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Crisis looms in Israel over ultra-Orthodox conscription bill
An impending crisis over conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the Israeli army is threatening to undermine Israel's government and split the country.
Public opinion on the issue has shifted dramatically in Israel after two years of war, and this is now perhaps the most explosive political risk facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lawmakers are currently considering a draft bill to end the exemption granted to ultra-Orthodox men enrolled in full-time religious study, established when the State of Israel was declared in 1948.
That exemption was ruled illegal by Israel's High Court of Justice almost 20 years ago. Temporary arrangements to continue it were formally ended by the court last year, forcing the government to begin drafting the community.
Some 24,000 draft notices were issued last year, but only around 1,200 ultra-Orthodox - or Haredi - draftees reported for duty, according to military testimony given to lawmakers.
Tensions are erupting onto the streets, with lawmakers now debating a new draft bill to force ultra-Orthodox men into military service alongside other Israeli Jews.
Two Haredi politicians were targeted this month by some extreme ultra-Orthodox protesters, who are furious with parliament's discussion of the proposed law.
And last week, a special Border Police unit had to rescue Military Police officers who were targeted by a large crowd of Haredi men as they tried to arrest a suspected draft-evader.
These arrests have sparked the creation of a new messaging system called "Black Alert" to spread word quickly through ultra-Orthodox communities and summon protesters to prevent arrests taking place.
The push to conscript more ultra-Orthodox also triggered a vast protest by tens of thousands of Haredi men in Jerusalem last month - with the issue seen by many as part of a wider conflict around the identity of the Jewish state, and the place of religion within it.
"We're a Jewish country," said Shmuel Orbach, one of the protesters. "You can't fight against Judaism in a Jewish country. It doesn't work."
But the changes blowing through Israel have not yet breached the walls of the Kisse Rahamim yeshiva - or Jewish seminary - in Bnei Brak, an ultra-Orthodox city on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
Inside the classroom, teenage boys sit in pairs to discuss Judaism's religious laws, their brightly coloured school notebooks popping against the rows of white shirts and small black kippahs (traditional skullcaps).
"Come at one in the morning, and you will see half the guys are studying Torah," the head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Tzemach Mazuz, told me, in what his office said was his first interview with foreign media, or with any female journalist. "By studying Torah, we protect the soldiers wherever they are. This is our army."
Ultra-Orthodox believe continuous prayer and religious study protect Israel's soldiers, and are as crucial to its military success as its tanks and air force. That belief was accepted by Israel's politicians in the past, Rabbi Mazuz said, but he acknowledged that Israel was changing.
"Today, many in the government and the Knesset [parliament] have distanced themselves from religion. They say yeshiva students are lazy, which is not true," he said. "In Tel Aviv, there are tens of thousands of draft-dodgers - why don't they take them? Why are they attacking yeshiva students?"
Despite attacks from the right, Tel Aviv was a top contributor of soldiers during the war. And the pressure felt by Israeli conscripts and reservists over the past two years has thrown a spotlight on those who do not serve.
The ultra-Orthodox population has more than doubled its share of Israel's population over the past seven decades, and now accounts for 14%. What began as an exemption for several hundred religious students became, by the start of the Gaza war, a cohort of some 60,000 men left out of the draft.
Opinion polls suggest support for ultra-Orthodox conscription is rising. A survey in July by the Israel Democracy Institute think tank found that 85% of non-Haredi Jews - including almost three-quarters in Netanyahu's own right-wing Likud party - supported sanctions for those who refused a draft order, with a firm majority in favour of withdrawing benefits, passports, or the right to vote.
"It makes me feel there are people who live in this country without giving anything back," one off-duty soldier in Tel Aviv explained.
"I don't think, however religious you are, [it] should be an excuse not to go and serve your country," said Gabby, a young woman also in Tel Aviv. "If you're born here, I find it quite ridiculous that you want to exempt yourself just to study Torah all day."
Support for extending the draft is also coming from religious Jews outside the Haredi community, like Dorit Barak, who lives near the yeshiva in Bnei Brak and points to non-Haredi religious Jews who do serve in the military while also studying Torah.
"I'm very angry that
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Crisis looms in Israel over ultra-Orthodox conscription bill
An impending crisis over conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the Israeli army is threatening to undermine Israel's government and split the country.
Public opinion on the issue has shifted dramatically in Israel after two years of war, and this is now perhaps the most explosive political risk facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lawmakers are currently considering a draft bill to end the exemption granted to ultra-Orthodox men enrolled in full-time religious study, established when the State of Israel was declared in 1948.
That exemption was ruled illegal by Israel's High Court of Justice almost 20 years ago. Temporary arrangements to continue it were formally ended by the court last year, forcing the government to begin drafting the community.
Some 24,000 draft notices were issued last year, but only around 1,200 ultra-Orthodox - or Haredi - draftees reported for duty, according to military testimony given to lawmakers.
Tensions are erupting onto the streets, with lawmakers now debating a new draft bill to force ultra-Orthodox men into military service alongside other Israeli Jews.
Two Haredi politicians were targeted this month by some extreme ultra-Orthodox protesters, who are furious with parliament's discussion of the proposed law.
And last week, a special Border Police unit had to rescue Military Police officers who were targeted by a large crowd of Haredi men as they tried to arrest a suspected draft-evader.
These arrests have sparked the creation of a new messaging system called "Black Alert" to spread word quickly through ultra-Orthodox communities and summon protesters to prevent arrests taking place.
The push to conscript more ultra-Orthodox also triggered a vast protest by tens of thousands of Haredi men in Jerusalem last month - with the issue seen by many as part of a wider conflict around the identity of the Jewish state, and the place of religion within it.
"We're a Jewish country," said Shmuel Orbach, one of the protesters. "You can't fight against Judaism in a Jewish country. It doesn't work."
But the changes blowing through Israel have not yet breached the walls of the Kisse Rahamim yeshiva - or Jewish seminary - in Bnei Brak, an ultra-Orthodox city on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
Inside the classroom, teenage boys sit in pairs to discuss Judaism's religious laws, their brightly coloured school notebooks popping against the rows of white shirts and small black kippahs (traditional skullcaps).
"Come at one in the morning, and you will see half the guys are studying Torah," the head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Tzemach Mazuz, told me, in what his office said was his first interview with foreign media, or with any female journalist. "By studying Torah, we protect the soldiers wherever they are. This is our army."
Ultra-Orthodox believe continuous prayer and religious study protect Israel's soldiers, and are as crucial to its military success as its tanks and air force. That belief was accepted by Israel's politicians in the past, Rabbi Mazuz said, but he acknowledged that Israel was changing.
"Today, many in the government and the Knesset [parliament] have distanced themselves from religion. They say yeshiva students are lazy, which is not true," he said. "In Tel Aviv, there are tens of thousands of draft-dodgers - why don't they take them? Why are they attacking yeshiva students?"
