All The News

After two years of war, there is a chance of a deal that will end the killing and destruction in Gaza and return the Israeli hostages, living and dead, to their families.

It is an opportunity, but it is not certain that it will be seized by Hamas and Israel.

It is a grim coincidence that the talks are happening exactly two years after Hamas inflicted a trauma on Israelis that is still acute.

The 7 October attacks killed around 1,200 people, mostly Israeli civilians, and 251 were taken hostage. The Israelis estimate that 20 hostages are still alive and they want the return of the bodies of 28 others.

Israel's devastating military response has destroyed most of Gaza and killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians and including more than 18,000 children.

The figures come from the health ministry that is part of the remains of the Hamas administration. Its statistics have usually been regarded as reliable. A study in The Lancet, the medical journal based in London, suggested they were an underestimate.

Israelis and Palestinians both want the war to end. Israelis are war-weary and polls show that a majority want a deal that returns the hostages and ends the war. Hundreds of thousands of reservists in the armed forces, the IDF, want to get back to their lives after many months in uniform on active service.

More than two million Palestinians in Gaza are in a humanitarian catastrophe, caught between the firepower of the IDF and hunger and in some areas a man-made famine created by Israel's restrictions on aid entering the Strip.

The version of Hamas that was able to attack Israel with devastating force two years has long since been broken as a coherent military organisation. It has become an urban guerilla force mounting an insurgency against the IDF in the ruins.

Hamas wants to find a way to survive, even though it has agreed to give up power to Palestinian technocrats. It accepts it will have to have to hand over or dismantle what is left of its heavy weapons, but it wants to keep enough firepower to defend itself against Palestinians who want to take their revenge for nearly two decades of brutal rule and the catastrophe the Hamas attacks brought down on them.

It is not saying so publicly, but an organisation that still has followers and a charter that seeks to destroy Israel will also want to emerge with enough left to rebuild its capacity to live up to its name, which is an acronym for the Islamic Resistance Movement.

Israel would like to be dictating the terms of a Hamas surrender. But the fact that Hamas has a chance for a serious negotiation opens up more possibilities for it than looked likely just a month ago. That was when Israel tried and failed to kill the Hamas leadership in a series of strikes on a building in Doha where they were discussing peace proposals from Donald Trump. Their main target, the senior leader Khalil al-Hayya, is leading the Hamas delegation at the talks in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Al-Hayya's son was among the dead, though the leaders escaped with their lives.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a different kind of survival in mind. He wants to preserve his power, keep on postponing his trial for corruption, win elections due next year, and not to go down in history as the leader responsible for security blunders that led to the deadliest day for Jews since the Nazi holocaust.

To achieve that he needs a credible way to declare "total victory", a phrase he has used repeatedly. He has defined it as the return of the hostages, the destruction of Hamas and the demilitarisation of Gaza. If he cannot to do that, it will not be enough for him to point to the very real damage Israel has inflicted on its enemies in Lebanon and Iran in the last two years.

Hamas and Israeli negotiators will not meet face to face. Egyptian and Qatari officials will be the intermediaries, and the Americans who will also be there will be a major influence, perhaps a decisive one.

The basis for the talks is Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan. What it will not do, despite his insistent social media postings about permanent peace, is end the long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians for control of the land between the river Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. It does not mention the future of the West Bank, the other part of the territories the UK and others have recognised as the state of Palestine.

The stakes are high in Sharm el-Sheikh. There is a chance to get to a ceasefire that could lead to the end of the most destructive and bloody war in well over a century of conflict between Arabs and Jews.

The first challenge is to work out conditions for the release of the Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians serving life sentences in Israeli jails and Gazans who have been detained without trial since the war started. That is not a simple task.

President Trump wants results, fast. He wants to revive his ambition to broker a grand bargain in the Middle East, at the centre of which would be a rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. That cannot happen when Israel is killing huge numbers of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and imposing restrictions on humanitarian aid that are causing great suffering, and when Hamas is holding Israeli hostages. The Saudis have also made it very clear in a series of public statements that it also cannot happen without a clear and irreversible path to an independent Palestinian state.

Trump forced Netanyahu to sign up to a document that includes an admittedly vague and indeterminate reference to the possibility of Palestinian independence. In a statement afterwards Netanyahu chose to ignore that by repeating his pledge that Palestinians would never get a state. There is a lot in the Trump document that Israel wants in terms of ending the power of Hamas and the future governance of Gaza.

But Netanyahu has been used to getting his own way in the Oval Office. Instead, Trump forced him to read out a formal apology to Qatar's prime minister for the air strike that failed to wipe out the Hamas leadership. Trump needs Qatar on board to move ahead with his ambitions to remake the Middle East.

One question is why Hamas is prepared to give up the hostages without a strict timetable for Israel to leave Gaza and end the war. One possibility is that the Qataris have persuaded them that Trump will make sure that happens if they give him the chance to claim victory by repatriating all Israel's hostages, living and dead.

Even so Trump is still using language that Netanyahu needs Israelis to hear, like his threat to Hamas if they rejected the deal, promising "my full backing" for Israel to go ahead to destroy Hamas.

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said it will take only a few days to work out if Hamas is serious. It will take longer to thrash out the nuts and bolts that would need to underpin a complex agreement. So far all they have is Trump's framework.

Two years after the long and unresolved conflict between Israelis and Palestinians exploded into the Gaza war it is a major challenge to end the killing and secure the immediate future for Palestinians and Israelis. It will take skilful diplomacy and prolonged engagement with detail, of which there is precious little in the Trump 20-point plan. Trying to find precise language that will fill in the gaps will provide plenty of potential stumbling blocks.

No one has a higher opinion than Trump himself of his ability to make deals. In foreign policy, the delivery so far has not matched his boasts. He hasn't settled a slew of wars; the exact count of how many he claims to have ended varies depending how he tells it. Most notoriously Trump did not end the Russia-Ukraine war within a single day of taking office, as he had predicted. But one skill Trump does have, after a lifetime in real estate, is an innate instinct about how to apply pressure to get what he wants.

The indirect talks in Egypt are happening because Donald Trump was able to put pressure on both sides. Threatening Hamas with extinction if they refused to engage with his plan was the easy part. US presidents have led international pressure on Hamas since the group won a Palestinian election in 2006 and used force to take over Gaza from its Palestinian rivals Fatah the following year.

A big difference between Donald Trump and Presidents Clinton, Obama and Biden is that he is hitting back harder and more decisively at Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts to manipulate him than his Democratic predecessors were either willing or able to do.

Trump took Hamas's qualified "yes but" to his proposal as a solid yes for peace. It was enough for him to charge ahead. The news service Axios reported that when Netanyahu tried to persuade him that Hamas was playing for time Trump's response was "why are you so f***ing negative".

Israel is dependent on the United States. The US has been a full partner in the war. Without American help Israel could not have attacked Gaza with such ruthless and prolonged force. Most of its weapons are supplied by the US, which also provides political and diplomatic protection, vetoing multiple resolutions in the UN Security Council that were intended to pressure Israel to stop.

Joe Biden, who called himself an Irish Zionist, never used the leverage that comes from Israel's dependence on the US. Donald Trump puts his plans for America first, and used America's latent power over Israel to get Netanyahu to bend to his will, at least when it came to joining the talks. It remains to be seen whether that pressure continues. Trump changes his mind.

Both the Hamas and Israeli delegations have powerful critics at home who want the war to continue. Hamas sources told the BBC that the military commanders still in Gaza were prepared to fight it out until the end and take as many Israelis as possible with them. Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition relies on the support of ultra nationalist extremists who thought they were close to their dream of expelling Gaza's Palestinians and replacing them with Jewish settlers.

If the talks in Egypt fail, both endgames become possible.

Physics Nobel prize awarded to three quantum physicists

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98d00nq47jo, today

The Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis for their work on quantum computing.

"There is no advanced technology used today that does not rely on quantum mechanics, including mobile phones, cameras...and fibre optic cables," said the Nobel committee.

The announcement was made by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences at a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden.

"To put it mildly, it was a surprise of my life," said Professor John Clarke, who was born in Britain and now works at the University of California in Berkeley.

The three winners will share prize money of 11 million Swedish kronor (£872,000).

Robin Williams' daughter pleads for people to stop sending AI videos of her dad

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r0erqk18jo, today

Zelda Williams, the daughter of Robin Williams, has asked people to stop sending her AI-generated videos of her father, the celebrated US actor and comic who died in 2014.

"Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad," Zelda Williams posted on her Instagram stories.

"Stop believing I wanna see it or that I'll understand, I don't and I won't. If you're just trying to troll me, I've seen way worse, I'll restrict and move on.

"But please, if you've got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It's dumb, it's a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it's NOT what he'd want."

This is not the first time Zelda Williams, a film director, has criticised AI versions of her father, who took his own life in 2014 at his Californian home at the age of 63.

Williams, who was famous for films such as Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society and Mrs Doubtfire, was understood to have been battling depression at the time of his death.

In 2023, in an Instagram post supporting a campaign against AI by US media union SAG-Aftra, she described attempts at recreating his voice as "personally disturbing", while also pointing to the wider implications.

Her post on Tuesday reflects a trend on social media, where images of people who have died are animated, featuring captions like "bring your loved ones back to life".

Williams continued: "To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to 'this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that's enough', just so other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening," she continued.

"You're not making art, you're making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings, out of the history of art and music, and then shoving them down someone else's throat hoping they'll give you a little thumbs up and like it. Gross."

She concluded: "And for the love of EVERY THING, stop calling it 'the future,' AI is just badly recycling and regurgitating the past to be re-consumed. You are taking in the Human Centipede of content, and from the very very end of the line, all while the folks at the front laugh and laugh, consume and consume."

The Human Centipede is a reference to the 2009 body horror film.

'She sparks conversation'

Her latest comments come in the wake of unease following the unveiling of "AI actor", Tilly Norwood.

Norwood was created by Dutch actor and comedian Eline Van der Velden, who reportedly said she wanted Norwood to become the "next Scarlett Johansson".

In a statement, SAG-Aftra said Norwood "is not an actor, it's a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers.

"It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion and, from what we've seen, audiences aren't interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience," the union added.

Actress Emily Blunt also recently said she found the idea of Norwood terrifying.

"That is really, really scary, Come on, agencies, don't do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection," she said on a podcast with Variety.

Van der Velden later said in a statement: "To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work – a piece of art.

"Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity."

Canadian marine park threatens to euthanise 30 beluga whales

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8jmddp1v49o, today

A Canadian amusement park is threatening to euthanise 30 beluga whales after the government blocked its request to send them to China.

Marineland in Ontario had hoped to offload the cetaceans to a theme park in Zhuhai, after suffering years of animal welfare concerns and financial woes.

But their transfer was denied by the Canadian government last week over concerns they would face similarly substandard treatment as "public entertainment".

It then asked for federal funding to be able to continue caring for the animals - but this was denied, being branded "inappropriate" by Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson.

In the absence of funding as it winds down operations, Marineland has now said it may have to put the belugas to sleep, according to the New York Times and CBC News.

It reportedly said this was "a direct consequence of the minister's decision".

The park told ministers last week that it was in a "critical financial state" and unable to provide adequate care for the whales, having being closed over the summer while it removed the animals still there.

But Thompson said Marineland's lack of a viable alternative for the belugas did not entail the Canadian government should foot the bill for their care.

Marineland had hoped to send the belugas to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Zhuhai, which sits in between Hong Kong and Macau in China.

Thompson denied its export permit, saying the strengthening of fisheries legislation in 2019 that made it illegal to use whales and dolphins for entertainment prohibited the move.

"I could not in good conscience approve an export that would perpetuate the treatment these belugas have endured," she said.

"To approve the request would have meant a continued life in captivity and a return to public entertainment."

Criticisms of Marineland began back in 2020, when Animal Welfare Services opened an investigation into the park.

It found that 12 whales at the park had died over a two year period and declared all the park's marine life to be under distress.

In November, a fifth beluga died in a year, taking the total number of deceased whales since 2019 to 20, according to news agency the Canadian Press.

As visitors to the park began to plummet Marineland became mired in financial crisis, it won an appeal in February to remortgage its own land and raise funds to move animals as it looked for a new buyer and shut its doors this summer.

Animal welfare campaigners have expressed outrage at Marineland's conduct and the possibility the whales could be killed.

Camille Labchuk, executive director of Canadian animal rights group Animal Justice, said Marineland had "a moral obligation to fund the future care of these animal", adding that threats to euthanise the animals were "reprehensible".

World Animal Protection called on the provincial government to seize the belugas, saying it "must show leadership and ensure these animals receive the best possible care".

New Supreme Court term will reshape Trump's powers

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly959ppezeo, today

The US Supreme Court begins its new term on Monday with a docket already full of potentially significant cases that could define the scope of Donald Trump's presidential authority - and the prospect of more to come.

In the eight months that Trump has been back in the White House, he has tested the limits of executive power, unilaterally implementing new policies, slashing federal budgets and workforce, and attempting to bring previously independent agencies and institutions more directly under his control.

The latest brewing legal battle comes from the president's attempts to take control of state National Guard units and deploy them in cities where he claims there is public unrest and rampant crime - over the objection of local and state officials.

In Oregon, a federal judge has issued orders blocking Trump's deployment of troops to Portland. An appeals court is set to review the move in the coming days.

"This is a nation of constitutional law, not martial law," Judge Karin Immergut, whom Trump appointed to the bench in his first term, wrote in her Saturday opinion.

"Defendants have made a range of arguments that, if accepted, risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power - to the detriment of this nation."

Once the appellate court has its say, the Supreme Court could step in via its so-called "shadow docket", issuing a ruling that could curtail Trump's ability to use the military on US soil - or give him a free hand, at least temporarily.

Such reviews have become a more routine occurrence recently, as a majority of the Supreme Court justices, in response to emergency petitions from the Trump administration, has largely allowed the president's actions to move forward while legal challenges play out.

"A tug of war between the Supreme Court and the lower federal courts is going to be a driving force in the coming term," Samuel Bray, a professor at the University of Chicago Law School, said at a briefing last month.

The court's reliance on this shadow docket has been criticised by left-leaning legal scholars and politicians as an improper use of the court's authority. Its orders have typically been short, offering limited legal reasoning and leaving lower-level judges with minimal guidance.

"All Americans should be alarmed by the Supreme Court's growing reliance on its shadow docket to resolve controversial and high-profile cases without any transparency - no substantive explanations, oral arguments, or reasoning," Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey said earlier this year.

"This further pushes the Court's deliberations and decisions out of view of public scrutiny and shields it from accountability."

In the coming months, however, the court is set tackle questions of presidential power – and other high-profile controversies - head on, hearing oral arguments and issuing full decisions on their merits.

"It's not going to be able to get away with one-page orders that don't explain the reasoning," said Maya Sen, a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School who specialises in the Supreme Court and US politics. "If they're going to grant more power to the executive its going to have to explain why."

The court is already scheduled to consider whether federal laws that prohibits the president from removing members of agencies designed by Congress to be independent from presidential influence infringe on executive authority.

The justices will also hear arguments in an expedited review of Trump's attempt to fire Lisa Cook from her position as a governor on the influential Federal Reserve Board – a case that could dramatically increase the president's power over American economic policy.

The US – and global economy – is also front and centre as Supreme Court justices will have a chance to decide whether many of Trump's unilaterally imposed tariffs on foreign imports have adequate legal authority or should be voided.

The justices may also review Trump's attempts to unilaterally cut federal spending and fire lower-level government employees, as well as his aggressive immigration and deportation policies.

While the court has not yet agreed to consider Trump's attempt to terminate automatic citizenship for those born on US soil, it could do so in the coming months.

"The scope of executive power will be front and centre this term," said Professor Jennifer Nou of the University of Chicago Law School, in an email to the BBC.

"The cases coming before the court will test the Trump administration's highest political and economic priorities, whether tariffs or birthright citizenship.

"One question will be whether the justices will apply principles (eg the major questions doctrine) that it used to strike down signature Biden initiatives in a politically even-handed way."

The court used its newly fashioned "major questions doctrine" to stymie Biden's efforts at student loan forgiveness and environmental regulations, holding that Congress did not give him explicit authorisation to do so.

Presidential power is the central focus of this year's Supreme Court term but cases involving several hot-button political and cultural controversies are also scheduled in the coming months.

The court will review whether a Colorado ban on conversion therapy – a controversial practice that attempts to use counseling to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity – violates constitutional free speech protections.

Also on the docket are two cases involving state bans on transgender athletes in interscholastic sport competition.

A Republican congressman in Illinois is challenging a state law that allows mailed ballots to be counted up to two weeks after election day.

A group of Louisiana conservatives have asked the court to strike down a provision of a voting rights law that requires states to draw congressional districts that guarantee Black voter representation equal to their population level.

And the Republican Party is targeting a decades-old law that prevents political candidates and parties from coordinating their campaign spending.

Over the past few years, this conservative-dominated Supreme Court has demonstrated a willingness to issue landmark new rulings that have dramatically shifted America's legal landscape.

On topics like abortion rights, federal regulatory authority and the consideration of race in college admissions, the court has reversed decades of existing precedent.

Those decisions have contributed to a public view of the Supreme Court that has become increasingly polarised along partisan lines.

In a recent Pew Foundation poll, opinions of the nation's highest legal body were split nearly evenly, with Republicans supportive and Democrats highly critical.

By the time the court issues its final decisions in this term, expected by the end of June next year, the 6-3 conservative majority on the court may have broken new ground, and once again fundamentally reshaped American law.

With additional reporting from Kayla Epstein.

Renewables overtake coal as world's biggest source of electricity

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2rz08en2po, today

Renewable energy including nuclear power jointly overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity in the first half of this year - a historic first, according to new data from the global energy think tank Ember.

Electricity demand is growing around the world but the growth in solar and wind was so strong it met 100% of the extra electricity demand, even helping drive a slight decline in coal and gas use.

However, Ember says the headlines mask a mixed global picture.

Developing countries, especially China, led the clean energy charge but richer nations including the US and EU relied more than before on planet-warming fossil fuels for electricity generation.

Coal, a major contributor to global warming, was still the world's largest individual source of energy generation in 2024, a position it has held for more than 50 years, according to the International Energy Agency.

China remains way ahead in clean energy growth, adding more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined. This enabled the growth in renewable generation in China to outpace rising electricity demand and helped reduce its fossil fuel generation by 2%.

India experienced slower electricity demand growth and also added significant new solar and wind capacity, meaning it too cut back on coal and gas.

In contrast, developed nations like the US, and also the EU, saw the opposite trend.

In the US, electricity demand grew faster than clean energy output, increasing reliance on fossil fuels, while in the EU, months of weak wind and hydropower performance led to a rise in coal and gas generation.

'Crucial' turning point

Despite these regional differences, Ember calls this moment a "crucial turning point".

Ember senior analyst Malgorzata Wiatros-Motyka said it "marks the beginning of a shift where clean power is keeping pace with demand growth".

Solar power delivered the lion's share of growth, meeting 83% of the increase in electricity demand. It has now been the largest source of new electricity globally for three years in a row.

Most solar generation (58%) is now in lower-income countries, many of which have seen explosive growth in recent years.

That's thanks to spectacular reductions in cost. Solar has seen prices fall a staggering 99.9% since 1975 and is now so cheap that large markets for solar can emerge in a country in the space of a single year, especially where grid electricity is expensive and unreliable, says Ember.

Pakistan, for example, imported solar panels capable of generating 17 gigawatts (GW) of solar power in 2024, double the previous year and the equivalent of roughly a third of the country's current electricity generation capacity.

Africa is also experiencing a solar boom with panel imports up 60% year on year, in the year to June. Coal-heavy South Africa led the way, while Nigeria overtook Egypt into second place with 1.7GW of solar generating capacity - that's enough to meet the electricity demand of roughly 1.8m homes in Europe.

Some smaller African nations have seen even more rapid growth with Algeria increasing imports 33-fold, Zambia eightfold and Botswana sevenfold.

In some countries the growth of solar has been so rapid it is creating unexpected challenges.

In Afghanistan, widespread use of solar-powered water pumps is lowering the water table, threatening long-term access to groundwater. A study by Dr David Mansfield and satellite data firm Alcis warns that some regions could run dry within five to ten years, endangering millions of livelihoods.

Adair Turner, chair of the UK's Energy Transitions Commission, says countries in the global "sun belt" and "wind belt" face very different energy challenges.

Sun belt nations - including much of Asia, Africa, and Latin America - need large amounts of electricity for daytime air conditioning. These countries can significantly reduce energy costs almost immediately by adopting solar-based systems, supported by increasingly affordable batteries that store energy from day to night.

Wind belt countries like the UK face tougher obstacles, however. Wind turbine costs have not come down by anything like as much as solar panels - down just a third or so in the last decade. Higher interest rates have also added to borrowing costs and raised the overall price of installing wind farms significantly in the last few years.

Balancing supply is harder too: winter wind lulls can last for weeks, requiring backup power sources that batteries alone can't provide - making the system more expensive to build and run.

But wherever you are in the world, China's overwhelming dominance in clean tech industries remains unchallenged, other new data from Ember shows.

In August 2025, its clean tech exports hit a record $20bn, driven by surging sales of electric vehicles (up 26%) and batteries (up 23%). Together, China's electric vehicles and batteries are now worth more than twice the value of its solar panel exports.

Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to get exclusive insight on the latest climate and environment news from the BBC's Climate Editor Justin Rowlatt, delivered to your inbox every week. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here.

Burbank and other US airports see delays as shutdown hits air travel

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx27z97ryr0o, today

There were delays and cancellations at the Hollywood Burbank Airport and at airports in other US cities on Monday as the government shutdown worsens an existing shortage of air traffic controllers.

Air traffic control at the southern California airport was unmanned for nearly six hours and remotely managed due to staffing shortages.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said some air traffic controllers are calling in sick as the shutdown, now in its seventh day, adds stress on workers. He estimated that staffing has at times dropped to 50% in some areas.

Air traffic controllers are considered essential workers and are expected to work without pay during government shutdowns.

Macron should call early presidential vote, his first PM says

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0rjn3l8w2o, today

Emmanuel Macron should name a prime minister to push through a budget and then call early presidential elections to solve France's political crisis, his first prime minister has said.

Édouard Philippe's comments come after France's third prime minister in a year, Sébastien Lecornu, resigned on Monday after his bid to form a government fell apart.

Macron has asked him to make a last-ditch plan for stability by the end of Wednesday - but support for the French president appears to be waning even among his allies.

Philippe, who was prime minister from 2017-20 and now leads the centrist Horizons party, said he was "not in favour of his immediate and abrupt resignation", but that it was up to the president to live up to his mandate.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Attal - who leads Macron's Renaissance party and was prime minister for six months in 2024 - went on national TV on Monday night to say he "no longer understands the decisions made by the president of the republic".

The president had tried to re-establish control three times in the past year, said Attal, and it was now time to share power with other parties: "I think we should try something else."

Until now, pressure on the 47-year-old French president to resign has come largely from his political opponents on the more radical left and hard right.

The public interventions from his allies indicate just how serious the political crisis has become.

Macron, who has been in office since 2017, was captured on video walking alone by the River Seine in Paris on Monday, followed by his bodyguards, as the latest crisis swirled around his presidency.

His entourage indicated that he would "take responsibility" if Lecornu's last-ditch talks failed, without specifiying that that would mean.

Macron's centrist bloc lost its parliamentary majority after he called a snap parliamentary election in response to a defeat in last year's European Parliament vote.

Since then, he has struggled to push through an annual budget to bring down the country's soaring public debt. France's budget deficit is projected to hit 5.4% of economic output (GDP) this year.

Last month, François Bayrou resigned after losing a confidence vote in the French parliament when he tried to push through swingeing budget cuts. Now Lecornu, his successor, has resigned after only 26 days in the job, blaming "partisan appetites" among coalition parties.

Lecornu began talks with political leaders from the centre ground on Tuesday morning, in an attempt to find a way out of the impasse. Philippe said he would take part in the talks, although Bruno Retailleau, from the right-wing Republicans, said he would only meet Lecornu one-to-one.

"It's clear we're today in the middle of a political crisis that dismays and worries our fellow citizens," Philippe told RTL radio. "This political crisis is bringing the state into decline... the authority and continuity of the state aren't being respected."

Philippe, whose Horizons party has been part of Macron's government throughout his second presidential term, rejected calls from political opponents for the president's immediate resignation - but said it was up to Macron himself to find a solution.

"[Immediate resignation] would have a terrible impact and would prevent a presidential election taking place under good conditions," he told RTL on Tuesday.

However, he argued Macron should avert the crisis by naming a prime minister who could put through a budget, guarantee the continued workings of the state, and leave in an "orderly manner".

"When you're head of state, you don't use the institutions, you serve them - and he should serve the institutions by finding a solution to this political crisis."

Macron's poll ratings have nose-dived in recent months and one survey of 1,000 French people conducted for newspaper Le Figaro suggested that 53% of them thought he should stand down.

Meanwhile, a van burst into flames on the same street as the prime minister's residence on the Rue de Varenne on Tuesday morning, in what commentators suggested was symbolic of the continuing political crisis.

One iPhone led police to gang suspected of sending up to 40,000 stolen UK phones to China

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20vlpwrzwdo, today

Police say they have dismantled an international gang suspected of smuggling up to 40,000 stolen mobile phones from the UK to China in the last year.

In what the Metropolitan Police says is the UK's largest ever operation against phone thefts, 18 suspects have been arrested and more than 2,000 stolen devices discovered.

Police believe the gang could be responsible for exporting up to half of all phones stolen in London - where most mobiles are taken in the UK.

BBC News has been given access to the operation, including details of the suspects, their methods, and to dawn raids on 28 properties in London and Hertfordshire.

The investigation was triggered after a victim traced a stolen phone last year.

"It was actually on Christmas Eve and a victim electronically tracked their stolen iPhone to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport," Detective Inspector Mark Gavin said.

"The security there was eager to help out and they found the phone was in a box, among another 894 phones."

Officers discovered almost all the phones had been stolen and in this case were being shipped to Hong Kong. Further shipments were then intercepted and officers used forensics on the packages to identify two men.

As the investigation honed in on the two men, police bodycam footage captured officers, some with Tasers drawn, carrying out a dramatic mid-road interception of a car. Inside, officers found devices wrapped in foil - an attempt by offenders to transport stolen devices undetected.

The men, both Afghan nationals in their 30s, were charged with conspiring to receive stolen goods and conspiring to conceal or remove criminal property.

When they were stopped, dozens of phones were found in their car, and about 2,000 more devices were discovered at properties linked to them. A third man, a 29-year-old Indian national, has since been charged with the same offences.

Det Insp Gavin said "finding the original shipment of phones was the starting point for an investigation that uncovered an international smuggling gang, which we believe could be responsible for exporting up to 40% of all the phones stolen in London".

Last week, officers made a further 15 arrests on suspicion of theft, handling stolen goods and conspiracy to steal.

All but one of the suspects are women, including a Bulgarian national. Some 30 devices were found during early morning raids.

The number of phones stolen in London has almost tripled in the last four years, from 28,609 in 2020, to 80,588 in 2024. Three-quarters of all the phones stolen in the UK are now taken in London.

More than 20 million people visit the capital every year and tourist hotspots such as the West End and Westminster are prolific for phone snatching and theft.

The latest data from the Office for National Statistics found that "theft from the person" has increased across England and Wales by 15% in the year ending March 2025, standing at its highest level since 2003.

A growing demand for second-hand phones, both in the UK and abroad, is believed to be a major driver behind the rise in thefts - and many victims end up never getting their devices back.

Last year, Natalie Mitchel, 29, had her phone stolen on Oxford Street, in central London. She told the BBC she now feels on edge when visiting the capital.

"It's really unnerving being here and obviously I'm not sure who is around me. I'm worried about my bag, I'm worried about my phone," she said.

"I think the Met Police should be doing a lot more - possibly setting up some more CCTV surveillance or seeing if there's any way they've got some undercover police officers just to tackle this problem.

"I think because of the number of cases and the number of people getting in touch with them, they don't have the resources and capacity to deal with all these cases."

For its part, the Metropolitan Police - which has taken to TikTok and other social media platforms with various videos of officers tackling phone snatchers in recent months - says personal robbery has been reduced by 13% and theft is down 14% in London so far this year. It says up to 80 more officers are joining the West End team to focus on crimes such as phone robbery.

The force will have to lose almost 2,000 officers, as well as cut a number of services to deal with a £260m hole in its budget over the next year.

One question dominates conversations in Gaza: 'When will the war end?'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czjvzxn0ekko, today

"In these two years, I lost so much," says Emaan al-Wahidi. She is living in a rented garage, struggling each day to find food and clean water, and has been displaced multiple times.

Her 17-year-old son Jehad was on the street in Gaza early last year when an Israeli air strike hit nearby. He died from internal bleeding two days later.

"I lost Jehad," she says. "I lost my home, which is destroyed. We lost all of the beautiful life that we lived before the war."

Social media platforms have been flooded with posts from Palestinians who, like Ms Wahidi, have been reflecting on the toll on their lives since Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 - an event that triggered a war still raging today which has torn apart the lives of Gaza's population of more than two million.

They have been sharing photos and videos of relatives killed in the war, others who managed to flee, and the ruins of homes they once lived - fragments of lives shattered by a conflict that has reshaped Gaza's modern history.

In almost every conversation in Gaza, one haunting question now echoes without a clear answer: "When will the war end?"

Despite cautious signs of progress in the ongoing indirect peace talks between Hamas and Israeli delegations in Egypt, centred on a peace plan presented by US President Donald Trump, few people dare to hope.

Many are urging Hamas to accept the deal - they are simply tired of death, displacement and hunger.

And there is a growing view that Hamas has prioritised its own survival over that of Gaza's people.

Two years on, the split is sharper than ever between Hamas loyalists who still defend the movement to the core, and a war-weary majority of Gazans who have lost patience with endless destruction and despair.

Writing on social media, activist Mohammed Diab called 7 October a "black day in our people's history".

Human rights activist Khalil Abu Shammala criticised what he described as "political hypocrisy" among some Palestinian factions.

"For 23 months of destruction, these factions have shown no real national stance - not in politics, not in relief work, not even in respecting the people's will," he said.

Most in Gaza, including me, never imagined the war would drag on for two full years.

On the morning of 7 October, I was about to drive my children to school when we saw the first rockets fired by Hamas shooting through the sky.

Soon after, I saw images on social media of Hamas fighters crossing the separation fence towards Israel.

We later learnt of the scale of the Hamas-led attack: 1,200 people had been killed and 251 others taken back to Gaza as hostages.

Within hours, Palestinians realised that Israel would launch a retaliatory campaign unlike any before.

Since then more than 67,000 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Its figures are widely accepted by the United Nations and other international bodies as being accurate.

And across the territory, more than 90% of housing units have been damaged or destroyed according to the UN.

Early in the war, Ms Wahidi was displaced with her family to the central city of Deir al-Balah and set up a temporary school to help children like her own who were missing their education.

She is proud of her oldest daughter, who was able to leave Gaza to study at Glasgow University.

During the ceasefire at the start of this year, she returned home to Gaza City only to be forced to flee once again with her three youngest children last month, as Israeli forces advanced.

Her husband stayed behind to care for his elderly parents who could not make the journey south.

"When the evening comes, the fear comes with it," she says. "Me and my three children are afraid of the air strikes. All the night we are sleeping together, holding each other, especially my smallest child who puts his head on me all night."

For Ms Wahidi, the war has felt endless.

"We expected it would be one month, two months, three months but two years it's a very long time," she says.

"Every second we look at the news to see what happened. And I'm afraid that this ceasefire will not be completed and that the war will come back to us."

Additional reporting by Yolande Knell in Jerusalem

Food firms scramble to meet the high-protein craze

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20zk35ypxno, today

Several months ago Andie started playing around with a fitness app. It recommended that she substantially increase her protein intake.

The hard part for her was doing so without also increasing calories.

"So I started trying to find high-protein alternatives to things I was already consuming," she explains.

This included yogurt, milk, coffee, cereal and pasta.

"I realized that everything tasted pretty much the same to me, and I started then actively seeking these products."

So she was excited when a Canadian restaurant chain introduced high-protein lattes earlier this year. Andie, who did not want to give her surname, drinks them without sweetener, and describes it as a "decent" product.

Is it a more expensive diet?

Living in Vancouver, Andie says prices are already quite high. "High protein is usually a couple of dollars extra, so it's not a big difference."

Like Andie, you may have noticed on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus a high-protein craze sweeping the food sector.

Surveys show consumers increasingly care about the protein content of their food.

In the US between March 2024 and March 2025, there was 4.8% volume growth in sales of products labelling themselves as protein-rich, compared to the previous year, according to research group NielsenIQ.

Milk has been one beneficiary of the protein craze.

Last year saw the first increase in milk consumption since 2009, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture.

That's partly being attributed to the enthusiasm for protein.

The so-called back-to-cow movement includes products like bovine colostrum, the protein-rich milk cows produce soon after giving birth.

The protein trend has been especially driven by the expanded availability of protein from whey, typically a by-product of cheese production. Whey protein is a billion-dollar sector that continues to grow.

While dairy is doing well, plant-based alternatives to dairy products are going through some lean times.

The sales volume of milk alternatives has started to decline, mainly driven by lower consumption in the Americas. Almond milk especially is losing market share.

Slowing sales are reflected in slowing chatter online. While US searches for "oat milk" outnumbered Google searches for "whole milk" in 2020, in 2025, that has reversed. People are searching more for various types of cow milk now than ever before.

One reason is the perceived naturalness of foods from cows, including collagen and beef tallow.

According to NielsenIQ, milk's global market value is almost eight times larger than that of milk alternatives ($69.3bn; £50.8bn, compared with $8.4bn; £6.2bn).

Milk's market value is also growing much faster.

Plant-based manufacturers are responding to the demand for high-protein drinks by mentioning protein more on their packaging, and reformulating their products to include more protein.

Nutritionists are often frustrated by the fervour over protein. They point out again and again that most residents of rich countries already consume more protein than they need.

The exceptions may be for certain groups, including the severely malnourished, the elderly, women going through menopause, and people with chronic inflammatory conditions.

Federica Amati is a research fellow at the School of Public Health at Imperial College London. She is also the head nutritionist for the nutrition company Zoe.

Dr Amati worries that "people are being hoodwinked into thinking 'high protein' on a label necessarily means that it is healthy. Honestly, it's another health halo."

While excess consumption of protein is not likely to harm most people's health, "consuming more protein than your body can use during midlife is linked to an increased risk of multiple diseases, including cancer," Dr Amati warns.

"An important point on this, though, is that plant-based sources of protein don't seem to increase cancer risk."

And because most people don't have unlimited money to spend on food, high-protein products could be an unhelpful distraction.

"The price of fresh whole foods is going up so shoppers are best off buying more whole foods, and the standard already high-whey natural Greek yogurt without the markup," Dr Amati comments. "And remember, most of us can get plenty of the protein we need if we're eating enough whole foods."

If anything should be seen as a hero nutrient, according to many nutritionists, it should be fibre rather than protein.

Dr Amati believes: "The popularity of high-protein products in general is entirely due to marketing. Manufacturers can easily [and cheaply] add extra protein to their products and whack the price up."

Businesses are responding to that demand.

At French start-up Verley a gleaming row of stainless steel tanks, called fermentors, hold special microorganisms being fed on sugars.

Eventually they'll produce beta-lactoglobulin, a protein found in whey.

The team at Verley, a French startup, will then purify the protein, including extracting the lactose.

The end result is a high-protein powder that is essentially dairy, but which Verley says is suitable for vegans as no cows are involved.

The process is both traditional and cutting-edge, believes Stéphane Mac Millan, Verley's CEO.

On the one hand, fermentation has a long history in French food culture, including in cheesemaking.

On the other hand, Verley wants to modernise dairy by honing the nutritional benefits while reducing the environmental impacts. Dairy production requires large amounts of water and land, while generating large amounts of greenhouse gases.

"A goal really is to help the dairy industry move into the 21st century," Mr Mac Millan says.

Mr Mac Millan is betting that nutrition-conscious consumers will care increasingly not only about getting enough whey protein, but about getting specific forms of it.

He says that some US consumers are now seeking out beta-lactoglobulin, which is high in the amino acid leucine, rather than non-specific whey protein.

The increasing number of people using weight-loss injections could also help drive the company's growth, Mr Mac Millan believes. People concerned about rapidly losing muscle might reach for high-protein products.

He acknowledges that Verley's protein will be more expensive than whey protein initially. "But considering that we are bringing more to the table and we are sustainable, it's normal that there is a premium."

The company is also hoping to bring costs down with greater scale. It is currently seeking regulatory approval in various countries.

Overall, when it comes to nutrition, the general public is more likely to listen to friends, families and influencers than to experts like him, acknowledges Jack Bobo, executive director of the Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

This is partly related to the aspirational nature of much fitness content on social media, particularly targeting young men. Most viewers and listeners are not elite athletes, but many are seeking to eat and drink as if they were.

One difficulty is that consumers are somewhat fickle. Soymilk is among the cheapest and highest-protein alternative milks, yet it has lost ground to the newcomers even as the protein craze has intensified.

And social media moves faster than the people making or regulating food.

For the time being, it seems to be smart business to focus on protein - whether it's truly beneficial or not.

Trump's farmer bailout raises concern about trade war 'winners and losers'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3rvy3z3rllo, today

Businesses across the US have been crying out for months about the damage inflicted by sweeping tariffs President Donald Trump imposed earlier this year.

Now one group is poised to get relief: farmers.

President Trump has said his administration is developing plans to send billions of dollars in support to farmers, especially growers of soybeans, who have been hurt as purchases from China - the world's biggest buyer of the legume - have dried up this year.

The plan is a reprise of the bailout Trump extended to farmers hit by the trade wars of his first term and reflects pressure he is facing from a key part of his voter base over the consequences of his tariff policies.

But the plans have frustrated many other kinds of businesses that have also been hurt, as the new taxes on imports raise costs for firms based in the US and alienate long-time customers overseas.

"It just seems like a blatant political move," said Justin Turbeest, a craft brewer in Hudson, Wisconsin, who shut his tap room and laid off 20 staff this summer.

He said tariffs were the final blow for his business, prompting costs to jump roughly 40%, as suppliers of everything from aluminium cans and barley to brand merchandise raised prices.

Mr Turbeest acknowledged that offering wider relief would be impractical, given the vast number of businesses affected.

But the 42-year-old said the discrepancy still stung.

"On a personal level, of course it feels unfair," he said. "The position we're in now is due not to normal economic factors. It's political costs."

'Picking winners and losers'

Alexis D'Amato, from the Small Business Majority, said her advocacy group was not opposed to relief, especially for small farms, but felt that small businesses should be included.

"We don't agree with picking winners and losers in this tariff fight," she said.

The Trump administration has said it is responding to retaliation from China, after Beijing halted purchases of American soybeans earlier this year.

But other industries, like wine and distilled spirits, have seen sharp drops in exports too.

Wine exports are down 30% this year, according to the California Wine Institute, while exports of distilled spirits to Canada have dropped 85% this year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

Canada recently lifted most of the tariffs it had placed on US goods, but American alcohol remains banned from the shelves in several Canadian provinces.

Distilled Spirits Council president Chris Swonger said he understood the need to provide farmers with relief.

But he added: "Our industry should be included in those considerations."

Scott Breen, president of the Can Manufacturers Institute, said his organisation was pushing the administration to include an exemption for tin plate steel - the metal used for food cans - as part of a farmer relief package, warning that otherwise costs of cans will jump, with ripple effects for farmers.

"One of the best, most direct ways to help them is to give this targeted relief," he said.

But outside of promising a relief package for farmers, and agreeing to exempt big companies promising investments in the US from tariffs, the Trump administration has shown little concern about the risks of its approach to trade.

Asked by NBC News in May about the possibility of relief for small businesses Trump said: "They're not going to need it."

And in recent weeks, he has continued to expand the measures, despite polls indicating relatively limited public support.

During Trump's first term, China and other trade partners explicitly targeted exports from farmers in an effort to raise political pressure on the president.

But subsequent academic analyses found mixed evidence for the strategy.

While some researchers linked China's moves to losses by Republicans in the 2018 midterms, others found that bailout payments appeared to help shore up support in farming areas.

Brad Smith, a crop farmer in northwest Illinois, said he welcomed the prospect of relief, after China stopped buying US soybeans in May.

That demand drop led to the price of soybeans sinking to around $10 per bushel, not enough for farmers to break even.

Instead of selling at a loss, Mr Smith is filling his grain storage bins, in the hopes of better prices come spring.

"If you're swimming in red ink, an infusion of cash helps stem the tide," he said of the bailout.

How much will the farmer bailout help?

Chris Barrett, an economics professor at Cornell University, said farmers had been "clobbered" by the shifts in trade this year.

But he said he still expected the decision to grant farmers relief to stoke debate, given the agricultural community's overwhelming political support for Trump and other demands on government funds.

He also noted that US farmers, overall, are no longer poorer than the non-farm population. And during Trump's first term, research showed that the $28bn bailout in payments for farmers flowed disproportionately to the biggest farms.

"Should we be bailing out those who voted for this, especially if they're already better off than the average American, and if the bailout funds will be concentrated among the wealthiest of this group?" Prof Barrett asked.

Megan Wyatt is the owner of a toy shop in Granite Bay, California, which gets roughly 80% of its products from China. The tariffs mean her costs are 10-15% higher on average this year.

She has not raised prices to fully offset the new expenses, making her concerned about her ability to retain her six employees.

"I'm not upset that other people are getting bailed out," she said. "I just wish that none of us were in this situation, and I think that we could very easily not be."

Even in farm country, the bailout is seen as a mixed bag.

Mark Legan, a livestock corn and soybean farmer in Putnam County, Indiana, called the expected government money a "band-aid" that would not address falling crop prices and rising costs for equipment, land and labour.

"I'm not going to fall on the sword and not take the government money," he said. "But it's not going to solve the problem."

Why is Trump trying to deploy the National Guard to US cities?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy9z7yg2n7o, today

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has sparked controversy over and over with his use of the National Guard - primarily state-based troops that typically respond to issues like natural disasters or large protests.

But Trump has sought to use them very differently: deployments to major US cities where residents protest his political agenda, particularly immigration policy.

Trump argues the National Guard is necessary to quell violence in Democratic-controlled cities, support his deportation initiatives, and crack down on crime. But some former military officials, several Democratic governors, and federal judges have expressed concern that this is a major overreach and risks politicising the military.

The latest clash occurred in early October when Trump tried to send National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, where protesters rallied outside a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building to protest its immigration enforcement tactics. A judge has temporarily blocked the move and the case is ongoing.

What is the National Guard and who oversees it?

All 50 US states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands have their own contingent of National Guard troops. Those troops also can be deployed abroad, and some units specialise in fighting wildfires or securing the US border.

Though the National Guard ultimately reports to the Department of War, and the president can federalise troops in certain circumstances, requests for National Guard support typically start at the local level.

The governor of a state makes the call to activate National Guard troops during an emergency, and can request additional help from the president or other states.

National Guard troops have limited power, however. They do not enforce the law, or make arrests, seizures, or searches. And a law called the Posse Comitatus Act limits the power of the federal government to use military force for domestic matters.

What legal basis does Trump use to deploy the National Guard?

A little-known provision of US military law governs the president's authority to deploy the National Guard on his own. But up until now, presidents rarely used it.

10 US Code § 12406 allows the president to call National Guard troops from any state into service if the US is "invaded or is in danger of invasion by a foreign nation," or "there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion" against the US government.

Trump invoked this law to federalise 2,000 National Guard troops in June in order to support ICE missions.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also cited the law in a memo deploying 200 members of the Oregon National Guard into federal service on 28 September.

"We're very confident in the president's legal authority to do this," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on 6 October. "And we're very confident we will win on the merits of the law."

How is Trump trying to use the National Guard in cities?

Trump has tried to circumvent the normal process for deploying the National Guard several times now.

In June, he took control of the California National Guard to respond to protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles, even though California Governor Gavin Newsom objected. California filed two lawsuits against the Trump administration. One lawsuit challenged Trump's seizure of the National Guard, but an appeals court ultimately ruled in favour of the president. In a second lawsuit, a federal judge found that Trump's use of the National Guard troops in Los Angeles violated the Posse Comitatus Act.

This summer, hundreds of National Guard troops arrived in Washington, DC because of what he called a "situation of complete and total lawlessness." Trump cited homelessness and crime rates as justification.

Trump has now authorised the deployment of 300 National Guard to Chicago following immigration protests, particularly outside detention facilities. Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, alleged Trump is trying to "manufacture a crisis" and has filed a lawsuit.

And this week, Trump attempted to deploy the National Guard to Portland, Oregon, before a federal judge temporarily blocked the action late Sunday night.

Why does Trump want to use the National Guard in Portland?

Trump is again seeking to use the National Guard to respond to demonstrations, after protests near an ICE building in Portland over the weekend.

Federal officers, including with the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Patrol agency, clashed with demonstrators who opposed Trump's mass deportation initiative.

The Portland Police Bureau said it arrested two people on 4 October who engaged "in aggressive behaviour toward each other in the street" and refused to follow orders. One person was in possession of bear spray and a collapsable baton.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that federal law enforcement fired tear gas and smoke canisters to break up the protest and made several arrests.

Trump has claimed the city is "burning down," but Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, a Democrat, said "there is no insurrection in Portland, no threat to national security."

The Trump administration has moved to send 200 California National Guard troops to neighboring Oregon to respond to the protests.

But US District Judge Karin Immergut, who Trump appointed during his first term, has temporarily blocked his action in a pair of back-to-back rulings.

On Saturday, Judge Immergut blocked Trump from federalising the Oregon National Guard. "This is a nation of constitutional law, not martial law," she wrote in her ruling.

The next day, she issued a temporary restraining order against him deploying California's National Guard in Portland instead.

The Trump administration is expected to appeal.

MrBeast: AI means it's 'scary times' for YouTube creators

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2zmm0ry67o, today

The world's biggest YouTuber, MrBeast, says the rapid advance of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is "scary" for the "millions of creators currently making content for a living".

AI tools that can create fully-formed videos from simple text prompts by users have made rapid advances in recent years.

The most recent of these, OpenAI's Sora - which was released last week - has attracted scrutiny for the ease with which people can reproduce copyrighted characters and material.

On social media, MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, asked what would happen to people like him "when AI videos are just as good as normal videos".

Fears about the impact AI will have on the jobs market are widespread - but particularly acute in the creative industries.

In the film and video game industries, there has been extensive industrial action over the use of AI.

Those concerns were recently reignited over a headline-making AI actor.

However, AI is also being widely used in the same sectors.

For example, YouTube offers the use of generative AI for content creators, including generating videos through Google's Veo tool.

AI can also be used to auto-generate subtitles or to hone ideas and scripts.

Some YouTube videos are fully AI-generated - for example long videos which people might put on to help them go to sleep, says Lars Erik Holmquist, professor of design and innovation at Nottingham Trent University.

However, "the general trend of what we're looking at AI as a tool [is] it makes creativity so much cheaper," he says.

"I think the people that win in the short term will be just those who use it to create really good content," he adds.

For creators like MrBeast, it is unlikely that he will be replaced by AI-generated videos.

"His whole idea is to make people do uncomfortable or dangerous things for money - and if it wasn't real, nobody would watch it," says Prof Holmquist.

But, given his huge profile, interrupting his usual feed on X - usually promoting his videos - to speak about this is significant.

Where AI could be useful to creators like MrBeast is behind the scenes, such as in production or graphics.

In fact, he tried that earlier this year - but faced a backlash from other creators when he released an AI tool which generated thumbnails for videos.

But other prominent YouTubers pointed out the controversy around what generative AI is trained on - with some arguing it steals copyrighted material without paying the creators.

MrBeast removed the tools from his analytics platform and instead provided links to human designers.

Veo, Google's AI video generator, is trained on a subset of YouTube videos - though it is not known how many, and whether MrBeast's videos are included in the training data.

Emma Watson, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie in the spotlight at Paris Fashion Week

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewn99l7vj1o, today

Famous faces have flocked to Paris Fashion Week, which is continuing with big designers such as Chanel and Miu Miu showcasing their wares for the glitterati.

It was a major moment for Chanel designer Matthieu Blazy, debuting his first collection for the fashion powerhouse.

Harry Potter star Emma Watson was there, along with Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, who appeared almost a week after she filed for divorce from musician Keith Urban.

Celebrities posed in a room filled with giant planet-like sculptures, some of which hung from the ceiling, lighting up the catwalk.

Watson, who recently hit headlines after a public spat with Potter author JK Rowling, sparked rumours she was engaged by wearing a sparkling ring on her wedding finger.

Kidman was accompanied by daughters Sunday Rose and Faith and her niece Lucia. Model Sunday Rose walked the runway for Dior last week.

Perhaps wisely, Blazy didn't stray too far from Chanel's classic look with his first collection, which was marked by stylish tweaks to the fashion giant's blouses, suits and tweeds.

Kidman's Australian compatriot and fellow actress Margot Robbie took time to pose in front of the catwalk, wearing a loose black quilted bomber jacket over a black bralette top, paired with wide-leg black trousers.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell looked the epitome of chic in a monochrome outfit, paired with oversized sunglasses that only an A-lister can get away with. Many attendees stuck to a black and white theme, a classic colour combination that was favoured by Coco Chanel herself and also featured on Monday's runway.

Actress Tilda Swinton sported a similar look but opted for a black long-sleeved top with a chunky necklace.

Another Hollywood star in town was The Fantastic Four's Pedro Pascal, who kept it simple with a navy jumper, black trousers and roomy man bag (plus the obligatory indoor sunnies).

Elvis and Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann sat with Vogue/Conde Naste executive Dame Anna Wintour on the front row, with the pair sticking to the black and white dress code.

Demi Lovato, attending the Coperni Womenswear show, seemed inspired by the 1980s gymnastic aesthetic, although we wouldn't want to attempt a beam routine in those pointed heels.

The Bear star Ayo Edebiri joined fellow TV star and I May Destroy You creator Michaela Coel.

Over at the Thom Browne show earlier in the day, things took a supernatural turn with the appearance of an alien outdoors.

Meanwhile at Miu Miu, there was an apron theme going on - yes, you heard that right. Have a butcher's at Richard E Grant on the catwalk (again, yes, you heard that right).

Watson departed with a wave, in a quick getaway following the Miu Miu show.

North Korean hackers stealing record sums, researchers say

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy8z7wxe03o, today

Hackers linked to the North Korean regime have so far stolen more than $2bn (£1.49bn) according to researchers who say 2025 is a record-breaking year for the country's cyber criminals.

The thefts now account for around 13% of the secretive country's gross domestic product (GDP), according to United Nations' estimates.

Western security agencies say these funds are used to finance North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile development programs.

For the last few years operatives from hacking teams like Lazarus Group have focussed on attacking cryptocurrency companies for large thefts of digital tokens.

The worst of these attacks came in February this year when hackers swiped $1.4bn from crypto exchange ByBit.

But the new research from investigators at research firm Elliptic warns the cyber-criminals are also increasingly targeting individuals who hold large amounts of crypto.

High net worth individuals have become increasingly attractive targets as they often lack the security measures employed by businesses, researchers warn.

Dr Tom Robinson, chief scientist at Elliptic, says the targeting of individuals - which is less likely to be disclosed - means the true figure for hacks carried out by North Korea could be even higher.

"Other thefts are likely unreported and remain unknown as attributing cyber thefts to North Korea is not an exact science."

"We are aware of many other thefts that share some of the hallmarks of North Korea-linked activity but lack sufficient evidence to be definitively attributed," he says.

North Korea's UK embassy was approached for comment but did not immediately respond. Previously the regime has denied any involvement in hacks.

Elliptic and other companies like Chainalysis are able to track the movement of stolen funds like Bitcoin and Ethereum by following the public list of transactions on the blockchain.

Over the years researchers have noticed patterns in methods and tools favoured by North Korean hackers.

Elliptic estimates that 2025's bumper year so far takes the cumulative known value of cryptoassets stolen by the regime to more than $6 billion.

As well as the ByBit hack in February, Elliptic analysts have attributed more than 30 other attacks to North Korea so far this year.

An attack on WOO X in July that saw $14 million stolen from 9 users.

Another case led to $1.2m of digital coins stolen from Seedify.

This year's activity dwarfs the regime's previous record set in 2022 when it is accused of stealing $1.35 billion in total.

As well as a prolific cyber crime team, the regime is increasingly being accused of operating an elaborate fake IT workers programme to bring in additional money and skirt international sanctions.

'Fatberg' weighing 100 tonnes removed from sewer

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3vz43970z5o, yesterday

A blockage estimated to be around 100 tonnes has been cleared from a west London sewer.

Thames Water said a specialist team took more than a month to remove the so-called "fatberg" that was more than 10 metres (32ft) below street level in Feltham.

The solid mass weighed as much as eight double-decker buses and consisted mainly of wet wipes held together by fat, oil and grease.

The waste was then craned into skips and taken to landfill, the utility firm added.

The team had to access the sewer through a large manhole chamber, equipped with gas monitors for safety, before blasting, chiselling and sucking out the blockage along 125 metres (410ft) of pipes to extract it.

Alexander Dudfield, engagement lead for network protection at Thames Water, said: "The clearance of this fatberg was hugely complex for our team of engineers and shows some of the challenges we face.

"But while some blockages in our biggest sewers can weigh as much as 25 elephants, we must not forget most blockages occur in local pipes - often narrower than a mobile phone and usually caused by a few households.

"When these pipes get blocked, we can't simply switch off the sewage. It backs up and must come out somewhere, whether that's roads, rivers or even people's homes. The consequences can be devastating."

It comes weeks after the Port of London Authority, local environment group Thames21 and Thames Water collaborated to remove a bank of wet wipes that had settled and congealed into sludge on a curve of the River Thames by Hammersmith Bridge in west London.

The utility company continues to call on members of the public to avoid flushing wet wipes and waste other than toilet paper.

Wet wipes are often the cause of blockages across Thames Water's sewer network, with the company saying it clears 75,000 blockages a year, often caused by wipes, and removes some 3.8 million annually in operations that cost £18m.

So far this year, Thames Water said it has cleared 28,899 rag blockages, which were primarily made up of wet wipes, 14,810 fat, oil and grease blockages and 686 third party blockages, made up of concrete and other sewer-blocking materials.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk

Thieves snatch Bronze Age gold in four-minute museum heist

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9zxdpwn73o, today

Thieves have stolen "significant" gold Bronze Age artefacts from a popular Welsh museum in a targeted "four-minute" heist, fleeing as a police helicopter swooped in overhead.

CCTV captured the pair smashing their way into St Fagans National Museum of History on the edge of Cardiff early on Monday, with police alerted at 00:30 BST.

"We believe they entirely knew what they were after, they were so focused," said Jane Richardson, chief executive of National Museum Wales, describing footage of the break-in as "emotional to watch".

"It feels like someone has stolen from the family of Wales," said Ms Richardson. Neither the police or the museum can currently confirm details of the stolen items.

Police helicopter

South Wales Police said a helicopter was at the scene five minutes after they were called by onsite security staff.

"They knew exactly where they were going," Ms Richardson told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"They didn't look left or right," she said.

"It looks like they've been scoping out in advance and that they had come for specific items.

The authorities have so far not specified which items were taken, or their value. The museum's Bronze age collection includes gold ingots, bracelets, and a lunula necklace.

"These items they took are very special and they didn't bother trying to take anything else," said Ms Richardson.

"Unfortunately, they were so organised that they got away before the police were able to apprehend them."

Det Insp Chambers urged members of the public to come forward with any information, stressing "no matter how small, [it] may be relevant to the investigation".

Founded in 1948, St Fagans is one of Wales' most popular heritage attractions - and is one of seven national museums under the curation of Amgueddfa Cymru.

"It's been very upsetting for us all. We're absolutely devastated," said Ms Richardson.

"These items don't belong to us at the museum, they belong to the people of Wales. The Amgueddfa is a family which everyone in Wales belongs to, and it feels like the family of Wales has been attacked.

Bronze Age treasures

Ms Richardson expressed relief that security guards at the museum were safe and unharmed.

"It could have been very, very dangerous.

"We always take security and safety very seriously - we have very strong protocols in place," she said, adding the museum robbery was part of an unwelcome trend "around the world".

"These are very significant items for the stories of Wales," said Ms Richardson, of the stolen Bronze Age gold.

"Any value would be meaningless because you can't recreate that level of history. You can't put a price on it. They cannot be replaced they are so special.

"But ultimately - these items - we want people to share them, to see them, to learn from them, and to do that you have to put them on display.

"Even with the top-notch specially designed cases we have at St Fagans, nothing can ever be totally secure."

The museum remains open to the public and will be hosting a museums' conference over the next two days, although the main building, the café and the indoor galleries are currently closed.

What is St Fagans museum?

St Fagans National Museum of History, located in a village in the leafy outskirts of Cardiff, is one the city's most-visited attractions.

It has re-erected more than 40 buildings representing different eras of Welsh history.

The most recent addition is the Vulcan Hotel pub, which previously stood on Adam Street in Cardiff for 170 years before being moved, brick by brick, and reassembled at St Fagans.

The museum's main building houses exhibits and artefacts from the past.

This building, where the robbery took place, was redeveloped in a £30m overhaul in 2018, adding three new galleries and helping the museum clinch the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year award in 2019.

Speaking at the time, the chair of the judges, called the museum "a truly democratic museum" that "lives and breathes the culture, history and identity of Wales".

'Draw attention'

Frank Olding, archaeologist and a former museum curator at Abergavenny Museum, called the burglary "puzzling" suggesting there was "no way that the objects could be passed on or sold to anyone."

"Any dealer or anyone with any interest in history or the Bronze Age would know immediately what these objects were, and that would of course draw attention to the thieves as well," he told BBC Wales.

"It's very difficult to see how they could be passed on, and how could they be of any value to the people who have stolen them.

"The worst thing that could happen is that they were melted down for the value of the gold. Then they are lost forever to us, and the information they give us about our past would be destroyed forever.

"That really would be a tragedy."

Heledd Fychan, Plaid Cymru MS for South Wales Central, said: "I am extremely concerned for the nations collections that have been taken in this way.

"We need assurances that the rest of the collections across the nation are safe", she said, adding she would seek reassurance that cuts to culture funding "have not contributed in any way to the situation".

What do local people and visitors think?

Local publican Adam Ackerman, 34, called the events surrounding the break-in "unusual" and "concerning".

"We are being more vigilant at the moment," he said

"There are so many visitors from all over the world, and so many entrances and low walls. It's easy to scout around."

One visitor Mourag Law, 75, from the Cyncoed area of the city, suggested the burglary was a sign of wider problems.

"This is a reflection of a broken country and it seems to have been stolen to order," she said.

"St Fagans works hard to preserve the past, and this very much deserves to be protected."

Sady Hurley lives close to the site, and has been visiting since she was young.

"I'm absolutely horrified and disgusted.

"This is our heritage, and some hooligan is prepared to ruin it.

"I'm beyond words."

Albanian judge shot dead in court by man on trial

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx25zvy78ldo, today

A judge in Albania has been shot dead after a man opened fire during a trial at the Court of Appeal in the capital Tirana.

Judge Astrit Kalaja died en route to hospital, officials said, while two others involved in the hearing over a property dispute - a father and son - were shot but sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.

Police said they had arrested a 30-year-old male suspect who they identified by the initials "E Sh", but Albanian media have named as Elvis Shkëmbi.

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama offered his condolences to Judge Kalaja's family, adding: "The criminal aggression against the judge undoubtedly requires the most extreme legal response toward the aggressor."

He also called for stricter security within the country's courts and harsher punishments for the illegal possession of weapons.

Sali Berisha, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, said Judge Kalaja's murder was the first time in 35 years a judge had been killed "while doing his duty", adding: "Today is the day for a deep reflection by all Albanian society."

The suspect in Judge Kalaja's killing had opened fire because he expected to lose the case, according to local media reports.

Mr Shkëmbi's uncle and the court's security guard have also reportedly been arrested over the shooting.

Firearm attacks on judges in the courtroom are rare but they do happen. A decade ago, a judge in Milan's Palace of Justice was shot and killed by a man on trial in a bankruptcy case.

The gunman also killed a lawyer and his co-defendent before escaping, but was later arrested.

Judge Kalaja was a lawyer for more than 30 years. He initially worked in a district court before being appointed to Tirana's Court of Appeal in 2019.

Taylor Swift denies turning down Super Bowl half-time show

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly140x3dlgo, today

It's a performance millions of Taylor Swift fans hoped they could look forward to in 2026.

But the US superstar has denied rejecting an offer to play the Super Bowl half-time show in California in February.

There was speculation she had turned down the prestigious slot during American football's showcase event in a dispute over ownership of the performance footage.

Asked by The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon on NBC whether it was true, she replied "no" before detailing what stage conversations had reached.

No 'official offer'

Taylor said rapper Jay-Z, whose company Roc Nation produces the half-time show, "has always been very good to me".

"Our teams are really close," she said. "They sometimes will call and say 'how does she feel about the Super Bowl?'

"That's not an official offer or a conference room conversation.

"It's just 'how does she feel about it in general?'"

Fans had speculated that Taylor would perform at the event after the release of her new album, The Life of a Showgirl.

But, in September, Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny was confirmed as Super Bowl LX's act.

Taylor has become closely linked to American Football and is often seen supporting her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce, from the stands.

He has played in the blockbuster match-up three times, with his team's most recent win in 2024.

Taylor has never played the Super Bowl half-time show, but A-list names including Kendrick Lamar, Usher and Rihanna have done so in recent years.

But The Fate of Ophelia singer says she can't imagine planning a performance at a game her fiance is simultaneously trying to win.

'He would love for me to do it'

"We're always able to tell him (Jay Z) the truth which is that I am in love with a guy who does that sport on that actual field," she told Jimmy Fallon.

"The whole season, I am locked in on what that man is doing on the field."

"Can you imagine if he's out there, every single week, doing this very dangerous, very high-pressure, high-intensity sport and I'm like: 'I wonder what my choreography should be?'"

"This is nothing to do with Travis. He would love for me to do it.

"I am just too locked in."

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.

Canada Post is on strike. What this means for your mail

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz08e81dmr9o, yesterday

Postal deliveries in Canada have ground to halt as thousands of postal workers across the country walked off the job.

The nationwide strike comes after the Canadian government authorised widespread reforms to Canada Post that would shut some post offices and end door-to-door delivery.

The Canadian postal service - like the UK's Royal Mail and the United States Postal Service - has seen precipitous declines in letter mail delivery over the past decades and subsequent financial shortfalls.

The strike by the postal workers union also comes amid an ongoing dispute over pay and benefits that resulted in a weeks-long walkout late last year.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has said "significant changes" are necessary at Canada Post to make it "viable".

Here's what to know.

How will this affect mail delivery?

The nationwide strike began on 25 September and Canada Post said operations are shut down during the strike, leaving mail and parcels undelivered for millions of Canadians.

The postal service is also not offering service guarantees for items that were already in the network when the strike was called and is currently not accepting new items.

Government social security cheques will continue to be delivered, however.

Passport applications will still be processed and residents can request the document be available for in-person pick up if necessary.

Why is there a strike?

Postal workers walked off the job to protest what the union described as "huge" service cutbacks announced by the federal government, saying they could result in major job losses.

The strike was launched just hours after the federal government announced it was authorising significant changes at Canada Post, which is a Crown corporation - a government-owned organisation that operates at arm's length from the state and is structured like a private firm.

The new measures include ending door-to-door mail delivery to about four million homes, where they will be replaced by alternatives like community mailboxes; allowing non-urgent letter mail to be moved by ground instead of air and reducing the number of delivery days; shuttering some post offices that were in areas once rural; and giving the service more flexibility to raise prices.

Some would be phased in over the course of almost a decade.

The postal workers' union, CUPW, called the announcement a "direct assault on our public post office, the public's right to participate in political processes, and good, unionised jobs across the country".

Canada Post, meanwhile, warned the strike "will further deteriorate Canada Post's financial situation".

This comes on the heels of a strike by postal workers last November over pay and working conditions.

In December, ahead of the busy holiday season, the Canadian government ordered the postal workers back to work.

But those issues remain unresolved and negotiations between the union and the postal service are ongoing.

When will the strike end?

That's unclear.

On 3 October, Canada Post presented its new offer to CUPW, which included wage increases but also sought to cut a sign-on bonus and to reduce the size of the workforce, at first through attrition.

The union called it a "major step backwards".

"Virtually everything from their May offers remains the same, but there are some new rollbacks including the removal of job security, a workforce adjustment zone of 60km for restructure, and straight job cuts," the union said in a statement.

The union and the postal service have spent nearly two years unsuccessfully bargaining for a new agreement.

On 29 September, Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu told The Canadian Press news service she hadn't ruled out federal intervention to end this strike, but urged Canada Post to quickly table a new offer to the union.

The November 2024 strike lasted just over a month - 32 days - before the federal government legislated Canada Post employees back to work.

What this means for Canada Post

The sweeping measures to "stabilise" the postal service announced by Ottawa follow years of financial losses sustained by Canada Post, which faces reduced demand and fierce competition from private parcel delivery services.

A review of the situation at Canada Post commissioned by Ottawa in 2024 found that the postal service "is facing an existential crisis" and is "effectively insolvent, or bankrupt".

It's three primary revenue streams - letter mail, direct-marketing mail and parcel mail - are all in decline, either through lack of demand or through stiff competition from other courier services.

Twenty years ago, Canada Post delivered 5.5 billion letters. By 2023, that number dropped to 2.2 billion. Since 2019, its share of the parcel delivery market has also dropped from 62% to 24%.

Canada Post lost C$1bn ($717; £535m) last year and is on track to lose C$1.5bn this year, according to federal Procurement Minister Joel Lightbound.

In the second quarter of this year, it lost $407m.

In January, Ottawa loaned the corporation $1bn to help it continue operating.

CUPW has proposed the postal service explore other revenue streams, including offering banking and insurance services - a market already "well served" in Canada, according to the postal service review - and expanding into providing passport and other government services.

For its part, Canada Post has said it needs to focus efforts on core services, such as expanding parcel delivery from five to seven days a week.

This is not the first time reforms to the postal service have been put forward.

The Conservative government was moving ahead with ending door-to-door deliveries amid public opposition, but that change was paused when former Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came to power in 2015.

Female worker's dignity 'may have been violated' in toilet incident

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czrpx088r2eo, 4 days ago

An engineer's dignity would have been "violated" if she had to wash menstrual blood off her hands in a female bathroom while a transgender colleague was present, an employment tribunal has heard.

Maria Kelly is taking action against aerospace firm Leonardo UK alleging harassment and direct and indirect discrimination at their office in Edinburgh in March 2023.

The firm's vice-president of people shared services, Andrew Letton, gave evidence to the hearing.

He said he was not aware of that specific incident, but agreed it would have been "distressing" for Ms Kelly if it occurred.

Ms Kelly, people and capability lead at the company, told the tribunal on Wednesday she suffered from heavy periods and considered female-only toilets a place of refuge.

She said she had been walking out of the toilet in March 2023 when a transgender colleague had walked in, leaving her "taken aback".

Asked about the incident, Mr Letton said he was not aware of the situation and could not comment.

Ms Kelly's lawyer asked him whether he would accept it would be a violation of Ms Kelly's dignity "if it had happened".

Mr Letton said it would.

The tribunal also heard that Ms Kelly had a choice of either using the toilets nearest to her desk, walking through an atrium to toilets with more privacy or using the accessible toilet.

Mr Letton said he did not think this constituted a violation of her dignity because of the choice of facilities available.

Mr Letton did agree there were no "suitable" single occupancy toilets for Ms Kelly to use on the floor where she worked unless she used the accessible toilet, as other facilities were all shared.

'Nothing but sympathetic'

The tribunal heard the ladies' toilets were "rebadged" as a WC in January 2025 while no change was made to the men's facilities.

Mr Letton said this was because the men's toilets "still had urinals" in them.

He said he first became aware of a transgender person using a female bathroom at the office around the time of Ms Kelly's complaint.

Mr Letton said the company had been "nothing but sympathetic" towards Ms Kelly's grievance and described her as a "valuable employee".

The tribunal in Edinburgh continues and further dates for submissions from each party are expected to be agreed in the coming weeks.

Chinese EV giant BYD sees UK sales soar by 880%

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3w5jl2jgqwo, today

Chinese car making giant BYD says the UK has become its biggest market outside China, after its sales there surged by 880% in September compared to a year earlier.

The company says it sold 11,271 cars in the UK last month, with the plug-in hybrid version of its Seal U sports utility vehicle (SUV) accounting for the majority of those sales.

It comes after figures from the car industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that sales of electric vehicles (EVs) jumped to a record high in September.

The UK is particularly attractive to firms like BYD as the country has not imposed tariffs on Chinese EVs, unlike other major markets such as the European Union and the US.

BYD, which offers cheaper models than many of its Western rivals, said its share of the UK market jumped to 3.6% in September.

The company will launch more new hybrid and electric cars in the months ahead, said the BYD's UK manager Bono Ge. He added that the brand's future in Britain looks "hugely exciting", having just opened its 100th retail outlet.

UK EV sales hit a record high last month, with sales of pure battery electric vehicles rising to almost 73,000, according to the SMMT.

Sales of plug-in hybrid cars grew even faster, it said.

The Kia Sportage, Ford Puma and Nissan Qashqai were the best-selling cars in September. Chinese models - the Jaecoo 7 and BYD Seal U - were also in the top 10.

But despite the surge in overall EV sales in the UK, petrol and diesel vehicles still made up more than half of new car sales last month, according to the SMMT.

In October last year, the EU announced it would hit imports of Chinese EVs with levies of up to 45%.

The measure is aimed to protect European car makers from being undermined by what the EU believes are unfair Chinese-state subsidies.

Chinese car makers like BYD have been effectively shut out of the US by high tariffs, which were backed by both President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden.

EU steel tariff hike threatens 'biggest ever crisis' for UK industry

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy875px79po, today

The EU has announced plans to hike tariffs on imported steel in a move the UK's steel industry has said could be "perhaps the biggest crisis" it has ever faced.

The commission has set out plans to cut the amount of steel that can be imported into the bloc by half - beyond which the new 50% tariffs will apply.

The EU is the UK's most important export destination for steel, worth nearly £3bn and representing 78% of steel products made in the UK for overseas markets.

The commission has come under pressure from some member states and their steel industries, who have been struggling to compete with cheap imports from countries like China and Turkey.

The EU is proposing to reduce tariff-free quotas for imports to 18.3 million tonnes a year – a 47% reduction from 2024 levels.

The new measures will come into force early next year, but will first need to be approved by the majority of EU member states and the European Parliament.

"We have global over capacity, unfair competition, state aid, and undercutting in prices and we are reacting to that", Stéphane Séjourné, the European Commission's executive vice president for prosperity and industrial strategy.

"Eighteen thousand jobs were lost in the steel sector in 2024. That's too many, and we had to put a stop to that", he told a news conference at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The announcement is another blow to the UK steel industry, after a proposed deal to eliminate tariffs on UK steel exports to the US was put on hold indefinitely in September.

Speaking on his way to India on Tuesday, the prime minister said there was "strong support" from the government for the British steel industry, which could be severely impacted by EU tariffs.

"I'll be able to tell you more in due course, but we are in discussions as you'd expect", Sir Keir Starmer said, refusing to go into the details of any discussion, including whether the UK was seeking exemptions.

Responding to the announcement, the director general of UK Steel, Gareth Stace, said the government "must go all out to leverage our trading relationship with the European Union to secure UK country quotas or potentially face disaster".

He also cautioned now against the EU's measures "redirecting millions of tonnes of steel towards the UK", something which could be "terminal for many of our remaining steel companies".

The Community Union, representing UK steelworkers, called the measures an "existential threat" to the industry.

In a statement, the Department for Business said it was "pushing the European Commission for urgent clarification of the impact of this move on the UK".

"It's vital we protect trade flows between the UK and EU and we will work with our closest allies to address global challenges rather than adding to our industries' woes", Industry Minister Chris McDonald said.

"This government has shown its commitment to our steel industry by securing preferential access to the US market for our exporters, and we continue to explore stronger trade measures to protect UK steel producers from unfair behaviours."

The government said the industry minister will meet steel representatives on Thursday to discuss their concerns.

The indigenous weavers who aim for empowerment over exploitation

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62lnkvmn12o, yesterday

For every handwoven bag she sells on the palm-lined promenade of Riohacha, a city on Colombia's Caribbean coast, Sandra Aguilar feels that she's sharing a piece of her heritage.

Once used exclusively by the Wayuu, the largest indigenous group in the South American country, the bags - known as mochilas - are now a staple across Colombia, and popular with foreign tourists.

But these days the bags are also increasingly sold in global boutiques, featured at fashion events around the world, and listed on platforms like Etsy, Amazon, and Instagram - reaching buyers who may never have set foot in Colombia.

"Thanks to online posts, international visitors are becoming very knowledgeable about the mochila," Ms Aguilar says. "They recognise and appreciate its ancestral value."

Weaving has long been central to the Wayuu people, who number around 380,000 in Colombia. They have lived for centuries on the semi-arid peninsula of La Guajira in the northeast of the country, and extend into neighbouring Venezuela.

Techniques are passed down through generations, with geometric patterns on many mochilas reflecting clan identity, spirituality, and the natural world.

Weaving is also a vital source of income in La Guajira, Colombia's second-poorest province, where two-thirds of the population live in poverty.

For Ms Aguilar, both domestic mochila sales and exports have improved conditions in her rural Wayuu community of 11 families, and enabled her daughter and niece to attend university.

But while the growing global demand has improved opportunities for some, it has also brought challenges. Many artisans face exploitation, and there are concerns that traditional craftsmanship is being sacrificed for speed and commercial gain.

Some Wayuu women - supported by socially-conscious entrepreneurs - are working to access fairer export markets and promote the mochila's cultural value.

Prices for Wayuu mochilas vary considerably. A medium-sized lower quality bag - made with simpler designs and weaving techniques - can be found across Colombia for around $20 (£15) - sometimes less.

Higher-end bags typically start at around $80 and can rise to several hundred pounds, depending on the weaving time, complexity of the design.

Traditionally, mochilas were crafted over weeks, but rising demand led many weavers to develop faster techniques, producing simpler designs in two or three days.

For Colombian entrepreneur Laura Chica, compliments on the Wayuu bag she was using during a trip to Europe sparked a business idea. She founded mochila company Chila Bags back in 2013. "Instagram was just starting, and the brand began to take off," she says.

Ms Chica says she focuses on high-quality bags incorporating traditional patterns and elements. The bags reflect the artisans' skills, time, and heritage, for which they receive a fair wage, she says.

Her brand has been featured in magazines, such as Vogue China, and showcased at international fashion weeks and high-end retail spaces from Hawaii to London, Paris and Shanghai.

But does she think the flourishing popularity of mochilas has been beneficial for the Wayuu? For Ms Chica, that very much depends on which market you look at. She says two have developed.

"There are brands, and those interested in the story behind how the bag is made, that want to keep sharing it with the world," she says. She adds that these provide a market for customers who value indigenous arts, sustainability and fair trade, and are willing to pay more.

But not all weavers have been able to access ways to work with such companies that pay decent prices, says Ms Chica. Instead she says that that many have to rely on a parallel market where quick production, sales and profits are prioritised, which undermines pay and the quality of the work.

In Riohacha's Mercado Nuevo - a maze-like market bursting with colourful stalls selling yarn, chinchorros (traditional Wayuu hammocks) and mochilas - a group of women crouches on the concrete floor, weaving.

They explain that intermediaries, or middlemen, may offer them as little as $5.50 per bag, but after paying for thread and transport, they often earn as little as $1.50 - excluding the time spent weaving.

Many such Wayuu weavers come from rural, isolated communities where only Wayuunaiki - the Wayuu language - is spoken. This makes it difficult for them to access a broader customer base and navigate economic opportunities. As a result, they sell to the middlemen.

"Some Wayuu women are being forced to accept whatever price, benefiting everyone except the women themselves," says Paula Restrepo, director of Fundación Talento Colectivo.

Her organisation supports female weavers, whom she and many others recognise as skilled artisans, through education and training.

She is keen to stress that not all intermediaries are harmful. Instead, she says that the reputable ones, which she calls "solidarity intermediaries" help establish an equitable system for purchasing mochilas, ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions through fair trade principles.

Her foundation has partnered with mochila brand and non-profit organisation One Thread Collective to provide the weavers with leadership workshops. "The idea is that the artisans prepare themselves to be autonomous, to be entrepreneurs, to be capable in the future of being in contact with other clients," says Ms Restrepo.

One of the weavers who has taken part in the workshops is Yamile Vangrieken. Sitting on a bright orange chinchorro at her home on the outskirts of Riohacha, she explains she leads a group of eight relatives from the rural community where her family is from.

She acts as a bridge between them - many of whom don't speak Spanish and haven't ever been to the city - and One Thread Collective, which helps them export their bags, while providing stable income, thread and microloans.

Ms Vangrieken's weaving has helped support her teenage daughter, who herself began weaving at just four-years-old. Ms Vangrieken hopes she'll finish school, go to university, and keep weaving by choice - not out of financial necessity.

While mochilas are gaining international recognition, that doesn't always translate into higher sales for every business.

Brandon Miller is an American entrepreneur based in Riohacha. He runs Wayuumarket.com, a platform that helps Wayuu artisans sell directly to international buyers.

He says his orders have slumped, not due to a lack of interest, but because more foreign businesses are travelling to La Guajira to source the bags directly, communicating through AI tools like ChatGPT and translation apps.

But buying online has changed too. Mr Miller says influencers - especially from China and Thailand - started streaming live from La Guajira on platforms like TikTok, offering real-time purchases to their followers.

Shifts in demand, and how mochilas are sold, have raised concerns about control over the bags' design, narrative, and profits.

Back on Riohacha's promenade, Ms Aguilar says the bag's fashion rise has led artisans to adapt or add elements, such as elaborate beading, religious icons, or even football club logos. She worries that these sales strategies are eroding cultural norms.

But she remains positive. Recognition is increasing - not only of the Wayuu bags - but of the indigenous group and the weavers themselves.

"We are also artists, even if we don't have a title that says so," she says.

"Our essence is in our designs, in our products and we mustn't let that go. When we lose our customs and traditions, we are left with nothing."

Cuba's tourism minister insists sector 'alive and kicking' amid crisis

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2re563gz1o, 5 days ago

When US President Barack Obama stepped off Air Force One onto Cuban soil in 2016, he was one of around four million visitors to the island that year.

A record high at the time, Cuba's visitor numbers continued to grow until a high-water mark of almost five million people two years later.

Since then, however, the fall in Cuban tourism has been precipitous.

Battered by the twin effects of the coronavirus pandemic and harsher travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, last year was one of Cuba's poorest for the industry this century.

With the island's traditional industries – namely sugar, tobacco and nickel – in the doldrums, tourism is Cuba's main source of foreign currency earnings after remittances.

Fewer tourists, then, means less money in the state coffers to invest in the island's crumbling energy infrastructure, or to spend on urgently needed basic foods and medicine.

Traditional allies – Venezuela and Russia – are facing major economic challenges of their own, and while China has funded some solar power projects, Beijing is preoccupied with bigger geopolitical issues.

Today, Cuba is in the grip of its deepest economic crisis since the Cold War.

"Conceptually, tourism remains the country's economic locomotive," explains the Cuban tourism minister, Juan Carlos García Granda.

In Havana, the BBC asks the man at the wheel of that economic motor about the industry's current state of health:

"Well, I'm not a doctor," García Granda comments wryly, "but I can tell you that Cuban tourism is alive and kicking."

He claims that the Cuban government has halted the slide seen in 2024, and that the second trimester of this year will show improved statistics.

"We face obstacles none of our competitors do," García Granda continues.

"The intensity and the pressure from an economic war launched by the world's main source of tourists, the United States, has prevented Cuban tourism from returning to pre-pandemic levels."

