen Griffiths.
But they have all ruled themselves out of the race.
Adam Price quit as leader after a report found misogyny, harassment and bullying in Plaid Cymru
Ynys Môn Senedd member Mr ap Iorwerth announced he would be standing in a video published on Twitter.
In the video he said he was looking forward to playing his part in uniting the party.
He said previously it must offer a vision of Wales as "confident, fair, green, prosperous", and on a "journey to independence".
Mr ap Iorwerth is currently the party's joint deputy leader, alongside Ms Gwenllian, and has been Plaid health spokesman in recent years.
He has been a vocal critic of the Welsh government's record on the troubled Betsi Cadwaladr health board in north Wales.
He also ran for the leadership in 2018, when Mr Price replaced Leanne Wood.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood would like to see a woman as the party's new head
On Friday, former Plaid Cymru chairman Alun Ffred Jones told BBC Radio Cymru he believed "a contest within a party is a good thing in almost all circumstances, but if the more experienced people didn't want to stand for various reasons, there we are".
"And if there is to be only one candidate, it's important that the party unites behind Rhun," he said.
He added: "I don't see much of an argument in just putting your name forward, it's not the same as applying for a job just to get an interview and seeing how it goes.
"Anyone who stands for the leadership has to be in a position where they're confident they can deliver in the role."
He said Rhun ap Iorwerth needed to "put his own stamp on things" and "turn our attention back to things that matter to the majority of people, and not on internal matters and things that are of marginal concern to most people."
Plaid Cymru said there were "no plans" to change the closing date for nominations.
It added: "Plaid Cymru members will have the opportunity over the next week to nominate candidates for the party leadership through their local constituencies."
"The next leader of Plaid Cymru will be announced on Friday 16 June."
For a leadership contest with only one candidate, this has been a far from straightforward process for Plaid Cymru.
Adam Price stepped down as leader in the wake of a report identifying a culture of misogyny within the party, so it isn't surprising that calls for a woman to take charge have gained a lot of support.
But the final two MSs to declare their intentions, Sian Gwenllian and Sioned Williams, have decided the leadership isn't for them - leaving the way clear for Ynys Môn MS Rhun ap Iorwerth.
The suggestion by Ms Williams for a "co-leader" muddies the waters further. A co-leader needs someone else to get involved - but who?
Plaid Cymru say the official timetable, with nominations closing in a week, hasn't changed - so Mr ap Iorwerth still has seven days to wait - unless someone changes their mind at the last minute. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65850741 |
Canada wildfire smoke live updates: Worst air in years hits Washington DC and Philadelphia - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
Lucy Letby: Babies died within 72 hours of nurse's text, jury told - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The nurse denies attacking a baby to gain the attention of a doctor she allegedly "had a crush on". | Liverpool | Lucy Letby, 33, is accused of murdering babies on a neonatal ward
Two babies died and a third collapsed within 72 hours of Lucy Letby telling a colleague she would be "back in with a bang" after her holiday, a court heard.
The neonatal nurse, 33, is charged with murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 10 others at Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.
Manchester Crown Court heard Child O and P, two brothers in a set of triplets, died in June 2016.
Ms Letby, from Hereford, denies all of the allegations against her.
Jurors were told the accused was on holiday in Ibiza with friends when the triplets were born.
In a text message to a fellow nurse ahead of her return to work, Ms Letby said she would "probably be back in with a bang", the court heard.
Prosecutor Nick Johnson KC said "within 72 hours of that text" Child O and P had both died and Child Q - who was unrelated to them - had collapsed.
Ms Letby accepted there were no health concerns about the triplets, who cannot be named for legal reasons, when they were born.
She agreed their birth was "big news" on the neonatal unit and that it was the first time she had ever come across naturally conceived triplets in her career.
Lucy Letby was on holiday with friends in Ibiza when the triplets were born
Ms Letby denied attacking Child O on her first day back at work in order to gain the attention of a doctor who prosecutors have suggested she "had a crush on".
She has previously told jurors she was not in love with the registrar - who cannot be named for legal reasons - and they were just friends.
Jurors were told Ms Letby texted him that morning: "Bit rubbish that you couldn't stay on nnu (neonatal unit).
"You may get time for lunch though if on clinic."
Mr Johnson asked her: "Were you disappointed he was not there?"
She said: "Yes, I enjoyed working with [the doctor]."
Mr Johnson said: "Were you missing him?"
Ms Letby said: "No, this was my first day back at work."
Mr Johnson said: "Did you want to get his attention?"
Mr Johnson asked: "Is that the reason you sabotaged [Child O]?"
Lucy Letby has been giving evidence for a 13th day at Manchester Crown Court
Jurors were told that up to 90 minutes later, Ms Letby called for help from the registrar, who was working in a neighbouring nursery.
The prosecutor asked her: "Were you trying to get his attention?"
Ms Letby said: "Yes, I wanted him to be with (Child O)."
Mr Johnson said: "Personal attention as well?"
Letby said: "No, he was the registrar on the unit that day."
Ms Letby, who was Child O's designated nurse, called for the doctor's assistance at about 13:15 BST after the infant vomited following a milk feed 45 minutes earlier.
Medical entries showed the accused signed for the feed but, giving her 13th day of evidence, Ms Letby told the court that the child was actually fed by a student nurse she was mentoring.
Mr Johnson said: "You deliberately overfed [Child O], didn't you?"
Ms Letby replied: "No I didn't. I was not feeding this baby."
The court was told Ms Letby had noted Child O's appearance was "mottled" and his abdomen was "red and distended".
Mr Johnson reminded the nurse the unit's head consultant Dr Stephen Brearey had recalled an "unusual rash" on the right side of Child O's chest wall, which later disappeared.
The prosecutor asked her: "Is that what you saw as well?"
Mr Johnson told the court that Child O's mother had noticed "changing" skin discolouration and "prominent veins", while Child O's father observed "something oozing through his veins".
He asked the accused: "Do you agree with the descriptions?"
Ms Letby replied: "I didn't see anything like that."
Mr Johnson said: "You saw a sort of blotchy, purply/red rash?"
The defendant agreed a liver injury sustained by Child O - discovered after his death - must have been inflicted during the shift.
She told the court: "I don't know how that has happened."
Mr Johnson said: "You injected [Child O's] stomach with gas down the [nasogastric tube], didn't you?"
The nurse said: "No, I didn't."
Mr Johnson said: "You injected air into his circulation."
Mr Johnson said: "And through some violent mechanism, you inflicted that liver injury on him."
Child O continued to decline throughout the afternoon and died at 17:47.
Mr Johnson accused Ms Letby of then turning her attention to Child O's brother, Child P, who was also in her care.
The prosecutor said: "You had already put your plan into motion by pumping [Child P] before you left, hadn't you?"
Mr Johnson went on: "You overfed [Child P] some time between 6pm and handing him over at 8pm, didn't you?"
The defendant is alleged to have murdered Child P the following day with more injections of air.
Child P suffered an acute deterioration five minutes after a doctor examined him on the morning ward round, the court heard.
Again, Ms Letby's alleged love interest was among medics to respond to an emergency crash call, the court heard.
Mr Johnson asked the defendant: "Were you trying to attract [the doctor's] attention?"
Mr Johnson said: "Did you enjoy being in these crisis situations with [the doctor]?"
Mr Johnson said: "Did it give you something to talk about and message about?"
The nurse said: "No, [the doctor] and I were friends."
Mr Johnson said: "The reason you crash called was because you had injected air down his [nasogastric tube]?"
A further deterioration happened just before 12:30 when the registrar and another doctor were in a tea room and they heard a call for help from the accused.
The second doctor - who also cannot be identified for legal reasons - has previously told the jury that Ms Letby went on to say to her: "He's not leaving alive is he?"
The accused said she could not recall the conversation.
Mr Johnson said: "Did you enjoy making predictions when you knew what was going to happen?"
"No," said the defendant.
Child P continued to decline and was pronounced dead at 16:00.
Mr Johnson put it to the defendant that she was "falling over yourself" to message a colleague about the boy's death later that evening.
Ms Letby said: "No, I told her out of respect."
She added it was "common practice" to try and make nursing staff aware of such outcomes before they walked on to the unit and found out.
Mr Johnson said: "She was at the races. Why didn't you just leave her alone?"
The accused said: "She was asking me."
Mr Johnson said: "Did you enjoy the drama?"
The nurse also denied she attempted to murder Child Q, a baby boy, the following day by "pumping him with a clear fluid".
Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-65844522 |
Busy escalator in South Korea suddenly changes direction - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | null | People were thrown to the floor and others tried to escape over the sides of the escalator. | null | An escalator carrying dozens of people at a train station in South Korea suddenly changed its direction, resulting in three people going to hospital with serious injuries.
A number of other passengers at Sunae station in the Budang-gu, south of Seoul, suffered minor injuries in the incident, according to Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Department. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-65841868 |
Hot weather: New health alert as weekend temperatures to hit 30C - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
Canada fires shroud New York City with orange haze - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
France stabbing: Video appears to show Annecy attacker in playground - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | null | Footage shows a man with a knife attacking people at a playground in Annecy, France, this morning. | null | Footage shows a man with a knife attacking people at a playground in Annecy, France, this morning and also shows the man being chased through a park.
Four children were injured in a knife attack in a playground and two adults were also hurt, French authorities have said.
Police have said the man who carried out the attack was shot in the legs, overpowered, and arrested. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65821879 |
Canada wildfires: US East Coast sees worst air quality in years - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden latest: Leaders announce 'Atlantic Declaration' economic agreement - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The "economic partnership" is not the same as a free trade deal, but is designed to strengthen ties. | US & Canada | A proper free trade deal still not on the agenda
Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden are keen to stress the economic special relationship. The announcements in the “Atlantic Declaration” indicate a closer relationship on technology, defence and green industries. The UK car industry wanted a “critical minerals agreement” to be signed with the US - opening up British car exports to be treated in the US like domestic-produced vehicles in terms of significant green subsidies. The declaration confirms that negotiations will now begin - though Japan signed an equivalent deal with the US three months ago, and the equivalent US-EU deal has already been drafted. The US and UK will now co-operate on critical supply chains, and economic resilience in the face of shocks. But what the friendly language of the declaration omits, though, is that the UK is not planning to follow the US on its path of massive tax subsidies for green investment. The White House believes this is creating hundreds of thousands of highly-paid manufacturing jobs, in left behind areas, helping with net zero ambitions and reducing economic reliance on China. Sunak is trying to keep in tune with this revolution in US economic policy without following it. The same Bidenomics policies also mean that what was thought of as one of the great prizes of Brexit - the ability to do a proper free trade deal with the US - is not on the US agenda. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-us-canada-65827895 |
Just Stop Oil eco-zealots writing Labour energy policy - Sunak - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
France knife attack: Children seem stable after French playground attack - mayor - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The mayor of Annecy tells French media that children injured in the knife attack are "out of the operating room". | Europe | We're going to pause our live coverage now - but you can keep up to date on this story in our main article here.
This is a distressing story - if you need support you can find organisations which can help using BBC Action Line.
Today's page was brought to you by Sam Hancock, James FitzGerald, Adam Durbin, Samuel Horti, Jennifer McKiernan, Alex Therrien, Owen Amos, Nathan Williams and Dulcie Lee.
Thanks for joining us. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/65843586 |
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas to stand down at next election - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The first ever Green MP says her role meant she had struggled to focus on climate issues. | UK Politics | Caroline Lucas became the first ever Green Party MP after being elected in 2010
Caroline Lucas, the Green Party's former leader and only MP, has announced she will stand down at the next general election.
Ms Lucas said the pressures of her role meant she had not been able to focus on "the challenges that drive me - the nature and climate emergencies".
She thanked her supporters, who she said had "put the politics of hope above the politics of fear".
She was elected for Brighton Pavilion in 2010, becoming the first Green MP.
Ms Lucas, who had two stints as Green leader, has increased her majority at every election since, winning by a margin of almost 20,000 votes in 2019.
The MP's decision comes a month after her party lost control of Brighton and Hove council, despite making record gains in May's local elections in England.
In an open letter, Ms Lucas said it had been the "privilege of my life to serve this extraordinary constituency and community".
She said: "I have always been a different kind of politician - as those who witnessed my arrest, court case and acquittal over peaceful protest at the fracking site in Balcombe nearly 10 years ago will recall.
"And the truth is, as these threats to our precious planet become ever more urgent, I have struggled to spend the time I want on these accelerating crises.
"I have therefore decided not to stand again as your MP at the next election."
The Green Party's co-leader, Carla Denyer described Ms Lucas as a "force of nature" and said the party was "so proud of her achievements".
Ms Denyer - her party's candidate for the Bristol West constituency - said Ms Lucas's record "demonstrates how essential it is to have Green voices in UK politics".
The party's joint leader, Adrian Ramsay, said the Greens would be "striving to get more Green MPs elected at the next general election so that we can build on Caroline's achievements".
The party won its highest ever vote share of 3.8% in 2015's general election but Ms Lucas was the only Green candidate to win a seat.
Although Ms Lucas remains the only Green MP, the party has enjoyed success in recent local elections.
In England's local elections in May, the Green Party won more than 240 seats and made history in Mid-Suffolk, taking control of the council for the first time.
The Greens have traditionally performed best in urban areas, such as Brighton and Bristol, but the party concentrated its campaigning firepower on rural, traditional Tory areas.
Labour is now expected to focus efforts on trying to win the seat after taking control of Brighton and Hove Council from the Greens in May.
Labour sources point to the Greens facing anger locally over their management of the council and to their gains at the expense of the Greens in wards that map onto the parliamentary constituency.
One local party source said: "In May's local elections residents in Brighton delivered a damning and decisive verdict on the Green Party - with Labour winning nearly twice as many councillors as the Greens in Caroline Lucas' seat.
"Labour will continue to make the case to voters in Brighton Pavilion that we are the only party with the answers to the serious challenges facing the country."
Ms Lucas's first period as Green leader was between 2008 and 2012, before her second as co-leader with Jonathan Bartley for two years from September 2016.
The Brighton Pavilion MP said she came into politics "to change things".
She said she had put a universal basic income on the political agenda, secured the first parliamentary debate in a generation on drug law reform, and been involved in the addition of a natural history GCSE to the syllabus.
She told the BBC she was "definitely not quitting" politics, or "retiring with my knitting".
"I think right now, the Greens are at such as exciting stage," she said. "Working to get more Greens elected is my priority."
Ms Lucas is the latest senior MP to announce her departure from Parliament at the next election, which is expected to be held in 2024.
Dozens of MPs have stated their intention leave the Commons, including former health secretary Matt Hancock, the former deputy prime minister, Dominic Raab, and former SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65842115 |
Plaid Cymru: New leader should be a woman, says Leanne Wood - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Leanne Wood says Plaid Cymru needs a female leader who "understands the issues of misogyny". | Wales | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood would like to see a woman as the party's new head
The next leader of Plaid Cymru should be a woman, according to the party's former leader Leanne Wood.
Plaid Cymru is looking for a new leader after Adam Price stepped down following Nerys Evans' report which said there was bullying and misogyny within the party.
So far only Rhun ap Iorwerth has put himself forward as a possible leader ahead of the deadline next week.
Plaid Cymru said it had acted on several recommendations in the report.
Speaking to BBC Wales Live, Ms Wood said the work that was needed to be done within the party "would be easier made by a woman politician who really understands the issues of misogyny".
"Mainly because she probably would have experienced them at some point through her life," she continued.
Five women are eligible to stand as Plaid Cymru's next leader, but three have already ruled themselves out of the race.
The remaining two, Sian Gwenllian and Sioned Williams, have not yet given an indication of whether they intend to enter the contest.
Adam Price stepped down as Plaid leader in May after a report found a "toxic culture" within the party
Ms Wood said she would back a female candidate over Mr ap Iorwerth.
"If there was a woman challenging him I would vote for a woman for all those political reasons that I've outlined," she said.
"I mean, if he's elected as leader I will be loyal to him and I will work with him.
"But, he will be aware that there's areas of policy where he takes positions when the party might not have the same position as him, like nuclear.
"That's going to be a challenge and I very much hope that he will take a broad view and different people's views into account rather than be single minded about some of these issues."
Leanne Wood (left) was interviewed by Bethan Rhys Roberts for BBC Wales Live
Mr ap Iorwerth said: "It's good to see colleagues and members engaging in a discussion about what they see as the priorities for Wales.
"I'm standing on a platform of bringing the party together so we can focus positively on the challenges we face, and on providing a compelling vision of what Wales can be."
Ms Wood said she believed the leadership race should involve more than one candidate.
"I don't think it's healthy to have a coronation," she said.
"A contest ensures that issues where there are differences of opinions, and there are issues where there are differences of opinion in Plaid Cymru, get properly aired and people get to take a view and a vote."
Ms Wood was ousted as leader of Plaid Cymru in 2018 and lost her seat as Member of the Senedd for Rhondda in 2021.
She admitted there were issues when she was leader.
''There were historic issues and incidences especially on the sexual harassment side of things," she said.
But Ms Wood claimed there "wasn't this toxic culture amongst the staff".
"That is a new development," she added.
One of the key recommendations from the recent report into the party was the importance of establishing human resources (HR) provision.
Ms Wood said during her leadership the party "never had a HR department".
"We're not a big political party," she said.
"We've got a small number of head-office staff. The chief executive is responsible for HR so there is a HR function but it isn't a department.
"There has been some issues around this definitely but these things are issues the party are looking at now."
Ms Wood says the party has big job to do to rebuild trust
Refusing to rule out a return to frontline politics, Ms Wood said Plaid Cymru needed to understand what had gone wrong in recent years.
"It means really looking at and accepting that some of the behaviours that have happened in the past really can't continue," she said.
"From small things like shouting in meetings, to being hostile to each other online, to the many more serious issues like domestic abuse that we've experienced with one of our MPs and other issues that are pending in the pipeline.
"We've got a big job of building trust again and creating a party where everyone feels safe and welcome to participate in."
Plaid Cymru said: "Many of the issues highlighted have been foregrounded in the Project Pawb report.
"Work was under way prior to its publication on strengthening the party's HR processes, and structures that give staff an active voice have been formalised.
"Several of the recommendations in Nerys Evans' report have already been implemented and Plaid Cymru reaffirms its commitment to prioritising this work to ensure that the party is a safe, inclusive and respectful space for all."
For more on this story watch Wales Live on BBC iPlayer
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65833797 |
Canada wildfire smoke: Flights grounded across US east coast - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | US officials warn reduced visibility from smoke will continue to impact air travel on Thursday. | US & Canada | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Airports across the US east coast have been experiencing delays as smoke from Canada's wildfires continues to limit visibility on Thursday.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) paused all flights inbound for New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport.
The FAA also grounded flights headed to New York's LaGuardia Airport and Philadelphia International Airport.
Over 1,000 flights were delayed by mid-morning, according to Flight Aware.
"Reduced visibility from wildfire smoke will continue to impact air travel today," the FAA announced on Twitter.
The FAA said they will likely need to take steps throughout the day to manage the flow of traffic and will keep real-time flight information at fly.faa.gov.
After pausing flights headed toward Philadelphia from the north east, mid-Atlantic and Ohio early Thursday morning, the FAA said flights there have resumed.
Flights from the north east, Ohio and mid-Atlantic headed to LaGuardia airport remain paused.
American Airlines announced it is waving the change fee for passengers at airports with Thursday and Friday flights through 25 airports because of wildfire smoke delays.
Millions of people are under air quality alerts in the US and Canada.
As Canadian firefighters struggle to control the 400 wildfires raging across the country, smoke blanketed much of the eastern part of the country and the East Coast. The haze blotted out New York City's famed skyline and drew comparisons to Mars and a post-apocalyptic scene.
Health officials in both countries have issued warnings about potentially dangerous air quality and pollution.
There are more than 150 fires burning in Quebec alone, but according to the province's premiere, Francois Legault, there are only enough firefighters to tackle 40 of the infernos.
At a news conference Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said more than 230 fires are raging out of control and more than 20,000 people have evacuated their homes.
"Firefighters are stepping up. First responders are stepping up in harrowing situations to save their fellow citizens," Mr Trudeau said.
If fires continue to burn at this rate, Canada could be facing its worse wildfire season on record. So far this season, approximately 3.8 million hectares (9.39 million acres) of land has burned.
The White House has said it will send support to Canada to help battle the fires.
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
Smoke from the infernos has travelled south, enveloping New York City in a haze so thick that tourists could barely see the iconic Statue of Liberty.
Officials have said residents should expect poor air quality and the smoky haze to linger until Thursday evening in Toronto and much of Ontario.
Air quality in New York is projected to remain "unhealthy" until Thursday, while Washington, DC also braces for poor air levels as the smoke moves south.
Experts have warned those in the areas impacted by the smoke to take warnings about low air quality seriously.
The low air quality can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. As air conditions worsen, it can become harder to breathe and cause stress on the lungs and heart, especially for those with pre-existing conditions. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65839336 |
Prince Harry says he is taking legal action to stop hate towards him and Meghan - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
Sarah Jessica Parker to make West End debut with husband Matthew Broderick - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Sex and the City actress will star opposite her husband Matthew Broderick in Plaza Suite. | Entertainment & Arts | Sarah Jessica Parker (pictured in the Broadway production) is best known for playing Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City
Sarah Jessica Parker will make her West End debut next year as she stars opposite her husband Matthew Broderick in Plaza Suite.
The adaptation of Neil Simon's 1968 play will open at the Savoy Theatre in January.
Parker and Broderick have already starred in the Broadway production, which enjoyed a successful 19-week run.
The show sees the two actors play three different couples who stay in one famous hotel room.
The first couple, Karen and Sam Nash are a long-married pair whose relationship is under strain as they approach their anniversary.
The second, Muriel Tate and Jesse Kiplinger, are former high school sweethearts whose adult lives have taken them in different directions.
The third couple, Norma and Roy Hubley, are the mother and father of a bride who is refusing to leave the suite's bathroom to attend her own wedding.
All three acts of the play are set in Suite 719 of the Plaza hotel in New York.
Parker and Broderick will play three different married couples who stay in the same hotel room at different times
Plaza Suite enjoyed a successful 19-week run on Broadway before announcing its West End transfer
In a three-star review of the Broadway production, the Guardian's Alexis Soloski said the real-life couple "have a flagrant enjoyment in playing opposite each other, which is the best and maybe the only reason to book in".
Variety's Daniel D'Addario wrote: "The show itself is somewhat lost in time. But Parker and Broderick's chemistry, expertly honed, makes it feel timeless."
Parker won two Emmy Awards for playing Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, a role she has since reprised in spin-off series And Just Like That.
She has also appeared in films such as Hocus Pocus, Failure to Launch and I Don't Know How She Does It.
Broderick, who last starred in the West End in 2019 in the Starry Messenger, has appeared in Inspector Gadget, The Cable Guy and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
He has won two Tony Awards for is performances in Brighton Beach Memoirs and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
John Benjamin Hickey, who directed the new adaptation of Plaza Suite on Broadway, will also direct its West End transfer.
It will play at the Savoy Theatre from 15 January until 31 March 2024.
• None Kim Cattrall to appear in Sex and the City revival | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65847291 |
Boy who died in school incident named as Hamdan Aslam - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The 14-year-old died in hospital after an incident at St Kentigern's Academy in West Lothian 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 14-year-old boy who died following an incident at a school in West Lothian has been named locally as Hamdan Aslam.
Emergency services were called to St Kentigern's Academy in Blackburn on Tuesday afternoon.
The teenager was taken to hospital but died shortly afterwards.
It is understood another 14-year-old boy was involved in the incident which the school has described as isolated. Police Scotland said inquiries were ongoing.
There has been widespread rumour and speculation about the cause of Hamdan's death online and in the media, but police have said they will not comment until after a post-mortem examination is carried out on Thursday.
West Lothian Council said further information would be shared in due course.
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
Head teacher Andrew Sharkey said the school was "devastated to learn of the tragic death of one of our pupils".
He added: "Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends and we extend our deepest condolences and offers of support."
The school - where singers Lewis Capaldi and Susan Boyle are former pupils - remains open and pupils were being supported.
Pupils gather to look at floral tributes at St Kentigern's Academy
Local people and pupils left floral tributes and messages to the pupil outside the school building on Thursday.
First Minister Humza Yousaf responded to a question about the tragedy during First Minister's Questions at Holyrood on Thursday, calling for an end to rumour and speculation around the incident.
He said: "This is the worst tragedy. Anybody who is a parent will know there cannot be a worse fear or nightmare that a parent has than losing a child.
"I cannot think what the family are going through and I know the whole community including the school community has been deeply affected."
He said an appropriate investigation would take place and if appropriate, lessons should be learned by educational institutions and government.
