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Children killed at Stoke-on-Trent house named by police - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Ethan John, 11, and his sister Elizabeth, seven, were found with significant injuries, said police. | Stoke & Staffordshire | Elizabeth and Ethan John were both found unresponsive with significant injuries
Two children who were killed inside a house in Stoke-on-Trent have been named.
Ethan John, 11, and his sister Elizabeth, seven, were both found unresponsive with significant injuries.
A woman who was known to the siblings was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Police discovered the children when they went to the house in Flax Street after first being called to the stabbing of a man at a car wash nearby.
The suspect, 49, was arrested in connection with the stabbing and then on suspicion of murder. She remains in custody and is being questioned.
The children's schools paid tribute to their pupils, saying Ethan had an "infectious smile" and Elizabeth was a "ray of sunshine".
"Ethan was a wonderful member of our school community. He had impeccable manners and an infectious smile," a statement said.
"He will be hugely missed by the staff and pupils alike and will forever be part of our hearts."
Elizabeth's school said she was "a kind, caring and friendly member of our school family".
"She was a ray of sunshine who always had a smile on her face. She was everyone's friend - she was both bright and popular," a statement said.
"The loss of Elizabeth is truly devastating for us all and her absence will leave a huge hole within our school community."
The children were found fatally injured at an address on Flax Street
The stabbed man, in his 40s, was treated in hospital but has since been discharged.
Det Ch Insp Cheryl Hannan said: "We are solely focussed on finding out what happened to these two children and supporting those affected by this deeply traumatic incident.
"I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering felt by the family and friends of these two children at this time."
Specially-trained officers are supporting "those closest to the children whilst we find out more about what happened yesterday afternoon", she added.
Neighbours said they were heartbroken at hearing the news.
A neighbour near the scene said she burst into tears when she found out the news
Jade Halket said: "It's scary with it being so close, I have two young kids myself, I find it devastating. It's awful."
Another resident told the BBC: "I can't put it into words, I'm absolutely gutted.
"[The children] haven't even seen a life yet. We started crying when we found out, it's just not fair," she said.
Officers have appealed to anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage from the area of Flax Street and Campbell Road between 13:30 and 14:30 BST or to hear those who were in the area at the time.
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• None Murder arrest as children, 11 and 7, die at home
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-65885879 |
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak trade barbs in row over honours list - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Boris Johnson says Rishi Sunak is "talking rubbish", in a row over the former PM's nominations. | UK Politics | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Rishi Sunak: "Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn't prepared to do"
A war of words has erupted between Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson over the former prime minister's attempt to give peerages to several close allies.
Mr Sunak accused his former boss of asking him to "overrule" the vetting advice on his House of Lords nominations.
But in a fiery statement, Mr Johnson accused Mr Sunak of "talking rubbish".
The House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) said it rejected eight of Mr Johnson's nominations.
There has been no confirmation of who the nominees were, and why they were not included on Mr Johnson's controversial resignation honours list.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said HOLAC did not support the peerage nominations of the MPs put forward by Mr Johnson.
The honours list was published by Mr Sunak's government on Friday, without the names of some of Mr Johnson's key supporters, including Conservative MPs Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams.
A few hours after his honours list was released, Mr Johnson announced he was standing down as an MP over an investigation into whether he had misled Parliament about lockdown parties.
Competing claims have now surfaced about how and why the names would not have appeared on the list.
Mr Adams and Ms Dorries have both announced they would immediately standing down as MPs, triggering by-elections to replace them.
Earlier, the row over the nominations spilled into a public spat between Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak.
Speaking at a tech conference in London earlier, Mr Sunak claimed Mr Johnson had asked him to do "something I wasn't prepared to do" on peerage nominations.
"I didn't think that was right. And if people don't like that, then tough," Mr Sunak said.
A few hours later, Mr Johnson claimed it "was not necessary to overrule HOLAC - but simply to ask them to renew their vetting, which was a mere formality".
Mr Sunak's comments are the first made publicly about the dispute over peerages, and marks a heightening of tensions between the two.
Their relationship has been an uneasy one after Mr Sunak quit as chancellor in Mr Johnson's government, setting off a wave of resignations that brought down his premiership.
The process of vetting Mr Johnson's nominees for peerages appears to be the one of the points of disagreement between the former allies.
There has been speculation in media reports about what would happen if a serving MP was nominated for a peerage, and whether they could remain in the House of Commons until the next general election, before taking up their seats in the Lords.
But HOLAC says its vetting checks expire after six months, meaning its advice on nominations is only valid for that period.
In his statement, Mr Johnson appears to be suggesting the vetting checks for his nominees could be carried out again.
In an interview with TalkTV, Ms Dorries claimed Downing Street had not been "telling the truth" about her nomination for a peerage.
Ms Dorries said Mr Johnson had told her in autumn last year she had been put on his resignation honours list.
The former culture secretary said she had been vetted for the peerage, but because six months had passed, her checks had expired.
She said Mr Sunak and Mr Johnson had a meeting last week to discuss his honours list.
Ms Dorries accused the prime minister of using "weasel words" to give Mr Johnson the impression Mr Sunak would ask HOLAC to restart the vetting process.
She said Mr Sunak used those words because he "knew a situation had been engineered" in which her name would not be on the list.
When asked who she believed had stopped her from entering the House of Lords, she replied: "The prime minister - Rishi Sunak."
Following her interview, the Cabinet Office said it would be "unprecedented for a sitting prime minister to invite HOLAC to reconsider the vetting of individual nominees on a former prime minister's resignation list.
"It is not therefore a formality."
As a departing prime minister, Mr Johnson has the right to nominate people for seats in the House of Lords, and for other honours such as knighthoods.
By convention, current prime ministers pass on the list of nominees to HOLAC, which can recommend their names do not go forward after a vetting process.
HOLAC advises prime ministers on the suitability of candidates for peerages and usually, they accept its recommendations on appointments, whatever the outcome.
But Mr Johnson broke with this convention in 2020, when he nominated businessman Peter Cruddas for a peerage, despite his rejection by HOLAC.
On Sunday, a spokesman for the vetting commission said it had rejected eight of Mr Johnson's nominations, but declined to name them or say why, adding it "does not comment on individuals".
Downing Street has insisted that Mr Sunak passed on Mr Johnson's list of nominations unaltered. It says it also accepted HOLAC's full approved list and passed it to the King.
But on Monday, a source describing themselves as an ally of Mr Johnson accused the prime minister of "secretly" blocking peerages for "Nadine and others".
"He refused to ask for them to undergo basic checks that could have taken only a few weeks or even days," the source added.
"That is how he kept them off the list - without telling Boris Johnson." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65876723 |
Berlusconi, the belly dancer and the bunga bunga parties - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Apart from his impact as a politician, the late Italian ex-PM had a lurid and colourful personal life. | Europe | Karima El Mahroug is better known as Ruby the Heart Stealer
Much has been written about the ways in which the late Silvio Berlusconi's populist politics reshaped Italian public life, but the ex-prime minister was even better known for his lurid and colourful personal life.
During his lifetime, he had a string of spouses and partners. His second wife, Veronica Lario, divorced him in 2010 after accusing him of lying about his relationship with a teenager.
But chief among the sex scandals that surrounded him was the saga of the notorious "bunga bunga" parties held at his Arcore villa near Milan.
The erotic events came to light in 2010, when Berlusconi personally telephoned a police station seeking the release of a 17-year-old Moroccan girl, Karima El Mahroug, who had been arrested in Milan on suspicion of jewel theft.
The bid to spring her from jail was successful. But in order to secure her freedom, Berlusconi wrongly told the police that she was a granddaughter or niece of Egypt's then-President Hosni Mubarak and her arrest risked a diplomatic incident. He later told the court that he believed that at the time.
It later emerged that the girl was a belly dancer and suspected prostitute who went under the name of Ruby Rubacuori - or in English, Ruby the Heart Stealer.
She claimed to have received $10,000 (£8,000) from Berlusconi at the parties he held.
She told prosecutors in Milan that the events, which resembled orgies, involved Berlusconi and numerous young women stripping off and performing a ritual known as the "bunga bunga".
Many of the women attending the parties were apparently hoping to break into show business by appearing on one of the TV channels owned by Berlusconi.
In the ensuing Rubygate scandal, Berlusconi was initially found guilty of paying Ms Mahroug for sexual services while she was under the age of 18, but the verdict was overturned on appeal.
For her part, Ms Mahroug said she had never worked as a prostitute and denied any sexual relationship with Berlusconi, saying he was just a lonely man who paid to be in the company of young women.
In a biography of Berlusconi published in 2015, the ex-prime minister was quoted as saying the phrase "bunga bunga" originally came from a joke told to him by the Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi. The two men enjoyed a close friendship before Gaddafi was deposed and killed in 2011.
Wherever the expression came from, the "bunga bunga" parties proved to be a lasting stain on Berlusconi's reputation. It was not until February 2023 that he was finally cleared of bribing witnesses to lie about the events.
In an Instagram post following that verdict, Berlusconi said his acquittal had ended years of "suffering, of mud and of incalculable political damage".
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-65878077 |
Johnson and Sturgeon headlines make PM and FM's job to govern tougher - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Headlines about Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon are a distraction for Rishi Sunak and Humza Yousaf. | UK Politics | Who would be a prime minister or a first minister with predecessors keeping as… busy… as this?
There are many, many differences between the story of Boris Johnson and the story of Nicola Sturgeon.
But, politically what unites them is what has happened makes the business of being prime minister - or First Minister of Scotland - considerably harder.
The magnetism of the drama swirling around Mr Johnson should not distract from the two central points at its core.
Firstly, those implications for Rishi Sunak attempting to get on with the job right now giving the impression of running a calm, considered administration shorn of the turbulence of recent years.
Mr Johnson has made Mr Sunak's job harder - and that matters in the here and now.
Secondly, that a committee of his peers - containing a majority of Conservative MPs - has concluded in the strongest terms that Mr Johnson's integrity, or the perceived lack of it, was deserving of a sanction which would almost certainly have prompted a by-election.
In that case Mr Johnson would have had to win over his constituents in west London in order to carry on as an MP.
The man who was prime minister this time last year not just driven out of Downing Street, but driven out of parliament, by his fellow MPs. Even his fellow Conservatives.
Its members have been offered extra security, such has been the profile and anger this inquiry into Boris Johnson has provoked.
Some MPs are livid that Mr Johnson and his supporters have been, in their view, so cavalier in impugning the reputation of those on the committee, who have no capacity to respond publicly while they are compiling their report.
Mr Sunak and Mr Johnson met a week last Friday and discussed his honours list.
No 10 insist they have acted honourably - and have gone to considerable lengths to try to prove it.
They declassified a document to point out they had not tinkered with the list of nominees for peerages in recent weeks.
But critics are still not convinced - asking instead what did or did not happen much earlier.
Mr Johnson's allies claim they've been misled - even lied to.
Downing Street sources say this is "nonsense".
This week at Westminster will be dominated by Boris Johnson and the report into his conduct expected in the next few days.
But what gives this row a much longer tail is the three by-elections that will follow.
From what I am hearing, there is a desire within the Conservative Party to get on with them as quickly as possible, within the next month or so.
The parties are already out campaigning.
The Liberal Democrats are upbeat about their prospects in Mid Bedfordshire. Labour are upbeat about Uxbridge and South Ruislip, which is a marginal.
But it's entirely possible the Conservatives win at least some of the contests - especially given Mid Bedfordshire and Selby and Ainsty had big Conservative majorities at the last election.
But as one senior Tory put it to me, it'll be the swing that matters - if there's a big swing against the Conservatives it'll set off the jitters again for many, many Tory MPs who fear oblivion at the general election.
There is nothing good about these by elections for Rishi Sunak.
Meanwhile, at Holyrood, one of the defeated contenders to replace Nicola Sturgeon in spring's leadership race has called for her to stop sitting - for now - as an SNP MSP.
Ash Regan told BBC Radio Scotland Ms Sturgeon should resign - or the first minister should consider suspending her.
It is amid this noise and the headlines that both the prime minister and the new First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, have to find the time and the space to get on with the very business of governing.
But this is made vastly more difficult by their predecessors' capacities to generate attention. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65873673 |
Three Britons missing after Egypt boat fire - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Twelve other Britons were rescued after a fire on a boat which was on a cruise in the Egyptian Red Sea. | UK | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. WATCH: The boat, called Hurricane, caught fire off the coast of Marsa Alam
Three British tourists are missing after a fire on board a dive boat on the Egyptian Red Sea.
Twenty-six other people, including 12 Britons, were rescued from the boat, called Hurricane, which was off the coast of Marsa Alam, authorities said.
They added that initial reports suggested the fire, at 06:30 local time, was down to an electrical fault.
The boat had been on a dive cruise and had left Port Ghalib on 6 June and been due to return on Sunday.
The boat's operator, Tornado Marine Fleet, said 15 British passengers had been on board along with 12 crew members and two guides - a different figure to that given earlier by the local authority, the Red Sea Governorate.
The local authority said initial examinations had found an electrical short circuit in the engine room, while the public prosecution office had begun an investigation.
All of those who had been rescued were said to be well.
The Hurricane is one of several operated by Tornado Marine Fleet.
A spokesman said the fire happened while crew were doing the diving briefing at Elphinstone Reef - a diving destination known for its wealth of marine life including colourful corals and sharks.
Scuba Travel, which chartered the boat, said the group on board had been on a seven-day tour and the company was working with the local authorities and specialist advisers.
"Our first priority is the safety of our guests," a spokesman said.
The Red Sea is a popular resort for diving trips.
"This is really bad news for the tourism industry," said BBC News correspondent Sally Nabil. "They depend on tourism, particularly British tourism."
The Foreign Office said it was supporting British nationals involved.
A spokesman said: "We are in contact with local authorities following an incident aboard a dive boat near Marsa Alam, and are supporting British nationals involved." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65871310 |
The Light: Inside the UK’s conspiracy theory newspaper that shares violence and hate - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Publishing 100,000 copies a month, the Light shares calls for war-crime style trials of MPs and doctors. | UK | Darren Nesbit, editor of the Light, defended calls in his paper to use force against "aggressors"
A UK conspiracy theory newspaper sharing calls for trials and executions of politicians and doctors has links with the British far-right and a German publication connected to a failed coup attempt, the BBC can reveal.
The Light, which prints at least 100,000 copies a month and has more than 18,000 followers on the social media site Telegram, grew to be a focal point of the UK conspiracy theory movement with its anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown stance during the pandemic.
In its pages and on its corresponding Telegram channels, the Light has shared hateful and violent rhetoric towards journalists, medics and MPs, as well as platforming far-right figures accused of antisemitism.
The paper is handed out free by volunteers in dozens of towns across the country, where local leaders have accused it of inflaming division and harassment with false and misleading claims about vaccines, the financial system and climate change, amid other more mundane articles on local politics, health and wellness.
Articles and content shared by the Light have called for the government, doctors, nurses and journalists to be punished for "crimes against humanity" in war crime-style trials sometimes called "Nuremberg 2.0" - referring to the execution of Nazi Party members after World War Two.
Recent articles declare "It's just a matter of time before these worst perpetrators of war crimes are facing trial" like in "November 1945" and "MPs, doctors and nurses can be hanged".
Other posts shared by the Light on Telegram have featured cartoons of gallows and included work addresses of "liable people to be held to account" for taking part in sinister plots to harm people with vaccines - plots for which there is no evidence.
On Telegram, the paper has also shared and endorsed content from UK far-right groups including Patriotic Alternative, promoting rallies and posts talking about the "replacement" of white people and asking people to "#GetInvolved".
It has also shared posts from an extreme group called Alpha Men Assemble offering military-style training to anti-vaccine activists. They say "it's time we show them who rules this country".
Darren Nesbit, editor of the Light, defended calls in his paper to use force against "aggressors" in power, telling the BBC it would be a matter of "self-defence" in circumstances such as the government ordering another lockdown or what he described as forced evacuations.
Bundles of copies of the Light were piled up at the protest in Totnes, Devon
He says he isn't in charge of the Light's Telegram channels, although acknowledges they are directly linked to the paper. Posts are sometimes signed off by the "Light Paper Team" and sometimes with his name.
Mr Nesbit says he speaks to the editor of the conspiracy theory newspaper in Germany, Demokratischer Widerstand (Democratic Resistance) - which is connected to a failed coup attempt in the country - "two or three times a year". He has published content endorsing the publication.
The German paper refers to the Light as its "partner" paper and its "colleagues" at the British publication, describing how they're "internationally connected".
Referring to concerns about the wider conspiracy theory movement more generally, the UK's Head of Counter Terrorism Policing Matt Jukes has told the BBC they are currently "seeing evidence of conspiracy theories being interwoven with extremism" and that this "connection is very much on our radar and in our sights as investigators".
Set up in 2020 as a print publication, the Light is distributed in about 30 places across the UK such as Brighton, Thetford, Stroud, Plymouth, Oxford, Bristol, Manchester and Glastonbury. Local conspiracy theory groups place bulk orders and distribute them on the streets for free.
In the Devon town of Totnes, a motivated minority have been distributing the Light for the past two years. Its former town Mayor Ben Piper says he first became a key target of the conspiracy theory movement there because of his role enforcing coronavirus restrictions.
Former mayor of Totnes Ben Piper says "aggression" in articles about him inflamed harassment over Covid restrictions
He fears an article about him in the Light exacerbated the harassment he experienced - from abuse in the street, to sinister phone calls, to someone driving a car at him.
"There was an aggression that bled through the editorial that was not as innocent as it was making out to be," he says.
The Light's editor, Darren Nesbit, is based near Manchester. He agreed to speak to me, only on the condition that he can ask me questions and record the interview too.
For him, everything from financial turmoil to climate change and 9/11 terror attacks in the US are part of a plan by governments to control and harm our lives. He thinks the pandemic was just one step towards doing that.
The paper has featured an article by a blogger called Lasha Darkmoon, saying that people should be able to question the Holocaust. And another article recommended a book by white supremacist Eustace Mullins - author of The Biological Jew and Adolf Hitler: An Appreciation. Mullins is referred to in the Light as a "renowned" author.
"If they write good articles on topics that are useful topics that are interesting to people, then we should [feature them] at the end of the day," Mr Nesbit says. He reiterates again and again that "people should be adults and make their own decisions".
"My aim is not to do anything else apart from get to the truth and then obviously let other people have a bash at seeing that information as well."
The Light directly defended a UK-based radio host called Graham Hart over antisemitic remarks he made on his show referring to Jewish people as "filth" and like "rats", suggesting "they deserve to be wiped out". He was sentenced to 32 months in prison for making the remarks.
Darren Nesbit defends the paper's right to publish opinions associated with the far right
While Mr Nesbit says those comments were "pretty harsh", he maintains that the paper defends the radio host's "right to say it".
I ask him whether he thinks calls for action in the paper could result in action that's not peaceful.
He replies, "Of course, people can make their own decisions, and they need to be responsible for their own actions."
He tells me that the paper doesn't "actually necessarily call for action". But, Mr Nesbit also says, "People should not be passive and just let the world change around them because there is, you know, an agenda and a purpose behind it."
I directly ask him, "Why don't you say there's no place for violence in our movement?"
He replies, "Because I might be wrong."
Throughout the interview, Mr Nesbit condemns violent action - and then gives cryptic answers, which seem to contradict that.
Telegram has not responded to the BBC's request for comment about why it has allowed the Light and other conspiracy theory papers to share violent and hateful rhetoric.
Research carried out by King's College London backs up the idea that calls to action endorsed by conspiracy theory media like the Light could be affecting attitudes.
A survey, commissioned by the BBC, suggested that an average of 61.5% of people - who said they would have attended rallies linked to common conspiracy theories, such as anti-vaccine beliefs - think violence could be justified at protests. They were more likely to think this if they read conspiracy theory media including the Light.
"Built within these theories [are] inherent demands to do something, to take direct action," says research team member Dr Rod Dacombe, who has studied the Light.
"We shouldn't get away from [how] this occasionally moves into either violence or some sort of violent right action. Not everybody who goes to a protest is going to be brought in by this. Most people won't, right? But some people will."
Markus Haintz, who used to write for the German paper linked to the Light, says its editor is an "extremist"
As well as links with the German paper Demokratischer Widerstand, The Light has related papers in Ireland, Canada and Australia.
Two whistleblowers spoke to the BBC over concerns about how radical they say the German paper has become.
They say some of the Demokratischer Widerstand's writers and a key donor to the paper met the Reichsburger group behind a failed coup attempt in Germany in December 2022.
One of the whistleblowers, lawyer Markus Haintz, who stopped writing for the paper in 2022, says the editor, Anselm Lenz, is an "extremist" which he defines as someone who "brings people in a position where they at least could think about getting violent".
Mr Haintz also says members of the wider conspiracy theory movement in Germany have been offered money by Kremlin-linked figures to push disinformation.
The other, Martin Le Jeune, who stopped writing for the paper in 2021 says it is creating a "hateful and divided" atmosphere, where "somebody who could be emotional or psychologically unstable could be triggered to do something terrible".
The editor of the German conspiracy paper, Mr Lenz, did not reply directly to any of the points raised by the BBC. He called me "a highly paid Nato and BBC Propagandist'' and said I was a threat to him and his family. He also accused me of slander of "our friends of the great English democratic movement".
"If needed, we are willing to take the fight by all means," he wrote.
What happened to the people who fell down the rabbit hole into a world of conspiracy theories during the pandemic?
Listen to the podcast Marianna in Conspiracyland on BBC Sounds and on BBC Radio 4.
And click to watch Conspiracyland: UK? on iPlayer (UK only) | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65821747 |
Manchester City fans and players celebrate historic Treble in the rain - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Manchester turns blue as Pep Guardiola and his players stage an open-top bus parade. | Manchester | The parade was delayed by heavy rain and lightning but tens of thousands of fans turned out
Thousands of Manchester City fans gathered to celebrate their team's historic Treble as they staged an open-top bus parade through the city.
Blue flares were set off and fans threw inflatable bananas in the air as several of the players went shirtless in the heavy rain.
Manager Pep Guardiola was seen puffing on a cigar as fans climbed lamp-posts.
The parade was delayed by lightning storms. City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final.
It comes after the club clinched the Premier League and FA Cup this season.
Guardiola said his side's Champions League success following Rodri's 68-minute goal was "written in the stars".
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A drenched Guardiola was later seen pumping his fists to the crowd as the players showed off all three trophies.
Defender Ruben Dias and striker Erling Haaland were among several players who went shirtless after they were drenched in the rain.
Haaland, 22, led the dancing players onto a stage just after 20:00 BST as midfielder Kalvin Phillips serenaded England defender John Stones.
Guardiola hailed the fans for coming out in the storms.
He said: "We had to be the best parade with this rain, otherwise it is not Manchester.
"We don't want sunshine, we want rain, so it was perfect. The fans are used to the rain."
Topless defender Ruben Dias held up the FA Cup in the rain
Captain Ilkay Gundogan said it was "incredible" that they had "three trophies".
England midfielder Jack Grealish said: "For the past 24 hours, I have had the best day and night.
"To be fair, I don't think I have slept."
The team had departed from Tonman Street, Deansgate, at the slightly delayed time of 19:00 BST due to stormy weather and travelled to St Mary's Gate.
The parade was delayed due to forecast lightning storms
One fan climbed up a set of traffic lights to get a good view of the parade
The delays did not dampen the spirits of the fans.
Zoro and his family said they were looking forward to seeing Guardiola, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden.
City players show off the three trophies
He said: "This goes down in history for us. Pep has just redesigned the football world. It's a big statement but it's true."
The parade travelled through Cross Street and King Street, before finishing on the corner of Princess Street and Portland Street.
Zack, Nic and Noah have travelled from Blackpool to be at the parade
Zoro said Guardiola has "just redesigned the football world"
City became just the second English men's team to win the Treble, following in the footsteps of rivals Manchester United, who achieved the feat in 1999 under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The team were welcomed back by fans at Manchester Airport on Sunday after travelling from Istanbul, where the European final was played.
Manchester City clinched the Champions League after a 1-0 final win over Inter Milan
A mural has been created on New Cathedral Street celebrating the team's success
A street vendor sold trophy balloons as fans waited for the parade
Former City boss Joe Royle said Guardiola's current side was one of the best teams English football had ever seen.
Royle, 74, who led the club from the third tier to the Premier League after back-to-back promotions in 1999 and 2000, said: "There's no doubt about it. They're one of, if not the best English club side there has been."
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Stoke-on-Trent: Murder arrest as children, 11 and 7, die at home - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A woman, known to the children, is arrested over their deaths and the stabbing of a man. | Stoke & Staffordshire | The children were found fatally injured at an address on Flax Street
A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two children died at a home in Stoke-on-Trent.
The boy, 11, and girl, seven, were found injured and died at the scene.
Police discovered the children when they visited the house after first being called to the stabbing of a man at a car wash nearby.
A woman, 49, known to the children, was arrested in connection with the stabbing and then on suspicion of murder.
The children were found at an address on Flax Street at about 14:15 BST on Sunday, after a call-out to the car wash on Campbell Road slightly earlier.
The stabbed man, in his 40s, was treated in hospital but has since been discharged.
Police remain at the scene of a murder investigation in Flax Street
Staffordshire Police has referred itself to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to the force's recent contact.
Det Ch Insp Cheryl Hannan said: "We don't believe there to be any wider threat to the public at this time.
"Our focus remains on finding out more about what happened yesterday and supporting the family at this deeply distressing and tragic time."
The children's family have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers, the force said.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said the children were found in a critical condition and despite the crew's best efforts, they were confirmed dead at the scene.
A neighbour near the scene said she burst into tears when she found out the news
Neighbours said they were devastated at hearing the news.
Jade Halket, aged 22, said: "It's scary with it being so close, I have two young kids myself, I find it devastating. It's awful."
Another resident told the BBC: "I can't put it into words, I'm absolutely gutted.
"[The children] haven't even seen a life yet. We started crying when we found out, it's just not fair," she said.
Detectives are appealing for witnesses and anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage from the area of Flax Street and Campbell Road between 13:30 BST and 14:30 on Sunday to come forward.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-65875658 |
Hunter Valley: Ten people killed in wedding bus crash in Australia - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The bus was returning from a wedding in the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney, when it overturned. | Australia | The bus overturned while making a turn at a roundabout late on Sunday night
At least 10 people have died and 15 others are in hospital after a wedding bus crashed in an Australian wine region north of Sydney, officials say.
The passengers were returning from a wedding at a winery on Sunday night in the Hunter Valley when their coach overturned near the town of Greta.
Police have charged the 58-year-old bus driver with 10 counts of dangerous driving which resulted in death.
They said they were still in the process of identifying the dead.
The newlyweds were not reported to be on the bus, which crashed in the state of New South Wales.
The driver, who is from the town of Maitland, north of Sydney, has been refused bail and will appear in court in Cessnock on Tuesday.
Police commissioner Karen Webb said the site of the crash is "still an active crime scene". "We've got forensics officers processing the crime scene, we've got crash investigation unit officers, we've got rescue officers [on scene]," she added.
The accident occurred about 23:30 local time [13:30 GMT] on Sunday when, according to police, there had been heavy fog in the area. The bus had rolled over while making a turn at a roundabout off a highway. Authorities say the vehicle has now been pulled upright.
New South Wales Police acting assistant commissioner Tracy Chapman said the guests were travelling to Singleton "presumably for their accommodation". Two of the survivors were airlifted from the crash, she added. Local media report that at least one of them is still in a critical condition.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it is "so cruel, so sad and so unfair" for a "joyous day in a beautiful place like that to end with such terrible loss of life".
"People hire a bus for weddings in order to keep their guests safe, and that just adds to the unimaginable nature of this tragedy," he said at a press conference in Canberra.
Mr Albanese said some of the injured passengers are at John Hunter Hospital, but many had been flown to Sydney.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said the loss of so many lives was "nothing short of heartbreaking", adding: "For this horrific crash to have occurred on a day that should have been filled with love and happiness only adds to the heartbreak."
"For a day of joy to end in such devastating loss is cruel indeed. Our thoughts are also with those who have been injured," he said.
Hunter Valley in New South Wales is known for its vineyards and native bushland, making it a popular spot for wine lovers and group outings or celebrations.
A guest at the wedding said the day had been a "fairy tale" until news of the accident broke.
"We all started panicking," he told 7 News.
Police said they are still working to identify the crash victims and contact their next of kin.
"Family and friends of a person who may have been on board the bus are urged to contact Cessnock Police Station," they said in a statement. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-65874374 |
Kherson flooding: Ukraine evacuation boat attacked by Russia, killing three - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Hundreds of people have been trapped on the Russia-held eastern bank of the Dnipro River. | Europe | Rescuers react to Russian shelling during evacuation efforts of those trapped by flooding in Kherson region
Three people were killed after Russia attacked a boat carrying evacuees from a flooded area in Kherson, the regional governor said.
Ukraine has been trying to rescue people trapped on the Russia-held eastern bank of the Dnipro River since the Nova Kakhovka dam was destroyed.
Oleksandr Prokudin said Russian troops shelled the evacuation boat and shot a 74-year-old man dead.
The man was trying to rescue a woman from gunfire, Mr Produkin said.
Two police officers were also injured.
The Nova Kakhovka dam burst on Tuesday, releasing a huge torrent of water which quickly flooded vast areas of land on both sides of the Dnipro river.
Ukraine has blamed Russia for "blowing up" the dam, located in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine. Russia has denied this and has accused Ukraine of being responsible for its destruction.
The BBC has not verified either claim, although it appears likely that Russian forces, who controlled the dam, decided to blow it up in order to complicate Ukraine's ongoing counteroffensive.
The eastern bank of the Dnipro River has been one of the areas worst hit by the flooding, with hundreds of people there posting on the Telegram app asking to be rescued.
Ukraine's military says it has been co-ordinating rescues from the eastern bank, but claimed "fearless volunteers" were carrying out some of the evacuations.
One of those involved in the rescue effort, Viktor, told the BBC he came under Russian fire while attempting a trip, saying Russian soldiers were "waiting for volunteers or soldiers to arrive so they can shoot them".
The BBC has not been able to independently verify these claims.
Meanwhile, the size of the flooded area in Kherson region has receded, officials said, but experts and officials fear infectious diseases may spread in polluted waters.
Thousands of Ukrainian homes remain flooded, and tens of thousands of people have lost access to drinking water.
Behind the dam, the huge Kakhovka reservoir - a vital source of water for the region - has drained of water.
The World Health Organization (WHO)'s Ukraine representative, Dr Jarno Habicht, told the BBC the situation was "devastating" and providing safe, clean water was a priority. He said it was important to keep an eye on water-borne illnesses and that precautionary sample testing was ongoing.
The UK's defence ministry said people were facing a "sanitation crisis" with limited access to safe water and an increased risk of water-borne diseases.
While Ukrainian officials said no cases of infectious illnesses have been reported so far, the city of Kherson - around 100km (62 miles) from the Kakhovka dam and badly affected by the floods - has introduced restrictions on the use of river water in order to prevent their spread.
The flooding of houses and sewage facilities means the water is now highly polluted, the city military administration said, meaning that bathing, fishing and drinking the water, or giving it to animals, is prohibited.
Ukraine's interior ministry said 32 settlements had been flooded in Ukrainian-controlled Kherson, while another 14 were flooded in the Russian-controlled part. Another 31 settlements were flooded in the Mykolayiv region.
The destruction of the Kakhovka dam has also likely led to the disruption of water supplies to Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
The North Crimean Canal draws its water supply from the Kakhovka reservoir, located behind the now-destroyed dam.
Ukrainian hydro energy company Ukrhydroenergo said the water level in the reservoir had fallen by more than 7m (23ft) and on Sunday the UK defence ministry warned that "water will soon stop flowing" to the peninsula.
Drone footage filmed after the dam breach appears to show significantly reduced water levels near the entrance to the canal.
Drone footage appears to show water drying up at the mouth of the North Crimean Canal
Whoever was responsible for the destruction of the Kakhovka dam will have done so knowing that it would deprive Crimea of badly needed fresh water.
The canal was blocked by Ukraine following the annexation of Crimea in 2014, but Russia quickly unblocked it after it invaded southern Ukraine last year.
Russian commanders may have concluded that rendering the waterway useless again by blowing up the dam might have seemed like a necessary, if extreme, price to pay for complicating Ukraine's military plans.
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky confirmed that his country's long-awaited counter-offensive against Russia had started.
"Counter-offensive and defensive actions are taking place," he said on Saturday.
Ukrainian troops are reported to have advanced in the east near Bakhmut and in the south near Zaporizhzhia, and have carried out long-range strikes on Russian targets.
Ukraine said on Sunday that it had captured three villages in the south-east of the country, and that these were the first liberations of the counter-offensive.
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 | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65869999 |
Brittany: France shooting suspect under investigation for murder - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Eleven-year-old Solaine Thornton was shot dead while playing on a swing in her garden on Saturday. | UK | The suspect held over the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old British girl in France is under investigation for murder, prosecutors say.
Solaine Thornton was shot dead while playing on a swing in her garden on Saturday evening.
Prosecutors said Dirk Raats, a 71-year-old neighbour, got to within 10m of the girl's father before opening fire through a hedge.
He had been in conflict with the family over building work on their property.
Mr Raats then shut himself in his house in the village of Saint-Herbot, north of Quimper in Brittany, following the incident but gave himself up to police an hour later.
His wife, who was also arrested, surrendered half an hour after he did, but she has since been released.
Prosecutor Camille Miansoni said the couple had been in conflict for years with their British neighbours over works taking place on their property.
The suspect was "profoundly exasperated" over the works, which he said affected his privacy and caused disturbance to him and his wife.
Mr Miansoni said the suspect had gone into his home to fetch one of the guns and returned to the garden before opening fire and shooting three or four times through a hedge. This suggested a level of premeditation, he said.
"It appears that he clearly aimed at the father, that he aimed at his wife, but however he seems less clear as to a possible admission that he aimed at the girl," Mr Miansoni said.
Solaine Thornton and her eight-year-old sister Celeste had been playing on a swing as their parents tended the barbecue when the neighbour began firing.
The younger girl ran to another neighbour's house to raise the alarm and is now said to be in shock.
A local resident told French media that the younger child ran to neighbours shouting: "My sister is dead, my sister is dead".
The victim's parents Adrian and Rachel Thornton were also hurt and are in hospital.
A search of Mr Raats' home uncovered two rifles, one of which had not been previously declared. The couple, both Dutch nationals, tested positive for alcohol and cannabis. They had no previous convictions, prosecutors said.
Mr Miansoni said the suspect had expressed regret, and that a mental health assessment had found nothing notable.
Flowers and teddies have been left on the family's front door step
Adrian and Rachel Thornton, both from Oldham, came with their two daughters to live in the hamlet of Saint Herbot in 2019. Theirs is the only English family in the area.
Previously, the Thorntons had lived in other parts of France. Solaine was born in Brittany and Celeste in the Massif Central in central France.
The family home in Saint Herbot is a square, whitewashed, relatively modern house with a large plot of land behind and a workhouse which was once a sawmill.
While his wife worked in social services and his two children attended local schools, Adrian, a mechanic, spent a lot of time working on his plot of land.
According to Marguerite Bleuzen, mayor of the town of Plonevez-du-Faou, the land had been abandoned and was returning to the wild. Adrian set about the task of clearing the land, cutting down undergrowth and some trees.
This appears to have caused the friction with his neighbours, whose large green-shuttered house looks down onto the Thorntons' plot.
"I was called out there three years ago, when there were the first tensions," said Mr Bleuzen. "We managed to settle things down, but since then I had never had to intervene."
But after Saturday's shooting, the mayor later heard from neighbours that there had been regular flare-ups.
"On one occasion, I was told that the Dutch man brought out a weapon. I wish I or the police had been told, and this might have been avoided," he said.