Referring to the six decades-long US economic embargo on Cuba, García Granda says steps taken by Washington since President Trump's first term in office in 2017 have been specifically designed to harm Cuba's tourist trade.

"In Trump's first term, they took 263 measures [against Cuba], the majority aimed at destroying Cuban tourism."

In particular, he points to a ban on US cruise ship companies from docking in Cuban ports.

"Without that, we could have counted on another one-million tourists [a year]", García Granda estimates.

A more draconian step came in January 2021 when the US again included Cuba on the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT). President Biden removed Cuba from the list in January of this year, only for Trump to add it again just days later when he started his second term.

The classification has a knock-on effect: UK and some European tourists who have visited Cuba after 12 January 2021 are no longer eligible for an ESTA (the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) to enter the US.

Given the headaches for those travellers – of finding themselves plunged into a longer, more complex US visa process – many potential British visitors have been put off from visiting Cuba altogether.

"Thousands of British tourists must reach Cuba via Spain, via France, some even via Canada. Yet not through Miami. Explain to me why a Brit, completely free, can't travel to Cuba via Miami?" García Granda asks rhetorically.

Yet not all the decisions affecting the health of Cuban tourism have been taken in Washington. During the Obama-era thaw, the Cuban government instigated an ambitious hotel-building programme in Havana and the main beach resort, Varadero.

In the capital alone, at least half a dozen new five-star hotels have been erected to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. The latest, known locally as the Torre K, is the tallest building on the island, its imposing structure towering over the Vedado district of the Cuban capital.

"There are plenty of other hotels in Havana and it doesn't fit in with its surroundings," says student Danais, speaking in the plaza opposite. "I'd have used the money for other ends, for things we really need like dealing with the blackouts."

"It doesn't respect its urban context," echoes Sabrina, who is studying architecture. "As an architect, I see some positive and negative points, and it's certainly one of the most impressive buildings in the country.

"But it didn't need to be so opulent and extravagant, especially with so many hotels in the city lying empty."

I put those points to the tourism minister, saying most Cubans do not see the Torre K as a monument to the country's ingenuity and innovation, but rather as a symbol of poor central planning and the government's failure to listen to the most pressing needs of its people.

García Granda acknowledges that the hotel has its critics, but argues that plenty of Cubans, particularly those who work there, appreciate the new addition to the Havana skyline.

Nevertheless, Cuba's hotel construction push raises a key question over whether Cuba was misled by the Obama administration – sold a vision of warmer political ties and a steady flow of US visitors which never materialised.

Was the Cuban government guilty of failing to plan for changing political seas, or is Washington at fault for implementing a foreign policy which was not sufficiently robust or durable to last from one administration to the next?

Unsurprisingly, the minister insists that Cuba's tourism strategy was not predicated on poor planning.

"A gap" in hotel provision in Cuba was revealed "during the Obama era, which showed the need for more accommodation in Havana", he argues. Furthermore, he adds, the costs have not solely been shouldered by the Cuban state.

"More than 70% of Cuban tourism is based in foreign investment, there are more than 19 international companies based here to attract tourism to Cuba."

Surely, I ask, the government can appreciate the frustrations of people on the streets when, in the darkness of a nationwide blackout, they pass a new 200-million-dollar hotel in Havana with its lights blazing?

Little wonder many are asking why those funds have not been directly invested into the Soviet-era energy infrastructure which so sorely needs it.

"The people aren't frustrated," Mr García Granda retorts. "Yes, there may be some indignation on the streets, but they're still here. They're still fighting, still working, still trying to help."

Thrusting a graph into my hands showing green shoots of improvement in terms of UK visitor numbers since Covid, he remains defiant that better times are on the horizon:

"We are going to fill the hotels," he insists. "We are going to get out of this economic situation and tourism will play its part."

JLR to restart production on Wednesday after cyber-attack

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c99gd88kgxdo, today

Carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has confirmed that output at some of its manufacturing sites will resume on Wednesday, as it continues to recover from a serious cyber-attack.

Its production lines have been at a standstill since the start of September, following the attack.

The phased return of staff will begin at some sites in the West Midlands and Merseyside.

JLR has also announced a programme to fast-track payments to its direct suppliers, some of which had laid off workers after their revenues dried up following the hack.

Initially the scheme will be confined to the most critical suppliers needed for restarting production, but it will be expanded at a later date.

JLR says the phased restart will begin at its Wolverhampton engine plant and its battery assembly centre in Hams Hall.

Employees who work in facilities which prepare pressed metal bodywork at the company's sites in Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Solihull will also be brought back in – as will those who work in the Solihull car plant's body shop and paint shop.

JLR says this move will be "closely followed" by the resumption of vehicle manufacturing in Nitra, Slovakia. The Range Rover and Range Rover Sport production lines in Solihull are expected to restart later in the week.

It is not yet clear when output will resume at JLR's Halewood plant on Merseyside.

Experts have warned that it is still likely to be several weeks before the production lines are running as normal.

JLR has also outlined an accelerated-payment scheme to help its suppliers, many of whom have been struggling financially.

So-called Tier 1 suppliers, with which the company has a direct relationship, will be able to get paid for new orders shortly after they have been placed, rather than up to two months after delivery. JLR says this will enable them to get funding up to 120 days earlier than normal.

There is an expectation that these companies will then offer similar terms to their own suppliers, allowing funding to flow rapidly down the supply chain.

The scheme is being funded by JLR itself, using credit provided by a commercial bank. It is not linked to the £1.5bn loan guarantee recently offered to the carmaker by the government.

Industry insiders have warned that the resumption of production, while welcome, does not end the crisis being experienced by many smaller suppliers. Some are heavily reliant on JLR and have had little or no income for the past month and a half, while bills have still had to be paid.

Last week, one leading contractor told the BBC that the help offered by the government so far was inadequate.

David Roberts of Evtec Group said: "We asked the government directly, at ministerial level, to directly support the sector. They listened, but they did nothing. It's almost like they've turned a deaf ear to the needs of advanced manufacturing."

Another supplier, Genex UK, a small company which presses metal parts, told the BBC it had been forced to lay off 18 staff because of a cash shortage.

Snapchat users share fury at upcoming fees for storing old photos and videos

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g5ypl6nkzo, today

"Half of my life is on this app and now they expect us to pay for it."

One-star reviews and a sense of injustice have dominated online discussion since the popular messaging app Snapchat became the latest tech firm to put a price tag on a service people previously enjoyed using for free.

The app's parent company Snap announced in September it would start charging people if they have more than five gigabytes worth of previously shared images and videos saved as Memories.

For many, these retro posts act as a window to the past - leading some to accuse the firm of "corporate greed" in posts on social media and negative reviews on Google and Apple's app stores.

Snap has compared its paid storage plans to those provided by Apple and Google for smartphones.

And as an alternative for those who don't want to pay, users can download their Memories, which for some span tens of gigabytes of data, to their device.

The firm told the BBC only a small number of users would be affected by the changes.

It also acknowledged it was "never easy to transition from receiving a service for free to paying for it" - but suggested it would be "worth the cost" for users.

Many criticising the move online seem to disagree.

An online petition dubbed the fee a "memory tax", with commenters calling it "dystopian" and "ridiculous" - while one person threatened never to use the app again.

Meanwhile, in a one-star review on the Google Play store, a person calling themselves Natacha Jonsson said it felt "very unethical".

"If I know millennials right, most of us have years worth of memories on Snapchat," they said.

"And most of us only kept the app mainly for that reason.

"5GB is absolutely nothing when you have years worth of memories... Bye Snap."

And Guste Ven, a 20-year-old journalism student in London, shared on TikTok her plans to delete the app.

"I decided that I needed to download all my memories as soon as I could," she told BBC News.

"Almost all of my teenage years have been documented through my Snapchat memories, all of the photos in there are really important to me.

"It just doesn't make sense to start charging people for something that has been free for so many years."

Snapchat has not yet said how much storage plans would cost in the UK - only that they are part of a "gradual global rollout".

But 23-year-old Amber Daley, who also lives in London, said in a post on TikTok she would be "distraught" by such charges.

Amber told the BBC the app had become "a part of everyday life" since she started using it in 2014.

While she said she understood the platform needed to make money, Amber suggested the Memories feature means more to users than the company may have realised.

"I think it's quite an unfair move to charge your customers who have been loyal and devoted," she said.

"These aren't just called Memories, these are our actual memories."

'Emotional artefacts'

Companies deciding to charge users for a service that was previously free is nothing new, and millions pay for services like iCloud and Google Drive to backup their photos and videos from their smartphone.

The reality of storing data in the cloud - which some in the tech industry like to refer to as simply "somebody else's computer" - is it costs money.

"Hosting trillions of Memories on Snapchat isn't a trivial amount," social media consultant Matt Navarra told the BBC.

"Snapchat has to try to find a way to cover the cost of storage, bandwidth, back-ups, content delivery, encryption - all that stuff."

But Mr Navarra said introducing fees for a service that had previously been free, and users had been encouraged to use as such, may feel like a "bait and switch" for some.

"Moving the goalposts after people have built this huge digital archive doesn't really sit right," he said.

And for many, he added, "Memories aren't just data dumps, they're emotional artefacts".

The feeling was shared by those leaving critical reviews, with one person calling their Snapchat photos and videos "the most precious thing to me".

"[Memories] have every aspect of my life within them from celebrations of new family members' births, mourning of passed loved ones, memories with friends/family, [and] my whole teenage years," they wrote.

Dr Taylor Annabell, a postdoctoral researcher at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, said Snapchat's move shows the implications of commercial platforms being used to store sentimental personal content.

"They benefit from this trust, interdependence, and presumption of never-ending access, which even incentivises some users to remain with the platform or continue to use it in order to scroll back through their archive," she told the BBC.

"But these are not benevolent guardians of personal memory."

Senate to vote again on funding the US government

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr5q0zzdepeo, today

The Senate on Monday is voting again on competing measures to reopen the US government, but neither resolution is expected to pass and the federal shutdown will probably continue for at least a few more days.

President Donald Trump said earlier on Monday that another failed vote would trigger mass layoffs. Thousands of federal employees were furloughed or ordered to work without pay when funding for their agencies ended five days ago.

There is no foreseeable end to the stalemate between the two parties, as they continue to trade blame.

Democrats are sticking to demands that the legislation address healthcare, while Republicans are press for a "clean" funding bill.

The White House has warned since last week that permanent firings of federal employees are "imminent".

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed that on Monday, saying the Office of Management and Budget is already working with agencies who will have to lay people off.

"We don't want to see people laid off. But unfortunately, if this shutdown continues, layoffs are going to be an unfortunate consequence of that," she said.

Democrats have held out on supporting the Republican-led proposal because they say it undercuts medical access for lower-income Americans.

They want any funding bill to ensure health insurance subsidies for lower-income Americans do not expire and reverse the Trump administration's cuts to the Medicaid health programme.

Republicans have repeatedly accused Democrats of shutting down the government to provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants - something that Democratic leaders deny.

Leavitt today called on Democratic lawmakers to relent.

"There's nothing to negotiate. Just reopen the government," she said.

In separate interviews with NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, the House's top Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, and top Republican, Speakier Mike Johnson, each blamed the other's party for the continued stand-off.

Jeffries accused Republicans of "lying" about Democrats' intentions in the negotiations "because they're losing the court of public opinion".

But Johnson said Democrats were "not serious" and negotiating in bad faith.

"They're doing this to get political cover," he said.

Asylum hotel provider makes £180m profit despite claims of inedible food and rationed loo paper

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce9r5m74de8o, today

A company providing accommodation to asylum seekers has made nearly £187m in profits since being awarded lucrative government contracts, despite allegations of "terrible" conditions at the hotels it uses.

Clearsprings Ready Homes is one of three companies with 10-year Home Office contracts to provide accommodation services for asylum seekers. The overall expected costs of these services have increased more than three-fold since they were signed - from £4.5bn to £15bn.

Under current projections, Clearsprings - which provides accommodation services across the south of England and Wales - will be paid £7bn.

Some asylum seekers in hotels that have seen protests this summer have told the BBC that frustration should instead be directed at those companies - like Clearsprings - profiting from their contracts for looking after migrants. Those Home Office hotel contracts have also come under scrutiny from MPs.

Residents at some Clearsprings sites have told the BBC of poor conditions inside their hotels, and sent us photos and video diaries of the food provided, describing some of it as "inedible".

Since taking on its contract under the previous government in 2019, Clearsprings Ready Homes has paid almost the same amount it has earned in profits - £183m - in dividends to its parent company.

The BBC has approached the company's founder Graham King for comment, but he has not responded. Clearsprings Ready Homes has also refused to comment.

Since 2019, Clearsprings and the two other providers that cover the rest of the UK have made a combined profit of £383m from the asylum contracts, according to the National Audit Office.

Clearsprings supports about 30,000 asylum seekers across southern England, London and Wales. It subcontracts to hotels to provide accommodation for about half of those and also, according to the latest official data, uses more hotels than the other contractors.

The significant increase in the expected value of its Home Office contracts is because of a wider use of hotels and more migrants arriving by small boat in recent years, the company said in a written statement to a parliamentary committee earlier this year.

Clearsprings and one other provider have said they will pay back some profits, above margins set out in the Home Office contracts, but the government has not clarified if this has happened.

However, Clearsprings' profits are not excessive for the size of its contract and the sector it is working in.

Clearsprings is "paying as little as possible to the suppliers and taking as much as they can in profits", says Maia Kirby from Good Jobs First - one of 60 charities to have written an open letter.

People seeking asylum are housed in "miserable" conditions while "millions in public money… is simply taken in profit by a handful of private companies", says the letter.

On its website, Clearsprings says it "prides itself on providing value for money, quality and transparency". But Ms Kirby said it is not good value "and I definitely don't think it's transparent".

There is evidence of poor nutrition, poor hygiene and rationing of period products and toilet paper at Clearsprings' sites, charities have told us.

Asylum seekers in hotels are provided with three meals a day, but we have heard concerns about the standard of food at Clearsprings' subcontracted accommodation.

"It's just terrible," said an asylum seeker from South America, whom we are calling Andrea. She said she has been living in a hotel for two years with her eight-year-old daughter.

"Some people think we are living in a paradise," she said. "Try to live as an asylum seeker only for one day - the mattresses are dirty, the toilets, everything is dirty, broken."

Food that is past its expiry date is sometimes served, she told us, and meals often lack fruit and vegetables, and contain mainly heavy carbohydrates such as bread, chips and rice.

Andrea said she boils eggs in the kettle in her room, because it is the only way to get some protein for her daughter. She said she also uses a food bank as it is difficult to buy additional food while living on the £9.95 a week she receives from the government.

At Hackney Foodbank in east London, staff member Farhan Jaisin said he was cautious of giving out donations when asylum seekers started turning up - because they were supposed to be catered for. But when he went inside their hotels, he says, he found "really bad" food and conditions - with toilet rolls, sanitary products and some food allegedly rationed.

"One toilet roll between four people a week… how is that possible?" he said.

Other charities have also told us they have had to feed hungry children from asylum hotels, and say they have seen women who claimed they had been given only seven sanitary towels per period.

Children in asylum hotels are being "forgotten", according to Prof Monica Lakhanpaul, a paediatrician and professor of child health at University College London.

For the past 18 months, she has focused on women and children living in asylum accommodation in the capital and said: "If a parent fed their child this way, it would be called neglect - yet this is happening in institutions."

Pictures of basic meals and dirty mattresses have been sent to the BBC by charities and asylum seekers at Clearsprings sites with claims residents had been served uncooked chicken and food which was still frozen.

Hotels were used to house asylum seekers under the previous Conservative government after running out of other accommodation.

The number of hotels being used for this purpose has fallen in recent months, to 210, but at the peak in 2023, 400 were in use. The Home Office says it has reduced the cost of hotels from £9m per day to £5.5m per day.

Another asylum seeker in Clearsprings accommodation, whom we are calling Arturo, says he understands British people are frustrated with the money being spent - but that it is the hotel owners and private companies who are benefiting.

He said he has been in the UK for five years seeking asylum, having fled gang violence in South America.

"If you give me a job, I pay tax, I leave the accommodation. I don't need your support because I can work," he told us.

Asylum seekers generally cannot work in the UK, but can apply for permission to if a decision on their asylum claim takes more than 12 months.

'Obscene' profits

Clearsprings' founder, Graham King, is now a billionaire and was the 154th wealthiest person in the UK, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.

He is the person with significant control of both Clearsprings Ready Homes, and its parent company Clearsprings Management, of which he is the sole shareholder, to which nearly £183m in dividends has been paid since 2020.

Clearsprings told MPs it would invest some of these profits back into projects such as social housing.

Responding to questions from the Home Affairs Select Committee in May, Clearsprings said "temporary emergency accommodation [often hotels] is more profitable than longer-term" housing.

It admitted that living in hotels was "really bad for people" and it was pushing to get people into more long-term options.

The committee has been examining the delivery of accommodation from all three providers, including how the contracts work.

The profits made by Mr King's company are "obscene", Liberal Democrat MP Paul Kohler, who sits on the committee, told the BBC.

The way the contracts were written meant providers were incentivised to put asylum seekers in hotels rather than bedsits as they could earn "eight times as much profit" due to the higher costs, Kohler said.

It was a "failure at all levels of government" that "private enterprise has simply been allowed to run roughshod" with contracts that simply benefited them, he added.

There is no suggestion the terms of the Home Office contracts have been breached in any way.

Wimbledon MP Kohler, who compared the situation to the PPE scandal during the Covid pandemic, said he was not against private companies operating in the sector, but that the government needed to get out of the current contracts.

When Clearsprings' managing director, Steve Lakey, told the committee in May his firm had £32m "ready to go" to go back to the government, he said the company was "waiting for the Home Office" before transferring the money.

The Home Office would not tell us the agreed thresholds at which providers should pay back excess profits, but Mr Lakey told MPs that Clearsprings made an average of 6.9% on its contracts and would have to repay anything "just over 5%".

The company's contracts with the government run until 2029 but there is a break clause next year, which Kohler said the government should consider using as it is "not getting value for money".

The select committee also pressed Clearsprings on why £17m had been paid to an offshore company, Bespoke Strategy Solutions Ltd (BSS) - based in the United Arab Emirates since 2019.

Mr Lakey, from Clearsprings, told MPs that BSS is owned by Mr King and it invoices Clearsprings Management, the parent company and not the asylum arm, for what he called "strategic solutions services".

The BBC identified one company called Bespoke Strategy Solutions based in Dubai but the founder of this company told us she had nothing to do with Mr King and had no links to the UK. She is not aware of any companies with a similar name, she told us.

Clearsprings would not comment about BSS when asked by the BBC.

Mike Lewis, of investigative think tank TaxWatch, says the arrangement of paying a chief executive through a service company in Dubai is "highly unusual".

Since taking office, the government has reduced the asylum backlog by 24%, returned 35,000 people with no right to be in the UK and cut asylum hotel spending by more than half a billion pounds, a Home Office spokesperson said.

"We commissioned an audit to review the performance of our suppliers, to get the best possible value for taxpayers' money. Five contracts exceeded their agreed profit-sharing thresholds, and their excess profits are being returned to the Home Office," they added.

The BBC understands the government has been in discussions about alternative options to private providers using hotels, such as local councils being responsible for housing asylum seekers is looking at expanding the use of military sites.

What makes this US shutdown different (and more difficult)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwydzenj6epo, yesterday

Shutdowns are a repeat feature of US politics - but this one feels particularly bitter due to political dynamics and bad blood between the two parties.

Some government services are temporarily suspended, and about 750,000 people are expected to be put on unpaid leave as Republicans and Democrats can't agree a way forward on a spending bill.

Votes aimed at ending the impasse have repeatedly failed, and it is hard to see an off-ramp this time because both parties - as well as President Donald Trump - can see some merit in digging in.

These are the four ways in which things feel different in 2025.

1. For Democrats, it's about Trump - not just healthcare

The Democratic base has been demanding for months that their party more forcefully fights the Trump administration. Well, now the party leadership has a chance to show they have listened.

In March, Senate leader Chuck Schumer was fiercely criticised for helping pass a Republican spending bill to avert a shutdown. This time he's digging in.

This is a chance for Democrats to show they can take back some control from an administration that has moved aggressively on its agenda.

Refusing to back the Republican spending plan this time comes with political risk that the wider public will grow frustrated as the dispute drags on and consequences begin to mount.

The main Democratic demand is to renew expiring health insurance subsidies which they say will hit American families. Republicans say they will discuss the subsidies when the government reopens.

But a secondary demand from Democrats is very much focused on Trump and his use of executive powers to rescind or withhold money approved by Congress, which he has done with foreign aid and other programmes.

2. For Republicans, it's an opportunity

Trump and one of his key officials, Russell Vought, have made little secret of the fact that they smell a chance to make more of the cutbacks to the federal workforce that have featured in the Republican's second presidency so far.

Trump himself said last week that the shutdown had afforded him an "unprecedented opportunity", and that he would look to cut "Democrat agencies".

The White House said it would be left with the "unenviable task" of mass lay-offs to keep essential government services operating if the shutdown continued. They say they need to save taxpayers' money being spent on waste and fraud. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said this was just "fiscal sanity".

The scope of the potential lay-offs remains unclear, but the White House has been in discussions with the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, which is headed by Vought.

Vought has already announced the suspension of federal funding for Democratic-run parts of the country, including New York City and Chicago.

3. There's little trust on either side

While previous shutdowns have been characterised by late-night talks between the two parties in an effort to get government services running again, there appears to be little of the same spirit of collaboration this time.

Instead, there is rancour. The bad blood continued over the weekend, with Republicans and Democrats blaming each other for causing the impasse.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, accused Democrats of not being serious about negotiating, and holding out over a deal "to get political cover".

Meanwhile, Schumer levelled the same accusation at the other side, saying that a Republican promise to discuss healthcare subsidies once the government reopens can not be taken seriously.

Trump himself has inflamed the situation by posting a controversial AI-generated image of Schumer and the top Democrat in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, in which Jeffries is depicted with a large Mexican-style sombrero and a moustache.

Jeffries and other Democrats called this racist, which was denied by Vice-President JD Vance.

4. The US economy is fragile

Ex-New York Times writer to lead CBS after Paramount deal

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gwd87ww1vo, yesterday

Former New York Times opinion writer Bari Weiss has been named as the editor-in-chief of CBS News, in the latest move by new owners to reshape one of America's leading news organisations.

Parent company Paramount is also buying The Free Press, the digital outlet Ms Weiss started after her acrimonious departure from the New York Times, in a deal reportedly worth $150m (£112m).

Ms Weiss, who has criticised broadcast media for becoming too partisan, said she was excited to put her stamp on CBS, which was taken over by David Ellison earlier this year as part of a wider merger with Paramount.

The deal has drawn scrutiny on the left because Mr Ellison is the son of tech billionaire and Trump ally Larry Ellison.

Ms Weiss, who started her career working at Jewish news outlets, is known for her support of Israel and her criticism of "cancel culture".

Since its start as a newsletter in 2021, The Free Press has attracted 1.5 million subscribers, including more than 170,000 paid subscribers.

It has drawn attention for reports such as a piece critical of NPR by one of its former business editors, Uri Berliner, as well as an investigation of some photos used by mainstream news outlets to illustrate famine in Gaza, of which it said many of those featured suffered other health conditions.

Big name contributors include historian Niall Ferguson and economist Tyler Cowen.

Mr Ellison said the appointment of Ms Weiss as editor-in-chief was part of a bigger effort to modernise content at Paramount and make CBS the "most-trusted name in news".

"We believe the majority of the country longs for news that is balanced and fact-based, and we want CBS to be their home," he said.

More change at CBS

The terms of the deal with Ms Weiss were not disclosed. Paramount declined to comment on reports that the firm had paid $150m in stock and cash.

Mr Ellison, the founder and CEO of Skydance Media, made his name as a Hollywood film producer of blockbusters such as Top Gun Maverick, True Grit and World War Z.

He has said his aim was to produce coverage that was less politically skewed, and therefore had the ability to reach all audiences.

His takeover of Paramount was approved by the Trump administration this summer, after the company agreed to pay $16m to settle a lawsuit brought by Trump over a 60 Minutes interview with his 2024 presidential rival Kamala Harris he said was deceptively edited to benefit Democrats.

To win approval of the deal, Mr Ellison agreed to install an independent ombudsman at CBS to review complaints of bias and committed to regulators that programming would reflect a diversity of view points.

He also said CBS's long-running political show "Face the Nation" would no longer air edited interviews.

CBS News has a partnership agreement with the BBC, meaning news content including video footage can be shared. BBC News is editorially independent of CBS.

In a note announcing the deal, Ms Weiss said she believed in the Paramount boss and his leadership team.

"They are doubling down because they believe in news. Because they have courage. Because they love this country. And because they understand, as we do, that America cannot thrive without common facts, common truths, and a common reality," she wrote.

Japan stocks hit record after ruling party names pro-business leader

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20vljzgp0ro, yesterday

Japanese stocks have hit a record high after the country's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) named Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, positioning the pro-business politician to be Japan's next prime minister.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed 4.75% higher on Monday, ending the day above 47,000 for the first time.

Takaichi, who has held senior government roles including minister for economic security and internal affairs, is known for her support of higher government spending and lower borrowing costs.

She is also a long-time admirer of former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher and her free market approach to economics.

Investors welcomed the announcement of her victory in the LDP leadership race, with shares rising in real estate, technology and heavy industry companies.

While the Japanese stocks rose, the yen hit a record low against the euro and dropped by 1.7% against the US dollar.

Monday's market response was largely a "knee-jerk reaction" to the potential appointment of Takaichi as prime minister, Japan economist Jesper Koll told the BBC.

While her policy proposals to stimulate the economy through increased government spending could benefit businesses, they may further weaken the yen as Japan's debt rises, said Mr Koll.

If confirmed later this month as the successor to Shigeru Ishiba, Takaichi will be Japan's first female prime minister.

Mentored by late Prime Minster Shinzo Abe, she has championed his economic vision - known as Abenomics - of high public spending and cheap borrowing.

If confirmed in the role, Takaichi will have to navigate a challenging US-Japan relationship and see through a tariff deal with US President Donald Trump's administration, which was previously agreed by the Ishiba government.

She would also have to contend with a sluggish economy and households grappling with higher costs and slow wage growth.

With Trump expected to visit Japan later this month, Mr Koll said Takaichi will be eager to negotiate a new agreement with the US president "to get the dollar down and to get the yen up."

Asahi restarts beer production after cyber-attack

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yje27je5jo, yesterday

Asahi has partially restarted production at all six of its breweries in Japan after it was forced to close them due to a cyber-attack.

Several major shops in Japan including 7-Eleven and FamilyMart had warned last week that they were running low on stocks of the beer after the hack affected Asahi Group's ordering and delivery systems in the country.

Asahi is the biggest brewer in Japan, but it also makes soft drinks and food products, as well as supplying own-brand goods to other retailers.

The partially restarted breweries produce best-seller Asahi Super Dry, but the firm is also restarting plants that produce food and soft drinks.

The cyber-attack is the latest to have affected operations at major firms, with carmaker Jaguar Land Rover still struggling to recover from an attack that shut down production.

Asahi Group also owns Fullers in the UK and global brands including Peroni, Pilsner Urquell and Grolsch. However, only Asahi's operations in Japan - which account for about half its sales - have been affected by the attack.

Asahi said the re-opened beer plants in Japan were "not yet fully operational", and that two of its soft drinks factories that have partially re-opened were also not running at full capacity.

It added there were a further five soft drinks factories that "will resume gradually in accordance with shipments"

All seven of its food plants have resumed operations, though they are also not yet fully operational.

Asahi said the production systems at the factories themselves had not been affected by the cyber-attack, but it had been forced to halt production because it could not process orders and shipments.

The company added that its breweries were producing only Super Dry, and that from 15 October it would resume shipments of 16 products, including its non-alcoholic beers Asahi Dry Zero and Asahi Zero, as well as Clear Asahi and whiskey Black Nikka Clear.

It said some product launches would also be postponed.

The true cost of cyber attacks - and the business weak spots that allow them to happen

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ye8zj5l4jo, yesterday

The first day of September should have marked the beginning of one of the busiest periods of the year for Jaguar Land Rover.

It was a Monday, and the release of new 75 series number plates was expected to trigger a surge in demand. At factories in Solihull and Halewood, as well as at its engine plant in Wolverhampton, staff anticipated that they’d be working flat out.

Instead, when the early shift arrived, they were sent home. The production lines have remained idle ever since.

Though they are expected to resume operations in the coming days, it will be in a slow and carefully controlled manner. It could be another month before output returns to normal. Such was the impact of a major cyber attack that hit JLR at the end of August.

It is working with various cyber security specialists and police to investigate, but the financial damage has already been done. More than a month's worth of worldwide production was lost.

Analysts have estimated its losses at £50m per week.

For a company that made a £2.5bn profit in the last financial year, and which is owned by the Indian giant Tata Group, the losses will likely be painful but not fatal. But JLR is not an isolated incident.

So far this year there has been a wave of cyber attacks targeting big businesses, including retailers such as Marks & Spencer and the Co-op, as well as a key airport systems provider. Other high profile victims have included the children's nursery chain Kido, while last year incidents involving Southern Water and a company that provided blood tests to the NHS raised serious concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and services.

In all, a government-run survey on cyber security breaches estimates 612,000 businesses and 61,000 charities were targeted across the UK.

So just how much are attacks like these costing businesses and the economy? And could it be, as one expert analyst puts it, that this year's major attacks are the result of a "cumulative effect of a kind of inaction" on cyber security from the government and businesses that is now starting to bite?

Pyramid of suppliers affected

What is significant about an attack on the scale of the one that hit JLR is just how far the consequences can stretch.

The company sits at the top of a pyramid of suppliers, thousands of them. They range from major multinationals, such as Bosch, down to small firms with a handful of employees, and they include companies which are heavily reliant on a single customer: JLR.

For many of those firms, the shutdown represented a very real threat to their business.

In a letter to the Chancellor on 25 September, the Business and Trade Committee warned that smaller firms "may have at best a week of cashflow left to support themselves", while larger companies "may begin to seriously struggle within a fortnight".

Industry analysts expressed concerns that if companies started to go bankrupt, a trickle could soon become a flood – potentially causing permanent damage to the country's advanced engineering industry.

Resuming production does not automatically mean the crisis is over either.

"It has come too late," explains David Roberts, who is the Chairman of Coventry-based Evtec, a direct supplier to JLR, with some 1,250 employees.

"All of our companies have had six weeks of zero sales, but all the costs. The sector still desperately needs cash."

Russian cyber criminals or Western teens

A recent IBM report, which looked at data breaches experienced by about 600 organisations worldwide found that the average cost was $4.4m (or £3.3m).

But JLR is far from an outlier when it comes to high-profile cyber attacks on an even greater scale. Those at Marks & Spencer and the Co-op supermarket chain this year are estimated to have cost £300m and £120m respectively.

Over the Easter weekend in April, attackers managed to gain entry to Marks & Spencer's IT systems via a third-party contractor, forcing it to take some networks offline.

They infected the company's networks with ransomware that encrypted or scrambled its data.

Initially, the disruption seemed relatively minor – with contactless payment systems out of action, and customers unable to use its 'click and collect' service. However, within days, it had halted all online shopping – which normally makes up around a third of its business.

It was described at the time as "almost like cutting off one of your limbs", by Nayna McIntosh, former executive committee member of M&S and the founder of Hope Fashion.

The firm was left with the now commonplace nightmare scenario – rebuild all computer systems from scratch or pay the hackers millions of pounds in ransom for the antidote. M&S has refused to say if they paid the criminals or not.

The damage was not just financial. The retailer later admitted that customer data had been stolen in the attack.

This potentially included telephone numbers, home addresses and dates of birth, though not it said useable payment or card details. To compound M&S's embarrassment, hackers claimed to have sent a ransom demand directly to its chief executive, using an employee's email account.

When the Co-op supermarket chain was hit, the same group of hackers claimed responsibility.

It was, they suggested, an attempt to extort a ransom from the company by infecting its networks with malicious software. However the IT networks were shut down quickly enough to avoid significant damage.

As the criminals angrily described it to the BBC, "they yanked their own plug - tanking sales, burning logistics, and torching shareholder value".

According to Jamie MacColl, a cyber expert at the security research group, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), it is no surprise to see major businesses being targeted in this way.

He says it is the result of hackers being easily able to get hold of so-called ransomware (software which can lock up or encrypt a victim's computer networks until a ransom is paid).

"Historically, this kind of cyber crime… has mostly been carried out by Russian-speaking criminals, based in Russia or other parts of the former Soviet Union", he explains.

"But there's been a bit of a change in the last couple of years where English-speaking, mostly teenage hackers have been leasing or renting ransomware from those Russian-speaking cyber criminals, and then using it to disrupt and extort from the businesses they've gained access to.

"And those English-speaking criminals do tend to focus on quite high-profile victims, because they're not just financially motivated: they want to demonstrate their skill and get kudos within this quite nasty sort of hacking ecosystem that we have."

Weak spots of big business

What makes companies like Jaguar Land Rover and Marks & Spencer particularly vulnerable is the way in which their supply chains work.

Carmakers have a long tradition of using so-called "just-in-time delivery", where parts are not held in stock but delivered from suppliers exactly where and when they are needed.

This cuts down on storage and waste costs. But it also requires intricate coordination of every aspect of the supply chain, and if the computers break down, the disruption can be dramatic.

Likewise, a retailer like Marks & Spencer relies on a carefully coordinated supply chain to guarantee customers the right quantities of fresh produce in the right places - which similarly proves vulnerable.

"Other industries have this model too: electronics and high-tech, because it's expensive and risky to hold inventory for a long time due to obsolescence. And then other industrial firms, such as in aerospace, for similar reasons to automotive," explains Elizabeth Rust, lead economist at Oxford Economics.

"So they're a bit more vulnerable to supply chain disruption from a cyber attack."

But she points out this is not the case for industries such as pharmaceuticals, where regulators require firms to hold minimum levels of stock.

Rethinking lean production

Andy Palmer, a former chief executive of Aston Martin who has spent decades working in the manufacturing sector, thinks the lean production models in the car and food industries need a rethink.

It is a major risk, he says, when you have "these systems where everything is tied to everything else, where the waste is taken out of every stage… but you break one link in that chain and you have no safety.

"The manufacturing sector has to have another look at the way it tackles this latest black swan", he says, referring to an event that is unforeseen but which has significant consequences.

But according to Ms Rust, businesses are unlikely to change the way their supply chains operate.

"Cyber attacks are really expensive… but shifting away from just-in-time management is potentially even more expensive. This is hundreds of millions, possibly, that a firm would have to incur annually".

She believes the costs would also make it a steep challenge for regulators to demand such changes.

'The cumulative effect of inaction'

In late September a ransomware attack on American aviation technology firm Collins Aerospace caused serious problems at a number of European airports, including London Heathrow, after it disabled check-in and baggage handling systems.

The problem was resolved relatively quickly, but not before a large number of flights had been cancelled.

Industry sources warn that Europe's airspace and key airports are so heavily congested that disruption in one area can quickly spread to others – and the costs can quickly add up.

In this instance, the knock-on effects were largely confined to widespread delays and flight cancellations. But it nods to a bigger question of what happens if a hack on critical infrastructure paralyses financial, transport or energy networks, potentially leading to huge economic costs - or worse?

"I think the worst-case scenario is probably something affecting financial services or energy provision, because of the potential cascading effects of either of those two", says RUSI analyst Jamie MacColl.

"The good news is the financial sector is by far the most heavily-regulated sector in the UK for cyber security. And I think it's quite telling, there's rarely been a very impactful cyber attack on a Western bank."

The outlook, were there an attack on the energy sector, is not clear.

A 2015 study by Lloyds Bank, entitled "Business Blackout", modelled the impact of a hypothetical attack on the US power grid, concluding that economic losses could exceed $1 trillion (£742bn). However Mr MacColl believes that in the UK, there is probably enough spare capacity in the grid to deal with a cyber incident.

More concerningly, Mr MacColl thinks the UK has had "quite a laissez-faire approach to cyber security over the past 15 years", with the issue given little priority by successive governments.

He believes that this year's major attacks may be the "cumulative effect of a kind of inaction on cyber security, both from the government and from businesses, and it's sort of really starting to bite now".

That inaction, he says, needs to change, with both regulators and large businesses taking more responsibility.

In July last year the government did announce plans to introduce a Cyber Security and Resilience bill but its passage to becoming law has been repeatedly delayed.

In May, GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre published a report warning about the growing impact of cyber threats from hackers using artificial intelligence-based tools. It suggested that over the next two years, "a growing divide will emerge between organisations that can keep pace with AI-enabled threats, and those that fall behind – exposing them to greater risk, and intensifying the overall threat to the UK's digital infrastructure.

However, what worries Jamie MacColl most are the sorts of attacks we haven't yet thought to protect against.

"I would be more concerned about the sort of company that is the only business that provides a particular service, but that we don't really know about, and that isn't regulated as critical national infrastructure", he says.

An attack on one of these less glamourous economic pivots, he argues, could have huge ramifications through the wider economy.

"That's the sort of thing that would keep me up at night," he says. "The single point of failure that we are not aware of yet."

Top image credit: PA

BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below.

US pharmacy chain Rite Aid closes final stores

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3w50gjyyxwo, yesterday

US pharmacy chain Rite Aid announced that it would close all remaining stores.

The company's website was replaced on Saturday with a message announcing the closure: "All Rite Aid stores have now closed. We thank our loyal customers for their many years of support." The site included a link to allow customers to request their pharmacy records.

Founded in 1962, the company was once one of the largest pharmacy chains in the country. At its peak, Rite Aid counted 5,000 stores.

But in recent years, the chain faced financial struggles and a Justice Department investigation. By Friday, data showed fewer than 100 stores remained.

Rite Aid had filed for bankruptcy in October 2023 and May 2025.

The company also faced legal troubles over its role in the opioid epidemic. In 2022, Rite Aid paid up to $30 million to settle lawsuits alleging it contributed to the flow of opioids in the US, according to CBS, the BBC's American news partner.

The following year, in the 2023 bankruptcy filing, the company said restructuring would help it "resolve litigation claims".

Rite Aid also faced a Justice Department complaint in which officials alleged the company's stores filled unlawful prescriptions for oxycodone and fentanyl. The company agreed to settle in July 2024.

Other US pharmacy chains have also been closing retail locations across the country, though different reasons have been cited.

Since 2021, CVS has closed more than 1,000 stores as part of a longer term strategic move.

Separately, Walgreens, which was recently purchased by private equity firm Sycamore Partners, closed 500 stores over the past year.

Experts have raised concerns about growing "pharmacy deserts" in the US, where millions of people live without a pharmacy nearby and must travel to get prescriptions filled.

Apple and Samsung users could be due share of £480m payout

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0rn7rwk24o, yesterday

Nearly 30 million people in the UK who bought an Apple or Samsung smartphone between 2015 and 2024 may be entitled to about £17 if the consumer campaign group Which? is successful in a case against US tech giant Qualcomm.

The consumer group is taking the tech giant to the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London on Monday.

The trial between Which? and Qualcomm is expected to last five weeks. The consumer group is accusing the chip company of anti-competitive practices.

It claims the firm forced Apple and Samsung to pay inflated prices and licensing fees for essential handset components, which then pushed up the cost of those smartphones for consumers.

The BBC has reached out to Qualcomm for comment.

The trial starting on Monday will focus on whether Qualcomm held market power and, if so, whether it abused a dominant position.

If Which? is successful, there will be a second stage seeking £480m from Qualcomm, to be distributed among an estimated 29 million British phone owners affected.

But it could be years until this second stage concludes.

"We filed this claim back in 2021, so this first trial being now in 2025 - it's obviously a bit of a slog," senior Which? lawyer Lisa Webb told the Today programme.

"But the real benefit of this system is that as a consumer, you don't need to do anything... if we win, we will get you your money."

The consumer group is seeking damages for all affected Apple and Samsung smartphones purchased between 1 October 2015 and 9 January 2024.

It says this would probably work out at around £17 per handset. Qualcomm has previously said the case has "no basis".

A similar case against Qualcomm is ongoing in Canada, and the firm has also previously been fined by the EU for antitrust.

Anabel Hoult, chief executive of Which?, said: "This trial is a huge moment. It shows how the power of consumers - backed by Which? - can be used to hold the biggest companies to account if they abuse their dominant position."

Qualcomm is one of the world's biggest producers of smartphone chips and has faced allegations about anti-competitive behaviour before.

The Federal Trade Commission in the United States sued the firm for unfair practices in the way it licensed its technology back in 2017, but had its case dismissed in 2020.

India wants to lure back its best minds after H-1B visa chaos - but it won't be easy

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1792qwg85qo, yesterday

US President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to hike H-1B visa fees to $100,000 has prompted policymakers in Delhi to woo skilled Indians back home.

A bureaucrat, who works closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recently said that the government was actively encouraging overseas Indians to return and contribute to nation-building. Yet, another member of the PM's economic advisory council told a media conclave that H-1B visas have always served the interests of the host nation, and so the hike in fee boded well for India's ability to attract global talent.

The crux of these arguments is that the time is ripe for India to engineer a reverse brain drain and lure some of the world's most talented professionals in technology, medicine and other innovative industries, who'd left the country in the past 30 years, back to the homeland.

There is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that an increasingly hostile immigration environment in the US is prompting a few Indians to think along these lines. But getting hundreds of thousands of people to ditch Bellevue for Bengaluru will be easier said than done, several experts told the BBC.

But driving reverse migration at scale will require a concerted and serious effort by the government, and that's currently missing, says Sanjaya Baru, former media adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and author of Secession of the Successful: The Flight out of New India - a book on India's brain drain.

"The government will have to go out and actually identify individuals - including top-of-the-line scientists, professionals and entrepreneurs - it wants back. That requires effort, and it needs to come straight from the top," Mr Baru told the BBC.

He said this was what Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister, did back in the day to get top minds in areas like space and nuclear technology back home and build institutions like the premier Indian Institute of Science.

"They were driven by a strong sense of purpose and nationalism. Where is the incentive to come back now?" said Mr Baru.

On the contrary, there are both pull and push factors that have led to highly qualified professionals consistently leaving the country, Mr Baru said, and India has celebrated this trend, rather than arresting it.

The pull factors include a growing number of countries offering golden visas and citizenship or residency by immigration programmes.

In fact, even as the US tightened its H-1B visa regime, countries such as Germany immediately laid out the red carpet for Indian skilled migrants, with its ambassador pushing the country's credentials as a "predictable and rewarding destination".

The push factors, meanwhile, are long-standing bugbears - such as a poor regulatory environment, tiresome bureaucracy and a poor ease-of-business climate that has led to an exodus of wealthy, high-earning Indians over the years.

The government's own data shows that over half a million Indians have renounced their citizenship since 2020. Separately, India is among the top five countries globally seeing a flight of millionaires, who are taking up citizenship or residency elsewhere.

Mr Hassan says the government needs to work towards reducing "several friction points simultaneously" if it is really serious about getting overseas Indians to return.

This includes simpler tax laws, targeted incentives such as special start-up visas and fixing other more fundamental problems such as poor physical infrastructure and urban congestion.

It will also mean creating a better ecosystem for the highly educated to thrive - "including elevating the scale of R&D [research and development] and education back home", says Mr Baru - precisely the stuff that made the US such a big draw for Indian talent over the past half a century.

Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook.

How China is challenging Nvidia's AI chip dominance

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgmz2vm3yv8o, yesterday

The US has dominated the global technology market for decades. But China wants to change that.

The world's second largest economy is pouring huge amounts of money into artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. Crucially, Beijing is also investing heavily to produce the high-end chips that power these cutting-edge technologies.

Last month, Jensen Huang - the boss of Silicon Valley-based AI chip giant Nvidia - warned that China was just "nanoseconds behind" the US in chip development.

So can Beijing match American technology and break its reliance on imported high-end chips?

After DeepSeek

China's DeepSeek sent shockwaves through the tech world in 2024 when it launched a rival to OpenAI's ChatGPT.

The announcement by a relatively unknown startup was impressive for a number of reasons, not least because the company said it cost much less to train than leading AI models.

It was said to have been created using far fewer high-end chips than its rivals, and its launch temporarily sank Silicon Valley-based Nvidia's market value.

And momentum in China's tech sector has continued. This year, some of the country's big tech firms have made it clear that they aim to take on Nvidia and become the main advanced chip suppliers for local companies.

In September, Chinese state media said a new chip announced by Alibaba can match the performance of Nvidia's H20 semiconductors while using less energy. H20s are scaled-down processors made for the Chinese market under US export rules.

Huawei also unveiled what it said were its most powerful chips ever, along with a three-year plan to challenge Nvidia's dominance of the AI market.

The Chinese tech giant also said it would make its designs and computer programs available to the public in China in an effort to draw firms away from their reliance on US products.

Other Chinese chip developers have also secured major contracts with big businesses in the country. MetaX is supplying advanced chips for the likes of state-owned telecoms operator, China Unicom.

Another hotly-tipped potential challenger to Nvidia is Beijing-based Cambricon Technologies.

Its Shanghai-listed shares have more than doubled in value over the last three months as investors bet that it will benefit from Beijing's push for Chinese firms to use locally produced high-end chips.

Tencent, which owns the super app WeChat, is another notable tech giant that has heeded the government’s call to use Chinese chips.

There has also been no shortage of state-backed trade shows, promoting Chinese technology companies in a bid to attract investors.

"The competition has undeniably arrived," a spokesperson for Nvidia told the BBC in response to queries about the recent progress made by Chinese chip firms.

"Customers will choose the best technology stack for running the world's most popular commercial applications and open-source models. We'll continue to work to earn the trust and support of mainstream developers everywhere."

Yet some experts have cautioned that claims made by Chinese chipmakers should be taken with a pinch of salt due to a lack of publicly available data and consistent testing benchmarks.

China's semiconductors perform similarly to the US in predictive AI but fall short in complex analytics, said computer scientist Jawad Haj-Yahya, who has tested both American and Chinese chips.

"The gap is clear and it is surely shrinking. But I don't think it's something they will catch up on in the short-term."

Where China leads - and lags

On the BG2 technology and business podcast in September, Nvidia's Jensen Huang highlighted the strengths of China's tech sector, crediting its hardworking and vast talent pool, intense domestic competition and progress in chipmaking.

"This is a vibrant entrepreneurial, high-tech, modern industry," he said, urging the US to compete "for its survival".

His assessment is likely to be welcomed by officials in Beijing.

The country has long vied to become a global leader in tech, partly to reduce its reliance on the West.

For years, China has invested heavily in what President Xi Jinping calls "high-quality development", which covers industries from renewables to AI.

Even before US President Donald Trump's return to the White House, China had spent tens of billions of dollars as part of its efforts to transform its vast economy from the "world's factory" for basic products to a home of cutting-edge industries.

An ongoing tariffs war with Trump's America has only made that mission more urgent.

Xi has vowed to make his country more self-reliant and not depend on "anyone's gifts".

Mr Huang has also warned that the US should trade freely with China or risk handing it the edge in the AI race.

This comes against a backdrop of Beijing applying more pressure on Nvidia as it launched an anti-monopoly probe into the firm last month.

But China's state-led approach can also be an obstacle to innovation if everyone in the sector only focuses on a "shared goal", said computing professor Chia-Lin Yang from the National Taiwan University.

It can make it harder for disruptive ideas to break the mould, she added.

China's chip industry has also yet to overcome criticism that its products can be less user-friendly than those of Western rivals like Nvidia.

Prof Yang believes these issues can soon be solved by China's huge number of skilled tech industry workers.

"You cannot underestimate China's ability to catch up."

'Bargaining chip' for China

She described China's recent announcements about the chip sector as a "bargaining chip" in its months-long tariffs negotiations with the US.

Beijing aims to pressure Washington into selling its advanced equipment or risk losing its position in such a large market, said Dr Jawad.

These announcements project strength on China's part, even though it is likely to still want to buy American technology, he added.

Most experts agree that China is still reliant on the US for the most powerful chips, at least for now.

Beijing needs access to some high-end American technology for its more advanced projects and to ensure it isn't left behind, said semiconductor engineer Raghavendra Anjanappa.

Realistically, China can reduce its dependence on American chips in less-advanced tools, but doesn't have the "raw performance" of US chips to train more complex AI systems, said Mr Raghavendra.

Despite a number of breakthroughs China still lacks the highly developed supply chains that have been long established in the US, South Korea and Taiwan.

The US has also deployed export restrictions as it tries to slow down China's development of advanced technology, including Washington's decision to block Beijing's access to high-end Nvidia chips.

The US has "hit China exactly where its dependency is deepest," said Mr Raghavendra.

"But China's not far off in the grand scheme and they might only need five more years to be independent from the US."

JLR expected to restart some production after cyber shutdown

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckge0ex5g27o, yesterday

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is expected to restart some production this week following a major cyber-attack that forced the carmaker to shut down factories and send workers home.

Manufacturing will resume first at JLR's engine factory in Wolverhampton, but it is expected to be several weeks before all operations are running at full capacity, with other sites to return gradually.

Work at JLR's three UK sites in the West Midlands and Merseyside has been suspended since a cyber-attack at the end of August forced the company to shut down.

The resumption of operations will be a welcome relief to JLR's array of suppliers, some of which are small businesses that have faced huge financial pressure.

Last week, the government announced it would underwrite a £1.5bn loan guarantee to JLR in a bid to support its parts and service suppliers.

Some suppliers have had little or no money coming in for more than a month, while bills have still needed to be paid. The managing director of Genex UK, a small company which presses metal parts, told the BBC he had to lay off some of his 18 staff members because of a cash shortage.

JLR is continuing to investigate the attack, which forced the company to shut its IT systems and send workers home.

That safety measure paralysed virtually every aspect of JLR's business and meant it could not build or sell any cars, or distribute parts to service centres.

As well as its UK sites in Solihull, Halewood and Wolverhampton, the carmaker's factories in Slovakia, China and India have also been affected by the shutdown.

The hack is believed to be costing the company at least £50m a week in lost production. A group calling itself Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters has claimed responsibility.

About 30,000 people are directly employed at the company's plants with about 200,000 working for firms in the supply chain. Some of these firms supply parts exclusively to JLR, while others sell components to other carmakers as well.

Evtec Group is a so-called "tier one" supplier which provides parts directly to JLR, while sourcing the materials it needs from other companies lower down the supply chain.

It has 1,250 employees mostly based in the West Midlands, but much like JLR's factories, its main plants in Coventry and Kidderminster have been at a virtual standstill for weeks.

Machines have been shut down, parts set to be shipped out piled high and most staff sent home on 80% of their usual pay.

Workers will return in the coming days and weeks, but Evtec's chairman David Roberts told the BBC the stoppage has had a dramatic impact on communities in the West Midlands, and uncertainty remains.

"It has had a really detrimental effect, it's devastating. There's a lot of vulnerable people out there who are now really concerned – the cost of living, Christmas coming up, when will they return to work in earnest?"

Engineer Ben Brindley said the length of the disruption has fuelled fears about his job.

"There's only so much refurbishment or decorating you can do whilst you're at home," he said.

"The longer it goes on for, the more worried you get really. You start to think - will I have a job to come back to?"

Experts have warned while production will gradually resume, the impact of the cyber-attack on JLR is not over.

The company said its recovery programme was "firmly under way" and that its global parts logistics centre, which supplies spare parts to dealerships for vehicle servicing, was "returning to full operations".

But when it comes to restarting carmaking, experts point out the process is not like flicking a switch. Some industrial processes can take days to get back up and running, while JLR has already said the restart will be done in phases.

Secondly, suppliers that have lost income during the shutdown may not be able to bounce back as quickly.

'Toothless support'

Andy Palmer, who has held senior roles at Nissan and was the former boss of Aston Martin, said the restart process would "take a while", and added the supply chain was "broken and needs to be repaired".

"The other issue is the impact on suppliers. Some of them... might not make it, and if any of those fail then that's more disruption in the supply chain," he said.

While the government has agreed to back loans for JLR to support suppliers, Evtec's Mr Roberts said the policy was a "toothless solution".

"It doesn't help the UK's advanced manufacturing sector one iota, because we don't see any of those funds," he said.

"We asked the government directly, at ministerial level, to directly support the sector. They listened, but they did nothing. It's almost like they've turned a deaf ear to the needs of advanced manufacturing, which is a key platform of the Industrial Strategy".

He said the government needed to support labour and payroll costs and provide tax reliefs for a period of time while firms recover.

"Production will begin, but it's too late. All of our companies have had six weeks of zero sales and still had to pay their costs," Mr Roberts said.

The government has said it is in "daily contact with JLR and cyber experts to listen to concerns and what support can be provided to get production back online."

'Dawn of AI is the modern Industrial Revolution'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqlzw27l93eo, today

A new opera will compare the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) with the impact of the Industrial Revolution in West Yorkshire.

The Last Machine Breaker, by Huddersfield composer Ben Crick, will tour Yorkshire next month as part of the Bradford Opera Festival.

The opera will contrast the social impact of AI with the technological advancements experienced in the early 1800s.

Crick, known for telling stories of the North of England through opera, described the project as his "most personal to date", saying it explored the "link to who we are now from where we were then".

The Last Machine Breaker is set across two different timelines - 1813 and 2030 - telling the stories of characters living through each respective generation.

Crick said: "I've been banging on about this for the last five years.

"I could see it coming - these great challenges when there's this massive technological advancement in quite a short period of time.

"It obviously has knock-on effects for the communities, and this happened before in Huddersfield in 1812, where a labour market is massively disrupted by the implementation of technology."

'Life-and-death questions'

Performances will take place in Bradford, Leeds and Skipton.

It will also be shown in Marsden, which is considered the birthplace of the Luddites, the 19th-Century mill workers who opposed the introduction of new machinery out of fear it would lead to unemployment and reduced wages.

Crick said: "Technology is coming and the Luddites knew this.

"Society asks questions like, 'What do we do with the people who aren't needed by the industry where technology replaces them?'

"These are life-and-death questions about how society is going to treat people who are left behind by technology.

"These questions have been asked here in West Yorkshire 200 years back, so what can we learn from the history of the North that might help us today?"

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

AI 'wargames' to strengthen national security

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2lx25n9j2lo, yesterday

The University of Lincoln has been chosen to lead a project using artificial intelligence (AI) in defending the country.

It will lead a consortium of seven UK universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, working on using AI to support the government and military in national security scenarios, which could include terrorism and cyberattacks.

AI will be applied to wargaming with the aim of producing "the best solutions we can", deputy vice chancellor Julian Free said.

"It will be used to understand our moves and an enemy's moves and maybe come to better decision-making," he added.

The £1m research contract was awarded by the Ministry of Defence.

The wargames could also inform how the government responds on future national security scenarios involving both the military and other services, such as the police, and which could include actions by hostile states, disruptions to the economy or environmental crises.

"We are building the intellectual and technological capacity the UK needs to meet rapidly evolving threats seen in conflict zones today," said Mr Free.

Professor Fiona Strens, who leads the university's centre for defence and security artificial intelligence, said the contract would involve applying AI that has already been developed for Lincolnshire's food production and processing industries.

"We're taking that immense capability and pivoting it towards solving some defence problems," she said.

"The Ministry of Defence is already using AI, but the world of AI is changing so fast that keeping up is a real challenge, so there needs to be a broad range of research into how it's evolving."

The university is already heavily involved in AI research and projects, and collaborates with 84 local AI companies, many of which were created by its graduates.

It is also part of The Greater Lincolnshire Regional Defence and Security Cluster and DecisionWorks, which are academic and private and public sector projects to collaborate, share research and create new business opportunities.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices

BBC tracks down sextortion scammer targeting teenage boys

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czrpedexleno, 3 days ago

"I have your nudes and everything needed to ruin your life".

This chilling message was received on social media by US teenager Evan Boettler, from someone he had previously believed to be a young girl - in fact, it was a cyber-scammer.

Just 90 minutes after receiving the first message, the 16-year-old took his own life.

Sextortion - sexual extortion - is one of the fastest-growing online crimes. Victims - often teenagers in the US and Europe - are tricked into sending intimate photos or videos, which the scammers threaten to pass on unless they are paid.

"When they finally told us that night that he was gone, it didn't make any sense. I don't understand how this could happen to our family," says Evan's mother Kari.

In the Missouri home she shares with Evan's father Brad, she describes their son as a bright, funny teenager who loved to fish, play sport and hunt.

They tell me how late on a cold afternoon in early January 2024, Evan was contacted on Snapchat by someone he believed was a girl called JennyTee60. But she was not what she seemed. Within minutes, "Jenny" persuaded him to share explicit images of himself and immediately began ruthlessly blackmailing him.

Nearly two years later, the Boettlers' grief has been raw, and their search for answers met with frustration. Social media platforms such as Meta refuse to share information without a court order - which the family does not yet have, despite pressing the FBI to act. In the years since Evan died, law enforcement seems to have made little progress.

There was, however, one crucial trace - at one point the scammer demanded Evan's Facebook login, and when they used this, they left behind an IP address.

That digital footprint led me to multiple locations in Nigeria, most frequently its most-populated city, Lagos, where I hoped to discover who was responsible.

My first meetings took me to the back streets which are home to many of the city's fraudsters, known as "Yahoo Boys" - named after the email they used to run online scams in the early 2000s.

These young men, often in their 20s, live in impoverished areas but dream of fast cars and quick money.

That's where I met Ola. He laid out the mechanics of sextortion with a matter-of-fact ease.

"You open a female account using fake names from fake generators," he said. "It's a site where you get names of people from the country that you want."

Once the profile is set up, the targeting begins. The boys on the other end of the screen become nothing more than usernames to the scammers messaging hundreds of people a day, hoping one will send them cash.

I tell him this sounds ruthless and could ruin someone's life. He replies: "I don't feel bad because I need the money."

It was apparently impossible for Ola to believe a British or American teenager couldn't pay. In his mind, being born in the West automatically meant privilege.

His reply is equally stark when asked why he targeted them. "Because their sex drive is so high, and young boys are scared of their pictures being released to their class groups, their parents and their friends."

Ola worked alone, but other cases show how sextortion in Lagos has evolved into more organised networked operations - gangs run with leaders, hierarchies and pooled resources, designed to maximise profit.

The trail eventually took me into the waterways of Makoko, one of the city's poorest districts, where wooden houses balanced on stilts rise on the edge of Lagos Lagoon.

To film there, we first had to seek permission from the community's chief, and we were guided throughout by a local crew of fixers who knew how to navigate its maze of waterways.

I'd been told about operations known as "Hustle Kingdoms" – rooms with gangs of young men on phones running scams. They had been rarely, if ever, filmed. But after much negotiation, I was given access.

This particular Hustle Kingdom was on the second floor of a low-rise building. Inside the small room, a dozen young men sat with laptops on their knees, all their phones buzzing with messages from potential targets. The atmosphere was like a call centre - they swapped fake profiles, traded scripts, and passed around the names of new victims.

Each young man played a part, but the money all flowed upwards to their leader, known as Ghost. There, the experienced scammers teach their apprentices.

The lure was quick cash, but beneath their bravado was something more predatory - boys as young as their early teens had been effectively groomed into crime.

Older "mentors" dangle success stories and social status, while imposing debts or taking a cut of every scam, creating a cycle that is difficult to escape.

Watching these men work, I realised how far removed this was from the lone scammers. This was organised, efficient and relentless - a system designed to extract as much money as possible.

Could Evan's scammer have been part of a Hustle Kingdom, or did he operate alone? The leader, Ghost, said they were mainly conducting financial scams, mostly romance, not sextortion, as he was a "God-fearing person". He said only people with a "black heart" did this. In this Hustle Kingdom, sextortion was seen as shameful.

These scammers told me that a lot of Yahoo boys were transitioning into what they called "Yahoo Plus". This involved them visiting local priests to bless scams, and to cast spells they believed would make victims more compliant, or protect the scammers from being caught.

Traditional healers have long been woven into Nigerian culture, and for some of these men, turning to them was as natural as buying a new Sim card.

I met Ade, a 20-year-old who had recently started sextorting men. He agreed to let me follow him to a so-called cyber-spiritualist, a man he believed could help him make more money. The shrine was tucked away down a side street on the edge of the city - a low-roofed room crowded with carved figures.

A white dove was brought out and sacrificed, its blood spilling onto the floor. Ade was told to eat part of the offering - a ritual the spiritualist said would bind him to wealth and protection. When I asked how common this was, the healer told me he saw six or seven Yahoo Boys a day. For Ade, it was not superstition but a business expense.

What struck me most was the contrast between the old and the new. One moment, I was watching a 20-year-old take part in a ritual rooted in centuries-old beliefs. In the next, I was being shown the tools of the digital age.

Later, I also discovered a scammer using 21st Century sorcery - deepfake technology with a woman he had hired, Rachel, acting as the face of the con. He showed me the app on his laptop - a professional-grade face-swapping tool that cost him $3,500 (£2,600). He said it was worth it for the returns.

In the US, reports of sextortion to the FBI have more than doubled in the past three years, reaching a high of 55,000 in 2024. In the UK, 110 reports are received by the National Crime Agency each month.

Social media companies say they are acting but their critics argue they could intervene more aggressively.

In South Carolina, I met Brandon Guffey, a state representative whose son Gavin took his own life in 2022 after being targeted on Instagram. He was 17.

Before his son's death, Brandon had been preparing a lawsuit against Meta, arguing the company had failed to protect him from predators. One of the accounts used to blackmail him was eventually removed, but others remained live. For Brandon, that detail was damning.

Meta said in 2024 it had taken down 63,000 sextortion accounts linked to Nigeria in a single sweep, including 2,500 that formed part of a coordinated network targeting Western teenagers.

Yet critics argue those numbers merely highlight the scale of the problem.

"Did they pull it down in one day for a PR stunt while children are still being attacked?" Brandon asks, "or, if they did pull it down in one day, why haven't they done anything since?''

A spokesperson for Meta said the suggestion that it could eradicate sextortion if it only chose to, was "simply untrue". They said the company worked aggressively to fight it by disrupting networks of scammers and supporting law enforcement.

"We have around 40,000 people working on safety and security globally, with over $30bn invested in this area over the last decade," the spokesperson said,"including by automatically placing teens in the strictest message settings and letting them know when they're chatting with someone who may be in a different country."

The grieving parents' scepticism is echoed inside Meta itself. Arturo Bejar, a former engineering director-turned-whistleblower, testified to US Congress in 2023 that the company's leadership had ignored repeated warnings about the dangers facing children on its platforms.

He told me the systems designed to protect young users were fundamentally inadequate.

''They keep demonstrating that they don't want to know when kids are in harm, they don't want people to know when kids are in harm... because they don't want to deal with it," he said.

Meta said many of Mr Bejar's suggested measures were already in place. It added it had introduced teen accounts with built-in protections on Instagram last year, meaning they can only be messaged by people they are already connected to.

The spokesperson said when something was reported as spam, the company would take action if it did not follow community standards.

Referring to the case of Evan Boettler, Snapchat said its "deepest sympathies are with the Boettler family".

"We have zero tolerance for sextortion on Snapchat. If we discover this activity, we take quick action to remove the account and we support law enforcement efforts to help bring offenders to justice."

If you have been the victim of online abuse, you can look for sources of support at BBC Action Line.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has a tool which under-18s worldwide can use to confidentially report nude or sexual images of themselves, remove them from the internet and prevent them from being reuploaded.

And if the content has not yet appeared online, the charity can still create a digital fingerprint for the picture which will prevent it from being shared online - although they are unable to remove it from encrypted networks like WhatsApp or if it's been saved on someone's phone or computer.

In the UK, the charity works with Childline, which offers the tool through its "Report Remove" service, which also gives the child the option to speak to one of its counsellors.

The IWF told us in the first eight months of 2025 it has taken action over 723 reports from Report Remove - 224 of those featured sexual extortion.

Meanwhile, for Evan's parents, the barriers to justice remain insurmountable. With Meta and Snapchat unable to release the data, all hopes of finding Evan's scammer relied on GloWorld, a Nigerian service provider that the IP address linked to.

After months of trying, I finally received an update. Even though GloWorld was supposed to keep user information for two years, it had failed to do so. The trail had gone cold.

When I called the Boettlers they were gracious and thanked me for my efforts. Brad had previously described their son as "an amazing kid".

"It wasn't hard to parent him because he was such a good human," he said. "I couldn't even put into words how much I loved him."

Additional reporting by Jamie Tahsin

Scientists grow mini human brains to power computers

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy7p1lzvxjro, 4 days ago

It may have its roots in science fiction, but a small number of researchers are making real progress trying to create computers out of living cells.

Welcome to the weird world of biocomputing.

Among those leading the way are a group of scientists in Switzerland, who I went to meet.

One day, they hope we could see data centres full of "living" servers which replicate aspects of how artificial intelligence (AI) learns - and could use a fraction of the energy of current methods.

That is the vision of Dr Fred Jordan, co-founder of the FinalSpark lab I visited.

We are all used to the ideas of hardware and software in the computers we currently use.

The somewhat eyebrow-raising term Dr Jordan and others in the field use to refer to what they are creating is "wetware".

In simple terms, it involves creating neurons which are developed into clusters called organoids, which in turn can be attached to electrodes - at which point the process of trying to use them like mini-computers can begin.

Dr Jordan acknowledges that, for many people, the very concept of biocomputing is probably a bit weird.

"In science fiction, people have been living with these ideas for quite a long time," he said.

"When you start to say, 'I'm going to use a neuron like a little machine', it's a different view of our own brain and it makes you question what we are."

For FinalSpark, the process begins with stem cells derived from human skin cells, which they buy from a clinic in Japan. The actual donors are anonymous.

But, perhaps surprisingly, they're not short of offers.

"We have many people who approach us," he said.

"But we select only stem cells coming from official suppliers, because the quality of the cells are essential."

In the lab, FinalSpark's cellular biologist Dr Flora Brozzi handed me a dish containing several small white orbs.

Each little sphere is essentially a tiny, lab-grown mini-brain, made out of living stem cells which have been cultured to become clusters of neurons and supporting cells - these are the “organoids”.

They are nowhere near the complexity of a human brain, but they have the same building blocks.

After undergoing a process which can last several months, the organoids are ready to be attached to an electrode and then prompted to respond to simple keyboard commands.

This is a means for electrical signals to be sent and received, with the results recorded on a normal computer hooked up to the system.

It's a simple test: you press a key which sends an electric signal through the electrodes, and if it works (it doesn't always) you can just about see a little jump of activity on a screen in response.

What's on display is a moving graph which looks a bit like an EEG.

I press the key a few times in quick succession, and the responses suddenly stop. Then there's a short, distinctive burst of energy on the chart.

When I asked what happened, Dr Jordan said there was a lot they still don't understand about what the organoids do and why. Perhaps I annoyed them.

Electrical stimulations are important first steps towards the team's bigger goal of triggering learning in the biocomputer's neurons so they can eventually adapt to perform tasks.

"For AI, it's always the same thing," he said.

"You give some input, you want some output that is used.

“For instance, you give a picture of a cat, you want the output to say if it's a cat", he explained.

Keeping biocomputers alive

Keeping an ordinary computer going is straightforward - it just needs a power supply - but what happens with biocomputers?

It's a question scientists don't have an answer for yet.

"Organoids don't have blood vessels," said Simon Schultz, professor of Neurotechnology and Director of the Center for Neurotechnology at Imperial College London.

"The human brain has blood vessels that permeate throughout it at multiple scales and provide nutrients to keep it working well.

"We don't yet know how to make them properly. So this is the biggest ongoing challenge."

One thing is for sure though. When we talk about a computer dying, with "wetware" that is literally the case.

FinalSpark has made some progress in the last four years: its organoids can now survive for up to four months.

But there are some eerie findings associated with their eventual demise.

Sometimes they observe a flurry of activity from the organoids before they die – similar to the increased heart rate and brain activity which has been observed in some humans at end-of-life.

"There have been a few events when we had a very fast increase in activity just the last minutes or 10s of seconds [of life]," Dr Jordan said.

"I think we have recorded about 1,000 or 2,000 of these individual deaths across the past five years."

"It's sad because we have to stop the experiment, understand the reason why it died, and then we do it again," he said.

Prof Schultz agrees with that unsentimental approach

"We shouldn't be scared of them, they're just computers made out of a different substrate of a different material," he said.

Real-world applications

FinalSpark are not the only scientists working in the biocomputing space.

Australian firm Cortical Labs announced in 2022 that it had managed to get artificial neurons to play the early computer game Pong.

In the US, researchers at Johns Hopkins University are also building "mini-brains" to study how they process information – but in the context of drug development for neurological conditions like Alzheimer's and autism.

The hope is that AI will soon be able to supercharge this kind of work.

But, for now, Dr Lena Smirnova, who leads the research at Johns Hopkins University, believes wetware is scientifically exciting - but early stage.

And she said there is little prospect of it taking the place of the main material currently used for computer chips.

"Biocomputing should complement – not replace – silicon AI, while also advancing disease modelling and reducing animal use," she said.

Prof Schultz agrees: "I think they won't be able to out-compete silicon on many things, but we'll find a niche," he suggested.

Even as the tech comes ever closer to real world applications, however, Dr Jordan is still captivated by its sci-fi origins.

"I've always been fan of science fiction," he said.

"When you have a movie of science fiction, or a book, I always felt a bit sad because my life was not like in the book. Now I feel like I'm in the book, writing the book."

Additional reporting by Franchesca Hashemi

Paddington creators sue after Spitting Image depicts him as crude podcast host

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgq7klz7evo, today

The producers behind the hit Paddington films and the estate of his creator, Michael Bond, are suing the company behind Spitting Image after it depicted the beloved bear as a foul-mouthed podcast host.

As first reported in Deadline, the claimants, represented by law firm Edwin Coe, have filed a High Court complaint against Avalon, citing copyright and design right concerns.

While the filing does not reveal the details of the claim, it comes months after the Spitting Image YouTube show, called The Rest is Bullsh*t!, featuring the fictional bear, was released.

Avalon, StudioCanal and Michael Bond's estate declined to comment when contacted by the BBC. Edwin Coe have also been asked for comment.

For those familiar with the bear from Peru, who first appeared on the scene in Bond's 1958 book, A Bear Called Paddington, the sketch is a somewhat different portrayal of the children's character.

In Spitting Image's parody, Paddington is hosting a podcast with Prince Harry, where the bear is seen swearing, reading adverts for guns and robot sex dolls and admitting to taking cocaine.

His accent has changed to a stereotypically strong South American one, as he reveals he doesn't really sound like Ben Whishaw, the British actor who voiced his character in the popular Paddington films.

The pair are seen interviewing X owner Elon Musk and the footage also features sketches including US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The Rest Is Bullsh*t! is intended to poke fun at podcast series The Rest Is..., produced by Gary Lineker's Goalhanger productions.

A more recent episode shows Paddington make further references to his drug habit.

The Spitting Image TV show, which lampooned celebrities, politicians and royals, was a huge hit for ITV when it first ran in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Bafta and Emmy award-winning television series originally ran for 18 series between 1984 and 1996, returning between 2020 and 2022 on Britbox.

It also spawned a musical.

In July this year, the YouTube series, featuring shorter episodes of between 10 and 15 minutes, was announced.

Dwayne Johnson is philosophical over his film flop for The Smashing Machine

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78400jpd40o, today

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has taken a philosophical approach to his latest film underperforming at the box office.

The Smashing Machine - a sports drama about MMA legend Mark Kerr - took just $5.9 million (£4.3 million) at the US box office, a career-worst debut for one of Johnson's films; his successes include the Fast & Furious franchise and Jumanji films.

Writing on Instagram, the star framed the results as a creative achievement rather than a financial disappointment.

"In our storytelling world, you can't control box office results," he wrote. "But what I realised you can control is your performance, and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere.

"I will always run to that opportunity," he continued. "It was my honour to transform in this role for my director Benny Safdie.

"Thank you brother for believing in me. Truth is this film has changed my life."

He signed off his post saying: "With deep gratitude, respect and radical empathy, DJ."

Variety wrote that "the film cost spent $50m (£37m) to produce (and plenty more to market)", and early estimates predicted a healthy opening weekend of around $20m (£15m).

The Smashing Machine marks a rare dramatic role for Johnson, who is best known for action franchises and family-friendly turns, including voicing a character in Disney's Moana animation.

He plays Kerr, a fighter who dominated the early, unregulated days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the 1990s - before rules such as "no eye-gouging" were introduced.

The film was developed from a 2002 documentary about Kerr with the same title - which contrasted the fighter's achievements with more intimate scenes, as he battled substance abuse and fought with his girlfriend.

Johnson, a former wrestler, saw parallels to his own career in the documentary, and cherished the idea of dramatising it for several years.

Premiered at the Venice Film Festival earlier this summer, the arthouse biopic film received rave reviews.

"The actor delivers an intoxicating mix of blood, sweat, tears, protein and total helplessness," wrote The Hollywood Reporter.

Empire magazine called it "the best work of his career".

However, audiences failed to materialise.

As well as the disappointing US box office, the film came fourth in the UK charts, making just £863,078 - less than the Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, which has already been in cinemas for a month.

Audience tracking for the US suggested that 70% of ticket-buyers were male and 64% were between the ages of 18 to 36 - the traditional audience for Johnson's action movies.

Only 8% were above 55 years old, a key demographic for arthouse releases.

Those who attended the film were apparently disappointed in the lack of action scenes, with audiences giving a lukewarm "B-" grade in exit polls, Variety said, while exploring why the film "flopped in its box office debut".

Johnson tried to temper those expectations in the run-up to the release.

"It's not a fight movie, it's a life movie," he said at the red carpet premiere last month.

"Mark Kerr's life represents so much of everyone around the world, but not, 'Oh, he's the greatest fighter on the planet,' but more so, 'Oh, he struggled with pressure and how to deal with pressure,'" Johnson explained.

"At one point, he was the greatest fighter on the planet, and then he lost - and he had a hard time reconciling with that loss.

"He overdosed twice. He's lucky to be alive, and I'm so happy that he is alive.

"Because as you know, films like this where they're a bio film, a lot of times, the main subject isn't alive... So, I'm so thankful that he is," he added.

Despite the box office disappointment, Johnson and his co-star Emily Blunt are still in the mix for Oscar nominations next year.

Taylor Swift's new album breaks her own sales records

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg28el7r4po, yesterday

Taylor Swift's latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, has already secured the UK's biggest opening week of 2025, after selling 304,000 copies since Friday.

The total eclipses the first-week sales of her last two studio albums: 2024's The Tortured Poets Departent (270,000 copies) and 2022's Midnights (204,000).

With just three days counted, she has achieved the UK's biggest first-week sales since Ed Sheeran's Divide sold 672,000 copies in 2017.

The star is also on track to have the biggest-selling album of the year overall. The current title holder is Sabrina Carpenter, who appears on Life of a Showgirl's title track. Her Short N' Sweet album has shifted 444,000 copies since January.

Swift has also broken records in the US, where she notched up 2.7 million sales on Friday alone.

That marks Swift's biggest sales week ever, and the second-largest sales week for any album since 1991, when modern chart methodology began.

Only Adele's 25 has done better - selling 3.378 million copies in its first week in 2015.

The Life of a Showgirl has also smashed the US record for the most vinyl albums sold in a single week.

Swifties snapped up 1.2 million copies on wax - at least in part because the star released eight collectable variants of the record.

The previous single-week record was also set by Swift when her last album, The Tortured Poets Department, sold 859,000 copies on vinyl in its first week.

Swift's sales figures are all the more impressive because album sales elsewhere in the industry are in a state of perpetual decline.

In the UK, only one other album has shifted more than 100,000 copies in a week this year - Sam Fender's People Watching.

Ed Sheeran's latest, Play, sold 67,000 units when it came out last month.

During the summer, two albums (Reneé Rapp's Bite Me and the Oasis compilation Time Flies) topped the charts with fewer than 20,000 sales.

Not content with chart domination, however, Swift topped the cinema box office this weekend, selling $46m (£34m) in tickets for her 89-minute film Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party Of A Showgirl.

Essentially an album launch event, the screenings included the premiere of her music video for The Fate Of Ophelia, behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the album, and Swift's commentary on the songs.

Mixed reviews

Swift's 12th album was written and recorded during stolen moments on the European leg of her Eras Tour last summer.

It captures the star as she falls in love with American Footballer Travis Kelce; interspersed with cautionary - and sometimes catty - tales about the music industry.

Critical reviews have been mixed. Variety magazine called it "contagiously joyful" while the Financial Times said it "lacked sparkle".

Speaking on BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show with Scott Mills, the star debunked rumours that it would be her last album.

Asked if she planned to retire for a life of domestic bliss, as some fans have suggested, the singer laughed: "That's a shockingly offensive thing to say.

"It's not why people get married - so that they can quit their job."

Queen leads tributes to 'wonderfully witty friend' Dame Jilly Cooper

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr5q0dr47mlo, yesterday

Novelist Dame Jilly Cooper, known for her best-selling romps including Rivals and Riders, has died at the age of 88.

Dame Jilly's most successful works were The Rutshire Chronicles, beginning with Riders in 1985, which portrayed the scandals, sex lives and social circles of the wealthy horse-loving country set.

Follow-up Rivals was published in 1988 and reached a new generation of fans last year when it was turned into a hit Disney+ TV series. She sold more than 11 million books in total in the UK alone.

Queen Camilla led the tributes, describing Dame Jilly as a legend and a "wonderfully witty and compassionate friend", adding: "May her hereafter be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs."

The author, who lived in Gloucestershire, died on Sunday morning after a fall.

In a statement, her children Felix and Emily said: "Mum was the shining light in all of our lives. Her love for all of her family and friends knew no bounds. Her unexpected death has come as a complete shock.

"We are so proud of everything she achieved in her life and can't begin to imagine life without her infectious smile and laughter all around us."

In her statement, the Queen said she was "so saddened" to learn of Dame Jilly's death.

"Very few writers get to be a legend in their own lifetime but Jilly was one, creating a whole new genre of literature and making it her own through a career that spanned over five decades," she said.

Dame Jilly was, "as ever, a star of the show" at the Queen's Reading Room Festival just three weeks ago, she said.

She added: "I join my husband The King in sending our thoughts and sympathies to all her family."

The prime minister's spokesman said: "Dame Jilly Cooper was a literary force whose wit, warmth and wisdom shaped British culture for over half a century and brought joy to millions."

Dame Jilly's agent Felicity Blunt remembered the writer as "emotionally intelligent, fantastically generous, sharply observant and utter fun".

Blunt added: "You wouldn't expect books categorised as bonkbusters to have so emphatically stood the test of time but Jilly wrote with acuity and insight about all things - class, sex, marriage, rivalry, grief and fertility.

"Her plots were both intricate and gutsy, spiked with sharp observations and wicked humour.

"She regularly mined her own life for inspiration and there was something Austenesque about her dissections of society, its many prejudices and norms."

Dame Jilly started her career as a journalist before publishing her first book - a guide called How To Stay Married - in 1969.

She remained married to husband Leo from 1961 until his death in 2013.

'Ribald, rollicking and fun'

Her writing career took off with further astute and humorous non-fiction guides to men, women and the class system, alongside a series of romance novels.

She combined all of her favourite subjects to create the heady formula for The Rutshire Chronicles, which ran to 11 novels in total. She returned to the series for a final instalment, Tackle, in 2023.

Her publisher Bill Scott-Kerr said she was "a true trailblazer".

"As a journalist she went where others feared to tread and as a novelist she did likewise.

"With a winning combination of glorious storytelling, wicked social commentary and deft, lacerating characterisation, she dissected the behaviour, bad mostly, of the English upper middle classes with the sharpest of scalpels."

Riders and the other Rutshire Chronicles books were "ribald, rollicking and the very definition of good fun", and "changed the course of popular fiction forever", he said.

'Scoldings and wisdom'

Actress Dame Joanna Lumley, who kept in touch with Dame Jilly after appearing in her 1971 TV sitcom It's Awfully Bad for Your Eyes, Darling, said she "adored her".