Floral tributes have been left at the school
Bathgate Mosque paid tribute to the dead schoolboy in a statement, which said: "The recent passing of Hamdan of Greenrigg/Harthill, son of Aslam and Robiena, has left the community devastated, especially with the loss of a young life.
"During these difficult moments, the family needs our support and prayers."
It went on to say: "It is crucial that we refrain from making assumptions and speculations regarding this tragedy.
"We will notify the community once the Janaza has been confirmed, and we request everyone to show respect and compassion towards the family in this challenging time." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-65843677 |
Heat health alert as parts of UK set for 30C - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Parts of the country are predicted to be hotter than Marbella, Ibiza and Tenerife in the coming days. | UK | The grass is already parched in London's Hyde Park
A weekend heat-health alert has been raised from yellow to a more severe amber warning in eastern and southern England, and the Midlands.
The amber alert - in place from 09:00 BST on Friday - indicates high temperatures could affect all ages and impact the health service.
The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), continues until 09:00 BST on Monday.
Temperatures are forecast to hit 30C and some thunderstorms are expected.
Parts of the country are predicted to be hotter than Marbella, Ibiza and Tenerife in the coming days as a plume of warm air moves in from the south, the Met office says.
A less severe yellow alert, which advises people to check on vulnerable family and friends, is in place for the north of England and London.
The UKHSA first issued a heat alert on Wednesday, but raised it saying the temperatures would rise rapidly in affected areas with temperatures high overnight.
A Met Office yellow warning for thunder is also in place for all of Wales and large parts of southern England from 14:00 BST until 21:00 on Saturday.
This means there is a chance of disruption to travel, power cuts and some localised flooding from the heaviest showers.
During the period of hot weather, the UKHSA advises people to:
A spokesman for the UKHSA said it was difficult to predict the exact impact of higher temperatures on the health service but additional pressure would come from vulnerable groups suffering in the heat.
That includes people over 65, those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions and children.
Ahead of the hot weather, the UKHSA has been in touch with groups which work with older people, such as care homes, to offer guidance.
Andy Cole, the assistant chief fire officer from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, urged people to be "vigilant" this weekend and avoid using disposable barbecues or starting campfires.
There was a "record number" of wildfires last year, he said, adding that Dorset and Wiltshire saw a "roughly 400% increase" compared to the year before, with 911 recorded.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cole said wildfires were "extremely dangerous" and can take a lot of resources from the fire service.
Climate change is making heatwaves in the UK more likely and more extreme.
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 and is aimed at reducing illness and deaths among the most vulnerable.
There is one further alert, not yet issued, representing the most serious risk. The red alert means there is a significant risk to life even for healthy people and a severe impact likely across all sectors.
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-65849525 |
Matt Hancock feared being pushed down tube escalator, court hears - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Ex-health secretary Matt Hancock says he feared being pushed down an escalator by Geza Tarjanyi. | UK | Matt Hancock told the court he felt "unsafe going about my place of work"
Former health secretary Matt Hancock said he had never felt as intimidated when an anti-vaccination protester accused him of murdering people during the Covid pandemic, a court has heard.
Geza Tarjanyi, 62, is accused of shoulder-barging the MP and shouting "ridiculous conspiracy theories".
He has denied causing harassment without violence.
Appearing as a witness, Mr Hancock said he feared being pushed down an escalator by the protester.
"As a public figure, I can't recall a time when I felt as intimidated as this," he told Westminster Magistrates' Court.
On the first occasion on 19 January, Mr Hancock was passing an anti-vaccination protest, along with a member of his staff, near Parliament where Mr Tarjanyi filmed him.
During the five-minute interaction, Mr Tarjanyi asked the MP for West Suffolk why he had "killed so many people" and shoulder-barged him, the court heard.
The ex-minister said he felt "physically intimidated" and described Mr Tarjanyi, from Leyland, Lancashire, as being "completely unreasonable".
He continued: "It made me feel unsafe going about my place of work, it made me feel frustrated that instead of engaging in a normal debate, someone was trying to intimidate me, I thought that was unacceptable.
"I had a pretty good impression he had been taken over by these ridiculous conspiracy theories."
Mr Hancock said one of the reasons he did not report the incident on 19 January was because he did not want "these people with these untrue beliefs to get further publicity from harassing me".
A few days later on 24 January, after Mr Hancock had breakfast with the prime minister, Mr Tarjanyi followed him through Westminster underground station and on to a train for about 10 minutes.
He again accused the MP of murdering people, the court heard.
Mr Hancock said he recognised the defendant and felt "more intimidated" because he was on his own and tried to get Transport for London (TfL) staff to intervene.
But Mr Tarjanyi began harassing "anybody who was going to come to my aid", he told the court.
The 44-year-old said he stopped at the top of the escalator to "resolve the situation" but felt the defendant pushing him towards it.
"Obviously I was extremely worried at this time. If I had lost my balance at that point, I would have tumbled down the escalator," he said.
"I was being pushed from behind," said Mr Hancock, adding: "I had to work to maintain my balance and stop myself falling down the escalator."
Both men then got on to a Jubilee Line train where Mr Tarjanyi accused the former health secretary of "murdering millions of people" before they were separated at Bond Street station, the court heard.
Footage of the second incident from the defendant's phone showed him calling Mr Hancock a "murderous scumbag" and saying lockdown amounted to harassment of the country due to his "lies and deceit".
Parveen Mansoor, defending, said Mr Tarjanyi denies any physical contact and believes it was Mr Hancock who "barged into him".
Meanwhile, prosecutor Nutan Fatania said Mr Hancock was "left shaken up by both incidents" and was concerned for his own safety.
Mr Hancock became a household name during the Covid pandemic when he regularly spoke for the government as health secretary under the then-prime minister, Boris Johnson.
The following year he was forced to resign after images were published showing him kissing one of his advisers, Gina Coladangelo, who has since become his partner.
He remains suspended as a Tory MP for taking time off from his parliamentary duties to appear on I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! in November 2022.
The trial has been adjourned until 4 July. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65846044 |
Multi-cancer blood test shows real promise in NHS study - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Galleri test revealed the correct site of a tumour 85% of the time in a study with 5,000 patients. | Health | A blood test for more than 50 types of cancer has shown real promise in a major NHS trial, researchers say.
The test correctly revealed two out of every three cancers among 5,000 people who had visited their GP with suspected symptoms, in England or Wales.
In 85% of those positive cases, it also pinpointed the original site of cancer.
The Galleri test looks for distinct changes in bits of genetic code that leak from different cancers. Spotting treatable cancer early can save lives.
The test remains very much a "work in progress", the researchers, from Oxford University, say, but could increase the number of cancers identified.
Often, patients have symptoms, such as weight loss, with a range of possible causes and require multiple tests and hospital visits.
More than 350 of those in the study - the biggest of its kind in patients with suspected cancer symptoms - were subsequently diagnosed with cancer, using traditional methods such as scans and biopsies. About:
Although not accurate enough to "rule in or rule out cancer", the test was really useful for patients lead researcher Prof Mark Middleton told BBC News.
"The test was 85% accurate in detecting the source of the cancer - and that can be really helpful because so many times it is not immediately obvious when you have got the patient in front of you what test is needed to see whether their symptoms are down to cancer," he said.
"With that prediction from the test, we can decide whether to order a scope or a scan and make sure we are giving the right test the first time."
The findings will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference, in Chicago.
The NHS has also been using the Galleri test, developed by Californian company Grail, in thousands of people without symptoms, to see if it can detect hidden cancers.
Initial results are expected next year - and, if successful, the NHS in England plans to extend the rollout to a further one million people in 2024 and 2025.
The test is particularly good at finding hard-to-spot cancers such as head and neck, bowel, lung, pancreatic, and throat cancers.
Dr David Crosby, from Cancer Research UK, said: "The findings from the study suggest this test could be used to support GPs to make clinical assessments - but much more research is needed, in a larger trial, to see if it could improve GP assessment and ultimately patient outcomes."
NHS national director for cancer Prof Peter Johnson said: "This study is the first step in testing a new way to identify cancer as quickly as possible, being pioneered by the NHS - earlier detection of cancer is vital and this test could help us to catch more cancers at an earlier stage and help save thousands of lives." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65775159 |
Donald Trump told he could face charges over classified documents - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Prosecutors are investigating the potential mishandling of classified files after he left the White House. | US & Canada | Donald Trump has been told he is a target of a criminal investigation over the potential mishandling of classified files after he left the White House.
A move by federal prosecutors to notify the ex-president of a criminal probe suggests he could soon faces charges.
If that happened, it would be the second indictment of Mr Trump, who is campaigning once again to be president.
Prosecutors have been looking into the transfer of files to Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago Florida estate since last year.
The beachside property was searched last August and 11,000 documents were seized, including around 100 marked as classified. Some of these were labelled top secret.
On Wednesday, three sources familiar with the matter told the BBC's US partner CBS News that Mr Trump had been informed he was being investigated.
Mr Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and has described the investigation as politically motivated.
When asked by the New York Times if he had been told he is a target of a federal investigation on Wednesday, he said "you have to understand" that he was not in direct touch with prosecutors.
CNN, ABC News, and Politico all reported on Wednesday night that Mr Trump had been notified by letter that he was the subject of a criminal investigation.
All the outlets said the move signalled charges could happen soon, but that it was possible a person would not go on to be charged.
The New York Times cited two people familiar with the matter as saying the notification came from the office of Jack Smith, a former war crimes attorney turned special prosecutor who is considering evidence.
It comes after prosecutors obtained an audio recording of Mr Trump in which he acknowledges keeping a classified document after leaving the White House.
The details of documents that may have been in Mr Trump's possession remain unclear. Classified material usually contains information that officials feel could damage national security if made public.
It is against US law for federal officials, up to and including a president, to remove or retain classified documents at an unauthorised location.
Grand juries, set up by a prosecutor to determine whether there is enough evidence to pursue a prosecution, are believed to have met in both Miami and Washington to hear evidence.
On Wednesday, the jury in Miami heard evidence from Taylor Budowich, a former aide and spokesman to Mr Trump.
It raises the possibility that any criminal charges could be filed in Florida for procedural reasons, CBS reported.
Earlier this week, members of Mr Trump's legal team met with investigators at the Department of Justice in Washington.
Mr Trump, who is leading in opinion polls to be the Republican Party's 2024 candidate for president, has consistently denied wrongdoing and has criticised the justice department's investigation as "politically motivated" and a "witch-hunt".
Any indictment over his handling of classified documents would come after Mr Trump became the first former president to be charged with a crime, 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. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65839912 |
Edinburgh short-term lets plan ruled unlawful - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The licensing scheme to regulate Airbnb-style lets had been due to come into force later this year. | Edinburgh, Fife & East Scotland | The policy is aimed at cutting the number of flats in the city that are used as short-term holiday lets
A plan to regulate Airbnb-style lets in Edinburgh has been ruled unlawful by a judge less than four months before it was due to come into force.
Operators and landlords opposed to the scheme took the city council to court last month.
After a two-day hearing at the Court of Session, Lord Braid agreed that part of the proposal was unlawful.
The decision was hailed as a "victory for law and common sense" by the group that brought the case.
The council wants to introduce the licensing scheme in response to concerns about the high number of short-term lets in the capital - particularly in the city centre.
It argues that the lettings have exacerbated housing shortages and fuelled anti-social behaviour.
Hosts have until 1 October to apply for a licence, with people who list whole properties on sites such as Airbnb also needing to apply for planning permission.
Renting out a room in your own home, or letting your home while on holiday, would still be allowed.
Opponents of the scheme raised £300,000 through crowdfunding for a judicial review at the Court of Session, which was said to be largest amount raised for a case in the UK.
The case centred on a presumption against allowing entire flats within tenement blocks to be used as holiday lets unless their owners could demonstrate why they should be exempt.
Lord Braid ruled that the presumption was unlawful and that the lack of provision for temporary licences and requirement for some hosts to supply floor coverings went beyond the council's powers.
He said the policy was unlawful because it breached existing laws on what licensing authorities could do under the law.
The judge wrote: "It is not the function of the respondent's licensing authority to decide that a licence should not be granted because a property is of a particular type or is in a particular area.
"For the respondent to adopt a normal practice of not granting an short term licence for premises in a tenement, even where planning permission had been granted, is irrational and contrary to the purposes of the overall statutory scheme.
"It would be perverse and oppressive for the respondent, upon receipt of a licensing application, to require an applicant to obtain planning permission for a tenement property; and thereafter, planning permission having been obtained, to refuse the licence for no other reason than that the property was in a tenement."
The Scottish government says that in certain areas - particularly tourist hot spots - high numbers of lets can cause problems for neighbours and make it harder for people to find homes to live in.
Supporters of the licensing scheme say short-term lets are causing a housing shortage and increasing anti-social behaviour in the capital
Council leader Cammy Day said he made "absolutely no apology for seeking to protect our residents" despite the ruling.
He added: "It is no secret that we face unique housing pressures here in Edinburgh, with a small but densely populated city centre and fast growing population, and it's crucial for us to strike the right balance between promoting our visitor economy while looking after the people that live here all year round.
"Our residents have told us that, in many cases, short-term lets are hollowing out their communities, reducing housing supply and increasing housing costs.
"We can't forget that many have endured years of disturbance and anti-social behaviour and we will continue to work hard to get this right."
Mr Day said the court had "acknowledged our intention to find a solution to this and agreed that it was legitimate to use both planning and licensing policy", with the council now considering its next steps.
A statement issued by the petitioners in response to the judgement said they hoped it would lead the council and government to "seek a fresh approach that aims to collaborate and work with local operators of self-catering accommodation, recognising the many good things it brings to the economy and people of Scotland".
It added: "As the largest crowdfunded case in the history of the UK, the petitioner team are deeply grateful to the many small, local businesses that supported the campaign financially in such uncertain times.
"That grass roots support made it possible for us to take this action, challenging both licensing and planning surrounding short-term lets in Edinburgh and the potential wider impact across urban and rural Scotland."
Fiona Campbell, chief executive of the Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers, welcomed the ruling, which she said would also have ramifications for other licensing schemes across Scotland.
She said: "The Scottish government need to go back to the drawing board on short-term let regulation and engage constructively with industry to provide a regulatory framework that works for all stakeholders."
The proposals were approved by the council's planning committee last year after 88% of the 5,600 people who responded to a consultation on the proposals supported the introduction of the licensing scheme.
Eilidh Keay from tenants' union Living Rent Edinburgh said the decision "demonstrates how a small group of people can use their money and power to weaponise the legal system to their advantage".
She said: "This flies completely in the face of democracy and the will of the people.
"Edinburgh needs homes, not holiday lets. In coming down in support of short-term let operators, this decision seems to have forgotten that Edinburgh is in the midst of a housing crisis.
"It is disgusting that the profit of short-term let operators should be put before the needs of tenants, residents and communities for homes." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-65846327 |
Prince Harry survives his courtroom high wire act - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
West Ham trophy parade draws huge east London crowds - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | null | Crowds in east London celebrate West Ham football club's first major trophy for 43 years. | null | Crowds have lined the streets to celebrate West Ham football club's Europa Conference League final victory over Fiorentina.
The win meant that West Ham achieved the club's first major trophy for 43 years.
Fans of David Moyes' team gathered to watch the trophy parade through the streets of London. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65851408 |
HSBC reopens mortgage offers after criticism from brokers - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The bank said on Thursday it would temporarily pull new deals, indicating mortgage market pressures. | Business | HSBC reopened channels for new mortgage deals temporarily on Friday after swiftly pulling down the shutters a day earlier.
The bank had said it would remove its "new business" residential and buy-to-let products on Thursday, with deals available again on Monday.
However, it temporarily allowed applications via brokers again for a short period on Friday.
The mortgage market has been in a state of some turbulence.
Mortgage rates have been rising since recent data showed that inflation was not coming down as quickly as expected.
There have been predictions that the Bank of England will raise rates higher than previously thought, from their current 4.5% to as high as 5.5%.
It has prompted many lenders to raise mortgage rates and also to remove deals.
HSBC said on Thursday that it was withdrawing new deals "to ensure that we can stay within our operational capacity and meet our customer service commitments".
Brokers had expressed surprise at the speed of the withdrawal, which came initially with about four hours' notice, only for them to be pulled after less than three hours.
However, on Friday, it opened the channel again.
"We remain open to new mortgage business, however to help ensure that new customers get the best possible service, we occasionally need to limit the amount of new business we can take each day via broker services," an HSBC spokesman said.
Products and rates for existing customers were still available.
How have mortgage rate rises been affecting you? You can share your experiences via:
Mohamed El-Erian, former deputy director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and president of Queens' College at Cambridge University, said HSBC had made the "very dramatic move" on Thursday because it judged its sustainability was threatened.
"People expect that the cost of mortgages will go up and you will accelerate your demand for getting that mortgage. Why pay more tomorrow when you can pay less today?
"If you're HSBC, you see lots of people turn up wanting mortgages and you worry about two things. One is: will I make money on those mortgages? Two is: can I operationally handle these?" he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Nationwide, Britain's biggest building society, also said it would raise some of its fixed mortgage rates for new borrowing from Friday, which it said would ensure they "remain sustainable."
Financial data firm Moneyfacts said it has seen several mortgage providers hiking rates on deals over the past week.
On Thursday, the average two-year-fixed-rate mortgage rate on the market was 5.82%, according to Moneyfacts, up from 5.49% at the start of June.
Meanwhile, the average five-year deal was 5.49%, up from 5.17% since the start of the month.
Some brokers criticised the change by HSBC, with one saying lenders should give notice of a "minimum of 24 hours".
Riz Malik, founder and director at R3 Mortgages in Southend-on-Sea, said the move "really underscored the turbulent times we're currently facing in the mortgage market".
Mr El-Erian said as a result "people are getting more anxious", which would probably contribute to a slowdown in economic activity.
He said the only way to deal with the growing unease was for the government to tackle underlying inflationary pressures in the economy.
"Most central banks made the mistake in 2021 of calling inflation transitory, and transitory is a very dangerous word. If I tell you something is transitory, I'm telling you it's temporary, reversible, don't worry about it, don't change your behaviour.
"But it turned out inflation was persistent and therefore central banks were late and society as a whole was late to adjust to higher inflation," he told the BBC. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65850366 |
Strictly dancer Amy Dowden says breast cancer surgery went well - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Stars are wishing the Strictly dancer well as she starts treatment for grade three breast cancer. | Wales | The dancer says she is thankful for "all the support" as she starts treatment
Strictly Come Dancing's Amy Dowden has given fans a positive update after she underwent surgery for breast cancer.
The 32-year-old spoke of her surgery success in an Instagram post on Thursday after the start of her treatment for the disease.
The dancer, from Caerphilly, revealed last month that she had been diagnosed with grade three breast cancer.
Co-stars and fans were among those wishing her well on social media.
"Step one to beating cancer! Rrrrrrready for this fight and more determined than ever to get back on the dancefloor," Amy wrote in an Instagram post shared on Wednesday afternoon.
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Soon after, comments began appearing from friends, fans and fellow Strictly stars.
Tom Fletcher, one of her former partners on the show, said: "Sending you all the love today. Us Fletchers are right behind you."
Co-star Gorka Márquez replied "you got this", while Dianne Buswell said she was "sending all that energy your way my love".
Stacey Dooley, Zoe Ball and Helen Skelton all also commented in support.
On Thursday Amy added an update to her Instagram story saying her surgery had gone well, thanking the surgeons and nurses who she said were "utterly amazing".
Amy thanks the hospital staff who looked after her in a recent Instagram story
"Very sore but focusing on the positives they said the surgery went well! Thanks for all the support and messages," she added.
The star, who became a Strictly Come Dancing professional in 2017, revealed that she had breast cancer in May.
Amy, seen here on Strictly come dancing with contestant JJ Chalmers, has said she wants to get back on the dancefloor
Already a campaigner for awareness for Crohn's disease, Amy said she hoped sharing her diagnosis would help others and herself in her recovery.
"If I can try and turn this negative into a positive, it's going to help me get through this," she said at the time.
The dancer discovered the lump in April, a day before she was due to fly on her honeymoon to the Maldives with husband Ben.
"I was in the shower and I felt this hard lump in my right breast," said Amy.
"I was in shock. I checked again. I thought: 'Right, it could just be period-related, or so many things. I decided I was going to keep an eye on it for a few weeks."
She said one of her first thoughts was how long it would take her to get back on the dancefloor.
The star did not reveal the full details of her treatment plan, but thanked people for their support in her most recent post. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65843555 |
Stay ahead in AI race, tech boss urges West - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The chief executive of a software firm says adversaries must not be allowed to catch up. | Technology | A protester calling for the AI race to be stopped
A major tech company, which has just announced extra UK investment, has rejected calls to pause the development of artificial intelligence (AI).
Fears about the technology have led to demands for new regulation, with the UK calling a global summit this autumn.
But the boss of software firm Palantir, Alex Karp, said it was only those with "no products" who wanted a pause.
"The race is on - the question is do we stay ahead or do we cede the lead?" he told the BBC.
Mr Karp told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the West currently held key commercial and military advantages in AI - and should not relinquish them.
"It's not like if we slow down, the AI race will stop. Every country in the world - especially our adversaries - cannot afford for us to have this advantage," he said.
"Studying this and allowing other people to win both on commercial areas and on the battlefield is a really bad strategy."
Mr Karp's comments strike a very different tone to the recent glut of dire warnings about the potentially existential threat AI poses to humanity - and accompanying calls for its development to be slowed or even halted.
Regulators worldwide are scrambling to devise new rules to contain its risk.
The government says the UK will host a global AI summit this autumn, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak saying he wanted the UK to lead efforts to ensure the benefits of AI were "harnessed for the good of humanity".
It is not yet known who will attend the summit but the government said it would "bring together key countries, leading tech companies and researchers to agree safety measures to evaluate and monitor the most significant risks from AI".
Mr Sunak, currently meeting US President Joe Biden in Washington DC, said the UK was the "natural place" to lead the conversation on AI.
Downing Street cited the prime minister's recent meetings with the bosses of leading AI firms as evidence of this. It also pointed to the 50,000 people employed in the sector, which it said was worth £3.7bn to the UK.
However, some have questioned the UK's leadership credentials in the field.
Yasmin Afina, research fellow at Chatham House's Digital Society Initiative, said she did not think that the UK "could realistically be too ambitious".
She said there were "stark differences in governance and regulatory approaches" between the EU and US which the UK would struggle to reconcile, and a number of existing global initiatives, including the UN's Global Digital Compact, which had "stronger foundational bases already".
Ms Afina added that none of the world's most pioneering AI firms was based in the UK.
"Instead of trying to play a role that would be too ambitious for the UK and risks alienating it, the UK should perhaps focus on promoting responsible behaviour in the research, development and deployment of these technologies," she told the BBC.
Interest in AI has mushroomed since chatbot ChatGPT burst on to the scene last November, amazing people with its ability to answer complex questions in a human-sounding way.
It can do that because of the incredible computational power AI systems possess, which has caused deep unease.
Two of the three so-called godfathers of AI - Geoffrey Hinton and Prof Yoshua Bengio - have been among those to sound warnings about how the technology they have helped create has a huge potential for causing harm.
In May, AI industry leaders - including the heads of OpenAI and Google Deepmind - warned AI could lead to the extinction of humanity.
They gave examples, including AI potentially being used to develop a new generation of chemical weapons.
Those warnings have accelerated demands for effective regulation of AI, although many questions remain over what that would look like and how it would be enforced.
The European Union is formulating an Artificial Intelligence Act, but has acknowledged that even in a best-case scenario it will take two-and-a-half years to come into effect.
EU tech chief Margrethe Vestager said last month that would be "way too late" and said it was working on a voluntary code for the sector with the US, which they hoped could be drawn up within weeks.
China has also taken a leading role in drawing up AI regulations, including proposals that companies must notify users whenever an AI algorithm is being used.
The UK government set out its thoughts in March in a White Paper, which was criticised for having "significant gaps."
Marc Warner, a member of the government's AI Council, has pointed to a tougher approach, however, telling the BBC some of the most advanced forms of AI may eventually have to be banned.
Matt O'Shaughnessy, visiting fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said there was little the UK could do about the fact that others were leading the charge on AI regulation - but said it could still have an important role.
"The EU and China are both large markets that have proposed consequential regulatory schemes for AI - without either of those factors, the UK will struggle to be as influential," he said.
But he added the UK was an "academic and commercial hub", with institutions that were "well-known for their work on responsible AI".
"Those all make it a serious player in the global discussion about AI," he told the BBC. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65834085 |
Chris Mason: What Sunak is trying to achieve in the US - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
Stroke: Young people need more support, says survivor - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Nia Phillips says she "felt alone" after her stroke, due to a lack of support. | Wales | Nia Phillips said she felt "angry and frustrated" at what happened to her
A woman who had a stroke at 20 is calling for more support for younger people like her, saying there was "next to nothing" in her case.