Despite attacks from the right, Tel Aviv was a top contributor of soldiers during the war. And the pressure felt by Israeli conscripts and reservists over the past two years has thrown a spotlight on those who do not serve.
The ultra-Orthodox population has more than doubled its share of Israel's population over the past seven decades, and now accounts for 14%. What began as an exemption for several hundred religious students became, by the start of the Gaza war, a cohort of some 60,000 men left out of the draft.
Opinion polls suggest support for ultra-Orthodox conscription is rising. A survey in July by the Israel Democracy Institute think tank found that 85% of non-Haredi Jews - including almost three-quarters in Netanyahu's own right-wing Likud party - supported sanctions for those who refused a draft order, with a firm majority in favour of withdrawing benefits, passports, or the right to vote.
"It makes me feel there are people who live in this country without giving anything back," one off-duty soldier in Tel Aviv explained.
"I don't think, however religious you are, [it] should be an excuse not to go and serve your country," said Gabby, a young woman also in Tel Aviv. "If you're born here, I find it quite ridiculous that you want to exempt yourself just to study Torah all day."
Support for extending the draft is also coming from religious Jews outside the Haredi community, like Dorit Barak, who lives near the yeshiva in Bnei Brak and points to non-Haredi religious Jews who do serve in the military while also studying Torah.
"I'm very angry that ultra-Orthodox people don't serve in the army," she said. "It's unfair. I also believe in the Torah, but there's a saying in Hebrew - "Safra and Saifa" [The Book and the Sword] – it means the Torah and the guns together. That's the way forward, until the days of peace."
Ms Barak runs a small memorial in Bnei Brak to local soldiers, both religious and secular, who were killed in battle during Israel's wars. Long columns of faces peer out from the black and white photographs lining the back wall.
The last soldier from the neighbourhood died in 1983 - a sign, she says, of Israel's shifting demographics.
"It's completely changed," she said. "When I was a child, almost half the residents here were not religious, and a small percentage were ultra-Orthodox. Today, almost everyone is ultra-Orthodox, and since 1983 no soldiers were killed, because no one is serving in the army."
There are special army and police units for the small number of ultra-Orthodox men who currently choose to serve. But Benjamin Netanyahu said at the opening of parliament's winter session in October that the new draft bill would see 10,000 yeshiva students drafted within two years - something he described as "a real revolution".
Ultra-Orthodox parties are crucial allies in Netanyahu's governing coalition, and also in his bid for political survival while standing trial on corruption charges, which he denies. A key demand in return for their loyalty is continued exemption for their supporters from the military draft.
The issue has twice brought down Netanyahu's governments in the past.
The draft bill now going through parliament is an attempt to find a way through the issue, or at least to buy time ahead of elections due next year.
"A balanced law, a good law, a law that is good for the army, good for the yeshiva students, good for the people of Israel [and] good for the state," said lawmaker Boaz Bismuth, a Netanyahu loyalist charged with shepherding the bill through parliament.
But many lawmakers, including those from the governing coalition, said this week the current draft of the bill was far too lenient, and that neither they nor the courts would approve it.
The current text appears to largely maintain the status quo by conscripting only those ultra-Orthodox men not in full-time religious study, and lifting all sanctions on draft-dodgers once they turn 26.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid, who heads the centrist Yesh Atid party, called the draft text a "disgrace" and a "betrayal", and vowed it would not pass.
Even some within Netanyahu's own Likud party have refused to support it.
Tzachi Hanegbi, a former National Security Adviser recently dismissed by Netanyahu, described it as "an instrument of evasion [that] endangers the future of the state", adding that he and his four sons had all served significant time in the military.
Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties have been split over whether to concede to the growing pressure for change, but in a move seen as evidence of the bill's leniency, the hardline Degel HaTorah party - part of the governing coalition - is reportedly considering supporting the current text.
Asked whether it was better to back this version of the bill, or risk toppling Benjamin Netanyahu completely, Rabbi Mazuz avoided giving a concrete answer.
"The world is guided by God," he said. "When [US President Donald] Trump didn't win a second term [in 2020], I and many millions were hurt. Why did God do this?"
"But He knew the future, and He knew the Hamas plan. God wanted Trump [in power] during this period," he added, referring to the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which triggered the Gaza war.
Rabbi Mazuz gestured to the religious manuscripts lining his office - hundreds of years old, he said.
"Between us, Israeli prisons are not like the ones in Russia, thank God. We will get through this too. But I hope we don't get to that."
The Haredi way of life has changed little in centuries, but they and their political allies are now locked in a debate over what it means to be Jewish and Israeli, and whether that means fighting for Israel, or fighting for their way of life against the modern demands of war.
Additional reporting by Oren Rosenfeld and Samantha Granville
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bbc_news
|
2025-12-03T06:06:49Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly580gkd9ro
|
{"title": "Crisis looms in Israel over ultra-Orthodox conscription bill"}
|
Iranian director given jail sentence while on trip to collect US awards
Award-winning Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi has been given a prison sentence on charges of creating propaganda against the political system, his lawyer has said, on the same day his new film won a string of awards in the US.
Panahi has been handed a one-year sentence and a travel ban in Iran, his lawyer said on Monday.
However, he was in New York to pick up three prizes, including best director, at the Gotham Awards for his latest film, It Was Just An Accident, which he shot illegally in Iran.
Panahi, 65, has served two previous spells in prison in his home country, and said in an interview shortly before receiving his latest sentence that he planned to return.
Panahi is one of Iran's leading directors but has been subjected to constraints from authorities including a ban on making films in the country as well as the prison sentences and travel restrictions.
He didn't refer to the new sentence in his Gotham Awards speeches, but praised "film-makers who keep the camera rolling in silence, without support, and at times, by risking everything they have, only with their faith in truth and humanity".
He added: "I hope that this dedication will be considered a small tribute to all film-makers who have been deprived of the right to see and to be seen, but continue to create and to exist."
It Was Just An Accident also won best screenplay and best international film, and is expected to be a contender at the Oscars in Hollywood in the spring.
Panahi covertly shot the film, which tells the tale of five ordinary Iranians who are confronted with a man they believed tortured some of them in jail.
He has said it was partly inspired by his last spell in jail and stories that other prisoners "told me about, the violence and the brutality of the Iranian government".
When the film won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival in France in May, he used his acceptance speech to speak out against the restrictions of the regime.
Panahi was jailed in 2022 for protesting against the detention of two fellow film-makers who had been critical of the authorities. He was released after seven months of the six-year sentence.
He was previously sentenced to six years in 2010 for supporting anti-government protests and creating "propaganda against the system". He was released on conditional bail after two months.
In an interview with the Financial Times conducted in Los Angeles shortly before his latest sentence was delivered, he recalled a recent conversation with an elderly Iranian exile who he had met in the city.
"She begged me not to go back," he said. "But I told her I can't live outside Iran. I can't adapt to anywhere else.