"She was entirely generous, hugely talented, prolific, enthusiastic, meticulous and wholly loveable: a darling friend and a brilliant person," Dame Joanna said in a statement to BBC News.

"She will be missed and mourned by millions, not least by me."

Clare Balding, TV presenter and fellow animal lover, said she was "so sorry that Jilly has left the party."

"She was never happier than [when] surrounded by dogs and horses and she loved people of all ages," Balding wrote on Instagram. "Luckily for us that brilliant brain has left us so much to enjoy."

The executive producers of the Disney+ adaptation of Rivals, Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Alex Lamb, recalled their time working with "one of the world's greatest storytellers".

"Crawling around on her sitting room floor with storylines on pieces of paper, sitting up late at her kitchen table holding hands with love and our tummies with laughter, receiving scoldings and heaps of wisdom in equal measure, watching her eyes sparkling as she sat behind the monitor on set watching Rutshire brought to life - every moment spent with Jilly Cooper was bloody marvellous," they said.

Others paying tribute included comedian Helen Lederer, who wrote on X: "Trail blazer, wit, optimist and the giver of the greatest summer parties - you made it look simple."

Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth wrote that she was "simply adorable".

"Brilliant, beautiful, funny (so funny), sexy (so sexy!), the best company, the most generous & thoughtful & kind-hearted friend," he said.

"Jilly Cooper brought sunshine & laughter into the world. And she could write a sizzler of a story. What a lady! What a life! RIP."

'One of the greats'

TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp said she was "a British institution, funny, enthusiastic and self deprecating, we don't see enough of it these days".

Piers Morgan posted: "Such a fabulously fun, mischievous, warm-heated lady. If she was in a room, everyone would feel instantly cheerier."

Author and former doctor Adam Kay recalled, external being her "perhaps unlikely penpal", adding: "We have lost one of the greats."

Actress Emma Samms said she was "hugely lucky" to have known Dame Jilly.

She wrote: "You will be hearing all sorts of effusive declarations about her kindness, generosity, enthusiasm and wicked sense of humour and let me assure you - they will all be true."

Cooper's funeral will be a private family occasion, her agent says.

But a public service of thanksgiving will be held at Southwark Cathedral in London at some point in the next few months.

An announcement on the arrangements for that will be made in due course.

Pub landlord plans 14 gigs in 14 venues with band

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87yv7d5lq2o, today

A pub landlord is preparing for a bar crawl with a difference when he visits 14 venues for 14 gigs over two days with his bandmates.

David Danby, who runs The Vine in Tutbury, Staffordshire, is fundraising for Midlands Air Ambulance with his act, Last of the Summer Vines.

Making their live debut, the band will play half-hour gigs at a different pub every hour, on the hour, between 14:00 and 20:00 BST on Saturday and Sunday.

"We just thought, let's raise a bit more funds for [the charity] and let's do it in a really, really, good enjoyable way," he said.

He added: "Air ambulance do a major, massive, massive role as everyone knows."

The band, which has been together for about five months, would be "strumming very hard and very loud" he said, with covers of The Kinks, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, Status Quo and Neil Diamond among the songs on the set list.

"We've always had live music in all the pubs that we've done, me and my wife," Mr Danby said.

"This is the very first time I've done my own live thing. I've done lots of open-mic nights but this is the first time I've assembled a band together."

All of the pubs are in or near Burton-on-Trent, with about 10 to 15 minutes travel time between each, he added.

The tour will start and finish at The Vine, with buckets for loose change in each one.

Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.

TV travel show contestant eyes mum wheelchair prize

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn82nz081jvo, today

A woman taking part in a travel challenge with a £50,000 prize said if she wins she will spend the money on an electric wheelchair for her mother who has fibromyalgia and scoliosis.

Charlotte Williams, 25, from Swansea, is one of six young people in the Channel 4 show, Worlds Apart, who have never travelled alone before.

They are paired with six pensioners who thought they would never travel again and together they solve clues to travel across Japan.

"When my family are happy, I'm happy," Charlotte said, although she added she would keep a little aside to buy "a load of Persian cats" which she plans to name after the Gavin and Stacey cast.

She said her mother had a tough year and had "been in the wars".

"She has fibromyalgia, scoliosis and spina bifida, which is a curvature of the spine, so she does struggle, so I went, 'if I win, I want to get an electric wheelchair and make her life as best as possible.'"

But if she wins the prize, Charlotte will also be "a little bit selfish" by buying the cats.

"I want to walk down the hill with a trail of cats behind me. That is my goal in life," she told Lucy Owen on BBC Radio Wales.

Charlotte, who works on the checkout in Asda, had never travelled alone before Worlds Apart and had only been to Switzerland to the see the Eurovision song contest and on a four-day trip to Paris with her brother.

"I'm always scrolling on Instagram and I saw this post looking for people aged 18 to 25," she said of her decision to apply for the show.

She had a "really big shock" when she found out she would be travelling with 73-year-old Colin and was worried what he might think of her.

"I'm so full on, and I just chat at people... but he gave me as good as he got," she said, laughing.

"He was so full of energy. He was brilliant," she added. "Within 30 seconds I knew everything about him."

She admitted that Japan had not previously been on her radar.

"It's so chaotic. So vibrant. So colourful," she said. "It was like a Disney World."

She described the country as "so different to Wales", adding it was "unbelievable".

"I'm such a home bird. So when I found out it was Tokyo on a 15-hour flight away... I was like, 'Oh my god, my poor family. I'm going to miss them so much'."

She found it hard being far away from family during the first week, crying on the phone, despite the fact she was having "the best time ever".

But as the competition progressed she grew more and more competitive, she said, adding she was "in the zone".

Charlotte said she speaks with Colin "all the time", and that the pair have been in contact almost every day since the travelling together.

Producer Don Leisure wins Welsh Music Prize

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80g4xme757o, today

Don Leisure has won the Welsh Music Prize for his album Tyrchu Sain.

The Cardiff-based producer picked up the £10,000 prize for the best album at the event held at the Wales Millennium Centre on Monday evening.

Cardiff musician Pino Palladino, who has played bass guitar for The Who, Elton John and Adele, was also presented with the Welsh Music Inspiration Award

Meanwhile on Saturday, the inaugural Welsh Black Music Awards were held.

Don Leisure's record, Tyrchu Sain honours the legacy of Welsh music while reframing it for a new generation.

The album sees Don Leisure, whose real name is Aly Jamal, dig through the archives of Sain Records to create new music from forgotten recordings. The word "trychu" translates as digging.

It features appearances including previous Welsh Music Prize winners Gruff Rhys and Boy Azooga's Dave Newington.

Speaking after ceremony, Don Leisure called the win "mind-blowing" and said his daughter could not wait to show it off at school.

"Making the album was a real voyage of discovery. My ethos is always 'would this song sound good as a hip hop sample?' and so much did.

"There's so much amazing Welsh music of all genres that I'm still discovering," he added.

The shortlist included Adwaith, Breichiau Hir, Buddug, Cerys Hafana, Kelly Lee Owens, KEYS, Melin Melyn, Panic Shack, Sage Todz, Siula, Tai Haf Heb Drigolyn, The Gentle Good and The Tubs.

Speaking of the the recognition of his Welsh Music Inspiration Award, Palladino said it "takes a team to enable my career to last this long and still be making music".

Over the weekend, during the Welsh Black Music Awards Lily Beau won Best New Artist while Kima Otung won Best Single.

Posting on Instagram, Lily Beau described the win as "indescribable".

"This first EP truly was me proving to myself that I can do this, and to get this type of acknowledgment from my community is indescribable".

Kim Otung said she was "touched by the recognition and thankful for everyone who streamed the single.

'A kick in the teeth that Boyzone aren't coming to Dublin'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly97grg90mo, today

Irish fans have spoken of their disappointment that Boyzone's farewell concert will not include a show on the island of Ireland.

The Dublin-born group, who recently announced their One For The Road concert will perform exclusively in London, leaving many long-time supporters frustrated that the band's last show will take place outside their home.

The band will perform at London's Emirates Stadium on 6 June 2026.

For life-long fan of the band, Audrey FitzHagan, from Dublin, she feels her teenage self would have been "heartbroken" by the news.

It has been more than 30 years since Boyzone burst into Audrey's life.

Her first brush with the band was watching the original line up perform on the Late Late Show in 1993, for presenter Gay Byrne - footage which has since become famous.

Their energetic dance moves created a superfan and since then she has loved them "No Matter What".

That introduction to Irish society was when the line-up included Richard Rock (son of the late singer Dickie Rock) and Mark Walton.

The final, famous line-up was made up of frontman Ronan Keating, Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, and the late Stephen Gately.

'Growing up, my wall to ceiling was covered in Boyzone posters'

Audrey is disappointed that there has been no Irish date announced.

She feels it has been "forgotten that they started here in Ireland" and that no good reason has been given for the omission.

It is a "massive kick in the teeth to all the kids who have supported them from the very beginning," she added.

Audrey is not planning to go to London, but she said that if more dates had been announced, she’d have been ready to "empty her bank account to attend," but has been disappointed by some of the band’s recent interviews.

Pre-sale tickets for the gig go live at 09:00.

'They are Irish born and bred, so they should go to Dublin'

Janine Blake has been a lifelong Boyzone fan and growing up, she was "obsessed" with Gately in particular, owning a lot of posters and merchandise when she was young.

Gately died in 2009, aged 33, and the band, who have paid tribute to their bandmate, friend and "brother" at gigs since, intend to honour him at their upcoming gigs.

Janine is devastated that they are not coming to Ireland.

"Concert tickets are expensive enough, without having to consider the cost of going to London where you have flights and accommodation to pay for," she said.

Janine feels the Irish fans have been forgotten about and would love them to reconsider only playing in London.

'Final farewell'

Brit Award-winners Boyzone scored six UK number one singles and plan to play all their hits at the concert where, they hinted, they could be joined by some "friends".

Their recent documentary looked back on their career and tackled the topic of grief following the death of their Gately.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Ronan Keating said the documentary was what made them decide to do a comeback concert.

"We're not making new music, it's not a reunion," Keating told BBC Breakfast.

"And now, to get to Emirates together, all of us, and say our final farewell the way we want to do it, will be pretty powerful."

"We've been together, we've been apart. We do find it easier when we're together, because Steo [Gately] is alive when we're together. So that's a beautiful thing...

"But it's gonna be hard to stand up on that stage without him, that's for sure."

BBC News NI has approached Boyzone for comment.

Vinyl boom is 'lifeline' says music shop owner

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4yj5xvdlqo, today

A music shop owner has said the surge in people buying physical-format music like vinyl has a been "lifeline".

Raymond Stewart, of Stewart's Music Shop in Dungannon in County Tyrone, said they had "thrown out our LP stands" only to have to search for them again, when demand started to rocket.

Twenty years ago, telling someone you had just bought a vinyl record might have prompted a raised eyebrow, and a decade later, the same might have been the case for a CD.

But a revival of physical-format music has seen sales reach their highest levels in 30 years.

In 2024 the number of independents hit a 10-year high in the UK, at the same time that the total number of shops selling music - such as record stores chains and supermarkets - fell.

This has contributed to a renaissance for another part of the music business which was on the decline just a few years ago - independent record shops.

Northern Ireland is very much part of the trend, with new record shops thriving and established businesses finding new customers.

Mr Stewart, whose shop has just celebrated its 50th anniversary, said CDs still represented the biggest chunk of his sales.

"Around the late 1980s, early 90s vinyl sales would have dropped off, people were buying CDs for their convenience," he said.

"But vinyl is very strong in recent years.

"It's been great, it's been a real lifeline and lift to all of us."

'Destination shopping'

At a challenging time for high streets, Mr Stewart said part of the success for record shops was about becoming "destination businesses".

"We're very blessed to be a destination shop for Irish country music, as well as all the pop stuff as well, but we're lucky to have found that little niche in the market where people travel from England and from their holidays," he said.

The shop was packed on Saturday when Irish country legend Daniel O'Donnell dropped by, with hundreds of people keen to get their hands on his new album.

"It's amazing, it just goes to show you that the physical product is still what people want," O'Donnell said.

"These shops are just invaluable to the music industry."

'You'll remember buying it.. but not if you click and buy online'

Up the road in Cookstown, Nico Devito's Vanilla Records is a newer addition to the scene.

He set up in Magherafelt in 2018 before moving above an ice cream parlour in the County Tyrone town.

He agreed with Mr Stewart that a key part of independent record shops' appeal was their specialist nature.

"It's something that people will seek out, because there's things that you can get in the records shop you can't just find online," he said.

"You can get anything at one click, but I think people are starting to appreciate the beauty of being able to walk into a shop and have that experience of lifting the thing and checking it out.

"You'll remember where you bought it, you'll not remember the time you clicked and bought something online."

Mr Devito added that record shops benefited from the wide range of people interested in buying physical-format music.

"I get a whole range of people coming in here, from guys that have always been buying physical format - they never stopped," he said.

"Even when there was hardly any records being produced, they were still collecting it.

"Then you've got a great surge of new fans that have come along, started collecting, sort of buying records for the first time.

"Every week I see new people coming into the shop who are buying their first or second record."

Why do people still want to buy vinyl records?

Despite the popularity of streaming, there are various reasons why people are still attracted to buying vinyl, tapes and CDs.

BBC Radio Ulster broadcaster and vinyl aficionado Ralph McLean said there was a more intimate feel to a physical product.

"People love to be able to hold the record and read the sleeve notes. They love to be able to look at the art of the record sleeve," he said.

"These are things you can't do with streaming. I always feel you don't really own stuff with streaming.

"It always feels like it's somebody else's and you're having a wee sneaky listen to it."

He added that independent record shops had something which made them stand out.

"The bigger commercial stores will always have the new releases and the big name albums that everybody knows and loves," he said.

"If you're looking for something a little bit different, something perhaps you've been seeking for long time, you cannot beat the thrill of a really good little independent record store and you're getting the knowledge and advice of the people who work there as well.

McLean said many people also feel that listening to music on vinyl is the way the artist intended it, due to its warmth and analogue sound.

It is a sentiment echoed by Mr Stewart.

"People are realising that there's nothing like the sound of the needle on the vinyl," he said.

"People, although they do a lot of streaming, they still discover that there's nothing like an actual physical product."

RuPaul performer wants to showcase Welsh language

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czew95e8dk0o, today

From the valleys to the runway, Catrin Feelings has taken RuPaul's Drag Race UK by storm.

Catrin Feelings, known out of drag as Ellis Lloyd Jones, 27, from Treorchy in Rhondda Cynon Taf, is the second Welsh-speaking performer to appear on the show and said she wanted to "boost" the language and give it a platform.

Catrin, who has 220,000 TikTik followers, said it was "surreal" to be on the show that got her into drag.

So what can we expect? She said a lot of "a lot of comedy, a lot of Welsh-ness and maybe a bit of shadiness."

Catrin watched the first episode at a watch party in Mary's in Cardiff on 25 September, and said the crowd cheered every time she spoke Welsh, adding it felt good "to represent Wales".

She has been popular with the judges as well, making it into the top groups for both episodes aired so far.

RuPaul said Catrin "felt like an ambassador to Wales", adding she has "got this personality that could sell you anything - she's charismatic".

Catrin said she was pleased by the positive comments from the judges.

"I've always loved performing, I've always loved dressing up," she said.

"You'd see me with like a towel, looking like luscious locks of hair and a towel around my waist being like 'oh, I look like Shakira'," she said.

Catrin showed off Wales with her outfit in the opening episode which included a Welsh leek.

Her entrance look was also a classic silhouette from the Cardiff drag scene.

"I wanted to walk in and be like, 'this is the drag that I come from'."

Catrin's character came about after Ellis began "playing about with drag in 2018" after moving away to university, and then got into TikTok during the pandemic.

"After lockdown, something just snapped in my brain - life is short, something like that could happen again so let's do something with my life," she said.

She then performed at the Queer Emporium in Cardiff's "Dragling night" where new drag performers conduct their first ever gig.

The name comes from being a Little Mix fan, she said, specifically from a lyric in the song Motivate.

"It goes 'ooh la la, ooh la la, I'm catching feelings.' And I was like 'hang on that sounds like they're saying Catrin feelings,'" she said.

"When it comes to naming yourself, the more unique the better," she said.

Her advice to other "baby queens" was to "find the fun in drag because there is a chance for you to just get lost in there".

She also said that while it had been hard to get to know fellow contestants on the show, since leaving the competition "we've all just gotten so close".

Speaking on Bronwen Lewis' Radio Wales programme on Monday, Catrin Feelings also said she loves a Welsh crowd.

"Whatever jokes I will say they will understand," she said. "But when I perform in England they can't understand a word."

Entertainer Max Boyce, who was also on the show, told her he has been watching and she is "representing us well."

Catrin described RuPaul as "absolutely lovely".

"You go onto the show knowing who she is watching her in all these seasons, and I'm not going to lie, I went in and I was so scared to meet her.

"But she's honestly so chill, so down to Earth."

RuPaul's Drag Race UK is on BBC Three at 21:00 BST on Thursdays and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Guildford fringe founder makes bid to save theatre

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyrzzgv0xlo, today

The founder of Guildford Fringe has submitted a proposal to save the town's Electric Theatre after uncertainty about the venue's future.

Nick Wyschna told BBC Radio Surrey: "We want to bring the theatre back into the community and make it a home for amateur dramatics again."

Earlier this year, its former leaseholder, the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM), handed the Electric Theatre back to its owner, Guildford Borough Council, saying it was no longer able to subsidise the loss-making venue.

The council said: "Numerous expressions of interest have been submitted and no decisions have been made at this stage."

Mr Wyschna, who is also the managing director of Fallen Angel Bar, said the Electric Theatre was "a massive part of his heart".

"I did loads of shows there as a kid like Copacabana and many others," he said.

He acknowledged funding would be a challenge to keep the theatre operating but said he would establish a marketing department.

"This would support all bookers from amateur dramatics to the touring professional shows," he explained.

He suggested the theatre could hold workshops and proposed using the outside space for a variety of festivals.

Gilly Flick, chairperson of Guildburys Theatre Company, said closing the Electric Theatre had been "devastating".

She said it had been "so significant for us and the local community" and was a "friendly and wonderful space to perform".

The council said it was organising roundtable discussions "to bring interested parties together" and previously said it would "consider the wider social value" when assessing proposals.

The Electric Theatre began operating as a theatre in 1997 and was originally an electricity works for the town.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.

School with Hollywood ties honoured by documentary

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgjy4qepkyo, today

A stage school with Hollywood stars among its alumni said it was an "honour" to get a new documentary series.

Stage Stars on CBBC will feature current pupils and staff at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts in Hertfordshire.

Previous students include actors Lily James, Daisy Ridley and Thandiwe Newton.

Elizabeth Odell, the school's director of studies, said: "We are delighted to showcase the exceptional young talent within our school."

"As a hub for aspiring performers, we take great pride in nurturing those pursuing a career in the performing arts," she continued.

"It's an honour to be part of this exciting project, and we look forward to seeing it come to life on screen."

Originally known as the Arts Educational School, Tring Park, it was renamed in 2009 after it became separate from the other Arts Educational Schools in London.

The school is divided into a prep school, a lower school, a middle school and a sixth form.

It was also attended by presenter Valerie Singleton, singer Ella Henderson and Dame Julie Andrews.

The series will capture students performing at the local Christmas fair, celebrating Valentine's Day and taking part in a sports day.

Boarding students balance typical daily school life with auditions and end of year productions.

Some of the current pupils seen in the upcoming documentary have performed in West End shows such as Starlight Express, Matilda, and The Lion King.

Rachel Drummond-Hay, the programme's executive producer, said: "These budding stars show that to make it in the spotlight, you need more than just glitz and talent, you need grit and determination too and watching these young people triumph on stage and off makes compulsive viewing."

The 15 episodes produced by Drummer Television will broadcast on CBBC and BBC iPlayer from Monday.

Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Deaf community takes centre stage at theatre

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c207nxeg0dpo, today

A Devon theatre has joined forces with Exmouth's the Deaf Academy to make the venue and its productions more accessible to people with hearing loss.

The collaboration grew out of a letter one of the teachers sent to the theatre about about the impeded view of the British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter on stage.

Mark Stocks, of the school, was invited to advise the theatre company what it could do to help make signing clearer and what other things would make the theatre more accessible.

As a result of the partnership, the theatre has championed performances by actors and comedians who are deaf and is due to hold its first deaf rave in the run-up to the school's bicentenary next year.

Kelly Johnson, from the theatre, said she was excited by the idea of making the venue more accessible.

"The partnership with the Deaf Academy means that we can extend our welcome in the best way possible, taking their advice as to how to do that.

"What that means is we are taking proactive steps to remove barriers that might prevent someone being able to come to the theatre."

She added: "So we've got a fantastic relationship with Complete Communication that's enabled us to make sure we can programme accessible performances for every Northcott production.

"So that's BSL interpreted, audio described, captioned performance and a relaxed performance will happen for everything we put on here."

Mr Stocks said: "We are very limited with what opportunities are available in Exeter if you are deaf and want to embrace culture and go to inclusive events.

"At the Deaf Academy, we've been campaigning a lot over the last couple of years.

"Places are becoming aware [of our needs], which is absolutely delightful."

He added: "For the first time, two years ago, the Devon County Show had sign language interpreters.

"Exmouth Pride and Exmouth Festival are actually using their own initiative now to book interpreters in advance to make their events more accessible."

Recently, Deafinitely Theatre brought The Vagina Monologues to life in BSL on the Northcott stage.

Featuring a cast of deaf and hearing women and non-binary people from all walks of life, the show included Exeter on its UK tour.

The performance is one of the ways the theatre hopes to celebrate the deaf community and creativity.

Ushers and staff are also learning BSL to welcome people to make sure their visit is a positive one.

Hafwen, who is a student at the academy, said: "I'm excited to see all the different things.

"All the different deaf people, like the deaf comedians, the deaf artists. I'm really excited to see all of them."

Founded in 1826, the Deaf Academy provides a school and further education college for deaf young people aged nine to 25.

Part of the charity's wider goal is to help the public develop a greater awareness of deaf people's needs and how best to communicate with them.

The academy is using its 200th anniversary next year to launch a Bicentenary Legacy Fund aiming to support future generations of young deaf people.

The partnership with cultural organisations like the Northcott and other institutions in Exeter is all about trying to create this legacy for young deaf people.

Actor Adrian Lester talks of overcoming insecurity

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpvledzdmkgo, today

"We all have a part of ourselves we feel isn't good enough - that we're either very insecure or even angry about."

Those were the words of actor Adrian Lester as he spoke about his debut with the Royal Shakespeare Company in its reimagining of Edmond Rostand's 19th Century play Cyrano de Bergerac.

The Birmingham-born Hustle star portrays the titular character Cyrano – a romantic poet with crippling self-consciousness caused by his distinctive nose, which takes make-up artists 40 minutes to attach to Lester's face.

Lester said the play was an exploration of human insecurity as well as the self-belief needed to overcome it.

"[Cyrano] has the insecurity. So to that extent, in many ways, we all have our nose," he told BBC Midlands Today.

The story centres around Cyrano's romantic letters written on behalf of love rival Christian de Neuvillette (Levi Brown) as he tries to charm Roxane (Susannah Fielding).

Lester added: "We still, as a modern audience, are concerned with love, justice, insecurity and how that plays out in a world where you can do your all for people and hope they will do their all for you – where honour actually matters."

Brown, known for playing Dante in This Town, was born in Halesowen, Dudley, and said his own Midlands accent added authenticity to his role as Christian.

He said: "It's like a secret superpower almost because it's instantly grounding and instantly honest and no-nonsense.

"The attitude you get for free from the Midlands is just that – no-nonsense, get on with it, do your job."

The play started at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon earlier this month, with its run lasting until 15 November.

Asked about his future projects, Lester said there were "ideas on tables being discussed".

"Me coming home to film things, either behind the camera or in front of the camera, is very much in discussion," he said.

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.

Devon villagers asked for views on public art

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg285epzpqo, yesterday

Residents of a Devon village are being asked by the local council what kind of public art they would like.

Torridge District Council said it wanted to introduce public art to Westward Ho! as part of its "mission" to support cultural activity in the town.

Torridge District Councillor Claire Hodson, ward member for Westward Ho!, said public art would celebrate "the village's heritage and vibrancy to ensure that it adds to the sense of being somewhere people want to spend time and visit".

A survey is open until Monday 3 November.

Hodson said: "We want to hear from as many people as possible so that we can come up with a brief that helps us to commission something really special that celebrates Westward Ho!

She added that people's views were being sought on "what people are proud of, what inspires them and where they think the art should go".

A council spokesperson said: Whether it's a mega centrepiece or an art trail, a stone sculpture or a mural – it's now time for the community to have their say on what themes and stories make them feel proud and would really create that added wow factor"

Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.

Theatre fundraising £10k to repair leaking roof

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crrj4dk8v5yo, yesterday

A beachfront theatre and cinema is hoping to raise £10,000 to put towards repairs to its leaking flat roof.

After a number of temporary fixes, the roof at the Mowlem Theatre on Shore Road in Swanage, Dorset, needs urgent repairs to keep the rain out.

Kate McGregor, executive director of the theatre, said: "We are concerned that we could get a bigger crack in the roof and it collapses which would mean we would have to shut and have a massive repair bill closer to £100k."

Opened in 1967, the theatre hopes to raise the money before mid-November to get a waterproof layer put onto the existing flat roof.

Ms McGregor said: "We've had leaks before but we can't really go any further without fixing this problem.

"We really just want to make sure that it is safe and protected. As long as we catch this in time we can get on the roof and fix it."

Since the theatre started the appeal on Friday just over half the target has been raised.

"We are very overwhelmed and grateful," Ms McGregor said.

The fundraising appeal runs until 13 November at 15:05 BST.

You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.

Immersive war tribute to light up cathedral

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98er7e0r7no, yesterday

Gloucester Cathedral will be transformed into an immersive light and sound show to remember those who gave their lives in the world wars.

The cathedral will commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE and VJ Day between Friday 17 and Saturday 25 October with the light show from Luxmuralis which specialises in immersive light and sound experiences.

The cathedral's interior will be surrounded by projections of poppies and a bespoke soundtrack to replicate someone walking through the fields of Flanders.

The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni, Dean of Gloucester, said: "It is deeply fitting that this experience takes place here where the themes of peace and hope are so integral to our daily mission."

It will also include a series called Falling Leaves in which each leaf will represent one of the millions of lives lost during WW1 and WW2 as well as an artistic reflection of the Battle of the Somme.

This installation marks the return of Luxmuralis to Gloucester following Light Eternal in 2023.

Lorna Giles, head of visitor experience at the cathedral, said: "I have such fond memories of Light Eternal in 2023 and we are thrilled to welcome visitors back to experience the beautiful work of Luxmuralis again for Poppy Fields.

"This immersive experience invites everyone to pause, reflect and enjoy the stunning light projections that bring the cathedral's architecture to life."

She added: "It's a truly special opportunity to see the building in a new light and share a moment of hope and peace with family and friends."

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.

'I've got Tourette syndrome and singing opera makes me feel free'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8jmvez12zno, yesterday

When Megan Hastings was 10 years old she began having "jerking tics" but thought it was anxiety.

Then during the Covid-19 pandemic when she was 16, she had what she describes as a "massive flare up" in which she was "punching" herself and "swearing" at her parents.

She had never heard of Tourette syndrome.

The 20-year-old says she has felt misunderstood ever since as someone with the condition, and that she has been mocked throughout her life.

That is, until she discovered opera singing - which the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama student says makes her feel "free" as she does not have tics while performing and this helps her manage the condition.

Ms Hastings, a third-year student studying opera singing in Cardiff, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast on Wednesday she had never heard of Tourette syndrome when she was a child.

When she was diagnosed with it along with autism in 2022, she said she did not get much support, so had to research the conditions herself.

"Grasping all of that in the span of a year when it is the biggest year of my life going into university was a struggle," she said.

"I'd never seen anyone else with Tourette's, so I was quite confused," she said. "I was so embarrassed, I spent most of my time trying to hide it."

But she says when she sings "you wouldn't think I had it, I feel so free".

The "small wins" like "being able to sing through songs and being in rehearsals, being comfortable and not in pain all the time" makes her feel good.

According to the charity Tourettes Action, the key symptoms are involuntary movements or tics and the condition affects one school child in every 100.

"It's very painful, your muscles are constantly working," said Ms Hastings.

"Your jerking muscles shouldn't be used as much."

'Very toxic'

She says one of her tics is punching herself in the thigh which is "not pleasant to live with".

"A lot of social media was very toxic back when I first had my diagnosis.

"There was a trend on TikTok and Instagram where tics and Tourette's were fashionable.

"It was desired, sometimes sexualised, and often mocked."

This behaviour was not limited to social media, she said, with people copying and making fun of her on the street.

She said she had spent her life trying to accept herself, and dealing with this kind of reaction made it hard to find the confidence to do so.

She is now hoping a new film about to hit UK cinemas, I Swear, about the life of John Davidson - who became the reluctant poster boy for Tourette Syndrome in 1989 when he was 16 - and his experiences while growing up, will make people more understanding.

'More patience'

When Ms Hastings saw the trailer for the film, she said she was "in tears" because she "finally saw raw representation of my condition on screen".

"There was no cutting or editing out the horrible bits that no one wants to see."

Ms Hastings said people often misinterpreted the actions of people with Tourette's and thought they were "aggressive or a monster", so to see a positive representation on the big screen felt "helpful".

"I hope that it helps with the diagnosis process," she said.

"I also hope that the public in general can take from the movie and give us more time and patience, we're still people."

She said if she had seen her condition in film or TV when she was a child, "maybe I wouldn't have just diagnosed myself with anxiety", or hidden it.

She also said it would have given her the confidence not to be ashamed.

I Swear is in UK cinemas from 10 October

Irish government announces Derry to Dublin flights

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g7vgwlzlvo, today

Flights between Londonderry and Dublin could resume next year.

The announcement was made by the Irish government as part of their 2026 budget.

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said it would allow for regular air travel between the two cities.

A daily flight between City of Derry Airport and Dublin, funded by the Irish government, was withdrawn in 2011.

Attempts to revive the service faltered in 2016 following the Brexit referendum.

Chambers said projects next year would include a new Dublin-Derry air link.

"This government is committed to supporting vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland where people can live, work and connect", he said.

The minister did not give a date for the resumption of the service.

Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy welcomed today's announcement as a "hugely positive" one for the entire north west.

The Foyle MLA said City of Derry Airport had a "huge role to play in our local economy, helping to connect communities and businesses across these islands".

More holidaymakers using AI to plan trips

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czdjzm2gv7qo, today

More holidaymakers are turning to AI when planning or booking their trips, according to travel association ABTA.

The body found that 8% of travellers were using AI - up from 4% last year - with younger holidaymakers more likely to use the technology when planning their trips.

However, AI still lagged a long way behind more established methods - such as general internet searches and asking family and friends.

Overall, the number of people taking a holiday continued a recent trend of climbing back towards pre-pandemic levels, ABTA said.

The travel body described the increase in customers using AI as "both a challenge and an opportunity".

ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer said AI was "something travel businesses have been using behind the scenes for the last few years" and was growing in popularity for travellers.

There has been speculation about the size of the threat AI poses to high street and online travel agents - with AI booking agents now capable of taking actions on behalf of customers.

OpenAI, which operates ChatGPT, recently partnered with online platforms Booking.com and Expedia to allow travel planners to do more through the popular AI chatbot.

ABTA's survey covered 2,000 people. While AI is growing in popularity, 48% of those surveyed used general internet searching when planning their trips, 41% asked friends and family, while 36% looked at travel websites and guidebooks.

At the moment, less than a fifth of respondents said they would be happy to hand over the planning or booking of their holiday to AI - something which ABTA said may reflect the relative infancy of the tech and the "quality and reliability" of information.

Holly Hyde, from London, and who has travelled to 78 countries, increasingly uses AI to help her plan her holidays.

"I started using it in the last year or so, purely because I always liked using a travel agent.

"But my friends who used to work in [the industry], no longer do. Rather than developing a relationship with a new agent, I started using ChatGPT."

Having previously worked in luxury and corporate travel, she said using AI was an "easy start point", and recently used it to give recommendations to a relative who was going on holiday with their boyfriend for the first time, and wanted to fly directly to somewhere with temperatures in the low-20s in early January.

While ChatGPT quickly produced a list of suitable destinations in Spain and North Africa - Ms Hyde said she would still use a travel agent for bigger trips.

"If I was going to Costa Rica, or central America, for security reasons - you need the destination knowledge from someone who knows somewhere inside out."

More holidays taken

Overall, ABTA report suggested an increase in the percentage of people who have taken a holiday over the previous year - up to 87%, the highest total since the pandemic.

This accounted for holidays in the UK and abroad, which both saw an increase.

Spain remained the most popular travel destination abroad, being selected by just under a third of travellers, with France, Italy, the USA, and Greece rounding out the top five.

And despite concerns over global news events, ABTA found travel demand remained resilient.

More than nine out of 10 respondents said conflicts such as those in the Middle East and Ukraine, or the political turmoil in the United States, did not put them off travelling in general.

About two-thirds of respondents also said wildfires in the Mediterranean area would not make them think twice about holidaying there.

Repairs approved for building housing RNLI museum

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly6k1v6301o, today

Plans to repair a seafront council building housing an RNLI museum have been approved.

At a cabinet meeting, north Norfolk councillors agreed to spend £367,484 to fix chronic damp at Rocket House in Cromer.

The RNLI Henry Blogg Museum has been shut since 2024, as exhibits were being damaged. Getting the attraction reopen was a priority, said the council leader.

The authority also agreed to extend the RNLI's lease of its station at Sheringham, where repairs are also needed.

Rocket House was built in 2006 on Cromer's east promenade and, as well as the museum, has a cafe, public toilets and a lift.

Tim Adams, Lib Dem leader of North Norfolk District Council, said approving the repair work had "important implications to the local economy and heritage".

He added: "We're pleased to have reached this point in time through continued cooperation with the RNLI."

Adams said with "a fair wind" the museum could reopen in 2026.

'Mistake'

Angie Fitch-Tillett, who leads the council's Independent Group, criticised the continuing investment in the building and said it should never have been built.

"Our tax payers are going to be lumbered with this [building] for the foreseeable future. I repeat: this was a monumental mistake."

Coxswain Henry Blogg, carried out 387 rescues, and helped save 873 lives, between 1894 and 1947 and is the charity's most decorated volunteer.

The HF Bailey lifeboat, used by Blogg, was moved to special storage when the museum closed.

RNLI Head of Region Rebecca Felton welcomed the council's decision.

She said "The museum helps preserve the memory of Henry Blogg and all the people of Cromer who gave so much to saving lives at sea."

Meanwhile, the RNLI has been operating temporarily from Cromer since January 2025 because of safety concerns with the Sheringham station.

"We are also very pleased that the council has agreed to extend our lease at the Sheringham RNLI station by 25 years," added Ms Fulton.

"This will enable us to carry out the necessary building works to ensure the long-term viability of the station in the area."

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Penguins impact UK seaside landmark restoration

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2zmx6vz8ro, today

The team restoring a listed seafront landmark say they are having to use "considerate" building techniques to avoid disturbing the Humboldt penguins living next door.

Work has begun on the £18m refurbishment of the Winter Gardens glasshouse in Great Yarmouth, which is next to the Norfolk town's Sea Life centre.

Paul Tumelty, who is overseeing the restoration, said: "It's important we don't create too much dust, vibration or noise."

The project aimed to transform the structure into a events space, with hopes to reopen it in 2028.

The council-owned Winter Gardens is the UK's last surviving Victorian glasshouse - having been built in Devon 1878-81 and moved to Norfolk in 1904.

Mr Tumelty, regional director at Vinci Buildings, who has previously worked on the construction of the Olympic Stadium in east London, said they had to be "respectful of our neighbours".

With Sea Life on one side and the pier on the other, he said his team were having to use techniques that were "very low vibration".

The Humboldts are a species from South America, and it was thought there were as few as 10,000 left in the wild.

The company will start with the cleaning of existing ironwork, and Mr Tumelty said working on unique buildings like this one were projects his team wanted to be involved in.

The building is Grade II* listed and described by the architectural firm behind the current work as "nationally significant".

Faye Davies, managing director at Burrell Foley Fischer, believed people would come to the town to see "this magnificent building refurbished".

She said the key to the building's success would be to make it a space that people wanted to use.

"A building that's being used by the public is always looked after and loved a bit better," she said.

Designs for the building include plans for high-quality glazing, heating and cooling systems, significant planting, rainwater collection and use, irrigation, and low energy and decarbonisation.

Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said the vision was to make the town an "all-year-round tourist destination".

"We're going to get people visit this from all over the country and maybe across Europe as well," he said.

Funding for the project is made up of £12.3m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, £6m from the Government's UK Towns Fund, and a £500,000 grant from Historic England.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Storm-hit villagers told to travel 20 miles for hot meal

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c864xxx09zeo, today

Villagers who have been without power for days say they feel "abandoned" after their electricity distributor advised they travel more than 20 miles for a hot meal.

Food and fuel supplies have been dwindling in the village of Kilchoan, which is at the very edge of the Ardnamurchan peninsula in the Highlands, since Storm Amy struck on Friday evening.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) told customers it had provided welfare vans, but the nearest to Kilchoan was in Acharacle - a 50-minute drive away along a single-track road.

The BBC understands the road was too narrow for the SSEN vehicle and it has now arranged for a local food van to supply meals.

Rosie Curtis, a crofter and chair of the West Ardnamurchan Community Council, criticised the communication from SSEN which she described as "ridiculous".

"You just feel abandoned," she told BBC Scotland News. "Just because we're at the bottom of the road doesn't mean we don't matter."

Storm Amy, the first named storm of the season, left a trail of destruction and tens of thousands of homes without power across Scotland.

SSEN has reconnected 86,000 homes, with 1,900 customers still cut off - mostly in pockets of the Great Glen, in Fort William and on the Ardnamurchan peninsula.

The company said a "huge effort" to reconnect people continues "at pace" and that community volunteers were out assisting the most vulnerable people.

Ms Curtis told Good Morning Scotland that engineers were doing a "wonderful job" - especially those who had not seen their families since Saturday.

However she said there has been a lack of information from SSEN and that villagers felt they had to chase the company for updates.

She said: "They told me to travel to Acharacle for hot food which is just ridiculous."

She later added: "You'd have to travel on a single-track road in the dark to get food.

"Plus everyone is running really low on fuel and by the time you get it back it'll be cold anyway.

"Nobody has food, people haven't had showers - it's miserable."

Villagers have been sharing a small number of generators among the sick and elderly, including one local who is living with Huntington's disease.

Ms Curtis, who had her 56th birthday on Tuesday, said she had been living in her living room in the dark for the last few days.

Her own situation has been particularly challenging as she broke her leg five weeks ago in a crofting accident.

Locals are also diverting their limited personal fuel supplies to small businesses, who risk wasting hundreds of pounds of food if they cannot power fridges and freezers.

Staff at the local hotel, Mingary Castle, provided the community with hot food on Monday night before SSEN were able to arrange food supplies.

The BBC understands SSEN was unable to send a welfare van to Kilchoan because the vehicles are too large to fit down the road.

It has now made an arrangement with a local fast food van which will serve meals to locals at nearby Mingarry steadings and be reimbursed.

Ms Curtis said: "We're being told Wednesday night is when we're likely to be reconnected. We're hoping and praying that's not the case, that we might get back on today.

"We've got a lot of elderly and vulnerable people in our communities, so a lot of the neighbours have tried to help out, going round and making sure their neighbours are ok.

"But even people who are able to do stuff, they're running out of fuel, they're running out of food.

"We're having to pull together ourselves which is very sad."

On Tuesday morning, a spokesperson for SSEN said 20,000 meals had been served to those who were still without power.

They added: "We're working hard to reconnect the final homes following the hugely destructive impact of Storm Amy at the weekend.

"SSEN expects the vast majority of those remaining homes without power to be reconnected by this evening."

Yorkshire national parks a 'hotspot' for rare fungi

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20evv42emmo, today

The Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors national parks are home to some of the UK's rarest mushrooms, a conservation charity has found.

Plantlife's annual survey found hundreds of new sites for pink waxcap and violet coral across the country, with North Yorkshire emerging as a "hotspot" for the fungi, the charity said.

A Plantlife spokesperson said the project made "multiple new discoveries" of the two species in cemeteries, gardens and farmland across the two national parks.

Both the pink waxcap and violet coral are listed as "vulnerable" on The Red List, a conservation status catalogue compiled by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Dr Aileen Baird, Plantlife's senior conservation officer for funghi, said the results had surprised scientists and represented "a major leap in knowledge".

The data revealed 18 new locations in the UK for violet coral, a species recognised for its vibrant violet branching structure.

It also discovered 300 new locations across the country for pink waxcap, also known as the ballerina waxcap as its cap flares out like a pirouetting dancer.

The organisation has not revealed specific locations in North Yorkshire where the rare fungi were discovered.

However, Plantlife said violet coral was usually found in "unimproved grassland", with pink waxcap more often seen in western Britain, particularly in Wales on sheep-grazed acid grassland.

Dr Baird said: "These results reflect both the incredible enthusiasm for fungi and the power of citizen science.

"With more people than ever taking part in Waxcap Watch, we're gathering the essential data needed to protect these extraordinary species."

A record number of 567 surveys were completed in 2024, the charity said.

Clare Blencowe, from the British Mycological Society, said the discoveries of so many new sites for both fungi were "really impressive".

"These fungi are vital indicators of the health of our grasslands and highlight the biodiversity that exists around us in our towns, as well as our countryside," she said.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

'Positive sign' as pine martens released on Exmoor

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjz4yk3nrko, today

Pine martens are roaming around Exmoor National Park for the first time in a century, conservationists have revealed.

Nine females and 10 males from Scottish populations were introduced at secret locations on Exmoor by the Two Moors Pine Marten Project over three weeks last month.

Each pine marten has been fitted with a radio collar so researchers can follow their fortunes over the next six to nine months.

Devon Wildlife Trust's Tracey Hamston, who leads the project, said the animals were "once a key part of our thriving woodland wildlife, so it's good that they are back where they belong".

Dr Hamston said the release of the pine martens showed "all is not lost".

"It's a positive sign that nature can be restored - our woodlands and their wildlife will benefit from their presence," she said.

"We're not separate from wildlife, we live in the same places - and it is really not in a good place.

The trust said pine martens were a "critical" part of woodland ecosystems and performed a very important "balancing effect within the woodland".

The mammals, which are a native species and roughly the size of a domestic cat, were driven more than 500 miles (800km) from Scotland in a specially-adapted, temperature-controlled vehicle.

Their return to Exmoor was timed so that the animals could "take advantage of the local abundance of wild autumn fruits", a spokesperson said.

The release follows a similar reintroduction on Dartmoor last autumn, with the first kits being born in July 2025.

The species, which is related to weasels, were once common but declined during the 18th and 19th centuries because of hunting and the loss of woodland.

A report released this month by the Exmoor Society said pine martens could help control invasive species such as grey squirrels and keep the ecosystem balanced.

Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.

Council rejects scrapping climate emergency vow

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7v1443jlnjo, today

A council has rejected calls to scrap its climate emergency pledge after the policy was described as "virtue signalling".

Darlington Borough Council has set a target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040 but the plan was recently criticised by the local Reform UK chair.

Michael Walker, who attended a council meeting as a member of the public, called for the local authority to end its climate targets and use the money to "help residents".

The Labour-led council's cabinet member for economy Chris McEwan said the commitment would not be scrapped as it offered benefits such as energy resilience and dealing with fuel poverty.

Reform-led Durham County Council voted earlier this year to drop its own climate pledge in favour of prioritising social care services.

Walker, who unsuccessfully ran to become Darlington's MP in the last General Election, said the borough council should follow in Durham's footsteps.

"Not only do Reform councillors in Durham care about children, they actually do something to benefit them," he said.

"Will you follow the lead of Reform UK councillors to scrap the climate change emergency and use the money from resources to actually help residents of this town, or do you not care and will continue to waste money by virtue signalling?"

McEwan said the policy would remain because it would help to deal with "fuel poverty and energy resilience in an uncertain world where we face international threats".

"My view is that Durham made a mistake in scrapping some of the initiatives that could have worked towards lowering their operating costs and allowing more resources to be placed into a priority area," he said.

"And we treat children's services as a priority area."

Darlington's climate change ambition originally aimed to achieve net zero by 2050 but was pushed forward to 2040 after Labour took control of the council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.

Charity concerned by new Monadhliath wind farm plan

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y4we304nvo, today

A landscape conservation charity has raised concerns about plans for up to 65 turbines in the Highlands' Monadhliath Mountains.

Developer Vatenfall has proposed its Glenmarkie project for a site about 10 miles (16km) east of Fort Augustus.

It would be near the 23-turbine Corriegarth Wind Farm, and north of the 66-turbine Stronelairg Wind Farm, which was approved following a legal challenge.

The John Muir Trust said Glenmarkie threatened an "irreplaceable" landscape, but Vatenfall said renewable energy was "essential" to protecting these areas from climate change.

The Monadhliath is an area of mountains, hills and moorland south of Inverness.

The highest Munro - which are mountains measuring 3,000ft (914m) and over - is 945 metres (3,100 ft) Càrn Dearg.

Glenmarkie Wind Farm has been proposed for an area of moorland in Glen Markie.

The land is used for grazing sheep, grouse shooting and deer stalking.

As well as the existing wind farms, a number of proposed schemes have secured planning permission in the surrounding area.

They include 14-turbine Corriegarth 2 and Cloiche which would have 29 turbines.

The John Muir Trust said a national conversation was "urgently needed" about how Scotland reduced its carbon emissions without destroying landscapes, and warned of a "steady creep of industrialisation".

Director of land and policy David Fleetwood said: "The Glenmarkie Wind Farm is just one of many examples threatening irreplaceable landscapes like the Monadhliath Mountains.

"Unless political leaders deliver strategic planning that truly balances renewables, community benefit and landscape protection, we risk losing what makes Scotland unique."

He aaded: "Already, you can stand on almost any Munro and see the march of turbines.

"Will we be the generation that lets the last wild view vanish?"

'Carefully sited'

Vattenfall is one of Europe's largest producers and retailers of electricity and heat.

The company is planning a series of local public exhibitions as part of the pre-application consultation on Glenmarkie.

It said if approved, the project would help to support jobs and generate community benefit funding.

Lead project development manager Simon Lejeune said: "We understand that the growth of renewable energy development in Scotland can raise concerns, however, Glenmarkie is a carefully sited proposal within an existing wind farm landscape, in the early stages of design.

"Climate change remains the greatest threat to these landscapes, and transitioning to renewable energy is essential to protecting them."

He added: "We are committed to listening to local voices and ensuring cumulative impacts are fully understood and addressed."

Environment prize nominees 'heroes of our time', says William

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz08591znr8o, 3 days ago

The Prince of Wales has described those in the running for his environmental Earthshot prize as "heroes of our time".

Prince William will travel to Rio de Janeiro next month for the ceremony - the first time the awards have been hosted in Latin America. The prize, created by the prince five years ago, awards £1m every year to five projects for their environmental innovations.

There have been almost 2,500 nominees this year from 72 countries - this year's winners will be chosen by Prince William and his Earthshot Prize Council which includes the actor, Cate Blanchett and Jordan's Queen Rania.

This year's list of finalists range from a Caribbean country to small start-up businesses.

The Earthshot Prize is a 10-year project with past ceremonies held in London, Boston, Singapore and Cape Town.

Kensington Palace confirmed earlier this year that the main awards ceremony will be held at Rio de Janeiro's Museum of Tomorrow on 5 November.

Barbados has been nominated for its global leadership on climate with the island on track to become fossil-free by 2030.

The Chinese city of Guangzhou is shortlisted in the "Clean our Air" category for electrification of its public transport system.

Prince William previously said he would like to take the Earthshot Prize to China.

Finally, what has been billed as the world's first fully "upcycled skyscraper" makes the final list too.

Sydney's Quay Quarter Tower was one of thousands of 20th century towers now reaching the end of their lifespans.

Instead of demolition, which releases vast amounts of carbon and waste, a coalition of architects, engineers, building contractors and developers has effectively "upcycled" the original structure.

"Matter" is the only British finalist in the line-up.

Based in Bristol, the business has developed a filter for washing machines removing the greatest cause of microplastics in our oceans.

"I feel like winning an Earthshot prize for me would be like winning an Olympic gold medal," said Adam Root, the founder of Matter.

In a video message released to mark the announcement of this year's finalists, he reflected on the past five years.

"Back then, a decade felt a long time. George was seven, Charlotte, five, and Louis two; the thought of them in 2030 felt a lifetime away," said Prince William.

"But today, as we stand halfway through this critical decade, 2030 feels very real.

"2030 is a threshold by which future generations will judge us; it is the point at which our actions, or lack of them, will have shaped forever the trajectory of our planet."

He added: "The people behind these projects are heroes of our time, so let us back them. Because, if we do, we can make the world cleaner, safer and full of opportunity - not only for future generations, but for the lives we want to lead now."

The Earthshot Prize is now one of the key pieces of Prince William's public work.

"He has been able to build an unprecedented network of organisations," Jason Knauf, the new CEO of the Earthshot Prize, said.

"The philanthropists working together, the corporates that come together as part of the Earthshot prize community, the leaders who get involved.

"There's never been a group of people working together on a single environment project in the way they have with the Earthshot Prize. Prince William has been completely relentless in building that network."

This year, the Earthshot Prize events in Rio are in the run-up to the COP Climate Conference which is being held in Belem on the edge of the Amazon Rainforest.

Pope Leo condemns climate change critics

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgl1pgr2zn8o, 6 days ago

Pope Leo XIV has hit out at those who minimise the "increasingly evident" impact of rising temperatures in his first major statement on climate change.

Reiterating the words of his predecessor Pope Francis, the new pontiff lambasted critics who "ridicule those who speak of global warming".

The Pope's remarks, at a speech in Castel Gondolfo near Rome, will be seen as an implied criticism of US President Donald Trump, who last month called climate change a "con".

Pope Leo also called for greater action from citizens the world over on climate change, saying there was no room for indifference or resignation.

The Pope was speaking at a conference to mark 10 years since the publication of Laudato Si'.

That landmark document, written by his predecessor Pope Francis, made the issue of climate a central part of the church's concerns.

Many credit it for helping set the tone that led to the Paris climate agreement in 2015.

But the new Pope, who was elected in May, was worried that the question of climate change was now becoming more divisive.

Referring to his predecessor's writings, he said: "Some have chosen to deride the increasingly evident signs of climate change, to ridicule those who speak of global warming, and even to blame the poor for the very thing that affects them the most."

Just two weeks ago at the UN General Assembly in New York, US President Donald Trump criticised the climate movement as the "greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world", and rebuffed the use of renewable energy.

"The carbon footprint is a hoax made up by people with evil intentions, and they're heading down a path of total destruction," he said.

Pope Leo, the first pontiff born in the US, has previously clashed with Trump's White House on issues including migration and national security.

In Wednesday's speech, the Pope called for people all over the world to put increased pressure on politicians.

Citizens need to take an active role in political decisions, he said, as "only then will it be possible to mitigate the damage done to the environment".

The Pope said that each of us will have to answer a question from God.

"God will ask us if we have cultivated and cared for the world that he created for the benefit of all and for future generations, and if we have taken care of our brothers and sisters - what will be our answer, my dear friends?"

The Raising Hope conference was held just over a month from the start of COP30 in Belém, in Brazil.

World leaders and climate diplomats will meet in the Amazonian city as efforts to tackle rising emissions of planet warming gases have fallen down the political agenda.

Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva invited the Pope to COP30 on behalf of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

"I am convinced in this way His Holiness will make an indispensable contribution so that COP30 may go down in history as the great moment of implementation," she said.

Today's meeting also heard from former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who said the Pope was a real world "action hero", as he had committed to putting solar panels on all the Vatican's buildings.

What is fracking and why is it controversial?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9v73r1ljl0o, 6 days ago

The government says it plans to pass legislation to permanently ban fracking for shale gas in England.

A moratorium on the practice was put in place by the last government but the debate has been reopened in recent weeks after the political party Reform committed to backing fracking if it came to power.

The Scottish and Welsh governments continue to remain opposed to the practise.

What is fracking?

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a technique for recovering gas and oil from shale rock. It involves drilling into the earth and directing a high-pressure mixture of water, sand and chemicals at a rock layer, to release the gas inside.

Wells can be drilled vertically or horizontally in order to release the gas.

Why is fracking controversial?

The injection of fluid at high pressure into the rock can cause earth tremors - small movements in the earth's surface.

In 2019, more than 120 tremors were recorded during drilling at a Cuadrilla site in Blackpool.

Seismic events of this scale are considered minor and are rarely felt by people, but they are a concern to local residents.

Shale gas is also a fossil fuel, and campaigners say allowing fracking could distract energy firms and governments from investing in renewable and green sources of energy.

Fracking also uses huge amounts of water, which must be transported to the site at significant environmental cost.

What has the government said about fracking?

Where has fracking taken place in the UK?

Fracking for shale gas in the UK has only previously taken place on a small scale, due to the many public and legal challenges.

However, exploration has identified large swathes of shale gas across the UK, particularly in northern England.

More than 100 exploration and drilling licences were awarded to firms including Third Energy, IGas, Aurora Energy Resources and Ineos.

Cuadrilla was the only company given consent to begin fracking.

It drilled two wells at a site in Lancashire but faced repeated protests from local people and campaigners.

In 2022, the Oil and Gas Authority told Cuadrilla to permanently concrete and abandon the wells.

Could fracking lower energy bills?

The UK can only meet 48% of its gas demand from domestic supplies (this would be 54% if it did not export any gas).

Some MPs have claimed that restarting drilling at Cuadrilla's two existing wells could be done quickly, and would provide significant supplies.

Cuadrilla claimed that "just 10%" of the gas from shale deposits in Lancashire and surrounding areas "could supply 50 years' worth of current UK gas demand".

Energy experts dispute this, pointing out that the UK's shale gas reserves are held in complex layers of rock.

Mike Bradshaw, professor of global energy at Warwick University, says estimates of how much shale gas the UK has are not the same as the amount of gas that could be produced commercially.

But Prof Geoffrey Maitland, professor of Energy Engineering at Imperial College London, has said fracking could provide interim relief.

"Although shale gas will not provide an immediate solution to the energy security of the country, it could be used in the medium term to replace diminishing North Sea gas production and some gas imports," he said.

Which other countries use fracking?

It is thought that fracking has given energy security to the US and Canada for the next 100 years, and has presented an opportunity to generate electricity at half the CO2 emissions of coal.

But the complex geology of the UK and the higher density of people makes extraction more challenging, according to experts.

Fracking remains banned in numerous EU countries, including Germany, France and Spain, as well as Australia.

Authorities in countries including Brazil and Argentina are split, with some banning the practice, and others allowing operations.

Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to keep up with the latest climate and environment stories with the BBC's Justin Rowlatt. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here.

Dismissed as a joke, UK's first rice crop ripe for picking after hot summer

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1wgeq702dyo, 10 days ago

In an ordinary field in a quiet part of east England, a unique experiment is taking root.

"When I tell people what I'm doing here, they think I'm joking," says Nadine Mitschunas, the UK's first and only rice-grower.

The crops in four small paddy fields are doing well, helped by basking in our hottest summer on record.

"We could never have contemplated this would grow here," says farmer Sarah Taylor, whose land the rice is planted on. "Not in a million years," her husband Craig adds.

This young crop is part of an ambitious trial to see what foods Britain could grow in the future.

The trial is trying to answer big questions about how we can produce enough food and protect farmer's livelihoods in a world being altered by climate change.

The BBC got a sneak peek at the rice plants before harvest.

Rice plants look a lot like thick grass. But running up the stalks there are small beads - these are the rice grains. They were still brown when we visited, but will be picked when they turn white.

Nadine, an award-winning ecologist, is incredibly proud.

"I'm actually amazed because they are big, happy, bushy plants," she says, warning me not to fall over when we step into the calf-deep water.

She points out her favourites. "This is Estrella from Colombia, the best one so far," she says. "But I'm least impressed with this," she says, gesturing to a Japanese rice that has not flowered.

This experiment is the brainchild of the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), in partnership with Craig and Sarah Taylor.

Dozens of plants were planted in four mini paddy fields dug out and flooded on the Taylors' farm a few miles north of Ely in Cambridgeshire.

We often think of rice as a tropical plant, but it does grow in colder climates.

Nine varieties are growing, including from Brazil, Colombia, Italy and the Philippines. They include the stars of the rice world - risotto, basmati and sushi.

The plants did well in the hot, sunny summer, which the Met Office says was the hottest in the UK since records began in 1884.

"Nobody has tried this before, but with climate change, we have crops that, 10 years ago, we wouldn't have thought would be viable. In 10 years time, rice could be a completely perfect crop for us," Nadine says.

This is the very edge of where rice can grow at the moment and it would be a risky crop for farmers to plant commercially, says Prof Richard Pywell who is leading the project for UKCEH.

But Britain's climate is changing quickly. If annual average temperatures warm by between 2 and 4C compared to pre-industrial levels - a scenario that many scientists say is likely - rice could be grown widely in the UK, according to research.

But this project is about more than growing British rice for our dinner plates. It could also help the UK tackle climate change.

The land in the Fens is some of the most productive in the UK. A third of the vegetables grown in Britain come from here, with a value of around £1.2bn per year. But this has a significant cost for the environment and climate.

The farms are on rich peat soil that used to be underwater but is now slowly drying out. That is releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Nationally, peat soils account for 3% of our greenhouse gas emissions.

That is also degrading the quality of the soil, a change seen in real time by farmers like Craig and Sarah. They feel deeply connected to the land and its history.

"All my ancestors were Fenmen. I love this place, we've been here for 500 plus years," says Craig.

The rice field is surrounded by potato, onion and beet crops, which are still the thriving staples here.

Digging a healthy clump of potatoes from the rich, black soil, Craig says, "potatoes are an amazing crop. You can't knock that, but we know things need to change."

"We don't want people thinking we're the 'crazy rice farmers' - this is about rethinking the whole system and making it work for everyone," he says.

Unpredictable weather patterns in recent years have hit farmers nationally, affecting harvests and crop yields in some cases.

"We see that the future isn't stable. We want to be able to write our own destiny and not have it decided for us," says Sarah.

"Our legacy for our children and hopefully their children is really important to us and I want them to know that we at least try to make a difference," she says.

As well as rice, the team are trialling other crops including lettuce and hybrid willow that grow in waterlogged conditions.

By flooding the peat soils in parts of Cambridgeshire, greenhouse gases could stay locked in the wet soil, cutting off that source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Even though growing rice produces methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas, initial results from the trials so far suggest the rice crop is not producing more emissions than it helps lock away.

The government is interested in what happens here too, and officials from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs have visited the site.

It could be a radical breakthrough in one of the thorniest questions in the UK - how to protect farming and food supplies, while also addressing the huge impacts they have on the environment and climate.

The UK food system, including imports, is equivalent to 38% of UK greenhouse gas emissions, while agriculture accounts for 11.7%.

Growing rice on peat soils won't fix that overnight, but it could provide a model.

"We're at a critical juncture in climate change and we need to make decisions. We need to understand what sort of crops we could be potentially growing in the future," explains Richard from UKCEH.

"It's possible that for certain areas, peatland re-wetting and growing rice may be a viable option. In other areas, we may continue to grow our conventional crops, but under different conditions," he says.

Growing rice domestically sounds simple, but this is a complicated project with big ambitions.

It will still be some time before we can test taste a UK rice crop - but it's a very real possibility that in the next decade, UK-grown rice could be coming to our dinner plates.

Israel and Hamas begin indirect talks in Egypt on Trump's Gaza peace plan

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c708l7vgwywo, today

Indirect talks aimed at reaching a final agreement on a US peace plan to end the war in Gaza have begun in the Egyptian city of Sharm El-Sheikh.

Palestinian and Egyptian officials have told the BBC that the sessions are focused on "creating the field conditions" for a possible exchange that would see the release of all Israeli hostages in return for a number of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas has said it agrees to the peace plan proposals in part, but has not responded to several key demands - including its disarmament and future role in Gaza.

Israel's prime minister said on Saturday that he hoped to announce the release of hostages "in the coming days".

The talks, which will see Egyptian and Qatari officials holding shuttle meetings with delegations from both Israel and Hamas separately, come on the eve of the second anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response. Since then, 67,160 have been killed by Israeli military operations in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

These discussions are expected to be among the most consequential since the start of the war and could determine whether a path toward ending the conflict is finally within reach.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani are among those attending.

Donald Trump, writing on social media, has urged everyone involved in efforts to end the Gaza war to "move fast" and says he has been told the first phase of the peace plan - which includes the hostage release - "should be completed this week".

The 20-point plan, which has been agreed upon by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, proposes an immediate end to fighting and the release of 48 hostages, only 20 of whom are thought to be alive, in exchange for hundreds of detained Gazans.

The plan stipulates that once both sides agree to the proposal "full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip".

It also states that Hamas would have no role in governing Gaza, and it leaves the door open for an eventual Palestinian state.

However, after the plan was announced publicly a week ago, Netanyahu reinstated his longstanding opposition to a Palestinian state, saying in a video statement: "It's not written in the agreement. We said we would strongly oppose a Palestinian state."

On Friday, Hamas responded to the proposal in a statement, in which the group agreed "to release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead, according to the exchange formula contained in President Trump's proposal" - if the proper conditions for the exchanges are met.

It did not specifically mention or accept Trump's 20-point plan but said it "renews its agreement to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats), based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support."

The statement made no mention of one of the key demands of the plan – that Hamas agree to its disarmament and to playing no further role in the governance of Gaza.

It added that the part of the proposals dealing with the future of Gaza and the rights of Palestinian people was still being discussed "within a national framework", of which it said Hamas will be a part.

Many Palestinians described Hamas' response to the peace plan as unexpected, after days of indications that the group was preparing to reject or at least heavily condition its acceptance of Trump's peace plan proposal.

Instead, Hamas refrained from including its traditional "red lines" in the official statement, a move many interpret as a sign of external pressure.

European and Middle Eastern leaders have welcomed the proposal. The Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has called the US president's efforts "sincere and determined".

Iran - which has been one of Hamas's main sponsors for many years - has also now signalled its support for Trump's Gaza peace plan.

Israeli bombardment continued in several parts of the Gaza Strip on Monday ahead of the talks beginning.

Israel is carrying out an offensive in the city, which it has said is aimed at securing the release of the remaining hostages.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for Gaza's Hamas-run civil defence, told the BBC that "no aid trucks have been allowed into Gaza City since the offensive began four weeks ago".

"There are still bodies we cannot retrieve from areas under Israeli control," he said.

Hundreds of thousands of Gaza City residents have been forced to flee after the Israeli military ordered evacuations to a designated "humanitarian area" in the south, but hundreds of thousands more are believed to have remained.

Israel's defence minister has warned that those who stay during the offensive would be "terrorists and supporters of terror".

In the last 24 hours, 21 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and a further 96 injured, the Hamas-run health ministry said in its latest update.

International journalists have been banned by Israel from entering the Gaza Strip independently since the start of the war, making verifying claims from both sides difficult.

Israel deports Greta Thunberg and 170 other Gaza flotilla activists

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg7dk52l1jvo, today

Israel has deported Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and 170 other pro-Palestinian activists who were detained when Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla trying to breach its naval blockade of Gaza to deliver aid last week.

Thunberg raised her fist as she was presented with flowers and cheered by dozens of supporters who had gathered at Athens airport.

The Israeli foreign minister said the activists had been flown to Greece and Slovakia, and that Greek, Slovakian, French, Italian, British and US citizens were among them.

It also once again rejected as "fake news" accusations that the activists were mistreated and denied basic rights while in detention.

So far, the ministry has announced the deportations of 341 of the 479 people who were on board the 42 boats in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF).

The 138 other activists remain in detention in Israel. More than 40 were confirmed to be on hunger strike on Sunday, according to the GSF.

It said the goal of the flotilla was to "break the illegal siege on Gaza by sea, open a humanitarian corridor, and end the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people".

It also said the interceptions violated international maritime and humanitarian law.

Israeli authorities said they enforced a legal blockade and called the flotilla a "publicity stunt" because it was transporting only two tons of aid in total.

Greece's foreign ministry said Thunberg was among 161 citizens of 16 European countries who were flown to Athens on Monday after being deported by Israel. Slovakia said it had received 10 other people on a separate flight.

On arrival in Athens, the Swedish activist told reporters that the GSF had been "the biggest ever attempt to break Israel's illegal and inhumane siege by sea".

"It was a story of global, international solidarity, of people stepping up when our governments failed to do so, of people saying that: 'My so-called leaders - who were supposed to represent me, who continue to fuel a genocide, death and destruction - they do not represent me. This is a last resort. That this mission has to exist is a shame."

"I could talk for a very, very long time about our mistreatment and abuses in our imprisonment, trust me, but that is not the story," she added.

On Sunday night, lawyer Rafael Borrego was among a group of deported Spanish activists who told reporters at Madrid airport that they had suffered "repeated physical and mental abuse".

"They beat us, dragged us along the ground, blindfolded us, tied our hands and feet, put us in cages and insulted us," he alleged.

Nine Swiss nationals who returned to Geneva on Sunday also complained about what they called the "inhumane detention conditions and the humiliating and degrading treatment", Reuters news agency cited a statement as saying.

The Israeli foreign ministry's statement on Monday insisted that the flotilla activists' legal rights "were and will continue to be fully upheld".

"The lies they are spreading are part of their pre-planned fake news campaign," it said.

The ministry said the only violent incident happened when a Spanish citizen bit a female medical worker at Ketziot prison following a routine medical examination ahead of her deportation on Monday. The medic sustained minor injuries, it added.

The GSF's boats set sail from Barcelona at the end of last month after experts from the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed there was a famine in Gaza City, and warned that it could spread to central and southern Gaza within weeks.

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry has said at least 460 Palestinians have died from the effects of malnutrition since the start of the war, including 182 since the famine declaration.

The UN has called on Israel to urgently lift the blockade on Gaza and allow the entry of life-saving material through all means possible.

It has said that as the occupying power, Israel is obliged under international law to ensure sufficient food and medical supplies reach Gaza's population.

Israel has insisted it acts in accordance with international law and facilitates the entry of aid.

It has also disputed the IPC's findings and the health ministry's figures, and strongly denied the allegation - most recently made by a UN commission of inquiry - that its forces have committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 67,160 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory's health ministry.

Mother of Israeli hostage says she still doesn't know if he's alive or dead

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7840n4nwx8o, today

The mother of an Israeli man taken by Hamas on 7 October 2023 says she still does not know if her son is dead or alive, but has "real hope" that US President Donald Trump's peace plan will bring the return of all the hostages held in Gaza.

Herut Nimrodi told BBC News she was "fearing the worst" for her son Tamir, a non-combat soldier, but she was clinging to hope that "he's still hanging on" two years after his abduction.

She said he was the only Israeli hostage whose family had not been told if they were alive or dead.

The peace plan, proposed by President Trump, has been gaining momentum, with indirect talks now under way between Hamas and Israel to end the war and return the hostages.

"They have been trying to create an agreement for a while but it didn't take off. This time it feels different," Ms Nimrodi said. "There is real hope that this is the one, this is the last deal."

She said it was particularly important that all hostages - living and dead - would be released in the plan's first phase.

"This is huge, this is a blessing for us," she said.

"It's urgent to release the hostages - those that are still alive, and even the ones that have passed. We don't know what state their bodies are in. We have to release them so the families have some kind of closure. Even the families that got the message that their loved ones are deceased, they don't accept it because they need proof."

Tamir is one of 47 hostages kidnapped on 7 October who remain in Gaza - 20 of them are believed still to be alive.

The last time she saw her son was in a video of his abduction posted on social media on 7 October 2023.

"My youngest daughter - she was 14 at the time - came screaming that she had seen her brother being abducted on Instagram," she recalled.

"I saw Tamir wearing his pyjamas. He was barefoot. He had no glasses on. He can hardly see without them. He was terrified."

Since seeing her son - an education officer in the Israeli military who was 18 at the time - forced into a jeep and driven away, "fading away into Gaza", she has received no signs of life.

"He's the only Israeli with no indication about what happened or where exactly he is," she said.

The fate of a Nepalese hostage, Bipin Joshi, is also unknown.

Like other families the BBC has spoken to whose relatives were killed or kidnapped that day, Ms Nimrodi said life had been frozen for two years.

"People ask me: 'It's been two years, how are you holding on?' And I say, 'It doesn't feel like two years. It feels like one long exhausting day'," she said.

That day two years ago was the deadliest in Israel's history, when some 1,200 people were killed by armed men from Hamas and other groups, and 251 others taken hostage, most from southern communities and a music festival.

The attacks sparked a war in which more than 67,000 people in Gaza have been killed by Israeli military action, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Almost the entire population has been displaced and much of its infrastructure flattened.

Ms Nimrodi said she was at her home near Tel Aviv when she received a message from Tamir early on 7 October 2023 from his post at the northern side of the Gaza border.

"He said 'there are rockets and it's non-stop'," she recalled.

Tamir told her he would return soon to the family home, as he usually would during such moments because of his non-combat role.

"I told him to take good care of himself and text me whenever he can and he said he would try. Those were the last words between us. It was 06:49 in the morning, and I found out later on that 20 minutes after our last message he was taken away," she said.

She has been lobbying for her son's return, including at rallies with other hostage families.

But she said there were also days when she "can't get out of bed".

"I try to listen to my body - what can I do? How much strength do I have?"

The momentum behind the peace plan has brought some hope for the remaining hostage families that their loved ones could soon be returned home.

Ms Nimrodi joined tens of thousands of people - including the families of hostages, and former hostages themselves - who had gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday night to call for the deal to be implemented.

She wore a T-shirt with her son's photo on the front, smiling and bespectacled.

"I believe in this deal, and I believe that Trump will not let this slip away," she said, as she called on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "do the right thing - bring the hostages home and bring peace to this region".

She said that when she tried to sleep that night, she would be met with the "terrified look" in her son's eyes as he was abducted, which plays in her head every day.

"To hope for two years - it's absolutely exhausting."

Starmer urges students not to protest on 7 October

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1wgx5v90vyo, today

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has urged students not to join pro-Palestinian protests on Tuesday, the second anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel, warning of "rising antisemitism on our streets".

Sir Keir said it was "un-British" to hold protests on the anniversary which, he said, had been used by some as a "despicable excuse to attack British Jews".

The UK is seeing heightened security to protect Jewish communities, following last week's deadly attack on a synagogue in Manchester.

Universities in some parts of the UK are bracing for demonstrations on Tuesday, with students from London colleges planning a joint march in the capital.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warned against "so-called 'protests' that turn into hate marches on our streets".

"Two years on from the horrific massacre on October 7, we must also be honest: the same hatred that fuelled those barbaric attacks still festers today," she said.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick called Tuesday's planned protests a "disgrace".

Andy Burnham, Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, called on the government to provide more money for policing in the region following Thursday's attack on the synagogue.

He said that Greater Manchester Police were under "sustained pressure", and that the government should "consider the funding" of the force so it can continue to provide the "reassurance that all communities are looking for".

He told ITV's Peston programme: "We face similar pressures as the Met with the largest Jewish community outside of London but we don't receive the same exceptional funding to deal with those additional pressures."

On Saturday, nearly 500 people were arrested in central London during protests in support of the proscribed group Palestine Action, the Metropolitan Police reported.

The demonstrations went ahead despite pleas from ministers and police who called for protests to be postponed following the synagogue attack.

Sir Keir's government recognised Palestinian statehood last month, amid international pressure to end the war in Gaza.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

Since then, 67,139 people have been killed by Israeli military operations in Gaza, the territory's Hamas-run health ministry says.

What are the key sticking points in Trump's Gaza peace plan?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c930v44dg2ro, today

Negotiators from Israel and Hamas are in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, for indirect talks over an end to the Israel-Gaza war.

It is the closest both sides have come to a deal since the war began two years ago.

But Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan - which Israel has agreed to and Hamas has partly agreed to - is really just a framework, only a few pages long.

And there are still major sticking points for both sides to resolve.

Hostage release structure

Trump's plan states that within 72 hours of a deal being agreed all remaining hostages would be released. It is thought 48 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

Trump said over the weekend the hostages could be released "very soon", while Netanyahu said they could be freed before the end of the Jewish holiday Sukkot - or October 13th.

Hamas has agreed to the hostage "exchange formula" detailed in Trump's plan, providing certain "field conditions" are met.

But the hostages are the group's only bargaining chip - and it's unclear whether it would be willing to release them before other elements of the deal are finalised.

Trust between the two sides is virtually non-existent. Only last month, Israel attempted to assassinate Hamas's negotiating team with an air strike on Doha - angering not only Hamas but also Trump and Qatar, a key mediator.

Members of that same negotiating team - headed by Khalil al-Hayya, whose son was killed in the strike - will now be meeting just a stone's throw from Israel's delegation in Egypt.

Hamas disarmament

Israel's stated goal throughout the war has been the destruction of Hamas. Netanyahu has repeatedly stated he will not stop until the group is finished.

A key point in Trump's plan requires the group to disarm. But Hamas has previously refused to lay down its weapons, saying it would only do so once a Palestinian state has been established.

In its response, Hamas made no mention of disarmament - fuelling speculation that it has not changed its position.

Over the weekend, Netanyahu vowed: "Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised – either the easy way or the hard way".

Future governance of Gaza

The plan states that Hamas will have no future role in Gaza, which will be governed by a temporary transitional body of Palestinian technocrats - supervised by a "Board of Peace" headed and chaired by Donald Trump and involving former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Governance of the Strip would eventually be handed over to the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Though Netanyahu agreed to all of Trump's 20-point plan, he appeared to push back on involvement of the PA even as he stood on the podium next to the president last week, insisting it would play no role in governing the territory.

This is one of many points in the plan that will be objectionable to ultranationalist hardliners within Netanyahu's governing coalition - many of whom want to retain control of Gaza and reconstruct Jewish settlements there.

In Hamas's response, it indicated that it expects to have some future role in Gaza as part of "a unified Palestinian movement". Though the wording is vague, this will likely be unacceptable to both Trump and the Israelis.

Israeli withdrawal

The extent of Israel's military withdrawal is a fourth point of contention.

The plan states that Israel's military will withdraw from Gaza "based on standards, milestones, and timeframes" that must be agreed by all parties.

A map distributed by the White House showed three proposed stages of Israeli troop withdrawal. The first stage leaves about 55% of Gaza under Israeli control, the second 40%, and the final 15%.

That final stage would be a "security perimeter" that would "remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat".

The wording here is vague and gives no clear timeline for full Israeli withdrawal - something Hamas are likely to want clarity on.

Additionally, the map shared by the White House doesn't match up with the Israeli military's own maps showing militarised areas, and Gaza's borders are incorrectly drawn in places.

Netanyahu's future

For more than a year, the Israeli Prime Minister has faced accusations he is only continuing the war in Gaza to remain in power.

Far-right members of his cabinet have threatened to end his coalition government if the war ends before Hamas is destroyed.

Earlier this year, Netanyahu and Trump were advocating redeveloping Gaza into a "riviera", which would have involved the forced displacement of Palestinians from the Strip.

This latest plan is a significantly different - and may be a tough pill for hardliners who had given the "riviera" idea their full backing to swallow.

Netanyahu also faces a major corruption trial, which would resume in full should the war end. Some fear a collapse of talks could personally benefit him.

But there would also be a political benefit in ending the war - even if the terms aren't what he might have hoped for. Polls now consistently show that around 70% of Israelis want the war to end in exchange for the release of the hostages.

Regardless, Netanyahu will have to face elections in 2026.

Israel and the Palestinians: History of the conflict explained

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgr71z0jp4o, yesterday

The conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people is one of the longest-running and most violent disputes in the world. Its origins go back more than a century.

There have been a series of wars between Israel and Arab nations. Uprisings - called intifadas - against Israeli occupation, and reprisals and crackdowns by Israel have also taken place.

The consequences of the historic dispute over issues including land, borders and rights are still being felt, and include the latest war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

What was Israel before 1948 and how was it created?

Britain took control of the area known as Palestine in World War One, following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, which had ruled that part of the Middle East.

An Arab majority and a Jewish minority lived there, as well as other ethnic groups.

Tensions between the Jewish and Arab populations deepened when the UK agreed in principle to the establishment of a "national home" in Palestine for Jewish people - a pledge known as the Balfour Declaration.

Jews had historical links to the land, but Palestinian Arabs also had a claim dating back centuries and opposed the move. The British said the rights of Palestinian Arabs already living there had to be protected.

Between the 1920s and 1940s the number of Jews arriving grew, with many fleeing persecution in Europe. The murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust gave added urgency to demands for a safe haven.

The Jewish population reached 630,000, just over 30% of the population, by 1947.

In 1947, against a backdrop of growing violence between Jews and Arabs - and against British rule - the United Nations (UN) voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish and Arab states. Jerusalem would become an international city.

No Arab nations supported this. They argued the plan gave the Jews more of the land, even though their population was smaller.

Britain abstained. It decided to withdraw and to hand the problem to the UN at the end of 14 May 1948.

Jewish leaders in Palestine declared an independent state known as Israel hours before British rule ended. Israel was recognised by the UN the following year.

What was the 1948 Arab-Israeli war?

The day after Israel declared independence, it was attacked and surrounded by the armies of five Arab nations.

The conflict came to be known in Israel as its war of independence.

By the time the fighting ended with an armistice in 1949, Israel controlled most of the territory.

Agreements left Egypt occupying the Gaza Strip, Jordan occupying the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Israel occupying West Jerusalem.

About 750,000 Palestinians fled, or were forced from, their homes on land which became Israel and ended up as refugees.

The event is known in Arabic as the Nakba (Catastrophe).

In the years that followed, hundreds of thousands of Jews left, or were expelled from, Muslim majority countries across the Middle East and North Africa, with many going to Israel.

What was the 1967 Middle East war?

What is known as the Six-Day War changed boundaries in the Middle East and had major consequences for Palestinians.

The war saw Israel fight Egypt, Syria and Jordan.

It started when Israel, fearing an attack by Egypt and Syria, launched a strike on Egypt's air force.

By the time the fighting ended, Israel had captured the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza from Egypt, most of the Golan Heights from Syria, and East Jerusalem and the West Bank from Jordan.

About a million Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem came under Israel's control.

Israel's occupation of these areas has lasted until this day.

Israel signed a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979 and returned the Sinai.

It annexed East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, making them part of Israel, although this has not been recognised by most of the international community.

What is the status of the West Bank now?

The West Bank - land between Israel and the River Jordan - is home to an estimated three million Palestinians.

Along with East Jerusalem and Gaza, it is part of what are widely known as the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The Palestinians have always opposed Israel's presence in these areas and want them to be part of a future independent state, something backed by the vast majority of the international community.

Israel still has overall control of the West Bank, but since the 1990s, a Palestinian government - known as the Palestinian Authority - has run most of its towns and cities.

What is the dispute over Jerusalem?

Israel and the Palestinians both claim Jerusalem as their capital.

Israel, which already controlled West Jerusalem, occupied East Jerusalem in the 1967 war and later declared the entire city its permanent capital. It says Jerusalem cannot be divided.

The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

Most of the population of East Jerusalem is Palestinian, only a small minority of whom have chosen to become Israeli citizens.

Holy sites in Jerusalem are at the centre of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The most sacred site - known to Muslims as Al Aqsa Mosque compound, or Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary), and to Jews as Temple Mount - lies in East Jerusalem.

The UN considers East Jerusalem to be Palestinian land occupied by Israel.

What has happened in the Gaza Strip?

The Gaza Strip is a stretch of land surrounded by Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. It is 41km (25 miles) long and 10km wide.

Home to about 2.1 million people, it is one of the most densely populated places on Earth.

Even before the latest war between Israel and Hamas, Gaza had one of the highest unemployment rates in the world. Many people were living below the poverty line and depending on food aid to survive.