Locals say that the English family were well-liked. They lent their plot of land for parking at the hamlet's annual September festival which honours the saint after which it is named. The 14th Century church lies 100m from the Thorntons' house.
By contrast, no-one seems to have had any contact with Mr Raats or his wife.
At around 22:00 local time on Saturday night, he fired through his hedge into the plot of land where the Thorntons were having a barbecue.
The rough-and-ready children's play area, with a swing and a small trampoline, is right next to the hedge which separates the two properties. When the man fired, the girls were at practically point-blank range.
According to Mayor Bleuzen, when police arrived, Rachel Thornton was holding her dead child in her arms.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was providing assistance to a British family. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65884594 |
Heathrow workers call off first summer strikes - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | More than 2,000 staff said they will postpone industrial action on 24 and 25 June. | Business | Security workers at Heathrow airport have called off the first two days of strike action after receiving an improved pay offer.
More than 2,000 staff said they will postpone industrial action on 24 and 25 June.
Unite, the union, said that its members will vote on the latest pay deal over the coming days.
However, if that is rejected, the remaining 29 days of strikes will go ahead as planned.
Last week, Heathrow security officers announced they would walk out after turning down a pay offer of 10.1%, which they said was "below inflation".
The most common measure of inflation, the CPI index, is has fallen from more than 10% to 8.7%. But the RPI index, another measure of inflation stood at 11.4% in the year to April.
The strikes will affect Terminals 3 and 5, and have an impact on airport crew checks. The action could spark queues at security.
The walkouts coincide with busy travel periods including the summer holiday period for schools across the UK.
They also include dates for the Eid festival (28, 29 and 30 June) and the August bank holiday (24, 25, 26 and 27 August).
Unite said it had called off the initial two days of strikes as a "gesture of goodwill" after "extensive talks" between workers and management.
Under the new pay deal, workers will receive a 10% pay increase backdated to 1 January, which will begin in July's payslip.
It will then rise to an 11.5% increase from October.
Heathrow further offered a guarantee of an inflation-linked pay increase for 2024, rising by a minimum of 4%.
A spokesperson for the airport said: "We encourage them to accept the deal so that everyone can have certainty and the backdated pay increase that so many have been waiting for."
Unite members will be balloted between 13 and 23 June.
If further strikes were to go ahead, the airport does not anticipate any flight cancellations. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65882032 |
How children survived 40 days in Colombian jungle - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The youngsters defied the odds in a part of the Amazon rainforest home to jaguars and wild dogs. | Latin America & Caribbean | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
On Friday, in the dead of night at the heart of the Colombian jungle, army radios crackled to life with the message the nation had been praying for: "Miracle, miracle, miracle, miracle."
The military code revealed that four children missing in the jungle for 40 days had all been found - alive.
The youngsters, all members of the indigenous Huitoto people, had been missing since the light plane they were travelling in crashed into the Amazon in the early hours of 1 May.
The tragedy killed their mother and left the children - aged 13, nine, four and one - stranded alone in an area teeming with snakes, jaguars and mosquitos.
Rescuers initially feared the worst, but footprints, partially eaten wild fruit and other clues soon gave them hope that the children might be alive after they left the crash site looking for help.
Over the next six weeks, the children battled the elements - and the odds - in what Colombia's President Gustavo Petro called "an example of total survival which will remain in history".
If there were ever children well-prepared to tackle such an ordeal, the Mucutuy family were the ones.
Huitoto people learn hunting, fishing and gathering from an early age, and their grandfather Fidencio Valencia told reporters that the eldest children, Lesly and Soleiny, were well acquainted with the jungle.
Speaking to Colombian media, the children's aunt, Damarys Mucutuy, said the family would regularly play a "survival game" together growing up.
"When we played, we set up like little camps," she recalled. Thirteen-year-old Lesly, she added, "knew what fruits she can't eat, because there are many poisonous fruits in the forest. And she knew how to take care of a baby".
Fidencio Valencia told reporters that the children had grown up learning to take care of themselves in the jungle
After the crash, Lesly built makeshift shelters from branches held together with her hair ties.
She also recovered fariña, a type of cassava flour, from the wreckage of the Cessna 206 plane they had been travelling in.
The children survived on the flour until it ran out and then they ate seeds, Edwin Paki, one of the indigenous leaders who took part in the search effort, told reporters.
"There's a fruit, similar to passion fruit, called avichure," he said. "They were looking for seeds to eat from an avichure tree about a kilometre and a half from the site of the plane crash."
The fruit from the avichure tree, also known as milk tree, is rich in sugar and its seeds can be chewed like chewing gum.
Henry Guerrero, one of the indigenous people who was part of the search team that finally located the children, said they had also been eating fruits from the Bacaba palm tree known locally as "milpesos", which are rich in oil and taste similar to avocados.
He said one of the young children had a seed from the tree in his mouth when they found him.
Astrid Cáceres, head of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare, said the timing of their ordeal meant "the jungle was in harvest" and they could eat fruit that was in bloom.
But they still faced significant challenges surviving in the inhospitable environment.
Speaking to BBC Mundo on Saturday, indigenous expert Alex Rufino said the children were in "a very dark, very dense jungle, where the largest trees in the region are".
And while there are leaves with which the children could purify water, he warned that "others are poisonous".
"It is an area that has not been explored. The towns are small, and they are next to the river, not in the jungle," he added.
In addition to avoiding predators, the children also endured intense rainstorms and may have had to evade armed groups said to be active in the jungle.
But Mr Rufino noted that a 13-year-old raised in an indigenous community would already possess many of the skills needed to thrive in such an environment.
John Moreno, leader of the Guanano group in Vaupés, in the south-eastern part of Colombia where the children were brought up, said they had been "raised by their grandmother", a widely respected indigenous elder.
"They used what they learned in the community, relied on their ancestral knowledge in order to survive," he said.
As the search continued, officials in Bogota came under pressure over its slowness. President Petro faced criticism after his office falsely published a tweet saying the children had been found.
Authorities dropped 10,000 leaflets with survival tips written in Spanish and the indigenous Huitoto language, and helicopters blared messages from their grandmother from speakers to reassure the children they were being looked for.
But unbeknownst to the media, the army was coming increasingly close to finding the family. On several occasions rescue teams passed within 20 to 50 metres (66 to 164ft) of where the children were found, search commander Gen Pedro Sánchez said.
By the time the children were discovered, about 150 troops and 200 volunteers from local indigenous groups were involved in the operation, which was combing an area of more than 300 sq km (124 sq miles).
"This isn't a search for a needle in a haystack, it's a tiny flea in a vast carpet, because they keep moving," Gen Sanchez told reporters during the hunt.
But on Friday, after a month-long search, specialist rescue dogs found the children.
The first words from eldest daughter Lesly, who was holding the baby in her arms, was "I'm hungry," one of the rescuers told Colombia's RTVC. One of the boys, who had been lying down, got up and said: "My mum is dead."
It later emerged that the children's mother had survived in the jungle for four days after the plane crash. "Before she died, their mum told them something like, 'You guys get out of here'" said the children's father, Manuel Ranoque.
A video shared by Colombia's ministry of defence showed the children being lifted into a helicopter in the dark, above the tall trees. They have been flown to the nation's capital, Bogota, where ambulances have taken them to hospital for further medical treatment.
The children's family thanked the army for continuing their search despite the low odds of survival, and they urged the government to bring the children home as soon as possible.
"I never lost hope, I was always supporting the search. I feel very happy, I thank President Petro and my 'countrymen' who went through so many difficulties," their grandmother told state media.
President Petro also hailed the efforts of the army and the volunteers, praising "the meeting of knowledge: indigenous and military", adding that "this is the true path of peace".
But he reserved special praise for the children and their relationship with the environment.
"They are children of the jungle, and now they are also children of Colombia," he said.
While many in deeply Catholic Colombia have referred to the children's rescue as a "miracle", Mr Rufino, the indigenous expert, said the real story lay in their "spiritual connection with nature".
"The jungle is not only green, but there are ancient energies with which the populations relate, learn and help each other," he said.
"It is difficult to understand this, I know, but this is a good opportunity for society, human beings, to learn about the different worldviews that exist in the territories.
"The same mother, who became a spirit after the accident, protected them," he said. "And only now is she going to start resting." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65871238 |
Manchester City victory parade live: Watch team's Treble victory parade - Live - BBC Sport | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | null | Manchester City to embark on a victory parade after sealing the Treble of major trophy wins with victory in the Champions League. | null | The stage show is over, and so is this live text. Thanks for joining us this evening.
Read the news story of the parade here.
That's the end of the football season now, we'll see you back in August.
Lol jk it's the Netherlands v Croatia in the Nations League on Wednesday. See you then. | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/65875768 |
Reddit communities go dark in protest at changes - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Thousands of subreddits are shut down for 48 hours following controversial charging plans. | Technology | Thousands of Reddit communities have "gone dark" as part of a protest by users over how the site is being run.
Reddit is introducing controversial charges to developers of third-party apps, which are used to browse the social media platform.
But moderators of some of the biggest subreddits have hit back by making their communities private for 48 hours.
Reddit relies heavily on community moderation but on Monday more than 7,000 subreddits shut down.
A subreddit is the name given to a forum within the Reddit platform - effectively a community of people who gather to discuss a particular interest.
Reddit users - or Redditors - will typically join a variety of subreddits, rather than following individual users on other platforms, and see posts from these communities in their feed.
As well as a few paid administrators, the website uses tens of thousands of unpaid moderators - known as mods - to keep the website functional.
These mods may spend one or two hours per day ensuring that their subreddit does not get filled with off-topic comments, content that is banned, or even content which is illegal.
But the flipside of this is that Reddit does not charge any hosting fees for people who want to set up their own community based on an interest they have.
In a post to the website on Friday, Reddit chief executive Steve Huffman said it "needs to be a self-sustaining business" and addressed the blackout.
"We respect when you and your communities take action to highlight the things you need, including, at times, going private," he said.
"We are all responsible for ensuring Reddit provides an open accessible place for people to find community and belonging."
He also confirmed that explicit content would remain on the site, but Reddit would limit how it can be accessed from third-party apps.
The blackout includes 3,489 subreddits in total, including five of the 10 most popular communities on the site - r/gaming, r/aww, r/Music, r/todayilearned and r/pics - which each have memberships of more than 30 million people.
A moderator for one of these subreddits told the BBC the protest was about "strength in numbers".
"If it was a single subreddit going private, Reddit may intervene," they said.
"But if it's half the entire website, then you feel a lot more pressured.
"This is a completely volunteer position, we don't receive any financial compensation, and despite that, we do like to take it quite seriously."
They said they wanted Reddit admins to realise that they rely on moderators to operate the site and felt that the only way to send a message was by harming Reddit's traffic.
"Our entire community is supporting us against this change," they said.
"It feels good to be able to have the power to say: 'We will not continue to moderate our communities if you push these changes through'.
"If it's almost the entire website, would they destroy what they've built up in all these communities, just to push through this highly unpopular change that both the mods and users of Reddit are overwhelmingly against?"
Reddit, which describes itself as "the front page of the internet", has an official app but it was developed in 2016, many years after the website was founded.
Because of this, third-party apps such as Apollo, Reddit is Fun, Sync and ReddPlanet were set up as a way for people to access the platform on their mobile devices.
Reddit has introduced a series of charges to the developers who wish to continue using its Application Programming Interface (API) - the behind-the-scenes code which allows third-party apps to find and show the content on Reddit.
All four of these apps have said they will be shutting down as a result of Reddit's new API pricing.
Apollo is a popular Reddit browser at the heart of the protest
These charges have been heavily criticised as extortionate - with Apollo developer Christian Selig claiming it would end up costing him $20m (£15.9m) to continue operating the app.
But a Reddit spokesperson told the BBC that Apollo was "notably less efficient" than other third-party apps.
They said the social media platform spends "multi-millions of dollars on hosting fees" and "needs to be fairly paid" to continue supporting third-party apps.
"Our pricing is based on usage levels that we measure to be comparable to our own costs," they said.
The spokesperson also said that not all third-party apps would require paid access. Previously, Reddit announced it would not charge apps which make the platform more accessible.
But the moderator the BBC spoke to said they believed the blackout could continue until Reddit row back on the changes.
"The current plan for many communities is... they might keep the blackout going for longer, beyond the original forty-eight hours, or keep their subreddits restricted so that nobody can post," they said.
"Every community operates differently, and different moderators have different views on what's happening right now, so it does vary.
"But given recent communications between moderators and Reddit admins, I don't believe that they are intending to reverse these changes."
And some communities, such as r/Music - which has 32 million members - say their subreddit will be indefinitely inaccessible until Reddit reverses its policy. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65877280 |
Groom stopped for speeding on M4 on way to wedding - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Police say he "had some explaining to do" after being caught driving at 121mph on the M4. | Wiltshire | The speeding groom was pulled over on the M4 in Wiltshire
A groom heading to his wedding was pulled over by traffic police who caught him speeding at 121mph on a motorway.
Wiltshire Police Special Ops tweeted "usually, the bride is always late" but the wedding-bound driver had "some explaining to do" after being pulled over on the M4 in his silver BMW.
"A rear nearside tyre with cord exposed topped this stop off," the force added.
The speeding groom will appear in court at a date to be confirmed.
Wiltshire Police confirmed that members of the wedding party later collected the groom to take him to his ceremony.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-65879783 |
Warning UK mortgage rates set to rise further - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | It comes as Santander becomes the latest big lender to withdraw deals due to market turbulence. | Business | Borrowers are being warned mortgage rates are set to rise further as turbulence continues to hit the market.
Broker London & Country said lenders had been withdrawing deals and raising rates at a "relentless pace" and this week would "bring more of the same".
Mortgage rates have gone up about 0.5 percentage points in the last month to approach an average fixed deal of 6%.
On Monday Santander became the latest big lender to temporarily withdraw new deals due to "market conditions".
Meanwhile, NatWest said it was increasing rates for new residential mortgages by 0.2 percentage points, and for buy-to-let mortgages by up to 1.57 percentage points from Tuesday.
About 1.5 million households are set to come off fixed mortgage deals this year and face a sharp rise in their monthly repayments.
Rates have been rising since recent data showed that UK inflation is not coming down as quickly as expected.
There have been predictions that the Bank of England will raise interest rates higher than previously thought, from their current 4.5% to as high as 5.5%.
It has a direct impact on mortgage lenders, many of whom have raised rates and taken deals off the market over the last few weeks.
In the latest move, Santander said it was "temporarily withdrawing all our new business residential and buy-to-let fixed and tracker rates at 7.30pm on Monday 12 June".
"We're relaunching our full new business range on Wednesday 14 June," it added.
It comes after HSBC suspended new deals via brokers last week only to temporarily reopen them on Friday.
On Monday it returned to the market with higher rates for its fixed residential and buy-to-let mortgages.
David Hollingworth from London & Country told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's been pretty relentless for the last couple of weeks. We're back to that phase of you can't hang around if you are looking at a fixed rate."
He said lenders were being forced to reprice deals as the market shifted around them and those with cheaper deals faced a "tidal wave" of business.
"Unfortunately I think this week we may still have to see more of that happening.
"But hopefully those rates will just start to find a level and we'll see things start to calm down in the near future."
According to financial data firm Moneyfacts, the average two-year fixed-rate mortgage deal is 5.86%, while a five-year deal has hit 5.51%.
Last May they were 3.03% and 3.17% respectively, meaning many households have seen sharp rises in their borrowing costs.
When a fixed term comes to an end then a borrower reverts automatically to their lender's standard variable rate (SVR). But brokers say these SVRs have soared, meaning anyone who adopts a wait and see approach would see a massive jump in the rate they pay, and therefore a much higher monthly mortgage bill.
Ian Stuart, boss of HSBC in the UK, admitted it was a "deeply concerning" time for a lot of customers.
"If you've got an old rate, as many will have, let's say 1.5%, and you're going to come off that rate and go onto something like 5%, that is a big impact on your monthly budget."
He said the bank had been forced to pause sales of new deals last week as it was struggling to meet "unprecedented" demand.
He also said HSBC expected UK interest rates to rise further, putting more pressure on the market.
"So not the news mortgagees would be looking for, but I don't think inflation is going to fall quite as fast as we had hoped."
Rising mortgage rates are also putting pressure on landlords, pushing some to consider selling up, surveyors say.
In turn, that could further squeeze the availability of rental properties and raise costs for tenants, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65876570 |
Kate Forbes says people of faith are fearful of politics - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Forbes says she does not regret expressing religious views during unsuccessful campaign to be SNP leader. | Scotland | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Kate Forbes says people are becoming "fearful" of expressing their faith
The lingering sense of shock Kate Forbes still feels at the scale of the backlash against her during the race for Scotland's highest political office is very clear.
The 33-year-old had been on maternity leave from her role as Scotland's finance secretary when Nicola Sturgeon suddenly said she was quitting as first minister and SNP leader in February.
Ms Forbes was considered a frontrunner to replace Ms Sturgeon but within days of announcing her candidacy she found herself at the centre of a political storm about her religious views.
In response to interviews questions, she said the idea of having children outside of marriage conflicted with her Christian faith and confirmed that she was anti-abortion.
Ms Forbes also said she would not have voted for same-sex marriage if she had been a politician in 2014 when the law passed.
The backlash against these views led SNP colleagues to abandon her campaign in droves.
In a frank interview with the BBC, Ms Forbes, who had been a high-ranking minister for three years, said: "I'd always been open about my views so there was no surprise that they were a topic of discussion and - in some quarters - concern.
"The surprise was that those who knew my position, immediately distanced themselves from me."
There was no way back after her campaign's dramatic downturn and in March she lost the election, coming second to Humza Yousaf, although by a narrower margin than many had predicted.
"If I had not been honest, if I had tried to make certain things more palatable or politically correct, would I have been more successful?," she says. "Perhaps."
But she adds that she does not regret what she said and has not changed any of her views.
Ms Forbes said she received "thousands" of messages from people who fundamentally disagreed with her position but supported her right to express her views and stand for office.
When Mr Yousaf was elected SNP leader and Scotland's first minister, Ms Forbes left the Scottish government and returned to being the backbench MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.
She says with a smile that her faith tells her to forgive the colleagues she still works alongside who abandoned her campaign to be leader.
But her experience leads her to believe that people of faith are being squeezed out of political life.
She says: "I do think there is a fear which characterises right now any discussions about faith.
"I do think people of faith are a minority and certainly my experience is they are, by and large, fearful.
"So they either feel like they have to hide their faith or adapt it and that is a cause for concern."
Ms Forbes says she does not know if seeing a public figure like her being "absolutely traduced" for her views has made them braver or more fearful.
At the heart of Ms Forbes' identity is her membership of the socially conservative Free Church of Scotland, whose evangelical Christian ministers broke away from the Church of Scotland in the 19th Century.
Ms Forbes feels that her own religious views were "100%" scrutinised more than those of Mr Yousaf - who has describes himself as a proud Muslim who fasts during Ramadan.
Nicola Sturgeon announced she was quitting in February after more than eight years as first minister
During the leadership campaign he was asked about his religious views and about gay marriage, something he said he supported even though he missed the vote on the issue in 2014.
Ms Forbes insists she holds to her faith "in its entirety" while others are making their religion more palatable in order to make themselves electable.
It is a view that dismisses the many politicians who say their deep faith is not in conflict with issues such as support for same-sex marriage.
Ms Forbes bristles a little at the suggestion that it was not just having a faith but her "brand" of faith - and the views it informs - that made it difficult for her to get elected.
"Yes, I talked at the time about fairly orthodox mainstream Christian teaching but my following the teachings of Jesus - which is based on a belief in the Bible - means that I don't feel I'm in a position to just pick and choose what I believe is truth or not," she says.
Given this stance, during the campaign it was confusing to some observers that while Ms Forbes said she would not have voted for gay marriage, now that it was the law she would defend the right of same-sex couples to marry.
"I'm a servant of democracy," she says again now. "And in a democracy you have a debate, there is a vote by majority, and then it's for every leader to uphold."
As bruising as her experience has been, Kate Forbes says she was heartened by what she calls "the backlash to the backlash" against her and the fact that she did go on to secure 48% of the SNP vote.
If anything, she says she feels it is now all the more important for someone like her to remain in politics.
"I'm obviously at a crossroads because I'm no longer in government," she says.
"I have a 10-month old baby who's most demanding of my time, and I've got a constituency that I've been absent from for the duration of maternity leave. So there's lots to be getting stuck into and we'll see what happens next." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65855240 |
What is the past precedent for SNP suspensions? - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Humza Yousaf says he is being "consistent" by not suspending Nicola Sturgeon - so, what has happened previously? | Scotland politics | Nicola Sturgeon was synonymous with the SNP, but is now facing calls to quit the party she once led
First Minister Humza Yousaf has rejected calls to suspend Nicola Sturgeon from the SNP after his predecessor was arrested as part of a police probe of party finances.
Ms Sturgeon was released without charge and insists she is innocent, but has faced calls from opposition parties and some SNP politicians to step back from her party membership while the investigation continues.
This inquiry has taken the SNP into uncharted territory after years of stability at the top of Scottish politics, but there have been questions over the membership of some parliamentarians in the past.
What precedent will Mr Yousaf and Ms Sturgeon have to lean upon as they weigh up her future in the SNP?
Colin Beattie quit as SNP treasurer, but continues to represent the party on the back benches at Holyrood
The most immediate examples come from the same police investigation into party fundraising and finances, which has seen two other senior SNP figures arrested and released without charge.
The first was Peter Murrell, the party's former chief executive and Ms Sturgeon's husband - the arrest which sparked a two-day search of the couple's home in Glasgow. Mr Yousaf rejected calls for him to be suspended because he is "innocent until proven guilty".
Meanwhile Colin Beattie opted to step down as SNP Treasurer, but has stayed on as an SNP MSP - with Mr Yousaf saying "it is really important that due process takes place".
The first minister has leaned on these two examples as his reasoning for not suspending Ms Sturgeon, saying he has been consistent in his decisions.
Alex Salmond once said he would return to the SNP after clearing his name, but now runs the rival Alba Party
But under Ms Sturgeon's leadership, there was a broad range of examples where MPs and MSPs resigned or were suspended from the SNP - which obviously cover quite different circumstances to her own.
Her predecessor Alex Salmond resigned his membership when he was accused of harassment, stepping back from the party while he took the government he once led to court over its investigation.
He said he intended to rejoin the SNP once he had cleared his name, but instead set up his own Alba Party after being cleared of sexual assault charges in a criminal trial.
Natalie McGarry voluntarily withdrew from the SNP whip at Westminster before being convicted of embezzlement
Others have also opted to resign or voluntarily "step back" from the party whip or membership.
Natalie McGarry withdrew from the SNP whip at Westminster in 2015 - just months after being elected - amid a fraud investigation.
At the time, Ms Sturgeon said that was "the right thing to have done", although she added that Ms McGarry was "entitled to the presumption of innocence".
She left Westminster at the 2017 election, and was ultimately jailed for embezzlement.
Michelle Thomson has called for Nicola Sturgeon to step back from the SNP, having been pushed out herself in 2015
Resignations are not always entirely voluntary though.
Michelle Thomson resigned the whip at Westminster in 2015 amid allegations of financial impropriety which ultimately led to nothing, with prosecutors announcing two years later that there was an "absence of sufficient credible and reliable evidence" against her.
She said she wanted to stay in the party, but was told it was "a case of go or be pushed" by senior figures in the party.
In a telling sequence of events, she published a statement saying she would co-operate fully with police - one minute before the party released the same statement, but with an additional line saying she had "decided to withdraw from the party whip".
The fact she was left sitting as an independent MP meant she was unable to stand for the SNP in the snap election in 2017, and lost her seat - although she has since been readmitted to the party and is now an MSP at Holyrood.
Ms Thomson has called for Ms Sturgeon to resign the party whip while she is under investigation, saying "her values should be consistent".
Margaret Ferrier was suspended from the SNP and faced calls to quit as an MP after breaching Covid rules
Others have been directly suspended by the party, without being given the option of jumping before they are pushed.
The MP Margaret Ferrier was suspended after admitting she had breached Covid lockdown restrictions, and Ms Sturgeon urged her to quit parliament entirely.
She sits as an independent MP but has now been suspended from the House of Commons too, meaning she faces the prospect of losing her Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat via a recall petition.
At Holyrood, the MSP Mark McDonald was suspended from the party amid harassment allegations which saw him quit as a government minister.
After serving a month-long suspension from parliament he saw out the term as an independent MSP, having quit the party ahead of a group meeting where his SNP membership was to be debated.
The MP Chris Law has pointed out that he was detained by police as part of an investigation without ever being suspended from the SNP
One of the stranger cases was that of Neale Hanvey, who was suspended from the party midway through the 2019 general election campaign after making a "clearly unacceptable" post on social media.
Although technically an independent candidate, the ballot papers in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath had already been printed with the SNP logo next to his name - and he went on to take the seat from Labour's shadow Scottish secretary.
Mr Hanvey was readmitted to the party in May 2020, but less than a year later he resigned to join the newly-formed Alba Party.
To complete the broadest possible range of potential outcomes, the SNP MP Chris Law has pointed out that he was detained by police in 2016 as part of a financial investigation.
The Dundee West MP was questioned by officers about his Spirit of Independence campaign, but was released without charge.
He was not suspended from the party and was backed by the party leadership, and now says remaining in post "should be the right course for anyone that is in that position". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65880079 |
Dmitry Mishov, Russian airman who defected, gives BBC interview - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Lieutenant Dmitry Mishov packed a rucksack and headed through the woods to seek asylum in Lithuania. | Europe | Dmitry Mishov: "I am an officer, not an accomplice in a crime"
A military defector who fled Russia on foot has given a rare interview to the BBC, in which he paints a picture of an army suffering heavy losses and experiencing low morale.
Lieutenant Dmitry Mishov, a 26-year-old airman, handed himself into the Lithuanian authorities, seeking political asylum.
Dmitry said escaping from Russia in such dramatic fashion, with a small rucksack on his back, was his last resort.
He is among a small handful of known cases of serving military officers fleeing the country to avoid being sent to Ukraine to fight - and the only case of a serving airman that the BBC knows of.
Dmitry, an attack helicopter navigator, was based in the Pskov region, in north-western Russia. When the aircraft started to be prepared for combat, Dmitry sensed a real war was coming, not just drills.
He tried to leave the air force in January 2022 but his paperwork had not gone through by the time Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February. He was sent to Belarus where he flew helicopters delivering military cargo.
Dmitry says he never went to Ukraine. We cannot verify this part of his story but his documents appear to be genuine and many of his statements match what we know from other sources.
In April 2022 he returned to his base in Russia where he hoped to continue his decommissioning. It was a lengthy process which was close to completion - but in September 2022 President Putin announced partial military mobilisation. He was told he would not be allowed to leave the army.
He knew that sooner or later he would be sent to Ukraine and started looking for ways to avoid it.
"I am a military officer, my duty is to protect my country from aggression. I don't have to become an accomplice in a crime. No one explained to us why this war started, why we had to attack Ukrainians and destroy their cities?"
He describes the mood in the army as mixed. Some men support the war, he says, some are dead against it. Very few believe they are fighting to protect Russia from real danger. This has long been the official narrative - that Moscow was forced to resort to a "special military operation" to prevent an attack against Russia.
Overwhelming and common, according to Mishov, is unhappiness with low salaries.
He says experienced air force officers are still paid their pre-war contract salary of up to 90,000 roubles (£865, $1090). This is while new recruits are being tempted into the army with 204,000 roubles (£1960, $2465) as part of an official and publicly advertised campaign.
Dmitry says that while attitudes towards Ukraine may vary, no one in the army believes official reports about things going well at the front or about low casualties.
Dmitry Mishov's documents prove his rank and position in the army
"In the military no one believes the authorities. They can see what is really happening. They are not some civilians in front of the telly. The military do not believe official reports, because they are simply not true."
He says that while in the early days of the war the Russian command was claiming no casualties or losses of kit, he personally knew some of those who had been killed.
Before the war his unit had between 40 and 50 aircraft. In the first few days after the start of the Russian invasion, six had been shot down and three destroyed on the ground.
Russian authorities rarely report military casualties. Last September, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russia had lost around 6,000 men, a figure most analysts, including pro-Kremlin military bloggers considered an underestimate.
In the most recent instalment of a research project identifying Russian servicemen killed in the war in Ukraine, BBC Russian's Olga Ivshina compiled a list of 25,000 names and in many cases ranks of soldiers and officers. Real figures, including those missing in action, she believes, are much higher.
Dmitry describes losses among military air crews as extremely high. This matches findings in an investigation Olga Ivshina has been conducting which found that Russia lost hundreds of highly skilled servicemen, including pilots and technicians, whose training is time-consuming and costly.
"Now they can replace the helicopters, but there are not enough pilots," Dmitry says. "If we compare this to the war in Afghanistan in the 1980s, we know that the Soviet Union lost 333 helicopters there. I believe that we've experienced the same losses in one year."
In January this year, Dmitry was told he was going to be sent "on a mission".
Realising that it could mean only one thing - going to Ukraine - he resorted to a suicide attempt. He hoped that this would lead to his decommissioning on health grounds. But it did not.
While he was recovering in hospital, he read an article about a 27-year ex-police officer from the Pskov region who had successfully escaped to Latvia. Dmitry decided to follow his example.
"I was not refusing to serve in the army as such. I would serve my country if it faced a real threat. I was only refusing to be an accomplice in a crime.
"Had I boarded that helicopter, I would have taken the lives of several dozen people, at the very least. I didn't want to do that. Ukrainians are not our enemy."
Dmitry searched for help on Telegram channels to plot a route through the woods on the EU border. He packed as light as he could.
He says walking through the woods was terrifying as he feared being stopped by border guards.
"Had they arrested me, I could have gone to prison for a long time."
He says at one point a flare launched somewhere close to him and then another one. He panicked that this was border guards coming after him and started running.
"I couldn't see where I was going, my thoughts were in disarray."
He came to a wire fence and climbed over it. Soon he knew he made it.
A reconstruction of the moment Dmitry felt he could breathe freely
Dmitry assumes the Russian authorities will start a criminal case against him. But he believes many of his army comrades will understand his motivation.
Some had even advised him to try and hide in Russia, but he thinks even in a country that vast he would not have escaped being found and punished for desertion.
He does not know what will happen to him next.
But Dmitry says he prefers to try and build a new life in the EU than be on tenterhooks at home. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65867990 |
Boris Johnson: Attacks on Partygate inquiry are out of order, says MP - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Labour's Chris Bryant defends the Privileges Committee after Boris Johnson labels it a "kangaroo court". | UK Politics | Attacks on MPs investigating Boris Johnson are "bang out of order", Labour's Sir Chris Bryant has said, after the ex-PM called the Privileges Committee a "kangaroo court".
Mr Bryant, who chairs the committee but recused himself from the inquiry into Partygate, criticised Mr Johnson's allies for their "confected anger".
No 10 said it did not want to see people "unfairly traducing" the probe.
The committee is expected to publish its report on Wednesday.
For almost a year, the seven-person committee - a majority of whom are Conservatives - have been considering whether Mr Johnson misled MPs about what he knew about Covid breaches in Downing Street. In evidence given in March, Mr Johnson admitted misleading Parliament, but denied doing it on purpose.
The committee met on Monday and are likely to meet again on Tuesday to finalise the report.
The committee had been preparing to recommend suspending Mr Johnson as an MP for 10 days or more, the BBC was told, a threshold which would have resulted in a recall petition among his constituents and a potential by-election.
After receiving an advanced copy of the report on Friday, Mr Johnson shocked Westminster by announcing his resignation as the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
In his resignation letter, he vehemently attacked MPs on the committee, accusing them of trying to "drive him out of Parliament".
He said most members of the committee, including Labour's Harriet Harman who took over from Mr Bryant as chair of the inquiry "had already expressed deeply prejudicial remarks about my guilt before they had even seen the evidence".
On Sunday, Mr Johnson's close ally Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg said the committee's report was "clearly partisan" and "biased".
However, Mr Bryant issued a strong defence of the MPs telling the BBC: "This was a committee set up by whole House of Commons, it had a Conservative majority on it and it is now being judged on the basis of a report that no one has even seen yet - absolutely appalling and preposterous."
"We have enough nastiness in politics without people stirring this up. People like Jacob Rees-Mogg should be utterly ashamed of themselves."
Asked about the criticism, Rishi Sunak's spokesman said the committee was "properly set up" and that the government would "in no way criticise the work of the committee who are carrying out what Parliament has asked them to do".
"People are entitled to express opinions. What we wouldn't want to see is people unfairly traducing the work of a legitimate committee."
Members of the Privileges Committee have been offered additional security, the BBC's Chris Mason says.
Our political editor says there is widespread anger among the MPs' colleagues - from many political parties - that the tenor, tone and language of some of the criticisms of the committee, from Mr Johnson and others, has contributed to an atmosphere where committee members feel vulnerable.
He says there is additional irritation that, some believe, the integrity of committee members has been impugned without them being able to respond to it publicly.
In addition to reaching a conclusion on Mr Johnson, it is also expected that the report will reflect on the conduct of others in Parliament in how they have described the committee during its work, but without naming them.
Mr Johnson stood down from Parliament just hours after Downing Street published his resignation honours list without the names of key supporters, including Nadine Dorries, Sir Alok Sharma and Nigel Adams.
All three had been expecting to be appointed to the House of Lords.
Competing claims about how and why the names were removed are now at the heart of a rift within the Tory party following the former PM's resignation.
The House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) - the official body for checking and vetting new peers - has confirmed it rejected eight of Mr Johnson's nominations on the grounds of propriety.
On Monday, Mr Gove defended the decision to pass Mr Johnson's honours list to the King before the Privileges Committee report was published, insisting this was a "separate procedure".
Within 24 hours of the list being published, both Ms Dorries and Mr Adams resigned as MPs - triggering by-elections in their constituencies, both of which are considered safe seats for the Conservatives.
Mr Johnson's resignation also triggers a by-election in his marginal constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65874224 |
Mother jailed for taking abortion pills after legal limit - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Carla Foster, 44, pleaded guilty to procuring drugs to induce an abortion at 32-34 weeks. | Stoke & Staffordshire | A mother-of-three has been jailed for more than two years for inducing an abortion after the legal limit.
Carla Foster, 44, received the medication following a remote consultation where she was not honest about how far along her pregnancy was.
The "pills by post" scheme, introduced in lockdown, allows pregnancies up to 10 weeks to be terminated at home.
However, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the woman was between 32-34 weeks pregnant when she took them.
Abortion is legal up to 24 weeks. However, after 10 weeks the procedure is carried out in a clinic.
Prosecutors argued Foster had provided false information knowing she was over the time limit and had made online searches which they said indicated "careful planning".
The court heard between February and May 2020 she had searched "how to hide a pregnancy bump", "how to have an abortion without going to the doctor" and "how to lose a baby at six months".
Based on the information she provided the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), she was sent the tablets because it was estimated she was seven weeks pregnant.
The woman was initially charged with child destruction, the court heard
Her defence argued that lockdown and minimising face-to-face appointments had changed access to healthcare and so instead she had to search for information online.
"The defendant may well have made use of services had they been available at the time," said her barrister Barry White. "This will haunt her forever."
On 11 May 2020, having taken the abortion pills, an emergency call was made at 18:39 BST saying she was in labour.
The baby was born not breathing during the phonecall and was confirmed dead about 45 minutes later.
A post-mortem examination recorded the baby girl's cause of death as stillbirth and maternal use of abortion drugs and she was estimated to be between 32 and 34 weeks' gestation.
Foster, from Staffordshire, already had three sons before she became pregnant again in 2019.
The court heard she had moved back in with her estranged partner at the start of lockdown while carrying another man's baby.
The judge accepted she was "in emotional turmoil" as she sought to hide the pregnancy.
Foster was initially charged with child destruction, which she denied.