"And I said she shouldn't worry, because what are the officials going to do that they haven't done already?"
|
Iranian director given jail sentence while on trip to collect US awards
Award-winning Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi has been given a prison sentence on charges of creating propaganda against the political system, his lawyer has said, on the same day his new film won a string of awards in the US.
Panahi has been handed a one-year sentence and a travel ban in Iran, his lawyer said on Monday.
However, he was in New York to pick up three prizes, including best director, at the Gotham Awards for his latest film, It Was Just An Accident, which he shot illegally in Iran.
Panahi, 65, has served two previous spells in prison in his home country, and said in an interview shortly before receiving his latest sentence that he planned to return.
Panahi is one of Iran's leading directors but has been subjected to constraints from authorities including a ban on making films in the country as well as the prison sentences and travel restrictions.
He didn't refer to the new sentence in his Gotham Awards speeches, but praised "film-makers who keep the camera rolling in silence, without support, and at times, by risking everything they have, only with their faith in truth and humanity".
He added: "I hope that this dedication will be considered a small tribute to all film-makers who have been deprived of the right to see and to be seen, but continue to create and to exist."
It Was Just An Accident also won best screenplay and best international film, and is expected to be a contender at the Oscars in Hollywood in the spring.
Panahi covertly shot the film, which tells the tale of five ordinary Iranians who are confronted with a man they believed tortured some of them in jail.
He has said it was partly inspired by his last spell in jail and stories that other prisoners "told me about, the violence and the brutality of the Iranian government".
When the film won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival in France in May, he used his acceptance speech to speak out against the restrictions of the regime.
Panahi was jailed in 2022 for protesting against the detention of two fellow film-makers who had been critical of the authorities. He was released after seven months of the six-year sentence.
He was previously sentenced to six years in 2010 for supporting anti-government protests and creating "propaganda against the system". He was released on conditional bail after two months.
In an interview with the Financial Times conducted in Los Angeles shortly before his latest sentence was delivered, he recalled a recent conversation with an elderly Iranian exile who he had met in the city.
"She begged me not to go back," he said. "But I told her I can't live outside Iran. I can't adapt to anywhere else.
"And I said she shouldn't worry, because what are the officials going to do that they haven't done already?"
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-02T10:40:12Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1m8e8l1mp2o
|
{"title": "Iranian director given jail sentence while on trip to collect US awards"}
|
Trump releases fraudster executive days into prison sentence
US President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of former investment manager David Gentile, who was just days into a seven-year prison sentence for fraud.
Bureau of Prisons records show that Gentile was released on Wednesday, less than two weeks after he reported to prison.
Gentile, the former chief executive and founder of GPB Capital, was convicted last year in what federal prosecutors described as a multi-year scheme to defraud more than 10,000 investors by misrepresenting the performance of private equity funds.
He's the latest in a string of white-collar criminals whose sentences Trump has commuted.
Gentile was convicted in August last year of securities and wire fraud charges, and sentenced in May. His co-defendant, Jeffry Schneider, was sentenced to six years on the same charges and is due to report to prison in January.
US attorney Joseph Nocella said at the time of Gentile's sentencing that GPB Capital was built on a "foundation of lies" and that the company made $1.6bn (£1.2bn) while using investor capital to pay distributions to other investors.
"The sentences imposed today are well deserved and should serve as a warning to would-be fraudsters that seek to get rich by taking advantage of investors gets you only a one-way ticket to jail," he said.
But the White House says the Department of Justice under former President Joe Biden made multiple missteps - and that investors were aware that their money could be going towards other people's dividends.
"Even though this was disclosed to investors the Biden Department of Justice claimed this was a Ponzi scheme," the White House official said.
"This claim was profoundly undercut by the fact that GPB had explicitly told investors what would happen."
The official also cited concerns from Gentile that prosecutors had elicited false testimony.
Trump's commutation of Gentile's sentence does not clear him of his crimes like a full presidential pardon would, and it does not get rid of other potential penalties imposed.
So far in his second term, the president has pardoned or commuted the sentences of multiple people convicted of different types of fraud, including wire, securities, tax and healthcare fraud.
Last month, he pardoned Tennessee state House Speaker Glen Casada who was convicted of fraud, money laundering and conspiracy charges.
Correction 1 December 2025: This article incorrectly stated that Jeffry Schneider "remains behind bars". It has been amended to make clear that he is yet to begin serving his prison sentence.
|
Trump releases fraudster executive days into prison sentence
US President Donald Trump has commuted the sentence of former investment manager David Gentile, who was just days into a seven-year prison sentence for fraud.
Bureau of Prisons records show that Gentile was released on Wednesday, less than two weeks after he reported to prison.
Gentile, the former chief executive and founder of GPB Capital, was convicted last year in what federal prosecutors described as a multi-year scheme to defraud more than 10,000 investors by misrepresenting the performance of private equity funds.
He's the latest in a string of white-collar criminals whose sentences Trump has commuted.
Gentile was convicted in August last year of securities and wire fraud charges, and sentenced in May. His co-defendant, Jeffry Schneider, was sentenced to six years on the same charges and is due to report to prison in January.
US attorney Joseph Nocella said at the time of Gentile's sentencing that GPB Capital was built on a "foundation of lies" and that the company made $1.6bn (£1.2bn) while using investor capital to pay distributions to other investors.
"The sentences imposed today are well deserved and should serve as a warning to would-be fraudsters that seek to get rich by taking advantage of investors gets you only a one-way ticket to jail," he said.
But the White House says the Department of Justice under former President Joe Biden made multiple missteps - and that investors were aware that their money could be going towards other people's dividends.
"Even though this was disclosed to investors the Biden Department of Justice claimed this was a Ponzi scheme," the White House official said.
"This claim was profoundly undercut by the fact that GPB had explicitly told investors what would happen."
The official also cited concerns from Gentile that prosecutors had elicited false testimony.
Trump's commutation of Gentile's sentence does not clear him of his crimes like a full presidential pardon would, and it does not get rid of other potential penalties imposed.
So far in his second term, the president has pardoned or commuted the sentences of multiple people convicted of different types of fraud, including wire, securities, tax and healthcare fraud.
Last month, he pardoned Tennessee state House Speaker Glen Casada who was convicted of fraud, money laundering and conspiracy charges.
Correction 1 December 2025: This article incorrectly stated that Jeffry Schneider "remains behind bars". It has been amended to make clear that he is yet to begin serving his prison sentence.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-01T22:51:58Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7vmn61l75ro
|
{"title": "Trump releases fraudster executive days into prison sentence"}
|
Strictly semi-finalists confirmed after musicals week elimination
Spoiler warning: This article reveals details from Sunday's elimination
Only four couples remain in BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing 2025 after another celebrity and their professional partner were eliminated from the competition.