Gaza's boundaries were drawn up as a result of the 1948 Middle East war, when it was occupied by Egypt.

Egypt was driven out of Gaza in the 1967 war and the Strip was occupied by Israel, which built settlements and placed Gaza's Palestinian population under military rule.

In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza, though it retained control of its shared border, airspace and shoreline, giving it effective control of the movement of people and goods.

The UN still regards Gaza as Israeli-occupied territory because of the level of control Israel has.

Hamas won Palestinian elections in 2006, and ejected its rivals from the territory after intense fighting the following year.

Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade in response, with Israel controlling most of what was allowed into the territory.

In the years that followed, Hamas and Israel fought several major conflicts - including those in 2008-09, 2012 and 2014. A major conflict between the two sides in May 2021 ended in a ceasefire after 11 days.

Every round of fighting has seen people killed on both sides, the vast majority of them Palestinians in Gaza.

Which countries recognise a Palestinian state?

What about Palestinian refugees?

What is the two-state solution?

The "two-state solution" is an internationally backed formula for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

It proposes an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. It would exist alongside Israel.

Israel rejects a two-state solution. It says any final settlement must be the result of negotiations with the Palestinians, and statehood should not be a precondition.

The Palestinian Authority backs a two-state solution but Hamas does not because it is opposed to the existence of Israel.

Hamas says that it could accept an interim Palestinian state based on 1967 de facto borders, without officially recognising Israel, if refugees were given the right to return.

Earlier efforts to settle the conflict saw Israel and Palestinian leaders sign a deal called the Oslo Peace Accords, in 1993. This was intended to provide a framework for peace talks. However, talks eventually collapsed with each side blaming the other.

Hamas response to US Gaza plan is significant - but there are key omissions

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg9myeqjl1o, 4 days ago

The Israeli government will now be poring over the wording of the statement to glean the true intent.

It will need to decide whether it sees this as a genuine good faith acceptance of some of the key points of the deal, or merely an attempt to buy time and reopen long drawn out negotiations.

They certainly will not like the last paragraph of the Hamas statement suggesting the group would retain a role in negotiations over the long term future of Gaza.

Given that the Hamas statement came just a few hours after President Donald Trump issued his final ultimatum for the group to agree by Sunday evening or face "all hell", some members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet are likely to be deeply sceptical.

That is particularly true now the US president has called on Israel to immediately stop the bombing of Gaza.

"Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE," Trump said shortly after the Hamas statement was released.

"Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly," he said. "Right now, it's far too dangerous to do that."

In a video message released later on Friday, Trump said it was a "big day" and thanked a series of countries which he said had helped him put the proposal together.

But there is still a huge amount of detail to be worked through before peace in the region becomes anything like a reality. And the president appeared to acknowledge this was not a done deal.

"We'll see how it all turns out," he said. "We have to get the final word down and concrete."

Bowen: Momentum is the strength of Trump's Gaza plan, but lack of detail is its weakness

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn829deeje3o, 6 days ago

Donald Trump's framework agreement for ending the Gaza war and reconstructing the devastated territory has momentum behind it.

Much of it comes from the president himself. Momentum comes too from leading Arab and Islamic countries who have supported the plan, including Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Pakistan, Indonesia and Turkey. And Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, standing next to Donald Trump, accepted it too, despite the fact it contains talk of a pathway to a Palestinian state that he has repeatedly denounced.

To keep the pace up, Trump says that Hamas has "three to four days" to decide whether to say yes or no.

If the answer is no, the war goes on.

The proposed deal looks a lot like a plan put forward by Joe Biden well over a year ago. Since then there has been massive killing of Palestinian civilians, more destruction in Gaza, and now a famine, while Israeli hostages in Gaza have had to endure months more of agony and captivity.

There were many reports in the Israeli media that the Biden initiative failed because Netanyahu moved the goalposts with a new set of demands - under pressure from the hard right in his cabinet.

Even so, the framework plan is a significant moment. For the first time, Donald Trump is putting pressure on Israel to end the war. Donald Trump has made himself into a leader to whom it is hard to say no. Nobody wants to end up getting the roasting Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky received in the Oval Office back in February. But things can change when leaders leave the White House.

Before Benjamin Netanyahu left Washington DC to go back to Israel his staff filmed him putting over his version of events. One element was the idea of an independent Palestine next to Israel, the two-state solution which the UK and other Western countries have tried to revive by recognising Palestine.

The Trump document gives an indeterminate nod to the idea of Palestinian independence. It says that after the reform of the Palestinian Authority, which is based in Ramallah and led by President Mahmoud Abbas, conditions "may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognise as the aspiration of the Palestinian people."

Even the thought of a distant prospect of a Palestinian state was too much for Netanyahu, who had given whole-hearted support to Trump at the White House, telling him in English "I support your plan to end the war in Gaza, which achieves our war aims."

On the video, getting his message out in Hebrew to the people back home before the long flight home, Netanyahu is asked if he agreed to a Palestinian state. He was emphatic.

"No, absolutely not. It's not even written in the agreement. But we did say one thing. That we would forcibly resist a Palestinian state." Trump, he said, agreed.

Momentum is the plan's strength. Its weakness is the lack of detail, a characteristic of Trumpian diplomacy. The document that Trump and Netanyahu endorsed, which also has the support of the UK and other European countries, comes with a rough map of stages of an IDF pull-back, but none of the nuts and bolts that determine whether diplomatic agreements designed to end a war hold together or disintegrate.

If it is to work, hard negotiation will be necessary. In that process there will be many opportunities for it to break down.

Mainstream opposition parties in Israel have endorsed the plan. It has been condemned by the extremist ultra-nationalists in the Netanyahu coalition, who had loved the "Trump Riviera" plan mooted at the start of the year, launched with a bizarre video showing the leaders of Israel and the US in beach gear sipping cocktails to the backdrop of a new Gazan cityscape glittering glass towers. The Israeli hard right were delighted that the Riviera plan included the removal of all of Gaza's more than two million Palestinians. Jewish extremists want the land annexed and Palestinians replaced with Jewish settlers.

But the new plan says no Palestinian will be forced to leave. Benjamin Netanyahu's key far right ally, Itamar Ben Gvir, is said to have called the proposal "dangerous" and "full of holes".

If Hamas accepts the agreement, and if Benjamin Netanyahu wants to find ways to placate the extremists who keep his coalition in power, he will have plenty of chances to sabotage the negotiations in ways that put the blame on Hamas. The structure of the Trump framework agreement allows Israel a range of opportunities to veto moves it does not like.

It may not be possible to end a deep-seated conflict that has lasted more than a century. Longer term, the UK and many countries outside Israel and the US believe that any attempted solution that does not lead to Palestinian independence will not bring peace.

When the foreign ministers of the Arab and Islamic countries issued their statement of support, they said that they believed it would lead to a full Israeli withdrawal and rebuilding of Gaza, and "a path for just peace on basis of two-state solution under which Gaza is fully integrated with the West Bank in Palestinian state in accordance with international law." That could be taken as a coded reference to the decision of the International Court of Justice that the occupation of Palestinian land by Israel is illegal.

Netanyahu believes the deal takes him closer to Israel's elusive victory over Hamas. He denies any Palestinian right to the land between the river Jordan and the sea.

One plan, two very different versions of what it means. The framework is ambiguous enough for both interpretations to be possible. That is not a promising start.

Correction 1 October: This article originally said that Israel's finance minister Bezalel Smotrich had compared the peace plan to the 1938 Munich agreement. In fact Smotrich had compared Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's phone call to the Qatari Prime Minister, apologising for an Israeli missile strike on Doha, to the Munich agreement, and so we have removed this line from the story.

'It was very tough but I love life' - ex-hostage whose family were killed on 7 October

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyw2pgjg1no, 4 days ago

A former Israeli hostage whose wife and children were killed by Hamas in the 7 October attacks, has said he is "trying to be positive" after his release earlier this year.

In a rare interview, Eli Sharabi, who became one of the most high profile of those taken when gunmen stormed into Israel two years ago, was reflecting on discovering, after his release, that his family had been killed.

He also expressed concern that the latest peace plan to end fighting between Israel and Hamas could fall through and said the lives of the remaining 20 living hostages were being put at risk by the continued Israel-Gaza war..

Mr Sharabi told his former captors, Hamas, to sign the deal for "their people…and the Middle East... War is wrong and awful for both sides".

"We have to keep hope" that there will be an agreement, he added.

The 20-point peace plan, agreed by US President Donald Trump, and Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, proposes an immediate end to fighting and the release within 72 hours of all hostages, in exchange for hundreds of detained Gazans and Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Hamas officials have indicated they will reject it.

Hamas still holds the body of Mr Sharabi's brother Yossi, who he is desperate to return home for a burial, as well as his friend, 24-year-old Alon Ohel, who was held with him in tunnels deep beneath Gaza.

Having spent 491 days in captivity, Mr Sharabi discovered only on the day of his release in February 2025 that his wife Lianne, and daughters, 16-year-old Noiya and 13-year-old Yahel, were no longer alive - shot dead after he was taken.

When they were not there to greet him on his return to Israel, he broke down as he realised "the worst scenario happened".

About 1,200 people in Israel were killed on 7 October when Hamas gunmen stormed through the border, while 251 others were taken hostage.

As the second anniversary approaches, Mr Sharabi has told BBC News about his ordeal and what is motivating him to rebuild his life.

In central Israel as the sun sets, Mr Sharabi, 53, stands looking out at the calm Mediterranean Sea. As he breathes in the sea air, such freedom felt distant earlier this year as he fought starvation, abuse and violence.

On that 7 October morning, the Sharabi family hid for hours in their safe room in Kibbutz Be'eri, an Israeli community of about 1,000 people close to the Gaza border. Nearly one in 10 people in Kibbutz Be'eri were killed or taken hostage that day.

As Hamas gunmen burst in and shots rang out, he and Lianne, born in Bristol, England, threw themselves on their daughters.

He says they told the gunmen that Lianne, Noiya and Yahel all had British passports, but they dragged him out of his home.

"I understood it's the moment I've probably been kidnapped. So, I just turned my head towards my girls and shouted 'I'll be back' - and that was the last time I saw them."

Mr Sharabi, the kibbutz's former business manager, described how he was first taken to a mosque in Gaza where he was attacked by Palestinian civilians.

"My eyes were blindfolded, but I could hear men and children and they started to lynch me with their bare hands, and the kids' shoes start to hit me when I was on the ground."

For almost all of his 16 months in captivity he says he was tied up - first with ropes to his wrists and ankles, then with iron chains. The pain caused him to pass out.

But he says he was determined to survive, even when he struggled to breathe for a month after he says his captors had beaten him and broken his ribs.

"It's scary. It's humiliating when the freedom is taken away from you," he recalls.

"You need to ask the permission to breathe, to talk, to go to the toilet. You need to beg for food, water, everything. But I promised my girls that I'd come back to them, and they love life.

"So I said, I don't care what's going to happen. I'll be back to my family with hands or no hands, with legs or no legs. I really, really believed from the first moment I will survive that."

Mr Sharabi says he was taken into Hamas' network of tunnels, where he describes spending months with three other hostages in cramped, inhumane conditions with little sanitation or food.

For the final six months he says they were given only one meal a day which would often be just one and half pieces of pita bread. "Starvation was the worst thing… you eat the crumbs on the carpet," he says.

After he lost more than four stone (25kg) in weight, there was worldwide shock at the images of his weak and emaciated state when he was finally released.

He was told by his captors of his impending release a week before it happened. He was also told his brother had been taken hostage and had died in Gaza, probably in an Israeli attack. As this freedom approached, he dreamed that he would move with Lianne, Noiya and Yahel, to England, near his wife's relatives.

When the day of release came, Hamas paraded him on stage in a televised ceremony, surrounded by dozens of gunmen. He says he was made to say in this ceremony how much he was looking forward to seeing his family - but those watching knew something he did not.

The joy of release soon gave way to devastating reality as he was welcomed back to Israel.

"The social worker approached me and said: 'Your mother and your sister are waiting for you'. I said to her 'Please bring me Lianne and my daughters.' And she said 'Your mother and your sister will tell you'. And of course, you don't need to tell anything anymore. It's obvious what happened, the worst scenario happened.

"I cried for a few minutes, and I said to myself 'I can cry all day, but it will not help me to bring back Lianne, Noiya and Yahel. And I need my family with me'. So, I said to the social worker 'Come on, let's go and hug my mother and sister.'"

The former hostage's composure slips as he remembers the first phone call he made as a free man to his wife's parents in Wales, to share his grief. It was a "very emotional" but "important" call. The funerals of his family were held in Israel while he was still in Hamas captivity not knowing their fate.

Mr Sharabi has shown remarkable resilience in the months since. He has campaigned across the world for the hostages - even meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office. "I ask him to finish the job and help all the others to come back as well," he pleads.

He feels Trump was instrumental in helping secure his release in a hostage deal in February, echoing the US president's vocal pressure in recent months on Israel and Hamas to find peace.

Asked by the BBC if he was worried the new peace plan might not happen, Mr Sharabi, speaking on Wednesday, replied: "Of course - very worried. Probably two days ago we were sure it's very close, but it doesn't look that close, unfortunately. Maybe I don't know a few things, but I'll be glad to be surprised."

He said the proposal was "very good news" and people must "not lose our faith that one day there will be an agreement".

He says he knows all too well what horrors the hostages are still experiencing as Hamas refuses to release them and Israel has expanded its military campaign. So far, more than 66,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

"Everybody knows when the war continues it puts the hostages' life in risk. That's not a secret. For me, when I want all the 48 hostages back today, tomorrow, I just want it to stop… War is awful, people are suffering from war, but we can't forget who started that, and who's the bad guy and who's the good guy."

He has written a book titled Hostage to ensure people are aware of his ordeal. Lianne, an avid reader, used to tell him he didn't read enough - so he thinks she would be proud.

Though it is hard to carry on without his family, he says he doesn't need memorial days to remember them.

"Yossi, Lianne, Noiya and Yahel are with me every day in my life, every moment. But I'm quite sure they will be alongside my life, not instead of my life.

"I don't have the privilege to stay in bed and cry all day after my family and my friends fought for me for 500 days. It's unacceptable for me to do it."

In Israel, strangers approach and tell him he is a hero. His time as a hostage has strengthened his resolve to live despite the loss of his family.

"It was very tough, but I really, really love life… I'm trying to be positive. I'm working on that."

Follow the twists and turns of Trump's second term with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher's weekly US Politics Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.

Gaza doctors are starving while fighting to save lives, evacuated medic tells BBC

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1wg4dyxjv9o, 7 days ago

For two decades, his job and purpose in life was to heal people. But Dr Mohammed Abu Mughaisib also wanted to stay alive.

So, when he could no longer even look after himself, and the hunger was too much to bear, he took a rare chance to leave Gaza.

"I would never have imagined starving," the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) medic said.

"But my head hurt and I had pain in my stomach from starvation."

After working non-stop at hospitals throughout Gaza over the past two years, Dr Abu Mughaisib was evacuated to Ireland in mid-September, along with a group of students taking up scholarships.

Safe and fed, he is now able to reflect on his time working in increasingly dire conditions as Israel's offensive destroyed medical and other critical infrastructure - and how he feels about leaving colleagues behind.

"The decision was very difficult," he told me, sitting in a peaceful park in Dublin – with a soundtrack of birdsong, rather than bullets, drones and explosions.

The contrast between the two worlds was almost overwhelming for him.

"I'm physically here but my heart and soul are in Gaza," he said. "It's very strange seeing people living a normal life, and it will take time to get used to it."

"I'm happy that I'm a survivor. Because I could have been killed or injured anytime. But I'm sad that I left behind my colleagues and my people."

Dr Abu Mughaisib was in charge of operations for the international medical charity in the Gaza Strip, including all its hospitals, clinics and mental health services. It is one of the biggest providers of medical services in Gaza.

He struggled to put into words the "indescribable" consequences for his colleagues of the past two years of war, with Israel's offensive leaving Gaza's hospitals under severe strain, with some forced to close and others operating at drastically reduced levels.

He told me about medics forced to sip glucose solution just to give themselves a little energy to carry on working.

At one point, among doctors and nurses, the only topic of conversation in the hospital was food, and the desperate hunt for it. "Starving doctors were treating malnutrition," he said.

And the injured just kept coming.

"When you enter a hospital, you smell blood," he told me.

"Hospitals are meant to be holy places, sterile places but in Gaza it's like going to a public market. Patients are literally lying on the ground because there are no beds for them.

"There are not enough doctors to look after them. In the intensive care unit, they wait for someone to die, to admit another critical patient."

He adds: "I hope that one day you can have access to see what's happening in these hospitals in Gaza. It's horrible."

Foreign journalists are banned by Israel from entering Gaza independently, so news organisations, including the BBC, rely on trusted local freelancers to report from the ground.

The 52-year-old doctor has lost count of the number of times he was displaced since the start of the war Israel launched in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023.

Those attacks were "totally unacceptable" and shocked him, he said.

He said his large home in Gaza City - which used to have a barbecue and picnic table on the lawn - was taken over as an Israeli military base and then looted by local people.

Dr Abu Mughaisib managed to get his family evacuated to Egypt in February 2024, while he stayed behind.

"I lived in a tent. I lived in the hospital. I lived in the MSF office. I put my mattress down in the electricity room of a restaurant."

But wherever he was, he kept working.

Fear accompanied him everywhere. "Every time I walked in the street, I was very terrified and I looked around me, staring at people, because I didn't know who was Hamas", he said.

"And I thought, OK this guy, maybe he's wanted, maybe they [Israel] will target him. And they will kill everyone around."

Each day brought moral dilemmas over how to treat the injured.

"Which patient do you admit? You decide you can only take children, but they're mostly children, so which one do you prefer to take care of?"

"The situation is beyond description," he added.

More than 18,000 of the 66,000 people the Hamas-run health ministry has recorded killed during the war are children. The UN considers these figures reliable.

And as Israel continues its offensive in Gaza City, the UN says that attacks on and around hospitals have left sick and injured civilians with nowhere to go for life-saving treatment.

According to the UN Human Rights Office, there have been at least 17 Israeli attacks in or near health facilities in Gaza Strip in the second part of September alone.

"There were no signs it's only targeting Hamas," said Dr Abu Mughaisib. "It's the civilians, the population, me, my friends, my colleagues, my neighbours, they are not Hamas.

"We are the ones who were killed and injured and running from one place to another and starving."

Israel says it takes steps to reduce civilian casualties and blames Hamas for using civilians as human shields.

Dr Abu Mughaisib said he knew that Israel's retaliation for the 7 October attacks would be massive. But he never imagined the scale of it, describing it as an "attack on every layer of life in Gaza, from infrastructure, electricity, the water supply, the sewage system, the hospitals, schools and universities."

He told me people in Gaza are so desperate that they will their elderly relatives to die to spare them further suffering.

"I have colleagues still under the rubble", he said.

At least 13 MSF staff have been killed over the past two years. The latest, a nurse who died of shrapnel injuries from an Israeli air strike near his tent in September.

Safe now from the war in Gaza, Dr Abu Mughaisib enjoyed his first proper shower in almost two years.

But after dreaming for weeks about eating, now that there's food all around him, he has no appetite.

"Of course, I'm happy that I left. But I'm not enjoying this happiness. When I know my colleagues are suffering, I can't eat a proper meal."

He left Gaza with only his mobile phone and the clothes he was wearing. Nothing else was allowed.

He was told that the Israelis had strictly prohibited evacuees from taking any sand or earth from Gaza.

And he is convinced that this was for a reason: "So there's no proof that you are from Gaza. You have no links to Gaza. You have no memories of Gaza."

"I wanted to take all of Gaza with me," he said. "Not just a bit."

He said the destruction in Gaza is so extensive that towns he passed through as he left through the border crossing with Egypt were completely unrecognisable.

I asked him if he thought Gaza would ever heal.

"It will be very difficult," he replied.

"The wounds are not just physical. They are social, psychological, emotional and spiritual.

"Everything is lost."

Healing will take a long time, he said.

"And I think the people will need the support of the world to heal them."

Additional reporting by Imogen Anderson

'Removing yellow hostage ribbons is morally repugnant'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cge2434njwvo, today

The actions of a woman who was filmed cutting down yellow ribbons tied to a fence were "morally repugnant", members of the Jewish community have said.

The ribbons, which symbolise calls for a return of the hostages captured by Hamas on 7 October 2023, were put up in Muswell Hill, north London, ahead of the two-year anniversary of the attacks in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages taken.

Ben Paul, who put up the ribbons on Fortis Green Road, told BBC London: "It's all about hostages, human beings. I don't care what your politics are: this is a simple tale of morality."

When challenged as she cut ribbons from the fence, the woman in the video said she was committing no crime, and when she was described as "disgusting", she replied: "I think condoning genocide is disgusting."

The Metropolitan Police said it had "stepped up reassurance patrols in the Muswell Hill area following reports that yellow ribbons were removed from fence poles".

Emma Semp, who puts up ribbons and posters as part of a volunteer group, said it was "very depressing" that someone she believed to be of Jewish heritage had cut them down.

"This is not acceptable to the Jewish community so we've put them back up and now we are actually keeping guard of our ribbons," the 41-year-old told BBC London.

"This is already a solemn day for everyone and to feel so unsupported, and to also feel like people are trying to erase the trauma that has happened to Israelis, to the Jewish community and the families and friends of those hostages, is heart-breaking."

It is thought 48 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

Mr Paul, 55, said he wanted to pay tribute to his friend Guy Gilboa Dalal, who was seized from the Nova festival in southern Israel two years ago.

He told BBC London: "These yellow ribbons, they're not political - they're about humanitarianism.

"It's all about releasing the hostages, letting these kids go back to their mums and their dads, and when people come and brazenly, in front of us, bring pairs of big shears or scissors and cut them down saying 'we don't like what message you're portraying here', we don't take that lightly."

Mr Paul said that after the ribbons which were removed were replaced, someone else "cowardly" cut them down "under the cover of darkness" on Monday. More ribbons were then put up on Tuesday morning.

He added: "Right behind me there was a poster that's been there for two years saying 'end the genocide, stop the genocide'.

"Nobody has touched that poster because people have a freedom in this country to espouse their political views. Why can't we?"

A Met Police spokesperson said: "At approximately 16:25 BST on Monday officers were made aware of a video circulating online which appears to show a woman removing the ribbons in Muswell Hill.

"Officers attended the location and are reviewing the footage to determine whether any offences, including hate crime or criminal damage, have been committed. Inquiries remain ongoing."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk

Jewish and Palestinian people gather for peace

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1ed5g99zx7o, today

For almost two years, Jewish and Palestinian people have come together in central London each month to share stories, songs and hopes for peace, amid the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine.

The events are organised by Standing Together, a group with roots in Israel, where supporters recently took part in demonstrations calling for the release of all hostages and an end to the war.

Daniel Randall, from UK Friends of Standing Together, said the events were about bringing people together.

An event held on Sunday came just days after two Jewish people were killed and three were left in a serious condition after a car ramming and stabbing attack outside a synagogue in Manchester.

British Palestinian doctor Jasr Kawkby said he felt it was important to attend the event following the attack in Manchester.

"At heart, we share really the same interests" and he felt it was "really important for me to come and to speak my position as a Palestinian".

Mr Randall said: "Part of our message is that the side we're on is the side of people's rights.

"We believe that all people in Israel and Palestine should be entitled to freedom, self-determination, dignity, security and peace.

"The voices that we are bringing together - we don't see them as being from polarised sides."

Dani, from UK Friends Standing Together, regularly attend the vigils in central London with her family.

She said she had just returned from Israel, where she met with other peace activists.

Dani, who did not want her surname used, added: "I believe in the power of people. I believe in the power of relationships and the power of grassroots groups - that is what gives me hope in Israel and Palestine.

"We know that in Northern Ireland it was grassroots groups that created an end of conflict, and it's nice to be able to do something in a social, public space, and spread that message to people."

Abdul Rachman has family in Gaza. He said peaceful solutions for all must be found.

"It's not about religion or land, it's about humanity.

"After all, all these people, all these religions, all these groups are human beings.

"Violence will never be a solution, because violence will only bring more destruction, more loss.

"So sitting together, joining together, talking together in a peaceful way - it will lead to peace after all."

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk

British parts found in Russian drones, Zelensky says

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg5e9zlpz6eo, today

British microcomputers were among more than 100,000 foreign-made parts contained in Russian missiles and drones used in Sunday's deadly strikes on Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

The Ukrainian president called for further "effective" sanctions after saying parts originating in allied countries including Germany, Japan and the US have been identified in Russian weapons.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said it had recently undertaken efforts to crack down on UK firms whose products have continued to make their way into Russia's military supply chain.

"We take reports of goods from UK companies being found in Russian weaponry incredibly seriously," a government spokesperson said.

Five killed in large Russian missile and drone attack, Zelensky says

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czjvlgzmp4wo, 2 days ago

Five people have died and tens of thousands have been left without power in Ukraine after intense Russian missile and drone attacks overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Four members of one family, including a 15-year-old girl, were killed by a strike in the village of Lapaivka as attacks mostly targeted the western region of Lviv.

One person also died in Zaporizhzhia. Zelensky said Russia fired more than 50 missiles and around 500 attack drones. Ukraine's air force put the combined figure at 549.

Russia's defence ministry said it had successfully carried out a "massive" strike on Ukrainian military and infrastructure targets.

Ukraine's neighbour Poland scrambled fighter jets to ensure the safety of Polish airspace, its military confirmed. Allied Nato aircraft were also deployed.

Lviv endured several hours of strikes, leading to the suspension of public transport services and the cutting of electrical supplies.

Maksym Kozytskyi, Lviv's regional head, said it was the largest attack on the region since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He said around 163 drones and missiles were identified in the area.

Kozytskyi said the arms targeted residential buildings, hospitals, civilian industrial facilities and gas transportation infrastructure.

He added that the attack was "especially cynical" as it came as Ukrainians typically begin heating their homes.

Another family member of those killed in Lapaivka was injured, as were two neighbours.

The Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad regions were also targeted, according to Zelensky.

He added: "We need more protection and faster implementation of all defense agreements, especially on air defense, to deprive this aerial terror of any meaning.

"A unilateral ceasefire in the skies is possible - and it is precisely that which could open the way to real diplomacy."

Russia continues to focus its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure as winter approaches.

Kyiv's energy ministry said overnight attacks caused damage in Chernihiv, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia.

In the latter, Russia's overnight attack left "more than 73,000 consumers... without electricity" after a power plant was struck, according to Ivan Fedorov, the regional head.

A woman was killed and several others injured in Zaporizhzhia.

A 16-year-old girl was among those receiving medical assistance, Fedorov added, posting photos apparently showing a partly destroyed multi-storey block and a burnt-out car from the site of the attack.

Emergency outages were implemented in Chernihiv and Sumy, the energy ministry added.

Lviv's mayor Andriy Sadovyi said part of the city - 70 km (43 miles) from the border with Poland - had no power, adding that city's air defence systems were engaged heavily in repelling first a drone and then a Russian missile attack.

Ukraine's air force said it recorded direct hits by eight Russian missiles and 57 drones at 20 locations across the country, as well as fragments from downed arms at six locations.

It said 478 missiles and drones were downed and six did not reach their targets.

On the ground, Russian forces have occupied most of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, including Luhansk and Donetsk, since the start of its invasion.

Russia currently controls around a fifth of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean peninsula it annexed in 2014.

The Russian assaults came days after a US official said the US would support Ukraine launching strikes deep inside Russian territory.

When asked about US President Donald Trump's position on the matter, US Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg told Fox News: "The answer is yes, use the ability to hit deep, there are no such things as sanctuaries."

Ukraine has repeatedly attacked targets inside Russia, but has been limited by the range of the weapons it has been supplied.

It has recently been stepping up strikes on Russian oil refineries, leading to petrol shortages in parts of the country.

In Russia, air defence units destroyed 32 Ukrainian drones overnight, the state-owned news agency RIA reported on Sunday, citing data from Russia's defence ministry.

Trump considering supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles, Vance says

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly6r1mg34yo, 8 days ago

The US is considering a request by Ukraine for long-range Tomahawk missiles, US Vice-President JD Vance has said.

However, Vance added President Donald Trump would be making "the final determination" on the matter.

Kyiv has long been calling for its Western partners to provide it with weapons that could hit major Russian cities far from the front line, arguing that they would help Ukraine seriously weaken Russia's military industry and bring the war to an end.

"If the cost of continuing the war for Moscow is too high, it will be forced to start peace talks," deputy defence minister Ivan Havryliuk told the BBC.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov played down Vance's suggestion, saying there was "no panacea that can change the situation on the front for the Kyiv regime."

"Whether it's Tomahawks or other missiles, they won't be able to change the dynamic," he added.

Tomahawk missiles have a range of 2,500 km (1,500 miles), which would put Moscow within reach for Ukraine.

While Vance remained ambivalent about Ukraine's request for Tomahawks in his remarks on Sunday, the US special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, seemed to suggest Trump had already authorised strikes deep into Russian territory.

Asked on Fox News whether Washington had allowed Kyiv to carry out long-range strikes within Russia in specific instances, Kellogg said: "The answer is yes, use the ability to hit deep, there are no such things as sanctuaries."

Vance and Kellogg's comments match the US administration's recent change of tone in regard to the war.

After repeatedly expressing scepticism that Ukraine could continue to hold its own against Russia, last week Trump said Kyiv could "win all of Ukraine back in its original form" – a shift that reportedly even surprised Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump is known to have been irritated by Russian President Vladimir Putin's surface willingness to discuss ending the war versus the reality of Moscow's persistent bombardments of Ukraine's cities.

On Sunday, a massive 12-hour strike involving hundreds of drones and nearly 50 missiles left four people dead in Kyiv and at least 70 injured.

Ukraine's Havryliuk told the BBC Russia was only going to further increase the intensity and severity of its aerial attacks.

To protect its skies from ballistic missiles, Kyiv has asked its Western partners for at least 10 units of Patriot surface-to-air defence systems which can detect and intercept oncoming missiles.

Asked whether the Patriot systems Trump promised over the summer were forthcoming, Havryliuk declined to be drawn into specifics but said there was "some movement in this direction".

The more drones and missiles are fired by Russia, the harder it is for Ukraine to intercept them.

Earlier this month Moscow fired a record number of more than 800 drones and missiles – the highest since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Inevitably, during such large-scale attacks the interception rate drops.

Out of the hundreds of drones used in Sunday's attack, 31 managed to hit their targets. According to President Zelensky, the majority were residential buildings and civilian facilities such as a cardiology centre in Kyiv.

As well as being more frequent and intense, aerial attacks are also becoming more dangerous as Moscow is using new and more advanced drones to break through Ukraine's air defence systems, Havryliuk said.

When Iranian-made Shahed drones were used for the first time in 2023, "they were easy to jam using our electronic warfare systems", he explained.

"Today, they use 16-channel antennas in order to pass through our jamming zones."

Havryliuk also believes they would be a way for Ukraine to stop Russian drones before they reach EU countries.

"Strengthening our air defence system is an investment into security of the entire Europe," he said, referring to the recent incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace.

He added that it would disrupt "Putin's plans to constantly scare Europe".

Earlier this year the Trump administration approved a new mechanism which sees European allies purchase US-made weapons for Ukraine. So far, several European countries and Canada have collectively pledged $2bn (£1.5bn).

While some of the weapons bought under the scheme have already arrived in Ukraine, Havryliuk said, the process is slower than before.

Time is a precious commodity in Ukraine, and in the last three and a half years of war Kyiv has developed a thriving defence industry, significantly increasing its production of drones, artillery shells, artillery systems and armoured vehicles.

Ukraine now produces almost 100% of First Person View (FPV) drones it needs and up to 40% of the front line's demand for other weapons, Havryliuk said.

On Monday Zelensky said Ukraine would continue to focus on domestically produced drones and missiles with long-range capabilities.

But until it can step up production of weapons Kyiv will remain largely dependent on its allies to provide the air defence systems it needs.

Ukraine is hoping that better protection of its cities with air defence systems combined with long-range weapons able to hit Russian targets will help bring Moscow to the negotiating table.

"Only together with our partners can we stop the Russian terror in the sky," Havryliuk said.

Entire Ukrainian family killed in Russian drone strike, officials say

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxqdpgznzeo, 7 days ago

An entire family - a married couple and their two young sons - have been killed in an overnight Russian drone attack in Ukraine's north-eastern Sumy region, local officials have said.

Regional head Oleh Hryhorov said a residential building was hit in the village of Chernechchyna. The bodies of the two children, aged four and six, and their parents were later recovered from the wreckage.

Ukraine's air force said its units shot down 46 out of 65 Russian drones across the country - but there were 19 direct hits in six locations.

Russia's military has not commented. In a statement, it said 81 Ukrainian drones were destroyed overnight in five Russian regions. No casualties were reported.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

In a post on Telegram on Tuesday morning, Hryhorov accused Russian forces of deliberately targeting a residential building in Chernechchyna.

He said the loss of an entire family was "a tragedy that we will never forget or forgive".

Ukraine's state emergencies service DSNS later said two residential buildings were partially destroyed in the village.

It also posted photos showing firefighters tackling blazes after the Russian strike.

In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its aerial assaults on Ukraine, regularly launching hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles.

Ukraine has long been urging its Western allies to provide it with enough advanced air defence weaponry to be able to cope with almost daily Russian strikes.

Kyiv has also been seeking Western missiles that could hit major Russian cities far from the front line, arguing that this would seriously weaken Russia's military industry and force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

Last week, US Vice-President JD Vance said publicly that Washington was considering a request by Ukraine for long-range Tomahawk missiles, which - if delivered - would put Moscow and other major Russian cities within reach for Ukraine's military.

On Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced "we have agreed with Ukraine that a total of €2bn (£1.7bn) will be spent on drones now.

"This allows Ukraine to scale up and to use its full capacity. And of course, it will also allow the European Union to benefit from this technology," she added.

US President Donald Trump and Europe have been leading efforts to end the war - but Putin has repeatedly rejected calls for a ceasefire.

Kyiv and its allies accuse the Russian president of stalling tactics as his troops continue making slow progress on the battlefield - despite the reporting of very high combat casualties.

Zelensky condemns 'vile' Russian strikes lasting 12 hours

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c75qeqr5905o, 9 days ago

A Russian aerial bombardment that lasted more than 12 hours has killed at least four people and injured at least 70 others in Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deaths all occurred in the capital, Kyiv, where many of the projectiles were aimed, and the victims included a 12-year-old girl.

The barrage - involving nearly 600 drones and several dozen missiles aimed at seven regions of Ukraine - is one of the heaviest in recent months.

Zelensky warned that Ukraine would retaliate and said the "vile" attack showed Moscow "wants to continue fighting and killing". Russia said it struck military facilities and industrial enterprises supporting Ukraine's armed forces.

For Ukrainians, aerial bombardments can be both random and routine.

They tend to occur late on Saturday evenings - in this case, the first sirens were heard at 22:00 GMT.

The sound of anti-aircraft fire was punctuated with occasional explosions - presumably either from the sound of an intercepted drone or one hitting its target.

In Kyiv, the country's air alert app urged people to head to shelters and stay there. They were followed by pings warning of an increased aerial threat as hundreds of drones descended on the city.

Ukraine's Defence Minister Igor Klymenko said that at least 100 civilian sites had been damaged across the country by the attack, with entire neighbourhoods lefts in ruins.

Emergency services said an attack on Kyiv's Institute of Cardiology had killed a nurse and a patient.

A large bakery, an automobile rubber factory, as well as apartment buildings and civilian infrastructure were also targeted, Zelensky said.

He added that Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv and Odesa regions were also hit.

Zaporizhzhia's Governor Ivan Fedorov said 34 people had been injured in the region, including three children - two boys, aged 11 and 12, and a nine-year-old girl.

One boy was caught in an explosion while the other had suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, he said. Both are in a serious condition.

Sumy's regional governor said a 59-year-old man had died in strikes in the past day.

Zelensky vowed that Ukraine "will strike back" in a bid to "force diplomacy" from Russia, and said he was counting on a "strong reaction" from Europe and the US.

"This dastardly attack took place in fact as the end of the week of the UN General Assembly, and this is how Russia declares its real position," he said.

Zelensky reiterated his support of US President Donald Trump's threat of harsher sanctions on Russia, as well as his call for European allies to curb their Russian oil and gas imports.

Trump has recently shifted his position on the war, saying for the first time last week that he thought Ukraine could retake the land it had lost from Moscow as the Russian economy flagged under the strain of a prolonged war.

The US president has so far desisted from imposing further sanctions on Russia, but has appeared increasingly frustrated with the lack of eagerness from the Kremlin to begin peace talks.

Zelensky said on Saturday that Russia would not stop its aggression with Ukraine - which is why it was testing European air defences with the recent incursions in several countries belonging to the Nato military alliance.

Meanwhile, jets were scrambled in neighbouring Poland early on Sunday as Russia hit western Ukraine, the nation's armed forces said.

The Polish military described the actions - which have become routine since Polish and Nato aircraft shot down three Russian drones in Poland's airspace on 10 September - as preventative.

Denmark's Defence Ministry confirmed on Sunday that it had observed drones over military sites for a second night in a row.

Nato has now said it will upgrade its mission in the Baltic Sea in response, including enhanced surveillance and stationing at least one air defence frigate there.

It follows a series of incidents in which drones appeared over Danish airports, causing disruption to air traffic. Danish officials said they had no evidence to suggest Russian involvement in what they described as a concerted attack, while Moscow denied responsibility.

Along with Poland, Estonia and Romania have also accused Russia of violating their airspace, prompting a renewed Nato to bolster the alliance's eastern flank.

Trump has gone as far as to say that Nato nations should shoot down Russian planes in their airspace.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country had no intention of attacking EU or Nato member states - but warned of a "decisive response" to any "aggression" directed towards Moscow.

At least 30 injured in Russian strike on railway station, Zelensky says

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czewkn06y1no, 3 days ago

At least 30 people have been injured following a Russian drone strike on a railway station in north-east Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelensky has said.

In a post on X, he said that preliminary reports indicated train staff and passengers were at the site of the strike in the city of Shostka, in the Sumy region.

Emergency services are on the scene and have begun helping people, he said, adding that information regarding the injured was still being established.

He also posted a video showing a damaged train carriage on fire.

"The Russians could not have been unaware that they were targeting civilians. This is terrorism, which the world has no right to ignore," Zelensky wrote on X.

"Every day Russia takes people's lives. And only strength can make them stop."

According to the regional governor Oleh Hryhorov and the Ukrainian Railways body, there were two strikes which hit two passenger trains.

Three children, aged 8, 11 and 14, were among the injured, Hryhorov said.

The second strike hit at a time when evacuations from the area were already under way, a statement from the railways body said.

It represented a "vile" attack "aimed at stopping communication with our frontline communities", the statement continued. Shostka lies in north-eastern Ukraine, some 50km from the Russian border.

Ukrainian Railways head Oleksandr Pertsovsky told reporters, including AFP, that there was "no military purpose" to the attack which instead was designed to "sow panic among people".

He also said there had been an intensification of Russian attacks on railway infrastructure.

Zelensky in his post also called for "action" from the West, saying: "We've heard resolute statements from Europe and America – and it's high time to turn them all into reality."

Russia has intensified its aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent weeks, regularly launching hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles.

Ukraine has long been urging its Western allies to provide it with enough advanced air defence weaponry to be able to cope with almost daily Russian strikes.

Last Sunday, a massive 12-hour strike involving hundreds of drones and nearly 50 missiles left four people dead in Kyiv and at least 70 injured.

Ukraine's deputy minister Ivan Havryliuk has also argued that strengthening the country's air defence systems represented an investment in the wider security of Europe, referring to recent drone activity in European air space.

US President Donald Trump and Europe have been leading efforts to end the war - but Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly rejected calls for a ceasefire.

Kyiv and its allies accuse the Russian president of stalling tactics as his troops continue making slow progress on the battlefield - despite the reporting of very high combat casualties.

The US president has appeared increasingly frustrated with the lack of eagerness from the Kremlin to begin peace talks.

And, although he has desisted from imposing further sanctions on Russia, Trump has shifted his position on the war, saying he thought Ukraine could take back the land it had lost to Moscow.

Earlier this year the Trump administration approved a new mechanism which sees European allies purchase US-made weapons for Ukraine.

The US is also considering a request by Ukraine for long-range missiles that could hit major Russian cities far from the front line.

French photojournalist killed in drone strike in Ukraine

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crl57n318ezo, 3 days ago

French photojournalist Antoni Lallican has been killed in a Russian drone strike in eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian military has said.

Grigoriy Ivanchenko, a Ukrainian photojournalist working alongside Mr Lallican, was injured in the same attack on the outskirts of Komyshuvakha, a village in the Donetsk region.

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ and IFJ) said this was the first instance of a journalist being killed by a drone in Ukraine.

Mr Lallican, a Paris-based photojournalist, had been documenting the war since March 2022 - a month after Russia launched its full-scale invasion - earning him the prestigious Victor Hugo Prize for photography in 2024.

The two journalists had been embedded with the 4th Mechanised Brigade near Komyshuvakha, around 15km (12 miles) from the frontline, at the time of the attack.

According to a statement from the Hans Lucas photo agency, both journalists were wearing personal protective equipment, and their bulletproof vests had identification marks with the word "PRESS" on them.

A witness told the BBC that the noise of chainsaws - being used to build defensive positions - may have prevented them from hearing the drone overhead.

The brigade's press officer, Anastasia Haletska - who was also wounded in the attack - said she managed to apply tourniquets to Mr Ivanchenko, before both of them were taken to a hospital in nearby Kramatorsk.

Mr Lallican was killed instantly, she said. Mr Ivanchenko is in a stable condition, but had to have his leg amputated.

French President Emmanuel Macron shared a tribute to Mr Lallican and said he had been a victim of a Russian drone attack.

"I express my sincere condolences to his family, loved ones, and all his colleagues who, risking their lives, inform us and bear witness to the reality of war," he wrote on X.

Mr Lallican's work has been published by numerous outlets, including French newspapers Le Monde and Le Figaro.

His work in Ukraine, which traces the "consequences of the war", has taken him across the country, from Odesa, in the south-west, to Kharkiv, in the north-east, according to his website.

Families fleeing in the early days of the invasion, elderly men and women refusing to leave their homes under Russian bombardment, and soldiers fighting and living on the frontline populate his photographs, among many others whose lives have been upended by the war.

According to the EFJ and IFJ, 17 journalists have been killed since the invasion began.

In a joint statement, they said: "We pay tribute to the courage of Antoni Lallican and all the journalists who continue to cover the war. We demand that the perpetrators of his crime be brought to justice.

Sergiy Tomilenko, president of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), accused Russia of "deliberately hunting those trying to document war crimes".

"For journalists, every trip to the frontline zone is a deadly risk. Antoni Lallican took this risk again and again, coming to Ukraine, traveling to Donbas, documenting what many prefer not to see," he said in a statement.

"He built a visual bridge between the world and Ukrainian reality. Now he himself has become part of this tragic story".

The Kremlin has not commented on the attack.

With additional reporting by Volodymyr Lozhko.

Surge in Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries sparks Russian fuel shortages

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx020k4056o, 5 days ago

Ukraine has dramatically increased the number of attacks launched against Russian oil refineries in recent months, sparking fuel shortages and price rises in some parts of the country, BBC Verify and BBC Russian have found.

Drone strikes on refineries - some deep inside Russia - soared in August and remained high in September, an analysis of Russian media reports and verified footage showed.

Some 21 of the country's 38 large refineries - where crude oil is converted into useable fuel like petrol and diesel - have been hit since January, with successful attacks already 48% higher than the whole of 2024.

Ordinary Russians appear to be feeling the impact of the strikes, with verified videos showing long queues at petrol stations. Some garages have suspended operations to "wait out the crisis" rather than work at a loss, one manager told Russian media.

Ukraine's security service, the SBU, did not respond to a request for comment. But President Volodymyr Zelensky has said damaging Russia's oil industry is a key means of forcing Russia to the negotiating table.

"The most effective sanctions – the ones that work the fastest – are the fires at Russia's oil refineries, its terminals, oil depots," the Ukrainian leader said in a September address. "We have significantly restricted Russia's oil industry, and this significantly restricts the war."

Our analysis shows reported attacks reached a record level in August, with 14 refineries targeted by Ukrainian drones, and eight in September. The increase came after a brief lull coinciding with a flurry of diplomacy, during which President Donald Trump attempted to broker a ceasefire deal between Kyiv and Moscow.

Some of the strikes have been launched against facilities deep inside Russia. In late September, the SBU successfully hit the Gazprom Neftekhim Salavat oil refinery in the Bashkortostan region twice.

Satellite images showed smoke billowing from the facility - which is more than 1,100km (683 miles) from the Ukrainian border - after the attack.

Kyiv has also attacked some of Russia's most lucrative facilities. A refinery near Volgograd has been targeted six times this year - with an attack in August forcing it to halt operations for a month. The large Ryazan plant near Moscow - capable of producing 340,000 barrels per day - has been hit five times since January.

Ukrainian strikes appear to be pursuing two targets - large refineries essential to civilian supplies and those closer to the border used to supply troops fighting in Ukraine, Vladimir Milov, a former deputy energy minister under Vladimir Putin and now an exiled opposition politician, told BBC Verify.

Ukraine's general staff has previously claimed that refineries in Samara and Saratov have been used as part of military logistics operations. Both regions have been hit by drone strikes in recent weeks, with two of the three plants in Samara region taken offline.

Justin Crump, an ex-British army officer and CEO of the risk consultancy Sibylline, told BBC Verify that Ukraine had long targeted Russia's oil and gas industry. But he noted that the flurry of strikes showed that the military and security services have now settled on the tactic as a "core campaign".

"This campaign has obviously been the focus of significant investment and is driven by an intelligence assessment of what will hurt Russia the most," Mr Crump said.

It is difficult to measure the extent to which the strikes are impacting the output of petrol and diesel as Russia classified statistics relating to gasoline production in May 2024 amid an earlier spate of attacks on refineries.

But BBC Verify's analysis found that at least 10 oil refineries have been forced to fully or partially suspend operations since August, and the Reuters news agency has reported that on certain days national production has declined by as much as a fifth.

There is some evidence that the refinery strikes are having an impact on civilian life in parts of Russia. Videos confirmed by BBC Verify have shown long queues at petrol stations in the far east and on a highway between St Petersburg and Moscow, while Kremlin-installed officials have introduced rationing of gasoline in occupied Crimea.

Owners of small and independent petrol stations in Siberia have told Russian media they have had to shut down due to ongoing issues with fuel supply. A manager in the Novosibirsk region compared the situation to the hyperinflation experienced by post-Soviet Russia.

"In my opinion we haven't had a crisis like this since 1993-1994," he told local outlet Precedent TV. "Many petrol stations have now suspended their operations. Perhaps it is better to wait out the crisis than make a loss."

While Russia has traditionally seen price increases spurred on by summer travelling and oil refinery maintenance, the drone strikes are exacerbating it.

Retail petrol prices have surged, while wholesale prices - the cost at which retailers buy from producers - have risen even faster, growing by 40% since January.

The tightly controlled domestic media has hinted that drone strikes are a key factor for the shortages, with the daily business newspaper Kommersant attributing the shortfall to "unscheduled refinery shutdowns".

But civilians in western Russia - including the Moscow and Krasnodar regions - appear to be largely unaffected. Some of those who spoke to the BBC said they were unaware of the shortages elsewhere in the country.

Russian officials have insisted that the situation remains under control. During a press briefing this week Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the "government is taking the necessary measures" to address shortages.

But Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced last week that a partial ban on petrol exports had been extended to the end of 2025. Opposition politician Mr Milov noted that the export suspension was relatively small and "won't save the domestic market".

The extent to which the strikes are impacting Moscow's ability to use oil revenues to fund its war in Ukraine is also unclear.

The vast majority of Russia's oil exports are in the form of unrefined crude oil, which do not appear to have been impacted by the strikes. An analysis carried out by Bloomberg at the end of September showed that crude oil exports - while less profitable than petrol and diesel - had reached a record high.

Mr Crump observed that the impact of the strikes could be strengthened if "further measures" and sanctions targeting oil exports were adopted by the West, but emphasised that the attacks were undermining Moscow's ability to fight the war.

"This campaign alone will not bring Russia to its knees, but is definitely increasing the pain of the protracted conflict."

Additional reporting by Christine Jeavans.

What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?

Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0l0k4389g2o, 13 days ago

Fighting has raged in Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion more than three years ago. Over the past year, Russian forces have slowly expanded the amount of territory they control, mostly in the east of Ukraine, and have continued their recent barrage of air strikes on Kyiv and other cities.

US President Donald Trump has said Kyiv can "win all of Ukraine back in its original form" - a major shift in his position on the conflict. He had previously suggested that Ukraine would have to give up territory to end the war.

Here is a recap of the situation on the ground in Ukraine.

Russia grinds forward in the east

In eastern Ukraine, Moscow's war machine has been churning mile by mile through the wide open fields of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions - also known as the Donbas - surrounding and overwhelming villages and towns.

It has been trying to gain full control of the area along with two more regions to the west - Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Shortly after the invasion, Russia held referendums to try to annexe all these regions - in the same way it had annexed Crimea in 2014 - but it has never had them under full control.

It is believed that one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's demands is that Kyiv surrenders the parts of the Donbas area it still controls.

But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently said Ukraine would not hand over the Donbas in exchange for peace, saying such a concession could be used as a springboard for future attacks by Russia.

Summer offensive targets key towns

A recent report by the US-based Institute for the Study of War, (ISW) describes a "fortress belt" running 50km (31 miles) through western Donetsk.

"Ukraine has spent the last 11 years pouring time, money, and effort into reinforcing the fortress belt and establishing significant defence industrial and defensive infrastructure," it writes.

The area also includes big cities that are still under Ukrainian control, including Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk and Slovyansk.

Although a Russian summer offensive near the eastern town of Pokrovsk did make rapid advances just north of the town and Russia has recently made progress to the east of nearby Kostyantynivka, analysts say it would take "several years" for it to complete its objective in the region.

Russian incursion north of Kharkiv

Further north, Russia has been pushing towards Kupyansk in east of the Kharkiv region, as part of its efforts to capture the whole of Luhansk and encircle northern Donetsk.

Its defence ministry has said that if it seizes Kupyansk it will use this as a foothold to make further advances into the Kharkiv region.

And in addition to the eastern front, in May 2024 Russia began what the ISW describes as its "subordinate main effort", when it crossed the border to the north of Ukraine's second-biggest city, Kharkiv.

Several villages were seized and thousands of civilians fled.

Recent ISW analysis of the area shows Russia has advanced near Vovchansk and Lyptsi as it tries to create a buffer zone inside Ukraine's northern borders and get within artillery range of Kharkiv.

Putin says he wants this buffer zone to protect Russia, after Ukrainian forces captured a swathe of territory further north in Kursk last summer. Russian forces eventually drove them out, with the help of North Korean troops.

The Russians then pushed on into Ukraine but quickly became bogged down in fighting over small border villages, which keep changing hands even today. Without major reinforcements, it is unlikely Russian troops will advance much further.

As well as the counter-offensive in the Kursk region, Ukraine has struck air bases deep inside Russia. One of these attacks involved using 100 drones to target nuclear-capable long-range bombers.

The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the attacks had occurred in five regions of Russia - Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur - but stated planes had been damaged only in Murmansk and Irkutsk, while in other locations the attacks had been repelled.

Kyiv claims the drone operation inflicted $7bn (£5.2bn) of damage to the Russian military. It hasn't been possible to verify either country's claims.

More recently Moscow blamed Ukrainian drones for a massive oil depot fire near Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi - the venue of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, Russia has continued to bomb Ukrainian cities, launching 574 drones and 40 missiles on the night of 20 August - which the ISW described as the third-largest strike of the war so far.

Ceasefire talks

Since Trump took office at the start of 2025, the US has been pursuing an end to the war - now in its fourth year - through negotiations.

There have been no major breakthrough in talks, leading Trump to threaten to impose further severe tariffs on Russia, targeting its oil and other exports, if it failed to agree a ceasefire.

That deadline passed on the same day it was announced that Trump and Putin would meet at a summit in Alaska.

The summit and subsequent meetings with European leaders and Zelensky ended without a peace deal but Trump did not rule out the US helping to guarantee Ukraine's security if a deal could be reached. Security guarantees are generally seen as paramount to any sort of deal with Russia.

And after talks with Zelensky in September Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that Ukraine could get back "the original borders from where this war started" with the support of Europe and Nato, due to pressures on Russia's economy.

Ukraine minerals deal

At the end of April the US and Ukraine signed a long-discussed deal to share profits from the future sale of Ukraine's mineral and energy reserves.

The deal aims to provide an economic incentive for the US - still the country's biggest supplier of military assistance - to continue to invest in Ukraine's defence and reconstruction, as well as to address Washington's concerns over the amount of aid it has already contributed.

It will also see the establishment of an investment fund to spur Ukraine's economic recovery from the war.

Three years of fighting

Russia's full-scale invasion began with dozens of missile strikes on cities all over Ukraine before dawn on 24 February 2022.

Russian ground troops moved in quickly and within a few weeks were in control of large areas of Ukraine and had advanced to the suburbs of Kyiv.

Russian forces were bombarding Kharkiv, and had taken territory in the east and south as far as Kherson, and surrounded the port city of Mariupol.

But they hit very strong Ukrainian resistance almost everywhere and faced serious logistical problems with poorly-motivated Russian troops suffering shortages of food, water and ammunition.

Ukrainian forces were also quick to deploy Western supplied arms such as the Nlaw anti-tank system, which proved highly effective against the Russian advance.

By October 2022, the picture had changed dramatically and, having failed to take Kyiv, Russia withdrew completely from the north. The following month, Ukrainian forces recaptured the southern city of Kherson.

Since then, the battle has mostly been in the east of Ukraine with Russian forces slowly gaining ground over many months - military experts estimate between 165,000 and 235,000 Russian service personnel have been killed since the invasion.

Ukraine last updated its casualty figures in December 2024, when President Zelensky acknowledged 43,000 Ukrainian deaths among soldiers and officers. Western analysts believe this figure to be an under-estimate.

By Dominic Bailey, Mike Hills, Paul Sargeant, Chris Clayton, Kady Wardell, Camilla Costa, Mark Bryson, Sana Dionysiou, Gerry Fletcher, Kate Gaynor and Erwan Rivault

About these maps

To indicate which parts of Ukraine are under control by Russian troops we are using daily assessments published by the Institute for the Study of War with the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project.

The situation in Ukraine is often fast moving and it is likely there will be times when there have been changes not reflected in the maps.

The Ukrainian convicts swapping jail for the battlefield

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgjk8z47gko, 8 days ago

At Penal Colony No. 4, there are no easy ways out.

It's a medium security prison, but the thick iron gates and imposing white walls topped with barbed wire give it a more "maximum" feel.

Inside are Andrii Askerov and Roman Chech: both convicted drug dealers who've managed to come up with early escape routes.

They've successfully applied to join the ranks of the Ukrainian army. They will go through a month's training, and, in exchange for being released, will fight "until the war is over".

"I can't imagine what it's like to kill a man, I've only seen it in movies," confesses Andrii, who is 18 months into a six-year stretch.

Getting out of jail is obviously the motivation for the 30-year-old. But he also wants to return to society as a citizen who contributed, rather than a convict who took.

Since the creation of a new law last year, more than 10,000 prisoners have joined the Ukrainian military, including murderers. Those convicted of the most serious crimes however, like multiple killings, sexual violence, corruption and treason, are excluded.

"Everyone will end up on the front line sooner rather than later," says Roman, who is also swapping his grey prison jumpsuit for military fatigues.

"I would have a lifelong label as a convict, but if I serve, I'd be a serviceman," he says with a quiet focus.

For the 36-year-old, joining isn't just about rehabilitation, but revenge too.

"My sister would have been 21 now," he explains. "She was killed when a Russian missile hit her house in Kharkiv in 2023."

"Most of all I would like to avenge her."

According to the government, most of the prisoners who have signed up have volunteered for the infantry, where they've taken part in intense fighting.

They will also feed into a new assault force announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky in September. With traditional specialists like marines or paratroopers becoming increasingly redundant on the modern battlefield, this new unit will storm Russian positions with the help of drones.

If these convicts are to taste freedom, they'll have to fight on some of the most dangerous parts of the front line for an indefinite period.

Not all of them will make it. According to the governor of Penal Colony No. 4, half of the thousand inmates who've volunteered so far are already dead.

'We know how to fight'

The series of converted farm buildings in southern Ukraine make for a modest military base, but for the 30 or so injured soldiers here it is a welcome relief.

They're all ex-prisoners who have returned from eastern battlefields. Oleksii, 37, was fighting in Velyka Novosilka when he sustained a serious-looking leg injury.

"We were hit by artillery, mortar rounds and glide bombs," he explains. "I didn't expect so many of my comrades to be killed."

Oleskii was serving an eight-year sentence for drug smuggling before volunteering to fight. As he perches on his make-shift bed, he tells me why he thinks prisoners make better soldiers than civilians who are mobilised.

"Those who are conscripted, they must tear them away from their mother's breast!" he exclaims.

"We know how to fight! We know how to fight very well!"

A point driven home by a pile of velcro badges and passports, ripped from the arms and pockets of dead Russian soldiers, which the soldiers have brought back from the front.

"I have a significant score of Russian heads, and I've helped hundreds of wounded comrades," chimes in Andrii Andriichuk.

Also across his torso are the scars from 47 pieces of shrapnel, he tells us. He's previously fought in the Russian border region of Kursk as part of a Ukrainian offensive.

Before that, he was a career burglar.

After nearly four years of Russia's full-scale invasion, you get used to meeting troops who are exhausted from spending months or even years on the front lines, as they struggle to contain Russian advances.

Not here. There is palpably high morale, driven by a deep sense of patriotism, and probable relief at getting out of their prison cells.

They admit many former inmates desert once they're out of prison, but claim the majority want to play their part.

"I've committed many evil deeds for this country," says Andrii. "There is a price to pay for everything. I'll just go back to the job I'm good at: fighting."

"I have skills too," chuckles Oleksii. "I know how to kill. Only here I won't be convicted for it."

By the admission of the soldiers who oversee the convicts, these men will need "great luck" to survive until the end of the war. Yet they seemingly wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Uncomfortable comparisons

Russia was criticised when it emptied its own prisons earlier in the war. At least 200,000 have joined its fight, on missions described as "meatgrinders".

So does Ukraine's Deputy Justice Minister, Evhen Pikalov, admit the country is doing the same?

"There's a huge difference: the Russians are paid per hundred metres, and Ukrainians are driven by patriotic feelings," he claims.

Pikalov sees himself as a reformer within his department, and wants Ukraine to focus more on rehabilitation, instead of punishment, when it comes to criminals.

"Our main goal is to resocialise, to give them a chance. It has nothing to do with the exploitation of the vulnerabilities of these people," he argues.

"It's an opportunity for them to defend and protect our country, that's it."

On the morality of letting murderers out after a fraction of their sentence, Pikalov stressed they weren't pardons, but conditional releases.

"Of course we have an emotional component here, but always for some victim's families, even without the war, sentences are never enough."

With the passing of time, motivated men are becoming harder for Ukraine to find. With peace ever-distant, its search will only go deeper.

Additional reporting by Volodymyr Lozhko, Rebecca Hartmann and Anastasiia Levchenko

Russia targets UK military satellites on weekly basis

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gkyl1j6n9o, 5 days ago

Russian satellites have been stalking British military satellites, according to the head of the UK Space Command.

In an interview with the BBC, Maj Gen Paul Tedman has for the first time set out the level of interference from Moscow against the UK's space-based assets.

He said Russia had also been trying to jam the UK's military satellites with ground-based systems every week.

Last month Germany's Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, said Russia had been shadowing satellites used by their military.

Gen Tedman gave details of how Russia was doing the same to the UK. "They're interested in what we're doing and flying relatively close," he said.

"They've got payloads on board that can see our satellites and are trying to collect information from them."

Gen Tedman said UK military satellites had been fitted with counter-jamming technologies but added: "We're seeing our satellites being jammed by the Russians on a reasonably persistent basis."

When asked how often, he replied "weekly". It was, he said, deliberate and the activity had increased since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Britain has half a dozen dedicated military satellites in orbit providing communications and surveillance.

In contrast, the US, China and Russia each have more than a hundred. The combined Russian and Chinese fleet of satellites has increased by 70% over the past decade.

Gen Tedman said Russia and China had both tested anti-satellite weapons. Both the UK and the US have warned that Russia has been developing the capability to put nuclear weapons in space.

While the US sees China as the pacing threat, Gen Tedman sees Russia as the more immediate danger: "I would say the Chinese have by far the more sophisticated capability but the Russians have more will to use their counter-space systems."

Gen Tedman said he was "really worried" about what was happening in space – not just the threats but the increasing congestion. There are currently about 45,000 objects in orbit including around 9,000 satellites. This year will see another 300 rocket launches into space.

The general was speaking on a visit to RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire. It is home to Britain and America's Ballistic Missile Early Warning System. It is a job they have been doing since 1963.

The three famous large radomes or "golf balls" from the Cold War era have been replaced by a 30-metre (98-ft) pyramid which houses thousands of antennas.

It looks like a spaceship has landed on the North Yorkshire moors, surrounded by sheep, an electrified perimeter fence and razor wire.

The unblinking eye provides 360 degree coverage from the Arctic to North Africa, and from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Its radar can track objects the size of a tin can, 3,000 miles (4,800km) into space.

Inside, the heavy blast doors and air locks tell you that this too could be a target for any adversary. In the operations room, UK military personnel watch round the clock, every day of the year.

The RAF's 2 Space Warning Squadron take us through the drill of how they detect a missile launch. They are plugged into other US satellites and sensors that enable them to detect a launch anywhere in the world.

Gen Tedman calls space "a team sport" but, in reality, the UK is heavily reliant on America. The US has responsibility for the maintenance of the radar with the support of UK contractors.

The UK officer in charge of the watch says along with other sources "we'd know the UK was under threat probably within a minute".

What is mentioned less is the UK's ability to intercept ballistic missiles. Currently the UK has very little in the way of ballistic missile defence.

The UK government is promising to invest more in both space and missile defence. It is also taking steps to defend its satellites. This week it is announcing it will test sensors to detect laser threats in space.

Both China and Russia have developed lasers which could be used to dazzle and disrupt an adversary's satellites.

Gen Tedman said: "We've committed to invest a billion pounds into integrated air and missile defence, and I'd be surprised if there's not a space aspect to how we're going to defend the UK from threats very similar to [America's] Golden Dome."

He was referring to President Donald Trump's plan to build a shield around the US against any missile attacks.

However, the UK is in danger of being left behind in the space race. Currently it spends about 1% of its defence budget on space. In contrast, France spends about 3% and the US 5%.

Gen Tedman would like to see space given a higher priority. He says around £450bn of the UK economy is dependent on space. It is also the nervous system on which the UK's armed forces increasingly depend – from navigation to precision strikes.

Before we leave RAF Fylingdales, there is another reminder why space is so important.

We are warned we will have to leave the operations room if there is a real-life incident. While we are filming another alert comes through of a ballistic missile launch and we are swiftly escorted to the exit.

They are observing short-range ballistic missile launches almost every day. In this incident they will not say from where but it is no secret Russia has been firing them regularly into Ukraine.

In 2024 more than 4,000 missiles were fired around the globe. Russia was the reason why Fylingdales was first created in the Cold War era. The threat has not gone away.

Captain of tanker linked to Russian 'shadow fleet' charged in France

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqxz1wvqvzqo, 5 days ago

The captain of an oil tanker believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet" of vessels used to evade sanctions has been charged by French authorities.

The Chinese national was handed one count of refusing to follow instructions from the French navy and told to attend a court hearing in the northern coastal city of Brest next February.

The Boracay left Russia last month and was off the coast of Denmark when unidentified drones forced the temporary closure of several airports last week.

The tanker was earlier boarded by French soldiers because it was on a list of vessels subject to EU sanctions for carrying Russian oil exports. Russian President Vladimir Putin called France's actions "piracy".

The Kremlin had previously denied any knowledge of the vessel.

The Boracay is currently registered in Benin, but has changed name and flag several times in recent years as part of alleged efforts to evade sanctions brought in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The French prosecutor's office said the captain was unable to give a coherent answer about the flag the ship was carrying.

He and the second captain, also a Chinese national, had been detained since Tuesday while French authorities investigated them on suspicion of two offences: refusing to comply with naval orders and failing to justify the nationality of the ship's flag.

The second captain was released without charge after being questioned.

The Boracay is now anchored near the port of Saint-Nazaire, down the coast from Brest.

Under international maritime law, naval forces can stop a merchant vessel at sea if they have reasonable suspicion that the vessel is without a nationality.

Many Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russian energy by limiting imports and capping the price of its oil in response to the war in Ukraine.

To evade these sanctions, Moscow has built up what has been referred to as a "shadow fleet" of tankers whose ownership and movements could be obscured.

Russia is believed to have a fleet of several hundred tankers that are registered in other countries and are used to export its petrol. French President Emmanuel Macron has said Russia's shadow fleet contained between 600 and 1,000 ships.

The Boracay was detained by Estonian authorities earlier this year for sailing without a valid country flag.

It had set off from the Russian port of Primorsk outside Saint Petersburg on 20 September and sailed through the Baltic Sea and past Denmark, before entering the North Sea and carrying on through the English Channel.

It had been scheduled to arrive in Vadinar in north-western India on 20 October, according to data from the Marine Traffic tracking website.

The separate question of whether the tanker was used to launch last week's drone incursion into Danish airspace remains unresolved.

Macron refused to be drawn on the issue while attending a summit on EU security in Copenhagen on Wednesday.

That summit came in direct response to events in Denmark, as well as incursions into several other European nations in recent weeks.

The drones over Denmark appeared over several of its airports and military bases, though Danish authorities have said there was no evidence to suggest Russian involvement.

Poland, Estonia and Romania have reported having their airspace violated by either drones or Russian fighter jets. Moscow denied violating Estonian airspace and said the other incursions were accidental.

French troops board oil tanker linked to Russian 'shadow fleet'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2j1gynjddo, 6 days ago

French soldiers have boarded an oil tanker believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet", used to evade sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine.

The Boracay left Russia last month and was off the coast of Denmark when unidentified drones forced the temporary closure of several airports last week. It has been anchored off western France for a few days.

French President Emmanuel Macron said at an EU leaders' summit in Copenhagen on Wednesday that the crew had committed "serious offences", but did not elaborate.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had no knowledge of the vessel.

News agency AFP quoted a source as saying French military personnel had boarded the vessel on Saturday.

Macron refused to be drawn on the question of whether the ship may have been used as a platform for the drone flights that caused such disruption in Denmark last week.

Prosecutors in Brest have opened an investigation on two counts: refusing an order to stop and failing to justify the nationality of the ship's flag.

Many Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russian energy by limiting imports and capping the price of its oil following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

To evade these sanctions, Moscow built up what has been referred to as a "shadow fleet" of tankers whose ownership and movements could be obscured.

Russia is believed to have a fleet of several hundred tankers which are registered in other countries and are used to export its petrol. Macron said Russia's shadow fleet contained between 600 and 1,000 ships.

The Boracay, also known as Pushpa and Kiwala, is a Benin-flagged vessel but has been listed under UK and EU sanctions against Russia.

It was detained by Estonian authorities earlier this year for sailing without a valid country flag.

It had been scheduled to arrive in Vadinar in north-western India on 20 October, according to data from the Marine Traffic tracking website. However it was followed by a French warship after it rounded the Brittany coast and then altered course and headed east towards the French coast.

EU leaders have been meeting in Copenhagen under pressure to boost European defence after a series of Russian incursions into EU airspace, and days after the drones targeted Danish airports.

Copenhagen airport, followed by several Danish airports and military sites on the Jutland peninsula, faced drone disruption last week.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters that "from a European perspective there is only one country... willing to threaten us and that is Russia, and therefore we need a very strong answer back".

Danish authorities have not found any evidence that Russia was behind last week's drone disruption, but Frederiksen linked it explicitly to other so-called hybrid attacks such as Russian drones over Poland.

It was part of a pattern that had to be viewed from a European perspective, she told reporters on Wednesday.

The incursions have become most acute for countries on the EU's eastern flank, such as Poland and Estonia.

A number of member states have already backed plans for a multi-layered "drone wall" to quickly detect, then track and destroy Russian drones.

Anne visits Ukraine to support children traumatised by war

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgrqlrjgd51o, 7 days ago

The Princess Royal made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Tuesday to highlight the "traumatic experiences of children living on the frontline of the conflict", Buckingham Palace has said.

Princess Anne left a toy bear at a memorial for children killed since Russia's full-scale invasion, and spoke to young people alleged to have been taken from their homes by Russian forces.

She also discussed the UK's support for Ukraine and its ongoing resistance with President Volodomyr Zelensky.

The official visit, taken at the request of the Foreign Office, comes just weeks after her nephew Prince Harry visited war-wounded veterans during a surprise visit to Kyiv.

Anne, who is the King's sister, paid her respects at the Children's Memorial alongside First Lady Olena Zelenska, who opened the site in the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

The princess also visited the Child Rights Protection Centre, set up during the conflict to support young people affected by the war, where she spoke to children who had been reunited with their families and staff "working tirelessly" to bring more young people back.

Kyiv estimates that at least 19,500 Ukrainian children have been deported and forcibly displaced from their homes to Russia and Russian-occupied territories since February 2022.

Just 1,605 have come home so far, according to the government's Children of War database.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Rusian President Vladimir Putin and his Children's Rights Commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, in 2023 for the alleged unlawful deportation of children.

Russia denies the accusation and says it has protected children by moving them from a war zone for their safety.

Anne's visit comes weeks after the UK announced new sanctions targeting those supporting the alleged attempts "to forcibly deport and indoctrinate" Ukrainian children.

The princess also met female police and armed forces officers working to protect women and children, spoke to injured veterans and those with "conflict-related trauma" at a rehabilitation centre, and toured St Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv.

She also visited the Kherson Cultural Exhibition, which tells the story of the southern city recaptured by Ukrainian forces in November 2022 and described by the Palace as "a symbol of Ukraine's strength, resistance and struggle".

It is the second visit by a Royal to the country in less than a month, after the Duke of Sussex visited Kyiv in mid-September.

Other Royals have likewise shown support for Ukraine since the war began more than three years ago - including the King, who welcomed Zelensky to his Sandringham estate in Norfolk in March.

He also raised the conflict during US President Donald Trump's recent state visit to the UK, saying: "Today, as tyranny once again threatens Europe, we and our allies stand together in support of Ukraine, to deter aggression and secure peace."

The Prince of Wales met Ukrainian refugees during a two-day visit to Estonia in March - where he said their resilience was "amazing".

Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.

Ukrainian diver held in Poland over Russian pipeline blasts in Baltic Sea

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwywdmz7xpgo, 7 days ago

A Ukrainian national has been arrested by police in Poland on suspicion of involvement in a series of explosions that blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea.

The man, identified as a trained diver called Volodymyr Z, was detained under a European arrest warrant in the early hours of Tuesday in a town near Warsaw, German prosecutors said.

Several months into Russia's full-scale invasion, three of the four Nord Stream gas pipelines from Russia to Germany were ruptured by explosives.

Mystery has long surrounded the blasts and no-one admitted ordering the attack. Ukraine denied involvement; Russia came under Western suspicion and Moscow blamed the US and UK.

The explosions cut off a key source of natural gas for Europe when leaders were facing an energy crisis triggered by Russia's war, although Moscow had suspended supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipelines, and Nord Stream 2 never started operation.

German prosecutors investigating the attack issued their first arrest warrant in August 2024, naming the man as Volodymyr Z. Reports at the time said he was a diving instructor living in Pruszkow, south-east of Warsaw, but authorities had been unable to find him.

However he was not the first suspect to be detained in the case. Another Ukrainian national called Serhii K was picked up by Italian authorities in the province of Rimini last month.

In a statement on Tuesday, German prosecutors said the suspect held by Polish police "belonged to a group of individuals who placed explosive devices on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines" which detonated on 26 September 2022.

He had "participated in the dives required for this", they said, adding that he was strongly suspected "of jointly causing an explosion with explosives... anti-constitutional sabotage... and destruction of buildings".

A spokesman for the Warsaw district prosecutor's office, Piotr Antoni Skiba, told the BBC that proceedings had begun against a suspect from Pruszkow named as Volodymr Z.

"He is currently being investigated for the execution of a European Arrest Warrant," the prosecutor said.

The man's lawyer said he had been detained in the early hours of Tuesday and said his extradition to Germany would be challenged as the war in Ukraine made the warrant inadmissible.

"The attack on Nord Stream infrastructure concerns one of the pipeline's owners, Gazprom, which directly finances the military operations in Ukraine," Tymoteusz Paprocki told Reuters.

Meanwhile, the case against Serhii K is currently going through the courts in Italy.

Accused of playing a co-ordinating role in the Nord Stream blasts, his extradition to Germany was cleared by a court in Bologna and then his lawyer appealed against the decision to Italy's highest court of appeal.

Prosecutors believe the suspects were part of a team that sailed a yacht called Andromeda from the German port of Rostock out into the Baltic near the Danish island of Bornholm. The yacht had previously been rented from a German company with the help of forged identity documents via intermediaries, they said.

Like Volodymyr Z, Serhii K is"strongly suspected of jointly causing an explosion and of sabotage undermining the constitution".

German reports say seven suspects have been identified in connection with the Nord Stream blasts, although one has since died. Among the group were former members of a private diving school in Kyiv.

Germany, Denmark, and Sweden all opened investigations into the incident but the Swedish and Danish investigations closed in February without identifying any suspect.

There is no evidence so far linking Ukraine, Russia or any other state to the attacks.

US Supreme Court rejects Ghislaine Maxwell appeal in Epstein case

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn83e6q7lq4o, today

The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Ghislaine Maxwell against her sex-trafficking conviction.

Without providing an explanation, the court declined to hear the former British socialite's appeal, which means her 20-year sentence will remain in place barring a presidential pardon.

Her lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told the BBC that her team was "deeply disappointed" but would continue exploring legal avenues "to ensure that justice is done".

Maxwell was convicted for her role in luring underage girls for her former boyfriend, the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, to exploit. Epstein died in prison in 2019.

Family members of late Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre told the BBC that they were grateful for the court's denial and committed to ensuring she served her full sentence.

The US Justice Department did not immediately comment.

Maxwell was recently interviewed by federal agents in the US as part of an inquiry into Epstein's sex-trafficking scheme and whether others might have been involved.

She was found guilty in 2021 of facilitating Epstein's abuse. Prosecutors said she recruited and groomed girls, some as young as 14, between 1994 and 2004, before they were abused by Epstein.

Maxwell's lawyers appealed against the verdict, arguing she should never have been tried or convicted for her role in the scheme.

Speculation has been rife that US President Donald Trump could pardon Maxwell. The White House has previously said "no leniency is being given or discussed" - a sentiment it reiterated on Monday.

"It's not something I've heard discussed," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, but said that as a general rule, "we don't comment on clemency requests".

When asked whether he'd consider pardoning Maxwell, Trump said he "wouldn't consider it or not consider it", adding: "I don't know anything about it, so I will speak to the [Department of Justice]."

Judge blocks Trump from sending troops from California to Portland

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c740elm70z7o, today

A US federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's administration from deploying National Guard troops from Texas and California to Portland, Oregon.

The decision late on Sunday came after the same court denied Trump's attempt to deploy Oregon's own National Guard members to Portland.

Portland is the latest Democratic-led city targeted as part of the president's attempt to address what he says is out-of-control crime, amid protests over his administration's immigration enforcement.

Trump has also authorised the deployment of National Guard troops from other states to Chicago, Illinois.

Carney to meet Trump in search of 'best deal for Canada'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn76424yd2mo, today

Canada-US Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said last week that "progress" is being made toward an agreement, and media reports suggest there may be some relief from the punishing US steel tariffs to come.

Insiders, however, have hinted at frustration over a lack of clarity from the White House on what a trade and security deal with Canada could look like.

"If you look at all the different things that Trump is engaged in, is this right near the top? Probably not," said Colin Robertson, a former Canadian diplomat and a member of Carleton University's Expert Group on Canada-US Relations.

"That's part of the reason why, I think, the prime minister is going down [to Washington], to say 'give us your attention'," Mr Robertson told the BBC.

Carney's office has billed Tuesday's meeting as a "working visit" focused on finding common ground on the economy and security, though no major breakthroughs are expected, White House officials told the BBC.

Face-to-face time with the president, who finds personal relationships important, could also help ease the trade stalemate, noted Jamie Tronnes, the executive director of the Washington-based Center for North American Prosperity and Security.

"Trump has been very clear that he wants people to come to him," she said.

Still, Carney has described the relationship with Trump as "good" and said the two routinely text.

Tuesday's White House visit also comes as consultations begin ahead of an upcoming review of the long-standing USMCA free trade agreement.

US Trade Representative Jameison Greer has signalled that this review may be conducted separately with Canada and Mexico, as the US relationship with either countries "is different in so many ways," he said in late September.

Pete Hoekstra, US ambassador to Canada, told an Ottawa audience in September that Washington had hoped to negotiate a "bigger" deal with Canada, one that covers both trade and defence.

He also voiced frustration with Canadians' discontent with the US, saying "it is very, very difficult to find Canadians who are passionate about the American-Canadian relationship".

The Carney government has had to walk a tightrope in dealing with public dismay over US relations.

Tourism data show the number of Canadians visiting the US has fallen for seven consecutive months, and an Ipsos poll found six in 10 Canadians believe their country can never trust the US the same way again.

That sentiment is partly fuelled by Trump's repeated claim that Canada should become "the 51st state" - most recently last week before senior military generals in Virginia while discussing plans for a Golden Dome missile defence system.

Determining what the US wants out of the talks has been difficult to decipher.

It is likely that Washington wants to pressure Ottawa for firm commitments on issues beyond trade, like defence and its shared border, said Avidan Cover, the Director of the Institute for Global Security Law at Case Western University in Ohio.

Trump's demands that Canada become America's 51st state, Mr Cover added, were "posturing" and "not a serious proposal" - but he said that he believes they were "revealing" about where Trump stands with regards to Canada.

"It reflects an enormous amount of leverage," he said.

Experts have also noted that Trump's ambitious Golden Dome missile shield would require some level of Canadian participation given its geographical proximity, with the Trump administration likely looking for an agreement on that from Canada.

As Carney works to maintain dialogue with Trump, he has spent the summer visiting allies like the UK and Mexico to shore up support and find new markets for Canada.

At home, he has focused on ramping up "nation-building" projects that can improve Canada's economic output in the long term.

But there is still widespread recognition across political aisles that Canada needs to achieve some sort of deal with Trump to shield its economy, as 75% of its goods are sold to the US and thousands of jobs have already been lost in vulnerable sectors.

The Carney government is acutely aware of this pressure heading into Tuesday's meeting, Mr Robertson noted. If implemented at full-force, the US tariffs have the power to "rupture" Canada's economy.

"In the meantime, while we scramble to find new opportunities, you want to keep as much of the current agreement in place," he said.

How the US got left behind in the global electric car race

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8ex2l58en4o, 2 days ago

You could be forgiven for thinking that electric cars might finally be gaining momentum in the US.

After all, sales of battery cars topped 1.2 million last year, more than five times the number just four years earlier. Hybrid sales have jumped by a factor of three.

Battery-powered cars accounted for 10% of overall sales in August - a new high, according to S&P Global Mobility.

And in updates to investors this week, General Motors, Ford, Tesla and other companies all reported record electric sales over the past three months.

This marked a bright spot in an industry wrestling with the fallout from still high interest rates and buyers on edge over inflation, tariffs and the wider economy.

But analysts say the boom was caused by a dash to buy before the end of a government subsidy that helped knock as much as $7,500 (£5,588) off the price of certain battery electric, plug-in hybrid or fuel cell vehicles.