Nia Phillips, 24, of Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, said strokes were traumatic for anyone, but having one in your 20s "is something else entirely".
She said she was left feeling as if she was alone in the aftermath.
The Welsh government said it was "committed to improving support for stroke survivors of all ages".
In 2019, Ms Phillips was studying for a Psychology degree in London.
One Saturday morning, just two weeks before celebrating her 21st birthday, she was struck down with a crippling headache.
"The pain was horrendous it was unlike anything I'd experienced before" she said.
"My vision was blurred, I could barely lift my head from the pillow, and I kept being sick."
She said the out-of-hours GP sent her home with painkillers, saying it was a hangover.
After starting university in London, Nia Phillips completed another degree and graduated from Cardiff University
After little improvement, Ms Phillips returned home to Ammanford, where her mother insisted she went to hospital.
A scan revealed she had suffered a blood clot on her brain and faced the possibility of months, if not years, of recovery.
With her university life at an end and her social life on hold, she found herself in a dark place.
"I felt angry and frustrated at what had happened to me. My friends of the same age were still able to go out and do the things people in their 20s do but, suddenly, I couldn't."
Nia Phillips was a university student in London at the time of her stroke
Ms Phillips said she felt a lack of support: "There were no flyers or leaflets offering information on how to meet up groups of other young stroke survivors, it felt as if I was alone.
"I can't help but feel that if this had happened to me in my 70s there would have been a lot more help available. Regarding support for young people, it feels like there is next to nothing."
Austin Willets, CEO of Different Strokes, a charity which works specifically with young stroke survivors described Ms Phillips' story as "disheartening" but "not as uncommon as you would think".
"There are many urgent and unique challenges faced by younger stroke survivors and isolation is often overlooked."
"It would have helped to receive a little information about support groups specifically for younger people," said Nia Phillips
According to the Stroke Association, there are about 1.3 million stroke survivors in the UK, with almost 70,000 in Wales and about 25% of strokes happen to someone of working age or younger.
Katie Chappelle, the charity's associate director for Wales, said: "We need funding to support young stroke survivors with their treatment and recovery, particularly in areas that most impact them, such as returning to education or work."
The Welsh government said its quality statement for stroke outlined its "commitment for improving outcomes and we will continue to work closely with the Stroke Association, the stroke programme board and programme team to maximise opportunities to do this".
A spokesman also said funding was provided for speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and others who could provide the rehabilitation needed to maximise people's recovery. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65838338 |
Every home burglary scene now attended by officers, say police chiefs - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The National Police Chiefs' Council says it met its target to improve domestic burglary responses. | UK | Officers in England and Wales have met a target to attend every domestic burglary scene, police chiefs have said.
The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) made the pledge in a new set of standards announced last year.
The NPCC's Deputy Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith said they wanted to end the "postcode lottery" on policing.
But he said the policy had only had a modest impact so far on how many burglaries were being solved.
A report in August 2022 by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found most victims of burglary, robbery and theft were not getting the justice they deserved.
Announcing the target, the NPCC cited College of Policing evidence suggesting higher rates of attendance after a burglary would make victims feel safer and help with investigations.
Now the NPCC has announced that all 43 forces in England and Wales had successfully implemented the new policy by March this year.
DCC Franklin-Smith told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the target being met was a positive step and would help remove regional discrepancies in the quality of policing.
He explained: "Police chiefs up and down the country want to make sure that there isn't a postcode lottery when it comes to reporting and being a victim of such crime.
"It's great that we're able to make sure that there is this consistency in response - if you do phone your local force, you will get a response, and we will do everything we can do to identify those responsible."
There were more than 271,000 incidents of burglary recorded by police in 2022, data from the Office for National Statistics shows.
But according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, which is carried out by Kantar Public on behalf of the ONS, actual rates are much higher because of the number of crimes which go unreported.
The figures from both show the number of burglaries has been gradually coming down over the last 10 years.
DCC Franklin-Smith said the number recorded by the police had fallen by 50% and levels were now back to pre-Covid levels after rising during the pandemic.
But according to the NPCC, the number of people brought to justice for the crime remains low. Less than 5% of burglaries across England and Wales were solved in 2021/22.
Asked if the policy was leading to a rise in the number of burglaries being solved, DCC Franklin-Smith said: "We're seeing a slight increase," but he cautioned: "I think it would be wrong at this stage... to try and claim that we're seeing significant increases."
The Home Office has also created a new way of recording burglaries to make it clearer when a home has been entered by the perpetrator.
The NPCC said that previously a thief entering a home "was treated the same as the loss of a spade from a shed" in the data.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she was "delighted" to see the commitment fulfilled, adding: "This will help increase public confidence and see more criminals caught." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65841813 |
Teen on e-bike dies after being followed by police in Salford - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The 15-year-old boy collided with a moving ambulance after he was followed by police traffic officers. | UK | Flowers have been left at the scene on Langworthy Road in Salford
A 15-year-old boy has died after he was followed by police on his electric bike and was then in collision with an ambulance.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said traffic officers had followed the teenager in Salford until their vehicle's path was blocked by bollards.
The boy then rode on and was in collision with the ambulance, said North West Ambulance Service.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating.
The boy was followed by police officers along Fitzwarren Street and on to Lower Seedley Road at about 14:00 BST before bollards blocked their vehicle's way.
Initial reports said the ambulance was stationary at the time but the North West Ambulance Service said that while its vehicle was not on an active call it was being driven back to a nearby ambulance station.
The crew inside were able to treat the boy immediately before taking him to hospital where he later died.
The mood near to the scene of the crash was sombre on Thursday evening, with the family of the boy understood to live nearby.
Flowers, candles and cards have been left at the scene beside a framed picture of the young boy.
One tribute attached to a bunch of roses read: "Doesn't feel real writing this card. My heart is broken."
Another said: "You will always have a special place in my heart, I love you loads my dude."
Langworthy Road is a busy main road and would have had a lot of traffic on it at the time of the collision.
A police cordon in place there for much of the evening has now been lifted.
In a statement, GMP said the IOPC was now leading the investigation.
"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the boy who tragically died," it said.
The IOPC, which oversees police conduct, said it was "independently investigating the circumstances of a serious collision involving an e-bike and an ambulance in Salford".
"Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones, as well as all those affected by this tragedy," its spokesman said.
"We were notified by Greater Manchester Police due to the fact a police vehicle had been following the e-bike shortly before the collision.
"We have sent investigators to the scene of the collision, at the junction of Langworthy Road and Lower Seedley Road, as well as to the police post-incident procedures, to begin gathering evidence."
He added the IOPC would provide "further details once we are in a position to do so".
Last month, 15-year-old Harvey Evans and 16-year-old Kyrees Sullivan were killed in an e-bike collision in Cardiff after being followed by a police van. Their deaths sparked a riot in the area.
Were you in the area? Did you witness the incident? You can share your experiences by emailing [email protected].
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65850704 |
Alexander Kareem: £20,000 reward offered in mistaken identity murder - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Aspiring computer scientist Alexander Kareem, 20, was shot in Shepherds Bush in 2020. | London | Alexander Kareem was killed in what police believe was a case of mistaken identity
The family of an aspiring computer scientist killed in a suspected case of mistaken identity have pleaded for people to come forward with information.
Alexander Kareem, 20, was shot dead in Shepherds Bush on 8 June 2020.
On the third anniversary of his death, his siblings urged people to speak up.
His siblings Khafi, 33 and Kabir, 29 called for those responsible to hand themselves in or risk living with a "heavy conscience".
Alexander was shot on Askew Road in the early hours as he was travelling to a friend's house on a scooter. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
It is believed the assailants drove past him in a white Range Rover and shot him in a case of mistaken identity.
A white Range Rover was later found burnt out three miles away in Ealing
Nine people arrested in connection with the investigation have been released without further action.
A £20,000 Crimestoppers reward is available for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of his killers.
Khafi, who has served as a Met Police officer since 2010 but is not involved in the investigation, said: "I never thought we'd still be here doing appeals three years on.
"You can't kill people and get away with it - what kind of society is that?
"No day goes by where I still don't think about Alex".
Addressing his killers, she added: "You will not get away with this. We cannot rest.
"He's not going to die in vain."
Kabir, who has created a music video on YouTube in tribute to his late brother, said: "From the entire family there's sorrow (and) high levels of frustration.
"It's been so long since it's happened and there's still been no closure in terms of anyone being caught or actually held accountable for Alex's killing.
"That's put a lot of us in quite a dark space, and we want to move forward from the incident.
Det Insp Rebecca Woodsford said: "Three years have now passed but our determination to achieve justice for Alexander and his family is undiminished."Over time people change and allegiances change. Those who know something that could help us may now feel like they want to talk to us, and my officers are ready to listen."If you're reading this and you know anything - anything at all - please come forward.
"It is not too late to do the right thing.
"Nothing will ever heal the pain of losing him, but you can help bring them some small comfort by helping us catch those responsible."
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65837164 |
Sgt Matiu Ratana: Jury fires gun allegedly used to kill Met sergeant - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Jurors are allowed to fire in court an antique revolver used to allegedly murder Sgt Matiu Ratana. | London | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
An antique revolver alleged to have been used to kill a Metropolitan Police sergeant has been shown to a jury.
Louis De Zoysa, 25, denies murdering Matiu Ratana, 54, with a gun concealed in an underarm holster at Croydon Custody Centre in September 2020.
Ballistics expert Anthony Miller told jurors the gun did not go off by accident when Sgt Ratana was shot.
Jury members were allowed to hold the gun, loaded with dummy bullets, and fire it at the court ceiling.
The prosecution alleges Sgt Ratana, who was also known as Matthew and was the on-duty custody sergeant, was killed when Mr De Zoysa "pulled the trigger on purpose four times", while he was handcuffed in a holding cell.
The first and second shots hit Sgt Ratana, the third hit the wall during a struggle with officers and a fourth hit Mr De Zoysa in the neck, causing brain damage, the court has heard.
The prosecution alleges Sgt Matiu Ratana was shot twice by the antique revolver
He is being assisted by an intermediary during his trial as a result of his injuries and uses a whiteboard because of communication difficulties, jurors have heard.
Speaking in short and simple sentences so Mr De Zoysa could follow proceedings, Mr Miller told Northampton Crown Court about "rigorous testing" he had carried out on the revolver: "I dropped it on the ground, I struck it with a cloth-faced hammer and I generally treated it roughly."
Asked by prosecutor Duncan Penny KC if the gun had gone off "by accident" during this rigorous testing, Mr Miller said it had not.
Mr Miller explained the gun was completely safe to be used in the court room and had been loaded with dummy bullets, although it was aimed at the ceiling while being fired as an extra precaution.
He told the court he had examined both the revolver as well as the ammunition that was recovered after the incident.
Mr De Zoysa bought the antique revolver in an online auction in June 2020, the court heard
Imran Khan KC, defending Mr De Zoysa, told the jury on Wednesday the defendant had been suffering an autistic meltdown at the time of the shooting and "did not mean to or want to kill Sergeant Ratana, or to cause him really serious harm".
The court has previously been told Mr De Zoysa has an autistic spectrum condition.
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-65844758 |
El Niño planet-warming weather phase has begun - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Storms, droughts and record high temperatures lie ahead as US scientists confirm El Niño has arrived. | Science & Environment | A natural weather event known as El Niño has begun in the Pacific Ocean, likely adding heat to a planet already warming under climate change.
US scientists confirmed that El Niño had started. Experts say it will likely make 2024 the world's hottest year.
They fear it will help push the world past a key 1.5C warming milestone.
It will also affect world weather, potentially bringing drought to Australia, more rain to the southern US, and weakening India's monsoon.
The event will likely last until next spring, after which its impacts will recede.
For months, researchers have been increasingly confident that an El Niño event was set to emerge in the Pacific Ocean.
"It's ramping up now, there have been signs in our predictions for several months, but it's really looking like it will peak at the end of this year in terms of its intensity," said Adam Scaife, head of long-range predictions at the UK Met Office.
"A new record for global temperature next year is definitely plausible. It depends how big the El Niño turns out to be - a big El Niño at the end of this year, gives a high chance that we will have a new record, global temperature in 2024."
This natural phenomenon is the most powerful fluctuation in the climate system anywhere on Earth.
The El Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, as it is properly called, has three different phases: Hot, cold or neutral.
Workers in Peru clean up after a storm as a coastal El Niño impacted the coast
The hot phase, called El Niño, occurs every two to seven years and sees warm waters come to the surface off the coast of South America and spread across the ocean pushing significant amounts of heat up into the atmosphere.
Record warm years, including 2016, the world's hottest on record, usually happen the year after a powerful El Niño event.
Weather agencies around the world use different criteria to decide when this hot phase is upon us.
For scientists in the US, their definition requires the ocean to be 0.5C hotter than normal for a month, the atmosphere must be seen to be responding to this heat and there must be evidence the event is persisting.
These conditions were met in the month of May. In a statement, US National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that "El Niño conditions are present".
"This is a very weak signal. But we believe that we're starting to see these conditions and that they will continue to intensify," said Michelle L'Heureux, a scientist with NOAA.
"Our weekly value is actually 0.8C this past week, which is even stronger."
Heat and drought will likely hit parts of Asia as a result of El Niño
The researchers believe this event has an 84% chance of exceeding moderate strength by the end of this year.
They also say there's a one in four chance of this event exceeding 2C at its peak, which is getting into the territory of a "super El Niño".
The impacts of the onset of El Niño will likely lag behind by a few months but will be felt all over the world.
Researchers expect these will include drier weather conditions in Australia and parts of Asia, with potential weakening of the monsoon in India. Southern US states will likely be wetter in the coming winter. El Niño normally strengthens drought conditions in Africa.
If experience is anything to go by, there will be a large human and economic cost to this oncoming weather event.
The strong El Niño in 1997-98 cost over $5 trillion with around 23,000 deaths from storms and floods.
There's also a strong likelihood that this year's version will push 2024 past 2016 as the world's hottest year.
Smoke from forest fires is having a dramatic impact on New York
Global temperatures are currently hovering around 1.1C above the average in the period from 1850-1900.
But an El Niño event could add up to 0.2C to that figure, pushing the world into uncharted temperature territory, and close to breaking the symbolic 1.5C guard rail, a key element of the Paris climate agreement.
Researchers recently said that breaking this limit temporarily was more likely than not in the next few years.
"We're actually likely to see global mean temperatures that might become more of a regular thing in five to ten year's time, so it does give us that sort of portal on the future." said Michelle L'Heureux.
"And I think that's why it's alarming to some people, because these are our new thresholds. And El Niño is providing an accelerant on that." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65839060 |
West Ham to hold Europa Conference League victory parade in East London - BBC Sport | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | null | West Ham will celebrate their Europa Conference League triumph with an open-top bus parade in east London. | null | Last updated on .From the section West Ham
West Ham will celebrate their Europa Conference League triumph with an open-top bus parade around east London on Thursday evening.
Jarrod Bowen scored a 90th-minute winner to secure a dramatic 2-1 win over Fiorentina in Prague on Wednesday.
It is West Ham's first major trophy since 1980 and their first in Europe since 1965.
"It will be fantastic to see fans from across London fill the streets," said West Ham chairman David Sullivan.
"This trophy belongs to you, and it will be fantastic to all share in the moment. It is time to celebrate."
A specially commissioned bus will carry players and staff from the junction of Green Street and Barking Road, adjacent to the Boleyn Pub, to the Old Town Hall in Stratford on West Ham Lane.
The parade will start at 19:00 BST and is expected to reach the Old Town Hall at 20:00.
The journey resembles that taken by the legendary 1965 squad containing Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, who were met by tens of thousands of supporters to celebrate their Cup Winners' Cup triumph.
Sullivan said: "I could not be more proud of this magnificent football club. Proud of how far we have come over the last decade. Proud of the manager, the backroom team, and all the staff, who have done a fantastic job.
"And proud of all the players, from our amazing homegrown talent to our brilliant international stars, who have given us a night and a triumph that will live forever.
"But most of all, I want to pay tribute to the Hammers fans, the Claret and Blue Army, who have once again shown they are the best in the world."
• None We promised Rice he could leave West Ham - Sullivan
• None 'Moments Moyes and West Ham will never forget'
• 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/65842218 |
Piers Morgan 'injected' information into Prince Harry stories, court told - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A former royal reporter says then-editor Piers Morgan took a "really genuine interest" in coverage. | UK | A former Daily Mirror royal editor said her former boss Piers Morgan would "inject" information into her stories without explaining where it was from.
Jane Kerr was giving evidence in Prince Harry's hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
He claims the papers unlawfully obtained private information about him, which MGN denies.
Mr Morgan has consistently said no illegal newsgathering happened on his watch.
Ms Kerr, who worked for the Daily Mirror's royal team from 1996 to 2007, told the High Court that Mr Morgan would add snippets of information into stories she had authored.
She said he might have been speaking to "someone at the palace" but she would not know who.
Ms Kerr added that Mr Morgan, who was editor of the paper from 1995 to 2004, took a "really genuine interest" in the coverage.
In her written witness statement, Ms Kerr said he "engaged with the Palace press offices and would occasionally direct or inject information into a story".
Prince Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 by MGN - the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and the People - contained information gathered using unlawful methods.
A sample of 33 stories are being scrutinised during this case, a number of which were written by Ms Kerr.
She was asked about a story reporting that a young Prince Harry had taken drugs at parties, which included reports that Prince Charles had been "hugely relieved" to have been told his son had only used cannabis "spliffs".
Prince Harry's barrister, David Sherborne, put it to her that this was private information which could have been obtained from listening to voicemail messages, asking: "Where did you get the quotes from Ms Kerr?"
She replied: "I can't say for sure where I got them from, I can't remember - it's possible Piers gave them to me, it's possible the Palace. I don't remember."
Mr Sherborne responded: "You're saying the Palace would have given you what Prince Charles said in highly sensitive meetings with his son?"
She repeatedly said that she could not remember the sources of stories published decades ago.
The questioning has focused on additional details added by Ms Kerr while following up on stories already in other papers.
In March 2002, she wrote about Prince Harry catching glandular fever, reporting that "Harry's friends and William have teased him about the illness because it is spread through saliva, usually by kissing".
The prince told the court during his evidence that these suggestions were upsetting and embarrassing at the time as he was still at school.
Ms Kerr told the court she could have got the information from the Palace, despite the media having been told during this period that Prince Harry and Prince William were "off-limits" to reporters in the wake of the death of Princess Diana.
"You're suggesting some Palace spokesperson would have casually tossed it to you as a little morsel to add colour to your story?" Mr Sherborne asked.
When she said she did not know where it had come from and could easily have been a "throwaway line", Mr Sherborne said: "That's total speculation, isn't it?"
Ms Kerr said she could not remember the details but would not have got it through any illegal means.
The claims, including Prince Harry's, are being represented by David Sherborne (right)
Mr Sherborne asked: "Or was this something Mr Morgan injected into the article?"
"Possibly but I just don't know," Ms Kerr replied.
Speaking to othe BBC ahead of the trial, Mr Morgan said: "I've never hacked a phone. I've never told anybody to hack a phone."
He has poured scorn on Prince Harry's decision to go to court, telling reporters: "I wish him luck with his privacy campaign and look forward to reading about it in his next book."
Ms Kerr's evidence follows a day-and-a-half of Prince Harry's stint on the stand, the first time a senior royal has given evidence in court for more than 130 years.
He claims that phone hacking was happening on an "industrial scale" at MGN papers, and says illegal methods were used to gather information on him, including on highly private matters.
The case is due to hear from the other claimants involved alongside the prince - Coronation Street actors Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Le Vell, Nikki Sanderson and Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse.
They all allege unlawful methods were used to obtain information for stories and say senior executives must have known about it and failed to stop it, which MGN denies.
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-65842950 |
Rammstein fan Shelby Lynn alleges she was groomed for sex - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Shelby Lynn's allegations triggered a wave of sexual misconduct allegations that the band denies. | Northern Ireland | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Shelby Lynn, 24, from Ballymena, went to see Rammstein in Vilnius
A woman from Northern Ireland has told the BBC she was recruited and "groomed" for sex with the lead singer of the German heavy metal band Rammstein.
Shelby Lynn, who also claims her drink was spiked at a concert in Vilnius in May, first made the claims on social media.
Her allegations triggered a wave of other sexual misconduct allegations against the band's frontman Till Lindemann.
The band have denied the claims.
A spokesman for Rammstein told the BBC an internal investigation was under way with the first results expected early next week.
The band, well known for its flamboyant shows and controversial lyrics, has been engulfed by scandal in recent weeks as a growing number of women claim that they were recruited for sex during concerts.
Like Ms Lynn, some suspect they were pre-selected on social media by a Russian woman, believed to have been a "recruiter" for Mr Lindemann, who invited them to parties before and after the show.
She also gave them access to a restricted area directly in front of the stage, known as "Row Zero".
Ms Lynn, who is 24 and from Ballymena in County Antrim, told the BBC that when she arrived at the venue a man named Joe asked her and other young women to line up.
She said: "He started filming... about four girls, including myself. He got very close to our faces."
Ms Lynn says singer Till Lindemann reacted angrily when she told him she would not have sex with him
She claimed that shortly afterwards he picked her and several other girls to attend a pre-concert party, where she was given alcohol and told Till Lindemann would like to meet her during a brief intermission once the concert began.
"I said: 'Why? Why me? Is this some sort of a sex thing?' [He replied:] 'No, no, no, nothing like that, nothing like that at all. Till's the perfect gentleman.'"
Ms Lynn said she was ushered into a small room underneath the stage.
"As soon as Joe opens the curtains my stomach drops - this is bad, this is a sex thing absolutely.
"This room was no bigger than a Primark dressing room - like teeny tiny, dark black - you could maybe fit four or five people in it.
"Till comes in and I immediately say: 'Till, if you're here for sex. I'm not doing that.'"
The singer, she said, reacted angrily and left.
Ms Lynn, who has emphasised on social media she wasn't sexually assaulted, said her memory of the evening was "blurry" and she recalls feeling nauseous and vomiting at a party after the concert.
She believes her drink was spiked and that she was the victim of an "organised system of funnelling girls".
"I was groomed, 100 percent, no doubt in my mind. I was groomed for sex," she said.
Rammstein initially reacted to her claims last month by releasing a statement online in which the band fully denied them.
On Saturday, after other women came forward with allegations, the band published another statement, saying that they took the accusations extremely seriously.
They condemned any kind of assault but asked their fans not to "pre-judge" them.
A spokesman for the band has subsequently told the BBC that it is now investigating the claims and interviewing staff and crew as part of the enquiry.
Rammstein is currently performing several concerts in Germany.
After demands from several politicians, including the German families minister, Wednesday's show in Munich went ahead with no "Row Zero".
There were specialist "awareness teams" on hand to assist anyone in a vulnerable position.
The spokesman added that the band had severed contact with the Russian woman accused of helping to select women for "Row Zero".
They said private after-show parties with Till Lindemann had been cancelled. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65843882 |
Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden announce green funding agreement - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The UK-US Atlantic Declaration "sets a new standard for economic cooperation", Rishi Sunak says. | UK Politics | UK firms could gain access to US green funding as part of plans to boost UK and US ties announced by Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden.
The pair unveiled the Atlantic Declaration, to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, at a White House press conference.
The PM said the agreement, which falls short of a full trade deal would bring benefits "as quickly as possible".
UK electric car firms may get access to US green tax credits and subsidies.
As the pair unveiled their partnership to bolster economic security, Mr Sunak said the UK-US relationship was an "indispensable alliance".
The Atlantic Declaration, includes commitments on easing trade barriers, closer defence industry ties and a data protection deal and steps up co-operation on AI.
Asked by BBC Political Editor Chris Mason whether the new deal was an "acknowledgement of the failure" to strike a broader trade agreement between the UK and US, Mr Sunak said today's deal "responds to particular challenges and opportunities we face right now".
A UK-US free trade agreement was a key pledge in the Conservative Party's 2019 general election manifesto.
Mr Sunak insisted the more targeted approach of the declaration was about "what can do the most benefit to our citizens as quickly as possible".
"Be in no doubt, the economic relationship between our two countries has never been stronger," Mr Sunak said.
Plans for a full free trade agreement were abandoned months ago. On the plane ride over to Washington Mr Sunak said: "For a while now, that has not been a priority for either the US or UK."
However, Labour's shadow foreign secretary David Lammy criticised Mr Sunak, saying the government has left "Britain's cupboards bare" by not securing a trade deal.
"This statement shows the government has failed to deliver the comprehensive trade deal they promised in the 2019 manifesto, or to secure the ally status under the Inflation Reduction Act that is so important for the automotive sector and for the green transition," Mr Lammy said.