Former Emmerdale star Lewis Cope and his partner Katya Jones were in the bottom two pairs following their performance for musical week, alongside reality TV star Amber Davies and her dance partner Nikita Kuzmin.
The judges decided to send Cope, who performed a salsa to Dance At The Gym from West Side Story, home.
Davies, who danced a Charleston to Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat from Guys And Dolls, joins Balvinder Sopal, George Clarke and Karen Carney in the semi-finals.
"It's been more than I could have ever wished for," Cope said of the competition following his elimination on Sunday.
"If someone would have said that I'd have done 11 weeks on the show at the beginning, I'd have been over the moon."
He also paid tribute to his dance partner, of whom he said: "You've literally given me absolutely everything I could wish for as a friend, as a teacher."
Jones, in return, described Cope as a "gentleman", as well as "so humble and so kind".
"I'm so glad that we had a chance to see you and showcase your talent, and what a beautiful person you are to the world," she added.
Davies and Kuzmin topped Saturday's leaderboard for their performance, receiving a perfect score.
EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal and her dance partner, Julian Caillon, came second with their Viennese Waltz to Never Enough from The Greatest Showman.
Internet star George Clarke performed an Argentine tango to The Point Of No Return from The Phantom Of The Opera with his partner Alexis Warr.
And former Lioness and sports broadcaster Karen Carney and Carlos Gu took on the samba, dancing to The Rhythm Of Life from Sweet Charity.
The remaining four couples will perform during next weekend's semi-final, airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 18:35 GMT on Saturday 13 December, with the results show at 19:45 GMT next Sunday.
Each couple will perform two new routines and there will be performances from Australian singer Kylie Minogue and boyband Five.
|
Strictly semi-finalists confirmed after musicals week elimination
Spoiler warning: This article reveals details from Sunday's elimination
Only four couples remain in BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing 2025 after another celebrity and their professional partner were eliminated from the competition.
Former Emmerdale star Lewis Cope and his partner Katya Jones were in the bottom two pairs following their performance for musical week, alongside reality TV star Amber Davies and her dance partner Nikita Kuzmin.
The judges decided to send Cope, who performed a salsa to Dance At The Gym from West Side Story, home.
Davies, who danced a Charleston to Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat from Guys And Dolls, joins Balvinder Sopal, George Clarke and Karen Carney in the semi-finals.
"It's been more than I could have ever wished for," Cope said of the competition following his elimination on Sunday.
"If someone would have said that I'd have done 11 weeks on the show at the beginning, I'd have been over the moon."
He also paid tribute to his dance partner, of whom he said: "You've literally given me absolutely everything I could wish for as a friend, as a teacher."
Jones, in return, described Cope as a "gentleman", as well as "so humble and so kind".
"I'm so glad that we had a chance to see you and showcase your talent, and what a beautiful person you are to the world," she added.
Davies and Kuzmin topped Saturday's leaderboard for their performance, receiving a perfect score.
EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal and her dance partner, Julian Caillon, came second with their Viennese Waltz to Never Enough from The Greatest Showman.
Internet star George Clarke performed an Argentine tango to The Point Of No Return from The Phantom Of The Opera with his partner Alexis Warr.
And former Lioness and sports broadcaster Karen Carney and Carlos Gu took on the samba, dancing to The Rhythm Of Life from Sweet Charity.
The remaining four couples will perform during next weekend's semi-final, airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 18:35 GMT on Saturday 13 December, with the results show at 19:45 GMT next Sunday.
Each couple will perform two new routines and there will be performances from Australian singer Kylie Minogue and boyband Five.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T20:31:12Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyxex7671xo
|
{"title": "Strictly semi-finalists confirmed after musicals week elimination"}
|
Israel's PM says second phase of Gaza peace plan is close
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a second phase of the US-brokered plan to end the war in Gaza is close - but that key issues still need to be resolved.
Under the second phase of President Donald Trump's plan, Israel should withdraw its troops further from Gaza as a transitional authority is set up and an international security force is deployed. Hamas is meant to disarm and reconstruction to begin.
With questions outstanding over Hamas disarmament, one senior official has suggested the group is ready to consider "freezing or storing" its remaining weapons.
The US and other mediators have been applying pressure on both sides to advance to the next stages of Trump's plan.
According to Arab media reports, a Red Cross team and members of Hamas's armed wing, are resuming searches for the last remaining deceased Israeli hostage, police officer Sergeant Ran Gvili, in the Zeitoun area of Gaza City.
Gvili was killed in the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks and his body should be returned under the terms of the initial ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. "We'll get him out", Netanyahu said at a news conference on Sunday.
Two months after the Gaza ceasefire came into effect, both sides continue to accuse each other of almost daily violations. Israeli forces remain in control of more than half of the Gaza Strip. Hamas has largely re-established itself in the remainder of the territory.
Speaking to journalists, Netanyahu said that he would hold important discussions with President Trump at the end of the month on how to ensure the plan's second stage was achieved. An Israeli government spokeswoman announced on Monday that the meeting would take place on 29 December.
After meeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Jerusalem on Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated that Hamas rule of Gaza had to end and that the armed group had to follow through on "their commitment" to give up their weapons and for the strip to be demilitarised.
Later, when addressing a gathering of Israeli ambassadors and diplomats, he expressed scepticism about whether a planned multinational force would be able to disarm Hamas.
"Now there is a question here: our friends in America want to try to establish an international force that will do the job. I said - please. Are there volunteers here? Please, on the contrary," Netanyahu said, seemingly questioning whether foreign troops would be willing to disarm Hamas by force.
"And we know that there are certain tasks that this force can do. I don't want to go into detail, they can't do everything, and maybe they can't do the main thing, but we'll see."
He went on to reiterate that Israel would ensure disarmament would happen, saying: "It can be done the easy way, it can be done the hard way. But eventually it will be done."
Speaking to the Associated Press, a top Hamas official, Bassem Naim, said his group was ready for talks on "freezing or storing" its arsenal of weapons in a possible approach to one of the most challenging issues ahead.
"We are open to have a comprehensive approach in order to avoid further escalations or in order to avoid any further clashes or explosions," Naim - a member of the Hamas political bureau - said in an interview in Qatar, where much of the group's leadership is based.
Hamas has previously refused to give up its weapons without the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
Naim also claimed that Israel had failed to carry out key ceasefire pledges, saying Gaza had not been flooded with aid and the Rafah border crossing with Egypt had not reopened.
Humanitarian agencies say there has been a dramatic increase in supplies entering the strip, but that they are still facing Israeli restrictions on their work and insecurity.
Last week, Israel said it was ready to reopen Rafah - Gaza's main gateway to the world - but only for people to leave. Egypt and the Palestinians did not accept that and insisted that Israel was obliged to open the crossing in both directions.
The ceasefire deal stopped a devastating two-year Israeli offensive in Gaza, triggered by the deadly Hamas attacks and mass hostage taking in southern Israel.