She later pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of section 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, administering drugs or using instruments to procure abortion, which was accepted by the prosecution.
Sentencing, judge Mr Justice Edward Pepperall said it was a "tragic" case, adding that if she had pleaded guilty earlier he may have been able to consider suspending her jail sentence.
He said the defendant was "wracked by guilt" and had suffered depression and said she was a good mother to three children, one of whom has special needs, who would suffer from her imprisonment.
She received a 28-month sentence, 14 of which will be spent in custody with the remainder on licence.
Ahead of Monday's hearing, a letter co-signed by a number of women's health organisations was sent to the court calling for a non-custodial sentence.
However, the judge said it was "not appropriate" and that his duty was "to apply the law as provided by Parliament".
He told the defendant the letter's authors were "concerned that your imprisonment might deter other women from accessing telemedical abortion services and other late-gestation women from seeking medical care or from being open and honest with medical professionals".
But he said it also "has the capacity to be seen as special pleading by those who favour wider access to abortions and is, in my judgment, just as inappropriate as it would be for a judge to receive a letter from one of the groups campaigning for more restrictive laws".
The sentencing has sparked outcry among women's rights organisations and campaigners.
BPAS said it was "shocked and appalled" by the woman's sentence which they said was based on an "archaic law".
"No woman can ever go through this again," said its chief executive, Clare Murphy.
"Over the last three years, there has been an increase in the numbers of women and girls facing the trauma of lengthy police investigations and threatened with up to life imprisonment under our archaic abortion law," she said.
"Vulnerable women in the most incredibly difficult of circumstances deserve more from our legal system."
She said MPs must do more to offer protection so "no more women in these desperate circumstances are threatened with prison again".
Labour MP Stella Creasy said "no other patient group would be treated this way"
"The average prison sentence for a violent offence in England is 18 months," she said in a tweet.
"A woman who had an abortion without following correct procedures just got 28 months under an 1868 act - we need urgent reform to make safe access for all women in England, Scotland and Wales a human right."
The Crown Prosecution Service said: "These exceptionally rare cases are complex and traumatic.
"Our prosecutors have a duty to ensure that laws set by Parliament are properly considered and applied when making difficult charging decisions."
When asked whether the prime minister was confident criminalising abortion in some circumstances was the right approach, Rishi Sunak's official spokesperson said the current laws struck a balance.
"Our laws as they stand balance a woman's right to access safe and legal abortions with the rights of an unborn child," he said.
"I'm not aware of any plans to address that approach."
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-65882169 |
Manchester City fans and players celebrate historic Treble in the rain - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Manchester turns blue as Pep Guardiola and his players stage an open-top bus parade. | Manchester | The parade was delayed by heavy rain and lightning but tens of thousands of fans turned out
Thousands of Manchester City fans gathered to celebrate their team's historic Treble as they staged an open-top bus parade through the city.
Blue flares were set off and fans threw inflatable bananas in the air as several of the players went shirtless in the heavy rain.
Manager Pep Guardiola was seen puffing on a cigar as fans climbed lamp-posts.
The parade was delayed by lightning storms. City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final.
It comes after the club clinched the Premier League and FA Cup this season.
Guardiola said his side's Champions League success following Rodri's 68-minute goal was "written in the stars".
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A drenched Guardiola was later seen pumping his fists to the crowd as the players showed off all three trophies.
Defender Ruben Dias and striker Erling Haaland were among several players who went shirtless after they were drenched in the rain.
Haaland, 22, led the dancing players onto a stage just after 20:00 BST as midfielder Kalvin Phillips serenaded England defender John Stones.
Guardiola hailed the fans for coming out in the storms.
He said: "We had to be the best parade with this rain, otherwise it is not Manchester.
"We don't want sunshine, we want rain, so it was perfect. The fans are used to the rain."
Topless defender Ruben Dias held up the FA Cup in the rain
Captain Ilkay Gundogan said it was "incredible" that they had "three trophies".
England midfielder Jack Grealish said: "For the past 24 hours, I have had the best day and night.
"To be fair, I don't think I have slept."
The team had departed from Tonman Street, Deansgate, at the slightly delayed time of 19:00 BST due to stormy weather and travelled to St Mary's Gate.
The parade was delayed due to forecast lightning storms
One fan climbed up a set of traffic lights to get a good view of the parade
The delays did not dampen the spirits of the fans.
Zoro and his family said they were looking forward to seeing Guardiola, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden.
City players show off the three trophies
He said: "This goes down in history for us. Pep has just redesigned the football world. It's a big statement but it's true."
The parade travelled through Cross Street and King Street, before finishing on the corner of Princess Street and Portland Street.
Zack, Nic and Noah have travelled from Blackpool to be at the parade
Zoro said Guardiola has "just redesigned the football world"
City became just the second English men's team to win the Treble, following in the footsteps of rivals Manchester United, who achieved the feat in 1999 under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The team were welcomed back by fans at Manchester Airport on Sunday after travelling from Istanbul, where the European final was played.
Manchester City clinched the Champions League after a 1-0 final win over Inter Milan
A mural has been created on New Cathedral Street celebrating the team's success
A street vendor sold trophy balloons as fans waited for the parade
Former City boss Joe Royle said Guardiola's current side was one of the best teams English football had ever seen.
Royle, 74, who led the club from the third tier to the Premier League after back-to-back promotions in 1999 and 2000, said: "There's no doubt about it. They're one of, if not the best English club side there has been."
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Number of hay fever sufferers seeking NHS advice triples - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The NHS website's hay-fever advice pages received one visit every three seconds on Sunday. | Health | Sitting in long grass is not recommended for hay-fever sufferers
More than 122,650 people visited the NHS website seeking hay-fever advice last week, as the pollen count hit some of its highest levels this year.
Weekly visitors to the site's hay-fever advice pages have tripled in the past five weeks, NHS England says, with one visit every three seconds on Sunday.
The allergy usually strikes from late March to September, when it is warm, windy and humid and pollen counts high.
There is no cure but over-the-counter medication can manage most symptoms.
People with asthma may also suffer worse symptoms than usual over the coming days. Thunderstorms are predicted for parts of the UK and water breaks down pollen granules into smaller particles that can lodge deeper into the airways in the lungs.
The pollen count is set to be high or very high across most of the UK this week - and the NHS website features recommendations on how to manage symptoms, including: | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65881737 |
Chloe Mitchell: Brandon John Rainey, 26, on murder charge - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A man appears in court in Ballymena after suspected human remains were found on Sunday. | Northern Ireland | Chloe Mitchell was last seen between ten and eleven days ago
A 26-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 21-year-old Chloe Mitchell in County Antrim.
Brandon John Rainey of James Street, Ballymena, was charged with murdering Ms Mitchell between 2 and 5 June.
Ms Mitchell was last seen in the County Antrim town on the night of 2 June and into the early hours of 3 June.
A huge search operation got under way and, on Sunday, suspected human remains were found. These have not been formally identified.
Mr Rainey appeared at court via video link along with fellow accused Ryan Johnson Gordon, 34, of Nursery Close, Ballymena who is charged with attempting to impede justice by concealing evidence around the alleged murder of Ms Mitchell.
Ballymena Magistrates' Court heard that Mr Rainey has serious mental health problems and is a paranoid schizophrenic.
In court, when asked if he understood the charge against him, Mr Rainey replied: "Yeah."
Brandon John Rainey, who appeared in court via video link, denied murdering Ms Mitchell
His defence lawyer said he had "acute mental health difficulties"and that he denied the charge.
An application was made for Mr Rainey to be released to the Shannon Clinic - a medium secure unit for people with mental illness - outside Belfast, but police objected as he had previously escaped from the clinic.
Judge Peter King said Mr Rainey had been charged with the "most serious offence in the criminal canon" and remanded him in custody at Maghaberry Prison until 6 July. No application for bail was made.
Counsel for Mr Gordon said he wanted to "echo similar sentiments to my colleague" in terms of his client, adding: "There are mental health difficulties."
Mr Gordon was also remanded pending a bail application which will be heard at Ballymena Magistrates Court on 20 June.
None of Chloe's family was present for the hearing.
A huge search operation was launched in Ballymena after Ms Mitchell's disappearance
Earlier on Monday, North Antrim MP Ian Paisley told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme that Chloe Mitchell's death was an "absolute tragedy".
"There is a terrible shadow over the town - the sadness is palpable," he said.
Mr Paisley paid tribute to the teams of people - both professionals and volunteers - saying that they showed "great courage and bravery".
"They were just brilliant; they worked in very hot weather through river beds and through difficult terrain.
"It shows the community spirit. No-one wanted to hear that awful news that emerged and the sadness that is there. They worked in hope, but unfortunately that has been put aside now."
The Ballymena community worked alongside the Community Rescue Service (CRS) last week searching along the banks of the Braid River as well as in the water.
Surrounding parklands and the Ecos centre were also searched.
A prayer vigil for Ms Mitchell was held at Harryville Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening.
A prayer vigil for Chloe Mitchell was held in Harryville in Ballymena on Sunday
Ballymena resident Patricia Mitchell, who is not related to Chloe Mitchell, said people in the town were devastated.
"There's no words to describe what has happened around here - absolutely unbelievable," she told BBC News NI.
Independent councillor Rodney Quigley said it was "beyond people's worst nightmares".
"This is a great community and to have this happen right on the doorsteps is heart-breaking," he said. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65875297 |
Tony Awards 2023: Jodie Comer wins as Ariana DeBose hosts unscripted - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Tony Awards, Broadway's biggest night, saw success for several British names on Sunday. | Entertainment & Arts | Jodie Comer apologised to her friends and family for being "absent" in the past year
Jodie Comer says she's "overwhelmed" after winning a prestigious Tony Award for her one-woman Broadway show Prima Facie.
The Killing Eve actress won best leading actress in a play for her portrayal of a defence lawyer who ends up in the witness box.
The Tony Awards were hosted by Ariana DeBose in New York, but she did not use a script due to the writers strike.
The ceremony also saw two non-binary actors win prizes for the first time.
In her acceptance speech for her performance in Prima Facie, Comer said: "This woman in this play has been my greatest teacher.
"I have to thank Suzie Miller for that, who wrote this magnificent piece. Without her writing that [I] would not be here so this feels just as much Suzie's as it is mine."
The 30-year-old from Liverpool has previously won an Olivier award for her performance, which transferred from London's West End to Broadway.
Last week, Comer had to leave the stage during a performance due to breathing difficulties as a result of wildfire smoke across North America. The performance was completed by her understudy.
The actress went on to thank members of her production team and apologised to her friends and family for being "absent" in the past year as she worked on the show.
"To every person who feels represented by Tessa, this has been my greatest honour," she said, quickly adding "and it continues to be - there's three weeks left!"
Sunday's ceremony, which is Broadway's biggest night of the year, was hosted by Oscar-winning actress Ariana DeBose who warned audiences to "buckle up" as the show was unscripted, due to the ongoing Hollywood writers strike.
The show opened with a performance where she flipped through empty pages in a binder labelled "script" in a dressing room
"We don't have a script you guys. I am live and unscripted. You're welcome," DeBose said.
"To anyone who may have thought that last year was a bit unhinged. To them I say 'darlings, buckle up'."
Several winners, including best leading actress in a musical winner Victoria Clark, referenced the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike during acceptance speeches.
"We are nothing without our writers and I support the WGA and their struggle for the contract they deserve," she said.
Ariana DeBose thanked those who had helped put the Tony Awards together, despite the strike
Also at Sunday's ceremony, Alex Newell and J Harrison Ghee became the first non-binary performers to be recognised at the awards.
Newell won the best featured actor in a musical for Shucked, while J. Harrison Ghee, won best leading actor in a musical for playing a gender-questioning musician in Some Like It Hot.
Michael Arden won his first Tony Award for his direction of the Broadway revival of Parade, which depicts the 1913 trial and imprisonment, and 1915 lynching, of the Jewish-American factory manager Leo Frank in Georgia.
In his acceptance speech, Arden said: "Parade tells the story of a life that was cut short at the hands of the belief that one group of people is more or less valuable than another and that they might be more deserving of justice.
"This is a belief that is the core of antisemitism, of white supremacy, of homophobia, of transphobia and intolerance of any kind. We must come together. We must battle this. It is so, so important, or else we are doomed to repeat the horrors of our history."
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One of the night's biggest awards, best play, went to British writer Sir Tom Stoppard for his play Leopoldstadt, which also scooped best direction, best costume and best performance by an actor in a play.
British creatives Tim Hatley and Andrzej Goulding, Tim Lutkin and Carolyn Downing picked up awards for the Life of Pi, with Goulding and Downing referencing Sheffield, where the play had its premiere, in their acceptance speeches.
Kimberly Akimbo was named best musical, also scooping best original score and best leading actress for Victoria Clark.
Alex Newell (left) and J Harrison Ghee became the first two non-binary Tony winners
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play - Sean Hayes for Good Night, Oscar
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play - Jodie Comer for Prima Facie
Best performance by an actor in a leading role in a musical - J. Harrison Ghee for Some Like It Hot
Best performance by an actress in a leading role in a musical - Victoria Clark for Kimberly Akimbo
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a play - Brandon Uranowitz for Leopoldstadt
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a play - Miriam Silverman for The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window
Best performance by an actor in a featured role in a musical - Alex Newell for Shucked
Best performance by an actress in a featured role in a musical - Bonnie Milligan for Kimberly Akimbo
Best scenic design of a play - Tim Hatley & Andrzej Goulding for Life of Pi
Best scenic design of a musical - Beowulf Boritt for New York, New York
Best costume design of a play - Brigitte Reiffenstuel for Leopoldstadt
Best costume design of a musical - Gregg Barnes for Some Like It Hot
Best lighting design of a play - Tim Lutkin for Life of Pi
Best lighting design of a musical - Natasha Katz for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best sound design of a play - Carolyn Downing for Life of Pi
Best sound design of a musical - Nevin Steinberg for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best direction of a play - Patrick Marber for Leopoldstadt
Best direction of a musical - Michael Arden for Parade
Best choreography - Casey Nicholaw for Some Like It Hot
Best orchestrations - Charlie Rosen & Bryan Carter for Some Like It Hot
Special Tony Award for lifetime achievement in the theatre - Joel Grey and John Kander
Tony Honours for excellence in the theatre - Victoria Bailey, Lisa Dawn Cave and Robert Fried | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65876276 |
Chloe Mitchell: Murder inquiry after suspected remains found - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Police say they have reason to believe 21-year-old Chloe Mitchell from Ballymena was murdered. | Northern Ireland | Chloe Mitchell had been missing since last weekend
A murder investigation has been launched following the discovery of suspected human remains during searches for a missing woman in Ballymena.
Chloe Mitchell was last seen in the County Antrim town between the night of 2 June and the early hours of 3 June.
A huge search operation has been taking place in an attempt to find the 21-year-old.
On Sunday night, Det Ch Insp Richard Millar said police now had reason to believe she was murdered.
"Our thoughts this evening are very much with Chloe's family and we have specialist officers providing them with support at this heart-breaking time," he said.
He added the remains had not yet been formally identified.
Two men, aged 26 and 34, who were earlier arrested over her disappearance remain in police custody.
The 34-year-old was arrested in Ballymena on Saturday, while the 26-year-old was arrested in Lurgan in County Armagh on Thursday.
On Saturday afternoon, police were granted a further 36 hours to question the 26-year-old.
Forensic teams have been seen entering a house in James Street
Forensic teams were seen entering a house in James Street in Ballymena on Sunday evening.
The property had been sealed off by police for a number of days.
On Friday, Ms Mitchell's brother, Phillip Mitchell, said he was broken by her disappearance and appealed for information.
At that stage, police had described her as a "high-risk missing person".
A prayer vigil for Ms Mitchell was held at Harryville Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening.
On Saturday, police said they were increasingly concerned for the young woman's safety and renewed their appeal for information.
Extensive searches had been carried out to try to find Ms Mitchell.
On Sunday the Community Rescue Service (CRS) said it had completed all search areas as requested.
In a statement it added: "The CRS would like to thank the people of Ballymena, those who live and work in the Harryville area and especially Chloe's family and friends for their exceptional support during our operations."
The MP for the area, Ian Paisley, said he was "deeply saddened and disturbed".
"This is heartbreaking news for Chloe's family and friends and will shadow the town of Ballymena with sadness," he said.
"The family have stated they are broken. No one can understand just how deep that break is."
Mr Paisley said he understood the police would hold a press conference on Monday. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65870085 |
Remote island to get broadband link from space - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Residents in Papa Stour, an island in Shetland, will get the superfast satellite internet connection. | NE Scotland, Orkney & Shetland | Papa Stour lies off the west coast of Shetland's mainland
People living in one of the remotest parts of Scotland are to get a high-speed broadband link from space.
The UK government has announced that residents on Papa Stour, an island to the west of the Shetland mainland, will get a link to a satellite internet connection.
Work to connect to one of the low earth orbit (LEO) satellites will be completed later this week.
Papa Stour has the smallest population of Shetland's inhabited islands.
UK minister for data and digital infrastructure, Sir John Whittingdale, said: "Improving Papa Stour's connectivity is a major milestone in our efforts to close the digital divide as it transforms the lives of the island's residents and visitors."
The equipment to receive the satellite connection is expected to be in place on Papa Stour later this week and it will then link with OneWeb's LEO satellites to beam the high-speed broadband connection to the island from space.
Paul Coffey, of Clarus Networks Group, said: "Until now, Papa Stour residents have been constrained due to unreliable and slow internet connectivity.
"This installation is a landmark step in connecting remote communities, offering new possibilities for UK business and tourism." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-65875335 |
I've been forced out over Partygate report, says Boris Johnson - BBC News | 2023-06-12T00:00:00 | 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 |
'Hooded Men': PSNI 'wrong not to investigate torture claims' - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Supreme Court said the treatment of the 14 men was "deplorable" and "deliberate policy". | Northern Ireland | The men were held without trail in 1971
The Supreme Court has ruled that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) was wrong not to investigate allegations that 14 men were tortured in Northern Ireland in 1971.
The men, known as the 'Hooded Men', were interned without trial during the Troubles.
The judges said the decision by the PSNI, made in 2014, was "irrational".
The court also said the men's treatment was "deplorable" and was "deliberate policy".
However, the Supreme Court did not accept that the PSNI was not sufficiently independent to carry out a new investigation into the "Hooded Men" case.
Lord Hodge said: "In our view, it has not been established that the LIB (Legacy Investigations Branch) is not capable of carrying out an effective investigation on the basis either of institutional or hierarchical connection or that it is not capable of conducting an investigation with practical independence.
"There is nothing to suggest that it would not be possible to assign appropriate officers of the PSNI to carry out any further investigations to a proper standard."
Francis McGuigan said their case now needed to be investigated
One of the men, Francis McGuigan, said it had been a frustrating process to get to this point.
"It's been rough - we're seven years in and out of court and we seem to win each time we go into court, but we seem to get no further forward," he said.
"I'm hoping now… it can go nowhere else, we've appealed to the highest court in the land and we won there as well.
"So I'm looking forward now to the investigation into it, the results of the investigation into it and hope that eventually the truth comes out that the British government sanctioned torture against its citizens."
His solicitor Darragh Mackin described the decision as "a landmark victory".
Mr Mackin added that the government's legacy proposals should not affect a police investigation into what happened to the men.
"That legislation is not only about an amnesty, it goes much beyond that, it is about removing an individual's access to justice," he said.
"Today is exactly why the British government are bringing about such proposals."
He added: "Given that we're talking about the crime of torture, no proposal that the British government seeks to advance would any event stymie such an investigation."
Deirdre Montgomery, whose late father Michael was one of the "Hooded Men", said she was "absolutely elated" for her family and for her "father's memory".
She told BBC News NI's Evening Extra programme that she received therapy for what happened and her "children have been affected" by the legacy of the events.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. “I believed they weren’t going to let us out alive”
The 'Hooded Men' have long called for a new, independent investigation into their treatment, saying there were subjected to "deep interrogation" by the Army during their detention.
The men said they were forced to listen to constant loud static noise; deprived of sleep, food and water; forced to stand in a stress position and beaten if they fell.
They also said they were hooded and thrown from helicopters a short distance off the ground, having been told they were hundreds of feet in the air.
In 2014, an RTÉ documentary unearthed fresh evidence, but the PSNI decided there was not enough evidence to warrant an investigation.
In 2019, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, Northern Ireland's most senior judge, said their treatment "would, if it occurred today, properly be characterised as torture".
Another of the three judges at the Court of Appeal in Belfast dissented with that conclusion.
The court was ruling on an appeal by police against a ruling that detectives should revisit the decision to end their inquiry.
In a statement, Assistant Chief Constable Jonathan Roberts said the PSNI acknowledged Wednesday's court judgment and welcomed "the clarity it brings to some complex legal issues".
"We recognise the difficult realities that victims, families, friends and broader society continue to deal with as a result of our troubled past," he said.
"We will now take time to study today's judgment around these complex legacy issues in detail and we will carefully consider its implications for future legacy investigations.
"If we are to build a safe, confident and peaceful society, then we must find a way of dealing with our past and we are committed to playing our part in that process."
The Supreme Court also looked at a second Troubles-era case - the shooting of Jean Smyth-Campbell.
Ms Smyth-Campbell was 24 when she died after being shot as she sat in a car on the Glen Road in west Belfast in 1972.
Her death was initially blamed by police on the IRA, but an undercover Army unit has since been linked to the shooting.
In March 2019, the Court of Appeal in Belfast ruled that the PSNI would not be independent in carrying out a new investigation into the death.
Jean’s sisters Margaret McQuillan, Ann Silcock, Pat Smith & Sheila Denvir, seen here in 2020
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court found that the proposed investigation "would not have been effective in the particular circumstances of that case because the Chief Constable of the PSNI had failed to explain to her family and the public, and when faced with the judicial review challenge, the court, how he proposed to secure the practical independence of that investigation".
In a statement following the ruling, Ms Smyth-Campbell's sister Margaret McQuillan, said: "Our family has today been vindicated by the ruling of the British Supreme Court.
"They have confirmed the Police Service of Northern Ireland failings in the case. The PSNI have already apologised for these failings. We believe, however, that the PSNI cannot be trusted, now or ever, in any legacy case, by any family."
In June 2019, the PSNI asked former Bedfordshire chief constable Jon Boutcher to investigate the killing.
Referring to this case, the assistant chief constable said the PSNI welcomed the "clear legal ruling" that the PSNI did not have any legal obligations under article two of the European Convention on Human Rights to investigate the case.
"We will now carefully consider the judgments and their impact on the legacy caseload," Jonathan Roberts added.
First Minister Paul Givan said the case of the 'Hooded Men' and other Troubles incidents showed the need to "find a way forward that allows us to provide that truth, also that justice, and make sure we can move into the future".
"Whether it's this case or whether it's other cases that happened within Northern Ireland dealing with the past is something that needs to be resolved. It continues to have implications for the present and for future generations.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said the PSNI should investigate the case
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said she welcomed the ruling and "it was over to the PSNI to do their job".
"They should have investigated this. These men have been tortured, it's been confirmed internationally, everybody recognises that is the case."
Grainne Teggart from Amnesty International described the 'Hooded Men' decision as a "victory for justice".
She said police had "shamefully added to the trauma already inflicted and has delayed the truth, justice, and accountability to which these men are entitled". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-59667405 |
Sex education: Some schools tell pupils homosexuality is wrong, says report - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A report says many schools use language in their sex education that stigmatises young people | Northern Ireland | The report was carried out by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
Some schools in Northern Ireland are teaching pupils that homosexuality is wrong in relationships and sex education (RSE).
A Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) report said "many schools use language that shames and stigmatises young people" who had sex.
Some told pupils that those who "engage in casual sex must bear the consequences of their actions".
The NIHRC investigated schools policies on the teaching of RSE.
The detailed investigation found most schools were not providing "age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on access to abortion services".
"Some schools actively contributed to the shame and stigma surrounding unplanned pregnancy and abortion, by making statements such as 'abortion is not a means of contraception and those who knowingly engage in casual sex must bear the consequences of their actions'," the NIHRC report said.
It also said about two-thirds of post-primaries promoted abstinence in their sex education policies.
One school's policy stated that "sexual abstinence before marriage and fidelity within it, will be presented as the positive and desirable option and an achievable reality".
The commission recommended that schools should be monitored to ensure sex education is taught in "an objective and non-judgemental manner".
That should include "detailed assessments of the content and delivery of lesson plans".
The NIHRC was established following the Good Friday Agreement.
It has the power to conduct investigations and compel evidence.
Its investigation into relationships and sex education focused mainly on legal and policy matters but it also made recommendations on delivery of the subject in schools.
About three-quarters (149) of post-primaries in Northern Ireland provided evidence to the commission's investigation and 124 provided their RSE policies.
Some schools provided lesson plans and teaching notes, and experts were also consulted by the commission.
Speaking about the findings, NIHRC chief commissioner, Alyson Kilpatrick told Good Morning Ulster that "an awful lot more needed to be done by a majority of schools in relation to age appropriate, comprehensive, scientifically accurate education and sexual reproductive health and rights".
"The Department for Education needs to work with schools, consult with parents and children, to work out what the appropriate content should be and that it is delivered properly," said Ms Kilpatrick.
In 2018, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) said RSE in Northern Ireland should be compulsory and comprehensive.
As a result, the Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris recently laid new regulations in parliament making teaching topics like abortion and prevention of pregnancy compulsory in schools in Northern Ireland.
He said he had a legal duty to act on the recommendations made in the CEDAW report.
But the change has been criticised by Protestant and Catholic church leaders.
The NIHRC investigation into RSE was carried out before Mr Heaton-Harris's move.
But the commission said that there must be monitoring to "ensure that schools are meeting their new obligations".
"It's very easy to have a policy or to have a list of things you are going to teach, but it is the actual teaching of them and the way in which they are taught which is so influential," said Ms Kilpatrick.
At present, each school in Northern Ireland has to teach sex education but can decide what to teach "based on the ethos of their school," according to Department of Education (DE) guidance.
The NIHRC said that the majority of schools who submitted their RSE policy to the investigation "still promoted the value of the 'sanctity of marriage'", and related terms, such as "permanent committed sexual relationship", and "married love" in their RSE policies and school ethos.
"In addition to this idealisation and promotion of abstinence, marriage, and monogamy, many schools use language that shames and stigmatises young people who do engage in sexual practices," the report continued.
"Most schools also contributed to this association of shame with sexual activity, by attributing specific moral values and personal characteristics to those who engaged (or did not engage) in sexual behaviour."
The NIHRC said about two-thirds of post-primaries taught pupils about contraception, but it was difficult to know if they offered accurate information.
In their RSE policies, some schools stated that "they will present the Catholic teaching that 'the use of any artificial means of preventing procreation is not acceptable'," the report said.
"Some schools even outline their beliefs that "homosexuality" is wrong," in their polices, the NIHRC said.
"For example, one [school] writes that 'the belief that homosexual acts are against the nature and purpose of human relationships will be presented to pupils'," the report continued.
One third of schools who provided information to the NIHRC said their school would teach pupils that "heterosexual relationships was the 'main' or 'ideal' context for sexual intimacy".
The report also said most schools "indirectly contribute to the societal victim-blaming and slut-shaming of women and girls."
It said this was because they focused on how young people could stop themselves becoming victims of sexual abuse or violence, rather than challenging the perpetrators.
The NIHRC said that while their investigation showed some schools provided "comprehensive and scientifically accurate" relationship and sex education, the majority in Northern Ireland did not.
The commission concluded that the case for reforming the RSE curriculum was "compelling".
It provided 13 recommended reforms, including schools involving their students in drawing up RSE policies. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65871730 |
Gwynedd: Planning permission for second homes proposed - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A councillor says second homes are "immoral" amid a "huge housing crisis" in one Welsh county. | Wales | Gwynedd has the highest number second homes in Wales, and the council cabinet wants to "control" this
Second home owners in part of north Wales could have to seek planning permission.
Dafydd Meurig, the Gwynedd council cabinet member for environment, said second homes were "immoral" during a "huge housing crisis".
Councillors voted on Tuesday afternoon to proceed with a move to "control the numbers".
But there are claims of "anti-English" messaging and suggestions housebuilding should be the focus.
North Wales Tourism said Gwynedd council was a "rich authority" which should be building more houses.
Welsh government amendments to planning regulations have introduced three new classes of use: main home, second home and short-term holiday accommodation.
Councils also now have the power to control the use of houses as second homes or holiday lets.
Under the proposal, people wanting to use their property for one of those purposes would need permission.
It has been backed by cabinet members, so a public consultation will now be held, and a final decision made next year.
Mr Meurig said Gwynedd had about 8,000 second homes, while 3,600 people were on waiting lists for social housing and 150 residents were presenting as homeless every month.
"I think as long as people don't have a single home, then a second home is immoral in my view," he said.
"There are people who are homeless, who don't have somewhere to live in their own area, and somebody has a second home that they can use part of the year. I think that is certainly a problem."
Mr Meurig said people in Gwynedd were living in temporary hotel accommodation, paid for by the council, while others were "coming on holiday into houses".
The move comes just months after Gwynedd Council voted to increase taxes for second home owners, which means they now pay a 250% council tax rate.
Jim Jones, of North Wales Tourism, said "ineffective policies" were not the way forward.
"We urge the council to build new homes for local people, because after all, Gwynedd council is a rich authority with huge reserves," he said.
He said self-catering accommodation was the "bread and butter of Gwynedd's economy" and the new policy would encourage people to "sell up".
"They won't sell to local people, they'll sell to the highest bidder," he said.
"I think all these policies that are ongoing at the moment seem to be very anti-tourism."
Mr Meurig added: "Where's the money coming from to buy houses or to build houses? The council has a £77 million housing action plan to build houses and to make houses available, but that is just the tip of the iceberg compared to the problem that second homes bring."
Janet Finch Saunders, Welsh Conservative shadow minister for climate change said it was a "shocking decision" from the Plaid Cymru-run council, which "smacks of nationalism at its worst".
She said people from England had told her they felt such policies were "anti-English".
She added: "If you look back in history, people have come on holiday to Wales, fallen in love with it and then they've wanted to move here, and why shouldn't they? We are a free country.
"I think it's a barmy idea and to be honest I think it could be challengeable in law."
Paul Gill, from Cheshire, who bought a second home in Abersoch with his wife 40 years ago, said he did not believe the council's policies would result in "any great change in the housing market here".
Gwynedd council said planning permission would not be needed to turn a second home or short-term let into a primary residence.
But Mr Gill said the planning process could deter buyers, and delay potential house sales by months.
"Purchasers don't wait weeks. They go away, they find something else. It's half-baked and it won't work," he said.
Business owner Griff Owen, who runs chalets, a cafe, beach huts and a car park in Abersoch, said: "If it gets harder for second home owners, they're going to move somewhere else.
"If you drive tourism away there'll be nothing left here for people."
He said second home owners employed cleaners, builders, gardeners and other services, adding: "There's nothing much here besides the view, the beaches and the mountains and you can't live off views.
"Without money coming in, how do you pay the bills?"
However, Welsh language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith welcomed the proposal.
A spokesperson said: "This is an extremely important first step and we really hope that more planning authorities will follow suit in due course, because time is short.
"The recent results of the census clearly show that our Welsh-speaking communities are under siege."
The report which was discussed on Tuesday defined short-term letting accommodation as use of a property for holiday accommodation, with fewer than 30 days per occupation. Meanwhile, second home ownership was defined as use of a property "other than as a sole or main residence, occupied for 183 days or less" per year. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65856961 |
London flooding: Cars push through waterlogged streets - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | null | The capital has experienced thunderstorms after a weekend of some of the hottest temperatures this year. | null | Footage from the Golders Green area of North West London shows how torrential rain has disrupted traffic.
The capital has been hit by thunderstorms after a weekend of some of the highest temperatures this year.
The Met Office had issued a yellow warning for thunderstorms, which remained in place until 21:00 BST on Monday, 12 June. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65884939 |
Kylian Mbappe: PSG were told last year he would not extend contract, says France forward - BBC Sport | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | null | Kylian Mbappe told Paris St-Germain last July he would not extend his contract beyond 2024 as Real Madrid links persist. | null | Kylian Mbappe: PSG were told last year he would not extend contract, says France forward Last updated on .From the section European Football
Kylian Mbappe wants to stay at Paris St-Germain for now but says he will not extend his contract beyond 2024. The 24-year-old France forward's deal expires after next season, with the option of another year. On Tuesday he tweeted he "will continue" at PSG, but a letter from his camp said next season would be his last at the club. Mbappe says PSG were first told on 15 July, 2022 of his decision to reject the extension. Official correspondence has followed to that effect this week, with Mbappe saying the "only aim of the letter was to confirm what had already been spoken about". However, PSG are prepared to sell their record goalscorer this summer rather than risk losing him for free in a year's time. Mbappe said reports he wants to join Real Madrid this summer were "lies". His camp told the AFP news agency on Tuesday the possibility of extending his contract "has not been discussed since [he informed PSG last year] over the course of the year, except a fortnight ago to announce the sending of the letter". "No potential contract extension has been mentioned," they added. "After maintaining publicly in recent weeks that he would be a PSG player next season, Kylian Mbappe has not asked to leave this summer and has just confirmed to the club that he would not be activating the extra year."
• None Real Madrid? Man Utd? Where Mbappe might go next If Mbappe is sold this summer, Real Madrid are long-time admirers of the Frenchman, although he rejected a move to the Bernabeu to stay at PSG last year. The exit of Karim Benzema to Saudi Arabia means Real need a striker, but it was thought Tottenham's Harry Kane was top of their list. Mbappe, who joined PSG in 2017 initially on loan from Monaco before a 180m euro move, has scored 212 goals in 260 games. He has 38 goals in 68 games for France, including a hat-trick in last year's World Cup final in Qatar, as France lost to Argentina on penalties. Mbappe finished as Ligue 1's top scorer in each of the past five seasons and has won five league titles in his six seasons at PSG. PSG ended 2022-23 with just the Ligue 1 title after once again failing to win the Champions League, losing to Bayern Munich in the last 16. Mbappe would be the second high-profile forward to depart Parc des Princes this summer, after Argentina forward Lionel Messi left at the end of his two-year contract to join Major League Soccer's Inter Miami. Neymar, the third member of PSG's superstar frontline last season, has been linked with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia. The most important thing in Mbappe's statement today is that once again he is saying he doesn't want to leave the club this summer and that's important because now, it's all about PSG. They have to open the door (to a transfer this summer). In my understanding he will leave because he doesn't want to renew and his position won't change and I think PSG's position won't change so I think they will open the door (to a transfer) before the end of the market. The more complicated thing now is to find an agreement with Real Madrid because PSG won't want to do any gifts to Real and the Spanish club will try for a low price because they will say they don't want to pay a big amount of money for a player who is out of contract in a year. I think he wants to go to Real Madrid, but Liverpool is also there since many years as well. They kept contact with the family for many years. And I would add Manchester United because they will have a new project soon under new owners.
• 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/65882905 |
Treat Williams: Everwood and Hair actor dies in road accident - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The star of Hair and Everwood had over 130 acting credits in career that spanned almost 50 years. | US & Canada | Treat Williams was an "actor's actor", according to his long-time manager
Actor Treat Williams, who starred in the film musical Hair and the US television series Everwood, has died in a road accident aged 71.
Williams was thrown from his motorbike in Vermont on Monday after being hit by an SUV turning left, police said.
He was airlifted to hospital with critical injuries, but pronounced dead on arrival.
The actor recorded over 130 screen credits in a career that spanned almost 50 years.
"As you can imagine, we are shocked and greatly bereaved at this time," a family statement published by Variety magazine said.
"Treat was full of love for his family, for his life and for his craft, and was truly at the top of his game in all of it."
Williams' agent of 15 years, Barry McPherson, described him as "the nicest guy" who was "so talented".