Mr Biden said the special relationship with the UK was in "real good shape", referring to their co-operation on Ukraine.
"Together we are providing economic and humanitarian aid and security systems to Ukraine in their fight against a brutal invasion from Russia," he said.
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The Atlantic Declaration includes plans to mitigate some of the impact of the US flagship Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on the UK economy, with proposals to remove barriers which affected trade in electric vehicle batteries.
Under current policy, the IRA provides tax credit worth $3,750 (£3,000) for each electric vehicle (EV) manufactured in the US, or which use components mined, processed or manufactured in the country.
The UK is already a net exporter of raw materials for EV batteries to the US. But nations without a US trade deal are barred from accessing IRA subsidies.
The Atlantic Declaration commits the UK and US to working on a new critical minerals agreement - which would give buyers of vehicles made using critical minerals processed, recycled or mined by UK companies access to tax credits.
The declaration says the agreement would be launched after consultation with US Congress.
Japan already has a similar deal, which allows Japanese firms to also swerve export duties on minerals used in producing EV batteries.
The declaration also includes a commitment to a "new UK-US Data Bridge" which would allow UK firms to transfer data freely to certified US organisations without paying a levy.
Downing Street estimate the change will affect around 55,000 UK businesses - translating into £92.4m in direct savings per year.
Mr Biden also supported Mr Sunak's plans to set up an international summit on AI safety which will be hosted in the UK later this year.
The prime minister said: "The UK and US have always pushed the boundaries of what two countries can achieve together.
"So it is natural that, when faced with the greatest transformation in our economies since the industrial revolution, we would look to each other to build a stronger economic future together.
"The Atlantic Declaration sets a new standard for economic cooperation, propelling our economies into the future so we can protect our people, create jobs and grow our economies together."
Both Mr Biden and Mr Sunak agreed to carry out work to improve the resilience of supply chains and efforts will be stepped up to shut Vladimir Putin's Russia out of the global civil nuclear market. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65846871 |
NHS struggling to provide safe cancer care, say senior doctors - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Staff shortages are driving up waiting times in all four UK nations, the Royal College of Radiologists says. | Health | The NHS is struggling to provide safe and effective care for all cancer patients, say senior doctors.
The Royal College of Radiologists is warning that all four UK nations are facing "chronic staff shortages", with patients waiting too long for vital tests and treatments.
Half of all cancer units are now reporting frequent delays for both radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Ministers say a workforce strategy for the NHS in England is due shortly.
The plan, which is meant to spell out how the government will plug staffing gaps over the next 15 years, has been repeatedly delayed, to the frustration of some in the health service.
It comes as new figures show 22,533 patients in England were waiting more than two months for either cancer diagnosis or treatment at the end of April, up from 19,023 at the end of March.
The wider NHS waiting list, which includes cancer and non-cancer treatment, also increased further to 7.4 million people, the highest number since records began in 2007.
Carol Fletcher, 57, from Usk in South Wales, says she has faced multiple delays for cancer treatment since being diagnosed last summer.
In June 2022, Carol Fletcher, from South Wales, finally had her routine screening appointment for breast cancer, which was itself overdue.
"It took another eight weeks after my mammogram before I was told there might be something wrong," she said.
Since her cancer diagnosis, there have been more waits - for scans, tests, surgery and then chemo.
"I was told that I might not get results back [quickly] after my mastectomy because they haven't got enough pathologists, so there was another eight-week delay for chemotherapy," she said.
"I can't plan for the future and it's had a huge impact on my family."
NHS services across the whole UK have been struggling to meet cancer targets since well before Covid.
The pandemic increased the backlog, with scans and treatment disrupted by lockdowns.
Across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, one key target is to start treatment within two months of an urgent referral by a GP.
In Wales the measure is slightly different as it includes all urgent and non-urgent referrals.
All four nations are operating well below those levels. In England just 61% of patients start treatment in that time against a target of 85%.
Growing delays are, in part, the flip side of a medical success story.
Scientific progress in cancer care has been remarkable, with cutting-edge drugs offering hope where previously there was little that could be done.
New techniques are more effective but often far more complex for doctors to deliver.
At the same time the UK population is getting older - and as cancer risk is strongly linked to age it means more more demand for expensive scanners, along with more staff to analyse those scans, and more specialist doctors and nurses.
The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) describes the situation as a perfect storm - and says the workforce is struggling to keep up.
Across the four UK nations, it calculates there is now a 15% shortfall of specialist cancer doctors - or clinical oncologists - who deliver chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Without action, it says this gap will grow to 25% - or a shortage of 368 full-time consultants - by 2027.
Just as concerning is an even larger shortage of consultant radiologists - highly trained doctors who interpret scans to diagnose cancer or monitor its progression.
The RCR says for each month a patient waits to start cancer treatment, the risk of death is increased by about 10%.
In its annual survey, 44% of cancer service managers say they are now "highly concerned" about patient delays, up from 29% in the previous year.
"There are examples in almost every cancer centre where parts of the service just aren't running as well as we would like," said Dr Tom Roques, a consultant oncologist and vice-president of the RCR.
"We're having to tell patients all the time that we can't quite treat them as quickly as we would like, or in the way that we'd like, and that's a stressful thing to have to do."
Kevin O'Hara was diagnosed with kidney cancer after a motorbike accident.
Kevin O'Hara, 60, from County Durham, broke five ribs in a motorbike accident last November.
A scan of his upper body also picked up a shadow near one of his kidneys that was later diagnosed as cancer.
He was offered drug treatment meant to slow the growth of the tumour and - in early February - was told the waiting list for surgery would be three to four months.
That period has now been and gone but he is still waiting for a date for his operation.
"Every day you are waiting and waiting and nothing changes," he said.
"I come home from work and go to the door and, when there's no envelope that says NHS on the top, I just get so depressed."
There is another trend in cancer care which is often overlooked.
The last decade has seen a dramatic increase in people coming forward to get checked after spotting a possible symptom such as an unusual lump, strange mole or unexplained weight loss.
The reasons for that are complex and include a bounceback in demand since Covid, stronger guidance for GPs to refer to cancer specialists, major NHS publicity drives and the work of campaigners such as "Bowelbabe" Deborah James.
Cancer doctors view the spike in demand as a "very good thing", as a growing proportion of patients are now diagnosed earlier when cancer is easier to treat.
But it also puts more pressure on NHS services, with waiting times for diagnosis and other scans one of the key bottlenecks in the system.
Since Christmas there have been some signs of progress, with the NHS in England reducing the backlog of long waits for treatment and hitting one of its other standards - for faster diagnosis - for the first time.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. In Blackpool, the NHS has hit its skin cancer targets by changing the way patients are diagnosed, in an approach which is now being rolled out across England.
The RCR also says there is a "chink of light" - with recruitment of oncologists rising over the last three years, particularly in parts of the country with the worst staff shortages.
It wants each UK nation to increase medical school places and training posts, and says more also needs to be done to stop experienced staff cutting their hours or leaving the profession early.
The Department of Health said that the total number of full-time staff in the cancer workforce in England had risen by 51% to 33,093 since 2010.
A spokesman added: "We want to build on this progress and will publish a workforce plan shortly to ensure we have the right numbers of staff, with the right number of skills."
The Scottish government is also expected to publish its new 10-year cancer strategy within weeks, setting out ways to attract and retain more staff.
The Welsh government recently published a cancer improvement plan and says it is now investing heavily to train more staff and build more diagnostic and treatment centres.
In Northern Ireland, the health department said it is "extremely disappointing" that cancer targets are being missed. It has recently opened two new rapid diagnostic centres and started a "cancer strategy workforce review".
Has your treatment been affected by the junior doctor strikes? Are you a doctor with a view on the strikes? You can share your experiences by emailing [email protected].
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65764755 |
Warning firms may use brain data to watch workers - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The data watchdog examined a range of potential future uses of “neurotech” in a new report. | Technology | Companies in the future may use brain-monitoring technology to watch or hire workers, the data watchdog says.
But there is a real danger of discrimination if "neurotech" is not developed and used properly, the Information Commissioner's Office says.
Tech Futures: Neurotechnology is the first ICO report on "neurodata", data from the brain and nervous system.
Workplace monitoring is one of a number of hypothetical future uses of neurotech explored in the report.
It comes as companies such as Elon Musk's Neuralink explore new ways to let computers connect to human brains.
"Based on all the indicators that we're looking at, we're seeing quite rapid growth, both in investments and in patents being developed in this area," the ICO's Stephen Almond told BBC News.
Neurotech is already used in the healthcare sector, where there are strict regulations, the ICO says.
Electronic implants in the brain of Gert-Jan Oskam, paralysed in a cycling accident 12 years ago, enabled him to walk again.
And commercial interest in the technology is growing.
Neuralink has won permission for human trials of its implantable brain-computer interface and is reportedly now worth $5bn (£4bn) though a long way from a commercial product.
Artificial Intelligence is also opening up new possibilities, with research projects now able to decipher sentences and words just from brain scans. This might eventually help patients with locked-in syndrome, who are conscious but cannot move or speak.
But the report focuses on technologies that might emerge in the future, which it uses as hypothetical examples to explore the issues raised by neurodata.
In four to five years, the ICO suggests, "as employee tracking expands, the workplace may routinely deploy neurotechnology for safety, productivity and recruitment".
Helmets or safety equipment might measure the attention and focus of an employee in high risk environments.
And bosses might use it to assess how individuals reacted to workplace stress, Mr Almond said.
In the longer term in education wearable brain monitoring devices might be used to measure students' concentration levels and stress levels.
"Neuromarketing" is already in limited use in small, controlled research settings - with consumers' responses to products assessed using medical devices that measure brain activity - although, there is significant debate about its merits
In the future, "non-invasive devices capable of reading responses may be used at home to tailor consumer preferences", the ICO says.
In one admittedly far-fetched example the report imagines in the future neurotechnology-enabled headphones might gather data used to target advertising.
It also sees growth in gaming and entertainment - some games and drones are already controlled by devices that take readings of the brain.
But the ICO is worried the technology could cause discrimination, unless developed carefully.
The technology itself could be biased, giving incorrect answers when analysing certain groups, Mr Almond said.
But there was also the risk bosses could use it to discriminate against "certain types of more neurodivergent characteristics".
It might reveal conditions of which the subject themselves was unaware.
And it raised tricky questions around consent. Neurodata is subconsciously generated, the report says, and people have no direct control over the specific information which is disclosed.
"If you don't know what the technology is going to reveal about you, can you really consent in advance to the processing of that personal data about you?" Mr Almond said. "Because once it's released into the open, you then have relatively lower control over it."
The ICO hopes to complete new neurodata guidance by 2025. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65822889 |
Rishi Sunak to raise trade issues in US talks with Joe Biden - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
Ukraine dam: Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of shelling flood evacuees - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Thousands of people are being evacuated from flood-hit Kherson after the breach of the Kakhovka dam. | Europe | We've been looking at how people in the Russian-occupied areas of Kherson are coping with the vast floods that have affected it.
Arkady is from the town of Oleshky in the Russian-occupied part of Kherson region.
In November 2022 he and his mother left the town for Russia but his 73 year old father stayed. On the day the dam was breached, Arkady phoned his father and told him to pack and leave immediately.
“I said 'just grab your documents and jump in the car'. This was at 08:00 am. Two hours later, electricity was gone and so was mobile connection. I couldn’t reach him," he says.
“Only a few hours later I heard from neighbours and friends that he hadn’t had time to leave and was waiting for rescue on the roof of his house.”
Arkady says his father wanted to stay to look after the family’s two dogs and make sure the house didn’t get looted.
“Now everything is under water - most of the house and the car.”
Dnipro’s left bank, occupied by Russia in the Kherson region, is lower than the right and it is estimated that the damage caused by the dam breach could be even more severe than to the Ukraine-controlled area. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-65839574 |
Racism in Northern Ireland 'feels like a blade' - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Maureen Hamblin describes the verbal insults she deals with on a regular basis in Northern Ireland. | Northern Ireland | Maureen Hamblin has spoken out on the racism she experiences in Northern Ireland
"If every person of colour reported racism, people would be shocked at the horrific stuff that happens."
Maureen Hamblin, a mother-of-three living outside Belfast, has spoken out about her experiences of racism, which she says occurs on a regular basis.
She said she had witnessed a change in attitudes in Northern Ireland since the Brexit referendum in 2016.
"What Brexit did for me was to show me the closet racists, because they couldn't hide anymore."
Warning: Contains language some people may find offensive
Born in Kenya, Ms Hamblin moved to Dublin when she was 12 and then to Belfast in 2014.
In the latest incident, she said a crowd of young men followed her and her sons, shouting racial slurs and making monkey noises.
She posted a video online following the incident in Hazelbank Park in Newtownabbey, County Antrim, last week.
Police have confirmed they are investigating a report of a race-motivated hate incident in the area, adding that there was "no place for hate and we take reports of this nature incredibly seriously".
Ms Hamblin said the incident was not a new occurrence.
"The last time something like that happened to me was three years ago, when I was pregnant with my youngest," she said.
"I was walking in Orangefield Park. They called me the 'N-word' and cycled really close to me and I almost fell in the stream."
Living in Northern Ireland, Ms Hamblin said she encountered "microaggressions" on a daily basis.
She explained that it is the smaller acts of racism that "feel like a blade".
"It's the little things, it's the not being welcome, it's the little comments - especially about my hair and just people saying really insensitive things," she said.
Mrs Hamblin was once asked if she "had been electrocuted" due to her hair
She said she had experienced people pointing and laughing at her natural afro hairstyle, strangers gripping their purses when they see her and others "just straight up talking about me, as if I wasn't there".
She feels there is a misperception of black women moving to Ireland to have children and receiving government support - which Mrs Hamblin believes is the reason she experiences higher levels of racism when she is in public with her sons.
During her second pregnancy, an estate agent challenged Mrs Hamblin's income when she told him she did not receive any state benefits.
"He told me 'I don't believe that,'" she said.
Mrs Hamblin's story comes as the Equality Commission publishes new research that suggests racism is a part of tolerated life for many living in Northern Ireland.
Researchers surveyed 55 people from ethnic minority and migrant backgrounds who found attitudes to them in Northern Ireland were perceived to have worsened after Brexit.
The participants of the study also found their rights and entitlements had become more complicated since the referendum and they didn't feel like they were a priority for the government of Northern Ireland.
Chief commissioner Geraldine McGahey said racism is having a devastating impact in Northern Ireland
"It is disturbing that the most striking findings of this recent research are that people from minority ethnic and migrant groups said that racism was a normal part of their daily life in Northern Ireland and that women are particularly exposed to racism," said chief commissioner Geraldine McGahey.
"We know racism is not new to Northern Ireland, and its impact is devastating," she said.
"The findings of this research report and our ongoing work with the sector make for uncomfortable truths."
Mrs Hamblin said Brexit showed what she called "the closet racists" coming out.
"It was almost as if they were like 'we're going to go crazy', and the rise of political leaders who were not scared to really make that a thing," she said.
She explained that she would have previously experienced racism from groups of teenagers and people from lower socio-economic areas, "but now you're literally not safe anywhere".
"There's an emboldening of people to just do and say whatever they like," she added.
The incident at Hazelbank Park was her first logged complaint with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, but she said she felt it necessary to speak up and raise awareness.
"I'm scared to go to places now," she said.
"I just want a better life for my kids and for myself because I have made the island of Ireland my home."
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story you can contact the BBC Action Line. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65837418 |
Catching the men who sell subway groping videos - BBC News | 2023-06-08T00:00:00 | 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 |
Canada wildfires: Smog spreads south as cities see relief - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The smog in Toronto, New York and Washington lifts a little, but the US South may now see more haze. | US & Canada | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Canada's most populous city, Toronto, has won some respite from wildfire smoke, along with major US east coast cities as the haze heads south.
Air quality in New York and Washington DC also improved from hazardous levels for the first time in two days.
But unhealthy air quality is forecast to hit several southern metropolitan cities, including St Louis, Missouri and Louisville, Kentucky.
Canada wildfire smoke has left millions under health alerts this week.
The wildfires brought some of the worst levels of air pollution in decades, cancelling outdoor activities and flights in both the US and Canada.
As of Friday, more than 400 wildfires continued to rage in Canada, including over 200 that are considered out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Officials have urged residents to avoid going outside as much as possible and to wear masks when venturing outdoors, especially for vulnerable populations.
Experts say exposure to wildfire smoke can cause a host of health issues, such as an elevated pulse, chest pain and inflammation in the eyes, nose and throat.
Canadian forecasters said on Friday that air quality would continue to improve over the weekend in southern Ontario, although it remains poor in northern Ontario and western Quebec.
Weather over the next few days might bring showers to the eastern part of the country, but could also come with lightning.
"As long as the fires are burning, there is a chance the smoke could come back," Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Gerald Cheng told a news briefing.
The US National Weather Service on Friday said smoke from the wildfires would continue to be "transported south by winds into the US resulting in moderate to unhealthy air quality across parts of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley, and Midwest".
"Some improvement is expected this weekend," the service added.
The winds will bring relief for several cities including Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York, which had significantly worse air quality this week than cities abroad such as Lahore, Pakistan; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Hanoi, Vietnam.
Mr Biden said this week that he was in contact with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and that the US had deployed more than 600 firefighters to help battle the blazes in Canada since May.
Canadian officials say the country is shaping up for its worst wildfire season on record.
Climate change increases the risk of the hot, dry weather that is likely to fuel wildfires. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65846080 |
Ukraine war: Kyiv accuses Russia of shelling Kherson evacuations - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Russian shelling kills at least one person as residents flee floods caused by the Ukraine dam breach. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: View from a boat on what used to be a street
Ukraine has accused Russia of attacking evacuation points for those affected by the Kakhovka dam breach, after a person was killed by shelling in Kherson.
The Kherson prosecutor's office said two others were also injured, while the interior ministry said eight more were hurt by shelling in Korabelna Square.
The attacks came as President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the city, where he met with locals affected by the flooding.
2,000 people have been evacuated from the area, Kherson's governor says.
Speaking in a video statement posted to Telegram, Oleksandr Prokudin said the "evacuation from zones of flooding is continuing" despite the "immense danger and constant Russian shelling".
But he said that 68% of the flooded territory in the Kherson region was on Russian-held territory on the east bank of the Dnipro River.
The river has slowly swelled since the Kakhovka dam collapsed on Tuesday, causing thousands to flee their homes. The World Food Programme told the BBC on Thursday that the situation was a "public health crisis in the making" due to pollution including sewage, heavy oil and pesticides mixed into floodwater.
Ukraine says the flooding has affected an area of around 600 km sq (230 sq miles), and hundreds of thousands of people have been left without drinking water. The Ukrainian army has used drones to drop water bottles and food to some residents.
While the water level seems to have stabilised in Kherson itself, it still flows through streets at a daunting height, and flies now fill the air along with a pungent smell.
Rescue teams and volunteers are continuing to head out on boats to salvage anyone, or anything they can. Their efforts are punctuated by outgoing artillery fire.
Both Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of targeting evacuation points in the Kherson region. Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to President Zelensky, accused Russia of bombarding the city and of "preventing rescuers from evacuating the population".
The Kremlin-installed head of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, said on Telegram that two people died after Ukraine shelled a civilian evacuation point which was flooded after the dam breach.
And Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that Russian rescue workers are "forced to work in conditions of ongoing shelling from Ukraine, and this complicates their work". He did not provide evidence to back up these claims.
Speaking in Kherson, where he met with rescue workers, President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his criticism of the international community, including the UN and the Red Cross, for their slow response to the dam collapse.
And he vowed to local residents that his government would be available to help them rebuild their lives.
"You are going through this difficult ordeal now," Mr Zelensky said. "We will help you and rebuild everything that needs to be restored. I thank you and wish you good health."
The Kremlin said there were no plans for President Vladimir Putin to visit the affected zones.
Communities on small islands close to Russian occupied territory are said to be experiencing the worst of these floods. Whole homes there have been submerged.
And a local Russian-installed official said five people have died and 41 have been hospitalised by flooding in the region.
Elsewhere, fighting has continued in some areas, as analysts watch to see how Ukraine's long-anticipated advance takes shape.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday that his forces had withstood fierce attempts by Ukrainian troops to break through the frontline in Zaporizhzhia province overnight.
And footage posted to social media by pro-war Russian bloggers and geolocated by the BBC appeared to show units of Ukrainian armour coming under artillery fire as they advanced towards Russian held areas in Zaporizhzhia region.
The column appeared to be advancing towards fortifications at Tokmak, around 5-10km back from the limit of Russian control. The BBC cannot verify when the advance occurred.
In the east, Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said Kyiv's forces were continuing to advance around the city of Bakhmut.
In a daily intelligence update, the UK's ministry of defence said "heavy fighting continues along multiple sectors of the front," noting that Ukraine "holds the initiative" in most areas.
On Wednesday Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine's national security council, denied reports of the new offensive and said that when Kyiv does launch an offensive "everyone will know about it".
Senior US officials have previously told the BBC's US partner CBS News that it is accurate to say that the Ukraine counteroffensive is in its opening phases, but that the main thrust has not yet begun. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65845444 |
Taurine may extend life and health, scientists find - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Researchers say the nutrient may be an "elixir of life" but warn against buying it until more research is done. | Health | Taurine - a nutrient found in meat, fish and sold as a supplement - extends life and boosts health in a range of animal species, scientists say.
Levels of taurine decline with age in different species, including people.
Experiments on middle-aged animals showed boosting taurine to youthful levels extended life by over 10% and improved physical and brain health.
The researchers say taurine may be an "elixir of life" - but topping up levels in people has not been tested.
So the team, at Columbia University, in New York, recommend against people buying taurine pills or energy drinks packed with taurine in an attempt to live longer.
The animal research is, however, the latest development in the hunt for ways of slowing ageing.
Dr Vijay Yadav holding a model of the chemical structure of taurine
This study started by analysing molecules in the blood of different species - to explore the differences between young and old.
"One of the most dramatically downgraded [molecules] was taurine," researcher Dr Vijay Yadav said. In elderly people, levels were 80% lower than in the young.
Taurine is virtually non-existent in plants. So the nutrient either comes from animal protein in diet or is manufactured by the body.
And for the past 11 years, the research team have been trying to flesh out its role in ageing.
A daily dose was given to 14-month-old mice, which is equivalent to about age 45 for humans.
The results, published in the journal Science, showed male mice lived 10% longer, females 12%, and both appeared to be in better health.
"Whatever we checked, taurine-supplemented mice were healthier and appeared younger," Dr Yadav said.
"They were leaner, had an increased energy expenditure, increased bone density, improved memory and a younger-looking immune system."
Increases in lifespan of 10-23% were also recorded in worms.
Then, 15-year-old rhesus monkeys were given a six-month course of taurine - too short to notice a difference in life expectancy but, again, the researchers found improvements in body weight, bone, blood-sugar levels and the immune system.
"I thought this is almost too good to be true," said Prof Henning Wackerhage, who was involved in the research at the Technical University of Munich. "Taurine somehow hits the engine room of ageing."
But many of the big questions remain unanswered:
The researchers performed an analysis of 12,000 people and showed those with more taurine in their blood were generally in better health.
If the data from mice applied to people, it would be the equivalent of an extra seven to eight years of life, they say.
But it will take proper clinical trials - where some people are given the nutrient and others a placebo pill - to see if any benefit can be detected.
Differences in human biology may stop taurine from working or there may be some evolutionary reason why levels are meant to fall with age. Current evidence - including energy drinks being on the market for decades - suggests taurine is safe.
While taurine is in our diet, it would be hard to eat the quantities used in the experiments. The equivalent dose from the animal experiments, scaled up to people would be 3-6g (0.2oz) per day.
Dr Yadav refused to say whether he chose to take taurine supplements himself, for fear of unduly influencing people.
He told BBC News: "Let us wait for the clinical trials to be completed before recommending to the wider population that they go to the shelf in a grocery store and buy taurine."
Prof Wackerhage said rather than rushing for supplements, there were already proven ways of living longer.
"If you want to live a long, healthy and happy life, then you need a healthy diet - that's one of the most important things - and of course, you should exercise," he said.
The scientific report suggests taurine plays a role in reducing cellular senescence - where cells in the body stop dividing - a hallmark of ageing.
The nutrient also appeared to keep mitochondria - the power stations in the body's cells - functioning.
But how it does any of this remains unexplored.
Prof Ilaria Bellantuono, from the University of Sheffield, said the findings "fits well with the existing evidence" on ageing, but the implications for people would remain "limited" until potentially very expensive human trials were conducted.
"If there is a demonstrable clinical impact it could be used to prevent multiple long-term chronic conditions such as osteoporosis, muscle weakness, diabetes and potentially neurodegenerative diseases."