The first stage of the peace plan involved the return of the 20 living hostages and the remains of the 28 dead hostages still in Gaza. In exchange for the release of the living hostages, Israel handed over nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees. For each of the Israeli hostages handed over, Israel has been sending back the bodies of 15 Palestinians.
Israel has accused Hamas of delaying the return of dead hostages.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that more than 370 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took hold.
Israel says its strikes have been in response to Palestinian violations, including people entering Israeli-held parts of Gaza.
Three Israeli soldiers have also been killed in fighting with dozens of Hamas operatives still said to be holed up in
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Israel's PM says second phase of Gaza peace plan is close
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a second phase of the US-brokered plan to end the war in Gaza is close - but that key issues still need to be resolved.
Under the second phase of President Donald Trump's plan, Israel should withdraw its troops further from Gaza as a transitional authority is set up and an international security force is deployed. Hamas is meant to disarm and reconstruction to begin.
With questions outstanding over Hamas disarmament, one senior official has suggested the group is ready to consider "freezing or storing" its remaining weapons.
The US and other mediators have been applying pressure on both sides to advance to the next stages of Trump's plan.
According to Arab media reports, a Red Cross team and members of Hamas's armed wing, are resuming searches for the last remaining deceased Israeli hostage, police officer Sergeant Ran Gvili, in the Zeitoun area of Gaza City.
Gvili was killed in the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks and his body should be returned under the terms of the initial ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. "We'll get him out", Netanyahu said at a news conference on Sunday.
Two months after the Gaza ceasefire came into effect, both sides continue to accuse each other of almost daily violations. Israeli forces remain in control of more than half of the Gaza Strip. Hamas has largely re-established itself in the remainder of the territory.
Speaking to journalists, Netanyahu said that he would hold important discussions with President Trump at the end of the month on how to ensure the plan's second stage was achieved. An Israeli government spokeswoman announced on Monday that the meeting would take place on 29 December.
After meeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Jerusalem on Sunday, Netanyahu reiterated that Hamas rule of Gaza had to end and that the armed group had to follow through on "their commitment" to give up their weapons and for the strip to be demilitarised.
Later, when addressing a gathering of Israeli ambassadors and diplomats, he expressed scepticism about whether a planned multinational force would be able to disarm Hamas.
"Now there is a question here: our friends in America want to try to establish an international force that will do the job. I said - please. Are there volunteers here? Please, on the contrary," Netanyahu said, seemingly questioning whether foreign troops would be willing to disarm Hamas by force.
"And we know that there are certain tasks that this force can do. I don't want to go into detail, they can't do everything, and maybe they can't do the main thing, but we'll see."
He went on to reiterate that Israel would ensure disarmament would happen, saying: "It can be done the easy way, it can be done the hard way. But eventually it will be done."
Speaking to the Associated Press, a top Hamas official, Bassem Naim, said his group was ready for talks on "freezing or storing" its arsenal of weapons in a possible approach to one of the most challenging issues ahead.
"We are open to have a comprehensive approach in order to avoid further escalations or in order to avoid any further clashes or explosions," Naim - a member of the Hamas political bureau - said in an interview in Qatar, where much of the group's leadership is based.
Hamas has previously refused to give up its weapons without the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
Naim also claimed that Israel had failed to carry out key ceasefire pledges, saying Gaza had not been flooded with aid and the Rafah border crossing with Egypt had not reopened.
Humanitarian agencies say there has been a dramatic increase in supplies entering the strip, but that they are still facing Israeli restrictions on their work and insecurity.
Last week, Israel said it was ready to reopen Rafah - Gaza's main gateway to the world - but only for people to leave. Egypt and the Palestinians did not accept that and insisted that Israel was obliged to open the crossing in both directions.
The ceasefire deal stopped a devastating two-year Israeli offensive in Gaza, triggered by the deadly Hamas attacks and mass hostage taking in southern Israel.
The first stage of the peace plan involved the return of the 20 living hostages and the remains of the 28 dead hostages still in Gaza. In exchange for the release of the living hostages, Israel handed over nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees. For each of the Israeli hostages handed over, Israel has been sending back the bodies of 15 Palestinians.
Israel has accused Hamas of delaying the return of dead hostages.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that more than 370 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took hold.
Israel says its strikes have been in response to Palestinian violations, including people entering Israeli-held parts of Gaza.
Three Israeli soldiers have also been killed in fighting with dozens of Hamas operatives still said to be holed up in underground tunnels in the very south of Gaza.
Last week, Trump said that the second phase of the Gaza plan was "going to happen pretty soon", and on Saturday, the Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said that "a critical moment" had been reached.
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bbc_news
|
2025-12-08T16:05:47Z
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r90gkzkezo
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{"title": "Israel's PM says second phase of Gaza peace plan is close"}
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Flood alerts triggered across South East
Wet weather has prompted a warning of flooding in areas of south-east England.
Flood alerts have been put in place on the River Mole and its tributaries from Kinnersley Manor to South Hersham in Surrey.
They have also been triggered on the Western Rother, Climping Seafront, River Adur East Branch, Upper Ouse and Cuckmere River in Sussex, according to the government's flooding alerts' website.
Kent's Rivers Eden and Eden Brook, and the Isle of Sheppey and coast from Kemsley to Seasalter are also at risk of flooding.
Most alerts are set to remain in place throughout Sunday.
Strong winds overnight from Friday to Saturday damaged homes in Seaford in East Sussex, which residents called "a mini tornado".
It comes as the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for rain affecting south-east England and London.
The government agency said heavy rain may bring travel disruption in places from Monday night into Tuesday.
People can expect a "slight chance" of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses during a yellow rain warning, it detailed.
Fast-flowing or deep floodwater is also possible, which the Met Office said could cause a "danger to life", alongside delays or cancellations to train and bus services.
Discussing the UK's upcoming weather picture, Met Office's deputy chief meteorologist Steven Keates said the exact track, depth and timings of the low-pressure system were "uncertain".
He added this made it "harder to determine where will be most impacted by strong winds and/or heavy rain".
The Met Office forecast for the rest of December remains unsettled with further periods of low pressure predicted.
Meteorologists said it was too early to provide an accurate forecast for the Christmas period.
|
Flood alerts triggered across South East
Wet weather has prompted a warning of flooding in areas of south-east England.
Flood alerts have been put in place on the River Mole and its tributaries from Kinnersley Manor to South Hersham in Surrey.
They have also been triggered on the Western Rother, Climping Seafront, River Adur East Branch, Upper Ouse and Cuckmere River in Sussex, according to the government's flooding alerts' website.
Kent's Rivers Eden and Eden Brook, and the Isle of Sheppey and coast from Kemsley to Seasalter are also at risk of flooding.
Most alerts are set to remain in place throughout Sunday.
Strong winds overnight from Friday to Saturday damaged homes in Seaford in East Sussex, which residents called "a mini tornado".