"He was an actor's actor," McPherson told People magazine, adding that Williams had been at "the heart of Hollywood since the late 1970s".
Actor Wendell Pierce described Williams on social media as a "passionate... creative man" whose "adventurous spirit was infectious".
Following his 1979 breakthrough in Hair as hippie George Berger, Williams appeared in Steven Spielberg's 1941 (1979), Once Upon A Time In America (1984), Dead Heat (1988), Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995) and Deep Rising (1998).
He was also known for his stage acting, with roles in Stephen Sondheim's Follies and as Danny Zuko in the original Broadway production of Grease.
In the early 2000s, Williams appeared as widowed Dr Andy Brown in four series of the US TV drama Everwood, and he also took on roles in Chesapeake Shores, Blue Bloods and Chicago Fire.
He was nominated for an Emmy award for his work in the 1996 TV movie The Late Shift, and received three Golden Globes nominations during the 1980s.
Born Richard Treat Williams in Connecticut in 1951, he is survived by his wife Pam Van Sant, whom he married in 1988. The couple had two children. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65886521 |
Italy mourns and asks who will succeed Berlusconi - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Italians say goodbye to the four-time PM and ask who will lead his party and run his businesses. | Europe | Berlusconi's three children by his second wife - Eleonora, Barbara and Luigi - were among the many mourners paying their final respects
Italy has held a state funeral for ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, attended by political leaders, his family and a string of ex-girlfriends.
Thousands of mourners gathered in Milan's main square to say a final farewell to the one-time cruise singer who led Italy with no prior political experience and built a media empire.
As Berlusconi's coffin entered the cathedral, they chanted: "Silvio will always be our president."
There were flags, tears and applause.
The Archbishop of Milan led the funeral, in a cathedral packed with 2,000 relatives, friends, and allies and rivals from Italian politics and business. Hungarian leader Viktor Orban and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, were among the few figures from the world stage.
"To be happy means to love parties, to enjoy life to the fullest, and to have a sense of humour," said Archbishop Mario Delpini in a homily that encapsulated the four-time prime minister's flamboyant life.
Berlusconi was a divisive figure for Italians, and renowned abroad for his crude jokes and so-called bunga-bunga parties.
In the front row of the cathedral were his five children, who have been catapulted into the limelight, as part of an inevitable succession story.
Berlusconi's coffin left the cathedral flanked by Carabinieri police in plumed helmets
During his lifetime, Berlusconi amassed a vast empire that spanned media, real estate, finance, cinema and sport - as well as a powerful political party that is part of Italy's current government.
He was one of Italy's richest men. According to Forbes, his business assets are worth about €6bn (£5.15bn).
But he never publicly indicated who should lead his business empire after his death and there are also big questions over the future of the Forza Italia party he created.
Berlusconi has two children from his first marriage and three from his second. All of them have stakes in Fininvest, his holding company.
The future of his business interests will likely depend on how he has chosen to distribute the 61% stake he had in Fininvest.
Will there be equal shares for all, or more for the two eldest children, Marina and Pier Silvio, who have held management roles in the empire since the early 1990s?
This 1993 picture shows Silvio Berlusconi with his wife Veronica and their 3 children, Luigi, Eleonora and Barbara
Other valuable assets are undoubtedly Berlusconi's numerous luxurious villas. They could be tricky to pass on to his offspring in an equal way.
His Villa San Martino in Arcore, north-east of Milan, covers 3,500 sq m and dates back to the 18th Century. He also has homes at Lake Maggiore, in Rome, Cannes, the Caribbean and elsewhere.
The jewel in Berlusconi's crown of properties is Villa Certosa, a mansion in Sardinia that he bought in the 1970s.
He hosted world leaders there, from Vladimir Putin to George W. Bush. It has 126 rooms and looks like a theme park - including a fake volcano that erupts lava. Its value is estimated at €259m.
People close to the family have described Berlusconi as "the glue" who kept his children united.
There has been no dispute so far over who takes over the empire - that is expected to fall to his oldest child Marina, 56, considered closest of the five to her father.
The big question is whether that family unity can be maintained now that Berlusconi has gone, and what impact that might have on the future of his business empire.
Berlusconi's eldest daughter Marina (L) was considered closest of the five children to him. His girlfriend Martina Fascina is to her right
His death could prove disastrous for the future of his political party. Can Forza Italia survive without its charismatic creator - or could it fall apart in a matter of months?
He was the ultimate populist leader, and unsurprisingly, the party he created was entirely shaped around his persona.
His right-hand man, foreign minister Antonio Tajani, has categorically denied its future is at risk: "It's unthinkable that the party would disappear."
But Forza Italia's share of the vote had already slipped to 8% in last September's general election.
Many Italians who backed the party did so because they were Berlusconi loyalists and it will be tricky to appoint a successor they will warm to.
In reality, party members will probably look to the Berlusconi family to make a decision.
Will the two eldest, Marina and Pier Silvio, want to keep investing in their father's political creation, or will they turn off the financial tap and cut their losses?
Pier Silvio Berlusconi runs the commercial TV side of the family's Fininvest holding
Without their financial support, Forza Italia has no chance of surviving. Berlusconi heavily funded his party - reportedly injecting it with nearly €100m.
There is some speculation that Marina could succeed him as leader, but for now this remains a rumour. She is seen as more of a behind-the-scenes operator.
Another unknown is Berlusconi's partner Marta Fascina, who is 53 years his junior. She's an MP in his party and has said several times that "her passion is politics and she grew up with the myth of Silvio Berlusconi".
Berlusconi's eldest daughter reportedly blocked his plan to marry her last year. So there is a cloud over Ms Fascina's future role in her late partner's party.
One thing is certain: if Forza Italia does fracture, it would be a big problem for the other members of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition government.
In a country so well-known for regular political crises, a government collapse triggered by the disintegration of one of the coalition partners does not seem such an unlikely scenario.
Until now, Berlusconi's children have avoided the limelight. But his death might force them to emerge from the shadows to take the reins of his empire.
Berlusconi had health problem for years so it is likely he and his children had thought all of this through.
They might opt for an easy transition heralded by their eldest sister Marina, rather than get into a succession battle which could go wrong. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65891251 |
Ukraine offensive: What will it take for military push to succeed? - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | If Kyiv can split Russian troops in the south and hold ground, its push will have achieved its aims. | Europe | Ukrainian soldiers from 35th Brigade posted a photo, saying its soldiers retook the village of Storozheve in the eastern Donetsk region
"Don't call it a counter-offensive," say the Ukrainians. "This is our offensive, it's our chance to finally drive out the Russian army from our land."
All right, but what will it take to actually succeed?
First off, let's not get distracted by the recent hard-fought but tiny territorial gains Ukraine has been making as it retakes obscure, half-abandoned villages in the eastern Donetsk and south-eastern Zaporizhzhia regions.
After months of stalemate, images of victorious, battle-stained Ukrainian soldiers holding up their country's blue and yellow flag in front of a bullet-ridden building is a welcome morale boost for Ukrainians.
But in the big strategic picture, this is a sideshow.
The area of Russian-held territory that matters most in this campaign is the south: the area between the city of Zaporizhzhia and the Sea of Azov.
This is the so-called "land corridor" that connects Russia to illegally annexed Crimea, the central part of that purple-shaded strip on the map below that has barely changed since the early weeks of the invasion last year.
If Ukraine can split that in two and hold the ground it's retaken, then its offensive will have largely been successful.
It would cut off Russia's troops in the west and make it hard to resupply their garrison in Crimea.
It would not necessarily spell an end to the war - which some are now predicting could drag on for years - but it would put Ukraine in a strong bargaining position when the inevitable peace talks finally take place.
But the Russians have looked at the map, quite some time ago, and reached the same conclusion.
So while Ukraine sent its soldiers off to Nato countries for training and readied their 12 armoured brigades for this summer campaign, Moscow spent that time constructing what is now being called "the most formidable defensive fortifications in the world".
Blocking Ukraine's path to the coast - its own coast, let's not forget - are layer upon layer of Russian minefields, concrete tank-blockers (known as "dragons' teeth") bunkers, firing positions and trenches wide enough and deep enough to stop a Leopard 2 or M1 Abrams tank literally in its tracks.
All of this is covered by pre-determined artillery impact zones calibrated to rain down high explosive on Ukraine's armoured vehicles as they and their crews wait for their engineers to find a way through.
The early signs are - and it is still very early in this campaign - that those Russian defences are so far holding fast.
Russia's military claims that a number of Ukraine's western-supplied tanks and armoured personnel carriers have been destroyed in fierce fighting
Ukraine has yet to commit the bulk of its forces - so these are probing, reconnaissance attacks designed to reveal the whereabouts of Russia's artillery and search out areas of vulnerability in their lines.
In Ukraine's favour is morale. Its soldiers are highly-motivated and fighting to liberate their own country from an invader.
Most of Russia's troops do not share that motivation, and in many cases their training, equipment and leadership are inferior to Ukraine's.
The General Staff back in Kyiv will be hoping that if they can achieve a sufficient breakthrough then a collapse in Russian morale will be contagious, spreading across the battlefront as demoralised Russian troops lose the will to fight.
Also in Ukraine's favour is the quality of hardware that Nato countries have provided. Unlike Soviet-designed armoured vehicles, Nato's tanks and infantry fighting vehicles can often withstand a direct hit, or at least enough to protect the crew inside who then live to fight on.
But will that be enough to counter the strength of Russia's artillery and drone attacks?
Russia, as the vastly bigger country, can draw on more resources than Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin, who started this war in the first place, knows that if he can only wear down the Ukrainians into a stalemate that drags on into next year then there is a chance that the US and other allies will tire of supporting this expensive war effort and start to pressure Kyiv to reach a ceasefire compromise.
Finally, there is the matter of air cover, or lack of it. Attacking a well dug-in enemy without sufficient close air support is highly risky.
Ukraine knows this, which is why it's long been pleading with the West to supply it with F16 fighter jets.
The US, which makes them, did not give the green light for this until late May, by which time the first, preparatory, phase of Ukraine's offensive was already under way.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: A video on social media purports to show a Ukrainian flag being raised in Neskuchne, Donetsk Oblast
Critically for Ukraine, the game-changing F16s may now arrive too late on the battlefield to play a key role in the early phases of this counter-offensive.
This is not to say the Ukrainians will lose.
Time and again they have proved themselves agile, resourceful and inventive. They successfully drove the Russian army out of Kherson by hitting their rear-area logistics hubs to the point where the Russians could no longer resupply their troops in that southern city.
Equipped with long-range weapons like Britain's Storm Shadow cruise missile, Ukraine will be attempting to do the same now.
But amidst all the claim and counter-claim of a propaganda war, it may yet be weeks or even months before we get a clearer picture of who is likely to ultimately prevail in this war. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65881261 |
Sgt Matiu Ratana: Met officer murder accused sad he died, jury hears - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Louis De Zoysa is accused of murdering Sgt Matiu Ratana by shooting him at a custody centre. | London | A man accused of murdering Metropolitan Police custody sergeant Matiu Ratana has told a jury he felt "sad" the officer died.
Louis De Zoysa agreed CCTV footage showed him firing a gun at 54-year-old Sgt Ratana, who was shot at Croydon custody centre on 25 September 2020.
He told the court he had not meant to kill Sgt Ratana nor to cause him really serious harm.
As he began giving evidence at Northampton Crown Court, Mr De Zoysa sat in a wheelchair in the well of the courtroom with a small whiteboard and marker on the desk in front of him, which he is using because of communication difficulties.
In a modified oath, he promised to tell the truth and confirmed his name and date of birth using the whiteboard.
The prosecution alleges Mr De Zoysa, from Banstead in Surrey, "pulled the trigger on purpose four times" while he was handcuffed in a holding room.
The court has heard that the first and second shots hit Sgt Ratana, the third hit the wall during a struggle with officers and a fourth hit the defendant.
Mr De Zoysa has been left with brain damage as a result of the gunshot wound.
Answering questions from from Mr Khan, he confirmed to the court he is autistic and regularly gets stressed out, leading him to punch chairs and walls.
Asked about his family, Mr De Zoysa alleged his father used to beat him over "trivial matters".
He later wrote the word "coke" on his whiteboard before describing his father as a "criminal", adding that he used to be a "drug dealer".
The defendant drew a stickman wearing a cast on one leg before confirming his father hit and broke his leg.
Louis De Zoysa used a whiteboard and pen to help him communicate
Mr De Zoysa told the court how he once hit his father on the head using a metal rod. He said this was out of "panic" and possibly caused by his autism.
The court heard in June 2019 he was arrested for "fighting" his father because his dad was upsetting him and talking "too loud".
He confirmed to jurors he had previously broken the stairs in his family home and set a carpet on fire because he was "upset", and also said he smoked cannabis due to "stress" as it helped him feel "mellow".
The court heard the defendant received A grades at A-Level for chemistry, physics and maths, and attended University College London but did not finish his degree, going on to work in coding at HMRC.
The jury was told that during the early hours of 25 September 2020, Mr De Zoysa was arrested on London Road in Norbury, south London, after a stop and search by officers found cannabis and seven rounds of ammunition on him.
The court heard officers did not know he had a gun until it was used to shoot Sgt Ratana.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65890743 |
UK weather: Parts of UK officially in heatwave - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A heat-health alert has been extended until next week as 30.7C was recorded in Wales on Tuesday. | UK | Many parts of the UK are officially experiencing a heatwave as temperatures continue to climb to 30C.
The hot weather may have arrived at the weekend, but a heatwave is only being recognised now as areas in the UK have seen highs of at least 25C for more than three consecutive days.
A heat-health alert has been extended until next week as 30.7C was recorded in Porthmadog, Wales, on Tuesday.
The Met Office warned the humid air will bring thunder until this evening.
The forecaster has issued yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms in northern Scotland and western parts of Northern Ireland until 21:00 BST on Tuesday evening, with more rain and thunder possible later in the week.
Heavy rainfall resulted in flooding in the Golders Green area of North West London on Monday, as cars struggled to drive through waterlogged streets.
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The Met Office defines a heatwave as three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold.
However, the threshold varies across the country, from 25C in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the North and South West of England, to 28C in parts of South East England.
Heatwaves are becoming more likely and more extreme because of human-induced climate change. 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.
England's highest temperature of the year so far was at Chertsey Water Works in Surrey on Saturday after highs of 32.2C were recorded.
Bridgefoot in Cumbria has so far seen Tuesday's highest temperature in England, at 30.1C.
Northern Ireland started experiencing a heatwave on Tuesday too after temperatures climbed to 27C at Magilligan in County Derry and 28C in Armagh.
Highs of 30.7C in Porthmadog meant Wales also had its hottest day of the year so far on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Scotland saw its hottest day of the year on Monday after temperatures reached 30.7C in Threave in Dumfries and Galloway.
Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said the rest of the week will be hotter than average for the time of year, but that the extreme heat may come down slightly, meaning that heatwave criteria may not last much longer.
"The heat is set to drop slightly in coming days. London might not meet heatwave criteria, for example, but there's a good deal of dry, fine, sunny weather to be had this week with temperatures remaining well above average," he said.
Last week's high temperatures led to the UK's Health Security Agency and the Met Office to issue an amber heat-health alert.
But all regions of England have now been placed under a yellow alert until 09:00 on Monday by the UK Health Security Agency, which means the hot weather is likely to affect vulnerable groups.
There are concerns about healthcare services becoming overwhelmed during this period, as well as an increase in the risk to health of people aged over-65 and those with pre-existing health issues, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
In order to keep cool during the hot weather, people should ensure they drink plenty of water, wear loose-fitting clothes, stay in the shade as much as possible and use fans, ice and cool showers to reduce their body temperature.
Dogs and other pets can also be kept cool and safe by being kept out of the sunshine and not left in a hot car even for a short amount of time, along with being given lots of fresh water. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65895069 |
Nottingham: Students among three killed in knife and van attacks - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Two teenagers and a man in his 50s were fatally stabbed on Tuesday, before three were hit by a van. | Nottingham | Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar have been identified in reports as the two students killed in the attack
The city of Nottingham has been shaken by a series of attacks which left two teenage students and another man dead.
Barnaby Webber, 19, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, 19, and a man in his 50s were fatally stabbed. Three people were hit by a van police believe was stolen from the older stabbing victim.
A suspect was Tasered by police before being arrested on suspicion of murder.
Counter-terrorism police are involved in the investigation, but no link to extremism has been confirmed.
Police said they were still in the early stages of the inquiry into the attacks, which occurred during the early hours of Tuesday, and had yet to determine an exact motive.
The BBC has been told by official sources the 31-year-old suspect was originally from West Africa but had been in the UK for "many years" and had settled status.
It is also understood the man has a history of mental health issues.
That is why at this stage, while counter-terrorism police are assisting the investigation, they are not running it.
He did not have a criminal record, they added.
Several roads in Nottingham were closed throughout the day as police combed for evidence, and armed officers were seen on the city's streets.
Nottingham City Council leader David Mellen said the city was in "shock and mourning", while the city's three MPs said the area had been "devastated" by the bloodshed.
Mr Webber's family said he was "just at the start of his journey into adulthood"
Police have not formally identified the victims, but Mr Webber, a student at the University of Nottingham, was named by friends and family.
In a statement, his family - from Taunton in Somerset - said: "Complete devastation is not enough to describe our pain and loss at the senseless murder of our son.
"At 19 he was just at the start of his journey into adulthood and was developing into a wonderful young man.
"As parents we are enormously proud of everything he achieved and all the plans he had made.
"His brother is bereft beyond belief, and at this time we ask for privacy as a family to be allowed time to process and grieve."
Floral tributes have been left for Mr Webber in Taunton
The amateur cricketer was described by Somerset's Bishops Hull Cricket Club as a dear friend whose memory would live on.
A tribute continued: "'Webbs' joined the club back in 2021 and has since then been a key part of our club and made such an impact in such a short space of time."
Taunton School, which he attended, said the school community was "heartbroken" at the news of his death.
"He was a much-loved, kind and engaging character, That a young man of such promise should lose his life in these circumstances is utterly devastating," it said.
Grace O'Malley-Kumar has been named locally as the second victim and a talented sportswoman. The man in his 50s has also not been named by the authorities.
England Hockey said it was "deeply saddened" by Ms O'Malley-Kumar's death.
"Grace was a popular member of the England U16 and U18 squads and our thoughts are with Grace's family, friends, teammates and the whole hockey community at this time," it said.
London-based Woodford Wells Cricket Club, close to the Essex border, also paid tribute to their former player, describing her as a "fiercely competitive, talented and dedicated cricketer and hockey player" who was "fun, friendly and brilliant".
And Southgate Hockey Club in London said it was "shocked and devastated" by the death of the "much loved" team member.
The deadly episode unfolded in less than two hours.
Police were called out to Ilkeston Road around 04:00 BST where they found the two students fatally injured.
Some time after 05:00 the body of the man whose van was apparently stolen was found with knife wounds in Magdala Road, just under two miles (3.2 km) from the scene of the first two killings.
Around 05:30 the van was driven into three people waiting at a bus stop on Milton Street in the city centre. One of those hit remains in hospital fighting for their life. The other two were lucky to escape with minor injuries.
Shortly after the van attack the vehicle was stopped in nearby Maples Street and the suspect was detained after being Tasered.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: What happened and where in Nottingham attacks
In the afternoon armed officers carried out a raid on a property on Ilkeston Road.
Nottinghamshire Police, which described the incident as "horrific and tragic", said detectives were not looking for anyone else in connection with the inquiry.
Mr Mellen told BBC Breakfast it had been an awful day for the city but the "spirit of Nottingham will shine through this".
"It was shown right at the start of this as people ran to help those who had been driven into as they were waiting for a bus first thing in the morning," he said.
The flag on Nottingham's Council House has been lowered to half-mast and a book of condolence opened.
People have also been invited to lay flowers on the steps of the building and its lights will be lowered as a mark of respect.
A vigil, including a minute's silence, will be held on Thursday evening in the Old Market Square.
Police tape could be seen outside a block of flats in Lucknow Road, Nottingham on Wednesday morning
One eyewitness told the BBC he had seen a young man and young woman being stabbed in Ilkeston Road, close to the junction with Bright Street.
The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said he had heard "awful, blood-curdling screams" and had seen a man dressed in black, with a hood and rucksack, "grappling with some people".
"It was a girl, and a man or boy she was with - they looked quite young," he said.
"She was screaming 'Help!'. I just wish I'd shouted something out of the window to unnerve the assailant.
"I saw him stab the lad first and then the woman. It was repeated stabbing - four or five times. The lad collapsed in the middle of the road.
"The girl stumbled towards a house and didn't move. The next minute she had disappeared down the side of a house, and that's where they found her."
A dozen bouquets of flowers were left at the scene on Ilkeston Road.
The cordon that had been put in place was lifted on Wednesday, with two officers still standing outside a property that appeared to be the subject of police searches on Tuesday afternoon.
Police tape could be seen outside a block of flats in Lucknow Road, Nottingham, on Wednesday morning.
The attack has sent shockwaves through Nottingham's large student population, a city which is home to two universities and more than 50,000 students.
A male student, who knew one of the victims, said: "It hurts, it hurts a lot. It's the first time I'm dealing with something like this and at university it's a challenge for sure.
"The road that I live on leads directly on to the scene of the incident - when it happens on your doorstep you feel scared and frightened.
"It makes you realise what's important in life, to check on people and see how they're doing."
The University of Nottingham confirmed "with great sadness" that the two teenage victims of the attack had been students there.
A planned graduation event was cancelled on Tuesday, and its students' union said it was "devastated and shocked" by the attacks.
Neighbouring Nottingham Trent University said it had contacted its students to reassure them and encourage them to speak to staff about safety concerns.
Ahead of a church vigil held in the city on Tuesday evening, Paul Williams - the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham - said the city was "in shock".
"But what people in Nottingham do is pull together, friendship is the heart of Nottingham," he said.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "My thoughts are with those injured, and the family and loved ones of those who have lost their lives."
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said her thoughts were first and foremost with "all of those who've been involved, their friends, their families and their communities".
She urged anyone with any information relating to the incident to report it to the police, who she says should be allowed "time and space" to investigate.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer sent his "thoughts to all those affected and to the emergency services who are responding".
Lilian Greenwood, Labour MP for Nottingham South, said the whole city was "absolutely devastated" by what had happened.
"My heart goes out of course to the families of Barnaby, Grace and the other gentleman killed yesterday, and indeed those who are in hospital after being hit by the van.
"There's nothing I can say that is going to make this right. It's absolutely desperately sad."
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'Dream come true' for Sam Fender's guitar tutor - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Phil Martin performed with Fender and AC/DC's Brian Johnson at a sold out St James' Park. | Tyne & Wear | Phil Martin's dream came true as he played for thousands with his former student
Sam Fender's former guitar teacher said performing with his old student in front of thousands of fans was "a dream come true".
North Shields musician Phil Martin made an appearance on stage during one of Fender's sold-out concerts at St James' Park.
The self-confessed "old rocker" rehearsed two AC/DC tracks for weeks in order to "nail" the performance.
He said he "always had faith" in his former student.
"Eventually, I opened a studio with a friend where Sam came to rehearse and record and hang out, but prior to that I'd taught him since he was about 12."
Sam Fender performed two sold out shows at the home of Newcastle United
"I don't think there's words I can find at the moment. It was awesome. It's what dreams are made of. It's a fantasy.
"I've known Sam for so long and it came up three or four years ago before he could have sold it out, he'd say, 'What I'd love to see, is you, me and 'Johno' from AC/DC back-to-back'. I'd say to him, 'yeah, that would be something, now ha'way'.
"And the other day, it came to pass."
Phil was brought on stage with AC/DC frontman and fellow Geordie Brian Johnson to perform Back In Black and You Shook Me All Night Long.
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"I rehearsed the parts so I didn't have to think. You've got to nail it. I've played those tunes dozens of times a day for the past few weeks. I enjoyed myself in a way I never have.
"We've never lost contact. We've always been friends despite the age difference - we speak the same language. Music is a language.
"I always had faith in him. His creative energy was massive. He wasn't the easiest to teach, you had to go his way. Whatever he learned, he always added something or an idea would come out of it. He's still like that.
"To be there with him... I wanted to give him the show he deserved. I didn't want to let him down.
"He's united so many parts of the community that wouldn't normally mix - the football crowd, the music crowd, old rockers, young kids... He's had that appeal because his songs tell the truth."
Phil has known Sam Fender since the singer-songwriter was 12
Phil's own band, Sticky Fingers, have been going since 1994.
He said he was excited to see if people would come out to see him perform again.
"I've already been getting loads of messages from people saying they want to come and see me play - I hope even half of them turn up."
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Children killed at Stoke-on-Trent house named by police - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Ethan John, 11, and his sister Elizabeth, seven, were found with significant injuries, said police. | Stoke & Staffordshire | Elizabeth and Ethan John were both found unresponsive with significant injuries
Two children who were killed inside a house in Stoke-on-Trent have been named.
Ethan John, 11, and his sister Elizabeth, seven, were both found unresponsive with significant injuries.
A woman who was known to the siblings was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Police discovered the children when they went to the house in Flax Street after first being called to the stabbing of a man at a car wash nearby.
The suspect, 49, was arrested in connection with the stabbing and then on suspicion of murder. She remains in custody and is being questioned.
The children's schools paid tribute to their pupils, saying Ethan had an "infectious smile" and Elizabeth was a "ray of sunshine".
"Ethan was a wonderful member of our school community. He had impeccable manners and an infectious smile," a statement said.
"He will be hugely missed by the staff and pupils alike and will forever be part of our hearts."
Elizabeth's school said she was "a kind, caring and friendly member of our school family".
"She was a ray of sunshine who always had a smile on her face. She was everyone's friend - she was both bright and popular," a statement said.
"The loss of Elizabeth is truly devastating for us all and her absence will leave a huge hole within our school community."
The children were found fatally injured at an address on Flax Street
The stabbed man, in his 40s, was treated in hospital but has since been discharged.
Det Ch Insp Cheryl Hannan said: "We are solely focussed on finding out what happened to these two children and supporting those affected by this deeply traumatic incident.
"I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering felt by the family and friends of these two children at this time."
Specially-trained officers are supporting "those closest to the children whilst we find out more about what happened yesterday afternoon", she added.
Neighbours said they were heartbroken at hearing the news.
A neighbour near the scene said she burst into tears when she found out the news
Jade Halket said: "It's scary with it being so close, I have two young kids myself, I find it devastating. It's awful."
Another resident told the BBC: "I can't put it into words, I'm absolutely gutted.
"[The children] haven't even seen a life yet. We started crying when we found out, it's just not fair," she said.
Officers have appealed to anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage from the area of Flax Street and Campbell Road between 13:30 and 14:30 BST or to hear those who were in the area at the time.
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Alfie Steele: Mum and partner guilty of killing boy in bath - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Alfie Steele, 9, was repeatedly dunked head first into a cold bath as part of a discipline regime. | Hereford & Worcester | Alfie had more than 50 injuries on his body when he died, the court heard
A mother and her partner have been convicted of killing her nine-year-old son in the bath after months of abuse.
Alfie Steele was found unresponsive at his home in Droitwich, Worcestershire, in February 2021.
Dirk Howell, 41, was found guilty of murdering the young boy and his mother, Carla Scott, was convicted of his manslaughter.
Jurors cleared her of Alfie's murder. They were told by the judge they would never have to sit on a jury again.
After weeks of hearing horrific details of the nine-year-old's final months, the jury deliberated for 10 hours over the verdicts.
Alfie was subjected to a cruel discipline regime and had more than 50 injuries on his body when he died.
His punishments included beatings, being forced to stand outside and being dunked head first in cold baths, Coventry Crown Court heard.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Hear the 999 calls that laid neighbours' fears bare during the trial
The family was known to social services - not least because Howell had an order in place preventing him from staying at the house, which he routinely flouted.
Neighbours also made repeated calls to police after hearing screaming and crying coming from both inside and outside the family home.
A safeguarding review will now explore what more could have been done to save Alfie.
"It fills us with immense sadness that we will never be able to see that same cheeky smile again," he said.
"Losing Alfie has left a massive void in our lives. To think that we will never be able to hug him and watch him grow into an accomplished young man causes us such anguish.
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The court had heard emergency services arrived at the home on Vashon Drive at about 14:30 GMT on 18 February but paramedics were unable to revive him.
Although an exact cause of death could not be ascertained, evidence strongly suggested he died after being dunked in the freezing cold water.
Scott, 35, claimed Alfie had fallen asleep while enjoying a warm bath. However, his injuries and low body temperature - 23C (73F) - indicated a different story.
The trial heard Scott struck up a relationship with Howell in 2019 and his discipline regime quickly escalated during 2020, when the country went into lockdown during the Covid pandemic.
Jurors heard harrowing 999 calls from neighbours who tried to raise the alarm, before Alfie eventually died from the brutal regime.
Some neighbours heard him screaming as he was forced into the cold baths and others reported seeing him standing in the garden at night "like a statue" while being berated by Howell.
Carla Scott (left) struck up a relationship with Dirk Howell (right) in 2019
He had admitted four counts of child cruelty, but Scott repeatedly maintained her innocence. As well as manslaughter, the jury convicted her of child cruelty.
Alfie's mother was in tears as she was taken down to the cells, but Howell, of Princip Drive, Aston, Birmingham, showed no visible emotion.
Outside court, Det Ch Insp Leighton Harding said Alfie "suffered the most horrifying physical and emotional abuse" and it was "unimaginable to consider the fear and distress he must have felt during the events that led to his collapse".
"Alfie should have expected unconditional love and protection of Scott, yet she deliberately neglected his needs, choosing to prioritise her own needs and relationship with Howell, knowing the cruel treatment he was inflicting on Alfie," he added.
Det Ch Insp Harding said the case had not been referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), because it "did not meet the criteria", despite officers' contact with the family.
West Mercia Police will come under scrutiny in a review, said Det Ch Insp Harding
"We are of course committed to learning from this sad case," he said, adding the force would be complying with the forthcoming safeguarding review.
Stephen Eccleston, independent chair of Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership, said the team was "shocked and saddened by the death of Alfie".
"On behalf of the partnership, I would like to take this opportunity to pass on our condolences to Alfie's family."
He said the review would be published later this year.
Nigel Huddleston, MP for Mid-Worcestershire, described the case as "absolutely horrendous".
"We must endeavour to learn lessons from Alfie's murder to help ensure that such a horrific event never happens again," he added.
Judge Mr Justice Mark Wall said Howell and Scott would be sentenced on Thursday.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-65857668 |
Cat seized by North Wales Police traumatised - Wildcat Haven - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Wildcat Haven lodged a complaint against North Wales Police after it seized a feline named Finlay. | Wales | Wildcat Haven has written to North Wales Police after it took the animal, named Finlay
A cat seized by police has prompted a legal complaint by a wildlife rescue group which said the animal suffered mental trauma.
Wildcat Haven wrote to North Wales Police after it took Finlay the cat.
It was seized by the force after it received a report the organisation was keeping an unlicensed Scottish wildcat.
The animal was returned after four months when police said tests showed Finlay was a common tabby. The force has declined to comment.
Wildcat Haven, based in St Asaph, Denbighshire, has said he suffered "physiological and psychological trauma", and has made a number of claims about police actions.
Wildcat Haven's lawyer, Joseph Morgan, said the group found the animal dehydrated, soaking wet and close to death as a three-week-old kitten in the Scottish Highlands.
Believing he was a Scottish wildcat, he was taken to an enclosure in Conwy for rehabilitation before eventual release.
Plans to release Finlay in spring 2022 were derailed on Valentine's Day in February that year, when officers took him from the farm claiming he was being held without a licence.
Wildcat Haven claimed no licence was required to rehabilitate Finlay.
Mr Morgan said: "North Wales Police acted excessively in seizing Finlay from Wildcat Haven's care and holding on to him for over four months.
"In doing so, they undermined months of hard work that went into rehabilitating Finlay for release into the wild, meaning that Wildcat Haven has had to start from square one in their journey to see Finlay in the wild again."
Wildcat Haven is also unhappy police do not believe Finlay is a wildcat, but a domestic tabby with some wildcat genes.
The assessment could pose problems for the group if it does release Finlay into the wild, as it could be committing an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.
Finlay was not returned until 28 June 2022, allegedly in a "very poor state". Wildcat Haven said it took more than six months to bring him back to good health.
Its director Emily O'Donoghue said: "Finlay was wrongly seized as no licence is required for the rehabilitation and release of a Scottish wildcat."
She claimed that he was kept "in a quarantine cage for four-and-a-half months", and on his return he was "emaciated".
Wildcat Haven said Finlay was discovered in the Scottish Highlands as a kitten
"The police returned him because they said he was a domestic tabby cat, even though an assessment of him arranged by the police gave him a score which should have identified him as a Scottish wildcat, according to the scientific literature," Ms O'Donoghue said.
The police, she claimed, caused Finlay to "suffer unnecessarily" and delayed his release.
"We will continue to fight for his freedom," she said.
While North Wales Police has declined to comment on Wildcat Haven's claims, it has previously said it kept Finlay at a special facility where it had regular visits and vet assessments.
It said there was no evidence of disease and Finlay displayed traits of domestic cat behaviour.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65836546 |
Groom stopped for speeding on M4 on way to wedding - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Police say he "had some explaining to do" after being caught driving at 121mph on the M4. | Wiltshire | The speeding groom was pulled over on the M4 in Wiltshire
A groom heading to his wedding was pulled over by traffic police who caught him speeding at 121mph on a motorway.
Wiltshire Police Special Ops tweeted "usually, the bride is always late" but the wedding-bound driver had "some explaining to do" after being pulled over on the M4 in his silver BMW.
"A rear nearside tyre with cord exposed topped this stop off," the force added.
The speeding groom will appear in court at a date to be confirmed.
Wiltshire Police confirmed that members of the wedding party later collected the groom to take him to his ceremony.
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NI Troubles: Call to shelve legacy bill rejected - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The bill is set to pass into law before summer but is opposed by victims' groups in Northern Ireland. | Northern Ireland | The Troubles was a period of conflict which lasted for 30 years and cost the lives of more than 3,500 people
A new call for the government to shelve its Troubles legacy bill has been rejected, with a minister stating he sees "no circumstances" in which it would be withdrawn.
The bill, which introduces conditional amnesties, is on course to pass into law before summer.
Victims' commissioner Ian Jeffers said: "We would love to see the bill withdrawn, it is as simple as that."
He told BBC News NI: "The bill certainly will not be voted down (in Parliament) and I see no circumstances in which it would withdrawn."
He indicated there will be additional changes to the bill beyond those outlined recently and urged people "to give them a fair wind when they see them".
The bill would create a new information recovery body, headed by a senior judicial figure, to produce reports on hundreds of pre-1998 incidents in which people were killed or seriously injured.
Many victims' groups are opposed to the legislation put forward
It would offer conditional amnesties to perpetrators who co-operate and "conduct criminal investigations where appropriate".
It would also end all future civil actions related to the Troubles and there would be no further inquests beyond those already commenced.
Mr Jeffers said: "It is believed it will not deliver truth recovery and for some it removes the opportunity for justice they continue to hold out for.
"Lord Caine has made a good attempt at listening to victims and survivors but I still have not heard anything coming from government to say this will work for victims and survivors.
"I am genuinely worried we are going to see the bill pushed through by government for its own means and not really for reconciliation in Northern Ireland."
Arising from a 2019 manifesto commitment, the government pledged better protection for military veterans from investigations and prosecutions related to the Troubles.
The bill is opposed by victims' groups and Northern Ireland political parties, as well as the Irish government.
Lord Caine said the narrative around the legislation "could have been more victim-focused"
Recently, experts at the United Nations and the Council of Europe called for the bill to be withdrawn, arguing it was not compatible with the UK's human rights obligations.
At the bill's second reading in the House of Lords six weeks ago, Lord Caine outlined amendments which the government will table in coming weeks, claiming they will improve the investigative powers of the information body.