Commenting on the findings, Joseph McGaunn and Joseph Baur, both from the University of Pennsylvania, said: "A singular focus on increasing dietary taurine risks driving poor nutritional choices, because plant-rich diets are associated with human health and longevity.
"Thus like any intervention, taurine supplementation with the aim of improving human health and longevity should be approached with caution." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65810138 |
Rachel Reeves waters down Labour £28bn green projects pledge - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Rachel Reeves says she cannot be "reckless" with spending and will ramp up investment to reach the figure by 2027. | UK Politics | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Rachel Reeves says Labour will now "ramp up" its plan to spend £28bn a year on green industries
Labour has rowed back on its pledge to invest £28bn a year in green industries if it wins power, saying it needs to be "responsible" with the public finances.
In 2021 Labour promised to spend £28bn a year until 2030 on green projects, funded by borrowing.
Instead shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said she would now ramp up investment over time from a 2024 election win, reaching £28bn a year after 2027.
She told the BBC it was important not to be "reckless" with spending.
Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, Ms Reeves said the Tories had "crashed the economy", adding that after prices and interest rates increased "financial stability has to come first".
Factors including the war in Ukraine have seen inflation soar and the Bank of England has increased interest rates, making borrowing more expensive, in an attempt to tame rising prices.
Former PM Liz Truss's mini-budget last year, which included billions of pounds of unfunded tax cuts, also prompted turmoil in the financial markets and led to interest rates rising further.
"The truth is I didn't foresee what the Conservatives would do to our economy," Ms Reeves said.
"We will get to the investment that is needed. But we've got to do that in a responsible way."
However, pressed on how much investment there would be in the first year of a Labour government, Ms Reeves would not commit to a figure, arguing the economic backdrop would not be clear until closer to the time.
Announcing the party's Green Prosperity Plan in 2021, Ms Reeves said the £28bn would come from borrowing and would be spent on projects like offshore wind farms and developing batteries for electric vehicles.
Since then the economic picture has changed considerably, with interest rates and borrowing costs soaring.
Labour wants to be seen as economically credible and privately there had been concerns raised about whether the £28bn of investment was affordable in the current context.
There have also been complaints about how the policy has landed, with some worried the £28bn figure was better known than what the money would be spent on.
The Conservatives have also used the alleged dangers of the policy - that extra borrowing could increase interest rates and mortgage costs - as an attack line.
However, the change in tack could make it more difficult to deliver Labour's aim of generating all electricity without using fossil fuels by 2030.
Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands said Labour's main economic policy was "in tatters" after they realised "it would lead to disaster".
"It doesn't matter if they try and pretend otherwise, Labour's plan remains to stick £28bn of borrowing on the government credit card which will lead to higher inflation and higher interest rates," he said.
The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said the move was "the latest in a long line of broken promises" from Labour, which "could have very real and damaging consequences for Scotland's green energy potential".
Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said Labour had offered a policy which "does not go far enough" and then "row[ing] back at the first sign of any difficulty".
Rachel Reeves toured the New York Stock Exchange on a three-day visit to the US last month
Ms Reeves was also critical of the deal Prime Minister Rishi Sunak secured with the US on his visit to Washington this week.
Plans for a full free trade agreement have been abandoned but the new proposals include allowing UK electric car firms access to US green tax credits and subsidies.
Ms Reeves, who visited the US herself last month, said she was "staggered" that Mr Sunak had returned with "no industrial plan for Britain".
She has said Labour is taking inspiration from US President Joe Biden's plan to tackle inflation and create jobs, which includes a huge package of subsidies and tax breaks for green industries.
But she said her "secureonomics" strategy would be "built on the rock of financial stability and economic security", with strict limits on borrowing.
Labour has also promised to create a publicly owned renewable energy company to create jobs and improve the country's energy security.
Last week the party pledged to ban new licences for oil and gas production in the UK, despite concerns from unions this could cost jobs. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65853872 |
Coleraine: No more births to take place at Causeway Hospital - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A decision has been made to consolidate maternity services within Antrim Area Hospital. | Northern Ireland | The Northern says birth numbers in the Causeway Coast and Glens area have declined year-on-year
Births will no longer take place at Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, County Londonderry, following a decision by the Department of Health (DoH).
The DoH permanent secretary approved the move to consolidate maternity services at Antrim Area Hospital.
The Northern Trust had recommended that all births in the area should permanently move to the Antrim site.
Antenatal and postnatal clinics will be retained and enhanced at Causeway Hospital, the department said.
Permanent Secretary Peter May said the decision was made to ensure safe, consistent and sustainable care for mothers and babies in the trust area.
The recommendation was made by the Northern Trust board following a 14-week public consultation.
The changes will come into effect from 17 July 2023.
Any women who are due to give birth at Causeway Hospital will be contacted directly by the trust and there is also a helpline to answer any queries from women who are due to give birth at the hospital.
A trust spokeswoman said the decision for all hospital births to go to Antrim Area Hospital was a welcome one.
"We strongly believe this is the best outcome for women and babies in our care," she said.
"It will allow us to continue providing the highest standard of inpatient maternity care and births at one, dedicated site, with a safer, more sustainable staffing model."
The trust said it recognised it had been an uncertain time for the "dedicated team of maternity staff at Causeway Hospital and we will be supporting them through this period of transition."
The trust has said birth numbers in the Causeway Coast and Glens Council area have declined year-on-year.
It expect birth rates to fall in the area by 11% within the next 20 years.
The trust had said maternity services in the area were "vulnerable and unsustainable".
The Department of Health said: "[The] unsustainability of the current Causeway maternity unit relates to falling birth numbers at the hospital and associated difficulties of recruiting and retaining consultants and other staff."
The permanent secretary said: "An overriding priority for our health service must be the provision of safe care for our population.
"This decision is in the best interests of mothers and babies in the Northern Trust area."
Antenatal and postnatal clinics will be retained and enhanced at Causeway Hospital
He said maintaining the current service across the Causeway and Antrim sites "would not be sustainable".
"Avoiding planned change would simply lead to unplanned and forced change," Mr May added.
Causeway maternity unit has become reliant on locum and temporary staff, making the provision of consistent care more difficult.
Dr Dave Watkins, medical director of the Northern Health & Social Care Trust and a consultant paediatrician, said: "Trying to run two services on two sites clearly dilutes the expertise available and the number of staff available.
"We feel that this is the safest proposal and it allows us to plan forwards for a safe, sustainable and high quality service for our women here in Antrim Hospital."
Anne Wilson from the Royal College of Midwives said: "We are always disappointed whenever there is a reduction in choice for mothers birthing in maternity services - so it is disappointing."
However, Ms Wilson said she understood the reason behind the decision.
"I think ultimately safety of mothers and babies especially giving birth is the main goal and priority here," she added.
The Department of Health said: "Conditions of the approval include making planned capacity changes at Antrim Hospital as outlined in the public consultation."
The trust will also be required to prioritise the development of an interim three-bedded alongside midwife-led unit at Antrim.
A protest was held in Coleraine in May against the cuts to Causeway Hospital maternity services
The department said this will offer additional capacity in advance of longer-term plans for a new-build women and children's unit.
Setting out the department's decision-making process, Mr May said he had reviewed the trust's consultation outcome in line with its policy and guidance on change or withdrawal of service.
"It is also consistent with the wider health transformation agenda which acknowledges that changes need to be made to ensure sustainability of services," he said.
The trust said it was committed to maintaining acute services and an Emergency Department at the site.
"We recognise that the hospital and its staff play a vital role in serving the local community, and we want to enhance rather than diminish that role."
The trust added: "Causeway Hospital will retain its high quality antenatal and postnatal care which we recognise are critical local services for women.
"We will also be enhancing these services so that pregnant women will have access to complex antenatal care and clinics at Causeway Hospital."
Gregory Campbell, the MP for East Londonderry, said he was "disturbed" by the trust's explanation for the move.
He said: "The inability to staff hospital wards and in this case a maternity unit, points to a planning and management failure more than lack of need in the community."
Mr Campbell said the Northern Trust and DoH must spell out the sustainability of the Causeway Hospital.
The proposals had been met with some opposition over the last number of months.
About 100 people gathered in Coleraine town centre after the Northern Trust approved the recommendation to remove births from the hospital in May.
In June Mother-of-three, Heidi Wright from Portrush, said she was concerned about the length of time it would take to travel to Antrim.
In less than a year, the Northern Trust has managed to deliver a major permanent change to how one of its core services will be delivered with little fuss or opposition.
In Northern Ireland that is remarkable.
While for decades transforming health care has been much talked about, in practice little has happened.
Most recently, and in 2016, Prof Rafael Bengoa said Northern Ireland faced "a stark choice".
The man who chaired the last local healthcare review said people could "either resist change and see services deteriorate to the point of collapse over time, or embrace transformation and work to create a modern sustainable service".
At present, these two contrasting viewpoints are being played out across three different health trusts.
In the Southern and Western Trusts, resisting change over many years at Daisy Hill and the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) has now triggered a rush to transform how some services are being delivered, a move likened by the BMA to "falling off the cliff edge".
Some have said that the change feels "unplanned and out of control".
Politicians have led rallies and debates in protest.
But in the Northern Trust the picture is different.
Officials have said that before maternity services get to to the point of "collapse" they are implementing change that is planned, deliberate and intentional.
While all the health trusts conducted consultations, it seems that Causeway will be able to consolidate all births at Antrim Area Hospital while maintaining an antenatal and post-natal assessment hub at Causeway.
It hasn't been without some public protest - but nowhere near the extent of that seen in Enniskillen and Newry.
All other health trusts must be looking to the Northern Trust in wonder.
How did it do what the Southern and Western trusts couldn't?
The big difference, it seems, is the lack of political interference at Causeway.
In 2016, the then health minister - the DUP's Simon Hamilton - said political consensus was key to the future of NI's health service.
It seems that is much easier said than done. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65841686 |
Train smashes through truck stuck on railway crossing - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | null | The truck driver got away in time and no injuries were reported. | null | A train crashed into a truck which was stuck on a railway crossing in North Carolina.
The truck driver got away in time and no injuries were reported. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65859078 |
Supreme Court backs Jack Daniel's in dog toy row - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | "This case is about dog toys and whiskey, two items seldom appearing in the same sentence," a judge wrote. | US & Canada | The US Supreme Court has sided with whiskey brand Jack Daniel's in its lawsuit against a company that sells a lookalike poop-themed toy for dogs.
The dog toy says "Old No. 2 on your Tennessee Carpet", while the famous whiskey bottle reads "Old No. 7 Tennessee Sour Mash Whiskey".
In a unanimous decision on Thursday, the top US court found that the toy is a trademark violation.
The unusual case led to laughter in the court, and a few jokes in the opinion.
Justice Elena Kagan, who wrote the court's opinion, noted: "This case is about dog toys and whiskey, two items seldom appearing in the same sentence."
At another point she asks court watchers to "recall what the bottle looks like (or better yet, retrieve a bottle from wherever you keep liquor; it's probably there)".
The decision throws out an appeal that found that the toy was a "non-commercial" parody, subject to First Amendment free speech protections, and throws the case back to lower courts.
The filing by the whisky makers argued that the Arizona-based VIP Products LLC was profiting "from Jack Daniel's hard-earned goodwill" and confusing consumers, by getting them to "associate Jack Daniel's whiskey with excrement". The toy costs about $20 (£16). ''
The bottle of liquor says "40% alcohol by volume", while the "Bad Spaniels Silly Squeaker" chew toy reads "43% poo by volume" and "100% Smelly". The packaging includes a label noting that it is not affiliated with Jack Daniel's.
The company also produces other similar toys that resemble other notable alcohol and soda brands.
Lawyers for the Tennessee whisky company said they found no humour in the pun.
"Jack Daniel's loves dogs and appreciates a good joke as much as anyone. But Jack Daniel's likes its customers even more, and doesn't want them confused or associating its fine whiskey with dog poop," Lisa Blatt, attorney for Jack Daniel's, wrote in court papers.
The Biden administration and major brands - such as Nike, Campbell Soup Company, Patagonia and Levi Strauss - had urged justices to side with Jack Daniel's.
In a statement after the ruling, a spokesman for Jack Daniels said the company was pleased with the outcome.
"Jack Daniel's is a brand recognised for quality and craftsmanship, and when friends around the world see the label, they know it stands for something they can count on," said Svend Jansen.
"We will continue to support efforts to protect the goodwill and strength of this iconic trademark."
The case is the second intellectual property law that the court has ruled on in recent months.
In May, the court found that artist Andy Warhol had infringed on a photographer's property rights when he used images taken by the photographer to make silk screen images showing the singer Prince. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65839800 |
Heat health alert as parts of UK set for 30C - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Parts of the country are predicted to be hotter than Marbella, Ibiza and Tenerife in the coming days. | UK | The grass is already parched in London's Hyde Park
A weekend heat-health alert has been raised from yellow to a more severe amber warning in eastern and southern England, and the Midlands.
The amber alert - in place from 09:00 BST on Friday - indicates high temperatures could affect all ages and impact the health service.
The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), continues until 09:00 BST on Monday.
Temperatures are forecast to hit 30C and some thunderstorms are expected.
Parts of the country are predicted to be hotter than Marbella, Ibiza and Tenerife in the coming days as a plume of warm air moves in from the south, the Met office says.
A less severe yellow alert, which advises people to check on vulnerable family and friends, is in place for the north of England and London.
The UKHSA first issued a heat alert on Wednesday, but raised it saying the temperatures would rise rapidly in affected areas with temperatures high overnight.
A Met Office yellow warning for thunder is also in place for all of Wales and large parts of southern England from 14:00 BST until 21:00 on Saturday.
This means there is a chance of disruption to travel, power cuts and some localised flooding from the heaviest showers.
During the period of hot weather, the UKHSA advises people to:
A spokesman for the UKHSA said it was difficult to predict the exact impact of higher temperatures on the health service but additional pressure would come from vulnerable groups suffering in the heat.
That includes people over 65, those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions and children.
Ahead of the hot weather, the UKHSA has been in touch with groups which work with older people, such as care homes, to offer guidance.
Andy Cole, the assistant chief fire officer from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, urged people to be "vigilant" this weekend and avoid using disposable barbecues or starting campfires.
There was a "record number" of wildfires last year, he said, adding that Dorset and Wiltshire saw a "roughly 400% increase" compared to the year before, with 911 recorded.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cole said wildfires were "extremely dangerous" and can take a lot of resources from the fire service.
Climate change is making heatwaves in the UK more likely and more extreme.
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 and is aimed at reducing illness and deaths among the most vulnerable.
There is one further alert, not yet issued, representing the most serious risk. The red alert means there is a significant risk to life even for healthy people and a severe impact likely across all sectors.
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-65849525 |
Mirror admits using private investigators in Nikki Sanderson stories, court told - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Former Coronation Street actor Nikki Sanderson is accusing the publisher of breaching her privacy. | UK | The publisher of the Mirror newspapers has made a court apology to the former Coronation Street actor Nikki Sanderson after admitting using private investigators to get stories about her.
A barrister for Mirror Group Newspapers said it "unequivocally apologises" to her, adding "it shouldn't have happened and won't again".
Ms Sanderson was giving evidence in her High Court case against the newspapers.
Despite the admissions, MGN denies targeting her more widely.
She is claiming damages for 37 articles published in the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People newspapers between 1999 and 2009.
Andrew Green KC, for the newspapers, said she had lived through "much press intrusion" and giving evidence would be "unpleasant and stressful."
In her witness statement, Ms Sanderson said she had been "abused" by MGN and "attacked" by people with more power than her.
Ms Sanderson joined Coronation Street in 1999, aged 15, playing the role of Candice Stowe and immediately became of interest to the media, the court heard.
Crowds would regularly gather outside the studios and photographers would appear to get pictures of her.
Ms Sanderson alleges the newspapers used information from her mobile phone voicemails which were hacked, and paid private investigators to get personal information about her.
Mr Green said a small number of records for calls from journalists to her phone numbers had been disclosed, but showed no evidence they were to hack her phone.
However, within invoices for payments to private investigators, Mr Green said four were for the firms ELI and Avalon, which have been implicated in unlawful information gathering
Making the apology, he said MGN admitted on four occasions in 2004 and 2005 journalists used the investigators to target Ms Sanderson.
Mr Green is continuing to cross-examine Ms Sanderson about the stories she has put at the centre of her case.
Prince Harry has said he is suing the publisher of the Daily Mirror to stop "absolute intrusion and hate" towards him and his wife.
The case is also due to hear from other claimants including Coronation Street actor Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Le Vell, and Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse.
They all allege unlawful methods were used to obtain information for stories and say senior executives must have known about it and failed to stop it, which MGN denies.
MGN, which has admitted widespread unlawful information gathering against other celebrities, has argued Ms Sanderson should have brought her legal action years ago, under rules that civil claims must be made within six years.
She called this "gaslighting" in her witness statement.
Describing herself as a "young girl" at the time, Ms Sanderson accused the publisher of "hiring random men" to follow her.
"They could have done anything to me," she said, adding that it was "particularly distressing to learn that these illegal activities continued for a period of many years".
Describing her experiences as "abuse", she said she did not use the word "lightly".
"The fact is these people were in positions of power and I was a child and a young female, and I was attacked by people who were more powerful than me - I did nothing to deserve this treatment."
Ms Sanderson also said she was tricked into giving away the name of a hotel she was staying at in Zakynthos, Greece.
She said someone working for "Disney or Universal" contacted her mother saying they were interested in making her part of a film and needed to send a telegram.
"The next thing I know, the paps [paparazzi] and press had managed to find me, she said, adding she "was little more than a child and they deceived me".
Ms Sanderson also said she was subjected to "mental and physical abuse" as a result of public backlash from articles written in the Mirror.
As well as being shouted at in the street, she said on one occasion a group of girls set fire to her hair in the toilets of a club.
"Fortunately, I wasn't wearing any hair product, otherwise, my hair would have gone up in flames," she said.
Ms Sanderson said she came to think that "random people" or others at Coronation Street were selling stories about her.
She also said she was "really hurt" by one article which accused her father of being a "womaniser".
"To have my personal life splashed over the papers for people to indulge in was heart-breaking." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65856719 |
PSNI assaults: One officer assaulted every day in north west - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Ch Insp Yvonne McManus gave the latest figures after eight officers were assaulted in one evening. | Northern Ireland | At least one police officer was assaulted every day in the first four months of this year in the north west, a senior officer has said.
Eight officers were assaulted in four separate incidents in Londonderry on Wednesday evening.
Ch Insp Yvonne McManus said so many assaults in one evening was "exceptional for our district".
But she said officers are increasingly being subjected to attacks.
"In relation to where we are as a district, and I know Derry City and Strabane is no exception, between January and April we have had 34.5 assaults per month - that is more than one officer assaulted per day," she told BBC Radio Foyle's The North West Today programme.
"Increasingly our officers are subject to attacks and we are here to help deal with extremely complex issues - issues around vulnerability - and regrettably we are forced to try and resolve these and at time officers are exposed to serious risk themselves".
Ch Insp McManus said the eight officers injured on Wednesday had all been able to remain on duty.
Three people have been charged to court and another reported to the Public Prosecution Service in relation to the incidents on Wednesday, she added.
Ch Insp McManus urged the public not to take officers for granted.
"At times they are dealing with very dangerous circumstances and they put themselves in harm's way to protect others and keep the community safe," she said.
Earlier this year the PSNI said assaults resulting in injuries to officers are at a five-year high.
At that time the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, which represents officers, said greater deterrents - including tougher sentencing by the court and the use of Tasers - are needed to prevent assaults on officers. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65854261 |
Heat health alert in force as parts of UK to hit 30C - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | This weekend will be 5C to 10C hotter than normal June weather, forecasters predict. | UK | An amber heat health alert has come into force as some parts of the UK are forecast to hit 30C in the coming days.
The amber warning, which indicates high temperatures could affect all ages and impact the health service, is in place across eastern and southern England, as well as in the Midlands.
It will be 5C to 10C above normal June weather this weekend, say forecasters.
The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), was escalated from yellow to amber on Thursday.
Fire services have issued warnings about wildfires and urged people to be "vigilant" this weekend.
Thursday was the hottest day of the year so far, according to the Met Office.
Parts of south-east and north-east England, as well as the Midlands, are due to experience temperatures of 28C to 30C on Saturday, say BBC forecasters.
"Most areas will also notice an increase in how humid it is too, which will lead to some warm nights," said BBC meteorologist Matt Taylor, adding that there was a chance of "some sporadic torrential thunderstorms".
He said with "very dry ground" there was a risk of localised flooding where torrential downpours occur.
The temperatures this weekend will be a "big leap" for some eastern areas of the country where it has been cooler recently, added Mr Taylor.
He also noted that air quality would deteriorate over the weekend due to south-east winds coming off the continent.
The amber alert continues until 09:00 BST on Monday.
A less severe yellow alert, which advises people to check on vulnerable family and friends, is in place for the north of England and London.
A Met Office yellow warning for thunderstorms is also in place for all of Wales and large parts of southern England from 14:00 BST until 21:00 on Saturday. On Sunday, this warning is in place for most of the UK, including Northern Ireland, from 12:00 until 21:00.
This could mean disruption to travel, power cuts and some localised flooding from the heaviest showers.
During the period of hot weather, the UKHSA advises people to:
The UKHSA said it was difficult to predict the exact impact of the higher temperatures on the health service, but that there would be additional need from vulnerable groups who suffer in the heat.
This includes people over 65, those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions and children.
How are the high temperatures affecting you? You can share your experiences via:
Andy Cole, assistant chief fire officer from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, urged people to be "vigilant" this weekend and avoid using disposable barbecues or starting campfires.
There was a "record number" of wildfires last year, he said, adding that Dorset and Wiltshire saw a "roughly 400% increase" compared to the year before, with 911 recorded.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cole said wildfires were "extremely dangerous" and could take a lot of resources from the fire service.
In the Peak District, the discovery of a large fire bowl - used for outdoor cooking - prompted park rangers to warn that fire pits, barbecues, and other heat sources pose a serious risk of causing a wildfire.
Last year fire services in England dealt with almost 25,000 wildfires during the summer, a four-fold increase on the same period in 2021.
Fire crews across the UK are being trained in new Mediterranean-style techniques, from southern Europe and the US, to tackle wildfires.
Climate change is making heatwaves in the UK more likely and more extreme.
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 and is aimed at reducing illness and deaths among the most vulnerable.
There is one further alert, not yet issued, representing the most serious risk. The red alert means there is a significant risk to life even for healthy people and a severe impact is likely across all sectors.
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-65853411 |
Labour shadow minister Bambos Charalambous suspended over complaint - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The BBC has been told a complaint about Bambos Charalambous was made to Labour's complaint process. | UK Politics | Shadow minister Bambos Charalambous has been suspended as a Labour MP after a complaint about his conduct.
The BBC understands a formal complaint was made to Labour's complaint process, and an investigation was then launched.
In a tweet, Mr Charalambous said there was an allegation "that requires investigation by the Labour Party".
He said it was "right and proper that process is allowed to take place" and would "co-operate fully".
But the MP added it was "not appropriate to say anything further at this time".
Mr Charalambous, a shadow Foreign Office minister in Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's top team, has had the party whip removed, pending an investigation.
This means he will not be part of the Labour party within Parliament while the investigation is ongoing, although he remains the MP for Enfield Southgate, and will sit as an independent.
Neither Mr Charalambous nor Labour have commented on the nature of the complaint.
Mr Charalambous is a solicitor and worked for Hackney Council in their housing legal team before becoming an MP in 2017.
The 55-year-old has held several posts on Sir Keir's frontbench, including shadow minister for crime, and shadow minister for immigration. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65859023 |
Key allies rewarded in Johnson resignation honours list - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The former PM's close allies are given honours in a list published just before he resigned as an MP. | UK Politics | Some of Boris Johnson's closest allies - including Priti Patel and Jacob Rees-Mogg - have been rewarded with peerages and other awards in the former PM's honours list.
It was published hours before Mr Johnson stepped down as an MP.
Former secretaries of state Simon Clarke and Mr Rees-Mogg were knighted, while Ms Patel was made a dame.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and London Assembly member Shaun Bailey are among seven new peers.
No serving MPs were given peerages, avoiding by-elections for the Tories. But there will now be one in Mr Johnson's own constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Former Conservative minister Nadine Dorries was not put forward for the House of Lords, despite speculation she would be on the published list.
Ms Dorries - who served as culture secretary under Mr Johnson - stood down as an MP "with immediate effect" just over an hour before the honours list was released.
The resignation honours list is a tradition that gives outgoing prime ministers the opportunity to nominate people for honours.
The long-awaited list, approved nine months after Mr Johnson resigned as prime minister, included 38 honours and seven peerages.
Kulveer Singh Ranger, a former director of transport while Mr Johnson was London mayor, and former Downing Street chief of staff Dan Rosenfield are also among those who will enter the Lords.