With that tax credit gone as of the end of September, carmakers are expecting momentum to shift into reverse.

"It's going to be a vibrant industry, but it's going to be smaller, way smaller than we thought," Ford chief executive Jim Farley said at an event on Tuesday.

"I expect that EV demand is going to drop off pretty precipitously," the chief financial officer of General Motors, Paul Jacobson, said at a conference last month, adding it would take time to see how quickly buyers would come back.

Even with the recent gains, the US, the world's second biggest car market, stood out as a laggard in electric car sales compared to much of the rest of the world.

In the UK, for example, sales of battery electric and hybrid cars made up nearly 30% of new sales last year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Latest industry figures suggest that number is even higher.

In Europe, they accounted for roughly one in five sales, while in China, the world's biggest car market, sales of such cars accounted for almost half of overall sales last year, according to the IEA, and they are expected to become the majority this year.

Take-up in some other countries, like Norway and Nepal, is even greater.

Electric vehicles (EVs) tend to account for a smaller share of sales in Latin America, Africa and other parts of Asia - but growth there has been surging.

Policy differences

Analysts say adoption in the US has been slowed by comparatively weak government support for the sector, which has limited the kinds of subsidies, trade-in programmes and rules that have helped the industry in places such as China, the UK and Europe.

Former President Joe Biden pushed hard to increase take-up, aiming for electric cars to account for half of all sales in the US by 2030.

His administration tightened rules on emissions, boosted demand through purchases for government fleets, nudged carmakers to invest with loans and grants for EV investments, spent billions building charging stations and expanded the $7,500 tax credit as a sweetener for buyers.

Supporters cast those efforts in part as a competitive imperative, warning that without these US carmakers would risk losing out to competitors from China and other countries.

But President Donald Trump, who recently called climate change a "con job", has pushed to scrap many of those measures, including the $7,500 credit, arguing that they were pushing people to buy cars they would not otherwise want.

"We're saying ... you're not going to be forced to make all of those cars," he said this summer, while signing a bill aimed at striking down rules from California, which would have phased out sales of petrol-only cars in the state by 2035. "You can make them, but it'll be by the market, judged by the market."

Electric cars have become more affordable in the US in recent years - but they still cost more than comparable petrol-powered vehicles.

And Chinese carmakers like BYD, which have made rapid inroads in other markets thanks to low prices, have been effectively shut out of the US, due to high tariffs targeting cars made in China, backed by both Biden and Trump.

As of August, the average transaction price of an electric car in the US was more than $57,000, according to auto industry research firm Kelley Blue Book, about 16% higher than the average for all cars.

The least expensive battery car on offer, a Nissan Leaf, costs about $30,000 (£22,000). By comparison, several models can be found for under £20,000 in the UK.

Analysts say what buyers do next hinges on how carmakers set prices in the months ahead, as they contend not only with the end of the tax credit but also tariffs on foreign cars and certain car parts that Trump introduced this spring.

Hyundai said this week it would offset the loss of the tax credit by lowering the price for its range of Ioniq EVs. But Tesla said the cost for monthly lease payments of some of its cars would rise.

Stephanie Brinley, associate director of S&P Global Mobility, said she did not expect to see many firms follow Hyundai's example, given the pressures from tariffs.

While some buyers may opt for EVs anyway, "next year is going to be hard," she warned, noting that her firm is calling for overall car sales to fall by roughly 2% in 2026.

"It would have been difficult enough if all you had to deal with is new tariffs, but with new tariffs and the incentive going away, there's two impacts."

Carmakers had already been scaling back their investments in electric cars.

Researchers say Trump's policy changes could reduce those investments even more.

"It's a big hit to the EV industry - there's no tiptoeing around it," said Katherine Yusko, research analyst at the American Security Project

"The subsidies were initially a way to level the playing field and now that they're gone the US has a lot of ground to make up."

However Ms Brinley said she was hesitant to declare the US behind in an industry still testing out technology alternatives.

"Is [electric] really the right thing?" she said. "Saying that we're behind assumes that this is the only and best solution and I think it's a little early to say that."

'No good outcome' - voters across US share concerns about shutdown

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gjyzv6vv8o, 4 days ago

US lawmakers from both parties are pointing the finger at one another as thousands of workers sit on unpaid leave and the shutdown continues with no end in sight.

Democrats have refused to back the Republican spending plan unless expiring healthcare subsidies which they say many working families rely on are renewed.

Republicans want Democrats to pass a short-term bill first and then they can discuss the subsidies.

We have asked six people what they think of the stalemate.

Misty Dennis, 49, Republican

This California voter is worried about the widespread impact of the shutdown on everyday Americans.

The Republicans have 53 votes, they need 60 to pass the measure. Is it that hard to come together over seven votes so that Americans aren't being hurt?

If this continues on another week or two, the bottom line is Americans are being hurt, American citizens are being affected by this and somebody needs to do something to be the grown-up in the group.

I think sometimes legislators are so far away from us, the regular person living their lives, so they don't remember what the struggle is like and I think they need to take that into consideration, especially if it's 750,000 Americans that are not getting paid.

That's a lot of Americans not getting paid, that's a lot of Americans not putting their money back into the economy. Americans are just being hurt.

Denise Demontagnac, 22, Democrat

This Maryland voter recognises this shutdown will cause pain to many Americans, but she thinks it is a worthy political fight.

I'm nervous because there is no good outcome with the government being shut down.

I'm extremely nervous about what's going to happen to low-income families, students who rely on federal scholarships and federal employees.

But this is a good fight for the Democrats to fight. Of course jobs are going to be cut, programmes are going to go without funding, which is so unfortunate but I don't think that is blood that the Democratic Party would have on their hands.

I think it's worth it to hold out, this is sending a powerful message to their constituents.

Punal Bhavsar 36, Democrat

This California voter is worried the Democrats lack strategy in their shutdown plan.

I don't know if [Senate Democratic leader] Chuck Schumer has a game plan for an off-ramp to negotiations or how to get the party out of this.

I don't know if the Democrats have a strong enough message to the American people on what they're doing.

In terms of the social media messaging, the Republicans definitely have the upper hand. The messaging is not resounding on what Democrats are trying to do.

I'm already at a point where I'm kind of nervous because government shutdowns don't help anyone.

I'm going to be fine, but for everyone else who depends on the government, who wants to go visit a National Park or museum, they're going to be affected, if not now, then in the near future.

And that is unacceptable.

Jim Sullivan, 55, Republican

This Indiana voter says Democrats are playing politics with everyday Americans and their livelihood.

This is typical politics. It is a continuing resolution they are trying to pass, that the Democrats don't support.

Everyone's calling it a Schumer shutdown, it's not on the Republicans, it's on Schumer, he's doing it to remain relevant within his own party - in the meantime, everyone's in the lurch.

I don't see that this is going to end.

The real people are caught in the middle, and Democrats are willing to sacrifice those people. They're not doing themselves any favours when they really hold up things like this

Trey Stewart, 27, Democrat

This Florida resident says Democrats' strategy is a tough but necessary one and one that impacts his sister, who has been furloughed because of the shutdown.

Democrats' strategy is a tough one, but unfortunately it is a necessary one.

They have not been able to do very much to slow or stop the current administration's agenda.

I support their strategy, I support their reasoning for doing it.

Trump is a bully and if you give into a bully he's going to ask for more, that's how bullies work. So you have to stand up to a bully to make him realise you're not going to give things up for free.

The point when it becomes too much is when the Democrats start losing the PR battle, if the narrative shifts to blaming the Democrats then it might be time to call it quits.

Rom Solene, 64, Republican

This Arizona resident is not directly impacted by the shutdown so he is ok with the shutdown lasting a while, if that is what it takes for Republicans to win.

I would think after the year that the Democrats have had, I would have thought that they would have gone along with the continuing resolution, at least temporarily.

I am all for what the Republicans are trying to do, I'm all for reducing government spending.

The Democrats have become so hateful of Trump, no matter what Trump proposes I think they would find cause to battle him.

I personally am not feeling the urgency that some Americans are, this doesn't directly impact me.

What little we do depend on the government - what it does provide for us - the shutdown is not going to impact us whatsoever.

Trump's Grim Reaper - from Project 2025 to shutdown enforcer

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c059ydyqe19o, 4 days ago

In case that particular metaphor wasn't clear, on Thursday night Trump shared an AI-generated parody music video on Truth Social with Vought portrayed as the grim reaper, set to altered lyrics of Blue Oyster Cult's Don't Fear the Reaper.

The bean-counter behind the president

He spent a year as the deputy director of the White House budget office during Trump's first term, rising to be its director in 2019. Unlike many who served with Trump during those first four years, Vought had staying power - and was quickly reinstalled as head of the budget office when Trump returned this year.

"A lot of those who didn't come back represent an old way of thinking," said Richard Stern, a Heritage economic policy director who, like Vought, began his career in conservative congressional budget circles. "Russ was ahead of his time in the first term and right on time now."

Although Vought isn't one to shy away from controversial statements – he once said that he aspired to be "the person who crushes the deep state" – he doesn't exactly look the part of a Republican bogeyman.

Balding and bespectacled, with a greying beard, Vought's public statements typically have the measured cadence of a bean-counter or professor. He lacks the narrow-eyed glower and amped-up rhetoric of Stephen Miller, another longtime Trump adviser who oversees White House immigration policy.

Make no mistake, however, Vought has become an influential player in this White House, having turned the Office of Management and Budget – usually referred to by its acronym OMB - into the principal engine behind Trump's push to slash government spending and its workforce.

Earlier in the year he worked closely with Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or "Doge", as they cut a scorched-earth path through the federal government, shuttering multiple agencies and downsizing entire departments. And he carried on the efforts after Musk departed and Doge largely dropped out of public view.

"OMB is an intrinsically powerful position, but it has almost never been wielded as such," Stern said. "Its people have tended to caretake and allow the bureaucracy to slowly grow. It is as influential as the person who wields that chair wants to make it."

Seizing opportunity in shutdown

Many economists have pointed out that the White House reductions have been accompanied by other deficit-ballooning policies, which could undercut their attacks on Democrats for being the party of fiscal irresponsibility.

"Republicans are increasing spending in other areas and cutting taxes at the same time," Brett House, an economics professor at the Columbia University School of Business noted. "The notion that they're devoted to fiscal prudence is not borne out by their actions."

Some Republicans in Congress have expressed concern that the apparent glee with which Trump is touting Vought-ordered cuts could turn public opinion against them if the shutdown stretches on.

Republicans have been warning of the dire consequences of the shutdown on government services - part of a concerted effort to portray Democrats as the ones to blame. Doing so while celebrating the new ways the administration is slashing programmes could derail those efforts.

"Russ is less politically in tune than the president," South Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer, a member of the "Doge caucus", told the news website Semafor.

"We, as Republicans, have never had so much moral high ground on a government funding bill in our lives… I just don't see why we would squander it, which I think is the risk of being aggressive with executive power in this moment."

Thom Tills, a North Carolina senator who has chosen not to run for re-election next year, warns that administration officials "need to be really careful" in how they present any new cuts.

The Doge-directed layoffs and programme cuts were largely unpopular, according to public-opinion surveys, causing a drag on the president's approval ratings. A reprise of that now could be perilous.

According to Stern, however, the White House, and Vought, may view the long-term benefits as well worth the short-term challenges.

"For Russ, for myself, for anybody who's in the budget space, this country is going bankrupt," he said. "Whatever the political risks of trying to do the right thing, we have to do it. If we do nothing, this country will implode."

Taylor Swift: The Life of a Showgirl is a triumphant pop victory lap

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4wpe5z52qo, 5 days ago

The last time we met Taylor Swift, she was spiralling.

Her last album, The Tortured Poets Department, was an emotional purge - a stunned post mortem of two bitter, messy break-ups.

We found her at her lowest, "crying at the gym" and "pissed off" at wasting her youth on a six-year relationship with British actor Joe Alwyn, that ultimately fizzled out.

Eighteen months later, she's back with the latest update from her bureau; and the story is very different.

Recorded in stolen moments during the record-shattering Eras tour, it finds the 35-year-old happy, energised and newly in love with NFL star Travis Kelce.

"This album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant," she said in an appearance on Kelce's New Heights podcast last month.

To capture that dynamic, she produced the album not with her longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff – whose pillowy productions defined the sounds of Midnights, and Tortured Poets Department – but with Swedish pop masterminds Max Martin and Shellback, who previously worked with Swift on hits like Shake It Off and I Knew You Were Trouble.

The goal, said Swift, was to make a tight, compact album of "bangers" (that's hit songs, not sausages) with "melodies that were so infectious that you're almost angry at it".

But enough preamble. Is The Life of a Showgirl a rhinestone-studded success, or a chorus line catastrophe?

Thematically, Swift's latest lyrics have two distinct threads.

Half of the album's 12 songs are about falling completely, goofily, head over heels in love. The rest tackle the seedy underbelly of fame.

Along the way, we get some classics, like the image of a burlesque dancer "glowing like the end of a cigarette"; or comparing a critic's barbs to "a toy chihuahua barking from a tiny purse".

Elsewhere - and I can't believe I'm writing this - there's an entire song filled with playground innuendo.

The album opens, however, with a misdirect.

Fans assumed that The Fate of Ophelia would tether Swift Shakespeare's story of a noblewoman who drowns in a fit of mania after being driven mad by grief.

Instead, she sings about being "saved" from that fate by Kelce, in a crisp pop track that's packed with cute references to their relationship - including the Kansas City Chiefs, and the number 100 (the sum of Kelce's jersey number, 87, and Swift's lucky number 13).

"I heard you calling on the megaphone," she says, acknowledging how their romance began with Kelce publicly declaring his affection on his podcast in July 2023.

"If you'd never come for me, I might have drowned in the melancholy."

Musically, the song plays a clever trick by adding an extra bar at the end of every other phrase, as though Swift is lingering in the moment, too swept up in her feelings to continue.

The album is peppered with little flourishes like that - and it's supremely satisfying.

The lovestruck theme continues on Opalite, whose breezy chords and Abba-esque harmonies unfurl like a blossoming romance; and Wi$h Li$t, where Swift extricates herself from the Hollywood pack for a life of domestic bliss.

"They want that critical smash Palme d'Or and an Oscar on their bathroom floor," she observes. "I just want you".

(Plus "a couple of kids" with "a best friend who I think is hot").

But perhaps the most eye-opening tribute to Kelce is Wood - a staccato dance track, complete with a Jackson 5 guitar riff, that's essentially an extended double entendre.

Therein, we find Swift superstitiously "knocking on wood" that their relationship will last, and knocking wood in the bedroom, in an unexpected homage to her fiancé's "manhood".

It's so silly and unexpected that I laughed out loud.

The same thing goes for Actually Romantic, a fantastically sarcastic track about a fellow pop star (unnamed), who calls Swift a "boring Barbie" and writes songs about how much they hate her.

Over grungy guitars and a slapping drum beat, Taylor taunts them with a touch of reverse psychology.

"It sounded nasty but it feels like you're flirting with me," she trills. "All the effort you've put in, it's actually romantic."

She continues to settle scores on Father Figure - the scathing story of a backstabbing protégé, that interpolates the George Michael classic of the same name.

Fans will go wild trying to uncover the subject's identity, but, to me, the song feels more like a morality tale about a music industry Svengali, who possesses the power to wipe out anyone who isn't "loyal to the family".

Full of cinematic strings and disorientating key changes, it sits alongside No Body, No Crime, Bad Blood and Vigilante S*** in Swift's expanding catalogue of revenge anthems.

The album's best track, however, is the soft-focus ballad Ruin The Friendship.

Time-travelling to Swift's high school days in Tennessee, it reminisces about a boy she confined to the friend zone while yearning for a single kiss.

Delicate and nostalgic, it takes a heart-wrenching turn in the third verse, when Swift's real life best friend Abigail calls to say their former schoolfriend has died, and she flies through the night to attend the funeral.

In an album that's largely concerned with contentment, the regret and sadness hit doubly hard.

The collection ends with the title track, a spirited duet with Sabrina Carpenter that doubles as a cautionary tale about stardom.

It's the only song that really leans into the showgirl concept, with a percussive tap-dancing interlude and ostentatious key changes, as the stars trade lines about their cut-throat industry.

"All the headshots on the walls of the dance hall / Are of the bitches who wish I'd hurry up and die," Swift sings.

Then the punchline: "But I'm immortal now, baby doll."

That feels like a deliberate call-back to Look What You Made Me Do, written in 2017 when Swift was at her most embattled, following a public showdown with Kanye West and months of negative press.

Back then, she sang: "The old Taylor can't come to the phone right now… Why? Oh, cause she's dead."

In 2025, with the world at her feet, Swift can finally say with certainty that her place in pop history is guaranteed.

The Life of a Showgirl is her well-earned victory lap.

What is the Insurrection Act?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9qwez9zz7jo, today

On his first day back in the White House, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring an emergency at the US southern border and directed his top officials to evaluate whether to invoke a rarely used 19th Century law to respond to that emergency.

The Insurrection Act of 1807 allows the president to use active-duty military personnel to perform law-enforcement duties inside the US.

Trump said on Monday said he would consider using the act if federal courts prevented him from deploying the National Guard to conduct law enforcement missions and protect federal buildings.

Here's what to know.

What is the Insurrection Act of 1807?

The 19th Century law would allow the use of active-duty military personnel to perform law-enforcement duties within the US.

US presidents can invoke the law if they determine that "unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion" against the government make it "impracticable to enforce" US law "by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings".

Once invoked, troops could be tasked with a range of duties, from quelling civil unrest and enforcing court orders to arresting and detaining migrants. This includes the National Guard - a branch of the US armed forces traditionally reserved for domestic emergencies and disasters.

Because the Insurrection Act was written in broad terms, with little specific guidance on how and when the powers can be used, it gives presidents wide latitude in deciding when to mobilise military personnel for domestic operations.

Why does Trump want to use it?

How has it been used in the past?

The Insurrection Act has been invoked a handful of times in American history.

Abraham Lincoln used it when the southern states rebelled during the US Civil War, and former President Ulysses S Grant invoked it against a wave of racist violence by the Ku Klux Klan after the war.

In the 20th Century, former President Dwight D Eisenhower invoked it so the US Army would escort black students into their high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, after the state's governor refused to comply with a federal desegregation order.

More recently, it was used in 1992 when massive riots broke out in Los Angeles over the acquittal of four white police officers in the beating of Rodney King, a black man. Then-President George Bush sent in active-duty members of the Marines and Army as well as National Guard troops.

Are there any limits on the law?

The US government has traditionally worked to limit the use of military force on American soil, especially against its own citizens.

The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 was enacted to restrict the military from acting as domestic law enforcement. In times of unrest, states typically deploy the National Guard themselves to help maintain order.

Since returning to office, Trump has expanded his authority by declaring national emergencies - which gives the president access to powers and resources that are normally restricted.

He has used this authority to impose tariffs and, more controversially, to take action on immigration and deploy federal officers, the National Guard and even active-duty troops to cities including Washington DC, Los Angeles and Memphis.

In March, following his emergency declaration at the border, Trump invoked the rarely used Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport migrants he alleged were gang members. In April, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked that effort.

If Trump chooses to invoke the Insurrection Act, it remains unclear what legal challenges he might face.

Trump authorises deployment of 300 National Guard troops to Chicago

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2dnk0ee6pyo, today

US President Donald Trump has authorised the deployment of 300 US troops to Chicago, to address what he said was out-of-control crime.

The move came hours after immigration officials said they confronted protesters in the Democrat-run city. Officials said an "armed woman" was shot after she and others allegedly rammed their cars into law enforcement vehicles.

Democrats have for weeks criticised Trump's deployment plans, calling it an abuse of power. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said Trump was "attempting to manufacture a crisis".

A federal judge in Portland, Oregon, had temporarily blocked the deployment of troops there - though it appears to have tried to overcome this.

Judge Karin Immergut called Trump's statements about conditions in Portland "untethered to the facts" and said the move violated the Constitution.

She said the use of the military to quell unrest without the state of Oregon consenting risked the sovereignty of that state and others, adding that it also inflamed tensions in the city and caused increased protests.

Immergut ruled that the administration's arguments for the deployment "risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power - to the detriment of this nation".

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, a Democrat, applauded the court's decision and said that she hoped Trump respects the order and halts the deployment.

"There is no insurrection in Portland, no threat to national security," she said. "The only threat we face is to our Democracy - and that threat is being led by President Trump."

The Trump administration has filed a notice indicating it will appeal the judge's decision.

Trump said on Monday that he would consider invoking the Insurrection Act to use the military if federal courts stopped his deployment of National Guard troops to US cities.

Speaking in the Oval Office, he said: "We have an insurrection act for a reason. If I had to enact it I would do that.

"If people were being killed and courts were holding us up or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure I would do that."

The 1807 act grants the president the power to use military forces inside the country to suppress rebellion and enforce the law.

Meanwhile, California's Governor Gavin Newsom said Trump had ordered 300 National Guard troops in California to deploy to Oregon after the judge's order. Newsom said he plans to file a lawsuit over the move.

In Chicago, it was unclear whether any troops had arrived.

Pritzker said Trump was also redeploying 400 members of the Texas National Guard "to Illinois, Oregon, and other locations within the United States".

He called on Texas Governor Greg Abbott to "immediately withdraw any support for this decision and refuse to co-ordinate".

The city is the latest to be targeted for a controversial deployment of troops - joining Washington DC, Los Angeles, Memphis and Portland.

The deployments have posed both legal and constitutional questions, as National Guard troops are typically deployed by a state's governor and century-old laws limit the government's use of the military for domestic matters.

Chicago has seen an increase in protests over immigration enforcement in the city, many of them happening outside US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities.

On Saturday - just before Trump authorised troops there - US Border Patrol personnel shot a woman in Chicago after a group of people rammed cars into immigration enforcement vehicles, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement. The woman was armed, it said.

DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement: "Agents were unable to move their vehicles and exited the car. One of the drivers who rammed the law enforcement vehicle was armed with a semi-automatic weapon."

"Law enforcement was forced to deploy their weapons and fire defensive shots at an armed US citizen," she added.

The woman's injuries were unclear. The DHS said she drove herself to a local hospital.

Pritzker told CNN on Saturday that Trump's authorisation of troops there would incite protests. He accused the administration of creating a "warzone" to rationalise the response.

"They're using every lever at their disposal to keep us from maintaining order," he said.

Trump has threatened to send troops to Chicago for nearly a month - citing crime and shootings in the city.

Violent crime in Chicago has fallen significantly over the past two years. Between January and June, the homicide rate was down by a third compared to the same period last year, according to the Council on Criminal Justice.

But the overall levels in Chicago remain substantially higher than the average for many US cities. There were at least 58 people shot - eight fatally - over the Labor Day holiday weekend last month.

'I want my son back, dead or alive' - mother of missing Tanzanian ex-diplomat

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq6536j86qzo, today

Annamary Polepole, the mother of missing former Tanzanian diplomat Humphrey Polepole, has made an emotion appeal for police to help bring him home.

"If he is alive, return him to me. If he is not, bring his body and let me bury my child myself, they should not go and throw him into the sea," Ms Polepole said in an interview with the BBC about her son's disappearance.

The outspoken government critic was abducted from his home in Dar es Salaam in the early hours of Monday, according to his family.

Local police confirmed on Tuesday that they were investigating the incident.

Reflecting on her son's life so far, Ms Polepole said he was a determined and "very special child", whose dreams of becoming a pastor or a pilot went unfulfilled because of the family's limited financial means.

"Imagine seeing someone you raised from infancy, someone who had reached a stage where he could support the family, and now he is suddenly taken away. It is painful indeed."

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Tanzanian police said they were seeking Humphrey's brother Augustino, who is said to live abroad, to provide clarification regarding allegations he reportedly made on social media claiming a police officer was involved in the abduction.

Tanzania is due to hold a general election on 29 October amid a tense environment.

President Samia is running for a second and final term, after having taken over in 2021 following the death in office of John Magufuli.

She was initially praised for giving Tanzanians greater political freedom but has since faced widespread criticism for increasing repression, including a crackdown on political parties and civil society.

Humphrey Polepole had recently questioned the process by which Samia was nominated as the governing CCM party's presidential candidate.

As well as accusing government institutions and officials of corruption and misuse of public funds, he also alleged that armed individuals had been seen loitering near his home and had harassed his family. He claimed his residence had been raided twice, with statements taken by the police but no progress made in investigations.

Last month, the police opened a file against him, stating that the allegations could amount to criminal offences, without specifying what they were. He was also directed to report to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to assist with investigations.

While many sympathetic Tanzanians have praised his courage, others say he has no moral authority to speak out given his previous roles under both Magufuli and Samia.

His mother, however, said Polepole had always been a man of integrity.

"He was a person full of great love - no matter if he didn't know you, he would greet you kindly, full of warmth and affection."

More about Tanzania from the BBC:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Army general named as Madagascar PM to quell Gen Z protests

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20z7e2pyw5o, today

Madagascar's embattled President Andry Rajoelina has appointed an army general as the new prime minister in a bid to end youth-led protests against his rule.

He said the nation needed a premier "capable of restoring order and the people's trust" before naming Gen Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo to the post.

Coming days after the president expressed fears of a coup attempt, the general's appointment marks a significant militarisation of the government and appears to be an attempt by Rajoelina to secure the army's backing at a time of heightened tensions.

The protest movement, known as Gen Z Mada, rejected Gen Zafisambo's appointment, and gave Rajoelina 48 hours to resign.

"As long as Rajoelina remains in power we will continue the struggle," Gen Z Mada said in a statement.

Former President Marc Ravalomanana, who supports the Gen Z movement, has dismissed the appointment of the new prime minister as "pointless".

He told the BBC that it "won't make a difference", arguing that the general previously worked in the same office and would continue with the same problems the public has been protesting against.

Major opposition parties have openly backed the youth-led protests, with some opposition politicians seen participating in the demonstrations.

The protests began on 25 September, triggered by public anger over repeated water and power cuts and have since morphed into wider dissatisfaction over corruption, high unemployment and the cost-of-living crisis.

Last week, Rajoelina dismissed Prime Minister Christian Ntsay, a civilian, and his entire cabinet in an attempt to placate the protesters.

In a declaration at the presidential palace late on Monday, Rajoelina announced the appointment of Gen Zafisambo, saying the prime minister needed to be "someone clean" and "ready to save Madagascar".

Gen Zafisambo was the director of the military cabinet in the prime minister's office until this appointment.

Last week, the UN said that at least 22 people had been killed and more than 100 injured in the protests, but the government rejected the figures, describing them as based on "rumours and misinformation".

On Monday, security forces clashed with demonstrators in several cities, as unrest on the Indian Ocean island entered its third week.

Several hundred youths, mostly university students, marched from the outskirts of the capital, Antananarivo, to the city centre.

One young man was wounded and taken to hospital following clashes with the security forces who had erected barricades, AFP news agency reported.

Clashes also took place in the southern city of Toliara and the northern city of Diego Suarez.

Madagascar has been rocked by multiple uprisings since it gained independence in 1960, including mass protests in 2009 that forced former president Ravalomanana to step down and saw Rajoelina come to power.

Rajoelina governed for four years and then returned to power after the 2018 election. The protests mark the most significant challenge he has faced since his re-election in 2023.

In an interview on Tuesday, Ravalomanana told the BBC that he believed the biggest problem with President Rajoelina "is that he doesn't listen".

He said he was opposed to the idea of military intervention and would be willing to return to office if the people wanted him to.

Despite its natural resources, Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world, with 75% of people living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.

Only about one-third of Madagascar's 30 million people have access to electricity, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

More BBC stories on Madagascar

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Sudan militia leader convicted of war crimes during Darfur war

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly1egd5d0vo, yesterday

A Sudanese militia leader has been found guilty of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Darfur region more than 20 years ago.

Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb, was one of the leaders of the Janjaweed, a government-backed group that terrorised Darfur, killing hundreds of thousands of people.

Kushayb is the first person to be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the atrocities in Darfur. He had argued it was a case of mistaken identity.

The conflict lasted from 2003 to 2020 and was one of the world's gravest humanitarian disasters, with allegations of ethnic cleansing and genocide against the region's non-Arabic population.

More BBC stories about Sudan:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Eswatini accepts 10 US deportees despite legal challenge

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn5qdx260lzo, yesterday

The US has deported 10 people to Eswatini despite rights groups in the southern African state mounting legal action to block the plan.

This is the second batch of deportees that the Trump administration has sent to Eswatini as part of its hard-line approach towards immigration.

The 10 have been "securely accommodated", and posed no threat to the public, Eswatini's prison department said in a statement.

Eswatini human rights lawyer Mzwandile Masuku told the BBC he was "shocked and dismayed" that the government had taken in the group, despite an ongoing court case against the arrival of five deportees in July.

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

CAR president's rival invited back from exile then detained

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9zxe2z4mvo, yesterday

One of the most vocal critics of the Central African Republic's government is being questioned by security officials following his arrest at the country's main airport.

Dominique Désiré Erenon leads the March for Democracy and the People's Salvation (MDSP) party and had been living in exile in France for the past three years.

He fiercely opposed 2016 constitutional reforms which extended presidential powers - a move many observers described as a step backward for democracy in the conflict-torn nation.

His arrest came after President Faustin-Archange Touadéra publicly called on all Central Africans in the diaspora to return home. Erenon responded to this call and was detained on arrival.

Central African authorities have not disclosed the reasons for his arrest on Friday or any formal charges. The silence has fuelled widespread speculation and criticism among civil society groups.

Opposition supporters see his arrest as part of a growing pattern of political intimidation, three months before elections are held in December.

After his interrogation by the Research and Investigation Section (SRI), reports say he is expected to be referred to the public prosecutor for a hearing.

Erenon's family say they are monitoring the situation closely and will decide on whether to hire legal representation, reports the French-language news site RFI.

Formerly a constitutional expert working for the African Union and lecturer in public law at the University of Bangui, Erenon fled to France in 2022 saying he had escaped an attempted abduction.

His party said he came home last week to resume his teaching duties and "participate freely in national political dialogue".

He returns at a time of tightening state control amid the ongoing presence of Russian-linked mercenaries supporting the government.

More BBC stories about the Central African Republic:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Selfies and singing as Ethiopians celebrate thanksgiving

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd6399enj39o, yesterday

Tens of thousands of vibrantly dressed Ethiopians descended on downtown Addis Ababa for an annual thanksgiving festival this weekend.

Irreecha is celebrated by the Oromo, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, and takes place at the end of the country's main rainy season.

Each year, festival-goers gather around sacred rivers and lakes to thank their creators for the greenery that the rains have brought.

"I've been celebrating Irreecha for the past nine years," 25-year-old Moata Abdulmajid (pictured below) told the BBC.

"To me, Irreecha represents my identity, it reflects the pride and greatness of my people."

Men, women, the elderly and the young all join in, adorned in eye-catching clothes and jewellery.

They sing, dance, share stories and place freshly cut grass and flowers in water - a symbol of life, renewal and hope.

Irreecha does not only attract people from across Ethiopia, attendees fly in from around the world.

"I came last year - it was so good, so beautiful, I brought my children with me this year," says Claire (pictured second from right), from Belfast in Northern Ireland.

"It is amazing. Everybody wants to say hello, everyone wants to give you a kiss and say welcome."

The first day of the festival took place on Saturday in Addis Ababa. On Sunday, festival-goers travelled to Bishoftu, a small town just outside the capital.

Although the Irreecha has its roots in indigenous faith systems, it is now observed by the majority of Oromos, regardless of their religion.

In the past decade, the number of people attending the festival has increased dramatically. This is partly due to the rise of social media, where many young people document their outfits, dancing and singing during the festival.

In the past, Irreecha was used as a platform for anti-government protests - the Oromo people have long complained about political and economic marginalisation.

However, this year's celebration unfolded peacefully, with an emphasis on joy, unity and cultural pride.

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

We need hospitals more than football stadiums, say Morocco's young protesters

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8rv2l3me40o, 4 days ago

* Free and quality education for all

* Accessible public healthcare for everyone

* Decent and affordable housing

* Better public transport

* Lower prices and subsidise basic goods

* Improve wages and pensions

* Provide job opportunities for youth and reduce unemployment

* Adopt English as the second language instead of French (after Arabic)

Then, her friend called to say her brother had been arrested. He was not released until the early hours of the following morning. This, Ms Belhassan says, is what pushed her to go out on to the streets.

"We are making reasonable, basic demands. Health and education are necessities that should already be prioritised," she tells the BBC in a passionate voice.

"It breaks my heart to see young, educated and peaceful people faced with arbitrary arrests."

When Ms Belhassan went out she noticed that the police were trying to stop people gathering and were making arrests.

She says she was scared of making eye contact with officers in case she attracted their attention.

"I was afraid for my safety but I still went out," she says.

On Wednesday, interior ministry spokesman Rachid El Khalfi said that 409 people had been detained up to that point.

He also announced in a press release that 260 police officers and 20 protesters had been injured and 40 police vehicles and 20 private cars were torched in violent clashes.

Twenty-three-year-old Hakim (not his real name) was one of those arrested.

He says he went out onto the streets of Casablanca to protest peacefully but ended up in a police cell with around 40 people.

"This government has been abusing their power too much," Hakim says. "My father had a stroke a little while ago. If we didn't have some savings to get him treated in a private hospital he would've died. What am I gaining from a country that is not providing healthcare for my ageing parents or educating me?"

He describes the state-funded education system as being "far behind" what is available in the private sector.

"We deserve a dignified life," says Hakim. "We want to host the Fifa World Cup, but we want to do that with our heads up high, not while hiding behind a façade."

The police response has been heavily criticised by several Moroccan human rights organisations, protesters and the opposition.

The Gen Z 212 protests are not the first time that young Moroccans have taken to the streets.

Many commenters online have been drawing parallels with the country's violent 1981 riots, where those who died became known as the Bread Martyrs as they were protesting against the soaring price of basic foods. A 2004 commission appointed by the king to investigate the country's past human rights abuses verified 114 deaths but did not disclose how exactly they died. Reparations were then made to victims of human rights abuses and families of deceased ones.

The country has seen other youth-led movements, notably in 2011 and 2016.

The events of 2011 were part of the larger Arab Spring and led to reform of the constitution through a national referendum called by King Mohamed VI.

For the first time in Moroccan history, the monarch strengthened the role of the government by ceding executive power to the prime minister and parliament. The king remains the legitimate head of state, military and religious affairs, holding the power to appoint and remove ministers if necessary.

What makes Gen Z 212 different is that those demonstrating say they are not tied to a political party and do not appear to have a formal structure.

"We are not a political movement. We have no leader," Ms Belhassan says.

"Maybe that's why the police were arresting people, and why the government kept silent – because, in their eyes, we didn't follow the traditional path of organisations and political parties."

But there is some disquiet about the violence.

On the night of 1 October, three protesters died in the town of Lqliaa after people attempted to storm a police station. The local authorities said security forces opened fire after protesters tried to start a fire and steal weapons from the station, then subsequently released supporting CCTV footage to disprove emerging false narratives online.

Protesters have condemned the rioting and looting that have happened in certain areas and have organised clean-up groups. They have also repeatedly called for peace and dialogue, but it seems they are not convinced by the prime minister's apparent willingness to talk.

On Friday, calls began to emerge for the king to dissolve the government. That may be a step too far, but the protesters do not seem to be in the mood to pull back.

Looking ahead to 2030, protester Ms Belhassan says that "of course" Moroccans are "excited to host the World Cup".

"We love football, it is in our blood. But we are missing the foundations. Sure, let's build stadiums, but let's also build our education and health systems. Let's take care of our people."

More about Gen Z protests around the world:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Behind the Gen Z protesters who want to force Madagascar's president from power

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz082y8j3jzo, 4 days ago

Thousands of people in Madagascar have taken to the streets in different parts of the country for the past week in the largest wave of protests the Indian Ocean island nation has witnessed in more than 15 years.

What began as anger over shortages of basic necessities has rapidly escalated into one of the most serious challenges facing President Andry Rajoelina, who has been in power, for the second time, since 2018. On Monday, in response, he sacked his government but that did not placate the protesters, who now want him to go as well.

At least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 others injured in the unrest, according to the UN, although the Malagasy government has dismissed those figures and described them as based on "rumours and misinformation".

What sparked the protests?

Pressure started to build following the arrest on 19 September of two leading city politicians, who had planned a peaceful demonstration in the capital, Antananarivo, over chronic power and water supply problems.

There have been hours-long daily outages of the services run by state-owned utility company Jirama.

Many saw their detention as an attempt to silence legitimate dissent leading to public outrage, with the cause taken up by civil society groups and the formation of a youth-led online movement known as Gen Z Mada.

The protests have since spread beyond Antananarivo, gripping eight other cities across the island, with no signs of subsiding.

Waving banners, protesters have denounced the blackouts and accused the government of failing to guarantee basic rights.

Activists have also blamed widespread corruption within the power company for the electricity crisis.

Who is demonstrating?

Initially, Gen Z Mada was co-ordinating what was going on through social media sites such as Facebook and TikTok. A committee was created to organise further demonstrations following a meeting between Gen Z Mada, civil society groups and local politicians.

Other groups got involved once the protests started. Several labour unions, among them the country's largest, the Malagasy Trade Union Solidarity, have thrown their weight behind the youth-led movement.

Civil society organisations have called for church-led talks to "prevent Madagascar from sinking into chaos or civil war".

Opposition leader Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko and former President Marc Ravalomanana voiced their support for the protests in a rare joint statement on Wednesday.

The two have declined offers to join Rajoelina's government, saying the move would be a "betrayal" of the Malagasy people.

What do the protesters want?

The demonstrators have not issued a manifesto but what started with anger over public services has evolved into broader demands for political change.

Many young people, facing insecure and poorly paid jobs, have called for the president's resignation, blaming him for the problems they are facing.

On Wednesday, the demonstrators in the capital were seen waving flags and banners with the words "Rajoelina out".

A spokesperson for Gen Z Mada told the AFP news agency that they wanted the president to step down and "the cleaning up of the National Assembly".

They also want Rajoelina to take responsibility for those who were reportedly killed by security forces.

Some social media users have also called for the dissolution of the election commission and the country's top court.

What is the government's response?

Security forces have maintained a heavy presence across Antananarivo and other major cities, with police using tear gas and water cannon to disperse the protesters.

A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed in the capital after reports of violence and looting, including the torching of the finance ministry's offices.

Rajoelina initially made attempts to placate the protesters, such as sacking his government, calling for dialogue with young people and pledging that the World Bank would fund efforts to address the power outages.

But when these steps failed to put a stop to the demonstrations, his tone changed.

In an address livestreamed on his Facebook page, Rajoelina alleged that the protesters had been "exploited to provoke a coup" and that foreign forces were financing the movement to oust him.

Schools across the capital and nearby districts were closed last week, for fear of escalating violence.

Authorities maintain that gatherings without formal authorisation pose risks to public order.

What is life like in Madagascar?

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world, with 75% of people living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.

Only about one-third of Madagascar's 30 million people have access to electricity, according to the International Monetary Fund.

One demonstrator told AFP that "living conditions of the Malagasy people are deteriorating and getting worse every day".

Is the president under threat?

Political scientist and human rights activist Ketakandriana Rafitoson told the AFP news agency the demonstrations risked dragging on and intensifying if authorities rely on force to suppress dissent instead of prioritising accountability.

She said the "outcome risks political fragmentation, stronger nationalist rhetoric against perceived external interference, and possible economic fallout".

But in imposing curfews and dismissing UN casualty reports, the government could be signalling that it may double down on repression rather than compromise.

Analysts say control over state media and key institutions could allow Rajoelina to outlast the immediate wave of dissent.

Governance experts say a critical tipping-point would be whether the military refuses orders to crack down on protesters.

Presidential spokesperson Lova Ranoromaro said on social media that "we do not want a coup d'etat, because a coup d'etat destroys a nation, because a coup d'etat destroys the future of our children".

Madagascar has been rocked by multiple uprisings since it gained independence in 1960, including mass protests in 2009 that forced former President Ravalomanana to step down and saw Rajoelina come to power for the first time.

Rajoelina was voted back into office in 2018 and re-elected in 2023 in contested polls boycotted by the opposition.

More about Madagascar from the BBC:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

'We only have the sea to live on' - Senegal's fishermen blame BP project for lack of fish

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly9gg3vervo, 6 days ago

Every day, Gora Fall, a fisherman in Senegal's northern city of Saint-Louis, heads to sea with a mix of emotions: hope and frustration.

He hopes he will get a better catch than the previous day, yet he is frustrated by the thought that whatever he finds might not meet his needs.

"Before, we worked to live, but now we just work to survive," says the 25-year-old.

Like him, many other small-scale, traditional fishermen in Saint-Louis - a major fishing hub - are facing hard times.

The BBC has spoken to several fishermen and people linked to the fishing trade who all point to one cause - a liquefied natural gas platform that sits on the maritime border between Senegal and Mauritania, off the coast of Saint-Louis.

The Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project is operated by the British multinational oil and gas giant BP as part of a joint venture with Kosmos Energy, as well as Petrosen and SMH, the national oil companies of Senegal and Mauritania respectively.

BP, which has a 56% working interest in the project, began its operation in Senegal in 2017 after the discovery of natural gas two years earlier.

Described as one of the deepest and most complex gas development schemes in Africa, the first phase of the multi-billion dollar offshore project is expected to produce roughly 2.3 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per year for over 20 years.

However, residents of Saint-Louis say this also comes with restrictions on fishing which 90% of the city's population of over 250,000 rely on for a livelihood.

On a Tuesday morning, with weather conditions declared favourable, Mr Fall readies his wooden canoe painted with patterns of red, blue, yellow and other colours.

With his hook and bait, he sets off for the day's fishing trip.

After motoring 10km (6.2 miles) offshore, the young fisherman approaches the giant gas facility. But he says he cannot get any closer due to a 500m exclusion zone which restricts fishing.

"The authorities forbid us to fish in that area of the platform, under penalty of confiscation or even destruction of our fishing equipment if we access it," Mr Fall tells the BBC.

Fishermen say the platform is built around a natural reef rich with fish – the restrictions mean their catches are smaller and they barely earn a living. This has compounded the difficulties they already faced with competition for fish from large international trawlers.

"We are very frustrated," says Mr Fall.

"Now we can stay until 4pm twiddling our thumbs, without fish."

BP says concerns about Senegalese fishing stocks pre-date the gas project, telling the BBC in a statement: "Safety zones around infrastructure are standard practice to protect people and assets."

During a forum held in Saint-Louis in October 2024, Senegal's Energy Minister Birame Souleye Diop expressed the need for oil and gas exploitation to co-exist with fishing, which he described as essential to the local community.

Fishing accounts for nearly 60,000 direct jobs and more than half-a-million indirect jobs in Senegal, according to the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). It also reportedly employs one in six people and represents about 3% of the country's GDP.

The majority of those working in the sector are small-scale, traditional, or "artisanal", fishermen and processors.

Processing is traditionally predominantly done by women. But with the reduction in the number of fish in Saint-Louis, many are losing their jobs.

Diamol Sène, who dries salted fish in the sun, says some of the women who previously worked alongside her at a fish processing site are now unemployed.

"Fish has become too expensive, transport costs are high. Today, we earn just enough to cover expenses," says the mother of 10.

"If the canoes could go out to sea and come back with [abundant] catches, all the women would return to the site to work," she says.

Fishermen say they used to make between $445 and $625 (£330 and £465) from a single fishing trip, but nowadays, they struggle to get $90.

Dwindling profits are pushing many fishermen, including Mr Fall, to consider abandoning their centuries-old practice, which is seen as more of a tradition than a trade.

"We are forced to continue our fishing activity, because we have no other choice," he says.

"But if a job opportunity arises, we will seize it without hesitation."

Others have already abandoned fishing for alternative opportunities, including migrating to Europe.

One of those no longer fishing is 38-year-old Saer Diop. Since 2021, the long-time fisherman has also been working as a carpenter - producing, repairing and painting canoes.

He developed the skill when he was much younger and now sees it as a lifeline in the face of adversity.

"Currently, I earn a better living with carpentry than with fishing," he says.

While he admits the work as a carpenter is not regular, he feels fishing has become "very difficult" because of the gas project.

BP insists it is "committed to operating responsibly" alongside its partners and local communities.

While celebrating the launch of gas exports from the facility in April 2025, the energy minister called for "continuous vigilance to guarantee the efficiency, transparency and sustainability of economic benefits for the population".

The government also hailed the gas project as one that strengthens the country's positioning on the global energy scene, earning vital foreign exchange.

Members of a local association representing artisanal fishermen in Saint-Louis say BP has not fulfilled its promise to create artificial reefs where they could catch more fish.

These reefs were meant to serve as an alternative, given that access to the natural reef - known locally as Diattara - is restricted.

"When they came in 2019, they told people: 'We're going to build you eight artificial reefs' to at least replace our Diattara," says Nalla Diop, the spokesperson of the fishermen's association.

However, he says that six years on "nothing has been done".

The BBC obtained documents from a study conducted by Senegal's Oceanographic Research Centre of Dakar-Thiaroye (CRODT), showing 12 potential sites were initially explored to host the artificial reefs. Out of these, six were identified as viable.

Dr Modou Thiaw, a senior researcher at CRODT who was among those who led the study, says only two of the sites were later identified and proposed to BP.

He describes the process of delivering an artificial reef as "super slow".

In a statement, BP says between 2021 and 2023, feasibility studies and further evaluation revealed that only two of the 12 reef sites were "assessed as being feasible for a reef of a substantial size to be deployed without risk of submergence or scouring".

"One of those sites was within the Marine Protected Area (MPA) of Saint-Louis and therefore was not put forward, given it would not provide immediate benefits to Saint-Louis fisherfolk," the statement adds.

BP says the one site that was chosen will host a substantial reef complex that will include 10 reef clusters within it.

"Work is already under way, and the reef is expected to be completed by the end of 2025," BP says.

The company says an environmental and social impact assessment approved in 2018 concluded that the loss of potential fishing grounds in Mauritania and Senegal as a result of the gas project would be "negligible".

Amid the back and forth about the feasibility of artificial reefs, another point of discord is the location.

Fishermen say BP plans to build the artificial reef just 4km from the coastline, describing the position as unfavourable to attract fish.

However, BP says a technical evaluation concluded that a "cluster" of "reef pyramids" in that location allows more effective management and protection of that reef.

The Senegalese government said there had been a gas leak in February 2025 – described by BP as "gas bubbles" – in one of the wells run by the oil-and-gas giant.

The incident raised concerns about the safety of marine life around the facility.

Mamadou Ba, a Dakar-based ocean campaigner with Greenpeace Africa, says gas leaks could have "immeasurable effects" on the environment.

"BP refuses to disclose the actual amount of the gas leak," Mr Ba says.

He says experts found that such a gas leak had the potential to destroy marine fauna and flora, reefs, algae and resources that allow fish to feed.

However, repeating the word used in the assessment of the loss of fishing grounds, BP told the BBC that the environmental impact was assessed as "negligible".

"We acted swiftly, capped the well, and engaged transparently with regulators," the multinational says.

In a joint statement on 14 March, Senegal's environment and energy ministries said tests and observations carried out revealed there were no further leaks after BP repaired the well.

"Satellite images, taken after the intervention, did not reveal the presence of bubbles or condensate on the surface of the water," the statement says, while expressing the commitment of both Senegalese and Mauritanian authorities to ensure continuous improvement in the management of the gas project's activities "in order to minimise the occurrence of such incidents in the future".

But the leak has added to local concerns about the impact of the gas site.

Representatives of the artisanal fishermen in Saint-Louis say the promise of economic prosperity through the project comes at a great cost.

They say it deprives them of free access to their much-cherished sea, leaving them with an uncertain future.

They also accuse the government of siding with BP to their detriment.

"We only have the sea to live on," says Mr Fall.

The Senegalese government did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

Additional reporting by Michel Mvondo

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Sudanese city under siege: 'My son's whole body is full of shrapnel'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgnz76vr6lo, 3 days ago

Ahmed Abdul Rahman can hear the thud of artillery from where he lies in a makeshift cluster of tents in the Sudanese city of el-Fasher.

The 13-year-old boy was injured in a recent shelling attack.

"I feel pain in my head and my legs," he says weakly.

For 17 months the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have besieged el-Fasher, located in their ethnic heartland of Darfur, and now they're closing in on key military sites in the city.

The conflict in Sudan broke out in 2023 following a power struggle between the top commanders of the RSF and the Sudanese army.

After losing control of the capital Khartoum the paramilitaries have stepped up efforts to seize el-Fasher - the army's last stronghold in the western Darfur region.

Army-held territory has shrunk to a pocket around the airport. For the tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside the city, each day is a nightmare.

The siege and fighting make it very difficult to get reliable information, but the BBC has worked with freelance journalists inside el-Fasher to get an insight into life for those trapped there.

Warning: This story contains graphic details that some people may find distressing

Ahmed's "whole body is full of shrapnel", says his mother Islam Abdullah. "His condition is unstable."

But with hospitals coming under fire and running out of supplies, medical care is scarce.

She lifts Ahmed's shirt to reveal his wounds, his bony back a reminder of the hunger stalking the city.

Nearby, Hamida Adam Ali is unable to move, her leg is badly injured. She lay on the road for five days after being hit by shell fire, before she was carried to the camp for people displaced by the conflict.

"I don't know if my husband is dead or alive," she says. "My children have been crying for days because there is no food.

"Sometimes they find something to eat and sometimes they go to bed without food.

"My leg is rotting - it smells foul now. I am just lying down. I have nothing."

Since this interview, the BBC was informed - and for a while reported - that Hamida had been killed in a separate shelling incident this week. Our freelance journalist in el-Fasher has since returned to the scene and confirmed that she is alive.

Hamida told the BBC a woman lying next to her was killed in a shelling incident. Hamida remains wounded and said she continues to fear for her children's safety.

Last month more than 75 people were killed in a strike on a mosque during morning prayers, in an attack blamed on the RSF, although it didn't publicly take responsibility. Rescuers could not find enough funeral shrouds for all the bodies.

Samah Abdullah Hussein says her young son Samir was buried in that mass grave. He had been killed the day before, his brother injured. The shells hit the school yard where they had taken refuge.

"He was hit in the head and the wound was deep, his brain came out," she says, wiping tears from her eyes. "My other son was hit in the head by shrapnel and in his arm, and I was hit in my right leg."

Hundreds of thousands have fled el-Fasher over the past year. Those who make it to safety say people were attacked, robbed and killed as they left.

The UN warns of more atrocities if RSF fighters overrun the city.

The paramilitaries deny targeting non-Arab ethnic groups, such as the local Zaghawa community, despite evidence of war crimes presented by the UN and human rights groups. They're trying to send a different message - with new videos showing them greeting and helping those who flee.

The footage is a jolt for a refugee watching from outside the country, despite its softer tone. He recognizes many of the people stopped by the RSF fighters.

"That last guy we used to play soccer with," he tells the BBC, "and the one in the middle, he's a musician, I know him from el-Fasher."

The refugee also sees some relatives in the group - and asked not to be named in order to protect them.

"It really devastated and shocked me," he says. "I will be worried until I hear from them, or they send me a message that they are OK, and they're in a safe place."

Later that day he sent me word that his family members were safe - a tremendous relief, but a temporary one.

"It's not just my relatives," he says. "It's about all the people that I know. It's about my memories there. I see every day, people whom I know die, places that I used to go to destroyed. My memories died, not just the people that I know. It's like a nightmare."

Many fear what the next weeks might bring. Those still trapped in the city can only wait - and try to survive.

UPDATE 4 October: An update on 2 October to this story reported that Hamida had been killed in another attack, based on local sources. After returning to the scene, the BBC has since learned that Hamida is alive.

More BBC stories on Sudan civil war:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Deported from the US to Ghana then 'dumped' at the border: Nigerian man speaks out

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c33rllxnm35o, 4 days ago

A Nigerian man deported from the US to Ghana has told the BBC that he is now stuck in a hotel in Togo, after he and five others were secretly transferred to the neighbouring country by Ghanaian officers.

The man said they were informed they would be moved from a military camp to better accommodation, but were then "dumped" in Togo. The BBC has approached Ghana's government for comment.

The US government deported the Nigerian man - along with other West African nationals - as part of its crackdown on immigration.

Ghana's Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa previously said the government had accepted the deportees in the spirit of "pan-African empathy".

The Nigerian, who has requested anonymity for safety reasons, alleged that Ghanaian officers took him and the five other deportees into Togo through a back route. He further claimed that this was done after bribing local police, and without informing Togolese authorities of their entry.

"They did not take us through the main border, they took us through the back door. They paid the police there and dropped us in Togo," he said.

The Togolese authorities have not commented on the alleged presence of the deportees on their territory.

Four of the group - three Nigerians and a Liberian - then checked into a hotel in Lomé, the Togolese capital, which lies just across the border from where they were abandoned.

With no documents of their own, he said they relied on the hotel staff to receive money from relatives abroad to cover their bills.

"We're struggling to survive in Togo without any documentation," he said.

"None of us has family in Togo. We're just stuck in a hotel," he added. "Right now, we're just trying to survive until our lawyers can help us with this situation."

He said that while in Ghana they had been asking for better living conditions since the environment at the military camp where they were placed was "deplorable".

"Life there was really hard, so we asked for a better place, better medication, better healthcare and better water," the Nigerian told the BBC.

He said that days later, immigration officials arrived at the camp, saying they were taking six of them to a hotel for more comfort, but they ended up across the border in Togo.

"When we arrived, we asked what we were doing at the border, and they told us they wanted us to sign some paperwork so they could take us to a hotel, but we didn't sign anything," he added.

The Nigerian told the BBC that the language barrier in Togo made it difficult to communicate. Togo's official language is French, while he spoke English.

He also said that his deportation had affected his family in the US.

"I have a house in the US where my kids live. How am I supposed to pay the mortgage? I don't know how they'll manage while I'm gone. My kids can't see me, and it's just so stressful," he lamented.

He said he was a member of the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement, an activist organisation advocating for a breakaway state in south-west Nigeria for the Yoruba ethnic group.

Although the movement is not banned, it has been in the crosshairs of the Nigerian government, with 27 people arrested last year for being involved in its campaign.

Because of his affiliation with the group, the man told the BBC he fears that returning to Nigeria could lead to his arrest and torture.

He was part of a group of West Africans deported to Ghana last month, which also included nationals of Togo, Liberia and The Gambia.

They had previously been held in a US detention facility before being flown out on a US military plane in shackles, their lawyers said.

US Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told the BBC that all of those deported to Ghana were "illegal aliens", who had "received due process and had a final order of removal from an immigration judge".

She added that many were "heinous criminals with rap sheets that included injury to a child, robbery, aggravated assault, and fraud".

The Nigerian admitted that he had been convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud in the US in 2020 and served a two-year sentence.

However, he said he was under a US court-ordered protection that should have shielded him from deportation from the US.

Ghana's President John Mahama has said that: "Ghana will not, and I repeat, will not become a dumping ground for deportees, nor will we accept individuals with criminal backgrounds."

The US government's "third-country deportation" policy has faced criticism, with several countries pushing back against the strategy, including Nigeria.

The deal for Ghana to take in nationals from various West African countries was announced by President John Mahama three weeks ago. He said he had been approached by the US to accept the deportees, and had agreed because there was free movement of people in West Africa.

Foreign Minister Ablakwa has since said Ghana received no financial reward for accepting the deportees.

Opposition MPs have demanded an immediate suspension of the deportation agreement until it is ratified by parliament, but the government has said it plans to accept another 40 deportees.

Lawyers for the deportees have started legal action against both the US and Ghanaian governments, saying their rights were violated.

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Tanzanian ex-ambassador and government critic abducted, family says

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgryqv4020o, yesterday

A former Tanzanian ambassador and outspoken government critic has been abducted by unknown individuals, his family says.

Humphrey Polepole's brother told the BBC the alleged abduction had occurred in the early hours of Monday, at his home in Dar es Salaam.

"We went to the house where he was living and found the door broken, electric wires cut, and a large amount of blood spilled," said Godfrey Polepole, the younger brother of the former ambassador. Videos of the bloody incident have been shared online.

He said the family had reported the matter after visiting the residence. Dar es Salaam's police chief Jumanne Muliro has said they are following up on the reported incident.

More about Tanzania from the BBC:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Tanzania issues social media warning after video calls for military 'action'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62lj51kj2jo, yesterday

Tanzanian police have warned against the use of social media to spread misinformation following a widely shared video of an alleged military officer criticising the government, three weeks ahead of general elections.

Identifying himself as "Capt Tesha" from the air force, he accuses the government of corruption, rights violations and political interference in the military.

The military did not respond to BBC inquiries about his identity and the BBC has not been able to verify whether he is a serving officer.

The purported officer urges military chief Jacob Mkunda to take action and ensure the country is united, and uphold citizen's rights.

More about Tanzania from the BBC:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Al-Shabab militants dress as soldiers to storm Somali jail

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp3v0px28j8o, 2 days ago

Seven al-Shabab militants who attacked a high-security prison in Somalia's capital have all been killed, the country's government has said.

A huge explosion and gunfire were heard coming from Godka Jilicow - a detention centre that holds al-Shabab militants - in Mogadishu on Saturday evening.

In a statement, al-Shabab said it released "all the Muslim prisoners" from the facility and inflicted heavy casualties on those guarding the centre.

The militants disguised themselves as soldiers in order to enter the prison, government-run news agency Sonna Live reported on Sunday.

The government did not indicate how many of its security forces were killed during the incident, but gave its condolences to the families of "the fallen heroes".

Likewise, al-Shabab did not give a death toll for its militants.

The fighting began at around 16:40 local time (13:40 GMT).

Godka Jilicow is located near the Somali presidential palace, in the heart of Mogadishu. It is manned by Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (Nisa) and holds al-Shabab militants and other high-profile detainees.

The attack is a major blow to Nisa and is likely to raise questions about how the militants were able to access one of the most heavily guarded areas in the capital.

Al-Shabab is affiliated to al-Qaeda and has waged a brutal insurgency against the government in Somalia for nearly 20 years.

Hours before Saturday's attack took place, the government had reopened key roads in Mogadishu which were previously closed for security reasons, citing improvements in the city's safety.

More BBC stories about Somalia:

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Fifa accuses Malaysia of faking foreign-born players' eligibility

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqxzv75dp4go, today

Fifa has accused Malaysia of falsifying citizenship documents so seven foreign-born players could play for the national team.

Football's world governing body had fined and suspended the players in late September and on Monday released a report justifying its action.

Fifa said the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had forged birth certificates to make it look like the players' grandparents were born in Malaysia. This, the body said, "constitutes, pure and simple, a form of cheating".

But FAM said the discrepancies arose from an "administrative error" and that it would appeal Fifa's penalties. It maintained that the players were "legitimate Malaysian citizens".

Fifa's "grandfather rule" allows foreign-born football players to represent countries that their biological parents or grandparents were born in. This aims to prevent national football teams from simply importing foreign players to boost performance.

Fifa investigated the players following Malaysia's 4-0 win against Vietnam in June, in response to questions about their eligibility.

In September, the Fifa disciplinary committee suspended the seven players for a year and ordered them to pay a fine of 2,000 Swiss francs ($2,500; £1,870). At the time, Fifa did not share details about the reason for their suspension, only that it related to "doctored documentation".

The football governing body ordered FAM to pay 350,000 Swiss francs ($440,000; £330,000).

In recent years, South East Asian countries have launched recruitment drives for naturalised players, hoping to emulate Indonesia's strategy of recruiting Dutch-born footballers from the Indonesian diaspora.

Earlier this year, FAM sent Fifa birth certificates showing that the grandparents of its seven players had been born in Malaysian cities like Penang and Malacca.

But Fifa said investigators obtained original birth certificates of the grandparents, which showed that they were born in countries like Argentina and Spain - all corresponding with the players' birthplaces.

The seven players include Spanish-born Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui, Argentinian-born Rodrigo Julian Holgado and Imanol Javier Machuca, Netherlands-born Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano and Brazilian-born Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo.

Malaysia's sports minister Hannah Yeoh said Fifa's findings had tarnished the country's image. She said the ministry would wait for FAM's appeal to be over before making any official statement.

"I also understand that all local football fans are naturally angry, disappointed and want to see improvements," she told a news conference on Tuesday, according to government news agency Bernama.

Malaysia is set to play against Laos in another Asian Cup qualifier this week - though the Malaysian team's line-up will look much different without the sanctioned players.

Exiled leader to return to Bangladesh for historic vote after uprising

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3rvep7nd7wo, yesterday

The man tipped to be the next prime minister of Bangladesh has ended months of speculation by saying he will return from two decades overseas to fight landmark elections.

"The time has come, God willing, I will return soon," Tarique Rahman, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's acting chairman, told BBC Bangla in his first face-to-face interview in nearly 20 years.

The BNP is the frontrunner in the vote due in February and Rahman, the son of its ailing leader, is expected to lead the country if it wins.

Many view it as one of the most consequential in Bangladesh's history after mass protests ousted three-time PM Sheikh Hasina in 2024. Her Awami League party is unlikely to be allowed to take part.

According to UN investigators, Up to 1,400 people died in the 2024 unrest, which included a deadly crackdown on student-led demonstrations that ousted Hasina.

Hasina, who fled to India, is on trial in absentia for crimes against humanity alleged to have been committed during the demonstrations.

Since she was toppled, many have questioned why Rahman was still in London, where he has lived since 2008.

"Maybe due to some personal reasons, the return has not happened yet. But I think the time has come," he said.

"This is an election for which people had been waiting, I cannot keep myself away during this time."

The Awami League crushed the BNP, its long-term rival, and other opponents during 15 years of rule. Rahman, who was sentenced in numerous cases in absentia, was cleared of all charges after Hasina was ousted.

The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, has banned the Awami League from political activity until the trial of its leaders is over. Both Hasina and her party reject all the charges against them.

Although the BNP has criticised the interim government over the past year for not announcing an election date, they appear to share similar views on the Awami League's participation.

"Those who ordered killing and torture, they must be brought to justice," said Tarique Rahman.

With its main rival absent, many speculate the BNP will have a comfortable lead in the election – and if the party wins, Rahman, 58, is expected to be the next prime minister. His mother, former PM Khaleda Zia, who is 80, is ill and unlikely to take an active part in the campaign.

However, Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's largest Islamist party, has seemingly gained some ground over the last year. Its student wing won majorities in two public university student union elections for the first time, energising the party.

Rahman thinks the results of the student union won't have an implication for the general election. Their proportion of votes in previous elections was much smaller compared to the two major parties.

Jamaat-e-Islami is now in talks with some other Islamist political parties to form an alliance, but Rahman says he is not worried about this prospect.

"The BNP faced competition in the election before. There is nothing to be worried about," he said.

In the early 2000s, the BNP and Jamaat formed a coalition government, but have recently pursued independent paths.

Meanwhile, a new party led by student leaders of the uprising, the National Citizen's Party (NCP), failed to gain much support in the student union elections. For a youth-led party, losing on their home turf has raised questions about their prospects in the national election.

Relations with Bangladesh's largest neighbour, India, have been tense since Hasina found shelter in Delhi.

Bangladeshi courts have issued a warrant for her arrest, and Bangladesh has sought her extradition. India has yet to officially react.

The relationship with India is a sensitive issue in Bangladeshi politics. The country shares the vast majority of its land border with India. Political parties, including the BNP, have consistently criticised Delhi for its support for the Awami League, including the three controversial elections held during its rule.

"If they [India] want to displease Bangladeshi people by sheltering a dictator, then we have nothing to do about it," said Rahman.

A central issue in the election is likely to be the promise of democratic reform and freedom of speech. The Awami League government was widely criticised for suppressing dissent, including a court order that banned the media from publishing speeches by Tarique Rahman.

He told the BBC he would ensure such restrictions are not repeated if he comes to power.

The interim government is attempting to build a consensus among political parties on a set of reforms, but progress has been slow. For many Bangladeshis, particularly the young people who led last year's uprising, ensuring basic freedoms will be a key test for the country's next government.

The interview was conducted by BBC News Bangla's Mir Sabbir and Qadir Kallol

Death toll from Indonesia school collapse rises to 54

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87yvdpld59o, yesterday

The death toll from the collapse of a school in Indonesia has risen to 54, authorities said, with rescuers still searching for more than a dozen missing people.

Hundreds of students, most of them teenage boys, had gathered for prayers at the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school in East Java when it collapsed last Monday while undergoing construction.

Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency says it is the country's deadliest disaster this year. Rescuers are expected to complete their search for 13 victims trapped under the rubble by the end of the day.

Investigators are still looking into the cause of the collapse. Some officials said the two-storey building caved in because its foundation was unstable.

"Out of all the disasters in 2025, natural or not, there hasn't been as many dead victims as the ones in Sidoarjo," Budi Irawan, a deputy at the disaster mitigation agency, told a press conference.

The toll includes at least two people who were freed from the debris but later died in hospital.

Al Khoziny is a traditional Islamic boarding school in Indonesia known as a pesantren.

Many pesantren operate informally, without strong regulation or consistent monitoring. It is unclear if Al Khoziny had a permit to undertake additional construction.

Search and rescue operations have been challenging because of the way the building had collapsed, leaving only narrow voids for rescuers to maneuver in, authorities said last week.

Survivors have spoken of their harrowing escapes to local media.

Muhammad Rijalul Qoib told Detik News he first "heard the sound of falling rocks", which "got louder and louder".

The 13-year-old ran for the door immediately, and while he managed to escape, he was wounded by falling debris from the roof.

Six patients killed in Indian hospital ICU fire

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cre5r7e44qyo, yesterday

Six critically ill patients have been killed in a fire that broke out at an intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital in the western Indian city of Jaipur.

The fire, suspected to be caused by a short circuit, started late on Sunday night in the storage area of the ICU of the Sawai Man Singh Hospital. Eleven patients were in the ICU at the time.

The victims include two women and four men. Relatives of the victims have accused staff of negligence, which hospital authorities have denied.

The government of Rajasthan state, of which Jaipur is the capital, has announced an investigation into the incident.

"Every possible step is being taken to ensure patient safety, treatment, and care for those affected, and the situation is being continuously monitored," the state's Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said on Sunday.

The Sawai Man Singh hospital, run by the state government, is one of the largest in Rajasthan and treats thousands of patients every day.

The fire broke out just before midnight in the trauma centre of the hospital and soon spread through the building.

Fourteen patients were evacuated from a nearby ICU ward as thick plumes of smoke engulfed the room.

Firefighters broke open windows and battled the blaze for nearly two hours before bringing it under control, news agency PTI reported.

Many families have accused the hospital staff of negligence.

"We noticed smoke and immediately informed the staff, but they did not pay any heed. When the fire broke out, they were the first to run," one of them told PTI.

Another relative, who lost his mother in the accident, alleged the hospital also did not have any emergency equipment. "There were no fire extinguishers, cylinders or even water to douse the fire," he told ANI news agency.

Jagdish Modi, the deputy superintendent of the hospital, has dismissed the allegations.

"I can understand people's sentiments in such a situation, but the allegations are untrue. Several hospital staff members risked their own lives to protect the patients and evacuated ICUs and wards," he told the BBC.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sadness over the incident.

"Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon," he wrote on X.

Hospital fires leading to deaths are not new in India. In November 2024, a fire at a state-run hospital in the northern city of Jhansi killed at least 10 newborns.

Last year, The Indian Express newspaper analysed 11 major hospital fires that have collectively claimed 107 lives since 2019 and found a recurring pattern of safety lapses, weak oversight and slow justice.

The newspaper found that short circuits caused at least eight of the blazes and nine of the hospitals lacked basic firefighting systems.

'I was lucky to get out': Everest hikers battle hypothermia as blizzard rescue continues

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4ykkgxqwko, yesterday

Hikers caught in a shock blizzard near Mount Everest have spoken of experiencing hypothermia as they battled relentless snowfall, while rescuers continue to evacuate scores of people.

At least one hiker has died and more than 200 are still stranded on Everest's eastern slopes in Tibet, an area popular with climbers and hikers, Chinese state media reported.

Snowfall began on Friday evening and intensified over the weekend. Hundreds of local villagers and rescue workers have been deployed to clear out snow blocking access to the area, which sits at an altitude of more than 4,900m (16,000ft).

Rescuers have guided 350 people to safety in the small township of Qudang. Authorities are in contact with all the hikers who are still trapped.

Nature photographer Dong Shuchang was among hundreds of tourists who flocked to the area during China's Golden Week holiday.

He was looking forward to capturing the Himalayan marvel from the Tibetan slopes, when the snowstorm hit just hours after his trek started on Saturday.

"The lightning and thunderstorms would not stop. The snowfall was so heavy I could hardly sleep," Mr Dong explained.

His group had reached an altitude of 4,600m before they decided to turn back.

"Our windbreakers and raincoats were no match for the snow. We were all drenched," he said, adding that several people in his group of 20 showed signs of hypothermia.

The 27-year-old had been to the Himalayas more than a dozen times, but said he has "never experienced weather like this".

Mr Dong's escape from the trail was lined with wet snow and falling sleet.

"Everyone was moving slowly. The route was very slippery. I kept falling because of the ice."

His group spent last night in a hotel room in Qudang, where they relied on a generator for electricity.

When they left the hotel this morning, the snowstorm had finally subsided.

"We're just so relieved to get help and support," he said.

Chen Geshuang, who was part of Mr Dong's hiking group, said the snow was about a metre deep when the group started their retreat on Sunday.

"All of us are experienced hikers," Ms Chen said. "But this blizzard was still extremely difficult to deal with. I was so lucky to get out."

"This year's snow was exceptional," the 29-year-old outdoor enthusiast said.

Another woman told the BBC that her husband who had been stuck in the snowstorm was slowly descending from the mountains, but thick snow cover has made his retreat extremely difficult.

"Even for rescuers, it's not easy, they need to clear snow to make a path," said the woman, who declined to be named.

"I hope my husband's team reaches [the rescue team] safely."

Her husband had told her that he barely slept in his tent because he was afraid of being buried in the snow, the woman said.

Another hiker, Eric Wen, told Reuters that three people in his group suffered from hypothermia even though they were adequately dressed.

They hardly slept because it was snowing too hard and his group had to clear the snow every 10 minutes.

"Otherwise our tents would have collapsed."

China is in the middle of its week-long National Day holiday known as Golden Week, a peak season for local tourism.

October usually provides clear skies and friendly temperatures, making it one of the favoured months to hike in the Mount Everest area.

Many hikers have made their way to the Karma Valley hiking trail, a lesser-known but scenic route to the base of Everest - which also offers a view of the world's highest peak.

Although many people attempt to climb the summit every year, it is considered an incredibly dangerous hike.

In recent years it has been plagued with concerns of overcrowding, environmental concerns and a series of fatal climbing attempts.

The region is facing extreme weather at the moment.

Neighbouring Nepal has been battered by torrential rains and floods that has killed at least 47 people, blocked roads, and washed away bridges.

On the other side of China, Typhoon Matmo has made landfall on the country's eastern coast, forcing about 150,000 people to evacuate from their homes.

Shoe thrown at India's top judge in religious row

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80g4d5epm8o, today

An Indian lawyer has thrown a shoe at the country's Chief Justice BR Gavai after being angered by remarks the judge made about a Hindu god.

Rakesh Kishore launched his attack during Monday's court proceedings in Delhi in what is seen across India as a serious public insult and security breach.

Three lawyers present in the courtroom confirmed to the BBC that a shoe had been hurled at the judge, with one saying it "brushed against the chief justice and [another] justice... and fell behind them".

Mr Kishore was heard saying "India won't tolerate insult to Sanatan Dharma [Hinduism]", as he was led away from the courtroom by security officials. He was later suspended from practice.

Advocate Ravi Shanker Jha, a lawyer who was in the courtroom during the incident, told the BBC that Mr Kishore "threw his shoe, and raised his hand to indicate that he had thrown the shoe".

"After he was apprehended by the courtroom security, the chief justice told the lawyers to continue their arguments and not get distracted," Mr Jha added.

Chief Justice Gavai remained calm all the time, Anas Tanwir, another lawyer who was in the courtroom, told the BBC.

The chief justice has not publicly commented on the issue. Indian authorities later said no charges would be filed against Mr Kishore.

Speaking to online Indian news outlet The Print, Mr Kishore said the incident related to a recent court petition rejected by a bench headed by the chief justice, when he also made remarks about the Hindu god Vishnu.

Dismissing a plea to reconstruct a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at a temple in Madhya Pradesh state last month, the chief justice had said: "This is purely publicity interest litigation... Go and ask the deity himself to do something."

The comments sparked controversy, with some accusing him of mocking Hindu beliefs. Justice Gavai later took note of the criticism, saying he respects "all religions", the Press Trust of India reported.

"He not only refused to accept the prayer, but made fun of the Lord Vishnu," Mr Kishore told The Print.

Speaking hours after throwing the shoe, Mr Kishore also said he had "not been able to sleep since 16 September" when Justice Gavai made the remarks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the shoe attack "utterly condemnable", joining a chorus of criticism from across the political spectrum.

Modi spoke to Justice Gavai and said the attack had angered every Indian, PTI reports. "There is no place for such reprehensible acts in our society," the PM said.

Throwing a shoe at someone in public is seen as an act of disrespect and humiliation in India and many other countries.

Earlier this year, a shoe was hurled at Kenyan President William Ruto during a rally.

In 2008, an Iraqi journalist hurled a shoe at the then US President George W Bush in protest over America's invasion of Iraq.

Australia signs key defence deal with Papua New Guinea

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp9824r3p31o, yesterday

Australia will gain access to Papua New Guinea's (PNG) military facilities and troops under a key deal that will see the nations come to each other's aid if either is attacked.

Both governments say the deal was born from a yearslong alliance between the two Pacific neighbours, but experts say it is aimed at countering China's growing influence in the region.

The deal ensures China will not have the same access to infrastructure in PNG as it does in other Pacific Islands, said Oliver Nobetau, project director of the Lowy Institute's Australia-PNG network.

It will allow as many as 10,000 Papua New Guineans to serve in Australia's military, and give them the option to become Australian citizens.

With nearly 12 million people, PNG is the largest and most populous South Pacific nation.

China has already significantly shored up trade with Pacific Island nations in recent years, and is now trying to establish diplomatic and security beachheads across the region.

Australia and its Western allies, including the United States, have been attempting to counter these efforts.

In 2022, Beijing signed a security deal with the Solomon Islands which has seen Chinese police officers embedded across the country, with another policing agreement forged in 2023.

In response, Canberra last December struck a deal to invest A$190m ($126m; £93m) into the Solomon Islands police force and set up a police training centre, with a similar agreement in place with Tuvalu.

In August, Australia also signed a $328m security and business deal with Vanuatu, which involves the building of two data centres, strengthening of security and help dealing with the impacts of climate change.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape, who signed this latest agreement with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Monday, stressed the deal was not born out of geopolitics.

PNG has been "transparent" with China, Marape said while in Canberra.

"We have told them that Australia is our security partner of choice and they understand our alliances here... Other aspects of our relations have never been compromised," he said.

Albanese said the two countries' alliance is "built on generations of mutual trust, and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the Pacific remains peaceful, stable and prosperous".

"By continuing to build our security relationships in the region, we safeguard our own security," he said.

The Pukpuk Treaty, named after the word for "crocodile" in PNG pidgin, notes that an armed attack on either country would be "dangerous to the other's peace and security", so both should "act to meet the common danger".

"[The treaty] has the ability to bite and like a crocodile, its bite force speaks of the interoperability's and preparedness of the military for war," according to a copy of the deal seen by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The deal also covered greater collaboration around cyberspace and electromagnetic warfare, the documents said.

Earlier, the PNG Defence Minister Billy Joseph had told the ABC that the deal would mean Australian and PNG forces would be "totally integrated".

Mr Nobetau from the Lowy Institute said the agreement will also help address Australia's recent struggles recruiting for its military.

"PNG has an oversupply of able-bodied citizens who are willing to do this kind of work," he said, adding many people would be attracted by the prospects of living in Australia and possibly gaining citizenship.

It also sends a message to the US, Mr Nobetau said.

"The US has been questionable in recent times with its withdrawal from the Pacific and USAID," he said, referring to the Trump administration removing billions in foreign humanitarian aid.

"This is just a demonstration that PNG and Australia are capable as equal partners for managing and bringing a return to regional stability in the Pacific."

The deal also includes annual joint military exercises which are about "strategic messaging", Mr Nobetau said, to "show the interoperability of the forces and their ability to face an external threat in the region and how quickly they can organise themselves and deploy".

Anna Powles, associate professor in security studies at Massey University in New Zealand, said the deal would help modernise PNG's army, bringing a significant boost in both material and morale terms.

There were questions over how it fits with the country's own policies though, she added.

"There are concerns in PNG that the treaty undermines PNG's 'friends to all, enemies to none' foreign policy position by aligning PNG with Australia on all security matters," she explained.

Ms Powles noted that the deal forms part of Australia's so-called 'hub and spokes' network of security agreements in the Pacific - with Australia as the central hub and the island nations as the spokes - but said both sides need greater clarity on the expectations, obligations and commitments.

The deal has faced some criticism within PNG, with the country's former defence force commander warning that it may come at "a high cost" for the country.

"It's common knowledge that Australia sees China as a potential threat, but China is not PNG's enemy," the commander, Jerry Singirok, told the ABC last month.

Sanae Takaichi set to become Japan's first female prime minister

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2pmy7m72lo, 3 days ago

Japan's ruling conservative party has elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, positioning the 64-year-old to be Japan's first female prime minister.

Takaichi is among the more conservative candidates leaning to the ruling party's right. A former government minister, TV host and avid heavy metal drummer, she is one of the best-known figures in Japanese politics - and a controversial one at that.

She faces many challenges, including contending with a sluggish economy and households struggling with relentless inflation and stagnant wages.

She will also have to navigate a rocky US-Japan relationship and see through a tariff deal with the Trump administration agreed by the previous government.

If confirmed as prime minister, one of Takaichi's key challenges will be uniting the party after a turbulent few years which saw it rocked by scandals and internal conflicts.

Last month, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, whose term lasted just over a year, announced he would step down after a series of election defeats that saw the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) governing coalition lose its majority in both chambers of parliament.

Prof Jeff Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University in Tokyo, told the BBC that Takaichi was unlikely to have "much success at healing the internal party rift".

Takaichi belongs to the "hardline" faction of the LDP, which believed that "the reason the LDP support has imploded is because it lost touch with its right-wing DNA", he added.

"I think she's in a good position to regain the right wing voters, but at the expense of wider popular appeal, if they go into a national election."

Takaichi has been a long-time admirer of Britain's first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher. She is now ever closer to fulfilling her Iron Lady ambition.

But many women voters don't see her as an advocate for progress.

"She calls herself Japan's Margaret Thatcher. In terms of fiscal discipline, she's anything but Thatcher," Prof Kingston said.

"But like Thatcher she's not much of a healer. I don't think she's done much to empower women."

Takaichi is a staunch conservative who's long opposed legislation allowing women to keep their maiden names after marriage, saying it is against tradition. She is also against same sex marriage.

A protégé of the late former leader Shinzo Abe, Takaichi has vowed to bring back his economic vision, known as Abenomics – which involves high fiscal spending and cheap borrowing.

The LDP veteran is hawkish on security and aims to revise Japan's pacifist constitution.

She's also a regular visitor of the controversial Yasukuni shrine where Japan's war dead including some convicted war criminals are memorialised.

She will likely be confirmed by parliament, although not automatically like her predecessors because the ruling party is in a much weaker position now having lost its majority in both houses.

Thai killer of Cambodian opposition politician sentenced to life in prison

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c740yj8g1p2o, 4 days ago

A Thai court has sentenced a man to life in prison for killing a prominent Cambodian opposition politician in Bangkok.

In January, hours after Lim Kimya arrived in the Thai capital with his wife, he was shot dead in public by Thai national Ekkalak Paenoi. Ekkalak then fled to Cambodia, where he was arrested and deported.

Ekkalak had initially been handed the death penalty, but that was commuted to life imprisonment because of his confession to the killing, the court said on Friday.