They also propose tougher penalties for those who refuse to co-operate.
Lord Caine said: "I would be very, very surprised if I do not table more amendments.
"The responsibility I have is to try and put this bill in the best possible shape.
"If you were to ask me in a personal capacity: 'Do I think the narrative around the legislation could have been better and more victim focused?' then the answer would almost certainly be: 'Yes.'"
"But in politics I am often less interested in how we got to a situation than how we actually get out of a situation and how we improve things." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64063077 |
Watch: Trapper wrestles massive crocodile from US pool - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | null | Wildlife specialists got the call from a Florida resident and were able to release the 10ft (3m) reptile. | null | Trappers in the US were dispatched to a Florida home after a massive 10ft (3m) crocodile was discovered in the pool in the middle of the night.
Todd Hardwick and Jeff Peterla worked to pull the reptile from the pool and restrain it, with some help from a police officer, according to their Instagram page.
The pair later removed the restraints from the crocodile, a threatened species in Florida, and were able to safely return it to its habitat. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65883859 |
Trump surprises guests in Cuban restaurant - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | null | The former US president made a stop after his court appearance in Miami. | null | Donald Trump, the former US President, made a stop after his court appearance in Miami. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65898829 |
Senior Tory MP seeks abortion law rethink after mother jailed - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Commons equalities committee chair says it is time to debate "outdated" abortion rules. | UK | Conservative MP Caroline Nokes has called for a debate in Parliament on abortion laws
Parliament should debate overhauling abortion rules after a woman was jailed, the chair of the Commons equalities committee has said.
Caroline Nokes MP told the BBC the 1861 law used to prosecute mother-of-three Carla Foster was "out of date".
The 44-year-old was convicted of inducing an abortion outside the legal limit using pills at home.
Campaigners urged reform after she received a sentence of 28 months, 14 of which will be spent in custody.
Foster was between 32 and 34 weeks pregnant when she took medication acquired via the "pills by post" scheme introduced during lockdown, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard.
Abortion is legal up to 24 weeks, and the procedure must be carried out in a clinic after 10 weeks.
Foster was initially charged with child destruction, which she denied, and later pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
Under the law, women "who use drugs or instruments" that are "unlawfully administered" to cause an abortion could be "kept in penal servitude for life".
While abortion was legalised with the Abortion Act in 1967, the 1861 law was not repealed, meaning that women still face life imprisonment if they carry out an abortion over the legal time limit.
Ms Nokes, who chairs the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, said MPs should "decide in the 21st Century whether we should be relying on legislation that is centuries old".
The Tory MP told BBC Radio 4's World Tonight programme: "This is not something that has been debated in any great detail for many years now.
"And cases like this, although tragic and thankfully very rare, throw into sharp relief that we are relying on legislation that is very out of date. It makes a case for Parliament to start looking at this issue in detail."
Labour MP Stella Creasy also called for urgent reform, telling BBC Two's Newsnight programme: "I don't understand in whose interests this case was."
Madeline Page, director of the Alliance of Pro-Life Students, described the case as a "sad situation" and said she would welcome a parliamentary debate.
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, which opposes abortion, criticised providers for "pushing for dangerous home abortions," and said women such as Foster were "left to self-administer these drugs alone with no medical supervision or support."
But providers say the most common side-effects of at-home abortions are "usually easy to treat", and "rarely have any long-term health effects".
The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) is one of 30 campaign and health groups calling for the law to be repealed to decriminalise women seeking to end their own pregnancies.
BPAS chief executive Clare Murphy told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We are now seeing a mother-of-three prosecuted under laws that do not exist in the same way in any other country."
She said "a growing number of women" were coming under police investigation over suspected illegal abortions, with another woman facing trial later this year.
A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said cases such as that of Carla Foster were "exceptionally rare... complex and traumatic".
They added: "Our prosecutors have a duty to ensure that laws set by Parliament are properly considered and applied when making difficult charging decisions."
Downing Street said it recognised that abortion was "a highly emotive issue and there is a strength of feeling on all sides," but "the law is clearly set out."
"It's up to the police and the judiciary to enforce it," the spokesperson added.
Dame Diana Johnson, chair of the home affairs select committee, called for the government to decriminalise abortion.
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Removing the criminal law is a very sensible, reasonable step, but it's not to deregulate abortion care and who can provide it."
The CPS argued in court that Foster had been aware of abortion limits and had provided false information during a remote medical consultation.
Her defence said lockdown and minimising face-to-face appointments had changed access to healthcare, adding: "This will haunt her forever."
Foster went into labour on 11 May 2020 and the baby was confirmed dead 45 minutes later.
The 44-year-old from Staffordshire had moved back in with her estranged partner at the start of lockdown while carrying another man's baby, the court heard.
Sentencing, judge Mr Justice Edward Pepperall accepted she had been "in emotional turmoil" as she sought to hide the pregnancy.
He said she was a good mother to her three sons, one of whom has special needs, and that a suspended sentence might have been possible if there had been an earlier guilty plea.
But he rejected appeals from women's health organisations to pass a non-custodial sentence, saying it was the court's duty to "apply the law as provided by Parliament".
Ahead of Monday's hearing, a letter co-signed by a number of women's health organisations was sent to the court calling for a non-custodial sentence.
The judge told the defendant the letter's authors were "concerned that your imprisonment might deter other women from accessing telemedical abortion services and other late-gestation women from seeking medical care or from being open and honest with medical professionals".
But he said it also "has the capacity to be seen as special pleading by those who favour wider access to abortions and is, in my judgment, just as inappropriate as it would be for a judge to receive a letter from one of the groups campaigning for more restrictive laws". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65886472 |
Broken-down Hampshire bus brides praise officers who rescued them - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Jemma and Sian Batchelor-Thomas were rescued by police when their coach broke down in Hedge End. | Hampshire & Isle of Wight | Jemma (left) and Sian (right) had planned to travel with their guests by coach to the ceremony
Two brides who got a lift to their wedding in a police car after their coach broke down said the officers who rescued them went "above and beyond".
Jemma and Sian Batchelor-Thomas were on the coach with 20 of their closest family and friends when it broke down in Hedge End on Saturday morning.
Officers gave the couple a lift to the ceremony in a police car while others accepted lifts from passing motorists.
They said, despite the stressful start to the day, everyone made it on time.
The officers said they were in the right place at the right time
Jemma said: "It was a really intimate service so we booked the coach from the hotel where we were staying so everyone could relax and enjoy the journey.
"That obviously didn't happen because after 10 minutes we broke down.
"The guests thought we were joking.
"We had about half an hour to get to the registry office but we were still half an hour away."
A wedding guest approached the police car to ask for help
Sian said, despite their predicament, the guests were "very cool, calm and collected".
She said: "One of the bridal party saw the police car and asked them if they could give us a lift."
Two strangers, who introduced themselves as Mark and Tash, also pulled over and offered a ride to Jemma and Sian's witnesses.
Jemma said: "Sian was very calm but I was extremely stressed - I thought 'this is terrible' but now, looking back, we can see the funny side of things.
"Everyone was just so kind and supportive - all the members of the public, the people who gave our witnesses a lift. There were so many nice messages from random people.
"Being a same-sex couple, that was massive - there were no negative comments, everyone was so supportive.
"It also shows that the police are there to serve as well as to protect the community. Rachel and Lucy [the officers] went above and beyond in their roles."
In a Facebook post, PCSO Rachel Barry and PC Lucy Stoneley of the Hedge End Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "We wish them all the best for a very happy future together and are very happy that we could be there to help."
The couple made it to their ceremony with minutes to spare
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-65882181 |
NI weather: Heatwave to hit Northern Ireland this week - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Temperatures will nudge close to 30C, which is 10C above average for this time of year. | Northern Ireland | Weather watchers enjoyed the Bangor coastal path at the weekend with better weather to follow
A heatwave is set to hit Northern Ireland as temperatures nudge close to 30C at times.
Thermometers could climb to the high 20s towards the east on Monday in parts of counties Down, Antrim, and Armagh.
Those are temperatures up to 10C above average for the time of the year.
That would make it as warm as some holiday hotspots like Benidorm and Gran Canaria in Spain, and Albufeira in Portugal.
The Met Office defines a heatwave in Northern Ireland as three consecutive days above 25C.
That heat could spark off thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday, especially across western counties where a warning has been issued.
The yellow alert for counties Fermanagh, Tyrone, and Londonderry lasts from noon until 21:00 BST on Monday.
It is expected that the yellow weather warning will extend to counties Antrim, Armagh and Down on Tuesday and will last from noon until 21:00 BST.
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Although many places will avoid them, the Met Office says 20-30mm of rain could fall in an hour where the showers hit.
A few spots could see between 40-50mm with lightning and hail.
The rest of the week will stay very warm with the chance of some heavy and thundery showers, especially the first half of the week.
Temperatures will stay in and around the mid twenties right through until next weekend, at least.
On Saturday the hottest day of the year so far was recorded as temperatures hit 25.3C in Armagh.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post 2 by Met Éireann This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
In the Republic of Ireland, Met Éireann, has also issued a yellow weather warning for counties Leinster, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary and Waterford.
It said localised heavy downpours could lead to localised flooding and difficult travelling conditions in these areas. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65873712 |
Coleraine bomb: Jean Jefferson talks of friendship with bomber - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Jean Jefferson's aunt was killed 50 years ago but she forged a friendship with the man responsible. | Northern Ireland | Jean Jefferson says IRA bomber helped her come to terms with husband's death
A woman whose father was injured in an IRA bomb 50 years ago has said the friendship she forged with the bomber has helped her through the recent death of her husband.
Jean Jefferson's father was severely disfigured in the blast, which killed six people, including her aunt, in Coleraine in 1973.
In 2011, Jean met and forgave the man who was convicted of the bombing.
Sean McGlinchey spent 18 years in jail for his part in the car bomb attack.
Two car bombs exploded in the County Londonderry town on 12 June 1973.
All of those injured or killed were caught up in the first explosion, which went off on Railway Road at 15:00 BST.
A second explosion went off in Hanover Place five minutes later.
"I was teaching in England at the time and got a call that changed our lives forever," Mrs Jefferson told BBC News NI.
"My sister ran down town to see what happened. My father was sat with his head in his hands. She didn't even recognise him because he was that injured.
"I remember arriving back at the airport in Northern Ireland. Nobody was able to meet me at Aldergrove because of what happened at home.
"Home changed from then. How could someone do that in my home town, I thought."
Sean McGlinchey, who is currently a Sinn Féin councillor, faced criticism after being appointed as mayor of Limavady in 2011.
Mrs Jefferson said: "People gave him such a hard time and I remember being angry as he said he was sorry.
"My father also forgave Sean although he never told him directly. He was the instigator of forgiveness. How could we as a family not forgive then?
"I understand why some people can't do what we've done. I understand all sides."
She added: "My husband died last year and Sean has been a great friend to me. Bill had a great deal of time for Sean.
"Sean had a mass said for him in the monastery in Portglenone. He was really upset about Bill's death. That meant a lot to me."
When asked in advance about John Finucane attending an IRA commemoration in south Armagh, Mrs Jefferson said she "has a lot of time" the Sinn Féin MP.
"I understand how people struggle to understand it but I really think he was condemned before he gave his speech. That's not right either."
Mrs Jefferson said she will spend the 50th anniversary of the IRA bombing on her own at home to reflect.
The new memorial was unveiled in the presence of the mayor and relatives of victims
A memorial to the victims of the bombing was unveiled during an act of remembrance service in Coleraine on Monday afternoon.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Steven Callaghan said the memorial would ensure the innocent lives lost that day would never be forgotten.
"This beautiful sculpture will ensure the victims are never forgotten and will give the families a place to come and remember them," he said.
"We would not have reached this point without the help and support of the victims' families and I want to thank them for engaging with this long collaborative process to bring about this fitting memorial."
The permanent memorial follows the unveiling in 2022 of a granite plaque enshrined on a pavement at Railway Road in the town - marking the location of the first bomb. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65879451 |
West Belfast: Proposal for 900 new houses at former Mackies site - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The plan would see the new homes built alongside a new community greenway in west Belfast. | Northern Ireland | Building work at the site of the proposed community greenway has already begun.
A fresh proposal that would aim to create up to 900 homes at the former Mackies site in west Belfast is to be put to Belfast City Council.
Campaigners have long argued the 25-acre plot on the Springfield Road should be used in part for much-needed housing.
It comes after a plan for a community greenway through the land was approved by the council.
Building work at the site of the new greenway has already begun.
But a new design would allow for both the greenway and new homes to co-exist.
Matthew Lloyd's design for the site includes a city farm, work spaces and some commercial spaces
London-based architect Matthew Lloyd came up with the design as part of an international competition.
His design, which includes a city farm, work spaces and some commercial spaces, was selected by campaign group Take Back the City from a shortlist of submissions from international architects.
"Our plans are to, in essence, put a whole lot of housing on this site," he told BBC News NI.
"It's a really, really big place and the greenway is actually in the distance, nestled in the trees behind.
"So actually the greenway is going to be beautifully done from the plans I've seen and it's going to be a wonderful public amenity.
"And then, either side, we can build homes."
Marissa McMahon said there are 2,000 children in west Belfast waiting for homes
Some 40,000 people across Northern Ireland are said to be on a waiting list for a home, with residents in west Belfast among those in most acute need.
Take Back the City campaigner Marissa McMahon said: "In west Belfast we have thousands, and I mean thousands of people, waiting on a home. Some that I've been working with for 15-and-a-half years with not one single offer.
"You've over 2,000 children in this area alone waiting to be housed in hostels in and around this site.
"And Matthew's here, ideally, to develop a masterplan and to put alongside the greenway that's already here, homes for people who need them."
Belfast City Council is currently developing the greenway, which would form part of a wider £5.1m project seeing the creation of a 12km (7.5 mile) route from Clarendon Playing Fields to the new Transport Hub in Belfast's city centre.
The project is to be paid through a European Union peace and reconciliation fund.
In a statement, a spokesperson said: "As the local planning authority, if council receives a formal planning application for the remainder of the site, our planning committee will consider this as it would any other planning application.
"As council will also be responsible for managing and maintaining Forth Meadow Community Greenway once it fully opens, we would also expect to be consulted on any future development proposals for land which neighbours the greenway."
They added that the council was in the process of completing work on the Forth Meadow Community Greenway, and that proposals for the remainder of this site would be "a matter for the landowners".
The site, which was once home to the old Mackies factory, is now owned by the Department for Communities.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the department told BBC News NI that it had an agreement in principle to transfer land at the Mackies site to Belfast City Council to assist with its Peace IV-funded Reconnecting Open Spaces project.
It said this had been "widely consulted on and has community support to build connections and cohesion across communities". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65883098 |
Trump defiant after pleading not guilty in classified documents case - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The former president denies 37 charges related to his alleged mishandling of US government secrets. | US & Canada | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: How Trump's indictment in Miami court unfolded - in 60 seconds
Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to historic charges of mishandling sensitive files at a federal court in Miami, Florida.
Mr Trump is the first US president - current or former - to be hit with a federal criminal indictment.
Arms crossed, in a dark suit and red tie, he sat in stone-faced silence for his second court appearance this year.
The Republican later travelled to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he addressed supporters.
Against a backdrop of American flags, Mr Trump, who is the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, struck a defiant tone and told the assembled crowd he had "every right" to hold the classified documents, but "hadn't had a chance to go through all the boxes".
He said he followed the law and went on to list series of unsubstantiated claims as well as grievances against President Joe Biden and his former rival Hillary Clinton.
Earlier in the day before leaving Miami, Mr Trump, on his social media platform Truth Social, thanked the city for "such a warm welcome on such a sad day for our country".
Just hours before, in a 13th-floor room of a federal courthouse in downtown Miami, a sombre, subdued Mr Trump looked on while his lawyer entered a plea of not guilty on 37 counts of illegally retaining classified documents and obstructing the government's efforts to get them back.
"We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty," the attorney, Todd Blanche, told the judge.
Mr Trump's co-defendant, Walt Nauta - a close aide charged with six criminal counts in the case - was sitting at the same table as the former president.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: The view from inside the Trump courtroom
On the opposite side of the room sat the entire prosecution team, including special counsel Jack Smith, who announced the indictment last week.
The former president, who turned 77 on Wednesday, was allowed to leave court without any restrictions to domestic or international travel. Prosecutors told Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman the defendant was not considered a flight risk.
But Mr Trump will not be allowed to discuss the case with Mr Nauta.
After the hearing, the Republican flashed supporters a thumbs-up as his motorcade left the courthouse. As they drove away, an anti-Trump protester dressed in a prison jumpsuit ran into the street in front of the motorcade before he was pushed away by security - perhaps the most unruly moment of a largely peaceful day.
Mr Trump and his security detail travelled directly to Versailles, a popular Cuban restaurant in Miami's Little Havana, where he was greeted by a throng of supporters who lined up for photos with the former president.
He appeared to take part in a prayer with some patrons, and was treated to a chorus of Happy Birthday to You.
Alina Habba, a lawyer attorney for the former president, repeated the former president's claims that the charges were politically motivated as she addressed media outside court.
"We are at a turning point in our nation's history, the targeting prosecution of a leading political opponent is the type of thing you see in dictatorships like Cuba and Venezuela," she told reporters.
"What is being done to the President Trump should terrify all citizens of this country," she added.
Before the hearing, court officials said Mr Trump would not have a mugshot taken but would be digitally fingerprinted and asked to submit a DNA sample by swab.
A trial date has not yet been set, though the case is still earmarked for Aileen Cannon, a federal district judge in South Florida who was appointed by Mr Trump.
The charges, which were made public on Friday, came after FBI agents found more than 100 documents with classified markings at Mr Trump's private Florida estate Mar-a-Lago in August.
They allegedly contained information about the defence and weapons capabilities of both the US and foreign countries, as well as plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack.
Prosecutors accuse him of hoarding the files, storing some in a ballroom and a bathroom, and of engaging in a conspiracy with an aide to obstruct the FBI's inquiry.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Trump supporters outside court: 'They're afraid of him'
Mr Trump's legal troubles appear not to have diminished his support among Republican voters.
A poll by the BBC's US partner CBS found 76% of likely Republican primary voters were more concerned about the indictment being politically motivated than about the documents posing a national security risk.
Protocol dictates that the Department of Justice, the federal agency that enforces US law, should operate independently from the White House. Mr Biden, who is subject to a separate probe into his own handling of classified files, said last week: "I have never once - not one single time - suggested to the justice department what they should do."
Legal experts say the criminal charges could lead to substantial prison time if Mr Trump is convicted. He has vowed, however, to continue his campaign for president whatever the verdict.
Mr Trump's court appearance is his second in less than three months. He was arraigned in April in New York on charges that he falsified business records for a hush-money payment to a porn star ahead of the 2016 election. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65877764 |
Thirsk man hit by falling tree branch says dog saved his life - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Malcolm Myers says rescue dog Buddy started digging to free him after he got trapped under a branch. | York & North Yorkshire | Malcolm Myers says 10-year-old rescue dog Buddy is his hero
A man who was trapped under a fallen tree branch has said his life was saved by his dog.
Malcolm Myers, from Thirsk, was walking his rescue dog Buddy on a footpath when he heard a loud crack.
A branch from a horse chestnut tree hit him on the back and head, burying him - but he said Buddy dug away the foliage to help free him.
North Yorkshire Council said it had contacted the landowner and had launched an investigation.
Mr Myers, 63, was walking on a path near Thirsk and Sowerby Institute on 7 June at around 13:45 BST when he said he heard a sound like a "clap of thunder".
"I was buried with a tree that had fallen on top of me, I was trapped, I couldn't move," he said.
"There was a branch around my leg. It was sheer darkness, I couldn't see anything. I was really fearful for my life at this point."
North Yorkshire Council has launched an investigation after the branch fell on to a footpath
He said he could hear people screaming, but his terrier-chihuahua cross Buddy "frantically started digging" at the foliage.
"I remember saying to him, 'keep digging Bud'. I put my hand out to his paw and then he gave me the strength to fight to get out."
Mr Myers said he suffered a trauma injury and concussion as a result of being hit by the fallen branch, leaving him "mentally and physically totally wrecked".
"All I can say is that he's my little hero, without Buddy by my side I would have died."
Buddy helped dig his owner out from underneath the fallen tree
He is now calling for the council to do more to inspect older trees that could be at risk of falling on passers-by.
The tree, which is on private property, has a tree protection order on it.
North Yorkshire Council's interim head of highway operations, Jayne Charlton, said the authority was investigating the situation."A member of the public alerted us to the incident, which we responded to immediately, closing the footpath while the debris was cleared," she said."We received a further report that a man walking his dog was hit on the back by a large branch, while a smaller one struck him on the head."We have made contact with the landowner to inform them of their responsibilities with regard to the tree, which is subject to a tree preservation order."
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-65892203 |
Amazon cracks down on fake reviews with AI - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The tech giant is developing new tools to help track down the brokers buying and selling reviews. | Technology | Amazon says it is using the latest in artificial intelligence (AI) to crack down on fake reviews and identify comments that aren't genuine.
The tech giant has been grappling with fake review "brokers", which are a huge problem for its shopping site.
Amazon has invested in machine learning models that analyse thousands of data points to help it detect the fraudulent behaviour.
But UK consumer group Which? says the action is still "nowhere near enough".
Fake review brokers use third-party platforms, including social media and encrypted messaging services, to buy, sell and host fake reviews.
Fake reviews can sway customers to make purchasing decisions, for example over which laptop or children's toy to buy, based on what they believe is genuine feedback from other shoppers, when in reality someone has been paid to write a glowing review to boost a seller's ratings, or to undermine a rival firm.
They aren't always easy to spot, although generic information, or a very high percentage of five star reviews can be a give-away.
In 2022, Amazon reported more than 23,000 social media groups, with over 46 million members and followers, that facilitated fake reviews.
Amazon has been using AI in the battle against fake reviews for several years, but the company says continued investment in more "sophisticated tools" should improve protection for customers and sellers on its platform.
The company said its fraud-detecting AI was able to look at a range of factors to calculate the likelihood that a review is fake. That can include the author's relationship with other online accounts, their sign-in activity, review history, and any unusual behaviour.
"We use machine learning to look for suspicious accounts, to track the relationships between a purchasing account that's leaving a review and someone selling that product," Dharmesh Mehta, the head of Amazon's customer trust team, told the BBC.
"Through a combination of both important vetting and really advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence - that's looking at different signals or behaviours - we can stop those fake reviews before a customer ever encounters it," he said.
Harry Kind from Which? said in the UK some estimates suggest around one in seven online consumer reviews are fake.
"Amazon has been trying all sorts of technology to crack down on fake reviews and by all accounts that's having some success.
"But as far as we're concerned, it's still nowhere near enough to solve this huge problem," he said.
Fake reviews made consumers more than twice as likely to choose poor-quality products, the consumer group said.
As a result of the new methods it had developed, Amazon said it had blocked over 200 million suspected fake reviews last year and would "continue to build sophisticated tools that protect customers".
But the retail platform is calling for more cooperation between the private sector, consumer groups and governments to make the strategy more effective.
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill that is currently going through the UK parliament is expected to strengthen the legal powers available to the regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in this area.
Which? welcomed Amazon's call for a more collaborative approach, but called for the UK legislation to go further than currently envisaged "by explicitly making the buying, selling and hosting of fake reviews subject to criminal enforcement."
It said fake review "factories" on Facebook that trade reviews for Amazon and other sites were still easy to find.
The CMA said it had already taken significant action against fake and misleading reviews and those who trade them.
A spokesperson for the CMA said: "Our investigations relating to fake reviews - including the case into Amazon - are ongoing and further updates will come later this year."
In the UK, Amazon recently took legal action against the operators of NiceRebate.com, a fake review broker aimed at British customers.
Other websites run by the same operators were also shut down, with simultaneous legal action taken against them in the US.
"We are aggressively fighting review brokers," said Mr Mehta.
Amazon had taken legal action against 94 such "bad actors" he said, including fraudsters in the US, China and Europe. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65881800 |
French HR murders: Man on trial for killing three female job managers - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The suspect is accused of targeting French HR managers he held responsible for wrecking his career. | Europe | The trial is held in Valence, where two of the murders took place
A man has gone on trial in France, accused of killing three women he is alleged to have held responsible for wrecking his career.
Gabriel Fortin, 48, was arrested in 2021 in the southern city of Valence.
Over the previous days, two human resources managers who helped sack him years earlier had been shot dead.
The third victim worked at a job centre. Mr Fortin, dubbed by media as the "HR killer", is also accused of trying to murder another manager.
An unemployed engineer at the time of his arrest, he has refused to speak to investigators since then.
The first killing happened on 26 January 2021 in the Alsace region of eastern France. Human Resources manager Estelle Luce was shot in the head in her company car park after work.
Later that evening, about 50km (30 miles) away, another HR manager was shot at his home by a man posing as a pizza deliverer. The victim, Bertrand Meichel, survived.
Two days afterwards, 500km to the south, a man wearing a facemask and carrying a white plastic bag entered the Valence local job centre, pulled a gun from a plastic bag and killed the benefits director, Patricia Pasquion.
Minutes later another HR manager, Géraldine Caclin, was shot dead at an environmental services company near Valence.
The number plate of the car used by the gunman as he left the job centre led police to Mr Fortin. He was immediately linked to the later murder.
In 2009 Ms Caclin had led dismissal proceedings after an unsuccessful trial period. Mr Fortin had then registered with the Valence job centre, and eventually his unemployment benefits ran out.
Ms Pasquion never dealt with him, but police believe he held a grudge against staff at the centre.
Investigators quickly connected him with the earlier shootings in eastern France.
Estelle Luce and Bertrand Meichel had been involved in his dismissal from another company in 2006, more than 14 years earlier.
Police spent more than two years combing through data on his computer. They say they have extensive evidence of his enduring bitterness, as well as efforts to track the movements of his eventual victims.
Gabriel Fortin appeared in court in Valence on Tuesday accused of three murders and a charge of attempted murder.
Ahead of the trial, Ms Pasquion's sister told France's Europe 1 radio: "He was armed and facing defenceless women... He never tried to speak or listen. He just killed. It's pure cowardice."
• None Man with hatred for HR suspected in French murders | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65890869 |
Marathon Eryri: Race to drop Snowdonia from official name - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Marathon Eryri says it is important to focus on "authenticity" as it drops Snowdonia from its title. | Wales | About 3,000 people take part every year in the 26.2-mile race
A marathon has announced it will be known solely by its Welsh name, dropping its English title.
Marathon Eryri was previously also known as Snowdonia Marathon, but organisers said it was a "no brainer" to remove the English name.
Last year, the national park authority voted to refer to the national park and Wales' tallest mountain by their Welsh names - Eryri and Yr Wyddfa.
These are also known as Snowdonia and Snowdon respectively in English.
The Bannau Brycheiniog national park made a similar move earlier this year, electing to use its Welsh name rather than the English name, the Brecon Beacons.
Marathon Eryri starts and finishes at the bottom of Yr Wyddfa and includes 2,750ft (838m) of climbs.
Announcing the move on Facebook, the race said: "Same awesome race, same fantastic views, same incredible participants, new authentic name."
Jayne Lloyd, the race coordinator, said: "It seemed a no brainer really to drop the Snowdonia. We always referred to ourselves as Marathon Eryri locally.
Jane Lloyd, the race co-ordinator, says that the Welsh language is a "centrepin" of the race's identity
"Snowdonia's name is Eryri. Snowdonia is an English word, an English imposition - the same as Yr Wyddfa.
"I think it's important to focus on the authenticity of the name."
Ms Lloyd described the Welsh language as the "centrepin" of the race's identity.
"It's a Welsh event and people coming here have a Welsh experience, it's something they can't get anywhere else in the UK," she said.
"People travelling here really appreciate the language and the culture of the area. It's really important that they know Welsh is a thriving language and culture."
Originally taking place in 1982, Marathon Eryri has been voted Best British Marathon twice. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65887990 |
Boris Johnson sends last-ditch letter to Partygate inquiry - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The inquiry says it is "dealing with" submissions from the former PM, as it prepares its findings. | UK Politics | Boris Johnson has submitted a last-ditch letter to the MPs investigating whether he misled Parliament over lockdown parties, as they prepare to publish their findings.
The privileges committee said it was "dealing with" submissions received from the former PM at 23:57 on Monday.
The committee is set to publish its conclusions this week, but is unlikely to do so on Wednesday, as expected.
Mr Johnson quit as an MP last week after seeing the committee's report.
In a statement, Mr Johnson said the committee should "publish their report and let the world judge their nonsense", adding "they have no excuse for delay".
"I have made my views clear to the committee in writing - and will do so more widely when they finally publish," he said.
Under the published process, Mr Johnson was entitled to respond to the committee up to 14 days after receiving its draft findings, which were sent last week.
The committee said it would deal with the new developments and "report promptly".
Last week, the former prime minister branded the committee a "kangaroo court" whose purpose "has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts".
Mr Johnson accused the committee of mounting a "witch hunt" against him, and its chairwoman, Labour's Harriet Harman, of showing "egregious bias".
The committee said it had "followed the procedures" at all times and accused Mr Johnson of impugning "the integrity of the House by his statement".
For almost a year, the seven-person committee - a majority of whom are Conservatives - have been considering whether Mr Johnson misled MPs about Covid-19 breaches in Downing Street and what he knew about them.
Giving evidence in March, Mr Johnson admitted misleading Parliament, 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.
The Partygate scandal dogged Mr Johnson's premiership, with police fining him for breaking Covid rules in 2020 - making him the UK's first serving prime minister to be sanctioned for breaking the law.
Mr Johnson's resignation as an MP, which has triggered a by-election in his marginal constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip, came last Friday.
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". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65897514 |
Cormac McCarthy: Tributes to 'unique' author of The Road and No Country for Old Men - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Pulitzer-Prize-winning author wrote novels including The Road and No Country for Old Men. | Entertainment & Arts | Despite global fame, Cormac McCarthy was said to be a very private man
Tributes have been paid to US Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy, who has died at the age of 89.
McCarthy's novels included The Road and No Country for Old Men, both of which were turned into successful films.
Fellow author Stephen King called him "maybe the greatest American novelist of my time".
Booker-Prize-winner John Banville, a friend of McCarthy's, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was a "great loss" and he was a "giant figure".
"He was unique," Banville said. "He stood out - he jutted out from the literary landscape like a monolith."
Blood Meridian, McCarthy's 1985 dark epic set in the American West in the mid-19th Century, was his "masterpiece", Banville said.
"Sometimes, reading Cormac's prose, especially in Blood Meridian, you say to yourself, 'This is just so far over the top that it's unreal'," he said. "And yet it was extraordinarily compelling. I mean, nobody wrote the way he did."
Samuel L Jackson (left) and Tommy Lee Jones (right) starred in 2011's The Sunset Limited, written by McCarthy
Many of his novels were violent tales describing the American frontier and post-apocalyptic worlds. In real life, he was said to be a very private man.
Banville noted his fellow writer did have "a very bleak view of life".
"You did not have many laughs with Cormac," he said. "He didn't see the world as a particularly comic place, which I do. But we got on well. I liked him enormously."
In his tribute, King added: "He was full of years and created a fine body of work - but I still mourn his passing."
McCarthy had died of natural causes, at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Tuesday, Penguin Random House said.
The publisher's chief executive, Nihar Malaviya, said McCarthy had "changed the course of literature".
"For 60 years he demonstrated an unwavering dedication to his craft and to exploring the infinite possibilities and power of the written word," Mr Malaviya said.
"Millions of readers around the world embraced his characters, his mythic themes and the intimate emotional truths he laid bare on every page in brilliant novels that will remain both timely and timeless for generations to come."
His UK publisher, Picador, described McCarthy as "one of the world's most influential and renowned writers".
The company's boss, Mary Mount, hailed his "extraordinary body of work", saying he was "a writer of great vision and great beauty".
His greatest books included The Road, McCarthy's 10th novel, which was published in 2006 and won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for fiction the following year. It describes a father and son's arduous journey as they struggle to survive in the US after the apocalypse.
His 2005 novel, No Country for Old Men, a grim story of a drug deal gone wrong in the Texas desert, was adapted for the screen by Joel and Ethan Coen.
Starring Javier Bardem and Tommy Lee Jones, the thriller went on to win four Oscars, including best picture.
There have been a string of attempts to adapt Blood Meridian for the cinema. In April, Deadline reported The Road director John Hillcoat would become the latest to tackle it.
McCarthy's "career spanned nearly six decades and several genres, including fiction and drama", publisher Pan Macmillan said in its tribute
Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1933, in an Irish Catholic family, McCarthy was one of six siblings.
He spent most of his childhood in Knoxville, Tennessee, where his father worked as a lawyer. His first novel, The Orchard Keeper, was published in 1965.
McCarthy's last two books - The Passenger and Stella Maris - were published at the end of last year. As well as his novels, he also wrote screenplays and short stories.
During his long career, his media interviews or appearances on the red carpet were a rarity.
In 2007, McCarthy told US talk-show host Oprah Winfrey: "I don't think [interviews] are good for your head.
"If you spend a lot of time thinking about how to write a book, you probably shouldn't be thinking about it, you probably should be doing it."
• None The chaos and carnage in Cormac McCarthy's novels | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65898867 |
Scouts: Millions paid out over UK abuse in last 10 years, say lawyers - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | More than £6m was paid out in compensation payments in the last 10 years, lawyers tell BBC News. | UK | Millions of pounds have been paid out in the last ten years to people who were abused in the Scouts, lawyers say.
BBC File on 4 contacted 13 law firms who specialise in child abuse claims, and data from the eight that responded revealed more than £6m had been paid out in compensation in the last decade.
Some 166 cases were settled over the same time, while more female survivors were now coming forward, lawyers said.
The Scout Association said it was "deeply sorry" anyone suffered abuse.
It comes as two women, who both say they were abused in the Scouts, have started a campaign asking the organisation to change its safeguarding policy.
File on 4 contacted 13 firms who specialise in abuse claims, all in the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers.
According to data from the lawyers who responded, at least 260 claims were taken on against the Scouts in the last ten years, and 166 cases were settled. Some 50 had been unsuccessful and others were still ongoing.
The BBC asked the Scouts how much money it had paid out in the last ten years.
The association said it had not been able to get to a definitive number because much of the information related to historical cases and was spread across numerous insurers - but the number of payouts broadly matched what they were aware of.
According to the association, 96% of claims related to offences that happened prior to 2013 - with many from the 1960s to 1990s. But some have happened more recently, including in the last few years.
Hundreds of thousands of children across the UK are signed up as members of the Scout Association, whose programmes include Squirrels, Beavers, Cub Scouts, as well as Scouts and Explorer Scouts for older children.
Abbie Hickson, from Bolt Burdon Kemp solicitors, says her firm has settled more than 100 abuse claims in the last ten years. She said a key problem was "safeguarding policy relies much on the integrity of the adult involved".
"Scout leaders who sexually abused children in their care are by their very nature highly manipulative, secretive, devious and opportunistic individuals. And their very aim is to separate a child from the group in order to facilitate that abuse."
Dino Nocivelli, from Leigh Day solicitors, has spent the last 20 years representing abuse survivors. He said the number of female complainants was rising.
Young women were able to join the Venture Scouts from 1976. Then, in 1991, girls were allowed to join across all age groups - but it wasn't until 2007 that it became compulsory for Scout groups to accept girls.
"In the last 12 months, a number of women and girls have contacted me about sexual abuse in the Scouts," Mr Nocivelli said. "This is not an issue from the 60s, 70s, 80s. This abuse is happening in the 2000 and the 2010s and sadly the 2020s."
Sheanna Patelmaster, 27, and Lucy Pincott, 29, both say they were abused when they joined the Scouts, in 2007.