Charlotte Owen, a former adviser to Mr Johnson, will become one of the youngest peers, as will fellow advisers Ben Gascoigne and Ross Kempsell.
Honours were handed out to some of Mr Johnson's closest advisers during his premiership, including former directors of communications Jack Doyle and Guto Harri, who were both made CBEs.
Also among recipients were aides who served with Mr Johnson during the scandal over lockdown parties in Downing Street during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Martin Reynolds, Mr Johnson's former principal private secretary, was awarded the Order of Bath.
In May 2020, Mr Reynolds sent an invite to a "bring your own booze" party to Downing Street staff when the nation was under lockdown.
Ben Elliot, the former co-chair of the Conservative Party, has also been awarded a knighthood, as have Tory MPs Michael Fabricant and Conor Burns, two Mr Johnson loyalists.
The first name on the list was Tory MP and long-standing Brexit backer Bill Cash, who has become a companion of honour.
Membership is a special award granted to those "who have made a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine, or government" and it is only held by up to 65 people at any one time.
Rishi Sunak has approved Mr Johnson's resignation honours list and "forwarded it unamended" to King Charles, the prime minister's press secretary said.
"He had no involvement or input into the approved list," the press secretary said.
By convention, a former prime minister's resignation list of new peers is forwarded to the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC), which vets appointments.
Another Tory MP who did not feature on the list, despite being widely tipped for a peerage, was Alok Sharma, who was president of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
Usually when sitting MPs are given peerages, they resign their seats, triggering by-elections.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen was among those to be made a peer
Following the Partygate scandal and the political turbulence of Mr Johnson's premiership, the former PM's honours list was always expected to be controversial and to provoke fierce criticism.
Some of the reaction to the names published on Friday has met those expectations.
A formerly loyal aide to Mr Johnson branded the honours list "an utter disgrace", telling the BBC it was "rewards for failure all round".
They said: "Boris has slammed the door shut on the prospect of any return to the frontline of British politics and trashed what remained of his legacy."
Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said it was "shameful" that Mr Sunak had "failed to stand up to his former boss's outrageous demands and agreed to hand out prizes to this carousel of cronies".
"He promised integrity, but this weak prime minister is once again showing his appalling judgement by doing Boris Johnson's bidding," Ms Rayner said.
And Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said: "Boris Johnson has been allowed to hand out gongs to his Partygate pals, and Rishi Sunak has just waved it through."
The seven new peers on Mr Johnson's honours list will enter a House of Lords that already has more than 800 members.
The Electoral Reform Society campaign group said Mr Johnson's resignation list "demonstrates just how discredited and partisan the honours system has become".
"It's time to end this rotten system of patronage and replace the unelected Lords with a smaller elected chamber, where the people of this country - not former prime ministers - choose who shape the laws we all live under," its chief executive Darren Hughes said.
Boris Johnson is loyal to those who are loyal to him. And his resignation honours list underlines this - until the ink runs out.
Almost all of the 45 names know him personally. Many worked for him either at No 10 or when he was London mayor.
Even his current spokesman has been transformed into a legislator, with a seat in the House of Lords.
And for anyone who assumed that meritocracy might play a part in the honours system, a long-standing parliamentary hairdresser, Kelly Dodge, gets a gong for doing... Mr Johnson's hair.
Yes, you read that correctly. Mr Johnson's mop.
But just as Mr Johnson rewards loyalty, he has more subtly made clear disloyalty comes at a price.
He must know that a list strewn with reminders of the Partygate era will make the current PM uncomfortable.
The list is crammed with dames and knighthoods for some of Mr Johnson's defenders in the parliamentary party.
But there are plenty of Conservative detractors, those who describe the list as "ghastly" or full of "sycophants".
For them, the list has damaged their party specifically and trust in politics more generally.
But it also allows the opposition to portray Rishi Sunak as weak for not blocking the list.
But Mr Johnson was a very unconventional occupant of No 10. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65861936 |
Sgt Matiu Ratana: Jury fires gun allegedly used to kill Met sergeant - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Jurors are allowed to fire in court an antique revolver used to allegedly murder Sgt Matiu Ratana. | London | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
An antique revolver alleged to have been used to kill a Metropolitan Police sergeant has been shown to a jury.
Louis De Zoysa, 25, denies murdering Matiu Ratana, 54, with a gun concealed in an underarm holster at Croydon Custody Centre in September 2020.
Ballistics expert Anthony Miller told jurors the gun did not go off by accident when Sgt Ratana was shot.
Jury members were allowed to hold the gun, loaded with dummy bullets, and fire it at the court ceiling.
The prosecution alleges Sgt Ratana, who was also known as Matthew and was the on-duty custody sergeant, was killed when Mr De Zoysa "pulled the trigger on purpose four times", while he was handcuffed in a holding cell.
The first and second shots hit Sgt Ratana, the third hit the wall during a struggle with officers and a fourth hit Mr De Zoysa in the neck, causing brain damage, the court has heard.
The prosecution alleges Sgt Matiu Ratana was shot twice by the antique revolver
He is being assisted by an intermediary during his trial as a result of his injuries and uses a whiteboard because of communication difficulties, jurors have heard.
Speaking in short and simple sentences so Mr De Zoysa could follow proceedings, Mr Miller told Northampton Crown Court about "rigorous testing" he had carried out on the revolver: "I dropped it on the ground, I struck it with a cloth-faced hammer and I generally treated it roughly."
Asked by prosecutor Duncan Penny KC if the gun had gone off "by accident" during this rigorous testing, Mr Miller said it had not.
Mr Miller explained the gun was completely safe to be used in the court room and had been loaded with dummy bullets, although it was aimed at the ceiling while being fired as an extra precaution.
He told the court he had examined both the revolver as well as the ammunition that was recovered after the incident.
Mr De Zoysa bought the antique revolver in an online auction in June 2020, the court heard
Imran Khan KC, defending Mr De Zoysa, told the jury on Wednesday the defendant had been suffering an autistic meltdown at the time of the shooting and "did not mean to or want to kill Sergeant Ratana, or to cause him really serious harm".
The court has previously been told Mr De Zoysa has an autistic spectrum condition.
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-65844758 |
Rammstein fan Shelby Lynn alleges she was groomed for sex - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Shelby Lynn's allegations triggered a wave of sexual misconduct allegations that the band denies. | Northern Ireland | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Shelby Lynn, 24, from Ballymena, went to see Rammstein in Vilnius
A woman from Northern Ireland has told the BBC she was recruited and "groomed" for sex with the lead singer of the German heavy metal band Rammstein.
Shelby Lynn, who also claims her drink was spiked at a concert in Vilnius in May, first made the claims on social media.
Her allegations triggered a wave of other sexual misconduct allegations against the band's frontman Till Lindemann.
The band have denied the claims.
A spokesman for Rammstein told the BBC an internal investigation was under way with the first results expected early next week.
The band, well known for its flamboyant shows and controversial lyrics, has been engulfed by scandal in recent weeks as a growing number of women claim that they were recruited for sex during concerts.
Like Ms Lynn, some suspect they were pre-selected on social media by a Russian woman, believed to have been a "recruiter" for Mr Lindemann, who invited them to parties before and after the show.
She also gave them access to a restricted area directly in front of the stage, known as "Row Zero".
Ms Lynn, who is 24 and from Ballymena in County Antrim, told the BBC that when she arrived at the venue a man named Joe asked her and other young women to line up.
She said: "He started filming... about four girls, including myself. He got very close to our faces."
Ms Lynn says singer Till Lindemann reacted angrily when she told him she would not have sex with him
She claimed that shortly afterwards he picked her and several other girls to attend a pre-concert party, where she was given alcohol and told Till Lindemann would like to meet her during a brief intermission once the concert began.
"I said: 'Why? Why me? Is this some sort of a sex thing?' [He replied:] 'No, no, no, nothing like that, nothing like that at all. Till's the perfect gentleman.'"
Ms Lynn said she was ushered into a small room underneath the stage.
"As soon as Joe opens the curtains my stomach drops - this is bad, this is a sex thing absolutely.
"This room was no bigger than a Primark dressing room - like teeny tiny, dark black - you could maybe fit four or five people in it.
"Till comes in and I immediately say: 'Till, if you're here for sex. I'm not doing that.'"
The singer, she said, reacted angrily and left.
Ms Lynn, who has emphasised on social media she wasn't sexually assaulted, said her memory of the evening was "blurry" and she recalls feeling nauseous and vomiting at a party after the concert.
She believes her drink was spiked and that she was the victim of an "organised system of funnelling girls".
"I was groomed, 100 percent, no doubt in my mind. I was groomed for sex," she said.
Rammstein initially reacted to her claims last month by releasing a statement online in which the band fully denied them.
On Saturday, after other women came forward with allegations, the band published another statement, saying that they took the accusations extremely seriously.
They condemned any kind of assault but asked their fans not to "pre-judge" them.
A spokesman for the band has subsequently told the BBC that it is now investigating the claims and interviewing staff and crew as part of the enquiry.
Rammstein is currently performing several concerts in Germany.
After demands from several politicians, including the German families minister, Wednesday's show in Munich went ahead with no "Row Zero".
There were specialist "awareness teams" on hand to assist anyone in a vulnerable position.
The spokesman added that the band had severed contact with the Russian woman accused of helping to select women for "Row Zero".
They said private after-show parties with Till Lindemann had been cancelled. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65843882 |
Stormont stalemate: Donaldson hopeful for progress after talks - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | 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 |
King's visit to Scotland to mark coronation confirmed for July - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales will take part in ceremonial events. | Scotland | King Charles and Queen Camilla will mark official Scottish coronation events during Royal Week in July
The dates for King Charles and Queen Camilla's week-long visit to Scotland marking their Coronation has been confirmed.
The King will be presented with the Honours of Scotland at a national service of thanksgiving at St Giles' Cathedral on Wednesday 5 July.
This will follow a people's procession on the Royal Mile.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, will also attend events.
The visit will see the King follow in the footsteps of his mother Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
The Honours are Scotland's crown jewels which are usually on display to visitors at Edinburgh Castle.
Made of gold, silver and precious gems, they are the oldest crown jewels in Britain and comprise the crown, sceptre and sword of state.
The Honours of Scotland, usually on display in the Crown Room at Edinburgh Castle, are the oldest crown jewels in Britain.
The Stone of Destiny will be in St Giles' Cathedral for the service after playing a significant part in the Coronation at Westminster Abbey.
The Honours will be collected by the procession involving around 100 people representing aspects of Scottish life.
It will be led by The Royal Regiment of Scotland, Shetland pony mascot Corporal Cruachan IV and supported by cadet musicians from the Combined Cadet Force Pipes and Drums, 51 Brigade Cadet Military Band.
The rest of the parade will be made up of members of the Scottish Youth Parliament, representatives from charities such as Guide Dogs for the Blind, Enable Scotland, the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and the Princes Trust.
The Royal Regiment of Scotland's Shetland pony mascot Corporal Cruachan IV will lead the procession
It will have a distinctly Scottish theme and will also include youngsters from the Girlguiding, Scouts and Boys and Girls Brigade.
The Royal Procession will travel from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to the Cathedral with a military escort.
The end of the St Giles' service will be marked with a 21-gun salute from Edinburgh Castle before the Royal Procession travels back to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
There will also be a fly past by the Red Arrows following the event.
The public will be able to gather and watch the procession along the Royal Mile.
The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, as they are known in Scotland, will also attend events
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf said: "Scotland will welcome the new King and Queen in July with a series of events to mark the Coronation.
"A people's procession, a royal procession, a national service of thanksgiving and a gun salute will take place in Edinburgh.
"Representatives from many different communities and organisations in Scotland will take part in these historic events."
The new Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh were welcomed to Edinburgh during their own procession and service after her coronation in 1953.
Queen Elizabeth II performed her Scottish ceremonial duties on 24 June 1953, three weeks after her Coronation on 2 June.
The Queen dressed in "day clothes" for the ceremony, not ceremonial robes. Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, wore a field marshall's uniform.
The last time the ceremony had been enacted before this was in 1822 during the visit of King George IV. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65854216 |
France knife attack: 'Backpack hero' praised for facing attacker - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Catholic pilgrim Henri said he simply followed his instincts when confronting the Annecy attacker. | Europe | The man - known only as Henri - was saluted for his bravery by President Emmanuel Macron
French media have lauded a young "hero with a backpack" for his attempts to thwart a knife attack in Annecy which left four children seriously injured.
Henri, 24, was filmed chasing the suspect and swinging his bag at him.
The Catholic pilgrim - who has been touring France's cathedrals - said he had followed his instincts and did what he could to "protect the weak".
He was praised for his bravery by President Emmanuel Macron when the two met in the town on Friday afternoon.
Mr Macron told Henri that his actions were a "source of hope", but that the young man had "lived through... a trauma".
The French leader travelled to meet the victims of the stabbings and salute the work of first responders.
He said he had heard "positive" news about the condition of the four children wounded in the attack. Two adults were also hurt.
Footage of the incident itself and the immediate aftermath appeared to show Henri swinging one of his backpacks at the attacker, who tried to slash at him in return.
Another clip showed him chasing the knifeman across a grassy area.
As the phrase #MerciHenri started to trend online, Henri posted on Instagram to say: "Pray for the children, I am doing fine."
Henri received messages of thanks, not only for his actions but also his apparent modesty.
Interviewed the next morning by CNews, Henri said: "All I know is, I was not there by chance."
He explained that it was "unthinkable to do nothing... I followed my instincts and did what I could to protect the weak."
The management graduate, who has declined to provide his surname, later pointed out to BFMTV that that he was not the only civilian who put themselves in harm's way.
He had "acted like any French person would", he said. "Many other people intervened in whatever way they could. I saw a park employee try to hit the attacker with his big plastic spade."
Henri's father believes his son's actions prevented more people from getting wounded by the assailant.
Speaking to the Associated Press news agency, he said his son had "prevented carnage by scaring him off. Really very courageous".
Henri had been interviewed just days before the incident by the Dauphiné Libéré newspaper. He was quizzed on his nine-month tour of France's cathedrals, which he planned to complete by walking and hitchhiking.
He was quoted discussing his trick of knocking on random doors near cathedrals to try and find accommodation. "It forces you to open up to people," he explained.
Commenting on the suggestion that the suspect in Thursday's attacks also identifies as a Christian, Henri said it was "profoundly unchristian to attack the vulnerable".
Instead, Henri said, "something very bad inhabited him".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Youssouf, 78, says there was no reason for the attack | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65860077 |
Man City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in Champions League final to claim Treble - BBC Sport | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | null | Manchester City win their first Champions League title by beating Inter Milan in Istanbul to claim the Treble. | null | Last updated on .From the section European Football
Manchester City's long quest to win the Champions League finally ended in triumph against Inter Milan in Istanbul as Pep Guardiola's side completed the Treble.
After winning the Premier League and FA Cup, City emulated Manchester United's triple trophy haul in 1999 as they became only the second English club to achieve the feat after Rodri's crisp 68th-minute strike settled an attritional final.
Guardiola's all-conquering side were never at their best against a brilliantly organised Inter and had to cope with the loss of Kevin de Bruyne to injury in the first half.
But the massed ranks of City fans inside Ataturk Stadium did not care about that as they joyously celebrated the greatest night - and season - in the club's history.
And for Guardiola, it seals his status as one of the managerial greats as he added a third Champions League to the two he won at Barcelona, the last coming in 2011.
This was never the walkover many predicted and City had to survive a few scares when Federico Dimarco's header bounced off the bar and Ederson made a stunning late save to deny Romelu Lukaku but ultimately this was all about the victory.
Now Guardiola and his players can take their place in history.
• None Have your say on Man City's performance here
The Champions League has brought suffering to City and Guardiola - especially when they lost to Premier League rivals Chelsea in the 2021 final - but all the pain disappeared just before midnight on a sultry night in Istanbul.
City survived late anxiety, especially when Inter substitute Lukaku headed straight at Ederson with the goal at his mercy, but there was an explosion of joy on the pitch and in the stands at Ataturk Stadium as they finally secured the giant trophy that has remained so elusively beyond their grasp for so long.
Guardiola said, whether it was fair or not, that his time at Manchester City would be judged on whether he was able to bring the Champions League to the club. Now that judgement can be made.
The Catalan, who won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011, will now be an iconic figure at City as well as Barcelona.
• None 'Hysterical and hated at times' - but Guardiola is the greatest
It is a simple fact that many outside the Abu Dhabi-owned club will always view their triumph through the prism of the charges of 115 financial breaches brought against them by the Premier League, charges they fiercely deny.
For City's owners, with Sheikh Mansour attending only his second game since taking control in 2008, this was the night they have planned for and the one when they finally claimed that holy grail.
This was an evening when only the result mattered to City, not the manner in which their greatest victory was achieved.
This was not a win secured with the dazzling style and creation that is usually their hallmark. In fact for long periods it was a scrappy, sloppy performance in the face of a well-drilled Inter side who were right in this Champions League Final until the whistle went.
None of that will matter now. All that will be recalled forever about this game by City's fans was the moment when Rodri arrived on the end of build-up play from Manuel Akanji and Bernardo Silva to send that precise right-foot finish away from the reach of Inter's outstanding keeper Andre Onana.
And of course the triumphant Champions League trophy lift.
City lived dangerously in the closing minutes and, when it was all over, Guardiola, so agitated in his technical area, was relatively calm as he sought out opposite number Simone Inzaghi for consoling words.
John Stones was once again outstanding for City while keeper Ederson made key contributions when required.
The celebrations at the final whistle reflected a magnificent season as City finally got their hands on the Champions League trophy and prepared to parade it around the streets of Manchester along with the Premier League and FA Cup on Monday.
• None Attempt saved. Robin Gosens (Inter Milan) header from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Federico Dimarco with a cross.
• None Attempt missed. Nicolò Barella (Inter Milan) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner following a set piece situation.
• None Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan) wins a free kick on the right wing.
• None Erling Haaland (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
• None Attempt missed. Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lautaro Martínez with a headed pass.
• None Attempt saved. Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Robin Gosens with a headed pass. Navigate to the next page Navigate to the last page
• None Our coverage of Manchester City is bigger and better than ever before - here's everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment
• None Everything City - go straight to all the best content | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65845807 |
Glastonbury: Disposable vapes added to 'what not to bring' list - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The festival extends its "reduce, reuse, recycle" slogan to "environmentally hazardous" e-cigarettes.. | Newsbeat | Glastonbury will happen from 21 June to 26 June this year
Glastonbury festival has asked fans not to bring disposable vapes.
Its organisers have added the items to its official "do not bring" list - which also includes gazebos and knives.
The updated message says disposable vapes - which contain lithium batteries - "pollute the environment and can be hazardous at waste centres".
There's no suggestion the devices will be confiscated - but BBC Newsbeat has approached the festival for more information.
Glastonbury has also urged festivalgoers to "reduce, reuse and recycle" and avoid other single-use items like body glitter and body wipes.
It's banned the sale of plastic bottles on-site since 2019 - fans are encouraged to bring reusable bottles instead.
Vapes have become a common sight at festivals
Arctic Monkeys and Guns N' Roses will top the bill at this year's Glastonbury, which takes place from 21 June to 26 June.
Other acts on the line-up include Lizzo, Lana Del Rey, Lewis Capaldi, Lil Nas X and Flo.
When the line-up was announced, there was criticism on social media that all the main stage headliners were male - though there is almost a 50:50 split between male and female acts elsewhere.
"We try our best and we obviously aim for 50:50," Emily Eavis previously told the BBC. "Some years, it's more, some years, it's less.
"This year, we did have a female headliner, and she unfortunately had to pull out... It changes all the time.
"But next year it's looking like we've got two female headliners, so fingers crossed."
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-65849909 |
Resignation statement in full as Boris Johnson steps down - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The former UK prime minister has resigned as a MP, saying there is no evidence that he misled Parliament. | UK Politics | Former Prime Minster Boris Johnson has announced that he is standing down as an MP, with immediate effect.
It comes after he received a report from the MP-led Privileges Committee into whether he misled Parliament over lockdown parties at Downing Street.
Here is his statement in full:
I have received a letter from the Privileges Committee making it clear - much to my amazement - that they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament.
They have still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons.
They know perfectly well that when I spoke in the Commons, I was saying what I believed sincerely to be true and what I had been briefed to say, like any other minister. They know that I corrected the record as soon as possible; and they know that I and every other senior official and minister - including the current Prime Minister and then occupant of the same building, Rishi Sunak - believed that we were working lawfully together.
I have been an MP since 2001. I take my responsibilities seriously. I did not lie, and I believe that in their hearts, the Committee know it. But they have wilfully chosen to ignore the truth, because from the outset, their purpose has not been to discover the truth, or genuinely to understand what was in my mind when I spoke in the Commons.
Their purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts. This is the very definition of a kangaroo court.
Most members of the Committee - especially the chair - had already expressed deeply prejudicial remarks about my guilt before they had even seen the evidence. They should have recused themselves.
In retrospect, it was naïve and trusting of me to think that these proceedings could be remotely useful or fair. But I was determined to believe in the system, and in justice, and to vindicate what I knew to be the truth.
It was the same faith in the impartiality of our systems that led me to commission Sue Gray. It is clear that my faith has been misplaced. Of course, it suits the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP to do whatever they can to remove me from Parliament.
Sadly, as we saw in July last year, there are currently some Tory MPs who share that view. I am not alone in thinking that there is a witch hunt under way, to take revenge for Brexit and ultimately to reverse the 2016 referendum result.
My removal is the necessary first step, and I believe there has been a concerted attempt to bring it about. I am afraid I no longer believe that it is any coincidence that Sue Gray - who investigated gatherings in Number 10 - is now the chief of staff designate of the Labour leader.
Nor do I believe that it is any coincidence that her supposedly impartial chief counsel, Daniel Stilitz KC, turned out to be a strong Labour supporter who repeatedly tweeted personal attacks on me and the government.
When I left office last year, the government was only a handful of points behind in the polls. That gap has now massively widened.
Just a few years after winning the biggest majority in almost half a century, that majority is now clearly at risk.
Our party needs urgently to recapture its sense of momentum and its belief in what this country can do.
We need to show how we are making the most of Brexit and we need in the next months to be setting out a pro-growth and pro-investment agenda. We need to cut business and personal taxes - and not just as pre-election gimmicks - rather than endlessly putting them up.
We must not be afraid to be a properly Conservative government.
Why have we so passively abandoned the prospect of a Free Trade Deal with the US? Why have we junked measures to help people into housing or to scrap EU directives or to promote animal welfare?
We need to deliver on the 2019 manifesto, which was endorsed by 14 million people. We should remember that more than 17 million voted for Brexit.
I am now being forced out of Parliament by a tiny handful of people, with no evidence to back up their assertions, and without the approval even of Conservative party members, let alone the wider electorate.
I believe that a dangerous and unsettling precedent is being set.
The Conservative Party has the time to recover its mojo and its ambition and to win the next election. I had looked forward to providing enthusiastic support as a backbench MP. Harriet Harman's committee has set out to make that objective completely untenable.
The Committee's report is riddled with inaccuracies and reeks of prejudice, but under their absurd and unjust process, I have no formal ability to challenge anything they say.
The Privileges Committee is there to protect the privileges of Parliament. That is a very important job. They should not be using their powers - which have only been very recently designed - to mount what is plainly a political hit job on someone they oppose.
It is in no one's interest, however, that the process the Committee has launched should continue for a single day further.
So I have today written to my Association in Uxbridge and South Ruislip to say that I am stepping down forthwith and triggering an immediate by-election.
I am very sorry to leave my wonderful constituency. It has been a huge honour to serve them, both as Mayor and MP.
But I am proud that after what is cumulatively a 15-year stint, I have helped to deliver, among other things, a vast new railway in the Elizabeth Line and full funding for a wonderful new state of the art hospital for Hillingdon, where enabling works have already begun.
I also remain hugely proud of all that we achieved in my time in office as prime minister: getting Brexit done, winning the biggest majority for 40 years and delivering the fastest vaccine roll out of any major European country, as well as leading global support for Ukraine.
It is very sad to be leaving Parliament - at least for now - but above all, I am bewildered and appalled that I can be forced out, anti-democratically, by a committee chaired and managed, by Harriet Harman, with such egregious bias.
• None I've been forced out over Partygate report - Johnson | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65863336 |
DUP: Jonathan Buckley and Gavin Robinson run for deputy leadership - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says the party is in "healthy shape" as it prepares to vote for a new deputy leader. | Northern Ireland | Jonathan Buckley (left) and Gavin Robinson are going head to head in a vote for the deputy leadership
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is in "healthy shape" ahead of the election for its new deputy leader.
Paula Bradley has been the party's second in command since 2021 but is stepping down from the role.