The reason behind Lim Kimya's killing remains unclear - though it has been widely suspected to be a politically motivated assassination.

Opposition politicians and activists are often jailed and harassed in Cambodia, where authorities have little tolerance for political dissent.

Lim Kimya, who had dual Cambodian and French nationality, was a former parliamentarian from Cambodia's main opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).

The CNRP had come close to defeating the long-ruling party of former leader Hun Sen in 2013.

After Hun Sen accused the CNRP of treason, the party was banned in 2017 and its members were prohibited from taking part in political activities.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet - who succeeded his father Hun Sen in 2023 - has denied that the government was involved in Lim's killing.

Security camera footage from January showed Ekkalak parking his motorbike, removing his helmet and walking calmly across the road before shots rang out.

Ekkalak was also found guilty of carrying and using a firearm, and ordered to pay around $55,000 (£40,800) to Lim Kimya's family.

The court dismissed a charge against another defendant - a Thai national accused of driving Ekkalak to the Cambodian border after the shooting - on the grounds that he was only a driver who did not know about the killing.

The lawyer for Lim Kimya's widow told news agency AFP that she was "probably satisfied" with Friday's verdict, though she was "still questioning who ordered the crime".

"She wants authorities to get to the bottom of it."

In recent years dozens of activists fleeing repression in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand have been sent back after seeking sanctuary, or in some cases have been killed or disappeared.

Human rights groups believe there is an unwritten agreement among the four neighbouring countries to allow each other's security forces to pursue dissidents over the border.

'Machines don't see gender': India's first female train driver on blazing the trail

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2x44g441yo, 4 days ago

"Machines don't see gender; they see your strength," says Surekha Yadav, who has been driving India's trains for over three decades.

Earlier this week, Ms Yadav bade farewell to her job after 36 years of service, retiring as India's first female train driver.

Over the years, she has operated a variety of trains across the length and breadth of India, sometimes navigating challenging terrain and harsh weather conditions.

Today, there are more than 2,000 female train operators in the Indian Railways, but Ms Yadav took up the job at a time when it was uncommon for women to explore this profession.

Born in 1965 in a small town in India's western Maharashtra state, Ms Yadav comes from a farming family and is the eldest of five siblings.

From a young age, she was exposed to hard work, helping out her family on the farm while also studying.

Her parents always encouraged her to put her studies first, she says.

"Though my parents came from a modest background, they were progressive in their thinking. They educated me and that allowed me to work."

After finishing her education as an electrical engineer, Ms Yadav immediately began looking for a job. She randomly spotted a newspaper advertisement by the Indian railways, looking for assistant train drivers, and grabbed the opportunity.

At the time, she wasn't aware that there were no female train operators in the country. She simply saw the job as a means to earn an income.

Government jobs are highly coveted in India because of the security and perks they offer. But getting selected for one is tough, as thousands of applicants from all over the country compete for a single vacancy.

Ms Yadav cleared the selection process with flying colours, and got her first job on a goods train in 1989.

It was only when she began training for it that she realised the profession was incredibly male-dominated.

She recollects the first day she went in for training. While she didn't expect many female students, she was taken aback when she saw there wasn't a single girl in her class.

"I wondered what to do. But I thought, if I don't take up the job, someone else will. Since I've been selected, I'll do it," she says.

Ms Yadav knew she had made a tough choice and that the job she had chosen was going to be gruelling. But she didn't look back.

The initial years were challenging, to say the least.

A lot of learning happened on the job, as there is no book that teaches you to be a good train driver, Ms Yadav says.

Train operators use multiple monitoring systems to oversee different aspects of the journey, including routes and speed. They have to be alert at all times and make quick decisions to prevent accidents and ensure passenger safety.

Thousands of trains criss-cross India's sprawling railway network each day, ferrying millions of passengers to their destinations. India's trains are often called the lifeline of the country because of the expanse of their network and how affordable they are.

Ms Yadav says she learnt the art of interpreting cues, anticipating problems and reacting in real time to avert crises.

In 1996, she was promoted to the post of locomotive pilot - the main operator of the train's control room, or the "nerve centre" of the train.

The unpredictable work hours, due to unforeseen delays and accidents, was one of the toughest challenges of the job.

Come rain or shine, she had to show up for duty. Unpredictable meal times and lack of washroom facilities or changing rooms for women on some trains added to the challenges.

Ms Yadav says she has operated trains on flooded tracks, across mountain passes and on multiple-day journeys.

She worked through two pregnancies and raised her children while continuing to work.

The nature of her job, she says, didn't allow her to miss her children when she had to be away from them.

"You have to watch the signal, the track, the overhead equipment, listen to your colleague, and keep your eyes on the speed - all at the same time. How could I think of my children?" Ms Yadav says. "If your mind drifts for even 30 seconds, even a microsecond, it can be dangerous for everyone on the train."

She recalls having to miss several family celebrations and outings because of her job. But support from family and male colleagues helped her cope.

"My co-workers were great. They never made me feel like I was different because I was a woman. Others might have thought that, but not my colleagues," she says.

In her long career, Ms Yadav also got the opportunity to mentor aspiring train operators, many of them women.

Her hope is that her career will serve as an inspiration to others.

On her last day, Ms Yadav drove the Rajdhani Express - one of India's premium long-distance trains. At the terminal station in India's financial capital Mumbai she was given a grand farewell by her colleagues, complete with beating drums and dance performances.

"I never imagined I'd drive trains till I became 60," Ms Yadav says.

When asked what she'll miss most about her job, she said it's the flashing signals.

Those tiny guiding lights always helped her find the way.

Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook.

Fatal attack revives debate over controversial shark nets in Australia

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3rv25qy78go, 4 days ago

The ocean has always been a big part of Glen Butler's life.

He's been a surfer for 50 years and, in that time, he says he rarely thought about sharks.

"You're aware you're stepping into their environment, so you're cautious," the 61-year-old told the BBC.

But Mr Butler's confidence on the water was shattered last month.

He'd gone for a surf with his friends one Saturday morning at Long Reef in Sydney's northern beaches. A few minutes after Mr Butler got out of the water, fellow surfer Mercury Psillakis was killed by a great white shark.

"It's shaken us up a bit," Mr Butler admits. Mercury and his twin brother Mike were well-known in the local community, he adds: "You'd always say g'day."

The killing has revived a long-running and delicate debate about how to keep beachgoers safe in Australia's waters, and turned the spotlight on the state of New South Wales (NSW).

Authorities here have a range of measures in their arsenal to mitigate the risk of shark attacks, but the most famous - and most controversial - are nets which are rolled out each summer at many beaches.

Conservationists say the nets do more harm than good – doing little to stop sharks reaching popular breaks and causing massive harm to other marine life – but many scared beachgoers remain attached to them as another layer of protection.

Australia deadliest place for shark attacks

Australia is home to some of the world's best beaches. More than 80% of the population lives on the coast, so an early morning swim or surf is standard for thousands of people every day.

But there are people who feel that daily ritual is becoming increasingly risky.

Mirek Craney is one of them.

The 66-year-old Sydneysider remembers gawking at enormous great white sharks hauled in by fishermen as a kid, back in the days the now-protected species could still be legally hunted.

Seeing these dead beasts suspended by their tails elicited a "gallows-like" feeling, he recounts, but not fear. Sharks were creatures of the deep ocean, he reasoned, and he surfed in the shallower bays.

But five years ago, his daughter Anika was bitten by a pig eye shark while free-diving on the Great Barrier Reef. Though she survived, it made Mr Craney anxious about the creatures – something that grows with each splashy headline about an attack.

"These things trigger me… I'm freaked out," he admits.

Though 'Merc' was only the second person killed by a shark attack in Sydney over the past six decades – the other being British diver Simon Nellist in 2022 – it's little comfort to those who regularly use the city's beaches.

Every surfer the BBC spoke to in the weeks after Psillakis' death said they feel shark sightings closer to shore are becoming more frequent.

"We occasionally might have seen a dark shadow, but it could have been a dolphin," says Mr Craney. "Now, I see them all the time."

Some fear that shark numbers are exploding, after several types - including the world's two deadliest shark species, great whites and tigers - were given varying degrees of protection in Australian waters.

There's little research on shark numbers to definitively tell either way – but experts argue an increase in sightings doesn't necessarily mean there are more sharks.

Environmental experts suggest that warming oceans are changing the swimming and feeding patterns of sharks. But researchers say any increase in sightings is largely down to more and more people entering the water, and they are magnified by social media.

The likelihood of being bitten by a shark here in Australia is still minute. You're several thousand times more likely to drown. It is true, however, that the country is a shark attack hotspot.

It is second only to the US - a country with 13 times the people - for shark bites, and it leads the world for fatal attacks, according to the International Shark Attack File.

That database only tracks "unprovoked" incidents – excluding those potentially encouraged by humans through activities such as spear fishing – but a fuller database of all recorded shark interactions in Australia is maintained by Taronga Conservation Society.

It shows that shark attacks have broadly been increasing over recent decades. Already this year there have been four fatal attacks - all unprovoked.

Nets 'like a napkin in a pool'

NSW had been about to trial scaling back its use of shark nets – its oldest shark safety method – when the latest fatal attack happened.

Shark nets have been used in NSW since 1937 and these days are usually installed on 51 beaches from September through to March. Aside from Queensland, it is the only state that still uses them.

It's impossible to cordon off entire beaches – ocean conditions are too strong and would simply wash the nets away.

Instead, the shark nets are about 150m (492ft) long and sit a few metres below the water's surface. Though anchored to the sea floor at points, they don't reach the bottom. So sharks can go over, under and around them.

"It's like throwing a napkin into the pool," University of Sydney Professor Chris Pepin-Neff told the BBC.

The state government says shark nets are "not designed to create a total barrier between bathers and sharks" but rather aim to "intercept target sharks" during any hunts which bring them close to the shore.

But researchers like Prof Pepin-Neff say the nets aren't very effective, and give the illusion of safety rather than delivering a real reduction in risk.

They note that 40% of sharks caught in the nets are actually found on the beach side trying to get out.

Plenty of critics say they are cruel, too.

"They're built to ensnare sharks or fish and they're deadly effective, but sadly completely indiscriminate," says Dean Cropp who, as a cinematographer and ocean explorer, has been documenting these nets for years.

Last season, almost 90% of the animals caught in NSW's nets were not target species – including 11 critically endangered, and largely docile, grey nurse sharks. Nets along the east coast also routinely entangle humpback whales on their annual migration to and from the tropics.

"They will capture dolphins, turtles, fish, stingrays… and if they're an air-breathing mammal or reptile, it's a death sentence [unless they're freed in time]," Mr Cropp says.

Prof Pepin-Neff believes there's a danger that animals which die in the nets actually attract sharks to the beach too.

"When other fish get caught in those nets they sort of flail and it sends out a vibration underwater, sort of like ringing the dinner bell," says Prof Pepin-Neff.

Though the general public is wary of sharks, support for nets appears to be waning.

A poll conducted by Prof Pepin-Neff at Bondi Beach two years ago found three quarters of respondents would swim at the beach even if shark nets were taken out. A similar number said they wouldn't blame the state government for an attack.

Drones, apps and bite-resistant wetsuits

And there are alternatives to shark nets.

Both Queensland and NSW also use drumlines, which are baited hooks that are anchored in place. NSW uses a less lethal "smart" variety of drumlines which alert authorities who rush to tag and then release or relocate sharks caught on them.

Western Australia has "eco-barriers" which fully section off smaller bits of coastline with a more tightly woven netting – offering better protection for swimmers, though not surfers, while also minimising the harm to marine life.

Some surfers use electromagnetic shark deterrent bands, and there are even wetsuits billed as "bite-resistant".

There are also apps which track tagged sharks and alert nearby swimmers if they approach close to beaches.

And more and more drones are now used to patrol waters too. In NSW, over 300 now operate on 50 breaks and that number is expected to grow.

"They're eyes in the sky, not just someone watching from the water's edge and maybe spotting a fin," says drone operator Isaac Hails.

The buzz of his drone is especially reassuring to people where he's flying today – we're at Dee Why, a nearby beach in the bay where the recent fatal attack happened.

But due to funding constraints, the programme only runs during the school holidays, when the beaches are busier.

"If we do locate a shark, we can then tell the lifeguard and they can go out and actively disperse the shark with a jet ski or we can evacuate the water."

"It's not just a passive measure."

With the emergence of alternative shark mitigation technologies and the campaigns highlighting the toll of nets on other marine life, it was decided that three beaches in Sydney would go without nets this summer.

But that plan was quickly put on hold pending a report into Psillakis' death.

His family released a statement saying he had loved the ocean despite its risks, and called his death "a tragic and unavoidable accident".

But authorities are spooked nonetheless.

"We got so close to having the nets removed and then this tragic attack happened," says Mr Cropp.

"No-one wants to be the person that removes the shark nets and then there's a fatal attack straight after. You don't want that on your conscience."

Additional reporting by Simon Atkinson.

'They're not just sharing needles, they're sharing blood': How HIV cases soared in Fiji

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0m42dwvlk8o, 3 days ago

Ten: that's the age of the youngest person with HIV that Sesenieli Naitala has ever met.

When she first started Fiji's Survivor Advocacy Network in 2013, that young boy was yet to be born. Now he is one of thousands of Fijians to have contracted the bloodborne virus in recent years – many of them aged 19 or younger, and many of them through intravenous drug use.

"More young people are using drugs," Ms Naitala, whose organisation provides support to sex workers and drug users in the Fijian capital Suva, tells the BBC. "He (the boy) was one of those young people that were sharing needles on the street during Covid."

Over the past five years, Fiji – a tiny South Pacific nation with a population of less than a million – has become the locus of one of the world's fastest growing HIV epidemics.

In 2014, the country had fewer than 500 people living with HIV. By 2024 that number had soared to approximately 5,900 – an elevenfold leap.

That same year, Fiji recorded 1,583 new cases – a thirteenfold increase on its usual five-year average. Of those, 41 were aged 15 or younger, compared to just 11 in 2023.

Such figures prompted the country's minister for health and medical services to declare an HIV outbreak in January. Last week, assistant health minister Penioni Ravunawa warned Fiji may record more than 3,000 new HIV cases by the end of 2025.

"This is a national crisis," he said. "And it is not slowing down."

The BBC spoke to multiple experts, advocates and frontline workers about the reasons for such a meteoric rise in case numbers. Several pointed out that, as awareness around HIV spreads and stigma diminishes, more people have been coming forward and getting tested.

At the same time though, they also noted that countless more remain invisible to the official figures – and that the true scale of the issue is likely much bigger than even the record-breaking numbers suggest.

'Sharing the blood'

Underpinning Fiji's HIV epidemic is a spiralling trend of drug use, unsafe sex, needle sharing and "bluetoothing".

Otherwise known as "hotspotting", this latter term refers to a practice where an intravenous drug user withdraws their blood after a hit and injects it into a second person – who may then do the same for a third, and so on.

Kalesi Volatabu, executive director for the NGO Drug Free Fiji, has seen it happen firsthand. Last May, she was on one of her regular early morning walks through the Fijian capital of Suva, offering support and education to drug users on the streets, when she turned a corner and saw a group of seven or eight people huddling together.

"I saw the needle with the blood – it was right there in front of me," she recalls. "This young woman, she'd already had the shot and she's taking out the blood – and then you've got other girls, other adults, already lining up to be hit with this thing.

"It's not just needles they're sharing – they're sharing the blood."

Bluetoothing has also been reported in South Africa and Lesotho, two countries with some of the world's highest rates of HIV. In Fiji, the practice became popular within the past few years, according to both Ms Volatabu and Ms Naitala.

One reason for its appeal, they explain, is a cheaper high: multiple people can chip in for a single hit and share it among themselves. Another is the convenience of only needing one syringe.

These can be difficult to come by in Fiji, where pharmacies, under police pressure, often demand prescriptions for syringes, and there is a lack of needle-syringe programmes.

Although there is growing acceptance and approval for the rollout of such programmes – which provide clean injecting equipment to drug users in an attempt to reduce the transmission of blood-borne infections like HIV – implementation in the highly religious and conservative country has proven challenging.

Ms Volatabu says there is a "drastic shortage" of needle-syringe sites, which is fuelling dangerous practices like needle-sharing and bluetoothing and putting the onus on NGOs to distribute syringes as well as condoms.

In August 2024, Fiji's Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MOH) recognised bluetoothing as one of the drivers for the country's rise in HIV cases. Another was chemsex, where people use drugs - often methamphetamine - before and during sexual encounters.

In Fiji, unlike most other countries around the world, crystal meth is predominantly consumed via intravenous injection.

MOH also found that of the 1,093 new cases recorded in the first nine months of 2024, 223 – about 20% – were from intravenous drug use.

Kids on meth

Fiji has become a major Pacific trafficking hub for crystal meth over the past 15 years. A large part of this is due to the country's geographic location between East Asia and the Americas – some of the world's biggest manufacturers of the drug - and Australia and New Zealand – the world's highest-paying markets.

During that same period, meth has spilled into and spread throughout local communities, developing into a crisis that, like HIV, was recently declared a "national emergency".

And according to those on the frontlines, the age of users is trending downwards.

"We see more and more of these young people," says Ms Volatabu. "They are getting younger and younger."

Fiji's most recent national HIV statistics cite injectable drug use as the most common known mode of transmission, accounting for 48% of cases. Sexual transmission accounted for 47% of cases, while mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy and childbirth was cited as the cause of most paediatric cases.

Everyone the BBC spoke to agreed that lack of education is a central factor in the epidemic. Ms Volatabu and Ms Naitala are both working to change that – and Ms Naitala says that as a greater awareness around the dangers of HIV spreads throughout the community, "bluetoothing" has, in her experience, fallen out of favour.

More people are getting tested and seeking treatment for HIV, leading to more robust data around the scale of the crisis.

But there is still a worry that the official case numbers are merely the tip of the iceberg – and a fear of what may lie beneath the surface.

The avalanche

José Sousa-Santos, head of the Pacific Regional Security Hub at New Zealand's University of Canterbury, says "a perfect storm is brewing".

"The concern is across all levels of society and government in regards to Fiji's HIV crisis – not just what's happening at the moment, but where it's going to be in three years' time and the lack of Fiji's resources," he tells the BBC. "The support systems - the nursing, the ability to distribute or to access the drugs for treatment of HIV - just aren't there.

"That's what terrifies us, the people that work in the region: there is no way that Fiji can deal with this."

Following its declaration of an outbreak in January, the Fijian government has sought to improve its HIV surveillance and enhance its ability to address the likely underreporting of cases.

The Global Alert and Response Network, which was called upon to provide that support, stated in a recent report that "addressing these pressing issues through a well-coordinated national response is crucial in reversing the trajectory of the HIV epidemic in Fiji".

That report also noted that staffing shortages, communication issues, challenges with lab equipment and stockouts of HIV rapid tests and medicines were impacting screening, diagnosis and treatment.

Data collection is slow, difficult and error-prone, it added – hampering efforts to understand the extent of Fiji's HIV epidemic and the efficacy of the outbreak response.

That leaves many experts, authorities and everyday Fijians in the dark. And Mr Sousa-Santos is predicting an "avalanche" of cases still to come.

"What we're seeing at the moment is the beginning of the avalanche, but you can't stop it, because the infections are already happening now, or they've already happened – we're just not going to be able to see them and people aren't going to look to get tested for another two to three years," he says.

"There's nothing that we can do at the moment to stop the number of infections that have already happened over the past year, and that are happening now. That's what's really terrifying."

'A legacy worth millions' - India's former royals who draw a meagre pension

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cge2008n350o, 3 days ago

In Hussainabad, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, 90-year-old Faiyaz Ali Khan makes his way to the Picture Gallery, a 19th Century building that is a relic of the city's royal past.

His hands tremble as he walks, but there is a sparkle in his eyes. He has come to collect his wasika or royal pension.

Wasika, from the Persian word for a written agreement, is a pension granted to the descendants and associates of the rulers of the former Awadh kingdom. Awadh, now the central region of Uttar Pradesh, was ruled by semi-autonomous Muslim rulers - called nawabs - until the British annexed it in 1856.

India no longer has a monarchy, and former royals do not have any titles, privileges or special payments, known as privy purses. However, while their kingdoms and political power have long disappeared, some pension arrangements have continued for descendants of these families in states including Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Rajasthan.

Roshan Taqui, a historian of Lucknow, where Hussainabad is located, says that in the early 1800s some members of the Awadh royal family lent money to the East India Company - which was then a British trading enterprise - on condition that the interest be paid out as pensions to their families. These loans were perpetual, meaning the Company never had to return the principal amount.

But soon, the British gained power in the region while the nawabs became weaker.

Around that time, Mr Taqui says, several nawabs were also forced to lend money to the Company, which needed it to fight the Afghan war.

Standing outside the Picture Gallery, which was built during the reign of former Awadh ruler Mohammad Ali Shah, Faiyaz Ali Khan says he has come to collect his payment after 13 months.

"We've been receiving this wasika since the time of our great-grandparents. It's so little that I only come once a year to collect it," he said.

The pension amount is meagre, just nine rupees and 70 paise ($0.11; £0.08) a month, but for his family, it is about honour - their last living link to a once-rich past.

"Even if we get just one paisa, we'll spend a thousand rupees to come and collect it," says his son Shikoh Azad.

Today, around 1,200 people - known as wasikedars - continue to collect these pensions.

However, the payouts are neither fixed nor uniform and decrease with each generation. For instance, if a person received 100 rupees and had two children, the pension would be halved after their death, leaving each with 50 rupees. As descendants grew over time, the share of pensions became even smaller.

The distribution of wasika began in 1817 when Bahu Begum, the wife of Awadh's Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula, gave 40m rupees to the East India Company in two instalments on the condition that her relatives and associates receive monthly pensions, according to Mr Taqui.

Official records show that other people linked to the royal family also gave loans to the Company on similar terms.

After India became independent in 1947, part of the money loaned by Bahu Begum was placed in a bank.

According to Uttar Pradesh's wasika officer SP Tiwari, about 3m rupees was first deposited in the Reserve Bank of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and later moved to Kanpur and then Lucknow. Today, the pensions are paid out from the interest earned on around 2.6m rupees deposited in a local bank in the city.

The payments are made by two offices in the Picture Gallery: the Hussainabad Trust, run by Lucknow's district administration, and the Uttar Pradesh government's wasika office. The government now transfers pensions directly into bank accounts, while the Trust pays in cash.

Danish Ansari, Uttar Pradesh's minority welfare minister, says the wasika is given out as per policy and that the practice "dates back to the Nawabs of Awadh".

Critics argue that these allowances are remnants of feudal privilege and should have no role today. But supporters see them as honorary compensations tied to historical promises that cannot be easily brushed aside.

Shahid Ali Khan, a lawyer who is also a beneficiary of the royal pension, points to his own family's legacy. His grandfather was a minister to Nawab Mohammad Ali Shah.

Today, he receives two separate royal pensions linked to two loans, one payment of four rupees and eighty paise quarterly and another monthly payment of three rupees and twenty-one paise.

"This wasika cannot be measured in money. It's our identity, worth more than millions. Only a few people receive it," he says, adding that he collects it just before the holy month of Muharram, using it only for religious expenses.

"I don't collect it throughout the year because if even a single paisa is spent elsewhere, I would feel guilty."

Many recipients argue that the pensions should be raised in line with current interest rates.

"We've been receiving wasika at a 4% interest rate since the Nawabs' time, while today's bank interest rates are much higher," Faiyaz Ali Khan says.

His son adds that they have made repeated appeals for the amount to be increased, but in vain.

"It's unfortunate that I spend 500 rupees on petrol just to collect nine rupees and 70 paise," he says.

Experts also point out that the wasika was originally paid in silver coins that each weighed more than a tola (around 11.7g).

But when the payments switched to Indian currency, the value dropped sharply.

Shahid Ali Khan says he plans to go to court to demand a revision of the amount.

"We'll ask why wasika isn't paid in silver coins anymore. And if not in silver, then at least the amount equivalent to today's silver value should be paid," he says.

It is not only the monetary value of the wasika that has faded, but also the grandeur surrounding it.

Masood Abdullah, whose family has been receiving these payments for generations, recalls a time when collecting the pension felt like a festival, with sherbets and tea being sold on the day.

"People came in horse-drawn carriages and carts. I remember as a child, women travelled in curtained carriages for privacy. That tradition is gone now."

Faiyaz Ali Khan's father also told him that collecting the wasika was like attending a fair.

"There were vendors, food stalls, and hundreds of recipients gathered at the Picture Gallery," he says.

"That atmosphere no longer exists."

Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook.

'When I stand, I feel dizzy': Deadly earthquake leaves Filipinos struggling in ghost towns

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80g9ng3ed4o, 5 days ago

Two days after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck her hometown in the central Philippines, Arguel Estalicas says she still feels dizzy everytime she stands up.

That spinning feeling, coupled with a string of aftershocks, has left the 35-year-old tourism officer and many other survivors too scared to return to their homes, forcing them to live in tents temporarily.

The earthquake shook the northern coast of Cebu, one of the country's most populous islands, on the night of 30 September, jolting many out of their sleep.

It killed at least 68 people and wounded more than 500 others, as homes, buildings and churches collapsed and roads cracked.

"I still couldn't process what has happened to us," Ms Estalicas tells the BBC. "I am overwhelmed with the things we experienced in the last two days."

The 35-year-old lives in Medellin town, near the quake's epicentre. Disaster response officials say the earthquake displaced nearly 80,000 people across Cebu and nearby provinces. Cebu is a major trading and transportation hub in the central Philippines.

She said she got out of bed screaming when the earthquake struck and ran outdoors with her family.

They slept under the open sky, but when a light drizzle fell, Ms Estalicas and her family wrapped themselves up in plastic bags because they did not have raincoats.

Photos on social media showed them slouched on plastic chairs, swathed in plastic bags fogged up by their breath.

About 10km (6.2 miles) away, in San Remigio municipality, Lourenze Pareja also spent the night outdoors on the night of the earthquake.

"There, under the night sky, we sat freely - in great faith - with our little lights, holding on to what resources we had," Mr Pareja wrote on Facebook. "Pray for us, everyone."

When the ground started shaking, Mr Pareja said he grabbed his phone and ran to the street to livestream the unfolding chaos - neighbours in pyjamas leaving their homes, with their children and pets in tow.

"Lord," the 25-year-old community journalist said in the livestream, calling out to God, seemingly unable to say much else.

He said he checked neighbouring Bogo town and saw solar lamps casting a dim glow over streets strewn with boulders.

"What was once a vibrant city has turned into a ghost town," he said.

Food, water and fuel needed

The Philippines is vulnerable to natural disasters. It is located on the geologically unstable "Ring of Fire" - so called because of the high number of earthquakes and volcanoes that occur here.

The Cebu earthquake on Tuesday is among the strongest and deadliest in recent years. In 2013, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in neighbouring Bohol island killed over 200 people and destroyed centuries-old churches.

On Thursday, rescuers searched through rubble as authorities worked to deliver food, restore power and communication lines, and clear roads of debris.

The Philippine military has deployed troops to help maintain order during relief efforts.

However, daily necessities remain a pressing concern for many.

Photographer Doods Demape decided on Thursday to make a four-hour drive from Medellin to the provincial capital to buy supplies since no supermarkets were open.

Mr Demape says he struggled to find a petrol station that was not swamped with long queues.

"Most roads are now passable so supplies are now coming in from the city. But immediate supplies like water and food, especially for the children are not yet available," he tells the BBC.

In Bogo city, the quake's epicentre, local media reports show body bags lined on the street in front of makeshift hospitals where the injured are being treated.

This week's earthquake comes in the middle of a fierce typhoon season. Two back-to-back storms inundated large swathes of the country a week before.

Widespread floods from those storms and earlier monsoon rains have stirred public anger and triggered street protests.

Cebu is especially prone to typhoons. It lies on the general path of storms that form over the Pacific.

The island's northern region, the epicentre of Tuesday's quake, was struck by Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. That storm killed over 6,000 people in the entire central region.

Among the many buildings damaged by Tuesday's earthquake was a relocation site for survivors of Haiyan.

Despite their present challenges, Cebu locals like Ms Estalicas and Mr Pareja are hopeful that they could survive the earthquake, as they did after Haiyan and the calamities before it.

They say survivors are helping each other, what Filipinos call bayanihan or community.

"My only prayer is that help won't be delayed - and that neighbouring municipalities will also be considered and covered in these relief efforts," Mr Pareja said.

'Broken promises' and deadly violence push Himalayan beauty spot to the edge

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx25rrx89x4o, 5 days ago

For a long time, the history of tiny Ladakh - a stunning region popular with tourists, nestled high in the Himalayas - has been shaped by notions of spirituality, mysticism and a sense of otherworldliness.

But now, its fabled tranquillity has been shattered by deadly violence.

Protests for greater autonomy from India erupted last week and spiralled into clashes between crowds and police in which four civilians were killed and at least 80 injured.

Police arrested Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent scientist and activist who has been at the forefront of protests, alleging he had incited a mob with provocative speeches, a charge he denies. More protesters were then detained as authorities cut internet services, imposed a curfew in the picturesque capital Leh and sent in paramilitary troops.

The discontent in Ladakh is not new, but the violence - the deadliest there for decades - was.

Sandwiched between China to the east and Pakistan to the west, the disputed region with a rich Buddhist past used to be a part of Indian-administered Kashmir, before Delhi split the region and imposed direct rule in 2019.

Since 2021, residents have led a peaceful movement seeking statehood, job quotas and special status for Ladakh, which they say is essential to preserve their distinct identity and culture.

"What we saw is the result of years of anger and frustration that has been building up," said one local woman, Jigna, whose real name has been changed to protect her identity.

"It's high time people paid attention to what we want."

The exact sequence of events last week is still not clear but protesters told the BBC that on 24 September, thousands of people had gathered peacefully in a public park to support Wangchuk and others, who had been on a hunger strike for two weeks.

"At some point, a chunk of people, especially youngsters, walked away from the venue and started a protest rally. Then the violence broke out," said Gelek Phunchok, a businessman who was there.

Dozens were injured and an office of India's governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was set on fire in the unrest.

Police say they responded to the violence by opening fire, but protesters deny this. An inquiry led by a magistrate is currently under way.

A lot of restrictions have since been eased - but fear, mistrust and a deep sense of foreboding still grip Leh.

Authorities have asked people to stay vigilant against "the anti-social and anti-national elements attempting to disturb harmony", further souring sentiments among the locals.

Political and defence experts have expressed caution, saying any escalation would only alienate people, posing serious risks for India's national security.

"Ladakh is a highly sensitive region, sharing borders with both of India's rivals - China and Pakistan. We need to make sure that this area remains stable," says Lt Gen Deependra Singh Hooda, who headed the Indian army's Northern Command from 2012-2016.

The region was the site of deadly border clashes between India and China in 2020, and also includes Kargil, where India and Pakistan fought a short war in 1999.

"Ladakhis have traditionally supported the army but narratives branding them anti-nationals could change things," said Lt Gen Hooda.

But for some, reconciliation may no longer be an option.

Several protesters the BBC spoke to said they do not support "violence in any form and would continue to oppose it".

But what happened, they add, cannot be ignored either. "People have all kinds of romanticised ideas about Ladakh. But beyond the beauty, the region is a complex patchwork of cultures and identities, each with its own unique history," said Jigna.

Ladakh's 300,000 people are almost equally made up of Muslims and Buddhists. The Leh region is dominated by Buddhists - predominantly tribespeople - while Kargil is inhabited by Muslims.

Historically, the Buddhist community has demanded a separate region for its people, and those in Kargil have wanted to be integrated with Muslim-majority Indian-administered Kashmir.

In 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government revoked Article 370 of the constitution which accorded special status, including land and job rights, to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, residents in Ladakh were initially jubilant.

They hoped the decision would allow them more autonomy in their culture and spur economic development in the remote region. But as time passed, many began to feel disillusioned saying the benefits never reached them.

With the special status gone, the autonomy of hill councils - that were formed in the 1990s to give residents a greater say in local politics - began to wane. The changes also allowed non-residents to buy land and property in the region.

People who once supported the government now accused it of throwing open the region to "industrialists and capitalists" and making them vulnerable to demographic changes.

"We felt cheated. We were promised that our land, jobs and cultural identity will be protected but this was a lie," said Diskit Gangjor, secretary of the women's wing of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), an organisation leading the protests.

As anger grew, residents from Kargil and Leh joined hands and sought full statehood for their region.

Other demands included adding Ladakh to a list, known as the Sixth Schedule, that guarantees protections to land and a nominal degree of autonomy to tribal areas under the constitution, along with a parliamentary seat each for Leh and Kargil districts.

Over the years, Ladakh's main advocacy groups held several rounds of talks with the federal home ministry, but failed to make any progress.

In the meantime, unemployment soared in the region, making its young people increasingly more frustrated.

It was in this context that Wangchuk and others began their protest last month.

"What happened on 24 September wasn't just about that single day. It can't be understood in isolation - you have to look at where this frustration is coming from," says Nardon Shunu, a women's rights activist.

The BBC has contacted Ladakh's director general of police and other senior officials for comment.

Since Wangchuk's arrest, the region's main civil society groups have withdrawn from dialogue with the federal government.

Protesters say that even though their most vocal leader has been detained, they will continue their struggle peacefully.

"What we are doing is not anti-national. These are our genuine demands and we will achieve our goal peacefully," Phunchok, the businessman, said.

For now, the road to peace looks uncertain.

Hundreds of soldiers have been guarding the protest site - one of Leh's main public parks - since last week. Protesters say they want to resume their movement, but don't know when that'll happen. Many of them have gone icognito fearing reprisals.

"What happened that day [on the day of clashes] felt was chaos of another level," said Phunchok. " It will take a long time to recover from it."

Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook.

Who is Japan's 'Iron Lady' Sanae Takaichi?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crkj5e73xkmo, 3 days ago

Respected figure: Baroness Margaret Thatcher. Personal goal: To become Japan's Iron Lady.

It was only after two failed attempts that, on Saturday, Sanae Takaichi finally achieved her long-held ambition.

The 64-year-old was elected leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on its 70th anniversary - putting her on course to become the country's first female prime minister.

A former government minister and TV host, and once a drummer in a heavy metal band, she will now face the challenge of leading not only a party struggling to regain voter trust after scandals and battling with the far right - but a country facing low birth rates and rising geopolitical tensions.

Born in Nara Prefecture in 1961, Takaishi's father was an office worker and her mother a police officer. Politics was far removed from her upbringing.

Once an avid heavy metal drummer, she was famous for carrying many sticks because she would break them during intense drumming. She was also a scuba diver and a car enthusiast - her beloved Toyota Supra is now displayed in a Nara museum.

Before entering politics, Takaichi worked briefly as a television host.

Her political inspiration came in the 1980s, during the height of US-Japan trade friction. Determined to understand American perceptions of Japan, she worked in the office of Democrat Patricia Schroeder, a congresswoman known for her criticism of Japan.

Takaichi saw Americans mixing up Japanese, Chinese and Korean language and cuisine, observing how Japan was often grouped together with China and South Korea.

"Unless Japan can defend itself, its fate will always be at the mercy of shallow US opinion," she concluded.

She ran in her first parliamentary election in 1992 as an independent but lost.

She persisted, winning a seat a year later and joining the LDP in 1996. Since then, she has been elected as an MP 10 times, losing only once, and built a reputation as one of the party's most outspoken conservative voices.

She has also held senior government roles, including minister for economic security, state minister for trade and industry, and a record-breaking tenure as minister for internal affairs and communications.

In 2021, Takaichi first entered the LDP leadership race but lost to Fumio Kishida. She tried again in 2024, this time topping the first round of voting but ultimately losing to Shigeru Ishiba.

This year, on her third attempt, she secured victory - setting her on course to become Japan's first female prime minister once parliament confirms her appointment.

"My goal is to become the Iron Lady," she told a group of school children during her recent campaign.

Takaichi is a staunch conservative who has long opposed legislation allowing married women to keep their maiden names, insisting it undermines tradition. She is also against same sex marriage.

However, she has recently softened her tone. During her campaign she vowed to make babysitter fees partially tax-deductible and proposed corporate tax breaks for companies that provide in-house childcare services.

Her family and personal experiences underpin her policy proposals: expanding hospital services for women's health, giving household support workers greater recognition, and improving care options for Japan's ageing society.

"I have personally experienced nursing and caregiving three times in my life," she said.

"That's why my determination has only grown stronger to reduce the number of people forced to leave their jobs due to caregiving, child-rearing or children refusing to attend school.

"I want to create a society where people don't have to give up their careers."

A protégé of the late Shinzo Abe, she pledged to revive his "Abenomics" economic vision of high public spending and cheap borrowing.

She has been a regular visitor to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan's war dead including convicted war criminals.

She has also called for easing constitutional restrictions on the country's Self-Defence Forces, which are forbidden from having offensive capabilities.

Since its foundation in 1955, LDP has dominated Japanese politics, but it is now losing ground amid frustration with a sluggish economy, demographic decline and social discontent.

Takaichi belongs to the right-wing side of the LDP, and in electing her the LDP is hoping to win back conservative voters who have gravitated towards the far-right Sanseito party.

Sanseito, running on a "Japanese First" slogan, has recently surged from one to 15 seats, drawing away conservative voters. The LDP has lost its majority in both houses of parliament.

Takaichi herself acknowledged the problem in a speech after winning the first round of voting: "We have received particularly harsh criticism from our core supporters, conservatives, and party members."

"The LDP must change for the sake of Japan's present and future. We will always put the national interest first and manage the country with a sense of balance."

The parliament is expected to confirm her as prime minister on 15 October.

Australian prosecutors appeal mushroom murderer's 'inadequate' sentence

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07vlzn587lo, yesterday

Prosecutors in Australia have filed an appeal against the sentence of mushroom murderer Erin Patterson, saying it was "manifestly inadequate".

Last month Patterson, 51, was jailed for life with no chance of release for at least 33 years, for murdering three relatives and trying to kill another with a toxic mushroom meal.

On Monday, the deadline for the appeal, the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) confirmed that it had filed an appeal "on the basis that the sentence handed down to Erin Patterson is manifestly inadequate".

Patterson's jail term - one of the longest ever handed to a female offender in Australia - means she will be in her 80s before she is able to apply for parole.

Last week, her barrister Richard Edney told a hearing in Melbourne that she intended to appeal against her conviction, though this has not yet been formally lodged.

Patterson's appeal is not an automatic right. Her legal team must convince the appeal court in the state of Victoria that there were legal errors and that it should hear the appeal. No details have been given on their grounds for appeal.

The intense public interest in her case created a media frenzy and saw journalists, podcasters and documentary makers from around the world - as well as members of the general public - descend on the small courthouse in the country town of Morwell.

Patterson killed her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, after serving them individual portions of beef Wellington containing death cap mushrooms at her home in Victoria in 2023.

Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, a local pastor, survived the lunch after weeks in hospital and still has ongoing health issues related to the poisoning.

Patterson's estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was meant to attend the lunch but cancelled at the last minute, in part due to his belief that his wife had been trying to poison him for years.

Following the trial, it was revealed that he had become so violently ill after eating several of her meals in the past that he had been in a coma, a large part of his bowel had been surgically removed, and his family were told to say goodbye to him twice as he was not expected to survive his ailments.

During sentencing, Justice Christopher Beale agreed that Patterson's crimes were the worst of their kind, but said his decision to allow parole was influenced by the "harsh prison conditions" she faced.

He noted that she had spent 15 months in solitary confinement at the time of her sentencing, and, for her own safety, there was a "substantial chance" that she could face more time in an isolation wing, where prisoners are not allowed to mix and meals are delivered via a small opening in the cell door.

The judge noted that Patterson's reputation and the high level of media and public interest in the case meant she would likely "remain a notorious prisoner for many years to come, and, as such, remain at significant risk from other prisoners".

Justice Beale further described Patterson's current jail conditions in a female maximum security prison - the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Melbourne - where she spends 22 hours a day in her cell with no contact with other inmates due to her "major offender status".

'Area of interest' found in search for girl who vanished 55 years ago

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4qp95n0pzo, 5 days ago

A volunteer team using cadaver detection dogs to search for the body of a British child who disappeared in Australia more than 50 years ago has found an "area of interest".

The group hopes their finding is a breakthrough in Cheryl Grimmer's case and have reported the location to New South Wales Police, who are now on the scene.

Authorities suspect the three-year-old, who had emigrated from Bristol with her family, was abducted from Fairy Meadow beach in Wollongong in January 1970.

"A search will be conducted tomorrow with the assistance of specialist officers as part of ongoing inquiries," police told the BBC in a statement.

Today, bathed in the sun, the beach looks as idyllic as it must have been all those years ago. From the sand dunes, looking inland, the terrain gradually climbs into dense bushland.

A short drive up into the hills, there's a small pocket of woodland on the edge of an upmarket suburb that could reveal a terrible secret.

Balgownie was the location mentioned in a confession made by a teenage boy - also from England - a year after the toddler vanished. Decades later, a judge disallowed that admission.

In 2019, a trial of the suspect, known only by a codename, Mercury, who'd been charged with Cheryl Grimmer's abduction and murder, collapsed. The man, in his 60s, had denied any wrongdoing.

Cheryl's brother Ricki Nash was seven when his little sister vanished. He last saw her in the changing rooms at Fairy Meadow.

"This should have been done 55 years ago," he said as the specialist team with dogs trained to detect human remains began its work. "My question is, why wasn't it?

"Yes, it's extraordinary. The police have never canvassed this area in detail even though they had a confession. Not just a confession, a very detailed one."

He has spent a lifetime craving answers, but does not want to find them here among the tall trees, creek and bushes.

"We always live with the hope that someone took her that couldn't have a child, raised her well. One day she'd grow up, find out she didn't belong to that family. We've had people over the years do that to me and to our family: knock on the door and say that they are Cheryl and your heart rate goes at a million-to-one," Mr Nash told the BBC.

"We were hoping for it to be Cheryl one day. So, to be here looking for a body or part thereof, I mean, it's not a good thing."

Nine-year-old Rufus is the principal search dog. His handler, Chris D'Arcy, the president of Search Dogs Sydney, a charity, had offered to help the Grimmer family after attending a missing persons seminar in Wollongong. He had also heard the BBC's Fairy Meadow podcast, presented by Jon Kay, which has been downloaded five million times.

The canine team has had success in previous cold cases dating back more than half a century. Last year, they found human remains in a lake in northern New South Wales.

Now, Mr D'Arcy's team believes it has made a potential breakthrough in the Grimmer case.

"What we believe we have located is an area of interest and will pass the information on to the authorities," he said. "The dog showed a distinct change in behaviour."

Ricki Nash said the news made him "tremble".

"If it is Cheryl out there – she has been there for 55 years now – she shouldn't have been," he said.

Balgownie was mostly farmland in 1970. Frank Sanvitale, a former detective who worked on the Grimmer case, has come to support members of Cheryl's family. They have become close and share deep frustrations about the broader police investigation over the decades.

"To find something after 55 years, I'm hoping we do, but the chances are one in a million," he explained. "It would be like winning four lotteries in a row. You've got to use a bit of common sense and be sensible and logical about it."

The retired investigator has challenged the individual or group responsible for the toddler's disappearance to come forward.

"What about doing something for Cheryl, that little girl you took away and owning up to what you did and [giving] families here in Australia and in England... some peace," he said.

Tragedy sends ripples of grief through families. Ricki Nash's daughter, Melanie Grimmer, has four children. She is also anxiously waiting for news of the search at a command post on the side of the road.

"I know my dad hopes that nothing is found. I hope she's found, I hope the baby girl comes home. My family has been through so much and it is a continuous fight," she told the BBC. "I feel sick in my stomach being here."

Much has changed since 1970. But one thing remains steadfast - the determination of a grieving family to uncover the truth.

Australia sunscreen scandal grows as more products pulled off shelves

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62qdje2ll4o, 6 days ago

A sunscreen scandal in Australia is continuing to grow, with 18 products now pulled from shelves in the skin cancer hotspot over safety concerns.

Analysis by a consumer advocacy group in June found several popular and expensive sunscreens did not provide the protection claimed by their makers.

One product, Ultra Violette's Lean Screen Skinscreen, is supposed to offer a skin protection factor (SPF) of 50+ but instead returned a result of SPF 4 and was voluntarily recalled in August.

An investigation by the medicines regulator has now warned about 20 more sunscreens from other brands, which share the same base formula, and raised "significant concerns" about a testing laboratory.

"The preliminary testing indicates that this base formulation is unlikely to have an SPF greater than 21," the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said in an update, adding that for some of the goods the SPF rating may be as low as four.

Of the 21 products it named, eight have been recalled or manufacture stopped completely. The sale of another 10 products have been paused, and two more are being reviewed. One product named by the TGA is made in Australia but is not sold in the country.

Australia has the highest rate of skin cancers in the world - it is estimated that two out of three Australians will have at least one cut out in their lifetime - and it has some of the strictest sunscreen regulations globally.

The scandal has caused a massive backlash from customers in the nation, but experts have warned it may also have global implications. Problems have been identified with both the manufacture of some sunscreens and the integrity of lab testing relied upon to prove their SPF claims.

The manufacturer of the base formula in question, Wild Child Laboratories Pty Ltd, has stopped making it as a result, the TGA said.

In a statement, Wild Child Laboratories boss Tom Curnow said the TGA had found no manufacturing issues at its facility.

"The discrepancies reported in recent testing are part of a broader, industry-wide issue," he said.

The TGA has previously said it is looking into "reviewing existing SPF testing requirements" which can be "highly subjective", but in the update on Tuesday said it had significant concerns about testing undertaken by Princeton Consumer Research Corp (PCR Corp), a US lab.

"The TGA is aware that many companies responsible for sunscreens manufactured using this base formulation relied on testing by PCR Corp to support their SPF claims."

Mr Curnow said Wild Child had ceased working with PCR laboratories and had submitted its formulas for testing with other accredited, independent laboratories.

All companies using the problematic base formula and the PCR lab have also been contacted by the TGA, it said.

"The TGA has also written to PCR Corp regarding its concerns and has not received a response."

In an emailed statement to the BBC, PCR Corp suggested that external factors could account for SPF rating discrepancies between their tests and those later conducted by others.

"Sunscreen performance measured in a laboratory reflects the exact batch and condition of the sample submitted at that moment," the statement said.

"Multiple factors outside the laboratory - such as manufacturing variability between batches, raw-material differences, packaging, storage conditions, product age, and in-market handling - can influence the SPF of products sold later."

The statement went on to explain that "testing is therefore one part of a broader quality and regulatory process that includes manufacturing controls, stability programmes, and post-market surveillance by brands and regulators".

"We can only speak to the data we generated on the samples we tested; we cannot opine on any subsequently manufactured or sold product that we did not test."

Animal bones found in search for girl who vanished 55 years ago

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y8z8kmpgyo, 4 days ago

The "area of interest" flagged in a volunteer-led search for the body of a British girl who vanished in Australia 55 years ago has turned out to be a false alarm, New South Wales Police said.

A volunteer team who used cadaver detection dogs in search of Cheryl Grimmer had hoped their finding would be a breakthrough in the case which has remained a mystery since she disappeared in 1970, when she was three.

But bones that were found in the area belong to an animal, police said in response to the BBC's queries, adding that the search had "concluded".

Authorities suspect Cheryl, who had emigrated from Bristol with her family, was abducted from Fairy Meadow beach in Wollongong in January 1970.

Thursday's search happened in Balgownie, on a small pocket of woodland mentioned in a confession made by a teenage boy.

In 2019, a trial of the suspect, known only by a codename, Mercury, who'd been charged with Cheryl's abduction and murder, collapsed. The man, in his 60s then, had denied any wrongdoing.

Prosecutors later dropped charges against him as a judge disallowed the confession he made as a minor.

Authorities have conducted numerous searches in the decades since Cheryl disappeared, but have found few clues as to what happened to her.

NSW authorities have offered a A$1m ($660,000; £491,000) reward for information on Cheryl's abduction and suspected murder.

Cheryl's brother Ricki Nash, 62, has publicly highlighted what he believes are errors in the police investigation dating back to the day she went missing.

Mr Nash was seven then. He last saw his sister in the changing rooms at Fairy Meadow on the day she disappeared.

A petition asking the state parliament to set up an inquiry into missing persons investigations overseen by NSW Police, such as Cheryl's, gathered more than 10,000 signatures this summer.

It was debated in parliament, but in a letter responding to petitioners, state authorities made no commitment to holding an inquiry.

With reporting by Tiffanie Turnbull in Sydney

Mushroom killer to appeal against guilty verdict, lawyer says

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8ex88y9024o, 6 days ago

Australia's mushroom murderer Erin Patterson intends to appeal against her conviction, her lawyer has told a court in Melbourne.

Earlier last month, Patterson was sentenced to life in jail after a jury found her guilty of killing three relatives and attempting to kill another by serving them a toxic beef Wellington laced with poisonous mushrooms.

She maintained her innocence during the 11-week long trial, claiming that the disastrous meal had been an accident.

No details of the proposed grounds for appeal were given during Thursday's brief administrative hearing, and the appeal has not yet been formally lodged.

An appeal is not an automatic right - her legal team must convince the appeal court in the state of Victoria that there were legal errors and that they should hear the appeal.

Patterson was sentenced to life in prison, with no chance of release for at least 33 years.

The jail term, one of the longest ever handed to a female offender in Australia, means Erin Patterson, who turned 51 this week, will be in her 80s before she can apply for parole.

Patterson killed her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, after serving them a toxic beef Wellington at her home in Victoria in 2023.

Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson, a local pastor, survived the lunch after recovering from a coma and has ongoing health issues related to the poisoning.

The case sent shock waves through the small town of Korumburra, where the Pattersons and Wilkinsons lived.

The weeks-long murder trial this year, which attracted international attention, ended with a 12-member jury finding Patterson guilty on all charges.

A Supreme Court judge said Patterson's crimes were the "worst category" for offending and involved an "elaborate cover-up".

Justice Christopher Beale added that Patterson "showed no pity" for her victims in the days after the lunch, as those who had eaten her toxic meal fought for their lives in hospital.

Missing Cheryl Grimmer: Family's anger over police decision not to contact witnesses

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1ed4g1q52no, 8 days ago

The man said he had a brief chat over the phone with NSW Police after telling the BBC about what he saw, but did not hear from the force again.

Damian Loone, a retired detective who worked on Cheryl's case, said he believed the man's testimony was "very credible".

In 2017, a man in his 60s was charged with Cheryl's abduction and murder after officers discovered a confession made to police by a teenage boy in 1971.

A judge later ruled the confession could not be presented as trial evidence.

The defendant - known only by his police codename "Mercury" because he was a minor at the time of the alleged offences - was freed in 2019 and all charges, which he denied, were dropped.

In a new episode of the Fairy Meadow podcast, former Det Sgt Loone said he "just can't fathom" why the police did not formally interview the man who spoke to the BBC, something he would have done if he was still in charge of the investigation into Cheryl's disappearance.

"I think that's sloppy police work," he added. "That's what they should have done and I can't believe that it hasn't happened."

He said he believed the man was "the only independent witness" that was at Fairy Meadow beach who saw a teenage boy - aged around 16 or 17 - with Cheryl on the day she went missing.

"We know that the suspect Mercury was [of] that age group at the time," he added.

Kay Tutton, another potential eyewitness, contacted the BBC to say she saw a man taking a little girl away from the beach on the day Cheryl disappeared.

"I just [remember] this lovely little girl and she was very upset. And this man had her tightly by the hand and said 'come on'. She obviously didn't want to go."

Kay went to a police station shortly after seeing a news report about Cheryl going missing in 1970 but officers did not speak to her again after she told them what she saw.

The BBC provided them with updated contact details after Kay, now aged 82, emailed us about the podcast - but she has not heard from officers.

Another woman, who also asked to keep her identity private, told us she had been approached by a man on a beach near Fairy Meadow a few days before Cheryl disappeared. She says she hasn't been contacted by NSW Police either.

"I've got this information that I could give to them and they are not interested, you know? I'm just disappointed," she told us. "It could lead to something."

Cheryl's brother Ricki, now 62, was seven years old when she disappeared. The pair had been together in changing rooms beside Fairy Meadow beach but after he turned away for a few seconds, she was gone.

He has written an open letter highlighting what he believes are errors in the police investigation dating back to the day she went missing.

A petition asking the state parliament to set up an inquiry into missing persons investigations overseen by NSW Police, such as Cheryl's, attracted more than 10,000 signatures this summer.

It was debated in parliament, but in a letter responding to petitioners, the state's minister for police and counter-terrorism made no commitment to holding an inquiry.

NSW Police said all the information it received, including potential eyewitness accounts from the BBC, was properly assessed. They said it was not the case that everyone who contacted them would be interviewed.

"Each submission is evaluated on its merits, and decisions regarding subsequent action are made in accordance with investigative standards and the relevance of the information to the established facts."

They added that they met members of Cheryl's family last September for a three-hour discussion about the police review in which "all known and verified facts were clearly outlined".

In 2020, 50 years after Cheryl disappeared, NSW Police offered a reward of one million Australian dollars (£529,000) to anybody who had information that led to a successful conviction.

Ricki told us: "You offer a million dollar reward, people come forward, you don't speak to them. Why offer the reward?

"Was that just to appease our family, appease the public, just to make yourselves look good - look like you're doing something? In actual fact, you're doing nothing."

Kindergarten parents told to pay thousands for kids' art - sparking uproar and a midnight heist

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8ed2g95zlo, 13 days ago

How much would you pay for your child's art?

That's the question one Australian kindergarten posed to dozens of families this week when it asked them to stump up A$2,200 (£1,000; $1,400) for the pleasure of taking home a curated portfolio of their child's artwork.

The folders included many a random blob and splodge, alongside happy snaps of the would-be Picassos making creations only a parent could love.

Billed as a fundraiser, the debt-ridden centre said the money from the portfolios would go towards whittling down a long list of overdue bills, including unpaid wages for educators.

Craigslea Community Kindergarten and Preschool in Brisbane closed last month after funding was halted amid an investigation into claims about its governance.

Its obscure request, however, has sparked anger in Queensland, with the state's leader calling it "emotional blackmail", regulators staging an intervention, and one parent allegedly going to extreme lengths to take back their child's collection of artworks in the middle of the night.

How the saga unfolded

The controversy has been months in the making - tensions between management and parents at the kindergarten centre, about half an hour north of Brisbane, have been steadily brewing this year.

It's a community-run centre affiliated with one of the state's largest childcare providers, the Creche and Kindergarten Association (C&K). While the latter helps distribute government funding, the day-to-day operations of the centre were controlled by a volunteer committee, made up of parents and community members.

That committee was gutted last month when a dispute led to the mass resignation of its president, vice-president and secretary, leaving its treasurer Thomas D'Souza to take over the helm, according to the Brisbane Times.

The new management fired existing staff and hired temporary workers, leading many parents to remove their kids from the centre, their report said.

Parents lodged complaints about Mr D'Souza being the sole committee member, something he denied, prompting C&K to pause funding as authorities investigated the way the centre was being run.

On Sunday night, the inboxes of the families with children at the kindergarten pinged with an email from management wanting to address a "tumultuous" few weeks.

"It is our turn to talk," the email said, according to the A Current Affair programme on the Nine network.

The lengthy missive said the centre couldn't pay its debts and had entered voluntary administration.

Hours later, another message landed, revealing a plan to sell the children's art portfolios for thousands a pop, and asking any parents opposed to that to email back.

The request left Brooke, one of the parents at the centre, speechless.

"It's ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. I don't even really have words for it," she told A Current Affair.

She added that when she decided to take the artwork without paying, the centre reported her to police.

Though it is unclear whether they are referencing the same incident, Queensland Police told the BBC it had received reports of an alleged midnight break-and-enter at the kindergarten about a fortnight ago, and was investigating.

The kindergarten management did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

But the saga has prompted public backlash, with thousands weighing in on social media and the state's premier blasting the request as "un-Australian" and "wrong on so many levels".

"I never saw any Picassos come home, that's for sure. But they mean something to you," David Crisafulli said of his own kids' early crafts, on Nine's Today programme.

"Let's give the kids their finger painting and let's get on with life."

On Wednesday, the Department of Education and C&K said they had launched a successful recovery operation, and had retrieved the children's collections from the kindergarten.

"C&K recognises the importance of these portfolios and unequivocally condemns any practice that involves charging parents for their children's portfolios," a C&K spokeswoman told the BBC in statement.

"These important records are now available for families to collect."

A spokesperson for the Department of Education had earlier said: "Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, parents can request certain documentation pertaining to their child.

"The approved provider must make the documentation available on request."

For these parents, their children's art is now both priceless and free.

Time may be running out for Master of clocks Macron: What next for France?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0kn04453z8o, today

After eight years in office, Emmanuel Macron's position as president is coming under increasing pressure as France's political crisis escalates.

Macron once called himself maître des horloges - master of the clocks - but his command of timing is not what it was. For the third time in a year his choice of prime minister has resigned, and opinion polls suggest almost three-quarters of voters think the president should step down too.

Long-time ally Édouard Philippe, who served as Macron's first prime minister from 2017-20, has urged him to appoint a technocrat prime minister and call presidential elections in an "orderly manner".

But Macron is more likely to dissolve parliament than step down.

How did we get here?

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced his resignation at the start of a day of political drama on Monday, after only 26 days in the job.

Hours later he said he had accepted Macron's request to stay on for another 48 hours to hold last-ditch talks with political parties "for the stability of the country".

The unexpected twists were the latest in a long series of upheavals that began with Emmanuel Macron's decision to call a snap parliamentary election in June 2024. The result was a hung parliament in which Macron's centrist partners lost their majority and had to seek alliances with other parties.

The leader of one of those parties, Bruno Retailleau of the conservative Republicans, pulled out of Lecornu's government 14 hours after it was announced.

It's all about France's debt

The big challenge facing Lecornu and his two predecessors has been how to tackle France's crippling national debt and get over the ideological divisions between the centre-ground parties who could be part of a government.

Early this year public debt stood at €3,345 billion, or almost 114% of economic output (GDP), the third highest in the eurozone after Greece and Italy. France's budget deficit this year is projected to hit 5.4% of GDP.

Michel Barnier and François Bayrou lasted only three and nine months respectively before being ousted in confidence votes as they tried to tackle the deficit with austerity budgets.

Lecornu did not even make it as far as presenting a budget plan. Criticism poured in from all sides as soon as he presented his cabinet on Sunday afternoon and by Monday morning he had decided his position was untenable.

He blamed his departure on the unmovable stance of parties who, he said, "all behave as if they had a majority".

All the parties have an eye on the next presidential votes in 2027, and they are also gearing up for the possibility of snap parliamentary elections in case Macron dissolves parliament again.

Who are the key figures in this crisis?

The leaders who have been calling on Macron to resign for months are on the hard right and radical left.

Marine Le Pen and her young lieutenant in the far-right National Rally, Jordan Bardella, are ready for elections and have refused Lecornu's invitation to talk.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the radical left France Unbowed (LFI) has been agitating for Macron's impeachment, although that seems unlikely. He is backed by the Greens.

Olivier Faure's centre-left Socialists were allied to the radical left during the last elections but have been talking to Lecornu on condition that he forms a left-wing government.

Then there is Gabriel Attal, who leads Macron's own centrist Renaissance party, but has said he no longer understands the president's decisions.

And on the centre-right is Bruno Retailleau, whose Republicans have been part of the so-called socle commun (common platform) with the centrists.

What happens now?

Lecornu has been deep in discussions with party representatives and has until Wednesday evening to present a "platform of action and stability" to Macron.

There are four options - and none of them look good.

* If Lecornu manages to persuade the centre-ground parties to form some kind of government, then Macron will be able to name a new prime minister, whoever that is. Lecornu has indicated he does not wish to take on the job, although that is not a definitive no. The omens are not great. When he resigned on Monday Lecornu said: "I was ready for compromise but all parties wanted the other party to adopt their programmes in their entirety." But France does need to pass some kind of 2026 budget to tackle its national debt, and the factions know that.

* If Lecornu fails, the Elysee has indicated that Macron would "take responsibility". That would probably mean fresh parliamentary elections, which would spell bad news for his centrist allies and the Socialists but would benefit Marine Le Pen's hard-right National Rally in particular. Elections would need to take place a maximum of 40 days after parliament is dissolved - which would mean voting in November.

* Macron's presidency ends in 18 months but he is facing increasing calls to step down. He has repeatedly rejected early presidential elections, but it is not out of the question. Former Macron minister Benjamin Haddad argues that his resignation would make no sense as the next president would just face the same problem: "The political divide is here to stay."

* Even without a government agreement, the parties could put aside their differences in parliament and come to a compromise on a limited budget. But French politics is not known for its culture of compromise.

Has Macron run out of road?

After his third prime minister in the past year announced his resignation on Monday, Macron went for a long walk along the River Seine, his mobile phone to his ear.

A stunt for the cameras? Perhaps, but it was symbolic of the solitary nature of his position, as he confronts some of the hardest choices of his presidency and some of his former allies appear to be deserting him.

But the president will have known for some time of the political challenges ahead and he is not one to give up without a fight - or another bid to stabilise an increasingly ungovernable France. There is a sense that time may be running out for the master of the clocks.

Balloons used to smuggle cigarettes shut Lithuanian airport

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r0ezjzwpno, yesterday

Balloons carrying thousands of packs of cigarettes have disrupted flights in Lithuania, as Vilnius Airport was forced to close for hours when dozens of them floated into the country's airspace.

The National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) told the BBC that 25 meteorological balloons were detected entering Lithuania from neighbouring Belarus, two of which ended up directly over the airport.

The airport said the shutdown led to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers. It warned that there may still be delays on Monday.

The "airspace violations" come at a time of heightened tension in Europe after a number of drone incursions, suspected of being linked to Russia, caused air traffic disruption.

Moscow has denied any involvement in the recent incidents.

Up to 14 of the weather balloons launched over the weekend floated over the Vilnius area, home to Lithuania's capital and close to the border with Belarus, Lithuanian officials said.

At least 11 balloons carrying 18,000 packs of black-market cigarettes have since been recovered, though this number could rise, Lithuania's State Border Guard Service said.

Despite the disruption they caused, a NCMC spokesman said: "Balloons with contraband cargo - cigarettes from Belarus - are nothing new in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland."

So far this year, 544 balloons have been recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus, he said, while 966 were last year.

Meanwhile, the north-eastern Podlaskie region of Poland, which also borders Belarus, has recorded more than 100 cases in which contraband was flown in from its neighbour using the balloons, which are typically used to carry weather instruments to high altitudes.

In one instance last month, Polish police detained a Belarusian citizen whose car had been circling cigarettes smuggled in using a balloon. A geolocation tag was reportedly found on his phone linked to the illicit goods.

Asked why criminals use a method that is highly susceptible to the weather, rather than much more controllable drones, the NCMC spokesman said: "Meteorological balloons are a rudimentary tool used by smugglers - they are cheaper than drones for transporting cigarettes from Belarus."

He added: "Our services' aim is to seize the largest possible quantities of contraband and to detain organisers and perpetrators so that this activity is unprofitable and does not pose a risk to civil aviation."

Drones of unclear origin caused the closure of Danish airports and airspace in September. Drones were also seen over neighbouring Norway and Germany, prompting European leaders to accelerate discussions about strengthening air defences.

Denmark said at the time there was no evidence to suggest Russian involvement, despite Moscow being blamed for earlier airspace incursions into Poland, Estonia and Romania.

Russia either denied these earlier incursions or said they were accidental as its full-scale invasion of nearby Ukraine continues.

German mayor critically injured in stabbing attack, police say

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czrpz5e8mgyo, today

A newly-elected mayor in western Germany has been stabbed and left critically injured near her home, police say.

Iris Stalzer, a member of the centre-left Social Democratic party (SPD), became the mayor of Herdecke in the North-Rhine Westphalia state in September.

Local police say a major operation is under way in the small town, without giving any further details.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned what he called "a heinous act", adding: "We fear for the life of the mayor-elect, Iris Stalzer, and hope for a full recovery."

The SPD said its party members were deeply shocked by the attack.

Germany's Bild newspaper reports that Stalzer's adopted children - a daughter, 17, and son, 15 - were inside the family home when the incident took place. Authorities have not confirmed this detail.

Two Austrian women switched at birth meet 35 years later

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yjeyljw0vo, today

Two Austrian women, who were switched at birth at a hospital in the southern city of Graz have finally met each other 35 years later.

Doris Grünwald and Jessica Baumgartner were born at the LKH-Uniklinikum in Graz in October 1990, according to Austrian reports.

Both were premature. Shortly after they were born, the two babies were accidentally switched and were given to the parents of the other family.

Then in 2012 Ms Grünwald discovered that she was not the biological daughter of her parents, Evelin and Josef, when she donated blood, and realised her blood type did not match with that of her mother.

Austrian public broadcaster ORF reported on the case in 2016 but back then the other family could not be found.

Ms Baumgartner was brought up not far away by Herbert and Monika Derler, according to ORF's Thema TV programme. She discovered her blood type didn't match that of her parents when she became pregnant, and a doctor informed her about the case of the switched babies.

Jessica got in touch with Doris via Facebook and they then met up.

She told the programme it was like meeting a sister.

"We got along right away," Doris said. "It was an indescribably good feeling."

Recently, the families finally met up too, filmed by an ORF TV crew.

Mrs Derler told the programme her first reaction on hearing the news was one of "emotional turmoil".

"But my first thought was Jessica will always be our child. And when I saw Doris, I thought she is such a sweetheart."

Meanwhile, Evelin Grünwald said: "For me, my family has just got bigger and I finally have certainty."

"It was a relief," her husband said.

The operations manager at the LKH-Uniklinikum in Graz, Gebhard Falzberger, was quoted by the broadcaster as saying: "We deeply regret that this mistake was made at the time."

He apologised to both families on behalf of the hospital.

In 2016, the Grünwalds consulted a lawyer who advised them to adopt Doris, to ensure her inheritance rights, and got them compensation from the hospital, Thema reported.

The Derlers are now also pursuing adoption and compensation.

Jessica said it was good there was now clarity - but she admitted to having mixed feelings.

"It's emotionally huge," she said, "with beautiful sides to it but also a lot of pain."

Gisèle Pelicot to face one of her rapists in court as French women fear nothing has changed

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdx2d9lynk1o, yesterday

France's mass rape victim, Gisèle Pelicot, is returning to court on Monday to face one of her attackers, the only man who is appealing against last year's trial verdict in which a total of 51 accused were convicted of raping her as she lay, drugged by her husband, in their family home.

At the time, Madame Pelicot's defiant public stance was seen as a potentially catalytic moment in the fight against sexual violence. But in France, that optimism appears to be wilting.

"I'll smash your head in if you don't leave now," snarled a man standing outside a medieval church in Mazan, the picturesque town where Gisele and Dominique Pelicot once lived.

He'd just overheard me asking an elderly woman about the impact of the Pelicot case on France and, while threatening to destroy our camera too, was now explaining that the town was tired of being linked to one of the world's most notorious rape trials.

A few days earlier, the mayor of Mazan had issued a gentler version of the same argument, in a public statement that described Gisèle Pelicot's years-long ordeal as "a private matter… that has nothing to do with us".

One can well understand Mayor Louis Bonnet's desire to protect his town's reputation and its tourism industry. But it seems worth noting that a year earlier, he'd made headlines across France after he'd told me, twice, in an interview, that he wanted to "play down" the seriousness of Gisèle Pelicot's ordeals because "no-one was killed", and no children were involved.

It is also worth noting that almost all the women we did speak to in Mazan last week did not share the mayor's desire to see the Pelicot case as, primarily, something to "move beyond".

Smoking a cigarette in a shaded doorway not far from the church, a 33-year-old civil servant, who gave her name as Aurélie, spoke with undisguised bitterness.

"No-one talks about it anymore, even here in Mazan. It's as if it never happened. I know someone experiencing domestic violence right now. But women hide it. They're afraid of the men who do these things," she said, adding that she was "certain" that more of Gisèle Pelicot's rapists remained undetected, and at large, in the neighbourhood.

Walking nearby past a couple of sunbathing cats, Aurore Baralier, 68, was equally keen to talk, but took a different view of the Pelicot case.

"The world is evolving. France is evolving." With Madame Pelicot's help? "Yes. It's been a boost, for women to speak freely," she told me, emphatically.

Across France, there is no doubt that the publicity generated by Gisèle Pelicot's globally broadcast determination that "shame should change sides" - from victim to rapist – has provided added momentum to a campaign against sexual violence already energised by the MeToo movement.

"I would say changing behaviour is something that takes generations. [But] the Pelicot case sparked a huge, historic mobilisation… against sexual violence, and against impunity," said Alyssa Ahrabare, who co-ordinates a network of 50 feminist organisations in France. "We're focused on training professionals, supporting victims, on investigations."

"Yes, France has changed. The [number of] complaints of rapes has tripled, showing that victims – women and girls – they speak up and they want justice," agreed Céline Piques, spokesperson for the NGO "Dare to be feminist".

And yet, the energy and optimism that engulfed Gisèle Pelicot last December, as she emerged from the Avignon courthouse and into a scrum of supporters, have not led to many substantive changes to the way the French state tackles the issue of sexual violence.

Indeed, there is a near consensus among campaigners and experts that things are, instead, deteriorating.

"Unfortunately, the government does not react," said Céline Piques, pointing to statistics showing that conviction rates are flat-lining despite a sharp rise in reported rape cases.

"The picture is bleak. There is a backlash. Rape culture ideas are coming back very strongly. We can see this with the masculinist movement rising in popularity, especially with young boys and teenagers," added Alyssa Ahrabare, also citing the rise of deep-fake pornography.

In the midst of a financial and political crisis in France, with public debt soaring, and the country having five prime ministers in the past two years, the government has strongly defended its record, saying it has made "decisive" changes, including trebling spending in this field in the past five years - an "unprecedented" increase.

However, a scathing Senate report this summer concluded that the government was "lacking a strategic compass", when it came to tackling rape and other forms of sexual violence. The Council of Europe has also been highly critical, recently, of France's efforts to protect women.

A well-placed source told us that even data about the number of rapes reported in France were unreliable due to an overly complex bureaucracy.

Occasionally, a news story will offer another small jolt of optimism.

In Dijon, a 60-year-old accused of drugging his wife for others to rape her, was arrested in August after one man, invited to participate, later called the police, having doubted "her consent".

The alleged victim's lawyer Marie-Christine Klepping told us she was "sure" that knowledge of the Pelicot case, and fear of being caught up in something similar, had prompted that phone call.

In May, the French film star Gérard Depardieu was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women in what many lawyers and activists hailed as a significant blow against a widely perceived culture of impunity enabling powerful men to abuse women.

"It could mean something," Elodie Tuaillon-Hibon told the BBC, "because he has been very protected, [even] by President Macron", who appeared to defend the actor at one point. Ms Tuaillon-Hibon is a Paris-based lawyer who had previously been involved in prosecuting Depardieu.

"I don't think the (Pelicot) trial has changed anything at the police and judicial levels," said Emmanuelle Rivier, a lawyer also specialising in rape cases. She cited chronic understaffing, along with a lack of police training and specialisation.

And now Gisèle Pelicot herself is returning to court in the southern city of Nîmes to face one of the men convicted of raping her.

"She feels she needs to be there and has a responsibility to be there until the procedure is completely over," her lawyer, Stéphane Babonneau, explained to me.

The true impact of her decision to waive her right to anonymity may not be clear for many years, but the lawyer Elodie Tuaillon-Hibon is not inclined to be optimistic.

"It changed some things. But actually very little," she concluded, comparing sexual violence in France to a "war waged against women and children every day".

"We still have a great deal of changes to (make)."

I asked her if she was surprised the Pelicot case had not had a deeper impact.

"No. Not surprised at all because, well, it's France. Rape culture is something deeply rooted in our society. And until it's taken into consideration seriously as a matter of public policy, it won't change."

Additional reporting by Marianne Baisnee

Billionaire populist Andrej Babis' party wins Czech parliamentary election

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62qezmr92lo, 2 days ago

Billionaire businessman Andrej Babis has won parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic, although his populist ANO party fell short of an overall majority.

ANO received just under 35% of the vote, earning them 80 seats in the 200-seat lower house – up from 72 seats four years ago, according to preliminary results.

Babis – who served as prime minister from 2017 to 2021 – is expected to be invited to lead talks on forming a new coalition.

"This is a historic success," Andrej Babis announced to cheering supporters at the ANO headquarters in the suburbs of Prague.

He'd entered the building holding aloft a Bluetooth speaker blasting a remix of the 1981 hit 'Sarà perché ti amo' by the Italian pop trio Ricchi e Poveri.

The same song resounded across the stage as he accepted the applause. Some colleagues – including the former finance minister Alena Schillerova – danced along to the beat.

"It's the pinnacle of my political career!" he said, adding that he and his team would now work to make the Czech Republic "the best place to live in the European Union".

But while this election has thrown up no great surprises – few had any doubt he would emerge in first place - there are still plenty of questions.

Babis has already begun talks with the two small right-wing eurosceptic parties that managed to pass the 5% threshold: the anti-Green Deal Motorists for Themselves, and the anti-immigrant Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party, led by the Czech-Japanese entrepreneur Tomio Okamura.

Parliamentary maths means he will need an alliance with both to form a government that enjoys a majority in parliament - none of the other parties are likely to work with him.

After giving his acceptance speech he said he wanted ANO to govern alone, rather than create a formal coalition.

ANO will have the most in common with the Motorists. The two already sit in the same European Parliament group – the "pro-sovereignty" Patriots for Europe, which Babis founded alongside Hungary's Viktor Orban and Austria's Herbert Kickl last year.

ANO shares the Motorists' misgivings about the EU's emissions targets, and vows to modify or reject them outright.

Both parties are firmly against Czech households carrying a greater financial burden for cleaner energy, and both oppose the EU's ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars after 2035.

Relations with the SPD could be more fraught.

For a start, SPD fought this election in a formal alliance with a number of fringe parties on the far-right, meaning they will have to yield some of their seats to them. Okamura may not have full control of the MPs in his caucus – always a recipe for disaster in coalition politics.

Babis has also categorically ruled out allowing a referendum on either EU or NATO membership – a key policy priority for the SPD.

The ANO leader might have leaned heavily into anti-Ukrainian rhetoric in the final days of the campaign, lambasting the centre-right government for giving "Czech mothers nothing, and Ukrainians everything".

But Okamura's call for Ukrainian refugees to be deported en masse will likely fall on deaf ears.

Czech military support for Ukraine's war effort however is likely to change significantly under a Babis administration.

He has already vowed to scrap the successful Czech ammunition initiative – which has delivered 3.5 million shells to Ukraine since 2022.

Babis claims it lacks transparency, but Czech government officials who created the scheme say it works precisely because it is not transparent.

Under the initiative, Czech arms dealers use their international contacts to procure shells for Ukraine on the global market, with the bulk of the money coming from EU and NATO partners. Some of the producers are in countries that have relationships with Russia but as the deal is arranged with Czech dealers their involvement remains private.

The ANO leader wants it moved under the umbrella of NATO instead, and again on Saturday accused Czech arms dealers of making enormous profits from the scheme.

However, he said he would have no problem negotiating the matter with President Zelensky.

Babis also laughed off claims Western allies were worried the Czech Republic would no longer be a reliable partner in the EU and NATO under his administration, and that was why he now appeared to be distancing himself from extremist parties.

"Your problem is you just copy lies from Czech journalists," he replied, answering a reporter from the New York Times in English.

"I spoke with Trump five times! I was in the Pentagon. I was in the FBI. I talked to the head of the CIA," Babis said, speaking of his first term, which overlapped with President Trump's first term in office.

"We were a very reliable partner," he went on.

"I have been prime minister. We have been in government before. And we had excellent results."

Georgia protesters try to storm Tbilisi presidential palace

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce86kgnj7zro, 2 days ago

Police in Georgia have arrested five people after clashes with anti-government protesters trying to storm the presidential palace in the capital, Tbilisi.

Security forces used water cannons and pepper spray to disperse demonstrators.

The Caucasus country has been in crisis since the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in last year's election, which the pro-European Union opposition says was stolen. Since then the government has paused talks on joining the EU.

The protest took place on the same day as local elections, which the opposition is largely boycotting following a government crackdown. Georgian Dream won majorities in every municipality, with more than 80% of the vote.

Those arrested included opera singer Paata Burchuladze, one of the protest organisers.

Earlier, he read out a declaration urging the employees of the ministry of internal affairs to obey the will of the people and to immediately arrest six senior figures from the Georgian Dream party.

The government said 21 police officers and six protesters were taken to hospital with injuries.

Waving Georgian and EU flags, tens of thousands of protesters marched in central Tbilisi on Saturday.

Demonstrators then marched on the presidential palace and tried to enter the compound, prompting riot police to fire pepper spray.

The demonstration follows a crackdown on activists, independent media and political opposition in recent months, with most of the leaders of the pro-Western opposition now behind bars.

On Sunday, Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that "no one will go unpunished" after what he claimed was an attempted overthrow of the government.

Twenty-one-year-old Ia and her friends came to the Saturday rally prepared, dressed all in black, wearing helmets and gas masks.

"If we wear something colourful it will be easier to identify us, and if they identify us we are going to jail," she said, referring to the AI surveillance cameras installed on the main Rustaveli Avenue – the focal point for the ongoing protests.

Hundreds of protesters have been penalised with massive 5,000 Georgian lari ($1,835; £1,362) fines for what the authorities consider an illegal act of "blocking the streets".

"I want Georgian Dream to go. I want my country back. I want to be able to live peacefully and for my friends who are in jail, illegally imprisoned, to be free."

Ia sarcastically referred to the ruling party as "Russian Dream". This sentiment is shared by many of the anti-government protesters.

In the regions the Georgian Dream party enjoys support with its message that it can keep the peace, while in urban centres many Georgians believe their government is acting in Russia's interests.

The protest took place on the day of the municipal elections boycotted by most mainstream opposition parties, whose leaders are in jail.

Events took a violent turn when a group of protesters tried to storm the presidential compound on Atoneli Street.

Irakli, 24, was trying to catch his breath after escaping from that area.

"There were a lot of people, and then a lot of policemen with their faces covered, all of a sudden we look behind us and see the gas released, so all these people started running, it was very chaotic and the police were running and arresting people.

"Our eyes were tearing up and it was getting harder to breathe."

He said there was no goal to storm the presidential palace, and blamed radicals who he said were not part of the protest movement.

There have been nightly protests in Tbilisi since the government's decision last November to suspend talks on joining the EU.

The protesters demand the release of political prisoners and holding snap parliamentary elections.

Yet another French PM resigns, spelling yet more trouble for Macron

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c749k11vnzgo, today

In the end, Emmanuel Macron's man wasn't able to pull it off either.

When Sébastien Lecornu was appointed France's prime minister three and a half weeks ago, the spin was that this was President Macron's last card.

A last card, we were told, but a good one.

The 39-year-old was a presidential protégé - loyal, modest, undemonstrative. It was thought he had what it takes to fix a discreet deal between the parties and save French politics from implosion.

But as it turns out, that wasn't the case.

Lecornu has arguably gone down in even more embarrassing circumstances than his two ill-fated predecessors.

At least Michel Barnier and François Bayrou both presided for a short while over their governments, and tabled a few ideas.

Lecornu, on the other hand, named his cabinet late Sunday afternoon, and by Monday morning he had lost it. He didn't even get to make his inaugural address to parliament, which was planned for Tuesday.

His government lasted for precisely 14 hours.

The immediate cause of his calamitous fin de régime is now clear. It was the conservative Republicans party (LR) and their leader, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau.

With its 40 or so MPs, the LR has become a key part of the centre-right alliance that is trying to run France.

Retailleau has made much of his presence in government about projecting himself and his party as natural candidates for the offices of state.

Earlier on Sunday, he'd told Lecornu that he was willing to stay on as minister. But within an hour of the cabinet being announced, he posted on social media that there'd been a change of heart: LR might not be joining after all.