Sheanna was 13, and her leader was 24. She says he noticed she was having an unhappy time at home and offered to let her stay at his house one night a week after Scouts. It was there, she says, he sexually assaulted her on numerous occasions.
Lucy was also 13 when she says she was groomed by a young leader. He bought her necklaces and he would often arrange to meet her before Scouts.
It was at one of these meetings that Lucy says she was forced to have sex with him. She says the sexual abuse continued for nine months in the grounds where the Scout meetings took place and on camps.
Lucy says other adult volunteers were aware of what was going on but failed to report the abuse. She subsequently sued the Scout Association for failing in their duty of care. It didn't accept liability but settled out of court, paying Lucy £160,000.
Sheanna and Lucy have now set up a petition asking the Scouts to change their safeguarding policies.
They want a paid safeguarding lead officer in every Scout county in the UK, who would be responsible for monitoring the conduct of volunteers and ensuring allegations of abuse are properly reported. They are calling for both the Scouts and Girlguiding to be subject to an inspection regime, similar to Ofsted.
The campaign, called Yours in Scouting, includes a call for personal testimonies from anyone who has suffered abuse in the Scouts.
In a statement, the Scout Association told the BBC: "Any form of abuse is abhorrent and we're sorry for Sheanna and Lucy's terrible experiences."
It added: "In the UK almost half a million young people enjoy Scouts every week and nothing is more important than their safety. We have robust safeguarding policies, training and procedures in place. These are now reviewed every other year by the NSPCC." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65881603 |
Colombia plane crash: New video shows lost children found in Amazon - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | null | Footage shows rescuers tending to the children after they survived 40 days in the Amazon. | null | Newly released video shows the first moments four missing children were found alive after surviving a plane crash. They had spent weeks fending for themselves in the Amazon jungle in Colombia.
Rescuers can be seen tending to the children in the footage, with one man cradling a child in his arms.
Two pilots and the children's mother and were killed when their light aircraft crashed on 1 May.
The siblings, aged 13, nine, five, and one, weren't found until 9 June - where they were rescued and airlifted out of the jungle. They were then moved to a military hospital in Colombia's capital, Bogota.
Read more about the story here. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-65889091 |
Troubles legacy bill: UK government publishes new amendments - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The bill would introduce an amnesty scheme, stop future inquests and prohibit new civil cases. | Northern Ireland | Victims of the Troubles have held several protests against the proposed law, including this one in January
The government has published a series of new amendments to its controversial legacy bill, ahead of its likely passage at Westminster.
It will introduce an amnesty scheme, stop future inquests into Troubles-era killings and prohibit new civil cases.
One of the amendments would delay changes for another year to "ensure a smooth transition" to new arrangements.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said the government was "absolutely committed" to the bill.
Reacting to the amendments, one victims' group, Relatives for Justice, said they "only make the situation worse".
The bill is opposed by all Northern Ireland political parties, as well as groups representing bereaved families and victims of the Troubles.
The legislation will establish a new body, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), which would take over legacy cases.
In return for co-operation, it can grant suspects immunity from prosecution.
In a statement, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said ongoing police investigations, inquests, the publication of reports and consideration of prosecution decisions will continue until May next year, to allow time for the ICRIR to become fully operational.
Any inquest which has not reached point of verdict or findings would be ended.
Sinn Féin assembly member Gerry Kelly said: "The proposed new timeframe for concluding inquests will make it more difficult for families to have this most basic investigation into the killings of their loved ones.
"The new amendment states that conflict-related inquests must conclude by 1 May next year.
"This effectively closes the door in the faces of families looking to make progress in a large number of inquests.
"This amendment is particularly cruel as expectations had been raised among families that once inquests had been opened that they would be concluded."
Chris Heaton-Harris said the changes address "a number of key concerns raised by interested parties"
Another amendment states any investigation run by the ICRIR must comply with obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998.
Also, the ICRIR would be "under a new duty to offer victims and their families the opportunity to submit personal impact statements".
Mr Heaton-Harris said: "The government has consistently stated that it would continue constructive dialogue in order to alleviate concerns and strengthen the bill.
"That is why we have published a number of significant amendments that directly address a number of key concerns raised by interested parties," he continued.
"This includes amendments on the conduct of reviews, compliance with Convention Rights, the independence of the commission, conditional immunity, and ongoing legal processes."
The bill is due to go through its final stages in the House of Lords later this month.
Prior to the NIO announcement, the Irish government repeated its concerns about the bill.
The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin said if it was enacted it "would undermine rather than assist reconciliation".
Victims' campaigner Raymond McCord said the amendments were disgraceful and disgusting.
He called for Stormont politicians "to speak with one voice" and accused the Conservatives of "whitewashing the murders of the Troubles" with the bill.
Grainne Teggart, of Amnesty International UK, said: "The government is treating troubles victims with contempt - these amendments do nothing to address the fundamental flaws with the bill.
"No-one is fooled by these changes and the government is still clearly intent on denying victims their basic rights and pressing ahead with a bill only it wants." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65849790 |
Australia bus crash: Driver going too fast in Hunter Valley, police say - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The tragedy has rocked a small rural town in the Hunter Valley where many victims lived. | Australia | The man driving a bus in Australia that crashed, killing 10 and injuring at least 20, was allegedly going too fast in foggy conditions, police say.
The bus was carrying passengers returning from a wedding on Sunday when it overturned at a roundabout near the town of Greta in New South Wales (NSW).
Many of the victims are connected to tight-knit rural sporting clubs, local media have reported.
The crash is one of Australia's deadliest road incidents.
Brett Andrew Button, 58, has been charged with multiple counts of dangerous driving and negligence, after being arrested on Monday.
He was allegedly driving "in a manner that was inconsistent with the conditions", the NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander told reporters on Tuesday.
"He lost control of that vehicle... obviously the speed was too quick for him to negotiate that roundabout," Acting Assistant Commissioner David Waddell added.
Fourteen people injured in the crash in the Hunter Valley wine region remain in hospital, with two in a critical condition, police say.
They have not formally identified any of the victims, but the mayor of Singleton said many lived in the small town.
"I know we'll never get over it," Sue Moore told the BBC.
Some local families have been at the side of injured people in hospital in Newcastle and Sydney, Ms Moore said, and others are planning funerals while reeling from "the worst possible thing that could ever happen in their lives".
"As far as I know, one lot of parents are leaving two kids orphaned," she said.
A junior doctor, Rebecca Mullen, was among those killed, said NSW Health Minister Ryan Park."This has made a very dark day even darker for NSW Health," he said.
The bus overturned while making a turn at a roundabout late on Sunday night
Tasmanian man Kane Symons also died in the crash, his former surf club confirmed on social media.
Posting on behalf of his family, the Carlton Park Surf Lifesaving Club described Mr Symons as "an amazing athlete... a great bloke and a mate to many".
"We adored him and he will be truly missed," they said.
Pop-up mental health clinics have been set up in Singleton and the nearby town of Cessnock to support the local community, and Ms Moore said discussions are under way to fundraise for the victims' families.
Mr Button is also a Hunter Valley local, and is clearly hurting along with the victims' relatives, a magistrate said when he faced court on Tuesday morning.
"I see before me a man suffering," Magistrate Robyn Richardson said, granting him bail.
The Cessnock Local Court heard Mr Button had committed seven driving offences over the past 30 years, but did not have a criminal record.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said the "horrific tragedy" had rocked the country, particularly because people "associate weddings with love and... celebrations".
"Of course, the scars will last for such a long, long period of time," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The crash site was "still an active crime scene", police said on Monday, with forensics officers working through the wreckage.
The Hunter Valley in NSW is known for its vineyards and native bushland, making it a popular spot for wine lovers and group outings or celebrations. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-65886519 |
Junior doctors in Scotland to strike after rejecting pay offer - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | BMA Scotland said its members would take three days of strike action between 12 and 15 July. | Scotland | Junior doctors in Scotland are set to strike after rejecting a pay offer made by the Scottish government.
BMA Scotland said three days of strike action would take place between 12 and 15 July unless an improved offer was made.
The Scottish government had proposed a 14.5% pay rise over a period of two years, which it described as the best offer in the UK.
But the union said that 71.1% of its members had voted to reject the offer.
If the action goes ahead it will be the first time junior doctors will have gone on strike in Scotland.
Dr Chris Smith, the chair of the BMA's Scottish junior doctor committee, said members had spoken "decisively and clearly" - but that strike action would be taken "reluctantly".
He said: "It is beyond doubt that they do not consider this offer sufficient to begin the process of addressing the pay erosion we have suffered since 2008 - when pay for a junior doctor was some 28.5% higher.
"That is why our message to the Scottish government today is stark. Come back with an improved offer and we can still avert the need for strikes and the disruption they will cause us all and patients in particular.
"The ball is now firmly back in the government's court, and I hope they respond urgently and positively."
Industrial actions have already been taken by Junior doctors, ambulance staff and nurses in England
The union, which has been calling for a 23.5% increase, says it is now seeking an urgent meeting with Health Secretary Michael Matheson.
He said he was disappointed in the decision, and that strike action was in "no-one's interest".
"This was the biggest investment in junior doctor pay for the last 20 years and a step forward to modernising pay bargaining, restoring confidence amongst junior doctors and ensuring that their contribution to our healthcare system is appropriately recognised," he said.
"My door remains open, and I will meet with BMA Scotland later this week to discuss how we move forward."
He previously told the BBC he would "do everything" to avoid industrial action.
Junior doctors - fully-qualified medics who are not specialty staff doctors, consultants or GPs - make up 44% of the doctors in the NHS in Scotland.
They had originally voted to take strike action in May, before a fresh pay offer was made by the government a few weeks later.
That would have involved a pay rise of 6.5% in 2023/24 and an additional 3% towards an already agreed 4.5% uplift in 2022/23, as well as talks on a change to the system of pay reviews in future.
Michael Matheson said he would meet BMA Scotland this week
BMA Scotland put the offer to its members with no recommendation.
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane urged the government to "get back round the table" and find a solution to the dispute.
"Patients who are already suffering will be deeply alarmed at the impact looming strike action will have on waiting times which are already too high on the SNP's watch," he said.
Scottish Labour's health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said the responsibility for the strikes "lies solely" with the health secretary.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said that talks with the BMA should be escalated to bring the dispute to "a swift conclusion".
First Minister Humza Yousaf said the government would continue to engage with junior doctors.
And he added: "In my time as health secretary we didn't lose a single day of winter to NHS strikes - which is very different to every other part of the UK."
In England, Junior doctors who are asking for a 35% pay rise, are set to head to the picket line again on Wednesday as part of a 72-hour walkout. The latest industrial action by members in England follows strikes in March and April, leading to the cancellation of more than 196,000 hospital appointments.
Ambulance staff in England and Wales have also taken action with members belonging to three unions - GMB, Unison and Unite - striking in January. Unite members in the south-east walked out in May. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65892937 |
Ukraine offensive: Inside one of the villages freed from Russian forces - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The BBC reaches Neskuchne in Donetsk region, which saw heavy fighting before it was liberated. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
The BBC was among the first media organisations to gain access to some of the first villages liberated in Ukraine's counteroffensive.
Out of this cluster of four settlements in the eastern Donetsk region, Neskuchne has seen the heaviest fighting according to the battalion which liberated it. Ukraine lost six soldiers in the process.
Its name means "not boring" in Ukrainian.
An obvious irony for a village that was occupied by Russia in spring last year - a few weeks after President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
It was at the most northern point of a protruding Russian front line.
As our army escort, Anatoliy, speeds along scarred roads in his camouflaged truck towards Neskuchne, it's clear this is a different kind of liberation to what we saw last year.
Firstly there are no civilians here. The only remnants of civilisation come in the form of a blown out pharmacy and food store.
There isn't a complex network of trenches either. A makeshift wooden bridge over a river is all it takes to take us into territory Russia has held for so long.
Buildings are also riddled with bullet holes from smaller calibre weapons. There's been a lot of close quarter fighting here.
Anatoliy doesn't like to hang around for long.
Mortars are periodically fired from Ukrainian troops hidden in thick tree lines or abandoned gardens. He explains the Russians are just on the brow of hill in three directions.
The sudden rising of three plumes of smoke is a cue to keep moving. The Russians are responding with Grad missiles.
The situation here is far more fluid than the triumphant claims of liberation which had come from from Kyiv this week.
Russian forces have been pushing back as recently as last night, which Ukrainian officials have now acknowledged.
Ukraine's counteroffensive is in its early stages with modest gains.
If Neskuchne is anything to go by, any liberation will be far from immediate, and won't necessarily bring freedom straight away.
Former residents of Neskuchne told the BBC that the village was also briefly occupied in 2014 - when Russia-backed fighters seized large swathes of land in the Donetsk and neighbouring Luhansk regions. This followed the illegal annexation by Russia of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula.
The small village then went back into Ukrainian hands only to be seized by Russian troops soon after last year's invasion.
Earlier this week, a video emerged purportedly showing two Ukrainian soldiers raising the country's blue-and-yellow national flag on destroyed buildings in Neskuchne.
The loud booming sound of nearby shelling can also be heard.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: A video on social media purports to show a Ukrainian flag being raised in Neskuchne, Donetsk Oblast | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65894743 |
Trump arrives in Florida ahead of court appearance - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The former president prepares to be formally charged with illegally retaining classified documents. | US & Canada | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Donald Trump is spending the night in Miami, Florida, before he appears in court there on Tuesday charged with mishandling national security files.
The former US president flew from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to his Trump Doral resort near Miami.
Mr Trump is facing dozens of charges of illegally retaining classified information, including some about nuclear secrets.
It is the second time this year he has been charged with a crime.
Mr Trump, campaigning to make a return to the White House in 2024, has denied wrongdoing as he faces the first ever federal criminal prosecution against a former US president.
He appeared muted but unflustered as he strolled into the steakhouse at his Miami golf resort on Monday evening.
Mr Trump greeted the smattering of guests at the BLT Prime restaurant with his signature thumbs-up, and even posed for a photo with a group of men enjoying their happy hour.
"With you all the way!" shouted one patron seated at the bar.
"Thank you very much," Mr Trump replied, before security escorted him to the dining area.
The guests had an inkling of Mr Trump's arrival when several security agents appeared and casually swept diners with metal detectors. A few had their phones ready to snap photos.
The staff, on the other hand, were nonchalant about their boss' presence, continuing to mix drinks and serve guests.
A handful of supporters were also at the bar. One woman sipped wine with a Trump flag draped over the back of her chair.
Mr Trump has continued to strike a defiant tone. In an interview on a Spanish-language talk radio programme in Miami, he aired grievances with the indictment, while accusing the Biden administration of weaponising law enforcement agencies against him.
Meanwhile, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez told reporters the city was preparing for Mr Trump's court appearance.
Police will be deployed in anticipation of crowds up to 50,000 people, he said, though other sources told US media the expected number was in the low thousands.
"We encourage people to be peaceful," Mr Suarez said.
The former president flew to Miami on his Trump Force One jet
He is holed up at his Trump Doral golf course complex near Miami
On Saturday, in his first public appearances since the charges were filed, Mr Trump said the case amounted to "election interference" by the "corrupt" FBI and justice department.
The former president will appear in court alongside a close aide, Walt Nauta, who was charged by the same grand jury in Florida.
Mr Nauta faces six criminal counts related to alleged handling of national security documents. Both men are scheduled to make their initial appearances at 15:00 local time (20:00 BST).
A federal judge denied a request by news organisations for photo and video access during Tuesday's hearing - though a court sketch artist will be present.
Afterwards, Mr Trump is expected to return to Bedminster to make remarks to the media.
Last week's 37-count indictment comes after more than 100 documents with classified markings were found at Mr Trump's private Florida resort Mar-a-Lago in August.
Federal prosecutors accuse the Republican of illegally retaining documents, storing some in a ballroom and a shower at Mar-a-Lago and engaging in a conspiracy with an aide to obstruct the government's attempts to retrieve them.
The documents allegedly contained information about the defence and weapons capabilities of both the US and foreign countries, and plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack.
Mr Trump, the indictment claims, tried to obstruct the FBI inquiry into the missing files by suggesting his lawyer "hide or destroy" them, or tell investigators he did not have them.
Legal experts say the criminal charges could lead to substantial prison time if he is convicted. Mr Trump has vowed to continue his campaign for president whatever the verdict.
Mr Trump has also pointed out that classified files were also found in Mr Biden's former office and Delaware home, including in his garage.
The White House has previously said it immediately co-operated with officials as soon as those files were discovered, a contrast with Mr Trump's alleged efforts to obstruct investigators.
A federal investigation into Mr Biden's handling of classified documents is being led by Special Counsel Robert Hur and is still under way.
What do you want to know about Donald Trump's court appearance? Our US experts will be answering your questions on Tuesday.
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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 send them via email to [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any question you send in. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65883615 |
Many more women now beating early breast cancer - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The risk of dying from the disease has fallen in past 20 years thanks to new treatments, a study says. | Health | Most women with early breast cancer now beat the disease thanks to huge improvements in treatments in recent years, a BMJ analysis has found.
Their risk of dying within five years of diagnosis is estimated to be around 5% - down from 14% in the 1990s.
Cancer Research UK says this offers "reassurance" to many women but warns more highly-trained staff are needed to meet rising demand.
A plan for NHS staffing in England has been repeatedly delayed.
Government ministers say this workforce strategy is due shortly.
Mairead MacKenzie, 69, from Surrey, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, after finding a swelling under one arm.
She remembers feeling "very scared" because she had no idea of her chances of surviving.
"But I knew it had to be bad," she says.
Mairead started chemotherapy treatment, which uses drugs to kill off cancer cells, within days of seeing her GP.
This was followed by a mastectomy (removal of one breast), breast reconstruction and radiotherapy treatment before seven years on the drug tamoxifen to reduce the chances of the cancer coming back.
"It felt like they were throwing the book at me," she says.
Mairead is now involved in a patient-advocate group that helps scientists understand patients' experiences.
She is grateful for the care she received - and the gardening, walking and travelling she has been able to do in the intervening years.
"Good, clear communication about prognosis can make a vast difference to a patient's quality of life, and how they can cope with things," Mairead says.
Breast screening looks for cancers that are too small to see or feel - it's offered only to age groups most at risk
The BMJ analysis tracked more than half a million women with early, invasive breast cancer - mostly stage one and two - diagnosed in the 1990s, 2000s and between 2010 and 2015.
It found the prognosis for nearly all women "has improved substantially since the 1990s", with most becoming long-term cancer survivors.
And based on those trends, the researchers behind the Oxford University-led study say women diagnosed today also have a much lower risk.
"That's good news - and reassuring for clinicians and patients," oncologist and lead researcher Prof Carolyn Taylor says.
For two-thirds of women diagnosed recently, their five-year risk of death from breast cancer was less than 3%, but for one in 20 women it was 20% or higher.
Prognosis depends on someone's age, type of breast cancer and underlying health, among other factors.
Surgery cures most breast cancers - but if some disease remains, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endocrine therapy can reduce the long-term risk of dying.
Prof Taylor says more women are being screened for the cancer than 20 years ago and there is greater awareness of the symptoms.
In time, research will look at the survival rates of patients diagnosed during the Covid pandemic - but there is no data on this yet.
Cancer Research UK evidence and implementation director Naser Turabi says Covid was "very disruptive" but accepts "we were already on a worsening trend before the pandemic".
The difference now is "we are seeing diagnostic and treatment delays" and "highly fragile services".
"We need more highly trained staff, such as radiologists and oncologists, to cope with increased demand and an ageing population," Mr Turabi adds.
It is a view recently echoed by radiologists who say the NHS is struggling to provide safe and effective care for all cancer patients.
In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, cancer treatment should start within 62 days of an urgent referral by a GP.
But only 61% of patients in England are currently starting treatment in that time - against a target of 85% - and in Northern Ireland, just 37%.
The charity Breast Cancer Now says significant progress has been made on breast cancer research over the decades but it is "not a done deal".
Chief executive Baroness Morgan says: "11,500 people a year in the UK die from the disease - and despite the tireless work of NHS staff, we know many women are waiting far too long for a diagnosis and are experiencing anxious delays to their treatment.
"Without urgent action from governments across the UK to get breast cancer services back on track, we risk seeing these decades of progress unravelling."
In rare cases, men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer but this study did not look at male trends.
• None Breast cancer- Woman who got diagnosis at 23 encourages checks - BBC News | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65882229 |
UK complacent over Covid pandemic planning - families' lawyer - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A lawyer for the families accuses the authorities of "complacent" pandemic planning that was geared towards a flu outbreak. | UK | Instead of reporting from the inquiry HQ in Paddington, west London, today as I planned, I’m stuck trying to work from home after testing positive for Covid again over the weekend.
Like many people, it’s the third time I’ve contracted the disease in a little over 18 months.
The first dose certainly felt the worst with a fever and a hacking cough. The second was more like a heavy cold, and I bounced back quickly.
I have to say though that this third infection is more like the first one with a complete loss of taste and smell and a couple of very uncomfortable sleepless nights.
Looking back at news reports, there was a debate at the start of the pandemic about whether it was even possible to catch Covid more than once.
It may have now become part of our everyday lives in the same way as other respiratory diseases.
Like flu though, it can still be a dangerous illness, especially for someone with a weakened immune system.
And we've still got more than 2,700 hospitals beds in England currently occupied by someone who's tested positive as of the end of last month. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-65876922 |
Sir Paul McCartney says artificial intelligence has enabled a 'final' Beatles song - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The star says machine learning helped lift John Lennon's voice from a demo and turn it into a song. | Entertainment & Arts | The Beatles previously cleaned up John Lennon demos to create the "new" songs Free As A Bird and Real Love
Sir Paul McCartney says he has employed artificial intelligence to help create what he calls "the final Beatles record".
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the technology had been used to "extricate" John Lennon's voice from an old demo so he could complete the song.
"We just finished it up and it'll be released this year," he explained.
Sir Paul did not name the song, but it is likely to be a 1978 Lennon composition called Now And Then.
It had already been considered as a possible "reunion song" for the Beatles in 1995, as they were compiling their career-spanning Anthology series.
Sir Paul had received the demo a year earlier from Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. It was one of several songs on a cassette labelled "For Paul" that Lennon had made shortly before his death in 1980.
Lo-fi and embryonic, the tracks were largely recorded onto a boombox as the musician sat at a piano in his New York apartment.
Lennon wrote Now And Then during his "retirement" era, when he had no record contract and was busy raising his son, Sean
Cleaned up by producer Jeff Lynne, two of those songs - Free As A Bird and Real Love - were completed and released in 1995 and 96, marking the Beatles' first "new" material in 25 years.
The band also attempted to record Now And Then, an apologetic love song that was fairly typical of Lennon's later career, but the session was quickly abandoned.
"It was one day - one afternoon, really - messing with it," Lynne recalled.
"The song had a chorus but is almost totally lacking in verses. We did the backing track, a rough go that we really didn't finish."
Sir Paul later claimed George Harrison refused to work on the song, saying the sound quality of Lennon's vocal was "rubbish".
"It didn't have a very good title, it needed a bit of reworking, but it had a beautiful verse and it had John singing it," he told Q Magazine.
"[But] George didn't like it. The Beatles being a democracy, we didn't do it."
The three remaining Beatles (L-R Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, pictured with producer George Martin) re-entered the recording studio in 1995
There were also said to have been technical issues with the original recording, which featured a persistent "buzz" from the electricity circuits in Lennon's apartment.
In 2009, a new version of the demo, without the background noise, was released on a bootleg CD. Fans have speculated that this recording may not have been available in 1995, suggesting it was stolen from his apartment, along with other personal effects, after his death.
In the intervening years, Sir Paul has repeatedly talked about his desire to finish the song.
"That one's still lingering around," he told a BBC Four documentary on Jeff Lynne in 2012. "So I'm going to nick in with Jeff and do it. Finish it, one of these days."
It would seem that technology has now afforded the musician a chance to achieve that goal.
The turning point came with Peter Jackson's Get Back documentary, where dialogue editor Emile de la Rey trained computers to recognise the Beatles' voices and separate them from background noises, and even their own instruments, to create "clean" audio.
The same process allowed Sir Paul to "duet" with Lennon on his recent tour, and for new surround sound mixes of the Beatles' Revolver album to be created last year.
"He [Jackson] was able to extricate John's voice from a ropey little bit of cassette," Sir Paul told Radio 4's Martha Kearney.
"We had John's voice and a piano and he could separate them with AI. They tell the machine, 'That's the voice. This is a guitar. Lose the guitar'.
"So when we came to to make what will be the last Beatles' record, it was a demo that John had [and] we were able to take John's voice and get it pure through this AI.
"Then we can mix the record, as you would normally do. So it gives you some sort of leeway."
However, the musician admitted that other applications of AI gave him cause for concern.
"I'm not on the internet that much [but] people will say to me, 'Oh, yeah, there's a track where John's singing one of my songs', and it's just AI, you know?
"It's kind of scary but exciting, because it's the future. We'll just have to see where that leads."
The star was talking to Radio 4 ahead of the launch of a new book and accompanying photography exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
Titled Eyes Of The Storm, the project features portraits taken by Sir Paul on his own camera, between December 1963 and February 1964, as the Beatles were catapulted to global fame. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65881813 |
Tenant urges others to follow after deposit win - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A tribunal rules Adéla Koubová should get her deposit back because her Edinburgh flat was not a holiday let. | Scotland | Scotland's Housing and Property Chamber has ruled that Adéla Koubová should be paid her deposit back
A tenant who took her landlord to a tribunal to win her deposit back has urged other renters to follow her lead.
Edinburgh Holiday and Party Lets (EHPL) was ordered to refund Adéla Koubová after a housing tribunal ruled her former flat was not a holiday let.
It means the legal relationship was that of landlord and tenant - giving Adéla greater protection.
The flat is owned by Mark Fortune, a businessman who has been refused entry to Scotland's landlord register.
Adéla, who is from the Czech Republic, said she had taken a stand "for the other people in this situation".
A series of housing tribunal rulings have now rejected EHPL's argument that it is operating holiday lets from Mr Fortune's properties and as such the people living there should get the same protections as ordinary letting agreements.
Housing campaigners are asking why no further action is being taken against the firm.
Adéla moved to Edinburgh from the Czech Republic in January 2020 as part of a University of Edinburgh exchange programme and found the flat in the city's Bruntsfield Place through a Gumtree advert.
But after just one day in the property, which she said was freezing because of a hole in her bedroom window, she gave four weeks' notice to EHPL's representative but then failed to get her deposit back.
"When I realised I lost my deposit I was sad, for me then it was a lot of money," she told BBC Scotland.
"But it has been three years now, a lot of effort and stress in this process, but I am doing it for the other people in this situation.
"There are people in these properties who are moving to Edinburgh for the first time and they maybe don't know the situation."
Adéla, who was supported in her case by Scotland's tenants' union Living Rent, said she was still waiting to be paid the £275 she is due more than two months after the ruling.
The flat that Adéla lived in is, according to the housing tribunal ruling, owned by controversial businessman Mark Fortune
She added: "I am not sure if we will see the money, the best prize was winning though and hopefully through my experience we can let other people know there is a way to not let this happen to them."
The Housing and Property Chamber ruling states that it has "no difficulty in concluding that both parties were aware that this agreement was not for a holiday let and did not intend it constitute one", meaning the legal relationship between the parties was that of landlord and tenant.
In 2013, Mr Fortune was refused entry to Scotland's landlord register after being convicted of offences directly relating to his letting business, including threatening tenants.
He has previously denied that he operates as a landlord and rents out flats.
The businessman said the properties were operated by limited companies, not him personally.
The latest tribunal ruling said Mr Fortune gave submissions on behalf of EHPL - of which he is a former director - and on a number of occasions "seemed to refer to himself as the landlord accidentally".
The property at the centre of the tribunal ruling is in Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh
It also added that his "position was often contradictory and therefore could not be treated as reliable".
In 2021, a BBC Scotland investigation found that rooms in flats owned by Mr Fortune were being let out under contracts which did not give tenants the same protection as residential agreements.
And last month, EHPL was ordered to make improvements to one of its flats which had been described as "not fit for human habitation".
A spokesman for Living Rent said most tenants did not have "the time or resources" to take landlords to housing tribunals like they did with Adéla.
He said: "Mark Fortune has been refused landlord registration and yet his properties have continued to be rented out across the city.
"Tenants face conditions unfit for human habitation and have their deposits improperly withheld while the authorities take no action."
The spokesman called on both City of Edinburgh Council and Police Scotland to "start enforcing their own rules" on the issue.
As a landlord or a tenant, have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? 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:
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65855913 |
Why making AI safe isn't as easy as you might think - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | AI could improve our lives hugely or destroy us all, the experts say - so how do we make it safe? | Technology | Artificial-intelligence experts generally follow one of two schools of thought - it will either improve our lives enormously or destroy us all. And that is why this week's European Parliament debate on how the technology is regulated is so important. But how could AI be made safe? Here are five of the challenges ahead.
The European Parliament has taken two years to come up with a definition of an AI system - software that can "for a given set of human-defined objectives, generate outputs such as content, predictions, recommendations or decisions influencing the environments they interact with".
This week, it is voting on its Artificial Intelligence Act - the first legal rules of their kind on AI, which go beyond voluntary codes and require companies to comply.
Former UK Office for Artificial Intelligence head Sana Kharaghani points out the technology has no respect for borders.
"We do need to have international collaboration on this - I know it will be hard," she tells BBC News. "This is not a domestic matter. These technologies don't sit within the boundaries of one country
But there remains no plan for a global, United-Nations-style AI regulator - although, some have suggested it - and different territories have different ideas:
"If people trust it, then they'll use it," International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation EU government and regulatory affairs head Jean-Marc Leclerc says.
There are enormous opportunities for AI to improve people's lives in incredible ways. It is already:
But what about screening job applicants or predicting how likely someone is to commit crime?
The European Parliament wants the public informed about the risks attached to each AI product.
Companies that break its rules could be fined the greater of €30m or 6% of global annual turnover.
But can developers predict or control how their product might be used?
So far, AI has been largely self-policed.
The big companies say they are on board with government regulation - "critical" to mitigate the potential risks, according to Sam Altman, boss of ChatGPT creator OpenAI.
But will they put profits before people if they become too involved in writing the rules?
You can bet they want to be as close as possible to the lawmakers tasked with setting out the regulations.
And Lastminute.com founder Baroness Lane-Fox says it is important to listen not just to corporations.
"We must involve civil society, academia, people who are affected by these different models and transformations," she says.
Microsoft, which has invested billions of dollars in ChatGPT, wants it to "take the drudgery out of work".
It can generate human-like prose and text responses but, Mr Altman points out, is "a tool, not a creature".
Chatbots are supposed to make workers more productive.
And in some industries, AI has the capacity to create jobs and be a formidable assistant.
But others have already lost them - last month, BT announced AI would replace 10,000 jobs.
ChatGPT came into public use just over six months ago.
Now, it can write essays, plan people's holidays and pass professional exams.
The capability of these large-scale language models is growing at a phenomenal rate.
And two of the three AI "godfathers" - Geoffrey Hinton and Prof Yoshua Bengio - have been among those to warn the technology has huge potential for harm.
The Artificial Intelligence Act will not come into force until at least 2025 - "way too late", EU technology chief Margrethe Vestager says.
She is drawing up an interim voluntary code for the sector, alongside the US, which could be ready within weeks. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65850668 |
Covid inquiry: The questions we really want answers to - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | As a massive public inquiry in the UK opens to the public, we asked key people what questions they have. | Health | A massive inquiry to understand the UK's response to, and the impact of, the Covid-19 pandemic, throws its doors open later. Following a statement from chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett, a film featuring bereaved families will be played. Not one of us was left untouched by the effects of the pandemic, and we all have questions. I asked a range of people who were in the eye of the Covid storm what one question each of them most wants answered.
Lobby Akinnola had been due to return to his family home in Royal Leamington Spa, Warkwickshire, to celebrate his 29th birthday when lockdown began in March 2020.
Instead, he stayed at home, in London, apart from his parents and four siblings. A month later, his father, Femi, was dead.
"It changed my life forever," Lobby says. "He was isolating in the living room of our home and that's where he died. He was 60 and fit and healthy. We never expected him to die."
Lobby Akinnola wants to ensure the death of his father, Femi, and others were not in vain
Femi is one of nearly 250,000 people killed by Covid in the UK - and Lobby, part of the Covid Bereaved Families for Justice campaign group, wants to ensure these deaths were "not in vain".
For him, the key question is: How can we better protect people when there is another pandemic?
A crucial part of that will be looking at why people belonging to ethnic minorities were at such greater risk. There is no "physiological reason" why they had worse outcomes, Lobby says. Instead, he believes it is linked to society - the jobs and housing conditions people belonging to ethnic minorities experience.
But the people who died from Covid - and those still struggling with complications known as long Covid - are not the only victims of the virus. As restrictions were imposed on the UK, at the start of the pandemic, the government's chief medical adviser, Prof Sir Chris Whitty, warned about the indirect costs. They have been huge.
Children were unable to attend school, businesses were closed, non-Covid treatment delayed and mixing banned, stopping everything from socialising to seeing dying loved ones in their final days.
The legacy of that remains, in terms of rising rates of mental-health problems, lost learning and the economic hit. It's also there in the continued high rates of non-Covid deaths and ill health as the impact of missed treatment for conditions such as cancer and heart disease materialises.
So a crucial element of the inquiry must be to look at why the government imposed restrictions - and whether they were always necessary.
One senior public health official, who played a key role in the pandemic and is due to give evidence, says it is hard to see how the first lockdown could have been avoided once the virus was here. Put simply: "We did not know what we were dealing with." But after the first wave was over and scientists understood more, the government should not have been so quick to reimpose restrictions.
In one 80-day period during autumn 2020, England went from few restrictions, to the "rule of six" limit to gatherings, tiered levels of restrictions by region, a national lockdown and back to tiers.
"We had so many rules and regulations people could not keep up," the official, who asked not to be named because of rules on what they can say in public ahead of the inquiry, says. "It was very top down and heavy handed. It goes against all the evidence of what works during disasters."
So they want to know: How did the UK get to have such complex and confusing rules?
"One of the things Sweden did was rely on the strong social consciousness of their population," the official says. "In the UK, we did not place enough trust in the public - it was damaging.
"We could have given them good information and guidance and let them act. The public showed throughout they were, on the whole, cautious and responsible." And closing schools to all but the most vulnerable children and those of key workers was the "biggest system failure" of the pandemic.
UK children spent six months remote learning, with hairdressers and pubs opening before schools in the first lockdown - a decision repeated for hairdressers in Scotland after the second UK-wide lockdown, in early 2021.
England's children's commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, is extremely worried about the impact this has had on children - even now, school attendance is below its pre-pandemic level.
So her big ask is: How are we going to support children to recover and avoid such harm in future pandemics?
"Where they need additional support, be that because they are worried about their mental health or because they have fallen behind at school, they want it quickly," Dame Rachel says.
Dame Rachel de Souza says children must be prioritised
"Children sacrificed so much to keep adults safe, we need to make sure we give something back - prioritising their wellbeing."
For Association of Directors of Public Health president Prof Jim McManus, it comes down one basic question: How do we avoid lockdowns in future pandemics?
"We will only do that if we are better prepared, act at the earliest stage and have good testing and contact tracing in place," he says.
"The UK and much of Europe and North America was largely underprepared for a pandemic of this magnitude - and that cost us."
The UK decided to stop community testing in late March. And in England, it took until May to launch a national large-scale contact-tracing system and September for the government to start giving sick pay to people being asked to isolate
The way care homes were supported is another topic that needs addressing.
About 40% of Covid deaths in the first few months were in care homes, as the lack of testing and personal protective equipment (PPE), heavy use of agency staff and decision to transfer, en masse, hospital patients to care homes let the virus rip through the sector.
And NHS workers want the role of austerity during the 2010s examined.