East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson and Jonathan Buckley, who represents Upper Bann in the Stormont assembly, are in the running to replace her.
DUP MPs and assembly members are due to vote later at the party headquarters.
Ahead of the vote Sir Jeffrey said: "It's a healthy thing in a democratic political party that people have choice.
"It's a healthy sign that the DUP has young people like Gavin and Jonathan coming forward, wanting to take up senior positions."
Sir Jeffrey rejected any suggestion of a split in the party, adding that he had worked hard as leader to build unity over the past two years.
Paula Bradley has served as the DUP's deputy leader since May 2021
"I don't detect any sense that this is about splits or division and it's not unusual in a political party to have competition for posts such as this," he said.
"It demonstrates that the DUP is in healthy shape."
The result of the vote will be ratified at a later date.
Ms Bradley succeeded Lord Dodds as deputy leader and has held the post since May 2021 when Edwin Poots was elected as the DUP's leader.
She retained her seat in the council election last month.
The DUP is blocking the normal functioning of Stormont's power-sharing government and its legislative assembly as part of a protest against post-Brexit trade rules.
Changes were made to those trading arrangements in the Windsor Framework, agreed by the UK and the EU in March, but the DUP has said the new deal is not good enough.
As a result of the 16-month boycott Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill has not been able to take up the post of Northern Ireland's first minister.
The DUP, which is the second biggest party at Stormont and is entitled to the deputy first minister role, must return to power-sharing to allow those posts to be filled.
It has also meant that civil servants have been left to run Northern Ireland's public services amid a major budget crisis.
On Thursday Sir Jeffrey said he was hopeful of making progress in his talks with the UK government about what he required in order to agree a return to Stormont. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65850120 |
Ukraine army attacks Russian forces in southern Zaporizhzhia region - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Military observers say Kyiv is trying to split the occupying forces in Zaporizhzhia. | Europe | Experts believe the focus of Ukraine's long awaited counter-offensive will be in Zaporizhzhia
Ukraine's military has launched attacks on occupying Russian forces in the key southern Zaporizhzhia region, Russian officials and military bloggers say.
They say Ukrainian troops - backed by tanks, artillery and drones - are trying to advance south of the town of Orikhiv for the second night running.
A senior Ukrainian defence official said the enemy was in "active defence".
Several military experts have said the focus of Ukraine's long awaited counter-offensive will be Zaporizhzhia.
They argue Kyiv is trying to regain access to the Sea of Azov, splitting the occupying Russian forces in the region into two detached groupings.
That would not only weaken Russia's combat capability but also eliminate a land bridge to Crimea, the southern peninsula illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
Ukraine has been planning a counter-offensive for months, but it has wanted as long as possible to train troops and to receive advanced military equipment from Western allies.
The government is deliberately saying little about its plans but its forces are now probing Russian positions at several points along the front line, looking for signs of weakness.
Meanwhile Russian attacks on Ukraine continue. Overnight it launched fresh cruise missile and drone strikes, with falling debris killing at least one person in Zhytomyr to the west of the capital Kyiv.
Russia seized most of the Zaporizhzhia region soon after President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion in February 2022. However the regional capital, the city of Zaporizhzhia, is controlled by Ukraine.
The recent fierce fighting in the area continued overnight, with several Russian pro-Kremlin military bloggers reporting late on Thursday that Ukraine had resumed attacks, noting the movement of armoured personnel carriers and drones directing artillery fire.
Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-installed local official, said Russian troops were holding their positions amid "active fighting" towards the city of Tokmak, seen as a key target for Ukraine as it seeks to advance to the Sea of Azov.
It is difficult to verify the competing claims by both sides. Earlier on Thursday Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said Russian forces were currently "in active defence" in Zaporizhzhia and claimed advances were being made around the eastern city of Bakhmut, which has been largely destroyed during months of fighting.
The Zaporizhzhia region is also home to Europe's largest nuclear power plant, which is in an area controlled by Russian forces.
The plant is continuing to receive cooling water from the reservoir of the Nova Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro river, despite the dam's destruction on Tuesday which has seen water levels in the reservoir fall and large areas downstream of the dam flooded.
However the resulting emergency is threatening the region's water supplies, with the WHO also warning that cholera could spread.
It is also predicted to have serious long-term consequences for agriculture across one of the country's most fertile areas.
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-65851760 |
Aberdeen AI trial helps doctors spot breast cancers - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | BBC Click had exclusive access to a trial exploring the impact of using AI in breast screenings. | Technology | A trial under way at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary is exploring whether artificial intelligence (AI) can assist radiologists in reviewing thousands of mammograms a year.
The pilot helped spot early-stage breast cancer for June - a healthcare assistant and participant in the trial - and she is now set to undergo surgery as a result.
Mammograms are low level X-rays used in breast cancer screenings to monitor and detect changes too small to see or feel.
According to the NHS, they help save about 1,300 lives each year in the UK.
And while the number of women who attended a routine breast screening, after an invitation, increased in Scotland in the three-year period to 2022, the number of radiologists to review results is shrinking.
AI - technology which sees computers perform specific tasks that would typically require human intelligence - is already widely used across a range of industries.
While high-profile experts' fears that AI could lead to the extinction of humanity have recently been making headlines, the tech's more practical realities are already being shown in healthcare.
Its potential to speed up the process of drug and disease discovery means many scientists and doctors see AI as a powerful tool to work with, rather than replace, practitioners.
AI radiology in breast cancer screenings is being trialled at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
The number of screen-detected breast cancers of women of all ages grew to 1,830 between 2021 and 2022 in Scotland, according to Public Health Scotland (PHS) data.
Of the 5,000 mammograms scrutinised on average by radiologists each year, between 250 and 300 patients will be called back - with 30 to 40 of them requiring closer attention.
"There is a chance that with that number, you could miss cancers," Dr Gerald Lip, clinical director of the North East Scotland Breast Screening Programme, told BBC Click.
NHS Grampian's Gemini project - a collaboration between the NHS, the University of Aberdeen and private industry - was mentioned in Scotland's AI Strategy when it launched in 2021.
Kheiron Medical Technologies developed the AI model Mia, used in the trial, with Microsoft providing the cloud computing services to support it.
With rules set by the National Screening Counsel currently forbidding the automatic deployment of AI in screenings, Dr Lip and other radiologists are trialling it as an additional check at the end of mammogram scan reviews.
June, a participant in the trial who has undergone similar surgery before, received a biopsy to remove a small part of her breast tissue for testing after Dr Lip explained how the AI tool helped identify an area of concern.
Dr Lip talks June through the changes the AI software detected in her mammogram
He showed BBC Click how the software works using anonymised mammogram results.
"What we're seeing now is a lady who's got mammograms on the left side and right side, you're looking for differences," he said.
By clicking a button, radiologists can view and check differences identified by the AI between the two scans.
Dr Lip pointed to one area circled by the AI software, identifying it as the main area of concern.
Areas of concern circled on a mammogram by AI software
"In screening you want to pick up things when they are small before they become big," he added.
A few weeks after her biopsy, June told Click that using AI - rather than another human pair of eyes - made the process feel less intrusive.
"You know your images are on screen, and people are looking at them," she said. "Whereas when it's an artificial intelligence, that bit of feeling that somebody is looking has gone."
The results of June's biopsy means she will once again be having surgery.
"The biopsy showed that I do have an early-stage cancer, they've certainly caught it at an earlier stage this time," June said. "But because I've had previous history with it, I'm going to go in and have a mastectomy.
"It's not treatment I want to have. But at the same time, it's reassuring that it's being caught."
A major review of Scotland's breast screening programme published last year suggested a large number of radiology and advance practitioner staff are either nearing or at retirement age.
It said the decline of "super reader" radiologists, relied on by the service to review a particularly high number of results, risks leaving the service "vulnerable".
The Royal College of Radiologists has also warned the UK is facing "chronic staff shortages", with patients waiting too long for vital tests and cancer treatments.
With two radiologists needed to read and report results, the Scottish government's review said replacing one human reader with AI could "cover half of the screening image reading burden of approximately 1.72 million images read each year".
But could the technology being tested in Aberdeen some day replace human staff?
"I think the goal of this evaluation is to see what's the best way we can work with AI, whether it's replacing one of the radiologists, whether it's part reading some of the normal mammograms, or whether it's to improve our cancer detection as a safety net," Dr Lip said.
Peter Kecskemethy, co-founder of Kheiron, said the tech will used by more than 30 NHS trusts across the UK for millions to access.
And with trusts in England already exploring how AI can support better, faster outcomes for breast cancer patients, the tech looks to continue playing a large role in helping doctors save lives.
You can see the full report and more ways AI is changing industries on this week's episode of Click. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65821552 |
Starmer vows to stop oil and gas communities withering - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Labour leader addressed the GMB after union leaders criticised his green energy plans. | UK Politics | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Starmer says he will not let the oil and gas industries become a "repeat" of the coal mines.
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to protect communities from "decimation" after being warned Labour's policies would lead to job losses in oil and gas.
Labour has pledged to ban new licences for oil and gas production in the UK
Gary Smith, the general secretary of the GMB, said Labour's policy risked creating "a cliff-edge" for jobs.
But speaking at the union's conference, Sir Keir promised to prevent a re-run of what happened when coal mines closed, in oil and gas communities.
"What I will never let happen is a repeat of what happened in coal mining where an industry came to an end and nobody had planned for the future," the Labour leader said.
"We're still living with the consequences, we cannot allow that to happen."
A 2019 report by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust found former mining communities were more socially disadvantaged, with higher than average unemployment and ill health.
Labour has pledged to achieve zero carbon energy in the UK by 2030 if elected.
At last year's Labour conference, Sir Keir said he would make the UK the first major economy in the world to generate all of its electricity without using fossil fuels. An emergency back-up capacity of 0.7% of fossil fuel electricity production would be kept on standby.
The party has said a Labour government would also stop issuing new licences for oil and gas production in the UK - a move which has prompted fury from both the industry and unions.
GMB leader Gary Smith said it would be "a huge mistake to put all the nation's eggs in one energy basket"
Sir Keir has been keen to portray Labour as the party prepared to seize the future.
But some of Labour's big union funders, including the GMB whose members include workers in the fossil fuel industries, are concerned by some of the green plans.
He was forced to defend his energy policy after being asked by a delegate what he had to say to communities that would be "decimated" by the end of oil and gas production in the North Sea.
"Oil and gas are going to be part of the mix for decades to come, into the 2050s. I don't think that part of our argument is heard loud enough or clear enough," he said.
He told the GMB conference in Brighton there was a "race on" across the world "to seize the next generation of jobs, in new nuclear, in renewables".
"If we don't seize that opportunity, I genuinely think that future generations will never forgive us for repeating the mistake that was made when the coal mines were closed down," he added.
Labour had estimated there were "hundreds of thousands of jobs" to be created in renewable energy, including 50,000 in Scotland, Sir Keir said.
In his speech to the GMB, he said: "For too long, Britain has allowed the opportunities of the new energy technologies to pass us by.
"Without a plan, the energy industries that we rely on will wither and decline."
There are some in Labour's ranks who believe the party's entire energy plan - its defining policy- is not being communicated loudly or clearly enough
Some senior figures have expressed fears that Labour's opponents will focus on the long-standing pledge to borrow £28bn a year to fund its drive for green energy. Meanwhile there are concerns the party leadership has not argued strongly enough for the benefits.
The North Sea Transition Authority estimates the UK oil and gas industry directly employs about 30,000 people and indirectly supports 100,000 jobs.
The oil and gas industry was estimated to be worth £28bn in 2022, according to the OEUK - the UK offshore energy industry body.
Sir Keir used his speech to make the same case President Joe Biden did in his flagship Inflation Reduction Act, that green jobs are a boon to working people.
He told the conference: "President Biden once said: 'When I hear climate change, I think jobs.'
"When Labour sets out our mission for Britain to become a clean energy super power, we are thinking jobs too."
Sir Keir also promised Labour would use public procurement to help create "unionised jobs" in the UK.
"There's a framework for public procurement, at the heart of which is dignity and respect, and we expect to see unionised jobs, and support unionised industries".
The Labour leader backed calls to force Amazon to recognise the GMB after the union signed up more than 600 people to stage walkouts over pay at a factory in Coventry.
"We will strengthen the role of trade unions in our society, and I want to see Amazon and businesses like it recognise unions," he said.
GMB sources suggested members were heartened by Sir Keir's vision for employment and the economy.
But the union would keep pressing for what sources called "a proper understanding" of the nation's energy challenges, they said.
It looks like the Labour leader will have to expend some energy to keep some in the wider labour movement onside. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65822211 |
Tesco could be breaking law on Clubcard pricing, says Which? - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The consumer group claims Clubcard pricing is not clear enough but Tesco says it meets current rules. | Business | Tesco could be breaking the law over how it displays Clubcard prices, according to consumer group Which?.
The group says Tesco does not explain the unit price of deals clearly enough to shoppers, making it hard for them to determine the cheapest product.
Which? has reported the supermarket to the regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
In response, Tesco said it complied with all current rules and called Which?'s claims "ill-founded".
Heinz tomato ketchup was one of the items that Which? highlighted in its report into pricing at Tesco.
It found a 700g bottle in Tesco for which the label showed the standard price to be £3.90, or 55.7p per 100g.
A prominent Clubcard label showed the same size bottle on offer at £3.50, but the unit price, which would be 50p per 100g, was not given.
A 910g bottle of the same ketchup on the shelf below was priced at £3.99, or 43.8p per 100g, for all shoppers, making it the cheapest option per 100g.
Which? argued many shoppers would wrongly assume the Clubcard option was the best deal available.
The Tesco Clubcard is a loyalty scheme that offers members discounted prices on products.
Which? said Tesco's decision not to display unit pricing on its Clubcard offers could be breaking the law.
According to competition rules, unit prices could be seen as "material information" which most people would need in order to make an informed decision about how to get the best value from what they are buying.
Which? head of food policy Sue Davies said given the backdrop of a cost of living crisis, supermarkets should not be cutting corners.
"They have a duty to ensure pricing is clear so that customers can get the best value. Tesco's unclear Clubcard pricing is at best confusing for shoppers struggling with soaring food inflation and at worst, could be breaking the law," she said.
"This is simply not good enough from the UK's biggest supermarket. Tesco should think of its customers and act now to introduce clear unit pricing on all offers, including Clubcard promotions, so shoppers can easily find the best value items."
A spokesperson for Tesco said the company had sought advice and approval from its local trading standards office in Hertfordshire where its headquarters are based.
"Providing great value and clear pricing is really important to us, we are supportive of calls for greater clarity on the regulations in this area," it said.
"However, given that we are complying with all the current rules, we are disappointed that Which? has chosen to make these ill-founded claims against our Clubcard Prices scheme, which helps millions of households get great value week in, week out."
The CMA is already investigating whether supermarkets are making excess profits through inflated prices.
In May, the boss of Sainsbury's, Simon Roberts, told the BBC that supermarkets were not profiteering from high inflation. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65854124 |
'No-one to blame' for death of schoolboy Hamdan Aslam - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A 14-year-old boy who died after collapsing at a school on Tuesday had an undiagnosed heart condition. | Edinburgh, Fife & East Scotland | Hamdan Aslam had a pre-existing heart condition that had never been detected
A 14-year-old who collapsed in the grounds of a West Lothian school died from natural causes, police have confirmed.
Schoolboy Hamdan Aslam died in hospital after becoming unwell at St Kentigern's Academy in Blackburn on Tuesday.
His family said Hamdan, from Harthill, had a pre-existing heart condition that had never been detected.
They said his death could have happened at any time and no-one was to blame for the death of their "beautiful boy".
"We want to assure Hamdan's friends and our community that this was an entirely natural death and could not have been predicted," the family said in a statement released by their lawyer Aamer Anwar.
They added: "There is no one to blame for his loss, it was God's will."
Emergency services were called to the school when the S3 pupil collapsed on the school grounds during a lunch break. He was taken to hospital but died shortly afterwards.
A post-mortem examination carried out on Thursday confirmed that Hamdan died from natural causes, Police Scotland said.
There had been widespread rumour and speculation online and in newspapers about the cause of his death.
Hamdan's family urged people to put a stop to the rumours which they said were compounding their grief.
They said: "We know that Hamdan's loss is being deeply felt by his friends and teachers and we would urge those who have engaged in rumours on social media to stop. It is untruthful and compounding our grief.
"Please take down the posts, the running commentary is unhelpful to the children, teachers and our family who have been left deeply traumatised and devastated.
"We know that Hamdan's teachers and friends did everything possible to save his life and for that our family will forever be grateful to them."
As with any sudden death, a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal.
Police Scotland Ch Insp Jocelyn O'Connor said: "This has been a tragic incident which has deeply affected everyone at the school. Our thoughts remain with Hamdan's family and friends at this very difficult time and we are providing our support to them.
"They have requested privacy and I would ask their wishes are respected."
Flowers and notes addressed to Hamdan were left by fellow pupils outside the school
Head teacher Andrew Sharkey said the school community had been devastated by the death of a "bright and diligent young man".
"Hamdan was an exemplary student and he will be hugely missed by the St Kentigern's community," he said.
"He was very friendly, popular with his classmates and he had a close group of friends. He was always polite and well-mannered in class and popular with his teachers. Hamdan was kind and thoughtful in all he did and he was always happy, with a beautiful smile."
He added: "Our thoughts and prayers remain with his family and friends at this incredibly difficult time."
The school - where singers Lewis Capaldi and Susan Boyle are former pupils - has remained open this week and pupils have been offered support.
Local people and pupils left floral tributes and messages outside the school building on Thursday.
On Thursday First Minister Humza Yousaf responded to a question about the tragedy during First Minister's Questions at Holyrood on Thursday, calling for an end to rumour and speculation around the incident.
He said: "This is the worst tragedy. Anybody who is a parent will know there cannot be a worse fear or nightmare that a parent has than losing a child."
Bathgate Mosque also paid tribute to Hamdan, saying that his death had "left the community devastated". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-65855800 |
Nadine Dorries: Former minister stands down as Tory MP - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The ex-culture secretary and close ally of Boris Johnson says she is standing down "with immediate effect". | UK Politics | Former Conservative minister Nadine Dorries has announced she is standing down as an MP.
The former culture secretary and close ally of Boris Johnson said she was standing down "with immediate effect" after "something significant" happened to change her mind.
It means there will be a by-election in her Mid Bedfordshire constituency, where she has a majority of 24,664.
Ms Dorries had already said she would not stand at the next general election.
It came ahead of the publication of Mr Johnson's resignation honours list.
Ms Dorries had been expected to be nominated for an honour, but she was not included on the list.
Earlier on Friday, she told TalkTV: "The last thing I would want to do is cause a by-election in my constituency."
"I don't believe I will be going into the House of Lords any time soon," she said, adding that she had not been contacted by anybody in No 10 about the honours list.
However, after announcing she was standing down, she told the channel: "The House of Lords thing was on the cards and it's gone back to HOLAC [the House of Lords Appointments Commission] to be vetted."
The advisory body is responsible for vetting nominations for peerages.
Asked if she thought she should be in the House of Lords, Ms Dorries said it was "very rare" for someone from her background who was born into poverty to get a peerage.
She added that she was "slightly disappointed" but "I don't think it was to be".
Ms Dorries said "something significant did happen to change my mind" about remaining an MP, but she would not give further details.
She said she now had "other priorities", including her granddaughter and media career as a presenter on TalkTV and columnist for the Daily Mail.
The former culture secretary said she felt "relief", adding: "I think I've been carrying a degree of guilt since I stood down as secretary of state. I think I possibly, maybe I should have stood down [as an MP] then."
The prime minister's press secretary said Mr Johnson's peerage list had been handed to HOLAC unaltered "as is convention", and HOLAC then passed back its approved list.
"He [Rishi Sunak] had no involvement or input into the approved list," she added.
Born in Liverpool in 1957, Ms Dorries worked as a nurse before becoming an MP in 2005.
She is also a successful author of romantic historical novels and hit the headlines in 2012 for taking part in ITV reality show I'm A Celebrity, which led to her suspension from the Conservative parliamentary party for six months.
She was a vocal critic of then-Prime Minister David Cameron and his Chancellor George Osborne, once describing them as "a pair of posh boys who don't know the price of a pint of milk".
When Mr Johnson entered Downing Street he made her a health minister before appointing her as culture secretary in September 2021.
She left government last September when Mr Johnson stepped down as prime minister.
Since then she has been a strong critic of current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and has hit out at those who sought to oust Mr Johnson.
Announcing that she would not stand in the general election in February, she criticised "the lack of cohesion, the infighting and occasionally the sheer stupidity from those who think we could remove a sitting prime minister".
"I'm afraid it's this behaviour that I now just have to remove myself from," she added. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65860564 |
Wildfires: UK to set up new Mediterranean-style specialist units - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Fire chiefs are set to increase the number of specialist teams trained in 'fighting fire with fire'. | Science & Environment | The risk of wildfires is on the rise in the UK as the impacts of climate change are felt
Firefighters will deploy new techniques learnt in the world's worst wildfire hotspots as climate change raises the risk level in the UK this summer.
Last year's heatwaves saw thousands of fires break out, with one destroying homes at Wennington, east London.
This year has already seen hundreds of grass fires and one of the UK's largest ever has been burning near Cannich in Scotland for the past two weeks.
More fire crews are now training in skills from southern Europe and the US.
Fire chiefs are particularly looking to expand the number of specialist teams trained in "burn suppression" techniques - the deliberate burning of land to keep a fire contained.
At the moment, just five UK units across more than 50 fire and rescue services specialise in the "fighting fire with fire" technique, mostly in moorland areas.
With more than 90 buildings destroyed by wildfires close to urban areas last July, more units - including those in services that straddle urban and rural areas - would be trained in new ways of wildfire fighting.
A volunteer walks Frensham Common, near Farnham, Surrey, hunting for reptiles that survived the fire
They could then be deployed nationally, in the event of a significant fire.
Chief Fire Officer Paul Hedley, wildfire lead for the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), said the risk and threat of such major wildfires was "clearly growing in the UK".
"All of this learning from international partners, who are probably still some years ahead of us, is a very sensible way of trying to get us ahead of the curve," he said.
It is hoped a UK-wide training programme will be set up as part of a national action plan drawn up in response to the lessons learnt from last year's blazes.
One of the services leading the way is Surrey Fire and Rescue, which has already dealt with more than 80 wildfires this year.
The most recent wildfire was last month at Frensham Common, near Farnham, a popular beauty spot.
The cause of the 10-hectare fire is not yet known - but the damage is clear to see.
Where once there was rich heathland, home to rare species, including sand lizards, there is now desolation.
When the BBC visited, volunteers from the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation charity were walking the scorched earth, stretched out in a line like a police forensics team, searching for creatures that survived the blaze.
If the immediate impact is shocking, the long-term effects are equally concerning.
"Whilst we can save some of these animals that survived the fire, we lose an awful lot and we lose all that biodiversity. It takes years, if not decades, for that to come back again," explained trustee Howard Inns.
For countryside ranger Darren Hill, who supported firefighters tackling the blaze here, seeing the aftermath, and knowing more wildfires could be on their way, is hard to take.
"To come back and see a site like this, and know I found this species over here and we had smooth snakes over there, it does take its toll," he said.
Matt Oakley is a national wildfire tactical advisor who has trained abroad
Meanwhile, using a drone with thermal imaging to survey the site for hidden subterranean burns is Matt Oakley, a fire investigations officer for Surrey Fire and Rescue.
He is one of the UK's national wildfire tactical advisors - a group of specialist officers who already have the skills learnt abroad and who will be training units.
He says the kind of techniques he's seen used in hotspots as far-flung as France and South Africa will be vital in the UK in the years to come.
"Our climate is changing - it's changing beyond recognition," he explained. "What used to be a nine to 12-year cycle, this is every year now.
"We are heading towards a northern Mediterranean climate in the southeast of England within the next decade and this will be business as usual day in, day out."
Many of the wildfire-fighting methods being rolled out across the UK rely on a 'toolbox' of skills, from creating natural firebreaks and reducing the 'fuel-load' of vegetation to setting controlled burns deliberately around wildfires to stop their spread.
Together they would reduce the need for huge amounts of water in a drought and reduce the number of appliances needed on site.
But the Fire Brigades Union says new training and techniques are not enough to tackle the rising challenges of climate change. It says more crews are needed after years of cuts that have seen the loss of thousands of firefighters since 2010.
Matt Wrack, the Fire Brigades Union's general secretary, called for more funding from the government, saying: "Rising temperatures and the systematic underfunding of the fire and rescue service are a recipe for destruction."
The government said it was giving fire and rescue authorities around £2.6bn this year, and each authority was able to decide what it spent it on.