It comes as the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for rain affecting south-east England and London.
The government agency said heavy rain may bring travel disruption in places from Monday night into Tuesday.
People can expect a "slight chance" of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses during a yellow rain warning, it detailed.
Fast-flowing or deep floodwater is also possible, which the Met Office said could cause a "danger to life", alongside delays or cancellations to train and bus services.
Discussing the UK's upcoming weather picture, Met Office's deputy chief meteorologist Steven Keates said the exact track, depth and timings of the low-pressure system were "uncertain".
He added this made it "harder to determine where will be most impacted by strong winds and/or heavy rain".
The Met Office forecast for the rest of December remains unsettled with further periods of low pressure predicted.
Meteorologists said it was too early to provide an accurate forecast for the Christmas period.
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bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T14:34:10Z
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgj3jeqln0o
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{"title": "Flood alerts triggered across South East"}
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Heathrow 'pepper spray attack' and 'Harry gun cop U-turn'
The Daily Telegraph says the leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, has been reported to the police because of claims he broke rules on campaign spending. The paper says that Richard Everett, a former Reform councillor, who helped Farage win his seat in Clacton in Essex at the general election, submitted the documents to the police. They are said to show that Reform came close to the limit of just over £20,000. But Everett alleges the figure excludes some costs including leaflets, utility bills and the refurbishment of a bar in the campaign office. He says he believes Farage was "blissfully unaware" of the omissions, but the Telegraph says that if the claims are found to be accurate he and his election agent could be found personally liable. In response, Reform UK described Everett as a "disgruntled former councillor" and denied any laws had been broken.
The decision to strip the Duke of Sussex of the right to 24-hour armed police protection when he is visiting the UK from his home in America is to be reviewed by the Home Office, according to the Sun. The paper says it could mean a reunion for King Charles III with his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, who he hasn't seen since 2022. Prince Harry has previously said it is not safe for his family to visit Britain without protection, which ceased when he stopped being a working royal in 2020.
The Guardian highlights figures from an NHS watchdog suggesting that one in seven patient hospital referrals in England get lost, rejected or delayed. The paper says Healthwatch England's survey also found that the majority of those patients only discovered they weren't on a waiting list after chasing the NHS themselves.
According to the Times' lead, every workplace will be required to tell staff about their right to join a union as part of the government's Employment Rights Bill. The paper says an approved statement will be given to workers in an effort to stop "hostile" employers from discouraging union membership. The Conservatives warn the plan will lead to a collapse of British productivity.
And many of the papers carry triumphant pictures of an emotional Lando Norris, after the British driver won his first Formula 1 Championship. The Telegraph says it proves "nice guys win too". The back page headline in the i Paper is "Lando hope and glory".
|
Heathrow 'pepper spray attack' and 'Harry gun cop U-turn'
The Daily Telegraph says the leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, has been reported to the police because of claims he broke rules on campaign spending. The paper says that Richard Everett, a former Reform councillor, who helped Farage win his seat in Clacton in Essex at the general election, submitted the documents to the police. They are said to show that Reform came close to the limit of just over £20,000. But Everett alleges the figure excludes some costs including leaflets, utility bills and the refurbishment of a bar in the campaign office. He says he believes Farage was "blissfully unaware" of the omissions, but the Telegraph says that if the claims are found to be accurate he and his election agent could be found personally liable. In response, Reform UK described Everett as a "disgruntled former councillor" and denied any laws had been broken.
The decision to strip the Duke of Sussex of the right to 24-hour armed police protection when he is visiting the UK from his home in America is to be reviewed by the Home Office, according to the Sun. The paper says it could mean a reunion for King Charles III with his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, who he hasn't seen since 2022. Prince Harry has previously said it is not safe for his family to visit Britain without protection, which ceased when he stopped being a working royal in 2020.
The Guardian highlights figures from an NHS watchdog suggesting that one in seven patient hospital referrals in England get lost, rejected or delayed. The paper says Healthwatch England's survey also found that the majority of those patients only discovered they weren't on a waiting list after chasing the NHS themselves.
According to the Times' lead, every workplace will be required to tell staff about their right to join a union as part of the government's Employment Rights Bill. The paper says an approved statement will be given to workers in an effort to stop "hostile" employers from discouraging union membership. The Conservatives warn the plan will lead to a collapse of British productivity.
And many of the papers carry triumphant pictures of an emotional Lando Norris, after the British driver won his first Formula 1 Championship. The Telegraph says it proves "nice guys win too". The back page headline in the i Paper is "Lando hope and glory".
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bbc_news
|
2025-12-08T01:34:47Z
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgkpqk01pro
|
{"title": "Heathrow 'pepper spray attack' and 'Harry gun cop U-turn'"}
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Benin coup plot leader hiding in Togo, official tells BBC
A senior government official in Benin has told the BBC that the leader of Sunday's failed coup is taking refuge in neighbouring Togo.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said that the government would request Lt Col Pascal Tigri's extradition. Togo's government has not yet commented.
The failed coup came after a series of military takeovers in West Africa, raising concern that democracy is increasingly under threat in the region.
It was thwarted after regional power Nigeria sent fighter jets to dislodge the mutineers from a military base and the offices of state TV following a request from President Patrice Talon's government.
A group of soldiers appeared on state TV early on Sunday to announce they had seized power, and gunfire was heard near the presidential residence.
The Beninese government official said the authorities knew that Lt Col Pascal Tigri was in Togo's capital, Lomé, in the same area where President Faure Gnassingbé lives.
"We don't know how to explain this but we will make an official extradition request and see how the Togolese authorities will react," the official added.
There is no independent confirmation of the claim.
Togo is part of the West African regional bloc, Ecowas, which condemned the coup attempt.
French special forces also helped loyalist troops to thwart the coup, the head of the Benin's republican guard, which is in charge of protecting the president, told AFP news agency.
Dieudonne Djimon Tevoedjre said Benin's troops were "truly valiant and faced the enemy all day" on Sunday.
"French special forces were sent from [Ivory Coast's main city] Abidjan, used for mopping up operations after the Beninese army had done the job," he was quoted as saying.
Benin's government spokesman Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji could not confirm the deployment of French forces.
He told the BBC that as far as he knew, France had mainly provided intelligence support.
Ecowas has deployed troops from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast to secure key installations in Benin.
The deployment signals that Ecowas is no longer willing to watch civilian governments fall without resistance.
Benin, a former French colony, has been regarded as one of Africa's more stable democracies.
The nation is one of the continent's largest cotton producers, but ranks among the world's poorest countries.
Nigeria described the coup attempt as a "direct assault on democracy".
Houngbédji told the BBC that a small number of soldiers from the National Guard were behind the coup attempt.
"The National Guard is a recent creation within our army, initiated by President Talon as part of our fight against terrorism. It is a land forces unit equipped with significant resources, following major investments in recent years, and its personnel are well trained," he said.