Officially it was because Lecornu had done the dirty by naming former finance minister Bruno Le Maire as his pick for defence.

Le Maire - a former party colleague - is a particular bugbear of LR, partly because he betrayed them by joining Macron, and partly because they blame him for letting French debt spiral out of control when in control of the country's finances.

Either way, LR accuses Lecornu of hiding Le Maire's nomination - apparently Retailleau didn't learn of it until he turned on his television.

And at the end of Monday there was a new twist. Le Maire agreed not to become a minister and Macron gave his outgoing prime minister a last-minute reprieve of 48 hours, to see if he could persuade LR into the government.

So, the situation remains fluid.

Whatever happens, the deeper truth is that the more time passes, the harder it is going to be for anyone - even the most gifted of Macron acolytes - to set up a stable government.

Why? Because the more time passes, the closer France gets to its next big electoral moment – the 2027 French presidential election.

So unpopular is Macron today that all who associate themselves with him risk a severe beating the next time the public gets a chance to vote.

As a result, the fractious centre-right alliance at the heart of Macron-land is now beginning to splinter.

The LR are out, but many centrists are starting to mutter too. Even the president's onetime wunderkind former prime minister Gabriel Attal is keeping his distance.

If it feels like the twilight of an era, then that is what it is. The faithful are leaving, preparing for a world without Macron. It might not be so far away.

Irish presidential election: Who are the runners and riders?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0ry37d5zdo, today

Michael D Higgins' time as president of Ireland will come to an end in November.

Serving as president for over a decade, Higgins has been regarded as one of Ireland's most popular politicians.

During his tenure, he pushed the conventional boundaries of the role with comments on live political issues – such as housing shortages and foreign policy.

Two candidates are running in the election on 24 October.

Some high-profile names who had declared an interest in running, like Conor McGregor and renowned Lord of the Dance performer Michael Flatley, pulled out of the race.

The candidate for the lead party in the Irish government – Jim Gavin of Fianna Fáil – withdrew from the race 18 days before the election.

Who is in the running?

Catherine Connolly is an independent who is backed by the major left-wing parties – Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit, and the Greens.

She has represented Galway West in the lower house of the Irish Parliament, Dáil Éireann, since 2016.

Connolly has also worked as a barrister and clinical psychologist.

She served as deputy speaker of the Dáil for four years.

Heather Humphreys is the candidate for Fine Gael, the other centre-right party in the coalition government.

She is an experienced cabinet minister, having held a range of portfolios including justice, rural development and the arts before she stood down from the Dáil in 2024 after 13 years.

Humphreys is from County Monaghan, near the border with Northern Ireland, and is a member of a Protestant church. Her grandfather signed a petition against Irish self-government in 1912, when the whole island was still part of the UK.

Former EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness had initially been selected as the Fine Gael candidate but withdrew from the race over health issues.

Why did the third candidate withdraw?

Jim Gavin was selected by Fianna Fáil, which is the largest party in the Irish Parliament, and led by the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin.

He led Dublin's county Gaelic football team to six all-Ireland Senior Championship titles between 2012 and 2019, making him one of the most successful managers in the history of Ireland's most popular sport.

Gavin also spent 20 years in the Irish military and is presently a senior aviation regulator.

He announced his withdrawal from the race on Sunday 5 October.

It followed allegations in the Irish Independent newspaper that Gavin owed €3,300 (£2,870) to a former tenant.

In a statement, Gavin said he had "made a mistake that was not in keeping with my character and the standards I set myself".

How do you become president of Ireland?

Any Irish citizen who's aged 35 or older is entitled to seek a nomination for the presidency.

There are two routes. A runner will secure a place on the ballot paper if they are endorsed by at least twenty members of the Irish Parliament, known as the Oireachtas.

There are 174 members of the Dáil and another 60 Senators in the upper house, Seanad Éireann.

Alternatively – a candidate will go forward to the election if they are nominated by four out of Ireland's 31 local authorities.

Councils are holding special meetings, at which prospective candidates can make presentations.

Around 3.5m people in the country are eligible to vote.

The election uses a system of proportional representation known as the Single Transferable Vote.

Voters rank candidates in order of numerical preference. Counting will begin on Saturday 25th October and may continue into the following day.

The winner will serve as president of Ireland for seven years, until 2032.

At that point, they will be entitled to nominate themselves to run for a second and final term.

Who else said they'd like to run?

A number of people expressed an interest in running as independents - but none secured the required support.

Maria Steen is a barrister and campaigner on social issues, who opposed the legalisation of same-sex marriage and abortion during referendums in the last decade.

She was supported by eighteen parliamentarians – but didn't manage to get the two further endorsements which she needed.

The Boomtown Rats singer and Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof was said to be considering an attempt to get on the ballot paper – but he has decided not to pursue a nomination.

The mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, who is a strong critic of the government's immigration policies, had declared his interest in running.

However on 15 September, McGregor said after "careful reflection" he was withdrawing.

"This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one at this moment in time," he posted online.

Nutriband CEO Gareth Sheridan had secured the endorsement of two councils but announced on Tuesday that he was withdrawing from the race as it had become "mathematically" unfeasible.

Several others approached local authorities to make a pitch for councillors to endorse them.

What does the president of Ireland do?

The president of Ireland is the country's head of state.

They represent the country abroad, take centre stage at major national events, and are responsible for ensuring that the constitution – the set of rules for government and politics - is followed.

The president's powers are limited, but the office-holder's influence can be profound.

For example, the election of Mary Robinson in 1990 – as the first woman to have the job – was seen as heralding a new era of social liberalisation.

Mary McAleese held the office from 1997-2011, during pivotal years for the Northern Ireland peace process.

Her emphasis on reconciliation culminated in a historic state visit to Ireland by Queen Elizabeth II.

Presidents tend to be among the most prominent political figures in Ireland – with the privilege of addressing the nation at Christmas and on St Patrick's Day, and hosting dignitaries and citizens at their splendid official residence, Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin's Phoenix Park.

BBC finds Russian guards, Iranian trucks and rusting railway on Trump's Caucasus peace route

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78nr234v5mo, yesterday

An abandoned station, a few rusted carriages and a dozen metres of track are all that is left of a Soviet railway in southern Armenia.

It may seem unlikely, but this derelict stretch of track in the South Caucasus has been tapped to become a symbol of peace brokered by the US president, on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, or Tripp.

Scattered around are fragments of a head from a monument to a communist hero. A female statue is missing an arm.

"We are on the Trump route, also known as Crossroads of Peace, the Silk Road, and the Zangezur Corridor," says Marut Vanyan, a local journalist. "But so far none of this looks American."

This is one of the "unendable wars" Trump claims to have brought to an end, in an agreement between Armenia and its long-time enemy Azerbaijan.

The plan envisages US companies moving in under a 99-year deal to develop the 43km (26-mile) route through Armenian territory along its entire border with Iran, in a corridor linking Azerbaijan to its exclave of Nakhchivan.

A railway, motorway and pipelines are all promised and Trump has spoken of companies spending "a lot of money, which will economically benefit all three of our nations".

On the ground, the scale of the challenge is clear. This transport link will have to be built from scratch, but political hurdles far outweigh economic issues.

Trump's intervention could reshape the geopolitics of a region that Russia claims as its sphere of influence. Hardliners in Tehran are also worried and are threatening to block the project.

War and peace in the Caucasus

The Tripp proposal is key to ending a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan that started over Nagorno-Karabakh, a part of Azerbaijan historically populated by Armenians.

In 2023, Azerbaijan recaptured the disputed region, and virtually the entire Armenian population fled their homes. This was not the first such expulsion in this conflict: in the 1990s over 500,000 Azerbaijanis were displaced.

Vanyan was among those who fled their homes in 2023.

Having escaped the war zone, he settled in Armenia's southern province of Syunik just when it became a new hotspot between the two neighbours.

Azerbaijan demanded that Armenia give part of this region as a "corridor" to its exclave of Nakhchivan. The region is also known as Zangezur, and the proposal was branded the "Zangezur corridor".

But when Armenia rejected the demand, clashes erupted on the border, and many feared a new war.

Then, in August 2025, Trump unexpectedly broke the deadlock. Hosting Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House, he offered a solution designed to satisfy both sides.

A future Trump route promises both "unimpeded connectivity" for Azerbaijan and "full respect" for Armenia's sovereignty. The route will be managed by a private US company.

Both nations' leaders say the Washington meeting has restored peace in their region and praise Trump's intervention as a game changer.

But the document they signed is thin on detail and offers no timeline for the Tripp to be built.

Crossroads for Western, Russian and Iranian interests

US mediation became possible because of Russia's weakened position in the South Caucasus.

For years, the Kremlin worked towards re-opening the route that now bears an American president's name.

And although Russia's proposal for its FSB border troops to guard the future road has been rejected, they still patrol the stretch of the Armenia‑Iran border that has been chosen for the Trump route.

As the BBC filmed on the ground, a Russian FSB patrol vehicle pulled up in front of us. A young man in uniform asked us about a drone filming the border from above. We said it was not ours and the Russian patrol moved on.

Armenia's Syunik region is also a key hub for its exports, and businessmen and trucks from Iran are a familiar sight. Iranian construction companies are building a new bridge that will cross the future Tripp.

The Aras River that separates the Islamic Republic and Armenia is the very line the route is set follow.

It is unclear how the US and Iranian companies will co-exist in Armenia, given recent US involvement in the Israel‑Iran war.

A senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader threatened to turn Tripp into "a grave for Donald Trump's mercenaries", but Iran's government has been more measured.

Iran is a friend and neighbour to both Caucasus nations and Armenia has told Tehran the project is not a threat to its interests.

There is also increased European presence in southern Armenia.

France has recently started selling weapons to Yerevan and has opened a consulate in Syunik. An EU monitoring mission is deployed to the region, and the future Trump route is seen by the EU as part of a "middle corridor" linking it with Central Asia and China and bypassing Russia.

Turkey is also eager to benefit from an opening created by waning Russian influence.

Ankara is in talks with Armenia to normalise relations and has voiced support for Tripp, which would create a direct link from Turkey to Azerbaijan through its exclave.

Armenia's government appears calm about the various competing interests. It wants to become a "Crossroads of Peace" where all regional powers will co-operate.

"They say everything will be fine and that there will be billions of euros of investment, new roads and trade with Iran, America, Europe, Turkey and Azerbaijan," Marut Vanyan says with an incredulous smile.

A formal peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia has not yet been signed, but one thing is clear: since the Washington meeting, not a single shot has been fired on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.

Trump's intervention has brought at least temporary relief to those who for years have lived in fear of renewed fighting.

The before and after images showing glaciers vanishing before our eyes

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce32ezzq6zlo, 3 days ago

When Matthias Huss first visited Rhône Glacier in Switzerland 35 years ago, the ice was just a short walk from where his parents would park the car.

"When I first stepped onto the ice... there [was] a special feeling of eternity," says Matthias.

Today, the ice is half an hour from the same parking spot and the scene is very different.

"Every time I go back, I remember how it used to be," recalls Matthias, now director of Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland (GLAMOS), "how the glacier looked when I was a child."

There are similar stories for many glaciers all over the planet, because these frozen rivers of ice are retreating - fast.

In 2024, glaciers outside the giant ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica lost 450 billion tonnes of ice, according to a recent World Meteorological Organization report.

That's equivalent to a block of ice 7km (4.3 miles) tall, 7km wide and 7km deep - enough water to fill 180 million Olympic swimming pools.

"Glaciers are melting everywhere in the world," says Prof Ben Marzeion of the Institute of Geography at the University of Bremen. "They are sitting in a climate that is very hostile to them now because of global warming."

Switzerland's glaciers have been particularly badly hit, losing a quarter of their ice in the last 10 years, measurements from GLAMOS revealed this week.

"It's really difficult to grasp the extent of this melt," explains Dr Huss.

But photos - from space and the ground - tell their own story.

Satellite images show how the Rhône Glacier has changed since 1990, when Dr Huss first visited. At the front of the glacier is a lake where there used to be ice.

Until recently, glaciologists in the Alps used to consider 2% of ice lost in a single year to be "extreme".

Then 2022 blew that idea out of the water, with nearly 6% of Switzerland's remaining ice lost in a single year.

That has been followed by significant losses in 2023, 2024 and now 2025 too.

Regine Hock, professor of glaciology at the University of Oslo, has been visiting the Alps since the 1970s.

The changes over her lifetime are "really stunning", she says, but "what we see now is really massive changes within a few years".

The Clariden Glacier, in north-eastern Switzerland, was roughly in balance until the late 20th Century - gaining about as much ice through snowfall as it lost to melting.

But this century, it's melted rapidly.

For many smaller glaciers, like the Pizol Glacier in the north-east Swiss Alps, it's been too much.

"This is one of the glaciers that I observed, and now it's completely gone," says Dr Huss. "It definitely makes me sad."

Photographs allow us to look even further back in time.

The Gries Glacier, in southern Switzerland near the Italian border, has retreated by about 2.2km (1.4 miles) in the past century. Where the end of the glacier once stood is now a large glacial lake.

In south-east Switzerland, the Pers Glacier once fed the larger Morteratsch Glacier, which flows down towards the valley. Now the two no longer meet.

And the largest glacier in the Alps, the Great Aletsch, has receded by about 2.3km (1.4 miles) over the past 75 years. Where there was ice, there are now trees.

Glaciers have grown and shrunk naturally for millions of years, of course.

In the cold snaps of the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries - part of the Little Ice Age - glaciers regularly advanced.

During this time, many were considered cursed by the devil in Alpine folklore, their advances linked to spiritual forces as they threatened hamlets and farmland.

There are even tales of villagers calling on priests to talk to the spirits of glaciers and get them to move up the mountain.

Glaciers began their widespread retreat across the Alps in about 1850, though the timing varied from place to place.

That coincided with rising industrialisation, when burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal, began to heat up our atmosphere, but it's hard to disentangle natural and human causes that far back in time.

Where there is no real doubt is that the particularly rapid losses of the past 40 years or so are not natural.

Without humans warming the planet - by burning fossil fuels and releasing huge amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) – glaciers would be expected to be roughly stable.

"We can only explain it if we take into account CO2 emissions," confirms Prof Marzeion.

What is even more sobering is that these large, flowing bodies of ice can take decades to fully adjust to the rapidly warming climate. That means that, even if global temperatures stabilised tomorrow, glaciers would continue to retreat.

"A large part of the future melt of the glaciers is already locked in," explains Prof Marzeion. "They are lagging climate change."

But all is not lost.

Half of the ice remaining across the world's mountain glaciers could be preserved if global warming is limited to 1.5C above "pre-industrial" levels of the late 1800s, according to research published this year in the journal Science.

Our current trajectory is leading us towards warming of about 2.7C above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century – which would see three-quarters of ice lost eventually.

That extra water going into rivers and eventually the oceans means higher sea levels for coastal populations around the world.

But the loss of ice will be particularly acutely felt by mountain communities dependent on glaciers for fresh water.

Glaciers are a bit like giant reservoirs. They collect water as snowfall - which turns into ice - during cold, wet periods, and release it as meltwater during warm periods.

This meltwater helps to stabilise river flows during hot, dry summers - until the glacier disappears.

The loss of that water resource has knock-on effects for all those who rely on glaciers - for irrigation, drinking, hydropower and even shipping traffic.

Switzerland is not immune from those challenges, but the implications are much more profound for the high mountains of Asia, referred to by some as the Third Pole due to the volume of ice.

About 800 million people rely at least partly on meltwater from glaciers there, particularly for agriculture. That includes the upper Indus river basin, which serves parts of China, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

In regions with drier summers, meltwater from ice and snow can be the only significant source of water for months.

"That's where we see the biggest vulnerability," says Prof Hock.

So how do scientists feel when confronted by the future prospects of glaciers in a warming world?

"It's sad," says Prof Hock. "But at the same time, it's also empowering. If you decarbonise and reduce the [carbon] footprint, you can preserve glaciers.

"We have it in our hands."

Top image: Tschierva Glacier, Swiss Alps, in 1935 and 2022. Credit: swisstopo and VAW Glaciology, ETH Zurich.

Additional reporting by Dominic Bailey and Erwan Rivault.

Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to keep up with the latest climate and environment stories with the BBC's Justin Rowlatt. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here.

Irish government to divert billions of extra euros to savings funds

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg7dk75gj30o, today

The Irish government is planning to divert billions of extra euros to national long-term savings funds amid concerns about future multinational corporation taxes.

Details of the additional funding were announced in the budget presented to the Dáil (lower house of Irish parliament) by the country's Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe.

Donohoe said the government acknowledges a risk to the Irish economy by an over-reliance on corporation tax receipts during a period of "considerable uncertainty".

Corporation taxes from foreign owned multinational companies have brought huge economic benefits to the country in recent decades.

'Protecting future generations'

The minister said corporation tax revenues had "allowed us to respond to challenges, such as the pandemic, and the cost-of-living challenge".

However, he added that "we all know the degree of volatility in these receipts, we know over-reliance is a risk".

Donohoe explained that the future Ireland and infrastructure, climate, and nature long-term savings funds will have built up to about €24bn (£20.8bn) by the end of 2026 and more than €40bn (£34.7bn) by the end of the government's term of office, around the end of the decade.

The minister explained that these long-term funds will "help us deal with the demographic and the structural challenges that may await, and the challenges we may not yet be aware of".

He said it will be an investment "to protect future generations".

The imposition of US tariffs has brought a renewed focus on the Irish economic model which has a high reliance on major US companies based across the country.

Donohoe said the additional investment in the national long-term savings funds "will allow us to face the challenges of the future from the best possible position".

* Committing more than €5bn (£4.34bn) in capital investment for housing delivery next year

* Increasing the national minimum wage by €0.65 per hour to €14.15 (£12.29) per hour, from January 2026

* Reducing the VAT rate on the sale of completed apartments to 9% from 13.5%, from tonight until the end of December 2030

* Increasing funding for the Department of Defence by 11% to €1.49bn (£1.29bn) next year

* A reduction in the VAT rate for food and catering businesses and hairdressing services from 13.5% to 9% from 1 July next year

Funeral Mass held for O'Connor family in County Louth

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c179jk8y7wro, today

Three people killed in County Louth were "deeply loved and so highly regarded", mourners at their funeral have been told.

Louise O'Connor, who was 56, her 54-year-old husband Mark O'Connor, and their 27-year-old son Evan O'Connor, who had additional needs, were found dead at their rural home in Drumgowna on 29 September.

Their joint funeral Mass was held at St Patrick's Church in Dundalk and was led by Fr Gerry Campbell, the administrator for Louth parish.

The priest said so many had already spoken about the family with "so many wonderful words of admiration, affection and sorrow".

He added that Mark, Louise and Evan were "united in love", and Evan was his parents' "joy, their pride and their world".

'Alive with love'

Fr Campbell spoke about Mark's hard working nature, as he advocated for people with special needs and worked with community.

"Mark knew what it meant to labour - not just in his work, but in his calling to justice and compassion," he said. "Mark gave himself completely for the good of others."

He mentioned Mark's love of running and how he would encourage others "to keep going".

Speaking about Louise, Fr Campbell said she was "full of life... talkative, warm, musical and compassionate".

He told mourners Louise's heart was "alive with love" and she "cared for others with gentleness and humour, bringing comfort and joy to the people she met".

Louise "loved Mark and Evan with every part of her being" and added that Mark and Louise were "soulmates".

Fr Campbell went on to talk about Evan and "his love of holidays, of swimming, of his colourful odd socks and bright T-shirts".

"His love of Thomas the Tank Engine... His joy in going to the Hub Praxis in Drogheda, his love of theme parks, aqua aerobics, going with his Dad to the Park Runs," he continued.

He said Evan's love was "unfiltered and wholehearted".

A private cremation service is to take place following the funeral Mass.

On 30 September, Robert O'Connor, 31, of Drumgowna, appeared before a special sitting of Drogheda District Court charged with three counts of murder.

Gavin's name to remain on presidential ballot paper

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62l44z01q0o, today

Jim Gavin's name will remain on the Irish presidential election ballot paper despite his withdrawal from the race.

The Fianna Fáil candidate announced on Sunday that he was withdrawing from the election with "immediate effect".

Gavin, the former Dublin gaelic football manager was set to be one of three candidates standing on 24 October, alongside Independent TD Catherine Connolly and Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys.

Speaking on his way into government buildings on Tuesday, Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin said Gavin's name remaining on the ballot paper was "just the reality of how things have worked out".

"It's very unfortunate," he added.

Announcing his withdrawl on Sunday evening, Gavin said he had "made a mistake that was not in keeping with my character and the standards I set myself".

He did not elaborate on the reason for his withdrawal but it followed a news report in the Irish Independent newspaper on Saturday alleging he owed €3,300 (£2,870) to a former tenant.

On Monday, Martin said it had been a "tough day" for the party.

Analysis: 'A new dynamic to the count'

Gavin could still be elected president of Ireland.

It's highly unlikely for sure, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility now that it has been confirmed his name will remain on the ballot paper.

In effect he has now withdrawn from the contest himself, but his name is not being withdrawn from the ballot paper.

It's understood that part of the reasoning for this is that some postal ballot papers have already been distributed and his name was on these ballot papers when they were sent out.

So, for consistency, the exact same list of candidate names needs to appear on ballot papers for people who will be voting on the day of the election.

This means that if some people choose to vote for Gavin, his votes will be counted.

Assuming that he will have the fewest number of first preference votes, he would then be eliminated if there was no outright winner after the first count.

That's when it could become interesting.

Gavin's transfers would then be allocated to the remaining two candidates and would help to elect either Connolly or Humphreys.

It would result in a quite bizarre situation where the votes of a candidate who decided to withdraw from the contest would become decisive in electing the next Irish head of state.

It certainly adds a potentially new dynamic to the counting of votes the day after the election.

Fianna Fáil said on Tuesday that it first raised the issue of a possible dispute with a tenant on 8 September after a query from the Irish Independent.

But the party said it was assured by Gavin on a number of occasions that there was no dispute.

The party said that on Saturday Gavin began to recall some details after the tenant contacted Fianna Fáil with specifics.

Martin said claims Fianna Fáil knew about the issue with the tenant before selecting Gavin as the party's presidential candidate were "not a fair representation of the situation at all".

"An issue was raised, but in a very generic and general way," the taoiseach said.

"We were not aware of any such issue, and that is the truth of it, and when the issue was raised repeatedly, we were told it was no issue."

Trump and Brazilian President Lula have 'friendly' call

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2ej0jpzx3yo, today

President Donald Trump and his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, have had a call described by both sides as friendly and positive as Brazil seeks to reduce a 50% US tariff on imports.

In Monday's video chat, Lula asked Trump to remove most of the duties. Trump said on social media they had a "very good telephone call".

It is the first time the two have spoken formally since they had a brief encounter at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month.

Relations had been icy since Trump raised tariffs this summer to 50% on some Brazilian goods in response to the coup-plot trial of Lula's predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula had accused Trump of foreign interference and behaving like an "emperor".

But on Monday, the Brazilian government said the two leaders spoke in a "friendly tone" for half an hour and "reminisced about the good chemistry" they had in New York.

Lula described the meeting as an opportunity to "restore" friendly relations between "the two largest Western democracies" and reiterated that the US has a trade surplus with Brazil.

He requested that tariffs be reduced to their original 10%, and sanctions on some Brazilian officials be removed.

The two also exchanged phone numbers to keep in touch directly.

Trump said on his Truth Social platform: "It [the call] was mostly focused on the economy, and trade, between our two countries.

"We will be having further discussions, and will get together in the not too distant future, both in Brazil and the United States."

Brazilian Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin described the call as "better than expected", and said he was optimistic about talks between the two countries.

Lula invited Trump to next month's UN climate summit in Belém, Brazil, suggested meeting during the Asean summit in Malaysia, and offered to travel to the US.

Trump has appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to continue negotiations with Brazil's vice-president, foreign minister and finance minister.

Four killed in latest US strike on alleged drug vessel near Venezuela

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0xvpxk9dqo, 4 days ago

US forces have killed four people in an attack on a boat off the coast of Venezuela that was allegedly trafficking drugs, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says.

"The strike was conducted in international waters just off the coast of Venezuela while the vessel was transporting substantial amounts of narcotics - headed to America to poison our people," Hegseth wrote in a post on X.

It is the latest in a number of recent deadly strikes that the US has carried out on boats in international waters it says are involved in "narco-trafficking".

The strikes have attracted condemnation in countries including Venezuela and Colombia, with some international lawyers describing the strikes as a breach of international law.

Hegseth said the attack took place in the US Southern Command's area of responsibility, which covers most of South America and the Caribbean.

"Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route," Hegseth said about Friday's attack.

"These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!"

US President Trump also confirmed the strike on his Truth Social platform, saying that the boat was carrying enough drugs "to kill 25 to 50 thousand people".

However, the US has not provided evidence for its claims or any information about the identities of those on board.

There was no immediate response from Venezuela but its president, Nicolás Maduro, has previously condemned the strikes and said his country will defend itself against US "aggression".

Friday's fatal attack is the fourth by the US in a month.

Trump said 11 people had been killed in a strike against a drug-carrying vessel in the southern Caribbean at the start of September.

Later in the month, two separate strikes days apart killed a total of six people.

This Thursday, a leaked memo sent to Congress – reported by US media – said the US government had now decided it was in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels.

This is significant because the administration is required by law to report to Congress if it will use the armed forces, which suggests it plans to use further military action.

The US positioned its strikes on alleged drug boats as self-defence, despite many lawyers questioning their legality.

Framing this as an active armed conflict is likely a way for Trump to justify using more extreme wartime powers – for example killing "enemy fighters" even if they have not posed a violent threat, or detaining people indefinitely. These are similar powers to those applied to al-Qaeda after 9/11.

Trump has not provided the reasoning for why he appears to be categorising drug trafficking and associated crimes as an "armed attack", or named which cartels he believes are attacking the US.

He has already designated many cartels, including in Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela, as terrorist organisations – granting US authorities more powers in their response to them.

Man suspected of ordering murder of three Argentine women arrested

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2x1vyqd4po, 6 days ago

Police in Peru have arrested a man suspected of having ordered the killing of two 20-year-old women and a 15-year-old girl in Argentina.

The three were lured to a house near the Argentine capital on 19 September.

Their mutilated bodies were found several days later and police revealed that their killers had livestreamed their torture and killing on social media.

The brutality of the crime has sent shockwaves through the region, with thousands taking part in anti-femicide protests in Buenos Aires on Sunday.

The security minister of Buenos Aires province, Javier Alonso, said that cousins Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, both aged 20, and 15-year-old Lara Morena Gutiérrez had been lured by an international drugs gang to the house with a promise of being paid to attend a party.

CCTV footage of them getting into a van with fake number plates enabled police to track them to the house where they were murdered.

Their bodies were found buried in the garden.

The security minister said that their murder was broadcast to a closed group of 45 people. He added that during the livestream, a voice could be heard saying "this is what happens to those who steal drugs from me".

Originally, Alonso said that the video had been streamed on Instagram, but he later told a local TV channel that "apparently it was on another platform".

Argentine police arrested seven suspects in the days following the crime - including the man suspected of digging the hole in which the women were buried and a man and his niece, who police say drove the car in which the victims were taken to the house.

But the man they suspected of having given the order for the killings, 20-year-old Tony Janzen Valverde Victoriano, also known as "Little J", had eluded them.

He was detained by police on a motorway 70km (43 miles) south of the Peruvian capital, Lima, hidden in a van transporting fish.

In a separate operation, Peruvian police also detained a 28-year-old Argentine man, Matías Ozorio, who they say is Mr Valverde's right-hand man.

Mr Ozorio will be handed over to Argentine police soon, while Mr Valverde, who is a Peruvian citizen, will stay in jail in Peru for now pending an extradition request by Argentina.

Peruvian police said they had intercepted communications between Mr Valverde and Mr Ozorio, which allowed them to track down their movements.

Mr Ozorio told police that he had been "tricked" by a drugs gang he owed money to into entering Peru.

Argentina's security minister praised Peruvian police for their work in detaining the two suspects.

Correction 2 October 2025: This article was amended to include a quote from the Buenos Aires security minister in which he questioned his previous assertion that the video had been streamed on Instagram.

UN approves larger force to combat Haiti gang violence

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn5qpkv0zq1o, 6 days ago

The United Nations Security Council has approved a much larger international security force for Haiti to tackle escalating gang violence in the conflict-torn country.

The so-called "Gang Suppression Force" (GSF) will have up to 5,550 police and soldiers with the power to detain suspected gang members.

The GSF will boost the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) - a force which was meant to have up to 2,500 members, but fell far short of that and has been unable to curb the violence since its deployment in 2023.

More than 5,500 people were killed in gang-related violence in Haiti in 2024. Armed gangs currently control about 85% of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Haiti has been wracked by economic chaos, a political vacuum and increasingly violent gang warfare since its president was assassinated in 2021.

The UN Security Council adopted a US-proposed resolution on the new larger force on Tuesday.

The current force numbers less than 1,000 officers and has struggled to contain the well-armed Haitian gangs.

The UN said the GSF would work with Haitian authorities to provide security and support humanitarian access.

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said the current mission lacked the scale and resources needed to restore security in the Caribbean nation.

"Today's vote sets that right with this vote to transform the MSS mission to the new Gang Suppression Force, a mission five times the size of its predecessor and with a strengthened mandate to go after the gangs," he said.

It was not immediately clear when the GSF will be deployed or which countries would provide the additional police and soldiers.

Nearly 1.3 million people in Haiti have been internally displaced due to armed violence.

Gangs are continuing to expand their territory across the country and, according to the UN, have committed human rights violations such as child exploitation, murder and trafficking.

The resolution also includes establishing a UN support office in Haiti to provide "logistical and operational support".

Haiti's UN representative Ericq Pierre said the move marked "a decisive turning point in my country's fight against one of the most serious challenges in its already turbulent history".

Ecuador president's aid convoy attacked, officials say

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8ewdedp1yo, 8 days ago

A humanitarian convoy led by Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa was attacked and 17 soldiers taken hostage on Sunday night, according to a government spokeswoman.

Carolina Jaramillo said the convoy - which included UN and EU diplomats - was delivering aid to affected communities during a national strike when ambushed by about 350 people, who attacked it with Molotov cocktails.

The country's largest indigenous rights group leading a strike over fuel subsidy cuts said a member was shot dead by the armed forces during protests.

The UN Human Rights Council's regional representative Jan Jarab called for an "urgent dialogue" after the acts of violence and a probe into the death and injuries.

Posting on X, Noboa showed photos of smashed windscreens and windows on the cars in his envoy.

"They resist Ecuador's progress and chose violence," Noboa said, referring to the armed protesters. "Ecuador cannot go backward."

He said the Italian ambassador and top Vatican diplomat in Ecuador were travelling with him, alongside delegates from the UN and the EU.

Italy's Ambassador to Quito Giovanni Davoli confirmed the incident. In a statement he said he was unharmed, adding he "strongly condemns this terrorist act directed against Ecuador's head of state".

According to Jaramillo, the convoy was delivering aid to affected communities during the national strike.

She added that 17 military personnel were kidnapped and their whereabouts is unknown.

The attack took place in Cotacachi, Imbabura province.

The Ecuadorian armed forces have accused protesters of injuring 12 soldiers and holding 17 others hostage.

The military accused the ambushers of being "terrorist groups". Sharing graphic images of soldiers with blood on their faces, they warned "acts like these will not go unpunished".

Jamarillo said the people responsible did not represent Ecuadorians but were criminals.

Violent clashes have broken out in Ecuador over a sharp rise in fuel prices.

The country's largest indigenous rights organisation, Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), had called for an indefinite national strike to protest against the president's move to cut fuel subsidies.

Conaie said one indigenous community member, Efrain Fuerez, was shot three times and died in hospital in Cotacachi. They described his body as "riddled" with bullets in a post on X, calling it a "state crime, perpetrated under the orders of Daniel Noboa."

"We demand truth, justice, and reparations," the organisation added. In a separate post, Conaie denied that they were terrorists or criminals and said "the true terror is imposed by the government with its repression."

Ecuador's police and armed forces have not commented on the allegation of Fuerez's death.

Ecuador's prosecutors' office said it would open an investigation into the "alleged death."

A state of emergency has been announced in eight of the country's 24 provinces, and a nighttime curfew in five of them.

President Noboa has claimed that the Venezuelan cartel Tren de Aragua was behind the demonstrations and warned protesters who break the law will be charged with "terrorism" and go to prison for 30 years.

Conaie have led demonstrations that overthrew three presidents between 1997 and 2005.

Senior member of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang arrested

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yezvz4nppo, 5 days ago

The alleged leader of Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua's armed wing has been captured in a joint operation involving Colombia, the US and the UK.

Colombia's National Police said José Antonio Márquez Morales - known as Caracas - was arrested in the city of Valledupar and alleged that he played a central role in managing the logistics and finances for the group for extortion, drug trafficking, and smuggling.

Tren de Aragua has been targeted by US President Donald Trump who declared it a terrorist organisation and deported more than 250 people he claimed were members of the gang to a jail in El Salvador.

Colombia's National Police Director, Carlos Fernando Triana Beltrán said Mr Márquez Morales was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice which is a request to police worldwide to detain someone pending extradition.

News of the arrest emerged amid continuing tensions between the US and Venezuela over the Trump administration's anti-drug-trafficking efforts in Latin America.

It has deployed warships to the Caribbean and last month, bombed vessels which Trump claimed were carrying drugs, apparently travelling from Venezuela to the US.

The Trump administration has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of being in league with drug cartels and is offering a reward for information leading to his capture to $50m (£37m).

Maduro has strongly rejected Washington's accusations and has defended his government's actions against drug trafficking.

Hurricane season brings financial fears in the Caribbean

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2lxvjypxreo, 6 days ago

For some Barbudans, thunderstorms still trigger flashbacks of the night in September 2017 when they lost everything they owned to Hurricane Irma's devastating winds.

Eight years on, while memories may be close to hand, home insurance for many on Barbuda and other islands in the Caribbean's hurricane belt is more prohibitively expensive than ever.

Across the region premiums have gone through the roof in the past two years, surging by as much as 40% on some islands, according to industry figures.

Experts blame a perfect storm of increasing risk – as the region sees worsening and more rapidly intensifying cyclones – yet tiny populations of people to pay for policies, equating to poor returns for insurance companies.

Dwight Benjamin's Barbuda home was one of few left relatively undamaged by Irma. After the storm, he invested in a one-room extension topped with a concrete roof that will serve as a shelter for his family should disaster strike again.

"I think the house should be sound enough but that's my added protection," he says.

With peak hurricane season now in full swing, Dwight is among many Caribbean people anxiously monitoring weather platforms for activity in the Atlantic. Should a system head his way, he will do as he did during Irma – hope and pray.

"I've never had insurance; most Barbudans don't really think it's worth it. It's just an added expense to the meagre resources we have," he explains.

"Plus, we believe in what we have built and that it should be able to withstand the weather."

Like Dwight, many Caribbean people build homes "out of pocket", rather than opting for mortgages that can have high interest rates in this part of the world.

And the majority of homes on islands affected by hurricanes are uninsured. In Jamaica only 20% are reported to have cover, and just half in Barbados.

It is not just storms threatening the region, but earthquakes and volcanos too, points out Peter Levy, boss of Jamaican insurance company BCIC.

As a result of these threats of natural disaster, which Mr Levy calls the Caribbean's "unique market", the cost of home insurance will always be high.

One Antiguan insurance firm, Anjo, typically charges premiums of between 1.3% and 1.7% of a home's value. Whereas in the UK, for example, it can be less than 0.2%.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, with the most activity occurring between mid-August and mid-October. The northern Caribbean nations, such as Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic, are among the most at risk of a direct hit.

The peak months can be torturous for people with Irma-related trauma, says Mohammid Walbrook, another Barbudan resident. "Whenever there's an announcement of a storm coming our way, it brings back bad memories. For some, even thunder and lightning are a trigger," he says.

Back in 2017, Mohammid took shelter in a bathroom with his mother, father, sister and nephews when Irma's category five winds tore the roof from his parents' home.

His own uninsured two-bedroom property was also badly damaged. He was one of several Barbudans to receive a new house through assistance from international donors.

While some Caribbean countries - like British territory Turks and Caicos, also battered by Irma - have emergency cash reserves that can help with post-storm restoration, others do not have that luxury.

For deeply indebted nation Antigua and Barbuda, agencies like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are a lifeline in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

The country's prime minister Gaston Browne estimated the cost of rebuilding Barbuda after Irma, where 90% of buildings were damaged, topped $200m (£148m). Help came from China, the European Union and Venezuela, among others.

In 2017, the UNDP stumped up $25m for Barbuda and the island country of Dominica, which was ravaged by Hurricane Maria that same month.

The money restored more than 800 wrecked buildings across the two islands. But the body's intervention was crucial in other ways too.

With livelihoods destroyed, the UNDP's cash-for-work programme hired hundreds of local residents who had suddenly found themselves unemployed.

They assisted with everything from debris removal to reconstruction of homes and infrastructure, including Barbuda's hospital and post office, the UNDP's Luis Gamarra tells the BBC.

"Injecting economic resources into affected families helps reactivate the local economy," he says.

Almost 1,000 contractors were also trained in more resilient "build back better" techniques, to safeguard structures against future disasters.

"The climate is changing and putting more pressure on governments and communities. Storms are becoming more frequent, more intense and happening earlier in the year too," Mr Gamarra continues.

He thinks the expansion of partnerships with the private sector and with other countries in the region might help mitigate the impacts.

One such mechanism is the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, of which 19 Caribbean governments are members. Set up after Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the first-of-its-kind risk-pooling venture allows member governments to buy disaster coverage at low cost.

Last year it made record payments topping $85m to Hurricane Beryl-hit islands.

In Antigua and Barbuda, hurricane preparedness is a year-round endeavour, explains Sherrod James, director of the country's office of disaster services.

Assessments of buildings to be used as storm shelters, along with training of volunteers to man them, starts months before the season starts, he says.

"We also meet with the private sector, helping them put policies and preparations in place, looking at the safety and resilience of their buildings. We make sure our critical partners, such as the ports, are prepared.

"And we do a lot of proactive work to address chokepoints within waterways that can exacerbate flooding," adds Mr James. "These days, storms can go from a category one to five in a day. The new norm has thrown out the old regiment of what has to be done; we have to be much more proactive now."

For many Barbudans, this time of year will always bring trepidation. Dwight was among dozens who recently attended a Hurricane Irma remembrance service at the island's Pentecostal Church.

"It was very touching and brought back a lot of memories," he says. "This time of year, we keep an eye on the weather and our fingers crossed. But we are resilient people and we know how to survive."

US revokes Colombian president's visa over 'reckless and incendiary' remarks

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz9jv8kne7no, 10 days ago

The US has said it will revoke Colombian President Gustavo Petro's visa, after he urged US soldiers to disobey his American counterpart Donald Trump during remarks at a rally in New York.

The State Department described Petro's comments at a pro-Palestinian street protest on Friday as "reckless and incendiary".

The Colombian leader was in the US for the UN General Assembly, where earlier this week he called for a criminal inquiry into the Trump administration's airstrikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean.

He was already on his way back to Bogota when the US announced it would cancel his visa, Colombian media reports.

Petro shared a video on social media of him addressing a large crowd through a megaphone in Spanish on Friday.

He called for the formation of a "world salvation army, whose first task is to liberate Palestine".

"That is why, from here in New York, I ask all soldiers in the United States Army not to point their rifles at humanity," he said. "Disobey Trump's order! Obey the order of humanity!"

Petro added: "As happened in the First World War, I want the young people, sons and daughters of workers and farmers, of both Israel and the United States, to point their rifles not toward humanity, but toward the tyrants and toward the fascists."

The US State Department strongly criticised the remarks, saying he had "urged US soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence".

It wrote on social media that the revocation of his visa was "due to his reckless and incendiary actions".

Colombia's Interior Minister Armando Benedetti wrote on X on Friday night that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visa should have been annulled rather than Petro's.

"But since the empire protects him, it's taking it out on the only president who was capable enough to tell him the truth to his face," he said.

Relations between Petro - who leads Colombia's first ever left-wing government - and the Trump administration have worsened in recent months.

The Colombian leader used his speech at the UN to launch an excoriating rebuke of US strikes on boats suspected of being used to transport drugs, arguing they were not about controlling the drug trade but serving a need to use "violence to dominate Colombia and Latin America".

He said some of those killed by the strikes may have been from Colombia, which is the world's biggest cocaine producer, and claimed US officials were allied to drug gangs while his government was persuading farmers to not grow coca.

Petro likened the air strikes to an "act of tyranny" in an interview with the BBC.

Washington contends the actions are part of a US anti-drug operation off the coast of Venezuela, whose president it accuses of running a cartel.

The US also denied visas for Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, and 80 Palestinian officials, blocking them from attending the UN General Assembly, despite world leaders conventionally being permitted to attend the body's headquarters regardless of their relations with the US.

The US navy killed 17 in deadly strikes. Now Venezuela is giving civilians guns

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y5q173053o, 10 days ago

When Edith Perales was younger, he enlisted in the National Bolivarian Militia, a civilian force created by the late President Hugo Chávez in 2009 to help defend Venezuela.

"We have to be a country capable of defending every last inch of our territory so no one comes to mess with us," Chávez said at the time.

Sixteen years on, Perales, who is now 68, is joining thousands of other militia members getting ready for a potential US attack.

The rag-tag force, mainly made up of senior citizens, has been called up following the deployment of US navy ships in the South Caribbean on what US officials said were counter-narcotics operations.

Read: What do we know about the US strike on 'Venezuela drug boat' and was it legal?

The US force has destroyed at least three boats it said were carrying drugs from Venezuela to the US, killing at least 17 people on board.

Venezuela's defence minister, Vladimir Padrino, said the attacks and the US naval deployment amounted to a "non-declared war" by the US against Venezuela and President Nicolás Maduro swiftly called the militia into active duty.

Perales has got his uniform and boots at hand, ready to defend his "bastion" – the Caracas neighbourhood where he lives.

He lives in 23 de Enero, an area in the capital which has traditionally been a stronghold of Chavismo - the leftist ideology founded by the late President Chávez and adopted by his handpicked successor in office, Nicolás Maduro.

A loyal government supporter, he says he is "ready to serve whenever they call me".

"We have to defend the fatherland," he tells the BBC, echoing speeches given by President Maduro in the wake of the strikes on the boats.

While experts have told the BBC that the deployment of US naval forces in the South Caribbean is large, they have also pointed out that it is not large enough to suggest that it is part of a planned invasion.

There is little doubt though that the relationship between Venezuela and the US - which has long been strained - has deteriorated further since Donald Trump returned to office.

The US is among a raft of nations which have not recognised the re-election of Maduro in July 2024, pointing to evidence gathered by the Venezuelan opposition with the help of independent observers showing that his rival, Edmundo González, won the election by a landslide.

Shortly after coming into office for the second time, Trump declared the Venezuelan criminal gang, Tren de Aragua, a terrorist group, which he has used as justification for deporting Venezuelan migrants from the US and for the recent military action in the Caribbean.

The Trump administration has also accused Maduro of being in league with drug cartels and recently doubled the reward it is offering for information leading to his capture to $50m (£37.3m).

Maduro has vehemently rejected Washington's accusations and has defended his government's actions against drug trafficking.

But the Maduro government has also co-operated with the Trump administration by taking back Venezuelan migrants deported from the US, whom US officials had accused of being gang members.

After the first boat strike, Maduro also sent a letter to his US counterpart calling for a meeting – an approach which has been rebuffed by the White House.

But his rhetoric internally has remained combative.

Maduro has ordered the Venezuelan military - the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) - to train local militias like the one to which Edith Perales belongs.

These groups are mostly made up of volunteers from poor communities, although public sector workers have reported being pressured into joining them as well.

In the past, the militia has mainly been used to boost numbers at political rallies and parades.

Its members tend to be much older than those who join the feared "colectivos" – gangs of hard-core government supporters which have been accused of committing human rights abuses and which are often used to break up anti-government protests.

But seemingly jittery in the face of what it perceives as a US threat, Maduro's government is now training up the militia.

On a Saturday afternoon, soldiers fan out in Caracas' Petare neighbourhood to fulfil Maduro's order that "the barracks come to the people".

The soldiers' task is to teach the locals how to handle arms to respond to "the enemy".

The training scenario includes tanks, Russian-made rifles - not loaded - and instruction posters.

A soldier is giving instructions to a small group on a loud speaker.

"The important thing is to familiarise yourselves with the weapons; we aim at the target and make a hit."

Everyone in the neighbourhood, including women and children, is listening.

Most of the volunteers taking part in the training exercise have no experience in armed fighting, but what they lack in experience they make up for in enthusiasm.

"If I have to lay down my life in battle, I'll do it," Francisco Ojeda, one of the locals taking part, tells BBC News Mundo.

The 69-year-old hurls himself on the sun-baked tarmac and holds a combat position as he clutches an AK-103 rifle. A soldier corrects his form.

"Even the cats will come out here to shoot, to defend our fatherland," he says.

His eagerness is matched by that of Glady Rodríguez, a 67-year-old woman who recently joined the militia. "We are not going to allow any US government to come and invade," she insists.

Home-maker Yarelis Jaimes, 38, is a little more hesitant. "This is the first time I grab such a weapon," she says. "I feel a bit nervous, but I know that I can do it."

But while the residents in Petare are learning to handle a rifle, outside of Maduro's strongholds, life goes on as normal, with few seeming to give much thought to the possibility of an invasion.

Even just a few metres from where Francisco Ojeda was taking position in the dusty street, residents go about their daily routine unperturbed. Street sellers display their wares, while other people do the shop for the weekend without even glancing at the militia members carrying out their exercises.

Benigno Alarcón, a political analyst at the Andrés Bello Catholic University, says Maduro's plan for the militia is not for it to engage in battle but rather to act as a "human shield".

Prof Alarcón argues that by calling up civilians, the Maduro government wants to increase the human cost any potential US military action would incur by making the possibility of human casualties much higher.

According to Prof Alarcón, it therefore does not matter if the militia are not well trained or even if they are unarmed.

Maduro has claimed that more than 8.2 million civilians are enlisted in the militia and in the reserves, but this figure has been widely questioned.

Perales, who has been in the militia for decades, sees his role as a "defender" of his street, the neighbourhood where he lives, what he knows.

While he has taken part in previous training exercises, he has opted out of the more recent ones, due to his age and health.

But were a conflict to happen, he says he is ready: "We must defend the territory. To wear the uniform already implies a responsibility."

Young Peruvians clash with police in anti-government protests

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2dk735nzlo, 8 days ago

Police and young anti-government protesters clashed in the Peruvian capital, Lima, over the weekend.

A rights group said at least 18 protesters had been injured in protests held on Saturday and Sunday, dubbed "Gen Z march" by the organisers. A police officer suffered burns, officials said.

Groups of young people, mainly under 30 years of age, were joined by bus and taxi drivers and marched towards Congress to express their anger over corruption scandals and growing insecurity.

The protesters, some of whom threw stones and other missiles, were dispersed by police firing tear gas and rubber bullets, AFP news agency reported.

The protests first erupted on Saturday 20 September, triggered by a pension reform passed earlier this month under which young people will be required to pay into a private pension fund.

The approval rating of the president, Dina Boluarte, has been in the single figures for months and many Peruvians say they want her to leave office.

"We are marching against corruption, for life, and against the crime that is killing us every day," 28-year-old Adriana Flores told AFP.

The Gen Z protesters were joined by transport workers who say that the government is not doing enough to combat extortion.

Taxi and bus drivers say gangs, including the Venezuela-based Tren de Aragua, threaten them into paying "protection money".

They also accuse the police of turning a blind eye to the widespread extortion.

Some held placards reading "We demand a life without fear".

Reporters said some of the Gen Z protesters tried to breach the security barriers police had erected around Congress.

But human rights group CNDDHH said police had overreacted in their response.

"There was no justification for firing large amounts of tear gas, much less for attacking people," CNDDHH lawyer Mar Perez told AFP.

Marching towards Congress, the protesters chanted "united for the Peru we deserve".

Once they had reached the security barriers, they also sang the national anthem.

Many Peruvians are critical of Congress, accusing the legislative of not representing the interests of the people.

"These people [members of Congress] raise their own salaries, they kill us like flies and don't care about anything. We need a total change, we're sick of this situation, "one young woman told local news site RPP.

President Boluarte, who was sworn in as president after her predecessor was impeached for attempting to dissolve Congress in 2022, doubled her salary in July - a move which many called "outrageous" in the face of her record low approval ratings.

Her term ends in July of next year.

Third person dies from methanol poisoning in Brazil

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yvwr8p12go, today

A 30-year-old woman has become the third person to die from methanol poisoning in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, as the authorities investigate the source of the tainted drinks thought to be making people ill.

Bruna Araújo de Souza died after consuming a vodka drink at a bar more than a week ago, according to officials in the city of São Bernardo. It comes after health officials announced the deaths of two men.

There have been a total of 225 confirmed cases of methanol poisoning in Brazil so far, according to the health ministry's latest update. Most of these have been in São Paulo.

At least 11 businesses have been closed and more than 10,000 bottles of alcohol seized by authorities.

It is unclear whether the contamination was intentional or accidental, and people are being asked to avoid consuming drinks without labels, safety seals or tax stamps.

Methanol is a type of alcohol commonly found in cleaning products, fuel and antifreeze. It is highly poisonous, even in small amounts.

Symptoms of methanol poisoning are similar to a hangover, meaning it can be hard for a person to know if they have been affected.

Ms Souza was hospitalised in a critical condition and tests showed she had methanol in her system, as did her boyfriend, according to an obituary posted online. She was later confirmed to be brain dead.

The two men who have died have been named in Brazilian media as Marcos Antônio Jorge Júnior and Ricardo Lopes Mira. They are both from the city of São Paulo,

Mira, 54, died on 16 September, having fallen ill a few days before, while Júnior, 46, died on 2 October after drinking vodka in a bar.

Both São Paulo state and national health officials say they are investigating other suspected methanol poisoning deaths.

The manager of a bar near Paulista Avenue, one of the busiest areas in the city of São Paulo, told the Associated Press: "Clients have been worried, and we're advising them it's better not to drink cocktails."

Among those who have been hospitalised with suspected methanol poisoning is the Brazilian rapper Hungria, who posted a picture of himself in hospital on social media with a caption saying "if you feel thirsty, find a safe place to drink".

Brazil's Health Minister Alexandre Padilha has described the situation as "abnormal and unlike anything else in our history regarding methanol poisoning in the country".

Argentines demand justice at protest against brutal killings of young women

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20zl9pydezo, 10 days ago

Thousands of people have taken part in an anti-femicide protest in Buenos Aires, demanding justice for a girl and two young women who were tortured and murdered in a crime that has shocked Argentina.

The brutal killings of 15-year-old Lara Gutierrez, and Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, who were both 20, were livestreamed on social media.

Police believe a drug-trafficking gang was responsible, and that the crime was broadcast as a warning to others.

They had arrested five suspects - three men and two women - as of Friday, according to National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, but a 20-year-old Peruvian man they say is the group's leader remains at large.

The victims were lured into a van believing they were headed for a party on 19 September, according to investigators.

But authorities said this was part of a plan to "punish" the girl and young women for violating gang code, serving as a warning to others.

One of the detainees revealed a video of the incident under questioning, according to Javier Alonso, security minister for the Buenos Aires province.

In it, a gang leader is heard saying: "This is what happens to those who steal drugs from me."

Authorities have released a photograph of the alleged Peruvian mastermind in the hope he is recognised.

The bodies of the three victims were found buried at a property in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires on Wednesday, five days after they went missing.

In Buenos Aires, relatives of the victims joined a march to Parliament on Saturday demanding justice for the women and girl.

"Women must be protected more than ever," Brenda's father, Leonel del Castillo, told reporters at the protest.

He had earlier said it was impossible for him to identify his daughter's body due to the abuse inflicted on her.

Antonio del Castillo, grandfather of the 20-year-old cousins, was in tears, as he called the killers "bloodthirsty".

"You wouldn't do what they did to them to an animal," he said.

One woman is killed by a man every 36 hours in Argentina, according to a femicide monitoring group in the country cited by Agence France-Presse.

Syria acknowledges 'shortcomings' in number of seats won by women at election

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3vz44zzp5zo, today

The committee which organised Syria's first parliamentary elections since the fall of Bashar al-Assad has acknowledged "significant shortcomings", after results showed only 13% of the seats contested were won by female and minority candidates.

Observers said six women and 10 members of religious and ethnic minorities were among the 119 people elected to the new People's Assembly on Sunday.

There was no direct popular vote. Instead, electoral colleges are selecting representatives for two-thirds of the 210 seats. Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa is appointing the rest.

An election committee spokesman said the president's choices might "compensate" for the underrepresented components of society.

Twenty-one seats were not filled because the polls were postponed for security reasons in two Kurdish-controlled provinces in the north, and a third in the south which has seen deadly fighting between government forces and Druze militias.

Sharaa declared that the elections were a "historic moment" during a visit to a polling station and said the parliament would play an "important oversight role" during its 30-month term.

He promised a democratic and inclusive political transition after his Sunni Islamist group led the lightning rebel offensive that overthrew the Assad regime last December, ending a 13-year civil war that killed more than 600,000 people and displaced another 12 million.

However, the country has been rocked by several waves of deadly sectarian violence since then, fuelling fear and distrust among minorities.

Sunday's polls were overseen by the Higher Committee for the Syrian People's Assembly Elections, whose 11 members were chosen by the president in June.

They, in turn, appointed sub-committees which were tasked with selecting up to 7,000 members of 140 electoral colleges covering 60 districts.

The candidates representing the 50 districts where voting took place all had to be electoral college members. Supporters of "the former regime or terrorist organisations" were barred from membership, as were advocates of "secession, division or seeking foreign intervention".

In the end, women made up 14% of the 1,500 candidates, according to the Higher Committee.

However, there were no quotas for female lawmakers, nor for those from the country's many ethnic and religious minorities.

After publishing the preliminary election results on Monday, higher election committee spokesman Nawar Najmeh was asked by journalists to comment on the representation of women and Christians.

"Among the most significant shortcomings of the electoral process were the unsatisfactory results for Syrian women's representation, and the fact that Christian representation was limited to two seats, a weak representation relative to the number of Christians in Syria," he told a news conference.

Election observers told Reuters news agency that two members of Assad's Alawite sect and several ethnic Kurds also won seats.

The US estimates that 10% of Syria's 24 million population is Christian. Sunni Muslims constitute 74%, other Muslim sects 13%, and Druze 3%.

Najmeh suggested that "the president's third [of the seats] could compensate" for some underrepresented components of society.

He also insisted that authorities were "serious about having supplementary ballots" in the northern provinces of Raqqa and Hassakeh, which are mostly controlled by a Kurdish-led militia alliance, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

However, he said the polls there would be linked to progress between the government and the SDF on the implementation of a March agreement to integrate all Kurdish-led military and civilian institutions into the state.

The Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political umbrella of the SDF-affiliated Autonomous Administration of North-East Syria (AANES), said the elections "did not represent the Syrian people's will, and did not represent all regions and communities in the country".

On Tuesday, Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said he had agreed to a comprehensive ceasefire with the SDF's leader, Mazloum Abdi, following recent clashes in two Kurdish-majority neighbourhoods of the northern city of Aleppo.

The AANES accused the army of attacking residents of Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maksoud on Monday, while the interior ministry said the clashes erupted after the SDF shelled army checkpoints.

The government also holds little sway in the southern province of Suweida, where tensions with the predominantly Druze population have remained high since the sectarian violence there three months ago.

The violence erupted when Druze militias clashed with Sunni Bedouin tribes, which prompted the government to send its forces to intervene. More than 1,000 people were killed in the fighting, most of them Druze, according to monitoring groups.

One Druze cleric in Suweida, Fadi Badria, told the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights the elections represented only the authority of what he called the "terrorist" interim government, and that they would "not be recognised by the province".

Trump urges mediators to 'move fast' as key Gaza peace talks set to begin

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj3y6g43248o, yesterday

US President Donald Trump has urged everyone involved in efforts to end the Gaza war to "move fast" as mediators are set to meet in Egypt on Monday for indirect peace talks between Hamas and Israel.

The talks come after Hamas agreed to some parts of a 20-point US peace plan, including freeing hostages and handing over Gaza governance to Palestinian technocrats, but is seeking negotiations on other issues.

The group's response did not mention the key demands of its disarmament and playing no future role in Gaza's governance.

Writing on social media that talks had been "very successful", Trump said: "I am told the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to move fast."

The US president added that "time is of the essence or massive bloodshed will follow".

Speaking to reporters earlier, Trump said he thought the hostages would start to be freed "very soon".

When asked about flexibility over his peace plan, Trump said "we don't need flexibility because everybody has pretty much agreed to it, but there will always be some changes".

"It's a great deal for Israel, it's a great deal for the entire Arab world, Muslim world, and world, so we're very happy about it," he added.

Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes continued in Gaza, despite Trump telling Israel to "immediately stop the bombing" on Friday after Hamas responded to the proposed plan.

Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters on Sunday that "while certain bombings have actually stopped inside of the Gaza Strip, there's no ceasefire in place at this point in time".

Bedrosian said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given orders "to fire back for defensive purposes... if there is a threat to their life in the battlefield in Gaza".

Reports from Gaza say Israel continued air strikes and tank fire overnight and into Sunday, destroying a number of residential buildings in Gaza City.

A BBC correspondent heard explosions from inside Gaza and saw a plume of smoke while near the border in Kibbutz Be'eri, Israel, on Sunday morning.

Another 65 people were killed by Israeli military operations in the 24 hours leading up to midday, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said.

Netanyahu says he hopes to announce hostage release in the 'coming days'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yqv4lz0geo, 3 days ago

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he hopes to announce the release of hostages being held in Gaza "in the coming days".

In a televised statement, he also said "Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised – either the easy way or the hard way, but it will be achieved".

The comments came after Hamas released a statement on Friday in which it agreed to free the hostages under a US peace plan, but did not mention disarmament and sought negotiations on other issues.

Hamas said on Saturday that Israel was continuing to commit "massacres", after strikes hit Gaza in the morning, and it urged global pressure on Israel.

Indirect ceasefire talks between the parties are set to start in Egypt on Monday.

US President Donald Trump said he would "not tolerate delay" from Hamas to complete a deal.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said: "Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off... Let's get this done, FAST."

He later posted that Israel "has agreed to the initial withdrawal line", seeming to refer to various lines of Israeli troop withdrawal published alongside the US plan.

The 20-point plan proposes an immediate end to fighting and the release of 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas - as well as the remains of those thought to be dead - in exchange for hundreds of detained Gazans.

In a post on X the Israel Defense Forces said it had issued an order "to advance readiness for the implementation of the first phase of the Trump plan for the release of the hostages". It added that the safety of IDF troops was "a top priority".

Hamas was under pressure to accept at least some points of Trump's plan. And this is exactly what they have done, with a "yes but" response. The group agreed to release all the remaining Israeli hostages, both living and dead, and that Gaza would be governed by technocrats.

But, among other things, the group did not mention whether it would disarm - a key Israeli demand.

In both Gaza and Israel, there has been cautious optimism that the current efforts could finally lead to a deal. One of the main differences now is the personal involvement of Trump, keen to be remembered – and rewarded – as the man who ended the war.

He has publicly urged Hamas to accept a deal, threatening even more military force, and there have been indications of his growing irritation with Israel's leadership recently. But it is unclear if the Trump effect will be enough.

The reality is that the obstacles that prevented earlier deals essentially remain the same, including Hamas' demand for a full Israeli withdrawal and a guarantee that Israel will not resume the war after the hostages are freed. The group knows it will be vulnerable without the hostages and will without doubt demand strong assurances that that will not happen.

There are suspicions elsewhere too. Many, inside and outside Israel, have accused Netanyahu of sabotaging previous efforts to prolong the war for political purposes.

He is supported by ultranationalist ministers who have threated to quit the coalition if the war ends without Hamas' total defeat. That could lead to the collapse of the government. For now, the prime minister seems to be safe.

Domestically, however, polls have consistently suggested that most Israelis favour a deal with Hamas for the release of the hostages and the end of the war. The country remains deeply divided, exhausted by the war and increasingly isolated internationally.

There is huge momentum for a deal, but this is no guarantee that one will be reached.

Families of hostages have told the BBC they have hope their loved ones will be returned soon.

Vicky Cohen, whose son Nimrod is among 20 captives held in Gaza who are still believed to be alive, said she had woken on Saturday with a sense of expectation, but also "fear that something will go wrong".

"It is a fragile situation and we don't want to be disappointed again. And yet I feel hope that soon I will see Nimrod and I can hug [him] again," she said.

Reactions to the proposals among Palestinians in Gaza have ranged from hope to deep suspicion.

Some fear Hamas has walked into a trap, and that Israel will reclaim its hostages only to resume the war. Others believe a historic opportunity has opened to end two years of conflict.

"Don't get carried away by optimism," Gaza resident Ibrahim Fares told the BBC. "There will be rounds of talks over the details. The devil is always in the detail."

Meanwhile, Israeli military strikes have continued to hit Gaza, despite Trump telling Israel in a message on social media on Friday to "immediately stop the bombing".

Three air strikes hit Gaza City early on Saturday, one of which killed one person and wounded several others, according to medical sources at al-Shifa Hospital.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said 66 people had been killed by Israeli military operations in Gaza in the past 24 hours, bringing the total since the war began to 67,074.

International journalists have been banned by Israel from entering the Gaza Strip independently since the start of the war nearly two years ago, making verifying claims from both sides difficult.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

Most of Gaza's population has been repeatedly displaced and more than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed.

Shock in Gaza as Trump appears to welcome Hamas response to US peace plan

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c15k199j1x3o, 3 days ago

People in Gaza have reacted with shock after US President Donald Trump appeared to welcome Hamas's response to his peace plan for the territory.

Hundreds of Palestinians flooded my social media accounts and messaging apps with questions like: "Has the war ended?" and "Is this a dream or reality?"

The pace of developments overnight has left many struggling to grasp what comes next.

The movement's carefully crafted statement - thought to have been drafted with the help of mediators - stopped short of outright rejection and instead offered a qualified "yes".

Hamas accepted Trump's terms for the release of Israeli hostages and the idea of handing over the governance of Gaza to Palestinian technocrats - but did not give a clear response to many other elements of his 20-point proposal.

It was, many Palestinians say, a calculated reply that put the ball back in Israel's court.

Soon after it was published, Trump wrote on social media that he believed Hamas was ready for peace and called on Israel to stop the bombing of Gaza.

Reactions among Palestinians in the territory ranged from hope to deep suspicion.

Some fear Hamas has walked into a trap, and that Israel will reclaim its hostages only to resume the war. Others believe a historic opportunity has opened to end two years of conflict.

"I advise patience," Ibrahim Fares told the BBC.

"Don't get carried away by optimism. There will be rounds of talks over the details. The devil is always in the detail," he said. "Look at Lebanon, where even now there are still displaced people and airstrikes."

Mahmoud Daher noted on Facebook that Hamas's response was unusual for its directness.

"This time it was yes without the usual 'but' immediately after," he wrote.

"Yes to prisoner release under Trump's formula, yes to ending the war and withdrawal, yes to handing power to a Palestinian authority. The buts came only later. Hamas even played to Trump's ego with praise."

But not everyone is convinced.

Gaza-based activist and long-time Hamas critic Khalil Abu Shammala said the decision was about the movement's survival.

"They will call this wisdom - or putting the people first. But the truth is, it's about Hamas staying in power. I even doubt Hamas wrote the statement - it was too clever."

For now, Palestinians remain uncertain as they wait to see whether the words on paper can truly be enough to end the war.

They're making sex jokes in Saudi: Inside the controversial comedy festival

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyn2yqpnnpo, 4 days ago

"There were sex jokes, and wife jokes. It's really unusual to see this kind of comedy here in Saudi Arabia."

That's how one ex-pat summed up the performances she's seen, at the first ever Riyadh Comedy Festival.

"The response was amazing, I've never seen such enthusiasm," she said, after sets by American stars Dave Chappelle and Bill Burr.

The woman - whom we're calling Sara - said the comedians avoided discussing Saudi Arabia's controversial human rights record. But that didn't particularly bother her.

"People here don't care about those topics," she said. "If they did, they wouldn't live here."

Outside Saudi Arabia, there are very different perspectives.

Famous comedians such as Jimmy Carr, Jack Whitehall, Kevin Hart, Russell Peters and Omid Djalili have been intensely criticised by fellow artists for agreeing to perform at the festival. Others say they turned down invitations.

On Friday, one of the few female comedians on the bill, lesbian stand-up Jessica Kirson, apologised for taking part in the event, telling The Hollywood Reporter she would be donating her fee to a human rights organisation.

But some argued it’s a more nuanced picture. While human rights groups have a host of concerns about Saudi Arabia, the country has attempted to transform its image in recent years.

With the festival in full swing, we’ve been speaking to fans and comedians to find out what's actually happening on the ground - and how people have reacted.

What's being said...

The Riyadh Comedy Festival kicked off last weekend, with an all-star - and primarily male - line-up.

One of the first fans through the doors was Zain, not his real name. He attended Omid Djalili’s and Bill Burr’s sets with friends, and is booked in to see Jimmy Carr next week. The sets included "profane content", with jokes about gay and trans people, he said.

"The opening act for Bill Burr included a ten-minute segment which was all about sex."

Zain, who lives in Riyadh, said he was shocked to hear jokes like this, in a country which is known for being ultra-conservative socially, and where homosexuality remains illegal. The country imposes the death penalty for same-sex relationships, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association.

"I can't believe people were saying this stuff in Saudi," Zain said. "Many people here haven't seen a stand-up in their lives, let alone something so explicit.”

But the jokes were well received, he said. "In front of me, [there was a group] of local Saudi women, and they were all laughing.”

Chappelle's set was also controversial, according to Sara, with lots of jokes about trans people.

She said it's "really unusual" to hear jokes like that in the Gulf state. "It's very haram," she said, using the Arabic word for forbidden.

Zain said that Djalili poked fun at elements of Saudi culture.

"He joked about the niqab, and women driving. He also did a skit about how people in Riyadh think they are God's gift to earth."

But Burr seemed much more nervous, he said, and stuck to tried-and-tested jokes about his wife and kids.

The audience was a broad mix of Saudi nationals and ex-pats, and there was a strong turnout, attendees said.

And what's not being said

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka, who said she turned down an invitation to perform, shared excerpts from a contract that allegedly included bans on any material that could "degrade or defame" the Saudi royal family or religion.

BBC News has not been able to independently verify the existence of such a contract.

But British comedian Rosie Holt says it's extremely rare for comedians to receive content restrictions like those.

"I've only heard it happening sometimes at gigs at universities, like don't be homophobic or racist,” she told me. “But that's the exception not the norm.”

'It's morally repugnant'

The timing of the festival also hasn’t been lost on its critics.

Its dates, from 26 September to 9 October, coincide with the seventh anniversary of the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi was killed while visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, and his body cut up.

A US intelligence report found Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved his murder. Saudi Arabia has rejected that report, and the crown prince, who is effectively the kingdom's ruler, has denied any role in the murder.

"The same guy that's gonna pay [the comedians] is the same guy that paid that guy to bone-saw Jamal Khashoggi and put him in a [expletive] suitcase," said US comic Marc Maron, in a standup clip that appears to take aim at Mohammed bin Salman.

Holt said that if comedians were going to go to Riyadh and make jokes about the state, and "call out Khashoggi", then "I'd say fair play to them - but they won't".

"There's that old saying, that comedy speaks truth to power," she said. "A lot of these comedians have been huge defenders of free speech, and to go and perform in Saudi Arabia, where free speech is so heavily curtailed, is extraordinary. It's morally repugnant."

Alex Falcone, a comedian and TikTokker from LA, acknowledged that free speech had also come under fire in the US. But he said it was the fact the festival is government-backed that made him most uncomfortable.

"There's a difference in performing in a country and for a country. I would not do a festival if it was being paid for by the "Trump is a great guy" department," he said.

Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, which announced the festival, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Saudi Embassy in London has been approached for a comment.

Chappelle, Djalili, Burr, Whitehall and Carr did not respond to BBC News.

'They're paying me to look the other way'

Some comedians have been clear about what's drawn them to Saudi - money.

"They're paying me enough money to look the other way,” US comedian Tim Dillon said on a podcast.

Dillon, who says he was fired from the festival following that podcast appearance, also claimed he had been offered $375,000 (£278,000) for his set, and that some of his peers were offered millions.

Others have also spoken about the large fees.

US star Shane Gillis said on his podcast he had declined a "significant" offer to perform at the event. "I took a principled stand," he said.

Fellow comedians have taken a dim view of their peers for "selling out".

"No one goes into comedy for the paycheque," says Holt.

"The only people who are being invited are people who already very successful," added Falcone. "This has not been a tough year for Kevin Hart."

Comedians and musicians have often performed at private gigs and corporate parties.

"The difference,” says entertainment journalist Natalie Jamieson, “is that those events tend not to be disclosed, or receive such publicity. The outrage is happening now because this is happening so publicly."

'People here are excited'

It's not only comedians who have taken up large sums of money from the Saudi government in recent years.

As a nation that has been heavily dependent on oil, Saudi Arabia is working to diversify itself economically, socially and culturally.

Its Vision 2030 plan, spearheaded by the crown prince, includes funnelling money into sectors such as tourism, entertainment, and sports.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has won hosting rights for several major international events, including the 2034 men's football World Cup.

Last month, gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA) was bought by a consortium spearheaded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The fund's portfolio also includes Newcastle United and the LIV Golf franchise.

"I'm sure there are lots of people in the West who don't approve, but people here are really excited about the transformation programme," said Sara. "Saudi Arabia is trying to be an entertainment centre, and things like this comedy festival really help. There's a lot of enthusiasm here, especially among young Saudis."

Speaking on his podcast this week, Bill Burr defended his Riyadh performance in the face of the backlash.

"The comedians that I've been talking to are saying, 'Dude, you can feel [the audience] wanted it. They want to see real stand-up comedy’," he said. "I think it's going to lead to a lot of positive things."

Whether the festival truly permits diverse perspectives to be aired is up for debate.

Zain acknowledges there is no getting away from the fact the comedians in Riyadh won’t be making jokes about the state or its leaders, as they would elsewhere.

“So you can criticise them for that,” he said. But holding an event like this was helping to “open the eyes of the population”.

“Every Saudi who attends a show like this will learn something. You had gay jokes, trans jokes, sex jokes, they're being really open about everything - aside from the government."

Trump's pact to defend Qatar could shake up or shore up a fragile region

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c203yldq44wo, 5 days ago

President Trump this week signed an executive order vowing to use all measures - including the US military - to defend the Gulf state of Qatar.

The text says Washington will view any armed attack on the tiny energy-rich nation as a threat to the Unites States itself and will "take all lawful and appropriate measures - including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military - to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability".

The order amounts to an extraordinary security pact between America and a key Arab ally, almost mirroring aspects of a Nato alliance. It will be the envy of its regional neighbours.

It's all the more remarkable given how Qatar has transitioned in just a few years from being the focus of an economic and diplomatic boycott by its neighbours to now becoming the Middle East's ambassadorial crossroads - most recently in its role as mediator between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas has its political offices in Doha and is currently reviewing Trump's 20-point Gaza peace proposal announced at the White House on Monday. Doha is also home to the region's biggest US airbase, Al Udeid.

Trump's move to enshrine US protection for Qatar follows the rage expressed by the ruling Al Thani family last month after Israeli airstrikes on their soil targeted Hamas leaders, leaving several lower-level members of the group dead along with a Qatari security official.

Qatar was also attacked by Iran earlier this year in retaliation for American strikes against its nuclear sites.

The country is at the core of growing anxiety among Gulf Arab states that partnering with the US and hosting its military bases is not affording them the protection they had presumed.

Qatar's foreign ministry warmly welcomed Trump's executive order saying it represented "an important step in strengthening the two countries' close defence partnership".

But Trump's move raises significant questions over its timing and motivation, and it is likely to be challenged in Washington.

It lays down a marker affecting the fragile and combustible regional dynamics just as Hamas reviews Trump's proposal for the future of Gaza.

Former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro suggested Trump was giving Qatar an extraordinary prize before appearing to get assurances from Doha in return.

"Trump's security commitment to Qatar makes no sense unless they deliver a yes from Hamas, or expel them if they say no," said Shapiro.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz summed up what is likely to be the interpretation in Israel: "Trump granted immunity to Hamas' leadership when residing in Qatar, despite Netanyahu's warning that they would not be safe wherever they go."

But Gulf analysts say Trump's guarantee is important to shore up a jittery region, shaken by Israel's escalating use of force beyond its borders alongside wider concerns about the reliability of the US security umbrella in the Gulf.

Firas Maksad from the Eurasia Group said Trump's move went "some way" to reassure Qatar and other Gulf allies, adding that he expected Saudi Arabia to seek a similar commitment. "I do think it's very much in the US interest to keep them onside," Maksad told the BBC.

The scope of the security guarantee for Qatar is wide-ranging, extending to US military backing in the event it is attacked. In that sense it is reminiscent of Nato's Article 5 requiring a joint response for an armed attack against any one member.

But being issued as an executive order from the White House, it bypasses Congress, which under the War Powers Act should be consulted by the president before committing US forces.

That means the order might lack legal force and could potentially be rewritten or ditched under a future president. It is also likely to face scrutiny from Democrats in Congress.

The move is also being challenged by parts of Trump's own Maga support base who see it as at odds with his "America First" agenda.

Laura Loomer, an influential far-right activist close to Trump, suggested Qatar was more of a threat than ally to the US.

The Trump-loyalist radio host Mark Levin said the order upended America's traditional alliances in the region, asking: "If the leadership of Hamas in Qatar is killed by Israel, are we going to war with Israel?"

Then there is the issue of the Trump family's personal and business links to Qatar, which his opponents say amount to a conflict of interest in his foreign policy dealings with the ultra-wealthy Gulf state.

The Trump Organization, run by his sons Eric and Donald Jr, struck a deal in April to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar featuring Trump-branded beach-side villas and an 18-hole course, developed by a firm owned by the Qatari government.

Qatar has also donated a 747 jetliner to the US, which Trump wants to use as a replacement for Air Force One.

The president has said it will be decommissioned after he leaves office and would be displayed in his yet-to-be-built presidential library. The White House and Qatari officials have denied any conflicts of interest over business links and policy.

But Tony Carrk of the watchdog group Accountable.US accused Trump of erasing the line between the two.

"Donald Trump apparently wants US taxpayers to foot the bill for potential military protection of his luxury Qatar golf course while currying favour with his Qatari-government-tied business partners," he said.

Trump visited Doha as part of his regional tour in May, which involved trade talks in gilded palaces with the most powerful and wealthy figures in the region.

But the White House has always vehemently rejected the accusations of a conflict of interest.

Deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement to the BBC: "President Trump's assets are in a trust managed by his children. There are no conflicts of interest."

The battle is on for the Conservatives to show they matter

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c864dzn827xo, 3 days ago

"Oh God," and then a pause, a sigh, and then, "Oh God," again.

Just as a senior Conservative was telling me the party might be able to climb out the terrible hole it's in, news popped up of another of its ranks deserting for Reform UK. Their response?

Sad resignation, at yet another resignation.

The individual exit of Sarah Atherton, who was briefly a defence minister when the Tories were in power, is not the point. Well over a dozen Conservative MPs or former MPs have made that same move. The question for the Conservatives perhaps this weekend is: is there a point?

You don't need me to tell you that the Conservatives are unpopular - deeply so. The hangover from the last election was always going to be nasty after a proper thumping, 14 years in power, and, oh yes, those five prime ministers. But the party's standing has fallen even further since then.

No discernible bounce with its new leadership under Kemi Badenoch. No profit from the misery of the government. For the group once regarded as the most successful political operation in the western world, it's dire.

Technically, the Tories are still the main opposition. That brings status and meaning. It's Badenoch who gets to ask six questions of the prime minister every week. It's the Conservatives who, as is traditional, are most often called on to respond to government announcements. They still have way more MPs than the Liberal Democrats, or the SNP, and legions more than Reform or the Greens.

But politically, it just doesn't feel at this moment that they are the government's hungry main challengers. That's in part because they were smashed to bits in July 2024 and it was always going to take a bit of time to come round.

It's in part because the party is so far behind in the polls. It's in part because the government is very deliberately making its arguments against Reform, not their traditional Conservative rivals.

As another senior party figure observes, Labour's "framing of cutting the Tories out is the right one".

It suits Labour and the Lib Dems to treat the Tories as if they are irrelevant. And it's in part, many Conservatives argue, because Badenoch "just hasn't generated any traction, any attention" during her time in charge.

As the Conservatives arrive in Manchester for their conference, in the very serious aftermath of the attack on Heaton Park synagogue, the primary job is to grab any attention: perhaps the Tory party is smack bang in the middle of a battle to matter at all.

Like it or not, just as Sir Keir Starmer has discovered, grumpy parties who are not doing well point the finger at their leader. Badenoch has admirers in the Conservative Party for speaking out on particular issues like single-sex spaces, free speech, or declaring that some cultures are in her view "less valid" than others. Some of her colleagues applaud her blunt, tell-it-like-it-is manner.

But politics is also a business of charm and empathy. A senior Tory told me after the election defeat the party had to "go everywhere and do a mea culpa, to listen and take a kicking". But the issue with Badenoch, they say, is "she is grand... hasn't been anywhere and isn't listening to anyone". Ouch.

With conference about to start, it's almost a Tory tradition to fill the papers and podcasts with gripes about the party leader. She has had some more effective performances at Prime Minister's Questions. Policies are starting to emerge. Money has kept flowing to the party. One of her backers maintains that although she is still "finding her way", she has some of the same "strength and character as a young Margaret Thatcher".

Thatcher was seen as "strange and shrill" when she got the job, but became the party's most successful boss of modern times. But as Badenoch approaches a year in the job, it's becoming harder to find people who'll make that comparison.

Whatever Badenoch's personal strengths and failures, there is a different criticism of how she has gone about the job, with a party veteran suggesting, "there is just no pace, no nimbleness".

Maybe that should have been staring the party in the face: her original pitch for the job was "Renewal 2030" - a date past the next general election.

During many of her interviews Badenoch has said she wants to take her time working out the right moves for the party, developing credible ideas rather than being rushed. You can expect lots of policy to be unveiled in the next few days.

But politics moves incredibly fast, and another source agrees pace is a problem, saying: "What she misunderstood is you get one chance to introduce yourself to the public – she lost the chance to generate any traction and she won't get that back."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was only too happy to step into that "vacuum", gaining strength in the polls and grabbing headlines while the Tories were busy making other plans.

Candidly, it is not unusual to hear Conservatives saying freely in private that Badenoch won't be in the job for long, she could be "out by Christmas", or "might not even have to be dragged out" if the party bombs at the polls in a set of mega elections in May.

Indeed, when asked the question herself in a conference warm-up interview, she more or less said: Well, ask me then.

Refreshingly honest from a leader who isn't fully in control of her own destiny? Or foolhardy when this is a moment when she ought to be mustering as much authority as she can? The conference gives a shop window to the party and its leader to show what she is made of too.

As one senior MP says: "This conference is about her, and making it clear she has a direction and a sense of where she is going, and it is hers and she is going to lead it – we have this one chance."

"We understand the polls aren't great, a source close to the party leadership adds. "There needs to be a bit of understanding from those who are grumbling."

But where is Badenoch trying to lead?

"If I want a can of full fat coke, then I go and buy one, if I like what Reform are saying I'm gonna vote Reform, I'm not going to vote for a party that's not quite there," a party insider says.

Badenoch's signals on climate change, on leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, tip towards the right of the Conservative spectrum, on territory that right now, Reform have painted in bold primary colours.

Badenoch is a Brexiteer, a strong advocate of free speech, and seemingly often up for a spat in the latest round of culture wars. But politics is a business - not quite like any other - but a business nonetheless. And many in the party reckon she is going after the wrong customers and ought to be trying to appeal more to soft liberals or soft Tories, rather than to those interested in Reform.