Adult nurse Stuart Tuckwood had never worked in intensive care but was deployed there to look after the sickest Covid patients during the first and second waves, working through breaks to start with because he was worried about using up the limited PPE.
"The fact I had to work in intensive care because we didn't have enough trained nurses says it all really," he says. "But it wasn't a surprise - staffing shortages were terrible in the lead up to the pandemic."
And the NHS - and other public services - cannot wait until the end of the inquiry to rectify the problems.
The first time nurse Stuart Tuckwood worked in intensive care was during the pandemic
"We need action now," Stuart says, "staff are having to strike to get the pay they need."
So his key question is: What should be done to tackle staffing shortages, so we don't face the situation again?
The wait for the inquiry is something others are worried about.
One epidemiologist who advised government during the pandemic and will also be giving evidence to the public inquiry so does not want to be named fears another pandemic could hit before the necessary changes have been made.
Some say the inquiry could well last five years.
The inquiry team says recommendations will begin next year, as it is being broken down into six different modules.
However, the epidemiologist says: "The modular approach makes sense - but some elements are going to get dragged out too long. We can't wait - pandemics happen every 10 years."
They are particularly concerned with how decision-making became skewed.
"There was no cost-benefit done on the use of restrictions which we would with other policy decisions," the epidemiologist says.
So they want to know: How should the system be changed "so we can work out the trade-offs" of the decisions we make?
"The phrase 'follow the science' became really unhelpful," the epidemiologist says. "There was no acknowledgement of the uncertainty.
"Instead, we got trapped into looking at it through a narrow lens of Covid. Even now, I am worried the inquiry has not quite got the focus right.
"If it just looks at Covid deaths in 2020 and 2021 and not what has been happening with other deaths since, the inquiry will come to the wrong conclusions. This is about more than just the virus." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65843811 |
Josh Homme: Queens of the Stone Age frontman reveals he had cancer surgery - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Queens of the Stone Age frontman says he is "extremely thankful that I'll get through this". | Entertainment & Arts | Homme said he was "extremely thankful that I'll get through this"
Singer and guitarist Josh Homme, founder of rock band Queens of the Stone Age, has revealed he was diagnosed with cancer last year.
He had a successful operation to remove it and is "still healing", according to Revolver magazine.
Homme told Revolver: "Cancer is just the cherry on top of an interesting time period, you know? I'm extremely thankful that I'll get through this."
The 50-year-old has not disclosed what sort of cancer it was.
"I never say it can't get any worse," he told the magazine. "I never say that, and I wouldn't advise it. But I do say it can get better."
He added: "There's a lot of stuff I want to do. And there's a lot of people I want to do that with."
Queens of Stone Age are known for songs like 2002's No One Knows, which featured the Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl on drums. They have had three Grammy nominations and won an NME award for best live band.
Homme spoke following a tumultuous several years, which has also seen the deaths of several close friends and a bitter divorce and custody battle with Distillers singer Brody Dalle, with the pair accusing each other of physical abuse.
Asked about Dalle by Revolver, he said: "I would never talk bad about the mother of my children. And I will not talk about my children."
Homme now has custody of the three children, who will accompany him on the Euoropean dates of the Queens of the Stone Age's tour this summer.
He told Revolver he was determined to get back on the road. "When I'm on tour, I'm back on the streets where I belong," he said. "I'm not such a caged animal out there."
Queens of the Stone Age are about to release their eighth studio album, titled In Times New Roman..., and will play a string of UK dates including the Glastonbury Festival later this month.
However, the band will spend less time on the road than in previous album cycles so he can spend more time at home with his family. "Things have changed a little bit for me. However long I go away, I must come back for at least that length of time," he said.
Homme also co-founded Eagles of Death Metal, with whom he plays the drums. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65889069 |
The businesses desperate for foreign workers to survive - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | One has access to migrant workers, the other does not, but both are struggling to fill essential jobs. | Scotland business | Two Scottish business owners will be looking at Tuesday's jobs figures with interest.
Fruit farmer Iain Brown is days away from his strawberry harvest when he needs about 100 fruit pickets at his farm in Pittenweem, Fife.
Hotelier and hospitality businessman Stephen Leckie is about to enter the busy summer tourist season with hundreds of unfilled vacancies.
For these two people-based industries, low unemployment rates are bad news.
Both have significant staffing issues, but are not on an equal playing field.
One of them has access to migrant workers, the other does not.
Stephen Leckie owns Crieff Hydro and several other hospitality businesses.
At that one venue, he currently has 60 vacancies with a lack of housekeeping and cleaning staff causing the biggest problems.
His Glencoe hotel has 70 vacancies and finding chefs has become nearly impossible.
Across the business he has 1,800 posts to fill.
This means bars and restaurants are limited in opening times and sales of food and drink are down.
Chefs are very difficult to find in the current jobs climate
He said: "We still face significant staff shortages in this business and every other business that I speak to.
"Here we should have 900 staff, but we have 840 staff. We need food and beverage staff, chefs, frontline staff, reception, housekeeping staff and self-catering staff.
"I've heard of four businesses in Perth closing down in the last two weeks alone just because of the shortage of staff. They can't open the doors.
"Then if you have enough to keep open then we need a restriction on menus or opening times which means you can then do some kind of business but you can't perform in the way you would like to"
He said this puts a stop to reinvesting profits back into the business.
"What we need from the government is to release the working visas, help the European staff who left in the early part of the lockdown return to Scotland and work for us where they want to work hard for us."
"It's as simple as that and it is the same request we've been asking for for more than a year now but it is throttling our businesses and restricting our ability to grow.
He added: "Tourism is looking good for Scotland but some businesses can't open more than four days a week."
Iain Brown has access to foreign workers but visas are adding a significant cost
At Easter Grangemuir Farm in Pittenweem, Iain Brown has an advantage. His industry has access to eastern European workers through the UK government's seasonal worker visa scheme.
But, costing £300 per worker and only guaranteed until 2024, it is still causing issues.
Mr Brown said: "Labour is very important for harvesting fruit and vegetables in Scotland and up until Brexit we had free movement of labour and it was quite easy for farms to access and recruit from Bulgaria and Romania to work on our farms.
"Now we have to use the seasonal worker scheme which does work but it needs the government to commit to it longer term."
He said local staff were hard to recruit because unemployment is at a 40-year low and people do not want a seasonal job.
Easter Grangemuir Farm needs about 100 temporary workers to harvest its fruit
"The UK government have committed to the 2024 visa scheme but we don't know any further than that," he added.
"Plant commitments have been made, investments into infrastructure have been made and we need to know longer term where these workers are going to come from.
"One thing we do know is our traditional labour force from eastern Europe is becoming less. Each year we get fewer and fewer returnees coming back."
Mr Brown said people were questioning their commitment to the industry, believing the risk was becoming "too high for the reward".
"Prices have gone up on the retail shelf, but those prices are not coming back to farm gate level," he said.
"We need the governments to speak to retailers because the policy they have in place isn't supporting our domestic producers. Retailers are bringing in more imported material from Europe and that could result in a food security problem."
A UK government spokesperson said: "Leaving the EU enabled us to introduce a points-based immigration system and we want to see employers make long-term investments in the UK's domestic workforce instead of relying on cheap labour from abroad.
"We work closely with the Migration Advisory Committee to ensure our system delivers for the UK and works in the best interests of the economy."
The spokesperson added that many roles within the tourism, travel and hospitality sectors - including chefs and hotel, catering and bar managers - were eligible under the points-based system and that firms could hire workers through the immigration system if they met the required English language and salary thresholds and were sponsored by a registered Home Office sponsor. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-65873952 |
Manchester City fans and players celebrate historic Treble in the rain - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Manchester turns blue as Pep Guardiola and his players stage an open-top bus parade. | Manchester | The parade was delayed by heavy rain and lightning but tens of thousands of fans turned out
Thousands of Manchester City fans gathered to celebrate their team's historic Treble as they staged an open-top bus parade through the city.
Blue flares were set off and fans threw inflatable bananas in the air as several of the players went shirtless in the heavy rain.
Manager Pep Guardiola was seen puffing on a cigar as fans climbed lamp-posts.
The parade was delayed by lightning storms. City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final.
It comes after the club clinched the Premier League and FA Cup this season.
Guardiola said his side's Champions League success following Rodri's 68-minute goal was "written in the stars".
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A drenched Guardiola was later seen pumping his fists to the crowd as the players showed off all three trophies.
Defender Ruben Dias and striker Erling Haaland were among several players who went shirtless after they were drenched in the rain.
Haaland, 22, led the dancing players onto a stage just after 20:00 BST as midfielder Kalvin Phillips serenaded England defender John Stones.
Guardiola hailed the fans for coming out in the storms.
He said: "We had to be the best parade with this rain, otherwise it is not Manchester.
"We don't want sunshine, we want rain, so it was perfect. The fans are used to the rain."
Topless defender Ruben Dias held up the FA Cup in the rain
Captain Ilkay Gundogan said it was "incredible" that they had "three trophies".
England midfielder Jack Grealish said: "For the past 24 hours, I have had the best day and night.
"To be fair, I don't think I have slept."
The team had departed from Tonman Street, Deansgate, at the slightly delayed time of 19:00 BST due to stormy weather and travelled to St Mary's Gate.
The parade was delayed due to forecast lightning storms
One fan climbed up a set of traffic lights to get a good view of the parade
The delays did not dampen the spirits of the fans.
Zoro and his family said they were looking forward to seeing Guardiola, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden.
City players show off the three trophies
He said: "This goes down in history for us. Pep has just redesigned the football world. It's a big statement but it's true."
The parade travelled through Cross Street and King Street, before finishing on the corner of Princess Street and Portland Street.
Zack, Nic and Noah have travelled from Blackpool to be at the parade
Zoro said Guardiola has "just redesigned the football world"
City became just the second English men's team to win the Treble, following in the footsteps of rivals Manchester United, who achieved the feat in 1999 under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The team were welcomed back by fans at Manchester Airport on Sunday after travelling from Istanbul, where the European final was played.
Manchester City clinched the Champions League after a 1-0 final win over Inter Milan
A mural has been created on New Cathedral Street celebrating the team's success
A street vendor sold trophy balloons as fans waited for the parade
Former City boss Joe Royle said Guardiola's current side was one of the best teams English football had ever seen.
Royle, 74, who led the club from the third tier to the Premier League after back-to-back promotions in 1999 and 2000, said: "There's no doubt about it. They're one of, if not the best English club side there has been."
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Channel migrants: More than 600 people cross in one day - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Home Office says 616 people crossed the Channel on Sunday - the highest daily number this year. | Kent | Twelve boats were detected crossing the Channel on Sunday
More than 600 migrants crossed the English Channel on Sunday, the highest number on a single day so far this year, the Home Office said.
Some 616 people were detected making the journey from France in 12 small boats.
The previous daily high for this year was 497 people on 22 April.
The total number of migrants making the journey this year is more than 8,000, which is about 2,000 less than at the same point last year.
Speaking in Dover last week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said his plan to cut the number of migrants crossing the Channel in boats was working and numbers were down for the first time.
Mr Sunak told BBC political editor Chris Mason that crossings were down by a fifth, and figures for Albanians heading to Britain were down by 90%.
At this point last year, the cumulative figure had just passed 10,000. The total number of crossings last year was 45,755.
Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing & Shoreham, and a member of the Home Affairs Committee, said "we shouldn't read anything" into this latest figure "except we still have a problem".
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he suggested the wind in the Channel had not "worked" for crossings in the last few weeks, so "we may now see a surge".
But he said Mr Sunak's claim numbers were coming down was "premature".
He said the French needed to arrest people on the beaches, not just confiscate their boats, while the Home Office "has got to do far better" at turning around those people who do not have legitimate asylum claims.
He added: "We need to have properly-assigned safe and legal routes, so that legitimate asylum seekers can apply from overseas."
Mr Sunak has made reducing the number of Channel crossings a key part of his premiership, including via the Illegal Migration Bill.
The plans would mean anyone reaching the UK without permission would be detained and promptly deported, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda.
The bill would create broad new detention and search powers, and migrants would be barred from claiming asylum. It would apply even if a person claims to be a victim of trafficking or modern slavery.
It has been heavily criticised by some campaigners, and the Joint Committee on Human Rights - which is made up of MPs and peers - said earlier this week it would breach a "number of the UK's human rights obligations".
While the bill has already passed in the Commons, it was strongly criticised on Monday in the House of Lords during a debate which ran into the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Liberal Democrat Baroness Ludford said peers had been "abused, bullied and intimidated" by the government over the plans.
But Mr Sunak and government ministers say the tough measures are necessary to prevent people smuggling networks from profiteering from the dangerous Channel route.
Responding to Monday's crossings, a No 10 spokesperson said: "There is a great deal of work going on which is stopping these criminal gangs in their tracks.
"But, clearly, crossings are continuing and that is because we have not been able to put in place our full plans; and obviously there is a great deal of work across government to that end."
Labour's shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said the PM "needs to roll up his sleeves and start doing the hard graft, rather than ploughing on with the headline-chasing, government-by-gimmick approach".
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-65878554 |
Women to get gay-conviction pardons for first time - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Previous schemes in England and Wales only applied to some offences linked to gay men. | UK | Women convicted of offences related to being gay can apply to have their convictions removed, under an expansion of the government's pardon scheme.
The Disregards and Pardons Scheme, launched in England an Wales in 2012, initially applied to only men - and specified offences.
Now, anyone convicted or cautioned under former laws related to same-sex activity can apply.
One charity welcomed the move but said pardons should be automatic.
Homosexuality was partially decriminalised in 1967. While lesbians were not explicitly outlawed in the same way as gay men, they were sometimes punished for same-sex activity under indecency laws.
This means the government is unable to estimate the number of women likely to be eligible and applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Offences sometimes used to criminalise behaviour between gay men will also be included in the scheme - "solicitation by men", for example, which essentially criminalised one man "chatting up" another, the Home Office says.
But pardons will be granted only if certain conditions are met, such as the sexual activity is not an offence today.
Only 208 people have successfully applied for a pardon since 2012, Home Office data shows. More than 400 people's applications have been rejected because their convictions were not covered by the scheme.
World War Two code breaker Alan Turing was given a posthumous pardon, in 2013
Jo Easton, chief executive of Unlock, a charity for people with criminal records, said the expansion was "an important step".
"We firmly believe people should not have to apply to have their record wiped of things that are quite rightly no longer offences," she said.
Those who successfully apply will have their convictions deleted from official records and no longer be required to disclose them during court proceedings or when applying for jobs.
Safeguarding Minister Sarah Dines hopes it will help "right the wrongs of the past".
Those who may be eligible can apply online.
Have you been affected by this story? 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-65878427 |
Brittany: France shooting suspect under investigation for murder - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Eleven-year-old Solaine Thornton was shot dead while playing on a swing in her garden on Saturday. | UK | The suspect held over the fatal shooting of an 11-year-old British girl in France is under investigation for murder, prosecutors say.
Solaine Thornton was shot dead while playing on a swing in her garden on Saturday evening.
Prosecutors said Dirk Raats, a 71-year-old neighbour, got to within 10m of the girl's father before opening fire through a hedge.
He had been in conflict with the family over building work on their property.
Mr Raats then shut himself in his house in the village of Saint-Herbot, north of Quimper in Brittany, following the incident but gave himself up to police an hour later.
His wife, who was also arrested, surrendered half an hour after he did, but she has since been released.
Prosecutor Camille Miansoni said the couple had been in conflict for years with their British neighbours over works taking place on their property.
The suspect was "profoundly exasperated" over the works, which he said affected his privacy and caused disturbance to him and his wife.
Mr Miansoni said the suspect had gone into his home to fetch one of the guns and returned to the garden before opening fire and shooting three or four times through a hedge. This suggested a level of premeditation, he said.
"It appears that he clearly aimed at the father, that he aimed at his wife, but however he seems less clear as to a possible admission that he aimed at the girl," Mr Miansoni said.
Solaine Thornton and her eight-year-old sister Celeste had been playing on a swing as their parents tended the barbecue when the neighbour began firing.
The younger girl ran to another neighbour's house to raise the alarm and is now said to be in shock.
A local resident told French media that the younger child ran to neighbours shouting: "My sister is dead, my sister is dead".
The victim's parents Adrian and Rachel Thornton were also hurt and are in hospital.
A search of Mr Raats' home uncovered two rifles, one of which had not been previously declared. The couple, both Dutch nationals, tested positive for alcohol and cannabis. They had no previous convictions, prosecutors said.
Mr Miansoni said the suspect had expressed regret, and that a mental health assessment had found nothing notable.
Flowers and teddies have been left on the family's front door step
Adrian and Rachel Thornton, both from Oldham, came with their two daughters to live in the hamlet of Saint Herbot in 2019. Theirs is the only English family in the area.
Previously, the Thorntons had lived in other parts of France. Solaine was born in Brittany and Celeste in the Massif Central in central France.
The family home in Saint Herbot is a square, whitewashed, relatively modern house with a large plot of land behind and a workhouse which was once a sawmill.
While his wife worked in social services and his two children attended local schools, Adrian, a mechanic, spent a lot of time working on his plot of land.
According to Marguerite Bleuzen, mayor of the town of Plonevez-du-Faou, the land had been abandoned and was returning to the wild. Adrian set about the task of clearing the land, cutting down undergrowth and some trees.
This appears to have caused the friction with his neighbours, whose large green-shuttered house looks down onto the Thorntons' plot.
"I was called out there three years ago, when there were the first tensions," said Mr Bleuzen. "We managed to settle things down, but since then I had never had to intervene."
But after Saturday's shooting, the mayor later heard from neighbours that there had been regular flare-ups.
"On one occasion, I was told that the Dutch man brought out a weapon. I wish I or the police had been told, and this might have been avoided," he said.
Locals say that the English family were well-liked. They lent their plot of land for parking at the hamlet's annual September festival which honours the saint after which it is named. The 14th Century church lies 100m from the Thorntons' house.
By contrast, no-one seems to have had any contact with Mr Raats or his wife.
At around 22:00 local time on Saturday night, he fired through his hedge into the plot of land where the Thorntons were having a barbecue.
The rough-and-ready children's play area, with a swing and a small trampoline, is right next to the hedge which separates the two properties. When the man fired, the girls were at practically point-blank range.
According to Mayor Bleuzen, when police arrived, Rachel Thornton was holding her dead child in her arms.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was providing assistance to a British family. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65884594 |
Ukraine war: Eleven dead after Russia strikes Zelensky's home city - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Ukrainian officials have reported a "massive missile attack" on Kryvyi Rih. | Europe | The BBC is among the first media organisations to be given access to some of the first villages liberated in Ukraine’s counter-offensive.
Out of this cluster of four settlements in the Donetsk region, Neskuchne has seen the heaviest fighting - according to the battalion which liberated it.
Its name means “not boring” in Russian. An obvious irony for a village which has been occupied since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion last year. Neskuchne was at the most northern point of a protruding Russian front line.
As our army escort, Anatoliy, speeds along scarred roads in his camouflaged truck towards Neskuchne, it’s clear this is a different kind of liberation to what we saw last year.
Firstly, there are no civilians here. The only remnants of civilisation come in the form of a blown-out pharmacy and food store. There isn’t a complex network of trenches either. A makeshift wooden bridge over a river is all it takes to take us into territory Russia has held for so long.
Buildings are also riddled with bullet holes from smaller calibre weapons. There’s been a lot of close-quarter fighting here.
Anatoliy doesn’t like to hang around for long. Mortars are periodically fired from Ukrainian troops hidden in thick tree lines or abandoned gardens. He explains the Russians are just on the brow of hill in three directions.
The sudden rising of three plumes of smoke is a cue to keep moving. The Russians are responding with Grad missiles.
The situation here is far more fluid than the triumphant claims of liberation which had come from from Kyiv this week. Russian forces have been pushing back as recently as last night, which Ukrainian officials have now acknowledged.
Ukraine’s counter-offensive is in its early stages with modest gains. If Neskuchne is anything to go by, any liberation will be far from immediate, and won’t necessarily bring freedom straight away. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-65885857 |
Porthcawl: Aircraft crashes into sea off south Wales coast - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Coastguard says the pilot made his way to dry land after the aircraft came down into the sea. | Wales | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Footage shows the moment the aircraft crashed into the sea
An aircraft has crashed into the sea off the south Wales coast.
HM Coastguard was called out on Tuesday morning after reports of a light aircraft going into the sea at Porthcawl, in Bridgend county.
It said the alarm was raised at about 09:20 BST as the pilot was making his way on to dry land.
One person has been taken to hospital for further treatment, the Welsh Ambulance Service said.
The Renegade Spirit biplane was later hauled onto the shore as part of the recovery effort, the coastguard added.
Resident Margaret Kendrick said she looked out of her window to see the upside-down aircraft.
The aircraft crashed into the sea off Porthcawl
"He was very lucky where it landed, I walked out of my house and saw a red shape," she said.
"Somebody not far away saw it coming down, all of a sudden the plane was quiet and the engine went off."
The coastguard said the pilot made his way to dry land after the crash
"There's RNLI boats, the police and a helicopter there - the tide is coming in now," said Ms Kendrick.
"The pilot walked away apparently, he was so close to the rocks - I thought I was seeing things."
James Brown, 75, saw the plane crash while walking on nearby Lock's Common.
The retired church minister said he heard the aircraft's engine "stutter" before the plane "swooped" into the water.
Onlookers said the crash was a "near miss" from the nearby rocks
He told the PA news agency: "As I was observing the bay I could hear a fairly low noise of a plane and as I looked to the Swansea direction I saw a light aircraft.
"It was a bright red colour, very visual, and it passed me right by on the edge of the rocks.
"Then three or four seconds later I heard the engine begin to splutter and stutter. As I watched it, the engine died completely and then very rapidly it just swooped right down into the water.
"I couldn't see the exact moment of the crash, but I walked over and could see it had upended, with the nose in the water and the tail sticking up in the air."
Mr Brown described the incident as "a very near miss" and said if the pilot had landed on nearby rocks, it "would have been a very different outcome".
Emergency services attended the scene after being called shortly before 09:30
Chris Page, from the RNLI, said the team were "incredibly relieved" to arrive on scene to find the pilot was able to be safely recovered.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said it was aware of the incident and was investigating. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65887992 |
Donald Trump indictment live updates: Defiant ex-president flies home after not guilty plea - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The ex-president did not speak and let his lawyer enter a plea on his behalf, says a BBC reporter in the courtroom. | US & Canada | Donald Trump’s indictment played out in two courts on Tuesday afternoon - a federal courtroom in Miami and the court of public opinion.
Inside the Miami courthouse, Trump and his legal team were demure. One of Trump’s lawyers told the presiding judge that the former president was pleading not guilty to all charges.
There was some back-and-forth over what kind of contact Trump could have with his co-defendant, Walt Nauta, and with potential witnesses in his case. The former president was released without any restrictions on his travel.
Outside the courthouse, and on social media, it was a very different scene.
Throughout the day, the former president posted to his Truth Social website, insulting Special Counsel Jack Smith and questioning why he wasn’t investigating alleged crimes by Democrats.
“One of the saddest days in the history of our country,” he wrote. “We are a nation in decline!!!”
That’s standard rhetorical fair for Trump, who tends to launch his fiercest attacks when he feels the most threatened.
The other message Trump sent following his arraignment was a more subtle political one. His motorcade stopped at Versailles, a Cuban restaurant and bakery popular with residents of the Little Havana neighbourhood and tourists alike.
While there, he shook hands, took pictures and made brief remarks, as patrons serenaded the soon-to-be 77-year-old former president with a rendition of Happy Birthday.
It looked and felt like a typical meet-and-greet for a campaigning politician in a key battleground state. It was a visible sign that, for Trump, his bid for the White House is moving forward, indictments be damned. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-us-canada-65883731 |
Chloe Mitchell: Brandon John Rainey, 26, on murder charge - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A man appears in court in Ballymena after suspected human remains were found on Sunday. | Northern Ireland | Chloe Mitchell was last seen between ten and eleven days ago
A 26-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 21-year-old Chloe Mitchell in County Antrim.
Brandon John Rainey of James Street, Ballymena, was charged with murdering Ms Mitchell between 2 and 5 June.
Ms Mitchell was last seen in the County Antrim town on the night of 2 June and into the early hours of 3 June.
A huge search operation got under way and, on Sunday, suspected human remains were found. These have not been formally identified.
Mr Rainey appeared at court via video link along with fellow accused Ryan Johnson Gordon, 34, of Nursery Close, Ballymena who is charged with attempting to impede justice by concealing evidence around the alleged murder of Ms Mitchell.
Ballymena Magistrates' Court heard that Mr Rainey has serious mental health problems and is a paranoid schizophrenic.
In court, when asked if he understood the charge against him, Mr Rainey replied: "Yeah."
Brandon John Rainey, who appeared in court via video link, denied murdering Ms Mitchell
His defence lawyer said he had "acute mental health difficulties"and that he denied the charge.
An application was made for Mr Rainey to be released to the Shannon Clinic - a medium secure unit for people with mental illness - outside Belfast, but police objected as he had previously escaped from the clinic.
Judge Peter King said Mr Rainey had been charged with the "most serious offence in the criminal canon" and remanded him in custody at Maghaberry Prison until 6 July. No application for bail was made.
Counsel for Mr Gordon said he wanted to "echo similar sentiments to my colleague" in terms of his client, adding: "There are mental health difficulties."
Mr Gordon was also remanded pending a bail application which will be heard at Ballymena Magistrates Court on 20 June.
None of Chloe's family was present for the hearing.
A huge search operation was launched in Ballymena after Ms Mitchell's disappearance
Earlier on Monday, North Antrim MP Ian Paisley told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme that Chloe Mitchell's death was an "absolute tragedy".
"There is a terrible shadow over the town - the sadness is palpable," he said.
Mr Paisley paid tribute to the teams of people - both professionals and volunteers - saying that they showed "great courage and bravery".
"They were just brilliant; they worked in very hot weather through river beds and through difficult terrain.
"It shows the community spirit. No-one wanted to hear that awful news that emerged and the sadness that is there. They worked in hope, but unfortunately that has been put aside now."
The Ballymena community worked alongside the Community Rescue Service (CRS) last week searching along the banks of the Braid River as well as in the water.
Surrounding parklands and the Ecos centre were also searched.
A prayer vigil for Ms Mitchell was held at Harryville Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening.
A prayer vigil for Chloe Mitchell was held in Harryville in Ballymena on Sunday
Ballymena resident Patricia Mitchell, who is not related to Chloe Mitchell, said people in the town were devastated.
"There's no words to describe what has happened around here - absolutely unbelievable," she told BBC News NI.
Independent councillor Rodney Quigley said it was "beyond people's worst nightmares".
"This is a great community and to have this happen right on the doorsteps is heart-breaking," he said. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65875297 |
Ely riots: Police officers' conduct before fatal crash probed - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The conduct of two officers in a police van before the fatal crash will be examined by the watchdog. | Wales | Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, died in a bike crash in Ely, Cardiff
Two police officers are under investigation for their conduct prior to the death of two boys in an e-bike crash in Cardiff which led to rioting.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said gross misconduct notices had been served on the driver and passenger seen in a police van behind the boys in the Ely area.
Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, died in the crash on 22 May.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: What the CCTV tells us about teens' final moments
The two officers have not been suspended, South Wales Police said.
The IOPC said its investigation focused on the nature of the police interaction with the two boys before the crash and the appropriateness of the officers' decisions and actions.
In particular, the police watchdog said it was examining whether the officers in the police vehicle were pursuing the boys.
Cars were set alight and fireworks thrown at police as 100 to 150 people gathered in Ely on the night of the crash.
Fifteen officers were injured during the unrest and the total number of arrests stands at 20.
South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael initially insisted the two teenagers were not being chased by police before they died.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The BBC's Tomos Morgan: "It was complete chaos"
But CCTV footage analysed by BBC Verify showed police following the boys just minutes before the crash.
The force later confirmed its officers had been following the teenagers prior to their deaths.
The watchdog said investigators were reviewing hundreds of video footage clips and had reviewed initial accounts and body-worn video from police officers and staff.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The crowd released the blue balloons in memory of the two teen boys
Paying tribute to Harvey days after the crash, his mum said: "He lived life to the full, he had a big heart and deep down he truly cared".
Kyrees's family described him as "a loving, caring handsome young man". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65893769 |
Ofsted and Ruth Perry: MPs launch inquiry into school inspections - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A committee will look at how useful inspections are for parents, governors and schools in England. | Family & Education | MPs will look at whether inspections help schools improve
MPs have launched an inquiry into Ofsted's school inspections, looking at how useful they are to parents, governors and schools in England.
The suicide of head teacher Ruth Perry led to a debate about how Ofsted works.
Education Select Committee chairman Robin Walker said Ofsted had an important role, but there had been a "notable groundswell of criticism".
Ofsted welcomed the inquiry and said it had already made changes in response to concerns, with a focus on children.
The inquiry - by cross-party MPs on the committee - will not look at the circumstances around Ruth Perry's death. Those will be examined fully in an inquest later this year.
She took her own life while waiting for publication of a report downgrading Caversham Primary School from Outstanding to Inadequate, over how it kept children safe at school.
MPs will consider how inspections affect the workload and wellbeing of school staff and pupils, and what contribution its reports make to helping schools improve.
Among the issues likely to be discussed are the current system of awarding one overall grade to a school, and whether it is right to automatically deem a school as inadequate if inspectors raise concerns about child welfare.
Mr Walker said keeping children safe was a vital part of inspection but "ensuring that inspections are proportionate, timely and reasonable is essential to build trust", especially after Mrs Perry's death.
Mrs Perry's sister, Prof Julia Waters, said she was delighted there would be a "proper investigation into the inspection system" that would "hold Ofsted to account".
Parents, school governors, teachers and unions will be able to submit evidence, alongside the government and Ofsted itself. The committee will also look at the complaints process, which schools say has made it almost impossible to challenge a judgement.
A primary school in Cambridge recently managed to have its inspection report scrapped - but only after launching a legal challenge. It had previously failed to overturn the rating via Ofsted's complaints process.
Changes announced by Ofsted on Monday include a plan to escalate complaints more quickly to an independent adjudicator.
Head teachers' union, the NAHT, was among those to say the changes already made have not gone far enough. General secretary Paul Whiteman said he hoped the committee "will listen carefully to the experiences and concerns of the profession and help bring about much-needed change".
Chief inspector Amanda Spielman welcomed the inquiry launch, adding that Ofsted was particularly focused on "how we can contribute to reducing the pressure that is undoubtedly felt by school leaders around inspection".
However, she added: "I think it is fair to say that a great deal of that pressure does relate to the perceived consequences of inspection - it's not just about the process itself."
She said the government, and not Ofsted, had responsibility for the consequences of inspection - such as support or interventions which a school might need following a report.
The Department for Education said it funds the charity, Education Support, to provide wellbeing help for school leaders. That programme will be doubled in size to support an additional 500 heads by March 2024.
A spokesperson welcomed the inquiry, adding: "We will continue to work with Ofsted, the sector and Ruth Perry's family to improve the way schools are inspected."
Ms Spielman is due to step down from Ofsted this year, and a new chief inspector will take over.
Mr Walker said the inquiry could provide a "rounded, nuanced examination" of Ofsted, to inform the work of her successor.
Watch the story of head teacher, Ruth Perry, who took her life after her school's rating was downgraded by Ofsted.
• None Ofsted inspection changes 'nowhere near' enough
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-65881853 |
Road and rail travel disrupted as heatwave goes on - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A woman had to be rescued after a 100-tonne landslide hit a Highland road, leading to a 113-mile diversion. | Highlands & Islands | A landslide on the B863 between Glencoe and Kinlochleven
Landslides and flooding have disrupted road and rail travel in the Highlands following thundery downpours on Monday and overnight.
It comes as heatwave conditions continue across Scotland.
Network Rail said the West Highland Line could be closed near Roybridge until Thursday due to flood damage.
The A86 at Roybridge has also been closed because of a landslide. Traffic Scotland said a 113-mile (181km) diversion was in place.
Transport Scotland said at least 600 tonnes of mud and other debris was washed across an almost mile-long stretch of the A86.
It said the road could be reopened with the use of temporary traffic lights later on Tuesday, but the clear-up would continue on Wednesday.
About a mile of the A86 was covered with at least 600 tonnes of mud and other debris
Network Rail said the West Highland Line in Lochaber had been affected by flooding
In one incident, Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team said a driver had a lucky escape when a 100-tonne landslide struck the B863 loop road between Glencoe and Kinlochleven on Monday night.
After finding the road blocked by debris, the woman made a three-point turn before her car came within 100m (328ft) of a second, larger landslide.
Glencoe team leader Andy Nelson said this slide was estimated to have involved 100 tonnes of boulders, mud and trees and carried a small road bridge down a hillside.
On Monday, Scotland recorded its hottest day of the year so far, with Threave in Dumfries and Galloway reaching 30.7C.
Parts of the country have had thunderstorms since Saturday, and the Met Office has a yellow "be aware" warning in place for the weather affecting the Highlands until 21:00 on Tuesday.
Water and landslide debris on the B863
Glencoe MRT was called out to help a motorist stuck between landslides on the road
Glencoe MRT said it was asked by police to go to the aid of the driver stuck on the B863 at about 18:00 on Monday.
Mr Nelson said the area had been hit by an "almost tropical" storm and waterfalls in Glen Coe were swollen and black with mud and other debris.
He said the driver had managed to turn her car around when a larger landslide hit, washing away a bridge and its solid granite parapet.
"She was lucky. The landslide came down at least 100m from her," said Mr Nelson.
"Police asked us to assist and for us it was simple job. We basically gave her a 'piggy back' so she wasn't knee deep in mud."
Highland Council said the road had been affected by three separate landslides on Monday.
A spokeswoman said: "The B863 Kinlochleven loop road is currently closed as engineers assess the damage cause by landslips yesterday evening." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65877296 |
Southwark: Rare Roman mausoleum unearthed in London - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Excavators say the discovery is incredibly rare and "completely unique". | London | The mausoleum features a mosaic surrounded by a raised platform, which archaeologists believe was for burials
A "completely unique" Roman mausoleum has been discovered by archaeologists in south London.
The remains of the structure at the Liberty of Southwark site in Borough have been described as "extremely rare" and feature preserved floors and walls.
Archaeologists think the site was used as some form of burial ground or tomb for wealthier members of Roman society.
Work on creating a permanent display is planned, says the team behind the find.
The discovery was made at the Liberty of Southwark excavation site
The dig was led by the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) on behalf of Landsec and Transport for London (TfL).
MOLA believes the quality of preservation makes it the most intact Roman mausoleum ever to be discovered in Britain.
Alongside the central mosaic, raised platforms were found and steps on the lowest side were still intact.
Excavators were surprised to find two layers to the site, with another similarly designed mosaic found beneath the first floor. They believe that the building was modified at some point, with the floor raised.
"All signs indicate this was a substantial building," says MOLA, "perhaps two storeys high."
A second mosaic was found beneath the first, suggesting the floor was raised at some point
While the site is believed to be a burial location, no coffins were found. However, more than 100 coins, fragments of pottery, roofing tiles and pieces of metal were discovered.
There has been a sustained period of excavation at the site, where the largest Roman mosaic found in London for over 50 years was uncovered in 2022.
Antonietta Lerz, senior archaeologist at MOLA, says the site is a "microcosm for the changing fortunes of Roman London" and provides "a fascinating window" into the life of its settlers.
The aim is to preserve the area alongside continued urban development
Archaeologists from MOLA hope to pinpoint the age of the mausoleum and have provided a three-dimensional model of the site.
Landsec and TfL say they are committed to restoring and retaining the mausoleum for permanent public display.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65890080 |
Nottingham: Three killed, three injured in city centre attacks - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A 31-year-old man is arrested on suspicion of murder after the "horrific and tragic" attacks. | Nottingham | Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was being updated on developments in Nottingham
Three people have been killed - and another three injured - in connected "horrific and tragic" attacks in Nottingham.