Houngbédji added that Talon asked Ecowas to carry out airstrikes to neutralise the mutineers following indications that they had planned to attack the main airport in Cotonou, Benin's largest city, putting at risk the lives of civilians living in the area.
"This led to the strategy of carrying out targeted airstrikes to immobilise their equipment, including the armored vehicles they threatened to use," he said.
The rebel soldiers justified their actions by criticising Talon's management of the country, complaining first about his handling of the "continuing deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin".
Benin's army has suffered losses near its northern border with insurgency-hit Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years, as jihadist militants linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda spread southwards.
The soldiers' statement cited "the ignorance and neglect of the situation of our brothers in arms who have fallen at the front and, above all, that of their families, abandoned to their sad fate by Mr Patrice Talon's policies".
The rebels also hit out at cuts in health care, including the cancellation of state-funded kidney dialysis, and taxes rises, as well as curbs on political activities.
Talon, who is regarded as a close ally of the West, is due to step down next year after completing his second term in office, with elections scheduled for April.
A businessman known as the "king of cotton", he first came to power in 2016. He has endorsed Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his successor.
Talon has been praised by his supporters for overseeing economic development, but his government has also been criticised for suppressing dissenting voices.
In October, Benin's electoral commission barred the main opposition candidate from contesting the election.
The attempted coup came just over a week after Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embaló was overthrown - though some regional figures have questioned whether this was staged.
In recent years, West Africa has also seen coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger, prompting concerns about the region's stability.
Russia has
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Benin coup plot leader hiding in Togo, official tells BBC
A senior government official in Benin has told the BBC that the leader of Sunday's failed coup is taking refuge in neighbouring Togo.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said that the government would request Lt Col Pascal Tigri's extradition. Togo's government has not yet commented.
The failed coup came after a series of military takeovers in West Africa, raising concern that democracy is increasingly under threat in the region.
It was thwarted after regional power Nigeria sent fighter jets to dislodge the mutineers from a military base and the offices of state TV following a request from President Patrice Talon's government.
A group of soldiers appeared on state TV early on Sunday to announce they had seized power, and gunfire was heard near the presidential residence.
The Beninese government official said the authorities knew that Lt Col Pascal Tigri was in Togo's capital, Lomé, in the same area where President Faure Gnassingbé lives.
"We don't know how to explain this but we will make an official extradition request and see how the Togolese authorities will react," the official added.
There is no independent confirmation of the claim.
Togo is part of the West African regional bloc, Ecowas, which condemned the coup attempt.
French special forces also helped loyalist troops to thwart the coup, the head of the Benin's republican guard, which is in charge of protecting the president, told AFP news agency.
Dieudonne Djimon Tevoedjre said Benin's troops were "truly valiant and faced the enemy all day" on Sunday.
"French special forces were sent from [Ivory Coast's main city] Abidjan, used for mopping up operations after the Beninese army had done the job," he was quoted as saying.
Benin's government spokesman Wilfried Léandre Houngbédji could not confirm the deployment of French forces.
He told the BBC that as far as he knew, France had mainly provided intelligence support.
Ecowas has deployed troops from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast to secure key installations in Benin.
The deployment signals that Ecowas is no longer willing to watch civilian governments fall without resistance.
Benin, a former French colony, has been regarded as one of Africa's more stable democracies.
The nation is one of the continent's largest cotton producers, but ranks among the world's poorest countries.
Nigeria described the coup attempt as a "direct assault on democracy".
Houngbédji told the BBC that a small number of soldiers from the National Guard were behind the coup attempt.
"The National Guard is a recent creation within our army, initiated by President Talon as part of our fight against terrorism. It is a land forces unit equipped with significant resources, following major investments in recent years, and its personnel are well trained," he said.
Houngbédji added that Talon asked Ecowas to carry out airstrikes to neutralise the mutineers following indications that they had planned to attack the main airport in Cotonou, Benin's largest city, putting at risk the lives of civilians living in the area.
"This led to the strategy of carrying out targeted airstrikes to immobilise their equipment, including the armored vehicles they threatened to use," he said.
The rebel soldiers justified their actions by criticising Talon's management of the country, complaining first about his handling of the "continuing deterioration of the security situation in northern Benin".
Benin's army has suffered losses near its northern border with insurgency-hit Niger and Burkina Faso in recent years, as jihadist militants linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda spread southwards.
The soldiers' statement cited "the ignorance and neglect of the situation of our brothers in arms who have fallen at the front and, above all, that of their families, abandoned to their sad fate by Mr Patrice Talon's policies".
The rebels also hit out at cuts in health care, including the cancellation of state-funded kidney dialysis, and taxes rises, as well as curbs on political activities.
Talon, who is regarded as a close ally of the West, is due to step down next year after completing his second term in office, with elections scheduled for April.
A businessman known as the "king of cotton", he first came to power in 2016. He has endorsed Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni as his successor.
Talon has been praised by his supporters for overseeing economic development, but his government has also been criticised for suppressing dissenting voices.
In October, Benin's electoral commission barred the main opposition candidate from contesting the election.
The attempted coup came just over a week after Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embaló was overthrown - though some regional figures have questioned whether this was staged.
In recent years, West Africa has also seen coups in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger, prompting concerns about the region's stability.
Russia has strengthened its ties with these Sahel countries over recent years - and Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have left the West African regional bloc Ecowas to form their own group, the Alliance of Sahel States.
News of the attempted takeover in Benin was hailed by several pro-Russian social media accounts, according to BBC Monitoring.
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
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bbc_news
|
2025-12-10T17:09:21Z
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyln60219qo
|
{"title": "Benin coup plot leader hiding in Togo, official tells BBC"}
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Fears grow that world's rarest apes were swept away in Sumatran floods
An unusual silence in the forests of north Sumatra in Indonesia is worrying wildlife experts and conservationists.
Here, in the mountainous forests of Batang Toru, is where they had always seen and heard the world's rarest ape, the Tapanuli orangutans.
But ever since Cyclone Senyar devastated Sumatra on 25 November, the critically endangered primates have not been seen in the area, conservation workers say.
Their absence has fuelled speculation as to whether the great apes were swept away by floods and landslides. And while some believe the animals may have travelled to a safer location, a carcass found in the area, said to be that of an orangutan, is fuelling conservationists' fears.
Fewer than 800 Tapanuli orangutans remain and any loss would have a serious impact on the species, conservationists say.
Humanitarian workers told the BBC they found the dead animal semi-buried in the debris of mud and logs in Pulo Pakkat village in central Tapanuli district earlier this week.
"When I first saw it I was not sure what it was, because it was kind of defaced, perhaps because it was buried underneath by the sludge and logs," said Deckey Chandra, who has been working with a humanitarian team in the area. He previously worked in the conservation of the Tapanuli orangutans.