"Frankly, the gap in the market is on the centre right," one source says. Some of the current Tory top brass are keen to get the argument onto issues they hope might appeal more to more voters, and it's not stupid to guess it, yes, the economy.

One shadow minister says: "We have to talk about the money in your pocket and trying to articulate what all of Labour's tax rises and debt means to you in terms of the cash in your pocket and the food in your fridge."

With Reform UK in the ascendant, are they the right enemy for the Tories in any case, one source wonders? Their presence on the right means the Conservatives right now don't have the luxury of assuming they will always be the number two. The party used to be "free to carry on in opposition in our own space – now when the party looks for who its enemy is, is it Labour, Reform or Lib Dems, or it doesn't know?".

According to one source close to the party leadership, in recent years people have struggled to know what the party stands for: "We have flip-flopped, criss-crossed, gone from [Theresa] May to [Boris] Johnson, to [Rishi] Sunak."

There will be big announcements over the next few days setting out Badenoch's position "and it will be the job of MPs and councils and everyone to go and sell that message".

As party members and associated hangers-on start to arrive in Manchester today, there are reasons to be gloomy for the current leadership. If you look back at the polling, Badenoch is in a worse position according to net satisfaction ratings than John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. (If you're wondering, I didn't forget Liz Truss, but she wasn't around long enough to have her popularity measured after nearly a year).

"I don't remember it ever being this bad," says one insider, suggesting not just that Badenoch's time will be up before too long, but also that the party has been hollowed out of experience and knowledge, and many of the big-name MPs who have stuck around have, frankly, rather checked out.

But one of Badenoch's backers suggests it's the party, not the leadership, that ought to have a word with itself. They told me their colleagues have got a "messiah complex - ever since Margaret they think there is a leader out there who will lead them to the promised land".

In other words, get your heads down, get your work done, and stop thinking it's all about the person at the top.

"We need to understand real history, not folk history," they say, suggesting a new leader would not and could not solve the party's problems on their own. Do it again, and a frontbencher suggests "people will think, 'Oh God, they haven't changed!'"

But the overall picture for the Tories' top team is as foul as the weather in Manchester which awaits them. "They're not relevant, they don't matter - that is the big thing the current team have not understood," one Tory source worries.

"If it's not resolved soon it's easy to see how we might be in third or even fourth place" when it gets to the next election, they add.

Not for the first time, you don't need me to remind you - but I will - that politics in the 2020s is a very unpredictable era. There are known unknowns. Might Badenoch pull off a blinding speech this week? Will Labour be patient with Sir Keir until the general election? Will Reform hold together? Will the economy improve? And unknown unknowns that we can't list right now.

And anyone who claims to know what's next may as well be trying to sell ice to an Eskimo.

The Conservative party has been pronounced more or less gone before. There was even a book published titled "The Strange Death of Tory England". Five years later, David Cameron strolled into No 10.

But the party is in trouble. Conferences are always an opportunity for political parties, but also a risk. The pressure is on the Tories to show they matter in the next few days, or more on their own side may wonder what they're for.

Why we struggle to protect the young from conspiracy theorist parents

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c749d9557j2o, 5 days ago

Listen to Marianna read this article

The inquest into the death of Paloma Shemirani, the daughter of a British conspiracy theorist, was like something out of a TV show.

As it unfolded, the medical world clashed with "Conspiracyland", with experienced doctors questioned in courtrooms by people who believe in medical disinformation.

Paloma Shemirani, a Cambridge University graduate from East Sussex, died in July last year - seven months after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. She had been told conventional treatment would give her a high chance of survival, but rejected chemotherapy in favour of alternative methods, like juices and coffee enemas.

Paloma's twin brother Gabriel has long pointed the finger at their mother Kate. He strongly believes that Kate's beliefs were behind Paloma's decision to reject chemotherapy.

On Thursday, coroner Catherine Wood said Paloma was "highly influenced" by her mother's beliefs - as well as others including a family friend and her dad. They all advocated the alternative treatment she used.

"The influence that was brought to bear on Paloma... did contribute more than minimally to her death," the coroner said.

Kate Shemirani, a former nurse with 80,000 followers on X, lost her licence to practise in 2021 - a Nursing and Midwifery Council committee found she had spread Covid-19 misinformation that "put the public at a significant risk of harm".

Gabriel says that his childhood was engulfed by outlandish misinformation about 9/11 being "an inside job" and the Royal Family being shape-shifting lizards. Above all, he claims he and Paloma were subject to false health information.

When he last spoke to his mother on the phone, Gabriel says he vowed to, "hold [her] accountable".

For her part, Kate Shemirani has remained firm that the decision to reject chemotherapy was entirely Paloma's own and she has promoted a range of unproven theories holding the NHS and medics responsible for her death. Paloma's father Faramarz Shemirani expressed similar views at the Coroner's court.

Both during the inquest and when I contacted her about my original investigation, Kate repeatedly rejected any accusations that her beliefs or behaviour played a part in Paloma's choices and her ultimately losing her life. Neither she nor Faramarz responded to my message asking for a comment on the inquest findings.

Yesterday, the coroner ruled: "I found Mrs Shemirani's care of her daughter incomprehensible but not unlawful killing.

"It seems that if Paloma had been supported and encouraged to accept her diagnosis and considered chemotherapy with an open mind she probably would have followed that course."

But this has raised broader questions around the influence and impact that conspiracy theories held by parents (where beliefs stretch far beyond genuine concerns) can have on children, including adult children.

And, in order to help protect children in the most extreme cases, where should the line be drawn between child protection and a parent's freedom to raise their child according to their own beliefs?

'Massive rise' in misinformation

Since I first investigated what had happened to Paloma, I've received dozens of messages from people concerned that their own relatives are making important decisions based on medical disinformation.

Several were from concerned grandparents, worried about their young grandchildren not being inoculated against certain diseases as a result of vaccine scepticism.

One grandmother emailed me, desperate for advice, as her daughter, wary of the MMR vaccine, was refusing to have her grandchild vaccinated.

When questioned, her daughter refused to change her decision, sending back pseudo-science from social media.

Declining uptake in the MMR jab, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, has recently sparked concern among medics.

Last year, there were 2,911 laboratory-confirmed measles cases in England, the highest number recorded annually since 2012. So far this year, there have been more than 700 cases.

Earlier this year a child died in Liverpool after contracting measles.

Medical professionals have warned that anti-medicine conspiracy theories appear to have become more prevalent.

"I think Covid led to a massive rise in misinformation on social media, and before scientists could fact check it, or even knew about it… it was gathering pace," says Liz O'Riordan, a former breast surgeon. "Trust in the medical profession began to drop."

In her view, the consequences can be life threatening.

"Unvaccinated children are dying from measles. Boys are infertile from mumps infections. Families will grow up not trusting medical doctors - they won't go for screening tests… Cancers will be picked up at a later stage increasing the risk of recurrence," she argues.

"[Children] will hear conversations their parents have… Hearing information from people you know and trust will be more persuasive than hearing it from teachers or doctors."

Age groups most susceptible

Liz O'Riordan, who herself has breast cancer, often debunks health misinformation online.

Several people who emailed me with concerns about their relative's beliefs explained that they too had tried to check the legitimacy of those beliefs but found it difficult to figure out who was behind the misinformation.

This is a common problem: the credentials or motives of those spreading medical mistruths are often obscured.

But the power of the misinformation community itself can be part of the problem, warns Dr Timothy Hill, a senior lecturer at the University of Bath, who researches conspiracy theories. He describes it as "a large online and face-to-face community of people who are willing to take new people into the fold."

Simply searching for information on a subject can sometimes lead people to it. "[People] end up in an algorithm-induced rabbit hole that backs up what their parents are saying," says Ms O'Riordan.

As such, all sorts of people are susceptible to believing or considering misinformation.

A study published last year in the Political Psychology journal, which looked at survey data from almost 380,000 people internationally, suggests those aged under 35 are more inclined to believe in conspiracy theories compared to older groups.

"They often experience lower self-esteem, feel disconnected from politics, and are more likely to engage in unconventional political actions that challenge existing norms," says Dr Hill.

Trusting parents vs the state

In theory, children should be protected. Any adult can raise concerns about a child's wellbeing with the local authority, including if there's a worry a child is being harmed by parental beliefs.

If it is then decided the child is at risk of harm, an application can be made to the family court for orders to protect them.

But in reality, legal experts tell me the threshold for intervention is high.

Family lawyer Rachel Frost-Smith, legal director at Birketts LLP, recalls a case she worked on, relating to a young child and the mother's anti-vaccine beliefs.

The mother was reluctant to provide information about the child's vaccination status to the father, who Ms Frost-Smith represented. She had shown the father videos from social media to support her sceptical view of certain vaccinations.

"All of these were of the type of conspiracy theory genre, including a video stating that vaccinations cause autism," recalls Ms Frost-Smith.

The court ruled the child could have its recommended vaccinations. However, in the UK there isn't a law compelling vaccination - so if both parents agree they don't want a child to be vaccinated, it would be unlikely to reach this verdict.

And the situation becomes more complicated still once the child turns 18.

The inquest heard how Paloma did speak with a social worker while living at home with her mum and remained adamant she did not want social services to be involved with her case. Her brother Gabriel had raised concerns and said he was disappointed Paloma was not visited in person.

Ms Frost-Smith says medics and social workers are limited in what they can do to protect adults, including those who seem to have "the capacity to make decisions even if they seem like 'bad' ones to other people".

Changing the law: a debate

One remedy, advocated by some experts, is to change the law.

Michael Preston-Shoot, an emeritus professor of social work at the University of Bedfordshire, argues that legislation could be amended in England to make it possible for social workers to have a warrant to interview a person on their own - without needing to take legal action. This is already the case in Wales and Scotland.

"Sadly there are too many cases where practitioners cannot reach individuals because somebody else is getting in the way," he says.

But Iain Mansfield, director of research at Policy Exchange, urges caution.

"I think this term 'misinformation' could be used to tilt that balance in quite a dangerous direction away from parents in favour of [the] state, which even if we trust it now to act well, it might not act well in future."

"It really comes back to who defines misinformation," he continues. "Who are you giving that power to? Do you want to give the power to a government? Do you want to give it to a large corporation or an individual billionaire?

"I think we need to err on the side of trusting parents here."

'The truth isn't sexy or exciting'

Then there is the question of how much responsibility social media sites should bear.

The Online Safety Act, introduced in the UK in 2023, requires major social media companies to make commitments to removing illegal content and protect children from harmful posts - but it's less clear-cut when it comes to dealing with legal content that could be considered harmful.

There's a complex environment surrounding social media regulation too, including on X where Elon Musk has changed rules around moderation since taking the helm.

"It is impossible to get above the noise as the truth isn't sexy or exciting, and most doctors and scientists don't have the time or skills to counteract this," says Liz O'Riordan.

For her, the current levels of social media regulation are not enough. Yet Mr Mansfield again warns caution about changing the rules to rely more on social media companies to determine what is safe.

"I would be very cautious about saying that we think large corporations, whoever they're owned by, should be taking a lead in deciding what's misinformation and what we should be censoring."

So could the solution be broader, not involving regulation at government or corporate level at all - but instead equipping users themselves to better determine what is true?

Learning to spot red flags

"[We should] teach children at school how to interpret medical claims they see online, how to fact-check, think for themselves, not to trust everything they see or hear," argues Ms O'Riordan.

She wants them to, as she puts it, recognise red flags - and "give them the courage to question what their parents say".

This all lends to what Gabriel says he experienced too.

For him, "the oxygen of conspiracy theories is isolation". Once at secondary school and away from his home, he was "forced to question [his] beliefs as people disagreed".

Neither Kate Shemirani nor Faramarz Shemirani responded to my requests for an interview ahead of the inquest conclusion.

They previously wrote to the BBC saying they have evidence "Paloma died as a result of medical interventions given without confirmed diagnosis or lawful consent". The BBC has seen no evidence to substantiate these claims.

Gabriel, however, sees his twin sister's inquest as a wake up call - for too long, he thinks society has let down those whose parents believe conspiracy theories.

"We as a society need to stop making conspiracy theorists into circus animals," he argues, as they are not "harmless".

"We also need to realise, as well, that the road to becoming a conspiracy theorist is far shorter than you think."

Hear more on the new podcast episode of Marianna in Conspiracyland 2 on BBC Sounds. Also, watch the recent Panorama documentary, Cancer conspiracy theories: Why did our Sister Die? on iPlayer

Top picture credits: Matthew Chattle/Future Publishing via Getty Images and Press Association

How much trouble is Labour in - and is the PM the right man for the job?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1kwlzv9zl1o, 10 days ago

Sir Keir Starmer achieved what many sage minds in Westminster believed was impossible.

Labour smashed itself to bits in 2019. But Sir Keir put the party back together and swept back to power with an epic majority five years later.

Yet, turn on the radio or glance at the headlines and Labour appears to be flirting with the unthinkable – giving him his P45.

In the last few days I've spoken to 30 people across government and the party - ministers, MPs, advisers - to try to work out, as the prime minister makes his way to Labour's annual party conference in Liverpool, how much trouble is he really in?

"How many more data points do you need to see that he is just not very good at being prime minister?"

Unforgiving as that sounds, the Whitehall figure who posed that question is far from the only person who has seen Starmer's government up close to conclude that fundamentally, the prime minister is just not suited to many aspects of the job.

For months polling has suggested the public feels the same.

Sir Keir is an intelligent, incredibly diligent, serious-minded politician who has achieved extraordinary things. But time and again the same problems are raised, summed up brutally by another senior figure: "His judgement on people has proven to be flawed, see endless staffing resets."

"His judgement on policy is flawed, hence U-turns, and he can't communicate, and has been unpopular in the public's eyes for a long time."

Others point to a slow pace of decision making in Downing Street, suggesting the prime minister thinks "too like a chairman, not a chief executive," says another insider.

And "he only gets to the right answer having exhausted all the other options," rather than moving fast using a gut political instinct.

Another senior party figure says: "He doesn't think like a leader."

Everyone in the Labour party is fed up with months of shocking polls.

But others are fed up of colleagues complaining about the boss, whether the small number who do so in public, or the much higher number who do so in private.

"It's like being England manager," one cabinet minister jokes. "Everyone thinks they can do a better job."

You can hear the frustration in others' voices, highlighting the "outstanding job" Starmer has done on the world stage – wrangling President Donald Trump, or leading support for Ukraine.

"He hasn't put a foot wrong," when it comes to foreign policy, says a cabinet minister.

Another praises the "sensible changes" the prime minister has just made to Downing Street, saying "people now are now in jobs that will suit their abilities better" after the reshuffle, and promising the public will soon see the benefit.

There can be no hiding from a very messy few weeks, with the forced exits of Angela Rayner and Lord Mandelson, and the circus around the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham's not very hidden ambition.

But there are other believers in what they see as Starmer's steady and relentless leadership, as one party source jokes: "There were a couple of weeks where we couldn't get of bed without accidentally tearing our own arms off."

They predict "that could all go away if we have a decent couple of months".

Perhaps. What even some of the prime minister's staunchest allies believe is that, he must explain more clearly, and vigorously, to the party - and to all of us - what the government is actually doing and why.

Sir Keir himself admitted as much in the summer, saying: "We haven't always told our story as well as we should."

So in the next few days, and live on the programme tomorrow, expect the prime minister to try hard to make a clearer pitch to the country. After a horrible few weeks, aides say the prime minister is in a "better place, clearer about the argument he wants to make".

Announcements like the Hillsborough Law, the returns deal with France, and yesterday's confirmation that ministers will go ahead with digital ID cards will convey, No 10 hopes, a sense of momentum.

And you can expect him to build on the argument he's been making about patriotism in politics, trying to reclaim some of the territory Reform UK have been trying to grab.

There are two problems though.

Firstly, even Starmer's biggest fans in government know fluid communication is not his strong point. He doesn't see the camera, or the TV sofa as his friend.

A strong defender of Starmer tells me: "I wish he was better at telling a story, people don't understand how deeply he feels it and how passionate he is, but he personally isn't good at it."

Secondly, and according to one senior MP this is the bigger issue: "We're just not clear about what we are doing or who we are for."

Another staffer tells me: "There is no fire, no passion, no vision – we are timid and flat-footed."

Even if the prime minister suddenly developed the silky charm and persuasiveness of George Clooney, or the bombastic nature of Piers Morgan, the question becomes, what is the story he wants to tell?

Multiple exits from the No 10 communications team tell you that working this out is not an easy task.

One source says: "Until we know the story we are trying to tell we will get buffeted around."

Is reforming schools, hospitals or welfare at the top of the list? Building houses or becoming a green "superpower"? Or being at the forefront of technology, or protecting our borders, or growing the economy? Or is it now this priority of "patriotic renewal"?

If you have that many priorities, how can the public understand what you care about most? To govern is to choose after all, if you're not doing much choosing, are you doing much governing?

One source suggested frankly, even for those who work closely alongside him, it's often hard to work out what the prime minister thinks, telling me: "He often appears unknowable."

"He compartmentalises his life - personal, professional, and political - in a way that works for him, but leaves colleagues unsure of his true views."

In a sense it seems extraordinary that the leader of a political party can leave colleagues unsure of their views, after 14 months in office, and four years as leader in opposition.

But his early years in charge were dominated by internal fights for control of the party, and over antisemitism, not over ideas.

One source recalls: "We had lots of fights to win in opposition, but they were never, ever about what the parties' priorities should be."

The prime minister has a huge chance in the next few days to spell out to his party, and to the public, exactly where he stands, and exactly what he believes in specific terms.

After a horrible summer, and a very tricky year, it is desperately needed if the party is to get back on track.

"There is a way through this, but he has to assert himself," says one cabinet minister, desperate for the prime minister to remind his party and the country why they elected him in the first place.

Ministers and Downing Street are frustrated by chatter about Starmer's leadership, especially the behaviour of Andy Burnahm in recent days.

"Everyone needs to just shut up and get on with their own jobs," one government source says.

Another says: "the Burnham stuff is just ridiculous."

"He doesn't have a seat in Parliament, wouldn't necessarily find or win one," and one minister snipes, "any chance to have a dig – Burnham will never miss an opportunity".

They predict confidently, the party "doesn't want regicide or disruption, they just want us to do well".

But leadership chatter is a symbol that all is not well. And that sense of assurance is far from universal.

One senior figure outside government warns me, "they don't realise they are in serious, serious trouble – this is literally a head-in-hands-moment".

There are real discussions in different pockets of the Labour movement about whether Starmer should still lead the party.

And the sweaty bars and fringe meetings of the party conference provide the perfect backdrop for those out to make trouble.

Yet it's clear from multiple conversations that it's not only mischief makers who are pondering what to do.

"Frustration is wide and deep," says a senior MP.

One insider who has been part of conversations about the chances of changing the leader says, "it's not flighty people, not just newbies without a clue, they're not idiots".

Even on the government payroll one minister worries, "the country is desperate for a disrupter, and it's just not who he is," questioning whether Starmer can be the right man for this political moment.

Here's the fundamental question, asked by many, expressed by one senior figure: "Do we think Keir can improve? People don't think he can, although they wish he would. But there is a sinking feeling."

Sign up for the Off Air with Laura K newsletter to get Laura Kuenssberg's expert insight and insider stories every week, emailed directly to you.

Some MPs are even pointing to the example of the Democrats' failure to tell former President Joe Biden to go, which left the party no time to build up another candidate.

The source continues we "dread and fear being the people who didn't do what was necessary to stop the country electing Farage".

Others would baulk at that comparison. The prime minister has only had just over a year in charge. The problems Labour inherited on taking office were profound.

Centre left political parties in many countries are grappling with how to deal with demographics, immigration, an era where public money is very tight.

There are more than three years until the next general election. There is time to start wrestling with all of that.

The electorate has shown politicians they can move in droves, and fast. So many ministers plead for patience.

One wishes his colleagues would not just "get a grip", but remember they were all elected on a promise to stop political chaos.

"Anyone who thinks the challenging world is rectified by a change in leader, I don't understand the rationale. When we look at how unstable things are, and talk about leadership, how would the bond markets respond, when our primary responsibility is stabilising the economy?"

Another source dismisses those predicting doom in the party, "nothing is irrevocable, and nothing is inevitable".

Perhaps the rebooted No 10 will start getting better results.

Perhaps, and No 10 fervently hopes, Sir Keir will wow the crowds at conference, and display why he earned the job to start with, and won the election in the first place.

The prime minister's position is also, frankly, protected by the fact there is no consensus about who could do a better job than him.

Even if Labour were to conclude universally, which it is far from doing, that Starmer's leadership is somehow beyond repair, that reality is a smack in the face for those who'd seek a change.

As one Whitehall figure suggests: "problem one, is he good at being PM? No. But next problem, do you have an upgrade? Hmm..."

Labour's answer to that question right now, notwithstanding Andy Burnham's antics, is, "well, we're not sure".

A lack of clarity over who would be next, and fresh memories of the political shambles of the Conservatives' change of leader, both put the brakes on anyone seeking to make a change any time soon.

As ever in politics two things that might appear to be contradictory are in fact, both true.

Is it mad on paper for Labour to be even vaguely contemplating changing their leader so soon, without an obvious strong successor, when they ran on a promise of no drama? For many, yes, it's crackers.

But is the discussion about whether the PM can carry on like this just idle chit-chat? Not at all.

One senior figure sums up the situation with no pleasure – discussion about changing the Labour leader "is both lunatic, and real".

The leadership's hope is that a strong conference without too many noises off, and an effective speech from the platform by the prime minister himself might calm everything down.

A political get together, a party conference for the politicians, members, and associated hangers-on, would never transform a prime minister's fortunes with the public overnight. But it can make a big difference to how a party feels about itself.

For Starmer to have a chance of restoring his position with the public he must first, once again, persuade his party that he is the man for the job.

But without restoring his party's faith in him, convincing Labour of his merits, his own position could well be at risk.

One insider who knows the prime minister well suggested: "He is not a natural explainer… he states positions but doesn't repeatedly argue for them.

"This has led to an aversion to debate, treating persuasion as weakness."

Yet politics is, above all else, the art of persuasion. That is perhaps the dilemma for Labour. That is the problem for him.

Trump promised retribution - how far will he go?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0q74pxx871o, 11 days ago

Donald Trump swept back into the White House this year promising, among other things, retribution against his perceived enemies. Nine months later, the unprecedented scope of that pledge – or threat – is fully taking shape.

He has vocally encouraged his attorney general to target political opponents. He has suggested the goverment should revoke TV licences to bring a biased mainstream media to heel. He has targeted law firms he sees as adversaries, pulling government security clearances and contracts.

Trump's moves have been conducted with the kind of open zeal – brazenness, his critics say – that might belie how dramatic and norm-shattering they are.

His demand a week ago that the Justice Department prosecute a handful of named political opponents, for instance, is the kind of thing that, when it was discussed in private and revealed in Oval Office recordings a half-century ago, prompted a bipartisan outcry that led to Richard Nixon's resignation as president.

Now it is just a blip in the weekly news cycle. And the pace at which Trump is expanding presidential authority in order to impose his will is, if anything, accelerating.

On Thursday, Trump signed an order on "domestic terrorism and political violence", saying it would be used to investigate "wealthy people" who fund "professional anarchists and agitators". He suggested liberal billionaires George Soros and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman could be among them.

Then hours later, Trump's Justice Department announced it had indicted James Comey, the former FBI director and Trump critic whom the president had said was "guilty as hell" days earlier.

Trump has justified a looming crackdown on left-wing groups by pointing to two recent, and shocking, acts of violence. First, the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a college campus, and then this week's gun attack targeting immigration agents in Dallas, in which two migrant detainees were wounded and one killed.

The president says his broader blitz of action is necessary, and urgent. The investigations of political opponents, he says, are about targeting law-breakers and members of the "deep state" who undermined his first presidential term.

The mainstream media, in the view of his Maga coalition, should be held to account over alleged bias and "fake news". Private businesses weakened by diversity policies and political corruption require the firm hand of government to set them straight.

He and his supporters also accuse the Biden administration of being the real culprit behind any presidential norm-breaking.

A tale of two presidents

During the Democrat's four years in office, Trump was indicted four times and convicted once. Several of his close aides – including fomer 2016 campaign chair Steve Bannon and trade adviser Peter Navarro – were prosecuted and imprisoned for contempt of Congress. Others were indicted for their alleged role in attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

The Biden White House directed social media companies to restrict what it characterised as harmful speech during the Covid pandemic. And the president attempted to expand presidential powers to implement his agenda, including student loan forgiveness, vaccine mandates, protection of transgender rights in public schools and environmental regulation.

Turnabout, Trump's side might say, is fair play - but the differences between the Biden actions and those being undertaken by this president are at times stark.

While Trump was prosecuted, only two of the cases were brought by the federal government and both by a special prosecutor set up to be independent of Biden's justice department.

Biden, unlike Trump, remained largely silent about the cases. Many of Biden's executive actions were undone by the Supreme Court, which so far has given Trump a free hand to operate.

Such details may be of lesser concern to Trump, however, who has portrayed himself as a persecuted figure - and used this sense of grievance to connect with many of his voters, who share a similar sense of injustice at an establishment they view as tilted against them.

And Trump may feel less restrained in his second term given that, last year, the Supreme Court held that US presidents, including Trump, are largely free from criminal liability for official actions they take.

Underlying the entirety of the debate about presidential power and "retribution" has been a fundamental disagreement between Biden and Trump over the nature of the existential dangers facing America and the world.

The core belief among many in the top ranks of Trump's White House is that America – and Western civilisation writ large – face a dire threat from leftist culture, mass migration, unbalanced global trade and intrusive government.

During a fiery speech at the memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, longtime Trump adviser Stephen Miller - the architect of Trump's immigration policies and one of his most vocal defenders - said that America's legacy "hails back to Athens, to Rome, to Philadelphia, to Monticello".

"You have no idea how determined we will be to save this civilisation," he said. "To save the West, to save this republic."

This kind of outlook stands in sharp contrast to the one outlined by Biden during his presidential term. In his view, the defining fight of the era was not between Western civilisation and forces that would destroy it, but between democratic and authoritarian nations.

"We're at an inflection point between those who argue that autocracy is the best way forward and those who understand that democracy is essential," Biden said in 2021.

"We must demonstrate that democracies can still deliver for our people in this changing world."

Now, Trump's critics say, the current president is more than just abandoning that fight. In their view, he is pushing the US towards authoritarianism.

How the US political landscape changed

The Comey indictment, for those who believe Trump is an aspiring autocrat, is only the latest example of this president targeting critics based on a sense of personal grievance and retribution.

In the days before Comey was charged with making a false statement to Congress and obstructing justice, Trump called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute not just the former FBI director but also New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Senator Adam Schiff - figures he has accused of conspiring against him.

"We can't delay any longer, it's killing our reputation and credibility," he wrote. "They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!"

The federal prosecutor who had been investigating Comey and James resigned amid the pressure, and was replaced by a former personal lawyer to Trump. She is reported to have personally presented the Comey case to the grand jury - a panel of citizens who assess the strength of the case - that indicted him.

"This is unprecedented, to have the president basically direct his people to indict a specific individual because he's angry at that person," Laurie Levenson, a law professor at Loyola Marymount University, told the BBC.

Other prominent critics of the president have also faced investigations. In August, federal agents raided the home and office of John Bolton, a former Trump national security adviser turned sharp critic, as part of an inquiry into his handling of classified documents.

John Brennan, head of the CIA during the Obama presidency, is reportedly also under investigation.

President Trump has also waged a campaign against major media outlets, which he has said are overwhelmingly critical of him in violation of federal law. He has sued the New York Times and Wall Street Journal for billions of dollars, after settling suits with both ABC News and CBS News.

Last week, even some high-profile Republicans cried foul after Brendan Carr, the head of the Federal Communications Commission, successfully urged local stations to drop one of America's biggest late-night comedy shows over comments host Jimmy Kimmel had made about Charlie Kirk, his suspected killer and the way Trump had mourned him.

The president then doubled down, saying networks that give him "bad publicity" should perhaps be targeted.

Amid the furore, Texas Senator Ted Cruz compared Carr's threats against media companies to mob tactics, while his colleague Rand Paul of Kentucky called them "absolutely inappropriate".

Some on the left go much further, however, drawing dark comparisons to 1930s Germany. "Trump is the Hitler of our time," was one of the chants protesters lobbed against the president when he dined with aides at a Washington restaurant last month.

"Anyone who thinks we're on the way to authoritarianism is wrong," Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland said this week. "We're already there."

The Trump administration says such warnings are not only unfounded but hysterical – the manifestation of "Trump derangement syndrome". They draw a direct line between such criticism and recents acts of violence, including the killing of Kirk.

"If you want to stop political violence, stop telling your supporters that everybody who disagrees with you is a Nazi," Vice-President JD Vance said this week.

Debates around 'democratic backsliding'

The concept of "democratic backsliding" and whether it's happening in the United States, however, does not have to rely on fraught debates referencing the rise of 20th Century fascism.

The Varieties of Democracy Institute based at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden conducts an annual survey of the state of government around the globe. It found that 72 percent of the world's population now lives in autocracies – the highest level since 1978.

In 2024, 45 countries were moving toward more autocratic government across the globe, including in places like Hungary, Turkey, Mexico, Greece and Ghana.

In these nations, the patterns were similar – erosions in freedom of speech, open elections, the rule of law, judicial independence, civil society and academic freedom.

Governments expanded their power over institutions and individuals. It didn't happen in the same order or at the same speed, but in the end the destination was the same.

According to the institute, the US has been demonstrating similar "concerning" trends - trends they say are moving at a pace unprecedented in modern American history.

"The expansion of executive power, undermining of Congress' power of the purse, offensives on independent and counter-veiling institutions and the media, as well as purging and dismantling of state institutions – classic strategies of autocratisers – seem to be in action," its latest report, released in March, found.

"The enabling silence among critics fearful of retributions is already prevalent."

'I am your retribution'

At a March 2023 rally in Waco, Texas, Trump was beginning to find his footing in his bid to win back the White House. A week earlier, he had publicly speculated that he was on the verge of being indicted in New York for fraud over hush-money payments to former porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Those charges, for which Trump would ultimately be convicted, were filed five days later.

On that sweltering afternoon before a crowd of around 15,000 loyal supporters, however, Trump delivered a series of promises.

"I am your warrior," he said. "I am your justice. And, for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution."

The concept of retribution became a common theme for Trump on the campaign trail for the next year and a half. Sometimes he would say "success" would be his retribution. Other times, such as in a series of interviews following his May 2024 felony conviction, he was more blunt.

He told television psychologist Dr Phil that "sometimes revenge can be justified" and "revenge does take time".

And in answering a question about retribution posed by Fox News's Sean Hannity, he said that he had every right to "go after" Democrats "based on what they have done".

On Friday, Trump said the indictment of Comey was "about justice, not about revenge" but added that he expected "others" would follow.

"This is also about the fact that you can't let this go on," he told a pack of reporters at the White House.

"They are sick, radical-left people and you can't let them get away with it."

Ratmageddon: Why rats are overrunning our cities

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gvk397j80o, 11 days ago

Listen to Justin read this article

One morning last year, John Gladwin opened the cupboard under his kitchen sink and discovered a bag of soil he'd been storing there was torn to shreds.

Days later he noticed a pungent smell too. It was musty and slightly astringent, not unlike the communal bin area in his block of flats.

"I knew what it was straight away," he says. "Rats."

He'd often seen them scurrying around near bins. Now they were inside his home too.

"I heard them in the cupboards and behind the bath panel. One morning when I woke up they were fighting under the bath, screaming and squealing."

Mr Gladwin, who lives in Croydon with his five children, acted immediately. He put down peppermint oil and rat poison and so far they haven't returned. But the experience shook him. "I was worried for the children's health, I didn't want them catching anything."

There was another feeling too: shame.

"It's not nice to say we're infested, that our family is living in a rat-infested property."

Cleankill, the pest control company tasked with tackling the infestation on Mr Gladwin's estate, works across the south of England. Its founder, Clive Bury says he has seen a "remarkable" increase in call outs for rat activity, estimating a 20% increase in the last two years.

Similar patterns are being reported across the country. Trade body the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) says more than half of the pest control companies who are members have seen an increased number of rat callouts over the last five years.

Rats live in drains, sewers and burrows, and emerge mostly at night, so counting them is nearly impossible and estimates on rat population figures vary. In the UK it could be anywhere from 10 million to 120 million.

What is known is that more than half a million rodent infestations were reported to UK councils, between 2023 and the middle of this year, according to Freedom of Information requests gathered by repair company, Drain Detectives.

But it's not just affecting the UK.

Rat numbers are reported to have spiked in several US cities too, including Washington DC, San Francisco and New York City, as well as in Amsterdam and Toronto.

Though they're not inherently dirty animals, rats scavenge in sewers and bins and can pass on serious diseases to humans. Leptospirosis (Weil's disease) is transmitted through their urine, and hantavirus can be spread by breathing in infected droppings. They can also eat their way through farm produce and contaminate food supplies.

So, given rats have shown themselves to be wily in avoiding being caught - what would it really take to stop them? Or are we too far gone to prevent rats from overrunning our cities?

Rising temperatures, rising rat activity

Bobby Corrigan calls himself an urban rodentologist. He started out as an exterminator in New York City and has spent his life immersed in rats.

"I ended up in sewers, trying to hang poison baits to kill rats."

Years later, while studying rats in college, he went to extreme lengths to understand their behaviours - once he slept on the floor of a rat-infested barn to observe it first hand.

What astonished him was their complex social structure, and evidence of what he believed to be signs of altruism. "I saw young rats carrying food and giving it to older rats that couldn't get around," he remembers.

He was also determined to understand the reasons for the rise.

There are many possible reasons for this. Niall Gallagher, technical manager at the BPCA, says our growing appetite for fast food, the fact some councils collect rubbish less frequently, as well as road and building works disturbing the sewer network, all contribute.

But there is evidence that rising temperatures might also be at play.

Scientific evidence has found that rat populations are sensitive to temperature but Dr Corrigan, who previously worked at the New York City Department of Health as a research scientist, together with researchers from the University of Richmond, Virginia, set out to find out whether the rise in rat activity correlated to temperature increases.

Their study examined 16 cities, mostly in North America, and the results, published in the journal Science Advances earlier this year, found that 11 of them recorded significant increases in rat activity over a period of between seven and 17 years.

In Washington DC the increase was almost 400%, in San Francisco it was 300%, Toronto 180% and New York 160%. Only three cities saw declines, including Tokyo and New Orleans.

"Cities experiencing greater temperature increases over time saw larger increases in rats," the study found. Those increases approached 2C in some places during the study period.

Dr Corrigan believes that - as long as temperatures continue to rise, and in particular winters become warmer - the increase in rat numbers is likely to continue.

And global temperatures are indeed set to rise between at least 1.9C and 2.7C above the pre-industrial average by 2100, according to Climate Action Tracker, a group of independent climate researchers.

Phenomenal breeders - until it's cold

Rats are phenomenal breeders. A female typically has around six litters a year, each with up to 12 pups.

Those rats can start breeding after nine weeks, meaning two rats can potentially create more than 1,000 offspring in a single year.

Researchers say numbers are particularly prone to increase in cities. That's because their heat-trapping tarmac and buildings tend to warm more quickly than rural areas.

And the trend of people moving from rural areas to cities is playing a part too, according to Dr Corrigan. "Land is disappearing like crazy, and we're putting up buildings so we reduce their [rats] habitat in the wild," he says.

Extra buildings means more nooks, pipes and drains for rats to live in. Which all adds to the challenge of how to best control growing populations.

A surprising superpower

One of the curious facts about rats - and one begins to explain why poison baits often don't work - is that they cannot vomit.

In theory this means that once rat poison is ingested, they can't get rid of it. But rats are also "neophobic" or fearful of new things, according to Professor Steven Belmain, a professor of ecology at the University of Greenwich. He believes the two points are related.

It is something of a "superpower", he says, as when they come across a potential food they don't just dive in.

"They will only try a little bit. So once they understand that they don't feel ill, they'll realise, 'okay, I can eat that'.

"You could argue that this cautious approach to life has stood them well."

Dr Alan Buckle of the University of Reading has spent 30 years working to develop new rat poisons but - he tells me with a laugh - "I failed".

If a poison tastes bad or causes any discomfort or pain to a rat, they will not eat more. Which is why slower-acting substances, mainly anticoagulants - drugs that stop blood forming into clots - are used.

These take up to a week to act, giving enough time for rats to eat a lethal dose. But they are recognised as a cruel way to die, killing the rats by causing internal bleeding.

What's more, in recent years rats have developed genetic mutations that give them some immunity to these powerful drugs too.

Some researchers are looking at the possibility of using oral contraceptives as an alternative, more humane way to prevent rat numbers growing further.

On patrol with the Rat Tsar

Few know this challenge better than Kathleen Corradi, a former schoolteacher who was appointed the city's Rat Tsar by the New York Mayor in 2023.

An estimated three million rats live in the five boroughs and Corradi was reportedly awarded $3.5m (£2.6m) to increase public awareness about rat mitigation.

She started what she calls a "rat academy" that teaches people how to stop their neighbourhood from being overrun by rats.

"They take a rat walk with me, where we go out into neighbourhoods, and we talk about human behaviour and we talk about rat behaviour," she told the BBC earlier this month.

"We talk about how it all comes together and what they could be doing in their neighbourhoods."

Her team also urged New York residents to phone in if they see rats or evidence of behaviours likely to encourage rats. Inspectors investigate the reports and order action, with stiff fines if it isn't taken.

And there was another crucial change – instead of putting their rubbish out on the street in plastic bags, now most New Yorkers are obliged to put their waste in rat-proof bins.

Corradi is now leaving the role, but she says the approach is showing some progress.

Ultimately, she explained, "cutting off rats' food source is the key to a sustained reduction".

Overflowing bins and fast food

Back in Croydon, Alex Donnovan, a pest controller for Cleankill, leads me into the backyard of the estate where John Gladwin lives. It is just after dawn, and he gestures for me to stay still and keep quiet.

Moments later, there is a rustling and a rat darts from beneath the concrete walkway towards the communal bins. Next, the head of a large rat emerges from a burrow at the end of the garden.

During the two hours we spent on the estate, some rats climbed high into a tree, while a particularly brazen one jumped into a bin and pulled a hunk of food from a plastic bag while I watched on, less than a metre away.

Mr Donnovan believes it is almost impossible to get control of an infestation of this scale. "There's just so much food." He gestures to bins overflowing with rubbish bags.

"Even if we put down rodenticide, they won't eat it. They are just not interested… Once these bins are infested with rats, the bin men don't want to collect it either."

Warmer temperatures may well help fuel growing rat populations but our overflowing bins, fondness for fast food and fractured communities all add to the challenge of keeping it under control.

In the UK there are more people than ever are living in closer proximity. The Office for National Statistics projects the population will increase from 67.6 million in 2022 to 72.5 million by 2032, with the proportion living in urban areas growing too.

So, instead of hoping poison will do the trick, the solution could come down to something far more straightforward.

"If we take care of our city environment, then we won't have to worry about being so inhumane to them," argues Dr Corrigan.

"By not giving [rats access to] the food and scraps, then we don't have to poison them and kill them and torture them and all the crazy things we do to them."

The challenge now is how to do that, and at speed. After all, as he puts it, we have already "underestimated them".

"We ignored rats and let them get out of hand… and now we are paying the price."

Additional reporting: Florence Freeman

Sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to keep up with the latest climate and environment stories with the BBC's Justin Rowlatt. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here.

How weight-loss injections are turning obesity into a wealth issue

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cre5xp83394o, 8 days ago

Three years ago, a fashion editor friend returned from Milan Fashion Week bursting with a story to tell.

Most fashion editors stayed at the same hotel, she explained, and each bedroom had its own mini fridge. After checking out, en route to the airport, a stylist in her party cried out that he'd left "an important package" in his fridge and telephoned the hotel, pleading with them not to throw it away.

"Turns out he'd forgotten his Ozempic," my editor friend whispered. We were baffled. Ozempic?

Back then, Ozempic was not part of the common lexicon. But quietly, in certain circles, this injectable drug, which is licensed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, was being prescribed privately and off-label for weight loss.

Flash forward to today and the picture is vastly different. "So many fashion people are on it," she tells me today. "And now they're very vocal."

Serena Williams, Elon Musk and Whoopi Goldberg have all spoken about using weight-loss injections. Some are now prescribed by the NHS, including Wegovy and Mounjaro, generating scores of headlines.

Really, this should have made it a great leveller. In theory, anyone struggling with obesity can - without the expense of a private doctor - get help to manage their weight.

Only that's not the full picture.

Thousands of NHS patients are believed to be missing out. And with the NHS tightly restricting access, some working in the field warn a two-tier system around weight-loss drugs is developing - one that's benefitting the most well-off.

Martin Fidock, who is UK managing director of Oviva, which provides Wegovy and lifestyle support to NHS patients, claims that thanks to varying thresholds of eligibility in different regions, NHS prescriptions are a "postcode lottery".

An estimated 1.5 million people in the UK use these drugs - but more than nine in 10 are believed to pay privately. Prices vary but it generally costs between £100 and £350 a month, depending on the dose and lifestyle support.

Then, last month, it was reported that pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly was expected to increase the list price of Mounjaro by as much as 170%.

They have since done a deal for UK distributors, meaning rises are likely to be less, and the rises don’t affect the cost to the NHS - but it has still caused concern in some quarters.

"It's scary," says Brad, a tech company worker in his 40s. He has been taking Mounjaro for a year and worries he may not be able to afford to continue.

"I've lost 20kg and want to keep using it, but it's a lot of money. It's unfair."

Nutritionists and GPs I spoke to have also expressed concerns about the broader system, and in particular whether existing health inequalities could worsen.

"We cannot allow good health to become a luxury for the wealthiest by limiting access to weight-loss drugs to those who can pay privately," argues Katharine Jenner, executive director of Obesity Health Alliance.

So could it really be that weight-loss injections - for all of their benefits - are turning obesity into a wealth issue?

The NHS 'postcode lottery'

Weight-loss drugs have been available on the NHS for some time, but the landscape changed significantly with the introduction of some newer medications - among them, semaglutide, marketed under the brand name Wegovy, and tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro.

Wegovy was first prescribed for obesity by the NHS in 2023, while Mounjaro followed earlier this year. They work in part as an appetite suppressant by mimicking a hormone, which makes people feel fuller.

Studies have suggested patients can lose as much as a fifth of their body weight.

They are licensed for people with a BMI of 27 or more for those with a health condition or above 30 for those without (adjusted for certain ethnic groups). But tougher NHS criteria are being applied, and in England and Wales the drugs are mostly restricted to those with a BMI of over 35.

Plus there are more restrictions too.

For Wegovy, local areas are making their own decisions on access.

Martin Fidock claims that in recent months a third of regional health boards have increased the BMI threshold, which he says has resulted in fewer people being able to get it. (The BBC has been unable to verify this data.)

A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical giant that makes Wegovy, told the BBC it is "concerned about the growing disparity" in access to NHS specialist weight management services.

"This has led to a large proportion of people needing to pay out of pocket, an option which is out of reach in areas of deprivation where obesity rates are significantly higher."

NHS England has said the differences could be related to different levels of need and other providers being more active in certain regions, but confirmed it was up to local areas to decide how much to spend.

For Mounjaro, NHS England has started it for people with a BMI above 40 who also have certain health conditions. The NHS roll-out officially began in June, but a report published earlier this month suggests that not all general practices had started offering it.

Just 18 out of 42 NHS boards across England confirmed that they'd begun prescribing it in line with the roll-out plan, according to data obtained by freedom of information requests published in the BMJ.

The NHS has previously said it is supporting the phased rollout for eligible patients and that "these represent brand-new services in primary care that are being established and scaled up over time".

But Mr Fidock believes we are seeing a "postcode lottery".

"We have got an obesity epidemic and these drugs provide us with an opportunity to tackle it in a way we have never been able to do before. But your ability to benefit is dependent largely on whether you have the means to pay."

Adding to the challenge is the fact that more people from deprived areas struggle with obesity in the first place: more than a third of people in the most deprived areas are obese – twice that of more affluent neighbourhoods.

Beyond the physical health risks - and there are many, including higher risks of cancer and heart disease, plus mental health problems - there may be social consequences too.

One US study found that obese men with a bachelor's degree earn 5% less than their thinner colleagues, while those with a graduate degree earn 14% less. For obese women it is worse still, earning 12% and 19% less respectively, based on data concerning 23,000 US workers, published in The Economist in 2023.

NHS GP Matthew Calcasola, who is also involved in a service Get a Drip, which offers weight-loss drugs privately, has his own concerns.

"We're concerned health inequality will build," he says. "GPs worry about this."

Private patients priced out

Meanwhile, a booming private market has emerged. Sara de Souza, a business analyst from Nottingham, is among those delighted that it has.

Following the birth of her son Vito in 2023, she put on 30kg. "I got to 96kg," she recalls. "Me and my husband both got into bad habits. We were so busy, we were eating junk food and having chocolates.

"I was always tired and struggled to pick up my baby. But I just couldn't lose the weight."

Sara tried dieting and went to see her GP who referred her to a lifestyle diet and activity programme. But still the pounds stuck.

At her heaviest her BMI was 37.5, but she wasn't eligible for NHS access and paid £200 a month for the drug through an app called Juniper, which also gave her diet and lifestyle advice. Within a year she had lost the full 30kg.

"It completely changed my life. I felt like a new person, alive again. It's not just how I look, it's how I feel and being able to keep up with my son."

Sara says the cost didn't impact her. "Even if it had, I'd have carried on, because of the benefits."

Not everyone feels the same. Some 18% of overweight Britons would be willing to pay for weight-loss drugs - but if they were available on the NHS, 59% said they would be keen on using them, according to new polling by communications agency Strand Partners.

And some of those willing to pay privately fear they could find themselves being priced out following the proposed price spike.

"If I'd had to pay £300 or even more, I would have really struggled to afford it," says Pete Beech, 57, from Southampton.

He weighed 18 stone and paid £160 a month for a prescription of Mounjaro to help him lose weight to qualify for an ultrasound treatment as part of his treatment for prostate cancer.

"The way the NHS is rationing these drugs has consequences beyond just obesity."

James O'Loan, head of online pharmacy Chemist4U, has already observed some people stretching themselves financially to get hold of weight-loss drugs - some have asked for payment plans, which they cannot offer.

"Some people can't move on to the higher doses because of cost," he explains.

Then there are concerns about a weight-loss drug black market, or unscrupulous dispensing.

"Some services are desperate to dispense the stuff and don't care what happens," claims Professor Richard Donnelly, editor of medical journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. "People are just asked to fill in a quick questionnaire. There's no proper medical assessment or follow up."

He also stresses that they should not be seen as a quick fix. "They're not there to lose a bit of fat around the tummy."

Whilst generally well tolerated, there are risks of certain side effects — including nausea, constipation and diarrhoea. A study into potential serious side effects of weight loss jabs has also been launched after hundreds of people reported problems with their pancreas.

The NHS advises people never take a medicine for weight management if it has not been prescribed for them.

'Not a magic bullet'

Some argue that the answer is, simply, to widen NHS access. The issue, of course, comes in part down to cost.

Michael Shah, senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, believes that this could start to resolve itself in time.

"There are more than 160 weight-loss drugs in clinical development," he says. Once available, he predicts that the competition could push costs down across the board.

"NHS bargaining power should improve as additional players and treatments enter the space."

Earlier this year the Tony Blair Institute suggested that the drugs should be offered to everyone with BMIs over 27, arguing that it costs even more to deal with the consequences of obesity.

Obesity is estimated to cost the economy £98bn a year, according to research commissioned by the think tank, once you take into account lost productivity as well as the NHS treatment costs and the impact on the individual.

The Institute suggests a means-tested system with those entitled to free prescriptions getting it free and others self-funding or encouraging employers to share the cost.

NHS England has said it is looking at an option to "accelerate roll out to even more people in the future".

But it also pointed out that weight loss drugs should not be seen as a "magic bullet".

Are we medicalising a social issue?

All of this begs a broader question - that is, in medicalising debates around tackling obesity, do we risk overlooking the wider social issue?

"By thinking we have a treatment for obesity we lose focus and stop thinking about the more difficult issues around the food industry and regulation, which are the root cause of this," warns Greg Fell, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health.

"I do have concerns about equity of access," he adds. "But I think the NHS has carefully thought about this and probably is, more or less, in the right place."

In post-war Britain, obesity was rare due to food shortages and physically demanding lifestyles – lower-income groups were more likely to suffer from malnutrition.

Only since the 1980s have obesity rates risen across all social classes, with a growing disparity between rich and poor.

It is driven by several interconnected factors. Katharine Jenner argues there needs to be more done to address one of them in particular: our "broken food system".

"People in poorer areas are surrounded by junk food advertising, more unhealthy takeaways, and face bigger barriers to buying healthy food," she says.

"Without investment in prevention, health will get worse, inequalities will widen, and the costs will fall on all of us."

How to effectively achieve that is perhaps the biggest question of all. But whatever the answer - and regardless of whether the onus really should be on the state or as others argue, the individual - it runs far deeper than the cost of a weight-loss jab.

"We live in a society that prizes freedom of choice and expression, values material wealth and tolerates vast inequality," argues Chris Rojek, sociology professor at City St George's, University of London. "In such a system, casualties are inevitable.

"It would be naïve — or even pious — to claim we can simply solve this. The answer is complex and touches the very fabric of our society."

Top picture credit: Onzeg/ Getty Images

The Gen Z uprising in Asia shows social media is a double-edged sword

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4ljv39em7o, 13 days ago

It was the wedding of the daughter of a Nepalese politician that first angered Aditya. The 23-year-old activist was scrolling through his social media feed in May, when he read about how the high-profile marriage ceremony sparked huge traffic jams in the city of Bhaktapur.

What riled him most were claims that a major road was blocked for hours for VIP guests, who reportedly included the Nepalese prime minister.

Though the claims were never verified and the politician later denied that his family had misused state resources, Aditya's mind was made up.

It was, he decided, "really unacceptable".

Over the next few months he noticed more posts on social media by politicians and their children - pictures showing exotic holidays, mansions, supercars and designer handbags.

One photograph of Saugat Thapa, a provincial minister's son, went viral. It showed an enormous pile of gift boxes from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Cartier and Christian Louboutin, decorated with fairy lights and Christmas baubles and topped with a Santa hat.

On 8 September, angered by what he had seen and read online, Aditya and his friends joined thousands of young protesters on the streets of the capital Kathmandu.

As the anti-corruption protests gathered pace, there were clashes between demonstrators and police, leaving some protesters dead.

The following day, crowds stormed parliament and burned down government offices. The prime minister KP Sharma Oli resigned.

In all some 70 people were killed.

This was part of a fervour for change that has swept across Asia in recent months.

Indonesians have staged demonstrations, as have Filipinos, with tens of thousands protesting in the capital Manila on Sunday. They all have one thing in common: they are driven by Generation Z, many of whom are furious at what they see as endemic corruption in their countries.

Governments in the region say there is a risk of the protests spiralling into unacceptable violence. But Aditya, like many of his peers, believes it is the start of an era of newfound protester power.

He was inspired by the protests in Indonesia, as well as last year's student-led revolution in Bangladesh and the Aragalaya protest movement that toppled Sri Lanka's president in 2022, and he argues that all stand for the same thing: the "wellbeing and development of our nations".

"We learnt that there is nothing that we - this generation of students and youths - cannot do."

Backlash against 'nepo kids'

Much of the anger has focused on so-called "nepo kids" - young people perceived as benefitting from the fame and influence of their well-connected parents, many of whom are establishment figures.

To many demonstrators, "nepo kids" symbolise deeper corruption.

Some of those targeted have denied these allegations. Saugat Thapa said it was "an unfair misinterpretation" that his family was corrupt. Others have gone quiet.

But behind it all is a discontent over social inequality and a lack of opportunities.

Poverty remains a persistent issue in these countries, which also suffer from low social mobility.

Multiple studies have shown that corruption reduces economic growth and deepens inequality. In Indonesia, corruption has been a serious impediment to the country's development, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Since the start of the year, demonstrations have been held there over government budget cuts and, among other things, worries over economic prospects amid stagnating wages. In August, protests erupted over lawmakers' housing perks.

Online hashtags circulated - #IndonesiaGelap (Dark Indonesia) and #KaburAjaDulu (Just Run Away First) - urging people to find opportunities elsewhere.

Zikri Afdinel Siregar, a 22-year-old university student living in North Sumatra in Indonesia, protested earlier this month, angered at local lawmakers receiving large housing allowances of 60 million rupiah (£2,670) per month, roughly 20 times the average income.

Back at home in the Riau province, Zikri's parents have a small rubber plantation and do farm work on other people's land, earning them four million rupiah (£178) a month.

He has been working as a motorcycle taxi driver to help cover his tuition fees and living costs.

"There are still many people who have difficulty buying basic necessities, especially food, which is still expensive now," he says.

"But on the other hand, officials are getting richer, and their allowances are getting higher."

In Nepal, one of the poorest countries in Asia, young people have expressed similar disillusionment at what they see as an unfair system.

Two years ago, in a case that shocked the nation, a young entrepreneur died after setting himself on fire outside parliament.

In his suicide note, he blamed the lack of opportunities.

Harnessing TikTok and AI

Days before the protests began in Nepal, the government announced a ban on most social media platforms for not complying with a registration deadline.

The government claimed it wanted to tackle fake news and hate speech. But many young Nepalese viewed it as an attempt to silence them.

Aditya was one of them.

He and four friends hunkered down in a library in Kathmandu with mobile phones and computers, and used AI platforms ChatGPT, Grok, DeepSeek and Veed to make 50 social media clips about "nepo kids" and corruption.

Over the next few days they posted them, mostly TikTok which had not been banned - using multiple accounts and virtual private networks to evade detection. They called their group 'Gen Z Rebels'.

The first video, set to the Abba song, The Winner Takes It All, was a 25-second clip from the wedding that had enraged Aditya weeks ago, featuring pictures of the politician's family along with headlines about the wedding.

It ended with a call to action: "I will join. I will fight against corruption and against political elitism. Will you?"

Within a day it had 135,000 views, its reach boosted by online influencers who recirculated it along with other posts, according to Aditya.

Other groups based in Nepal and abroad also created clips, and shared them using Discord.

The gaming chat platform has been used by thousands of protesters in Nepal, where they discuss next moves and suggest who to nominate an interim leader for the country.

In the Philippines too, more than 30,000 people have contributed to a Reddit thread known as a "lifestyle check" campaign, in which many post details about the rich and powerful.

Young people harnessing technology for mass movements is nothing new – in the early 2000s text messaging propelled the second People's Power Revolution in the Philippines, while the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street in the 2010s relied heavily on Twitter.

What's different now is the sheer sophistication of the technology, with the widespread use of mobile phones, social media, messaging apps and now AI making it easier for people to mobilise.

"This is what [Gen Zs] grew up with, this is how they communicate… How this generation organises itself is a natural manifestation of that," says Steven Feldstein, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Political solidarity across nations

Technology has also brokered a sense of solidarity among protesters in different countries.

A cartoon skull logo popularised by Indonesian demonstrators has been adopted by Philippine and Nepalese protesters too, appearing on protest flags, video clips and social media profile pictures.

The hashtag #SEAblings (a play on siblings in South East Asia or near the sea) has also trended online, as Filipinos, Indonesians and other nations express support for one another's anti-corruption movements.

It is true that Asia has previously seen similar waves of political solidarity across the region, from the Myanmar and Philippine uprisings in the late 1980s to the Milk Tea Alliance that began in 2019 with the Hong Kong demonstrations, according to Jeff Wasserstrom, a historian at the University of California Irvine. But he says this time it is different.

"[These days] the images [of protests] go further and faster than before, so you have a much bigger saturation of images of what's happening in other places."

Technology has also stoked emotions. "When you actually see it on your phone - the mansion, the fast cars – it just makes [the corruption] seem more real," says Ash Presto, a Philippine sociologist with the Australian National University.

The impact is especially pronounced among Filipinos, who are among the world's most active social media users, she adds.

Deaths, destruction - now what?

These protests have all led to serious consequences offline. Buildings have burnt down, homes have been looted and ransacked, and politicians have been dragged from their houses and beaten.

The damage to buildings and businesses alone is worth hundreds of millions of US dollars.

More than 70 people were killed in Nepal, and 10 people have died in Indonesia.

Governments have condemned the violence. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto criticised what he called behaviour "leaning towards treason and terrorism … [and] destruction of public facilities, looting at homes".

In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos said protesters were right to be concerned about corruption, but urged them to be peaceful.

Meanwhile Philippine minister Claire Castro warned that people with "ill intentions [who] want to destabilise the government" were exploiting the public's outrage.

Protesters, however, have blamed "infiltrators" for the violence and in Nepal's case many claim that the high death toll was due to a heavy-handed crackdown by the police (which the government has said they will investigate).

Among it all, governments have also acknowledged the protesters' concerns and in some cases agreed to certain demands.

Indonesia has scrapped some of the financial incentives for lawmakers, like the controversial housing allowance, as well as overseas trips. And in the Philippines, an independent commission has been set up to investigate the possible misuse of flood prevention funds, with President Marcos promising there would be "no sacred cows" in the hunt.

The question now is, what follows the fury?

Few digital-driven protests have translated to fundamental social change, observers point out - especially in places where problems like corruption remain deeply entrenched.

This is partly due to the leaderless nature of these demonstrations, which on the one hand helps protesters evade clampdowns - but also impedes long-term decision-making.

"[Social media] inherently is not designed for long-term change… you are relying on algorithms and outrage and hashtags to sustain it," Dr Feldstein points out.

"[Change requires people to] find a way to change from a disparate online movement to a group that has a longer-term vision, with bonds that are physical as well as online.

"You need people to come up with viable political strategies, not just going with a zero-sum, burn-it-all-down strategy."

This was evident in previous conflicts, including in 2006 when Nepal's millennials took part in a revolution that ousted the monarchy, following a Maoist insurgency and a decade-long civil war. But the country then cycled through 17 governments, while its economy stagnated.

The previous generation of Nepalese protesters "ended up becoming part of the system and lost their moral ground," argues Narayan Adhikari, co-founder of Accountability Lab, an anti-corruption group.

"They didn't follow democratic values and backtracked from their own commitment."

But Aditya vows that this time will be different.

"We are continuously learning from the mistakes of our previous generation," he says firmly. "They were worshipping their leaders like a god.

"Now in this generation, we do not follow anyone like a god."

Additional reporting by Astudestra Ajengrastri and Ayomi Amindoni of BBC Indonesian, and Phanindra Dahal of BBC Nepali

Lead image credit: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

Why France is at risk of becoming the new sick man of Europe

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg9n6vr2eyo, 4 days ago

Some people in France were upset to learn this week that their political chaos was being laughed at… by the Italians.

In less than two years France has gone through five prime ministers, a political feat unsurpassed even in Rome's times of post-war political turbulence.

And now, the French parliament – reconfigured after the president's decision to hold a snap election in July 2024 – is struggling to produce a majority capable of passing a budget.

Add to this a general strike on Thursday called by unions opposed to previous budget proposals.

Newspapers in Rome and Turin exhibited a distinct gioia maligna (malicious joy) in recounting recent events.

There was the humiliation of the recently departed Prime Minister François Bayrou, the warnings of spiralling debt and the prospect of the French economy needing to be bailed out by the IMF.

But most of all, there was the fading glory of the president, Emmanuel Macron.

"So where is the grandeur now?" asked Il Messaggero.

The cost of servicing national debt this year is estimated to be €67 billion - it now consumes more money than all government departments except education and defence.

Forecasts suggest that by the end of the decade it will outstrip even them, reaching €100 billion a year.

Last Friday, the ratings agency Fitch downgraded French debt, potentially making it more expensive for the French government to borrow, reflecting growing doubts about the country's stability and ability to service that debt.

The possibility of having to turn, cap in hand, to the International Monetary Fund for a loan or to require intervention from the European Central Bank, is no longer fanciful.

And all this against a background of international turmoil: war in Europe, disengagement by the Americans, the inexorable rise of populism.

Last Wednesday there was a national day of protest organised by a group called Bloquons Tout (Let's Block Everything). Hijacked by the far-left, it made little impact bar some high-visibility street clashes.

But a much bigger test came yesterday, with unions and left-wing parties organising mass demonstrations against the government's plans.

In the words of veteran political commentator Nicolas Baverez: "At this critical moment, when the very sovereignty and freedom of France and Europe are at stake, France finds itself paralysed by chaos, impotence and debt."

President Macron insists he can extricate the country from the mess but he has just 18 months remaining of his second term.

One possibility is that the country's inherent strengths – its wealth, infrastructure, institutional resilience – will see it through what many feel is a historic turning-point.

But there is another scenario: that it emerges permanently weakened, prey to extremists of left and right, a new sick man of Europe.

Tensions with prime ministers

All of this dates back to Macron's disastrous dissolution of the National Assembly in the early summer of 2024. Far from producing a stronger basis for governing, the new parliament was now split three ways: centre, left and far-right.

No single group could hope to form a functioning government because the other two would always unite against it.

Michel Barnier and then François Bayrou each staggered through a few months as prime minister, but both fell on the central question that faces all governments: how the state should raise and spend its money.

Bayrou, a 74-year-old centrist, made a totem out of the question of French debt – which now stands at more than €3 trillion, or around 114% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He wanted to stabilise repayments by cutting €44 billion from the 2026 budget.

Bayrou was brought down when the left and far-right MPs united in a vote of confidence last week, but polls showed that many voters were also hostile to the prime minister's ideas, such as abolishing two national holidays to pay for more defence.

Emmanuel Macron's immediate recourse has been to entrust a member of his inner circle to pioneer a new approach.

Sébastien Lecornu, the 39-year-old named as prime minister last week, is a quietly-spoken Norman who became a presidential confidant over late-night sessions of whisky-and-chat at the Elysée.

Following the appointment, Macron said he was convinced "an agreement between the political forces is possible while respecting the convictions of each".

Macron is said to appreciate Lecornu's loyalty, and a sense that his prime minister is not obsessed with his own political future.

After tensions with his two predecessors – the veterans Michel Barnier and François Bayrou – today the president and prime minister see eye-to-eye.

"With Lecornu, it basically means that Macron is prime minister," argues Philippe Aghion, an economist who has advised the president and knows him well.

"Macron and Lecornu are essentially one."

Lecornu's Herculean task

Macron wants Lecornu to carry out a shift. From leaning mainly towards the political right, Macron now wants a deal with the left – specifically the Socialist Party (PS).

By law, Lecornu needs to have tabled a budget by mid-October. This must then be passed by year-end.

Arithmetically the only way he can do that is if his centrist bloc is joined by "moderates" to its right and left – in other words the conservative Republicans (LR) and the Socialists (PS).

But the problem is this: every concession to one side makes it only more likely that the other side will walk out.

For example, the Socialists – who feel the wind in their sails – are demanding a much lower target for debt reduction. They want a tax on assets of households worth more than €100m (£87m) and an abrogation of Macron's pension reform of 2023 (which raised the retirement age to 64).

But these ideas are anathema to pro-business Republicans, who have threatened to vote against any budget that includes them.

The main employers' union MEDEF (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) has even said it will stage its own "mass demonstrations" if Lecornu's answer to the budget impasse is to raise more taxes.

Making the situation even more intractable is the timing: the pending departure of Macron makes it all the more unlikely that either side will make concessions. There are important municipal elections in March, and then the presidential elections in May 2027.

At either end of the political checkerboard are powerful parties – the National Rally (RN) on the right, France Unbowed (LFI) on the left – who will be shouting "treason" at the slightest sign of compromise with the centre.

And for any politician of note, there may well be an instinct to limit to the absolute minimum any contact with the fast-eroding asset that is Emmanuel Macron.

So Lecornu's task is Herculean. At best, he might just cobble together a deal and ward off immediate defeat in the Assembly. But such a budget would necessarily be truncated. The signal to the markets would be more French fudge. The cost of servicing debt would rise further.

The alternative is failure, and the resignation of yet another PM.

That way is Macron's doomsday scenario: another dissolution leading to more elections which Marine Le Pen's National Rally might win this time.

Or even – as some are demanding – the resignation of Macron himself for his role in presiding over the impasse.

The conjuncture of several crises

Studying France, it is always possible to strike a less "catastrophist" note. After all, the country has been through crises in the past and always muddled through and some see things to admire in Macron's France.

For the former LR president Jean-Francois Copé, "the fundamentals of the French economy, including its balance of imports and exports, remain solid.

"Our level of unemployment is traditionally higher than the UK's but nothing disastrous. We have a high level of business creation, and better growth than in Germany."

Aghion, the former Macron adviser, is also relatively sanguine. "We are not about to go under, Greece-style," he says. "And what Bayrou said about debt was an effective wake-up call."

But to others the shifting state of world affairs makes such remarks feel overly optimistic, if not complacent.

According to economist Philippe Dessertine, director of the Institute of High Finance in Paris, "we can't just wave away the hypothesis of IMF intervention, the way the politicians do.

"It is like we are on a dyke. It seems solid enough. Everyone is standing on it, and they keep telling us it's solid. But underneath the sea is eating away, until one day it all suddenly collapses.

"Sadly, that is what will happen if we continue to do nothing."

According to Françoise Fressoz of Le Monde newspaper, "We have all become totally addicted to public spending. It's been the method used by every government for half a century – of left and right – to put out the fires of discontent and buy social peace.

"Everyone can sense now that this system has run its course. We're at the end of the old welfare state. But no one wants to pay the price or face up to the reforms which need to be made."

What is happening in France now is the conjuncture of several crises at once: political, economic, and social – and that is what makes the moment feel so significant.

In the words of pollster Jerome Fourquet last week, "It is like an incomprehensible play being acted out in front of an empty theatre."

Voters are told that debt is a matter of national life or death, but many either don't believe it, or can't see why they should be the ones to pay.

Presiding over it all is a man who came to power in 2017 vested with hope, and promising to bridge the gap between left and right, business and labour, growth and social justice, Euro-sceptics and Euro-enthusiasts.

Following this latest debacle, forthright French commentator Nicolas Baverez drew a devastating conclusion in Le Figaro: "Emmanuel Macron is the real target of the people's defiance, and he bears entire responsibility for this shipwreck.

"Like all demagogues, he has transformed our country into a field of ruins."

Update 3 October: This article was amended to make clear that the proposed wealth tax is not limited to entrepreneurs but all households with assets over €100 million.

Are Democrats really pushing for free healthcare for undocumented migrants?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3vzyl5x15ro, 5 days ago

The Trump administration is blaming Democrats for the US government shutdown, claiming they are pursuing "radical demands" including free healthcare for illegal immigrants.

Vice President JD Vance said Democrats "want to shut the government because we won't give billions of dollars in healthcare funding for illegal aliens".

President Trump posted on Truth Social: "The Democrats want to give your healthcare money to illegal aliens."

Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer has called the claim a "total, absolute, effing lie".

Democrats have been pushing for concessions from the government on health - an extension to subsidies for Obamacare health insurance and changes to Medicaid.

But illegal or undocumented immigrants are not eligible for these schemes and the Democrats have not said they want to change this.

The Republicans have pointed to Democratic proposals to reverse parts of Trump's changes to healthcare provision in his tax and spending bill, as evidence for their claim.

What do the Democrats want?

Senate Democrats refused to support a Republican proposal to extend government funding and avoid the shutdown because of their concerns over health provision.

They want to extend enhancements to health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) - also known as Obamacare - which are set to expire at the end of the year.

If they expire, the average insurance premium payment for those on the scheme is set to more than double, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) health think tank.

The Democrats also want to reverse some of the cuts and changes to Medicaid in Trump's tax and spending bill. Medicaid is the government-run scheme which provides healthcare insurance for low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults and people with disabilities.

In the coming months and years, tens of millions of Americans are set be affected by changes to these schemes.

What is the evidence for the Republicans' claim?

BBC Verify asked the White House for the evidence behind its claim about the Democrats and healthcare for illegal immigrants.

It responded by sharing a post from one of its official X accounts.

It includes a screenshot from the Democrats' continuing resolution (CR) - their plan to avoid a government shutdown.

It sets out proposals to repeal some of the health changes in Trump's tax and spending bill, which was signed into law in July.

One key change which the Democrats want to repeal - and which the White House is highlighting in its pushback - is a Republican move to restrict federally-funded healthcare for non citizens.

The "Alien Medicaid eligibility" provision - which will come into force next October - will only allow "an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence" and a small number of other categories to get coverage.

It will mean other groups of immigrants considered "lawfully present" in the US - for example, refugees who were allowed to enter the country - will lose access to these benefits, under the Republican plan.

Leo Cuello, a Research Professor at Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, said: "the immigrants that lose coverage under those provisions are, for example lawfully present refugees, victims of trafficking, and victims of domestic violence, among other groups that are all here lawfully."

The KFF, citing analysis from the Congressional Budget Office, says the new restrictions - in Trump's bill - will result in about 1.4 million "lawfully present" immigrants becoming uninsured.

In repealing the restrictions, the Democrats would restore healthcare access to many of them but House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has ruled out extending this to undocumented immigrants.

"Of course not. Federal law prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to provide medical coverage to undocumented individuals. That's the law. And there is nothing in anything that we have proposed that is trying to change that law," he told CNBC.

The White House says that current Medicaid eligibility rules "serve as a magnet for illegal immigration into the United States".

The right-wing Heritage Foundation has said that changes in Trump's bill "stop eligibility for illegal aliens and other aliens that are here on a temporary basis. The Senate Democrats… would repeal these changes".

Can undocumented immigrants get free healthcare in US?

According to HealthCare.gov, only US citizens, US nationals and "lawfully present immigrants" are eligible for coverage.

"Under longstanding policy, undocumented immigrants are not eligible to enrol in any federally-funded health coverage programs including Medicaid, CHIP, or Medicare, or to purchase coverage through the ACA Marketplaces", Drishti Pillai, KFF's Director of Immigrant Health Policy told us.

They can receive emergency Medicaid, though, under a law passed in 1986.

"Hospitals can get federal Medicaid funding to reimburse them for emergency services they are required to provide to low-income individuals, regardless of immigration status, which includes undocumented people," Mr Cuello told us.

"Emergency Medicaid is very temporary coverage for the emergency services, often just one service on one day, not ongoing health insurance enrolment like a US citizen gets," he added.

Illegal migrants may also be eligible for state-funded healthcare.

As of April 2025, there were 14 states plus Washington DC which provided state-funded healthcare coverage to children regardless of their immigration status, according to KFF analysis.

All but two of these states - Vermont and Utah - are run by Democrats.

New Jersey and Vermont also provide state-funded coverage to low-income pregnant women, regardless of immigration status.

Seven states, including California and New York, have also expanded state-funded healthcare coverage to some low-income adults, regardless of immigration status.

What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?

Can the US government ban apps that track ICE agents?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2lxwxnnx2zo, 5 days ago

The US government and law enforcement agencies have hit out at developers and users of apps which track Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arguing they threaten the lives of agents.

The FBI says the man who targeted an ICE facility in Dallas - killing two detainees - had used these types of apps to track the movements of agents and their vehicles.

A tracking app downloaded more than a million times that shows the movements of immigration officers was removed from Apple's App Store on Thursday.

ICE Block was released in April following the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration. The creator of the app told the BBC that Apple was "capitulating to an authoritarian regime".

The White House and the FBI had argued the app put the lives of law enforcement at risk.

Special Agent Joseph Rothrock said: "It's no different than giving a hitman the location of their intended target" - a claim which has been disputed by the developer of one of the most popular apps.

BBC Verify has been looking at what the apps do and the potential impact they are having.

How do the ICE-tracking apps work?

A number of apps have been released this year in response to President Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration and an upsurge in ICE raids.

The apps allow people to report the presence of ICE agents in their local areas which are then marked on a map to warn other users.

The most popular is ICEBlock, which was released in April and has been downloaded more than one million times.

It - and several other ICE-tracking apps - were abruptly removed from the Apple Store amid criticism from the Trump administration.

"We created the App Store to be a safe and trusted place to discover apps. Based on information we've received from law enforcement about the safety risks associated with ICEBlock, we have removed it and similar apps from the App Store," Apple said in a statement.

Why were the apps set up?

Joshua Aaron - who has worked in the tech industry for years - told BBC Verify why he developed ICEBlock.

"I certainly watched pretty closely during Trump's first administration and then I listened to the rhetoric during the campaign for the second. My brain started firing on what was going to happen and what I could do to keep people safe", he said.

In July, US Attorney General Pam Bondi accused Mr Aaron of "threatening the lives of our law enforcement officers throughout this country."

"We are looking at him, and he better watch out," she added.

Mr Aaron said he was undeterred.

"Anything that challenges what they're doing in this country and to this country, they're going to push back on... but they're not going to intimidate me. ICEBlock will be here for as long as it's necessary."

And he said specific criticism of him following the Dallas shooting was unjustified.

"You don't need to use an app to tell you where an ICE agent is when you're aiming at an ICE detention facility. Everybody knows that's where ICE agents are."

After the app was removed by Apple, Mr Aaron said he was "incredibly disappointed" and denied that the app could impact the security of law enforcement, which Apple had cited in its reasoning. He vowed to fight the move.

"ICEBlock is no different from crowd sourcing speed traps, which every notable mapping application, including Apple's own Maps app," he said. "This is protected speech under the first amendment of the United States Constitution."

Who is using the apps?

The BBC spoke to several undocumented migrants in Washington DC who use the apps to avoid ICE officers.

"It's scary. They could grab you anywhere," one of them said.

"I don't use it often but I think it can be useful. I've heard on the news that the government says it's dangerous [to ICE agents] but I've never heard of something really ever happening, at least not around here," he said.

Another said she found it hard to imagine a scenario in which an undocumented migrant would use the app to harm a law enforcement officer.

"We are here to work, and do not want problems. Nobody would want to make their situation here more difficult," she added.

Another group appears to be using the apps for a different purpose.

On one popular Reddit thread, some users claim they deliberately feed fake information into the apps to try to thwart efforts to detect ICE operations.

One user said: "Sandbag it. Kick the anti-crowdsource into overdrive. Fun tip: it works better if you get a bunch of people to report the same wrong location."

When we reached out to this user, they said "I think ICE is doing great work. I support everything ICE is doing. I think apps like that are interfering with constitutionally-authorised law enforcement activities. Deport, deport, deport."

Why is the US government criticising these apps?

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says there has been a 1,000% rise in attacks on ICE employees.

Fox News reported a near 700% rise in attacks from the first six months of 2024 to the same period in 2025. Assaults went up from 10 to 79.

We asked DHS for a breakdown of recorded attacks.

It did not provide these, but highlighted individual violent incidents against ICE agents including bomb threats, the use of cars "as a weapon" and a shooting.

ICE agents themselves have been accused of violence and misconduct.

On 26 September, DHS placed an officer on leave after he was filmed shoving a woman to the ground at a New York immigration court.

He has reportedly returned to duty.

Can the government ban the apps?

Marianna Poyares, from Georgetown Law's Centre on Privacy and Technology, said they could be hard to ban.

"Laws that permit banning apps on national security grounds typically only apply to foreign-controlled technology, which doesn't apply here as these apps are US-based."

She argued that the apps are similar to police radio scanners, which allow the public to tune into police communications and are protected under the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

And she said that even if the government successfully banned the apps, the information would simply be shared on other platforms instead.

"The government does not have any power to crack down on the apps," said Seth Stern, director of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation.

"The fact that somebody might use the app to break the law doesn't mean the app can be banned any more than a newspaper or radio station can be banned, because someone might use its reporting in a manner that the administration considers unlawful."

"You punish the act," he added. "You don't ban the tools, especially when they're constitutionally protected."

Before his app was removed from Apple's App Store, Joshua Aaron told us he was not aware of any pressure being put on Apple to remove it.

But he said he had faced death threats and harassment, including the sharing of his personal details online.

"I'm not going to live in fear, but I'm not going to be stupid. I mean, when I go outside my door, I look both ways."

Additional reporting by Bernd Debusmann Jr, Aisha Sembhi & Lucy Gilder.

What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?

Was Starmer right to link Brexit to a rise in small boat crossings?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87yqp7eyqdo, 6 days ago

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has linked the rise in small boat arrivals to Brexit, describing the crossings as "Farage boats".

He placed some of the blame on the UK leaving European Union (EU) agreements that had previously allowed the return of asylum seekers.

In the years before Brexit vote, the UK returned more people than it received - but in relatively small numbers. After the 2016 referendum, arrivals started to outpace removals.

Migration experts say other Brexit factors, like the ending of fingerprint database access, have also made a difference.

In response, Reform UK accused the PM of "spreading complete misinformation".

'Farage boats'

Starmer said the UK had a "returns agreement" with every country in the EU before Brexit.

The PM was apparently referring to the Dublin III regulation - which the UK formally exited on 1 January 2021.

"He [Farage] told the country it will make no difference if we left," Sir Keir told GB News. "Well, he was wrong about that - these are Farage boats, in many senses, that are coming across the Channel."

The regulation allowed some asylum seekers to be returned to the first country in the EU that they had entered, although other factors like family reunion were taken into account. Under the scheme, some people could be sent to the UK too.

Responding to Sir Keir's claim, Reform UK told BBC Verify that the Dublin regulation "made us a net recipient of asylum seekers" and "did nothing to make it easier to return asylum seekers".

However, the UK only became a net recipient in the period between the 2016 Brexit vote and leaving the scheme at the end of 2020.

As the chart below shows, in the years leading up the referendum the UK transferred more people to other EU countries under the regulation than it received in return.

But even when the UK transferred more people than it received, numbers were relatively small.

In 2015, for example, 510 people were returned to the EU while 131 were transferred to the UK.

Aside from the recent "one in, one out" scheme with France, the UK has had no other mechanism to return asylum seekers to the EU since leaving the Dublin regulation.

The UK-France scheme - which is being run as a pilot - has seen just three people returned and three arrive since August.

BBC Verify spoke to Dr Peter Walsh from the independent Migration Observatory based at the University of Oxford.

He told us that there was evidence that migrants were aware that the UK had left the Dublin agreement, which had previously made them feel at risk of being returned to the EU.

"The impact of Brexit… makes migrants more likely to choose to come to the UK. This was a notable theme that came from migrants or charity workers, lawyers and so on."

While it is not entirely clear why the UK was a net recipient of asylum seekers in the years after the Brexit vote, Dr Walsh added that "some legal experts suggested that it was because of dysfunction of the special Dublin returns unit at the Home Office".

When it comes to why some migrants decide to make the crossing, Dr Walsh said there were a number of pull factors.

"Family is a very important factor... members of the community, friends, diaspora, network – that's the biggest.

"Number two would be English language and then three and four Brexit and perceptions of the UK as being more tolerant".

According to the latest Home Office figures, 34,087 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year - a record high.

Arriving in the UK via this method is only a relatively recent phenomenon. In 2018 - the first year the government published figures - 299 migrants crossed the channel. This rose to 8,462 in 2020 before more than tripling in 2021.

The rise in small boat crossings after 2018 was in response to a crackdown on migrants attempting to stowaway on lorries and ferries to reach the UK.

EU fingerprint database

As well as leaving the Dublin regulation, the UK is no longer part of the EU's database of fingerprints of asylum seekers and irregular migrants, known as Eurodac.

This means the UK can no longer see whether people arriving on small boats have already made an asylum claim in another EU country.

In 2020 - the last year of the UK's access to the database - half of the 8,466 people that arrived by small boats were already flagged on the Eurodac database for crossing the EU border illegally. Some of them might have made an application in more than one EU country.

Peter Walsh told us that while leaving the Eurodac database had made a difference, it was impossible to quantify the impact.

"We have no access to it any more. That's a big deal.

"We would know that they claimed asylum in another country and that would enable us to issue an immediate refusal - you are inadmissible, you have a claim in another country, or you'd been refused, and that would allow us to make a speedy refusal and then try to remove them."

Additional reporting by Rob England.

What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?