Two people, believed to have been stabbed, were found dead by police in Ilkeston Road just after 04:00 BST.
Officers were then called to Milton Street where a van had attempted to run over three people.
Police, who have arrested a man on suspicion of murder, later found a man dead in Magdala Road.
The 31-year-old arrested man is in custody and several police cordons are in place in the city centre.
Amed officers also raided a property in Ilkeston Road shortly before 13:00.
Nottinghamshire Police said the three people injured in the van attack in Milton Street were being treated in hospital.
Warning: People may find some of the details in the story upsetting
Chief Constable Kate Meynell said the force believed all three incidents were linked.
"This is an horrific and tragic incident which has claimed the lives of three people," she said.
"This investigation is at its early stages and a team of detectives is working to establish exactly what has happened.
"We ask the public to be patient while inquiries continue."
An eyewitness told the BBC he witnessed a young man and young woman being stabbed in Ilkeston Road, close to the junction with Bright Street, at about 04:00.
The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "Being a hot night, I had the window open and I just heard some awful, blood-curdling screams.
"I looked out of the window and saw a black guy dressed all in black with a hood and rucksack grappling with some people. It was a girl, and a man or boy she was with - they looked quite young.
"She was screaming 'help!' I just wish I'd shouted something out of the window to unnerve the assailant.
"I saw him stab the lad first and then the woman. It was repeated stabbing - four or five times. The lad collapsed in the middle of the road.
"The girl stumbled towards a house and didn't move. The next minute she had disappeared down the side of a house, and that's where they found her."
Police said three people injured in the van attack were being treated in hospital
Carl Cassidy said he witnessed two people get knocked over by a white van while dropping his wife off at work.
"We pulled up outside the Theatre Royal and as my wife opened the car door we heard an almighty bang," he said.
"A white van was heading for my car but it swerved and missed us by inches, mounting the pavement.
"I got out of the car and saw two people lying on the ground. The lady seemed OK, she was shaken but sitting up and OK. The man who was hit harder seemed a bit worse.
"He was on the other side of the road and people were helping to put him in the recovery position.
"Police were following the vehicle but stopped to tend to the injured.
"The van drove off and within seconds three more police cars arrived at the scene."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Eyewitness Lynn Haggitt said she wished she had not seen the crash
Nic Chuter lives in Mapperley Road, close to the junction of Woodborough Road, not far from where a man was found dead in Magdala Road.
The former emergency planner said he was greeted by armed police officers as he left the house.
He said: "[The] first thing we saw this morning when I took the children to nursery was someone calling me over with a very large gun saying 'hello, what are you up to?'
"We're not able to use the car as it's being counted as part of a crime scene, so everything within the cordon is staying put."
Emergency services have been at multiple locations in the city
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak thanked the emergency services and said he was being updated on developments.
"My thoughts are with those injured, and the family and loved ones of those who have lost their lives," he said.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she was "shocked and saddened" by the deaths, adding she had spoken to Nottinghamshire Police's chief constable and was "receiving regular updates".
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also sent his "thoughts to all those affected and to the emergency services who are responding".
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A damaged white Vauxhall Vivaro van and a cordon could be seen in Bentinck Road, Nottingham, which BBC Verify has confirmed is where an arrest took place.
It is not yet known if it is the same van that was involved in the incident.
A damaged white van could be seen near the scene of the arrest
A statement from the city's three Labour MPs - Lilian Greenwood, Nadia Whittome and Alex Norris - said: "Awful news for our city to wake up to today.
"Our community's thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.
"Our gratitude is with our blue light responders for their work today also."
Nottingham City Council leader David Mellen said: "Ours is an overwhelmingly peaceful and tolerant city where people get along with one another and it's incomprehensible that such dreadful violence has happened here.
"I'm grateful to the police for swiftly making an arrest and for all the emergency services responding to this tragic situation and keeping us safe."
This is normally an incredibly busy part of the city, it is where all of the buses come in.
There is a huge police presence and lots of people around wondering what is going on, trying to make their way into work, into college, into school.
It is a huge incident for the city and I have seen at least 40-50 police officers at the two cordons I have visited.
The police are talking to people, reassuring them and making sure they know where they're going. Most questions are being answered simply with "there has been a major incident".
The public were told to avoid the area
A number of roads in the city have been closed while investigations take place. These are:
Nottinghamshire Police has set up a dedicated phone line and asked anyone concerned about a family member or friend to call 0800 0961011.
A vigil is due to be held at St Peter's Church in the city centre from 17:00.
Bishop Paul Williams said everyone was welcome to attend.
Update 28 June: This story has been updated to quote the eyewitness referring to the ethnicity of the suspect, which was originally included but had been removed in error.
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• None What we know about the Nottingham attacks
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-65887752 |
Storms bring flash flooding and travel disruption - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Cars were seen ploughing through deep puddles as thunderstorms brought downpours to parts of the UK. | UK | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Thunderstorms have brought torrential downpours and flooding to parts of the UK on Monday.
Cars could be seen ploughing through deep puddles after flash flooding in north-west London.
Easyjet said some flights leaving Gatwick Airport had been disrupted after thunderstorms "caused air traffic control delays".
Meanwhile, lightning delayed Manchester City's victory parade celebrating their Treble win by 30 minutes.
Official weather warnings have now passed for Monday, but two storm warnings are in place for Northern Ireland and Scotland on Tuesday.
The yellow warnings, which mean storms may bring some disruption, will cover much of Northern Ireland, and a western area of Scotland from 12:00 BST to 21:00.
BBC Weather meteorologist Stav Danaos said a number of thunderstorms in the Midlands had brought intense downpours in places, with Woburn in Bedfordshire catching 26.4mm in one hour on Monday afternoon.
Tuesday will be drier and more settled, with large amounts of sunshine, BBC Weather said. There could be some isolated showers and cloud in the afternoon, mainly in western areas. Later in the week, temperatures are expected to be less humid.
It is hard to tie specific weather events to climate change, but we do know that extreme weather is becoming more likely and more intense because of human-induced climate change.
Drumnadrochit, on the western shore of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands, saw 32.4mm in one hour, followed by another 10.6mm in the following hour. Other parts of Scotland had their hottest day of the year so far, with Threave in Dumfries and Galloway reaching 30.1C.
There were around 7,500 lighting strikes recorded nationwide, with more expected.
Despite the poor weather causing delays, thousands of Manchester City fans lined streets in the city centre for the open-top parade celebrating the club's Treble.
Many of the club's players - including star striker Erling Haaland - were unfazed by the rain, taking their shirts off as they paraded their silverware around the city.
Former City goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Radio 5 Live he had experienced "rain, hailstones and wind - four seasons in one hour".
Thousands of Manchester City fans braved poor weather for the club's open-top parade celebrating its Treble
Meanwhile, Luton and Dunstable Hospital in Bedfordshire asked people to only attend its emergency department for life-threatening illness and injuries because of "localised flooding". Heavy rain also caused flood-flashing in the centre of Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Some flight cancellations were also reported at London Heathrow.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also issued an amber alert for hot weather until 09:00 BST on Tuesday in the West Midlands, East Midlands, east of England, South East and South West.
It means high temperatures could affect all ages and impact the health service.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has also issued a high air pollution alert for Tuesday, the second of the year, caused by high temperatures and pollution travelling from Europe.
He urged people to avoid unnecessary car journeys, and instead to walk, cycle or take public transport. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65879069 |
Prince William sees homelessness help for young workers - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A homelessness charity provides housing for young people with jobs but struggling with costs of rent. | UK | Prince William visited the new housing units, where rents are set at a third of tenants' pay
The Prince of Wales has opened a homelessness-charity project for young people in work or apprenticeships who need help finding affordable housing.
Centrepoint says the project opened by Prince William - bringing 33 new mini flats to Peckham, south London - is a response to the "housing crisis".
The homes are constructed in Hull and transported to London by lorry.
Residents will pay different amounts based on income, with the rent capped at a third of each tenant's pay.
And solar panels will cut heating bills to £200 per year.
Without stable accommodation, it could be impossible for young people to keep their jobs or to stay in training, the homelessness charity says.
Figures published earlier this year showed an average UK 11% annual increase in private rents, with some areas seeing over 20%.
The project provides independent living, Centrepoint's Sally Orlopp says, giving young people their own front door and a "stepping stone" for those struggling to rent or buy and who might have been stuck in temporary accommodation.
It also helps those facing other barriers, such as landlords wanting a previous track record of paying rent.
The modules, built in Hull, were driven down to south London
"It's not just in London, it's getting more and more difficult for young people," she says. And even so-called "affordable" property is often too expensive for many, with the charity estimating there are 129,000 homeless young people across the UK.
Prince William, patron of Centrepoint, met some of those moving into the low-cost housing units, called Reuben House, on his visit to Peckham.
Food banks say one in five using their services is now in a working family
They have to be working more than 30 hours per week and earning no more than £32,000 a year.
The first residents have jobs in construction, information technology (IT), social services and hairdressing, Ms Orlopp says.
"This is a real mix of young people," she says, with the project challenging stereotypes about who might be at risk of becoming homeless.
Prince William met some of the first residents of the housing project
The project highlights the issue of work not necessarily protecting people from poverty - with the Trussell Trust charity reporting that about one out of every five people using their food banks is from a working household.
"There are many negative stereotypes associated with homelessness that are at odds with the evidence," Centre for Homelessness Impact chief executive Dr Ligia Teixeira says.
The research group says almost a quarter of households at risk of homelessness who ask local authorities for help include someone working.
Ms Teixeira welcomes Prince William's visit as a way of shifting attitudes on homelessness.
He could use "compassion, empathy and evidence to challenge stereotypes and prejudices and fundamentally change how homelessness is perceived, in the same way that his late mother, Diana, helped to shed the stigma associated with HIV [Human Immunodeficiency Virus] and Aids in the 1980s", she says.
The prince has made homelessness one of his biggest causes, also working with charities such as the Passage and the Big Issue magazine. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65880099 |
'Dead' woman found breathing in coffin - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Mourners in Ecuador realise the 76-year-old is still alive hours after she was placed in a coffin. | Latin America & Caribbean | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: 'Dead' woman breathing in coffin is taken to hospital
Mourners at the wake of an Ecuadorean woman were startled to discover she was still alive.
A hospital doctor in the city of Babahoyo declared Bella Montoya, 76, dead following a suspected stroke.
She was placed in a coffin and taken to a funeral parlour, where relatives held a vigil before her planned burial.
When, after almost five hours, they opened the coffin to change her clothes ahead of the funeral, the woman gasped for air.
"My mum started to move her left hand, to open her eyes, her mouth; she struggled to breathe," her son Gilbert Balberán described the moment he realised his mother was still alive.
Video taken by a mourner shows her lying in an open coffin struggling to breathe, while another complains that an ambulance they called has not yet arrived.
Minutes later, firefighters arrive and lift Bella Montoya onto a stretcher and take her back to the hospital where she had been declared dead.
Her son told Ecuadorean media that she was in intensive care, but was responsive.
"My mum is on oxygen, her heart is stable. The doctor pinched her hand and she reacted, they tell me that's good because it means she is reacting little by little," newspaper El Universo quoted him as saying.
Mr Balberán said he had taken his mother to hospital at about 09:00 "and at noon a doctor told me [she] died".
He said a death certificate had even been issued, stating that she had suffered cardiopulmonary arrest after suffering a stroke.
Bella Montoya is not the only person to "come alive" after being officially declared dead.
In February, an 82-year-old woman was found to be breathing while lying in a funeral home in New York State. She had been pronounced dead three hours earlier at a nursing home.
Dr Stephen Hughes, a senior lecturer in medicine at Anglia Ruskin University's School of Medicine in Chelmsford, says such cases are very uncommon but he points out that "death is a process".
"Sometimes somebody may look like they're dead but they're not quite dead," Dr Hughes told the BBC. "Careful examination is necessary to confirm death."
The consultant in emergency medicine says that if patients don't respond and have no pulse, doctors listen for heart sounds and watch for breathing effort for at least a minute. "If that's all absent then you can say they're dead."
But it may be hard even for health professionals to determine that someone has died - for example when bodies are very cold. "The patient in such instances will have an almost imperceptibly slow heart rate and their bodies will have shut down," Dr Hughes says.
Some drugs can also slow down body processes, giving the appearance of death, he adds. Such "confounding factors" can happen if the examination is carried out in a cursory manner or under time pressure.
Ecuador's health ministry has set up a committee to investigate the incident. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-65886245 |
Port Talbot: Tata boss calls for subsidies to be greener - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Tata Steel UK's chairman says a "level playing field" is needed for its steelworks to decarbonise. | Wales | Henrik Adam says Tata's competitors in Europe are receiving "billions of pounds" in help to decarbonise
The chairman of Tata Steel UK has called for a "level playing field" as it seeks UK government subsidies to decarbonise its Port Talbot steelworks.
Henrik Adam said European competitors were receiving "billions of pounds" from governments to transition to greener operations.
The UK government said it was committed to a "decarbonised, competitive future for the sector".
The UK government Department for Business and Trade said: "The business secretary knows how critical the steel industry is to Wales, and made her commitment to securing a decarbonised, competitive future for the sector clear when she visited Port Talbot earlier this year.
"We cannot comment on commercially sensitive negotiations."
Port Talbot is home to Britain's biggest steelworks with two blast furnaces working around the clock to produce steel used in a plethora of products, from tin cans to submarines.
It is considered to be a strategic asset, and allows the UK to have a local and reliable source of steel production.
The works is also one of the UK's largest polluters, and its owners have committed to transforming the site and dramatically reducing its emissions.
"The only thing we are really asking for is a level playing field across our peers in Europe," said Henrik Adam in an exclusive interview for BBC Wales.
He said Tata is "really committed" to decarbonising the site.
"We are in competition with European steel makers, and so we are not asking for a special deal," he added.
The company needs to be on an equal footing "with competitive grounds on support for investment, but also a competitive landscape on energy costs," he said.
Both blast furnaces at Port Talbot are nearing the end of their lives, and would require multi-million pound upgrades in the next few years to keep going.
One option is to replace them with electric arc furnaces powered by renewable energy, but this would cost billions of pounds and take years of planning and building.
The cost of construction, and its future energy bills, is something that Tata Steel UK would like the UK government to subsidise.
Steel is currently responsible for 14% of the climate-warming gases produced by UK industry
While he would not confirm if the reported £300m offered by the UK government was enough, Mr Adam said: "Other nations are pouring billions of pounds into our competitors, and they give support with energy costs.
"That is something which we are considering with quite some, I would say, nervousness. Because if that is happening around us, it's difficult for us to be competitive," he said.
Cheaper steel imports, particularly from China, have proved difficult for companies like Tata Steel.
The mission to decarbonise is a common one across the steel industry, according to the independent think tank Green Alliance.
Roz Bulleid from Green Alliance says consumers are demanding low carbon steel
"The Port Talbot site in south Wales is one of the largest individual sites in terms of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, so there really is a significant impact from the steel industry," Roz Bulleid from Green Alliance said.
New technologies had emerged which could bring down emissions, she said, adding the steel industry was taking the issue seriously.
"Demand from customers for cleaner steel is encouraging investment," she said, but she called on steelmakers to commit more money and to hasten their decarbonisation process.
"Having said that, there are governments around the world investing tens, and sometimes hundreds of millions in lower carbon steelmaking in their own countries," she said.
"So I can also see why steelmakers here are turning to the government and wondering if they could also get a more direct subsidy as well."
Green Alliance estimated turning off two of the UK's four blast furnaces would have the equivalent impact on emissions of removing 2.4 million petrol cars from the roads.
Asked if the long-term transformation of Port Talbot would result in fewer steel industry jobs, Mr Adam said: "I think it's too early to say it's a job cutter, the jobs will change in the profile, there will be new jobs, other jobs."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65880253 |
Nadine Dorries keeps Conservative Party waiting on by-election - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The former cabinet minister is yet to officially resign as an MP, putting a vote to replace her on hold. | UK Politics | Last week Nadine Dorries said she would resign her Mid Bedfordshire seat with immediate effect
Former cabinet minister Nadine Dorries has not yet officially resigned as an MP, to the frustration of the Conservative Party.
The close Boris Johnson ally announced last Friday she would be standing down as MP for Mid Bedfordshire "with immediate effect".
But she is yet to officially tender her resignation - putting a by-election to replace her on hold.
No 10 said it was important for her constituents to have "certainty".
"It's obviously unusual to have an MP say they will resign with immediate effect and for that not to take place," the prime minister's press secretary added.
Ms Dorries announced she would be standing down as an MP, shortly before it was confirmed she would not become a member of the House of Lords in Mr Johnson's resignation honours list.
She has since accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's political team of removing her name from the list - something No 10 denies.
Nigel Adams, another MP close to Boris Johnson who was reported to be in the running for a peerage but whose name was not on the list either, has also announced he is quitting.
As Ms Dorries remains a member of Parliament, she can turn up in the House of Commons chamber to make her views known.
Anything she says would be covered by parliamentary privilege, allowing her to be outspoken on any issue, without fear of legal consequences.
Mr Johnson also announced he was leaving Parliament on Friday, ahead of a Commons report expected to accuse him of misleading MPs over the Partygate scandal, which is due to be published on Thursday.
The former prime minister has denounced the committee writing the report as a "kangaroo court" determined to "drive me out of Parliament".
Unlike Ms Dorries, both Mr Johnson and Mr Adams have officially resigned their seats, in Uxbridge and South Ruislip and Selby and Ainsty respectively.
The by-elections to replace them were triggered on Wednesday, with 3 July or 20 July the possible polling dates.
If Ms Dorries's formal resignation is tendered soon, it could still be possible for all three by-elections to be held on 20 July.
But while she keeps her party waiting, the capacity for mischief exists.
On Wednesday, the PM's press secretary said Rishi Sunak "believes the people of Mid Bedfordshire deserve proper representation in [the Commons], and he looks forward to campaigning for the Conservative candidate in the by-election".
A Conservative Party source said: "We don't know why Nadine hasn't resigned.
"But we don't want to hang around, we want to get on with those things."
The Conservatives - who are trailing Labour in national polls - wanted to conclude swift campaigns before Parliament's summer recess and for any political pain from the by-elections to be short and sharp.
But if Ms Dorries keeps her party waiting, she could force them into a potentially divisive by-election later on - for example, ahead of the autumn party conference season. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65898515 |
Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak trade barbs in row over honours list - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Boris Johnson says Rishi Sunak is "talking rubbish", in a row over the former PM's nominations. | UK Politics | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Rishi Sunak: "Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn't prepared to do"
A war of words has erupted between Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson over the former prime minister's attempt to give peerages to several close allies.
Mr Sunak accused his former boss of asking him to "overrule" the vetting advice on his House of Lords nominations.
But in a fiery statement, Mr Johnson accused Mr Sunak of "talking rubbish".
The House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) said it rejected eight of Mr Johnson's nominations.
There has been no confirmation of who the nominees were, and why they were not included on Mr Johnson's controversial resignation honours list.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said HOLAC did not support the peerage nominations of the MPs put forward by Mr Johnson.
The honours list was published by Mr Sunak's government on Friday, without the names of some of Mr Johnson's key supporters, including Conservative MPs Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams.
A few hours after his honours list was released, Mr Johnson announced he was standing down as an MP over an investigation into whether he had misled Parliament about lockdown parties.
Competing claims have now surfaced about how and why the names would not have appeared on the list.
Mr Adams and Ms Dorries have both announced they would immediately standing down as MPs, triggering by-elections to replace them.
Earlier, the row over the nominations spilled into a public spat between Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak.
Speaking at a tech conference in London earlier, Mr Sunak claimed Mr Johnson had asked him to do "something I wasn't prepared to do" on peerage nominations.
"I didn't think that was right. And if people don't like that, then tough," Mr Sunak said.
A few hours later, Mr Johnson claimed it "was not necessary to overrule HOLAC - but simply to ask them to renew their vetting, which was a mere formality".
Mr Sunak's comments are the first made publicly about the dispute over peerages, and marks a heightening of tensions between the two.
Their relationship has been an uneasy one after Mr Sunak quit as chancellor in Mr Johnson's government, setting off a wave of resignations that brought down his premiership.
The process of vetting Mr Johnson's nominees for peerages appears to be the one of the points of disagreement between the former allies.
There has been speculation in media reports about what would happen if a serving MP was nominated for a peerage, and whether they could remain in the House of Commons until the next general election, before taking up their seats in the Lords.
But HOLAC says its vetting checks expire after six months, meaning its advice on nominations is only valid for that period.
In his statement, Mr Johnson appears to be suggesting the vetting checks for his nominees could be carried out again.
In an interview with TalkTV, Ms Dorries claimed Downing Street had not been "telling the truth" about her nomination for a peerage.
Ms Dorries said Mr Johnson had told her in autumn last year she had been put on his resignation honours list.
The former culture secretary said she had been vetted for the peerage, but because six months had passed, her checks had expired.
She said Mr Sunak and Mr Johnson had a meeting last week to discuss his honours list.
Ms Dorries accused the prime minister of using "weasel words" to give Mr Johnson the impression Mr Sunak would ask HOLAC to restart the vetting process.
She said Mr Sunak used those words because he "knew a situation had been engineered" in which her name would not be on the list.
When asked who she believed had stopped her from entering the House of Lords, she replied: "The prime minister - Rishi Sunak."
Following her interview, the Cabinet Office said it would be "unprecedented for a sitting prime minister to invite HOLAC to reconsider the vetting of individual nominees on a former prime minister's resignation list.
"It is not therefore a formality."
As a departing prime minister, Mr Johnson has the right to nominate people for seats in the House of Lords, and for other honours such as knighthoods.
By convention, current prime ministers pass on the list of nominees to HOLAC, which can recommend their names do not go forward after a vetting process.
HOLAC advises prime ministers on the suitability of candidates for peerages and usually, they accept its recommendations on appointments, whatever the outcome.
But Mr Johnson broke with this convention in 2020, when he nominated businessman Peter Cruddas for a peerage, despite his rejection by HOLAC.
On Sunday, a spokesman for the vetting commission said it had rejected eight of Mr Johnson's nominations, but declined to name them or say why, adding it "does not comment on individuals".
Downing Street has insisted that Mr Sunak passed on Mr Johnson's list of nominations unaltered. It says it also accepted HOLAC's full approved list and passed it to the King.
But on Monday, a source describing themselves as an ally of Mr Johnson accused the prime minister of "secretly" blocking peerages for "Nadine and others".
"He refused to ask for them to undergo basic checks that could have taken only a few weeks or even days," the source added.
"That is how he kept them off the list - without telling Boris Johnson." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65876723 |
Nottingham deaths: Van used in attack stolen from one of the victims - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | One of the three victims killed in the attacks has been named locally as University of Nottingham student Barnaby Webber. | Nottingham | We're going to pause our live coverage for the night now, thank you for joining us.
You can continue to follow the latest developments on this story here, and we'll be back tomorrow to bring you more updates from Nottingham.
We also have this explainer outlining everything we know so far about the attacks.
Today's page was a joint effort between our teams in Nottingham and London - thank you for joining us. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-nottinghamshire-65888114 |
Tori Bowie: American three-time Olympic medallist died from complications in childbirth - BBC Sport | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | null | American sprinter Tori Bowie, who died in May at the age of 32, died from complications in childbirth, her agent says. | null | Last updated on .From the section Athletics
American sprinter Tori Bowie died from complications in childbirth, her agent has said.
Bowie, who won 4x100m relay gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016, plus 100m silver and 200m bronze, died at her home in Florida in May at the age of 32.
Her agent Kimberly Holland told CBS News that speculation over Bowie's death had been "very hurtful".
"So hopefully, now knowing the truth, there will be many apologies," said Holland.
According to an autopsy report obtained by USA Today Sports, the manner of former 100m world champion Bowie's death was ruled "natural".
The report said she was estimated to be eight months pregnant and undergoing labour at the time of her death.
It added possible complications Bowie had included respiratory distress and eclampsia - when a person develops seizures, or convulsions, during pregnancy.
In May, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said deputies had attended a home in the area "for a well-being check of a woman in her 30s who had not been seen or heard from in several days." A woman "tentatively identified as Frentorish 'Tori' Bowie was found dead in the home".
Bowie converted from long jump in 2014 and had an immediate impact on the track, becoming the fastest woman in the world that year.
She was the only American woman to have won an Olympic or world 100m title since Carmelita Jeter in 2011.
• None Why US mothers are more likely to die in childbirth | http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/65887510 |
Warning UK mortgage rates set to rise further - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | It comes as Santander becomes the latest big lender to withdraw deals due to market turbulence. | Business | Borrowers are being warned mortgage rates are set to rise further as turbulence continues to hit the market.
Broker London & Country said lenders had been withdrawing deals and raising rates at a "relentless pace" and this week would "bring more of the same".
Mortgage rates have gone up about 0.5 percentage points in the last month to approach an average fixed deal of 6%.
On Monday Santander became the latest big lender to temporarily withdraw new deals due to "market conditions".
Meanwhile, NatWest said it was increasing rates for new residential mortgages by 0.2 percentage points, and for buy-to-let mortgages by up to 1.57 percentage points from Tuesday.
About 1.5 million households are set to come off fixed mortgage deals this year and face a sharp rise in their monthly repayments.
Rates have been rising since recent data showed that UK inflation is not coming down as quickly as expected.
There have been predictions that the Bank of England will raise interest rates higher than previously thought, from their current 4.5% to as high as 5.5%.
It has a direct impact on mortgage lenders, many of whom have raised rates and taken deals off the market over the last few weeks.
In the latest move, Santander said it was "temporarily withdrawing all our new business residential and buy-to-let fixed and tracker rates at 7.30pm on Monday 12 June".
"We're relaunching our full new business range on Wednesday 14 June," it added.
It comes after HSBC suspended new deals via brokers last week only to temporarily reopen them on Friday.
On Monday it returned to the market with higher rates for its fixed residential and buy-to-let mortgages.
David Hollingworth from London & Country told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's been pretty relentless for the last couple of weeks. We're back to that phase of you can't hang around if you are looking at a fixed rate."
He said lenders were being forced to reprice deals as the market shifted around them and those with cheaper deals faced a "tidal wave" of business.
"Unfortunately I think this week we may still have to see more of that happening.
"But hopefully those rates will just start to find a level and we'll see things start to calm down in the near future."
According to financial data firm Moneyfacts, the average two-year fixed-rate mortgage deal is 5.86%, while a five-year deal has hit 5.51%.
Last May they were 3.03% and 3.17% respectively, meaning many households have seen sharp rises in their borrowing costs.
When a fixed term comes to an end then a borrower reverts automatically to their lender's standard variable rate (SVR). But brokers say these SVRs have soared, meaning anyone who adopts a wait and see approach would see a massive jump in the rate they pay, and therefore a much higher monthly mortgage bill.
Ian Stuart, boss of HSBC in the UK, admitted it was a "deeply concerning" time for a lot of customers.
"If you've got an old rate, as many will have, let's say 1.5%, and you're going to come off that rate and go onto something like 5%, that is a big impact on your monthly budget."
He said the bank had been forced to pause sales of new deals last week as it was struggling to meet "unprecedented" demand.
He also said HSBC expected UK interest rates to rise further, putting more pressure on the market.
"So not the news mortgagees would be looking for, but I don't think inflation is going to fall quite as fast as we had hoped."
Rising mortgage rates are also putting pressure on landlords, pushing some to consider selling up, surveyors say.
In turn, that could further squeeze the availability of rental properties and raise costs for tenants, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65876570 |
Mother jailed for taking abortion pills after legal limit - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Carla Foster, 44, pleaded guilty to procuring drugs to induce an abortion at 32-34 weeks. | Stoke & Staffordshire | A mother-of-three has been jailed for more than two years for inducing an abortion after the legal limit.
Carla Foster, 44, received the medication following a remote consultation where she was not honest about how far along her pregnancy was.
The "pills by post" scheme, introduced in lockdown, allows pregnancies up to 10 weeks to be terminated at home.
However, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the woman was between 32-34 weeks pregnant when she took them.
Abortion is legal up to 24 weeks. However, after 10 weeks the procedure is carried out in a clinic.
Prosecutors argued Foster had provided false information knowing she was over the time limit and had made online searches which they said indicated "careful planning".
The court heard between February and May 2020 she had searched "how to hide a pregnancy bump", "how to have an abortion without going to the doctor" and "how to lose a baby at six months".
Based on the information she provided the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), she was sent the tablets because it was estimated she was seven weeks pregnant.
The woman was initially charged with child destruction, the court heard
Her defence argued that lockdown and minimising face-to-face appointments had changed access to healthcare and so instead she had to search for information online.
"The defendant may well have made use of services had they been available at the time," said her barrister Barry White. "This will haunt her forever."
On 11 May 2020, having taken the abortion pills, an emergency call was made at 18:39 BST saying she was in labour.
The baby was born not breathing during the phonecall and was confirmed dead about 45 minutes later.
A post-mortem examination recorded the baby girl's cause of death as stillbirth and maternal use of abortion drugs and she was estimated to be between 32 and 34 weeks' gestation.
Foster, from Staffordshire, already had three sons before she became pregnant again in 2019.
The court heard she had moved back in with her estranged partner at the start of lockdown while carrying another man's baby.
The judge accepted she was "in emotional turmoil" as she sought to hide the pregnancy.
Foster was initially charged with child destruction, which she denied.
She later pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of section 58 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, administering drugs or using instruments to procure abortion, which was accepted by the prosecution.
Sentencing, judge Mr Justice Edward Pepperall said it was a "tragic" case, adding that if she had pleaded guilty earlier he may have been able to consider suspending her jail sentence.
He said the defendant was "wracked by guilt" and had suffered depression and said she was a good mother to three children, one of whom has special needs, who would suffer from her imprisonment.
She received a 28-month sentence, 14 of which will be spent in custody with the remainder on licence.
Ahead of Monday's hearing, a letter co-signed by a number of women's health organisations was sent to the court calling for a non-custodial sentence.
However, the judge said it was "not appropriate" and that his duty was "to apply the law as provided by Parliament".
He told the defendant the letter's authors were "concerned that your imprisonment might deter other women from accessing telemedical abortion services and other late-gestation women from seeking medical care or from being open and honest with medical professionals".
But he said it also "has the capacity to be seen as special pleading by those who favour wider access to abortions and is, in my judgment, just as inappropriate as it would be for a judge to receive a letter from one of the groups campaigning for more restrictive laws".
The sentencing has sparked outcry among women's rights organisations and campaigners.
BPAS said it was "shocked and appalled" by the woman's sentence which they said was based on an "archaic law".
"No woman can ever go through this again," said its chief executive, Clare Murphy.
"Over the last three years, there has been an increase in the numbers of women and girls facing the trauma of lengthy police investigations and threatened with up to life imprisonment under our archaic abortion law," she said.
"Vulnerable women in the most incredibly difficult of circumstances deserve more from our legal system."
She said MPs must do more to offer protection so "no more women in these desperate circumstances are threatened with prison again".
Labour MP Stella Creasy said "no other patient group would be treated this way"
"The average prison sentence for a violent offence in England is 18 months," she said in a tweet.
"A woman who had an abortion without following correct procedures just got 28 months under an 1868 act - we need urgent reform to make safe access for all women in England, Scotland and Wales a human right."
The Crown Prosecution Service said: "These exceptionally rare cases are complex and traumatic.
"Our prosecutors have a duty to ensure that laws set by Parliament are properly considered and applied when making difficult charging decisions."
When asked whether the prime minister was confident criminalising abortion in some circumstances was the right approach, Rishi Sunak's official spokesperson said the current laws struck a balance.
"Our laws as they stand balance a woman's right to access safe and legal abortions with the rights of an unborn child," he said.
"I'm not aware of any plans to address that approach."
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-65882169 |
Number of hay fever sufferers seeking NHS advice triples - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The NHS website's hay-fever advice pages received one visit every three seconds on Sunday. | Health | Sitting in long grass is not recommended for hay-fever sufferers
More than 122,650 people visited the NHS website seeking hay-fever advice last week, as the pollen count hit some of its highest levels this year.
Weekly visitors to the site's hay-fever advice pages have tripled in the past five weeks, NHS England says, with one visit every three seconds on Sunday.
The allergy usually strikes from late March to September, when it is warm, windy and humid and pollen counts high.
There is no cure but over-the-counter medication can manage most symptoms.
People with asthma may also suffer worse symptoms than usual over the coming days. Thunderstorms are predicted for parts of the UK and water breaks down pollen granules into smaller particles that can lodge deeper into the airways in the lungs.
The pollen count is set to be high or very high across most of the UK this week - and the NHS website features recommendations on how to manage symptoms, including: | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65881737 |
NI budget: Funding for primary school sports coaching to end - BBC News | 2023-06-13T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The funding paid for specialist coaching delivered by the GAA and IFA at more than 200 schools. | Northern Ireland | Specialist coaching was delivered in more than 200 primary schools
Funding for specialist sports coaching in primary schools will end, the Department of Education (DE) has said.
The school sports programme was delivered by coaches from the Irish Football Association (IFA) and Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).
It was run in more than 200 schools each year by 22 coaches and cost about £500,000 a year.
The department has told the sports bodies "no further funding is available".
It said due to budget cuts "difficult decisions have had to be made" to halt funding to a number of third party organisations.
In a statement, the IFA and GAA said they and a number of assembly members (MLAs) have requested an urgent meeting with the department's permanent secretary about the decision to end the funding.
The department has already stopped a number of schemes to save money, including the school holiday food grant for children entitled to free school meals.
That came after funding for education was reduced in the 2023-24 Stormont budget.
In their letter announcing it was ending the funding for the scheme, the department said: "Faced with this extremely challenging position the department has had no choice but to take a number of very difficult decisions."
The coaches from the IFA and GAA went into schools to provide extra PE classes.
They delivered lessons for pupils in athletics, dance, games and gymnastics as well as soccer and GAA, and provided advice to teachers.
The low level of physical activity among children and young people in Northern Ireland has previously been described as a "major health concern" in a Stormont report.
It said more than a quarter of children in Northern Ireland were classed as overweight or obese.
A separate report from the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) said that about three-quarters of primary schools were not providing the recommended amount of PE.
The ETI had said that the IFA and GAA scheme gave teachers "access to specialist local knowledge and skills which improve the quality of their planning for PE and extra-curricular physical activities".
Concerns have been raised about inactivity among children
In a joint statement to BBC News NI, the IFA and Ulster GAA said the school sports programme supported 900 teachers and 24,000 children, delivering more than 400 PE classes a week.
IFA Foundation director James Thompson said the decision to axe the funding "has been taken at a time when physical inactivity risks long-term harm to the physical and mental health of children".
"Three quarters of primary schools are unable to provide the recommended two hours per week for PE," he said.
"If this was the case for any other statutory subject there would be government support rather than a reduction in provision.
"We are asking our MLAs to take all possible action to protect this vital programme and, most importantly, the health, wellbeing and resilience of children in Northern Ireland."
Ulster GAA director Eugene Young said ending the scheme "would be a significant loss to our children and schools".
"We cannot allow children to have decreased access to the statutory curriculum for PE and call on our political representatives to support the campaign to retain the wide-ranging benefits of this programme," he said.
Thomas McKee, who is principal of Our Lady's Primary School in Tullysaran, County Tyrone, said the coaches provided by the school sports programme were "absolutely vital" to the physical and emotional wellbeing of his pupils.
In a statement, the Department of Education said it "recognises how disappointing this decision will be for everyone involved in the delivery of the programme and for the young people who have benefitted from it".
It added: "The education budget has been reduced by 2.5% and faces estimated pressures of £382m.
"While the department acknowledges the value that both organisations have added to support and enhance the delivery of the curriculum, difficult decisions have had to be made to cease funding to a number of third party organisations." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-65884552 |
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