A spokesperson said: "The Home Office works closely with the National Fire Chiefs Council and England and Wales Wildfire Forum to continue to improve our response to wildfires and mitigate them." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65848872 |
France knife attack: 'Positive' news for victims as Macron meets rescuers - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Netherlands says its citizen is "out of danger", and Macron says the British girl is awake after surgery. | Europe | We are now ending our coverage of today's events in France after yesterday's knife attack at a playground in the eastern city of Annecy.
To read the latest on this story, head here.
If you need support after reading about these distressing events, you can find details of organisations which can help using BBC Action Line.
Today's page was brought to you by our writers Laura Gozzi, Jack Burgess and Sam Hancock; the editors were Alexandra Fouché, Alys Davies and James FitzGerald; and we had help from video producer Anna Boyd. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-65854243 |
Teen on e-bike dies after being followed by police in Salford - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The 15-year-old boy collided with a moving ambulance after he was followed by police traffic officers. | UK | Flowers have been left at the scene on Langworthy Road in Salford
A 15-year-old boy has died after he was followed by police on his electric bike and was then in collision with an ambulance.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said traffic officers had followed the teenager in Salford until their vehicle's path was blocked by bollards.
The boy then rode on and was in collision with the ambulance, said North West Ambulance Service.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating.
The boy was followed by police officers along Fitzwarren Street and on to Lower Seedley Road at about 14:00 BST before bollards blocked their vehicle's way.
Initial reports said the ambulance was stationary at the time but the North West Ambulance Service said that while its vehicle was not on an active call it was being driven back to a nearby ambulance station.
The crew inside were able to treat the boy immediately before taking him to hospital where he later died.
The mood near to the scene of the crash was sombre on Thursday evening, with the family of the boy understood to live nearby.
Flowers, candles and cards have been left at the scene beside a framed picture of the young boy.
One tribute attached to a bunch of roses read: "Doesn't feel real writing this card. My heart is broken."
Another said: "You will always have a special place in my heart, I love you loads my dude."
Langworthy Road is a busy main road and would have had a lot of traffic on it at the time of the collision.
A police cordon in place there for much of the evening has now been lifted.
In a statement, GMP said the IOPC was now leading the investigation.
"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the boy who tragically died," it said.
The IOPC, which oversees police conduct, said it was "independently investigating the circumstances of a serious collision involving an e-bike and an ambulance in Salford".
"Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones, as well as all those affected by this tragedy," its spokesman said.
"We were notified by Greater Manchester Police due to the fact a police vehicle had been following the e-bike shortly before the collision.
"We have sent investigators to the scene of the collision, at the junction of Langworthy Road and Lower Seedley Road, as well as to the police post-incident procedures, to begin gathering evidence."
He added the IOPC would provide "further details once we are in a position to do so".
Last month, 15-year-old Harvey Evans and 16-year-old Kyrees Sullivan were killed in an e-bike collision in Cardiff after being followed by a police van. Their deaths sparked a riot in the area.
Were you in the area? Did you witness the incident? You can share your experiences by emailing [email protected].
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65850704 |
Janelle Monaé's sensuous new album fights back at anti-LGBTQ laws - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The non-binary singer's hedonistic new album is a celebration of black, queer pleasure. | Entertainment & Arts | The singer says she feels more "free" to express herself since coming out in 2018
Janelle Monaé says her sensuous, hedonistic new album is a riposte to conservatives who want to suppress expressions of black, queer pleasure.
The record arrives amidst a spate of US bills targeting LGBTQ rights, and others that target how schools teach subjects like African-American history, race and racism.
"They want us to not enjoy life, they want us to be miserable, to feel like we don't belong," Monaé, who identifies as non-binary, told BBC 6 Music.
"We have to fight this every way."
The 37-year-old says her latest album, The Age Of Pleasure, is just one way to resist the tide of anti-LGBTQ sentiment.
"With this project I am making it very known that, even in the midst of these heavy times, we're going to celebrate ourselves, we're going to create a safe space for ourselves and we're going to enjoy this life."
The star is also taking practical action with her Fem The Future charity, which provides grants to under-resourced girls and non-binary youth in music, the arts and education.
A record number of anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the US since the start of the year, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Along with a renewed push to ban access to gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, there has been a heavy focus on education.
A total of 283 proposed bills target schools, including bills that aim to limit discussions about sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom, and "forced outing" bills, which would require teachers to alert parents when a student begins going by a different name or pronouns, even without the student's consent.
Several states have also proposed bills that would ban drag performances.
Monaé started releasing music in 2003, carving out a niche as one of America's most forward-thinking, genre-bending soul and pop artists.
With hits like Make Me Feel, Tightrope and Q.U.E.E.N, she's earned eight Grammy nominations, while building a parallel career on the big screen, with roles in award-winning dramas Hidden Figures and Moonlight, and last year's murder-mystery Glass Onion, in which she co-starred with Daniel Craig.
The star worked on her album while filming the Knives Out sequel Glass Onion
The Age Of Pleasure is her first album since 2018's Dirty Computer, a project that saw her acknowledge and embrace her sexuality in public for the first time.
"That was super nerve wracking," she told Matt Everitt. "To have to deal with [everything] that comes with that. The pressures of constantly talking about it."
But "understanding that I'm now non-binary freed me up," she continued.
"It makes the music better, it makes the art better, it makes you feel more fluid, more free."
As a consequence, her new album focuses almost entirely on the pleasures of the flesh.
Naked skin is a big theme - and Monaé even appears bare-chested in the video for Lipstick Lover, a song inspired by a real-life liaison.
"I ended up with lipstick on my neck, red lip gloss on my neck. I went to the bathroom and saw it and just thought it was sexy, you know?"
"And I was like, 'Yep, this deserves a song'. As simple as that."
Monaé was named "trailblazer of the year" at the 2018 Billboard Women In Music Awards
The album took shape over the last few years, at events she hosted in her "Wondaland West" campus in Los Angeles.
The property is a hub of creativity and community, with a party-ready courtyard that Rolling Stone magazine described as "magnificent, with its tranquil pool in the centre and troves of nooks, crannies, outdoor baths, and citrus trees".
During the pandemic, Monaé opened up her property to the organisers of Everyday People - a globe-trotting event that celebrates Black and African culture - allowing them to host gatherings, under strict Covid-testing regulations.
Her new music reflects those bacchanalian nights, where people found freedom to be themselves "free from police, free from judgement", said Monaé.
"I tried my best to capture the beauty I saw and that's what we ended up with - The Age Of Pleasure," she said.
After lockdown restrictions eased, the parties continued, acting as a testing ground for Monaé's material.
"If I knew we had a party on a Friday or Saturday, we would write the songs on a Monday or Tuesday," she explained.
"I told my DJ, 'Play the songs. Don't say it's me, and let's see how people move to them.'
"And when I saw people Shazam-ing them from the dancefloor, I was like, 'This is done. That's going on the album.'"
The record recalls the free-wheeling parties the star holds on her Los Angeles estate
The musician has described the record as a love letter to the African diaspora, with grooves that move smoothly between R&B, hip-hop, Afrobeat, Amapiano, funk and reggae.
Released this week, it has already received positive reviews.
"Janelle Monáe sounds more self-possessed and confident than ever," wrote Slate magazine's Charles Lyons-Burt. "There's no question that her unapologetic embrace of queer pleasure is sincere, bold, and subversive."
"It really is non-stop sauce," added Joe Muggs on The Arts Desk. "Even a list of swimming strokes is so charged it'll make steam come out of your ears.
"It may well make you blush, but it is her best album, and is an extraordinary transformation."
The Line Of Best Fit's Sam Franzini was less enthusiastic, saying the record was "slim on ideas" and a poor reflection of Monaé's "genius". Not true, said David Smith in the Evening Standard, The Age Of Pleasure's "sweltering style" is destined to become "the sound of the summer".
For Monaé, whose previous records have deeply conceptual, multi-layered artistic statements, The Art Of Pleasure was simply about the chance to "have fun".
"I feel like I'm owning all of me, not explaining everything, and just enjoying it.
Correction 28th June: This article originally referred to a spate of US bills including those which outlaw the teaching of African American history, and has been amended to clarify that these bills target how schools teach subjects including African-American history, race and racism.
• None Janelle Monae is 'standing up to bullies' | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65844245 |
I've been forced out over Partygate report, says Boris Johnson - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Boris Johnson is to step down as an MP but insists that "I did not lie" over Covid lockdowns. | UK Politics | Boris Johnson was fined for attending a birthday gathering in the Cabinet Room in 2020
Boris Johnson has stepped down as a Tory MP after claiming he was "forced out of Parliament" over Partygate.
The ex-PM saw in advance a report by the Commons Privileges Committee investigating if he misled the Commons over Downing Street lockdown parties.
In an explosive and lengthy statement, he called the committee a "kangaroo court" whose purpose "has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts".
The committee said it had "followed the procedures and the mandate".
The cross-party committee of MPs - the majority of which are Conservative - added it would conclude its inquiry on Monday and "publish its report promptly".
Mr Johnson's resignation now triggers a by-election in his marginal constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Delivering his announcement late on Friday evening, Mr Johnson said the draft report he had seen was "riddled with inaccuracies and reeks of prejudice", adding it was clear the committee was "determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament".
"They have still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled the Commons," he said, insisting "I did not lie".
He also accused its chairwoman, Labour's Harriet Harman, of "egregious bias", saying he was "bewildered and appalled" at how he was being forced out.
The ex-prime minister previously admitted misleading Parliament when he gave evidence to the committee in a combative hearing in March - but denied doing it on purpose.
He said social distancing had not been "perfect" at gatherings in Downing Street during Covid lockdowns but insisted the guidelines, as he understood them, were followed at all times.
Mr Johnson also used his letter to attack the direction of the government, saying "we must not be afraid to be properly Conservative" and warning the party's majority was at risk.
"We need to show how we are making the most of Brexit and we need in the next months to be setting out a pro-growth and pro-investment agenda," Mr Johnson argued.
"Why have we so passively abandoned the prospect of a Free Trade Deal with the US? Why have we junked measures to help people into housing or to scrap EU directives or to promote animal welfare?"
It was a direct aim at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak - hours after he stepped off a plane from Washington where Mr Sunak was not talking about a free trade agreement with the US.
And Mr Johnson's statement was an attempt to rally Brexiteers in his party, suggesting his demise was driven by a motivation to "reverse the 2016 referendum result".
The statement contained further criticism of former senior civil servant Sue Gray, who investigated lockdown gatherings at Number 10.
"I am afraid I no longer believe that it is any coincidence" that she will soon become "chief of staff designate" of the Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer, Mr Johnson wrote.
Ending his 1,000-word letter, Mr Johnson said he was "very sad to be leaving Parliament" before adding - "at least for now" - for anyone thinking he is about to retreat into obscurity.
Mr Johnson's exit will trigger a by-election in his west London seat, which he held with a 7,000 vote majority in the 2019 election.
The Conservatives will also have to defend the Mid Bedfordshire seat of Nadine Dorries - a close ally of Mr Johnson - after she stepped down as an MP earlier on Friday.
Mr Johnson claims his removal is a "necessary first step" in attempts by some to reverse the 2016 Brexit result
Mr Johnson's dramatic move came after he was given the committee's findings, including details of criticisms it intended to make and evidence to support its conclusion.
He had faced a potential by-election if MPs recommended a suspension from the Commons as a punishment for misleading Parliament.
Responding to his statement, a Privileges Committee spokesperson said: "The committee has followed the procedures and the mandate of the House at all times and will continue to do so.
"Mr Johnson has departed from the processes of the House and has impugned the integrity of the House by his statement. The committee will meet on Monday to conclude the inquiry and to publish its report promptly."
Elsewhere, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner condemned what she called a "never-ending Tory soap opera".
For the Liberal Democrats, deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: "Good riddance."
And SNP deputy Westminster leader Mhairi Black said Mr Johnson "jumped before he was pushed", adding "no-one in Scotland will be sorry to see the back of him".
However, former home secretary Priti Patel, who was made a Dame in his resignations honours list also announced on Friday, praised Mr Johnson for his work as prime minister on the issues of Ukraine and Brexit, describing him as "a political titan".
Boris Johnson's local Conservative association chairman, Richard Mills, said the former PM "has delivered on his promises to local residents".
Another sitting MP announced in the resignation honours list, Sir Michael Fabricant, criticised the Privileges Committee for what he called its "disgraceful treatment" of the former prime minister.
Mr Johnson was prime minister from July 2019 until September 2022, and has been an MP since 2001 - although not continuously, having served as mayor of London between 2008 and 2016. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65863267 |
Boris Johnson has Partygate inquiry findings ahead of report's publication - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A committee is deciding whether the former PM purposely misled Parliament over lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street. | UK Politics | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Boris Johnson has been given the findings of an MP-led investigation into whether he misled parliament over Partygate.
The Privileges Committee is examining whether the former PM purposefully misled Parliament over lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street.
In evidence given in March, Mr Johnson admitted misleading Parliament, but denied doing it on purpose.
He now has two weeks to respond to a "warning letter" sent by the committee.
The letter details the criticisms it intends to make of Mr Johnson, along with any evidence which supports them, the BBC understands.
If the committee finds that Mr Johnson did mislead Parliament, it could recommend his suspension from the House of Commons for 10 days or more, triggering a by-election in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.
The letter will also inform Mr Johnson of any proposed penalties that the committee will suggest for MPs to approve.
MPs would be asked to endorse the findings, via a vote in the House of Commons.
Mr Johnson now has two weeks to reply. His response will be considered by the committee before it finalises its report - this is expected to happen by the end of June.
A spokesperson for the committee said it was "proceeding in accordance with its previously published procedure. Under that procedure, if the committee decides to criticise Mr Johnson, it will not come to a final conclusion until it has taken into account any further submissions from Mr Johnson."
Mr Johnson has been approached for comment. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65846876 |
Rachel Reeves unveils Labour's Joe Biden-inspired economic strategy - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves declares "globalisation as we know it is dead", in a speech in Washington DC. | UK Politics | Rachel Reeves tours the New York Stock Exchange on a three day visit to the US
Labour is seeking inspiration from Joe Biden's plan to tackle inflation and create jobs, shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said.
The US president's vast package of subsidies and tax breaks for industry has been dubbed "Bidenomics".
Unveiling her version in a speech during a US trip, Ms Reeves pledged to rebuild Britain's "industrial foundations" if Labour wins power.
She claimed this will insulate the country against "global shocks".
Ms Reeves has dubbed her strategy "securonomics", which she said would mean a bigger role for government in running the free market economy and greater cooperation with like-minded international allies.
As chancellor, she said she would aim to create high quality jobs in British businesses, and reduce the country's dependence on foreign workers and goods.
"Globalisation as we know it is dead," she told an audience of economists in Washington DC.
"We must care about where things are made and who owns them. We must foster new partnerships between the free market and an active state and between countries across the world who share values and interests."
Ms Reeves spoke of her admiration for Joe Biden's $430bn (£350bn) Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which seeks to tame rising prices by cutting the deficit and investing in domestic energy production while promoting clean energy.
She stressed that she did not want to make Britain "a version of America, Australia, Germany or France" as that "would not work".
But she did propose a "new special relationship" with the US, focusing "on the clean energy economy, where both Britain and America have signature strengths".
Labour says this would involve regular dialogue with the Biden administration and US trade unions, to learn how to create more high quality jobs and tackle geographical inequality.
The party's flagship economic policy is a £28bn a year "green prosperity plan", which aims to create jobs in new green industries and set up a publicly-owned renewable energy company.
The shadow chancellor has promised to cut Britain's debt burden by binding a future Labour government to strict borrowing limits, leading some to suggest it will have to scale back its green prosperity plans.
In her speech, Ms Reeves said her "securonomics" strategy would be "built on the rock of financial stability and economic security".
In a Q&A afterwards, she conceded that Labour would not be able to do everything it wanted to do because money would be tight, but she insisted the party's manifesto policies were all fully-costed.
She also insisted that Britain would not be turning its back on global trade under Labour, as some critics of Mr Biden have accused him of doing.
"It is not a retreat from trade. It is about doing things differently in the interests of economic security and also security for working people," she said.
Ms Reeves, who also met US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on her trip, sets out her strategy in detail in a pamphlet, A New Business Model for Britain.
In January, Energy Secretary Grant Shapps warned that Mr Biden's policies could herald a "dangerous" slide into protectionism.
And Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has written to her US counterpart complaining the IRA package would "harm multiple economies across the world".
The EU, Canada and South Korea have all argued it breaches world trade rules. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65695598 |
Leeds United: Chairman Andrea Radrizzani agrees £170m deal to sell club to 49ers - BBC Sport | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | null | Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani agrees a deal to sell his stake in the club to co-owners 49ers Enterprises. | null | Last updated on .From the section Leeds United
Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani has agreed a £170m deal to sell his stake in the relegated club to co-owners 49ers Enterprises.
The investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers purchased a 15% stake in Leeds in 2018 and increased that to 44% in 2021.
Italian Radrizzani bought Leeds outright for £45m in 2017, but his stake has dropped to 56% since then.
Managerless Leeds were relegated from the Premier League on the final day and are preparing for the Championship.
The previous agreement, which depended on their top-flight survival, was worth about £400m - but negotiations restarted following their drop to the second tier.
A club statement read: "Leeds United can confirm an agreement has been reached between Aser Ventures and 49ers Enterprises for the purchase of the club.
"Both parties continue to work through the details, and further updates will be provided soon. All of our focus remains on a quick return to the Premier League."
After relegation was confirmed, the Leeds United Supporters Club released a statement saying Radrizzani was "no longer an appropriate person to own Leeds United".
"His behaviour is appalling and he risks never being welcome at our club again," it added."The sooner he goes the better and we look forward to the 49ers Enterprises offer being accepted. The only way he can begin to salvage his reputation is through an immediate sale of the club and the stadium."
Radrizzani was popular with Leeds fans initially, with manager Marcelo Bielsa taking them back into the Premier League. But the relationship soured after he sacked the Argentine, and he did not attend their final game, a defeat by Tottenham which sealed their relegation while fans chanted for him to leave.
This deal has to be good for the club - analysis
This news has been expected since Sampdoria confirmed Radrizzani had taken a stake in the club, which had just been relegated to Serie B.
The brutal truth is that Radrizzani, charismatic as he is, lacks the funds to really shove Leeds up the Premier League in the way the 49ers have.
It was hoped they could escape again this term but, ultimately, they just were not good enough and not even interim boss Sam Allardyce could save them.
However, while no-one would choose to get relegated because of the uncertainty it brings, under the circumstances it does not need to be a disaster.
Allardyce has gone, just as director of football Victor Orta went before him. Recruitment-wise, Leeds are starting with a clean slate.
What they are not starting with in the Championship is a level playing field. Given the parachute payments and their enormous fan base, quite frankly, it would reflect very badly if Leeds did not go straight back up.
The same could be said about Leicester and Southampton, putting the real pressure on the two clubs who went down in 2021-22 and did not come straight back - Norwich and Watford.
There are structural issues to address around Elland Road, which will be expensive to modernise but badly needs it. However, on the pitch, this deal has to be good for the club.
• None Listen to the latest Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast
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Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia under way - BBC News | 2023-06-09T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | It's been talked of for months, now it looks like Ukraine is finally launching its plan to recapture land. | Europe | Ukraine has been planning its counter-offensive for months - and it now may finally be under way
Was this the week that Ukraine's long-anticipated counter-offensive finally got under way?
Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to think so. "We can definitely state that this Ukrainian offensive has begun," he said in a video interview published on Telegram on Friday.
In some ways, it's already been under way for weeks, with Ukraine conducting what's known in military jargon as "shaping operations": long range artillery and missile attacks on key Russian logistical targets far behind the front lines.
Monday seemed to herald a change, with small detachments of lightly armoured Ukrainian units moving forward across the open fields towards Russian fortifications in southern Ukraine, south-east of Zaporizhzhia.
"Now the so-called 'fighting reconnaissance stage' is taking place along the entire length of the front," Serhii Kuzan, co-founder and chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, told the BBC.
"That means there's a probing of Russian defences."
Some videos and accounts suggested that they quickly ran into trouble.
"Somewhere this happens more successfully with small losses," Mr Kuzan said. "And somewhere less successfully, where the Russians fight back."
Mr Kuzan declined to name specific towns, saying only that they were all in the area south of Zaporizhzhia.
By Tuesday, the world's attention was captured by the destruction of the dam at Nova Kakhovka and the subsequent flooding that soon covered around 230 square miles (596 sq km) either side of the Dnipro River.
For all the Kremlin's denials, it didn't look like a coincidence. The dam, and the road across it, offered a possible line of attack for Ukrainian forces looking for ways to keep Russian forces off-balance.
It seems highly likely that Russian forces, which controlled the dam, decided to blow it up, taking one of Kyiv's military operations off the table.
Kyiv had already signalled its interest in this stretch of the front line more than once.
In late April, Ukrainian soldiers crossed the river and briefly established a bridgehead at Oleshky. Ukraine also took control of several small islands in the Dnipro delta, close to Kherson.
The extent of Kyiv's military plans for this area is not known, and is now academic. The catastrophic flooding will have made river crossings impossible for the time being.
"But the fact that such a direction was an option was seen by the Russians," Mr Kuzan said.
The burst dam has caused catastrophic flooding across southern Ukraine
While the authorities in Kyiv suddenly grappled with the flooding, the fighting continued - and seemed to escalate - further east.
By early Thursday morning, the UK's Ministry of Defence tweeted that "heavy fighting continues along multiple sectors of the front," adding that in most areas "Ukraine holds the initiative."
In a video the same day, Russia's defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, said that Russian forces had repelled an overnight Ukrainian attack in the area south of Zaporizhzhia, involving 150 armoured vehicles and 1,500 troops.
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, Ukraine's 47th Mechanised Brigade "made an attempt to break through Russian lines."
A video circulated on the internet, purporting to show something new: a western-supplied Leopard tank being destroyed. The BBC has not yet verified the video.
Ukrainian officials, characteristically tight lipped about current operations, offered tantalising glimpses into what was going on.
Hanna Malyar, the Deputy Defence Minister, coyly said that Russian troops were "actively on the defensive" in the area around the town of Orikhiv, around 65km south-east of Zaporizhzhia.
In a statement on Telegram, she also confirmed that battles were continuing around Velyka Novosilka, further east.
The two towns likely form the western and eastern edges of a heavily fortified stretch of the front line where many analysts believe Ukraine will eventually try and punch through Russian lines.
"It's not a secret that one of our main goals is to cut the land corridor that feeds the whole southern grouping of enemy forces," Mr Kuzan said.
Ukrainian forces want to cut the Russian-held land corridor to Crimea
Pro-Russian Telegram channels in the Donbas were full of excited chatter about Ukraine's latest moves, much of it laced with scorn.
"They are going where the Russians are waiting for them," one member posted in the I Love Kramatorsk group. "What stupidity!"
Others acknowledged that Ukrainian forces had moved forward, but questioned the price in lost men and armour.
"I really question the price of this success," another member of the same group commented.
"Do they have enough forces to reach Tokmak [44km south of Orikhiv], let alone Berdyansk and Melitopol?"
But it's not the only area where fighting is raging.
Footage from north and south of the city of Bakhmut, scene of one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the war, appeared to show Ukrainian forces moving forward.
Ms Malyar said they had advanced "from 200 to 1,100 metres in various sections," in what may eventually be an effort to encircle the city and trap its Russian occupiers.
It is, as the UK's Ministry of Defence noted, "a highly complex operational picture".
But does it mean that Ukraine's counter-offensive is already entering a dramatic new phase?
On Wednesday, Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, scoffed at the idea.
"All of this is not true," he told Reuters.
"When we start the counter-offensive, everyone will know about it. They will see it."
The air war - including the use of drones - will be vital for Ukraine's counteroffensive
But something has definitely changed.
"The point is that the front is finally moving," Serhii Kuzan said, adding that several options were still open to Ukrainian commanders.
But Ukraine is also operating under a number of significant restraints, the main one being the lack of fighter jets capable of providing support from the air.
"That's why we move slowly," Mr Kuzan said, "and then move air defence [systems] closer."
Another factor is time. This offensive will probably last no more than five months, after which autumn rain will once again render open ground impassable for heavy armoured vehicles.
What will success look like?
If Ukrainian forces can punch through Russian lines, all the way to the Sea of Azov, then any Russian troops west of that breach will suddenly be much more vulnerable, dependent entirely on supply lines through the Crimean Peninsula.
All that would then remain, Mr Kuzan says, would be to destroy the Kerch Bridge linking Russia with Crimea (briefly disabled by a huge truck bomb last October) and attack ships and planes being used to ferry supplies to the peninsula.
"That would be the end," he says. "But don't expect this to happen soon. It'll take months." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65860294 |
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