"I have seen several dead bodies of humans in the past few days but this was the first dead wildlife," he said. "They used to come to this place to eat fruits. But now it seems to have become their graveyard."
Mr Chandra shared with the BBC pictures he took of the carcass, some of which show him with the dead animal.
Conservationists working in the region believe it is of the Tapanuli orangutan, a species that was only discovered in 2017. The other two species are Bornean and Sumatran orangutans.
More than 900 people have died as a result of heavy rain, floods and landslides since Cyclone Senyar ravaged parts of Indonesia in late November. Hundreds are still missing, with many villages in Sumatra completely destroyed as the storm swept across the island.
Professor Erik Meijaard, managing director of Borneo Futures in Brunei, is now studying the disasters' impact on the orangutans with the help of satellite images.
He said 4,800 hectares (11,860 acres) of forest on the mountain slopes can be seen as destroyed by landslides - but since part of the satellite image is cloud covered, he's extrapolated the destruction figure to 7,200 hectares in his preliminary observation.
"The destroyed areas would have contained some 35 orangutans, and considering the violence of the destruction it wouldn't surprise us if they are all dead. That's a major blow to the population," he told the BBC.
"These areas show as bare soil on satellite imagery where two weeks ago it was primary forest. Complete destruction. Many patches of several hectares completely denuded. It must have been hellish in the forest at the time."
Prof Mejjard said he too has seen the picture of the dead orangutan shared by Chandra.
"What struck me is that all the flesh had been ripped off the face," he said. "If a few hectares of forest comes down in massive landslides, even powerful orangutans are helpless and just get mangled."
Panut Hadisiswoyo, founder of Orangutan Information Centre which works for the conservation of the primates in the region, said the carcass meant it was highly possible some Tapanuli orangutans were unable to escape as rushing waters and landslides swept through their habitat.
Pictures showing the carcass of a Sumatran elephant, another critically endangered species, being swept away by floods in Aceh in northern Sumatra went viral on social media last week.
The island hosts a range of endangered species like Sumatran tigers, elephants and rhinos.
But conservation workers say there are particular concerns for orangutans and other primates, like gibbons, because huge parts of the mountainous forest in the Tapanuli district saw massive landslides due to Cyclone Senyar's extreme rainfall.
Some locals say the primates must have escaped before the disaster struck, as they can sense danger beforehand. But some primate experts say that may not have been the case.
"During heavy rains orangutans either just sit in a tree or gather branches and leaves to use as an umbrella and then wait for the rain to stop," said Serge Wich, professor of primate biology at Liverpool John Moores University, who has conducted research on Tapanuli orangutans.
"But this time, by the time the rain stopped it was too late: parts of their habitat - the slopes of valleys - were wiped out by landslides, which means there must have been consequences for them."
The recent floods have also damaged a number of orangutan research centres in Sumatra - including at Ketambe, the world's first orangutan research centre, in Aceh.
Dr Ian Singleton, scientific director for the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, said the Ketambe centre is
|
Fears grow that world's rarest apes were swept away in Sumatran floods
An unusual silence in the forests of north Sumatra in Indonesia is worrying wildlife experts and conservationists.
Here, in the mountainous forests of Batang Toru, is where they had always seen and heard the world's rarest ape, the Tapanuli orangutans.
But ever since Cyclone Senyar devastated Sumatra on 25 November, the critically endangered primates have not been seen in the area, conservation workers say.
Their absence has fuelled speculation as to whether the great apes were swept away by floods and landslides. And while some believe the animals may have travelled to a safer location, a carcass found in the area, said to be that of an orangutan, is fuelling conservationists' fears.
Fewer than 800 Tapanuli orangutans remain and any loss would have a serious impact on the species, conservationists say.
Humanitarian workers told the BBC they found the dead animal semi-buried in the debris of mud and logs in Pulo Pakkat village in central Tapanuli district earlier this week.
"When I first saw it I was not sure what it was, because it was kind of defaced, perhaps because it was buried underneath by the sludge and logs," said Deckey Chandra, who has been working with a humanitarian team in the area. He previously worked in the conservation of the Tapanuli orangutans.
"I have seen several dead bodies of humans in the past few days but this was the first dead wildlife," he said. "They used to come to this place to eat fruits. But now it seems to have become their graveyard."
Mr Chandra shared with the BBC pictures he took of the carcass, some of which show him with the dead animal.
Conservationists working in the region believe it is of the Tapanuli orangutan, a species that was only discovered in 2017. The other two species are Bornean and Sumatran orangutans.
More than 900 people have died as a result of heavy rain, floods and landslides since Cyclone Senyar ravaged parts of Indonesia in late November. Hundreds are still missing, with many villages in Sumatra completely destroyed as the storm swept across the island.
Professor Erik Meijaard, managing director of Borneo Futures in Brunei, is now studying the disasters' impact on the orangutans with the help of satellite images.
He said 4,800 hectares (11,860 acres) of forest on the mountain slopes can be seen as destroyed by landslides - but since part of the satellite image is cloud covered, he's extrapolated the destruction figure to 7,200 hectares in his preliminary observation.
"The destroyed areas would have contained some 35 orangutans, and considering the violence of the destruction it wouldn't surprise us if they are all dead. That's a major blow to the population," he told the BBC.
"These areas show as bare soil on satellite imagery where two weeks ago it was primary forest. Complete destruction. Many patches of several hectares completely denuded. It must have been hellish in the forest at the time."
Prof Mejjard said he too has seen the picture of the dead orangutan shared by Chandra.
"What struck me is that all the flesh had been ripped off the face," he said. "If a few hectares of forest comes down in massive landslides, even powerful orangutans are helpless and just get mangled."
Panut Hadisiswoyo, founder of Orangutan Information Centre which works for the conservation of the primates in the region, said the carcass meant it was highly possible some Tapanuli orangutans were unable to escape as rushing waters and landslides swept through their habitat.
Pictures showing the carcass of a Sumatran elephant, another critically endangered species, being swept away by floods in Aceh in northern Sumatra went viral on social media last week.
The island hosts a range of endangered species like Sumatran tigers, elephants and rhinos.
But conservation workers say there are particular concerns for orangutans and other primates, like gibbons, because huge parts of the mountainous forest in the Tapanuli district saw massive landslides due to Cyclone Senyar's extreme rainfall.
Some locals say the primates must have escaped before the disaster struck, as they can sense danger beforehand. But some primate experts say that may not have been the case.
"During heavy rains orangutans either just sit in a tree or gather branches and leaves to use as an umbrella and then wait for the rain to stop," said Serge Wich, professor of primate biology at Liverpool John Moores University, who has conducted research on Tapanuli orangutans.
"But this time, by the time the rain stopped it was too late: parts of their habitat - the slopes of valleys - were wiped out by landslides, which means there must have been consequences for them."
The recent floods have also damaged a number of orangutan research centres in Sumatra - including at Ketambe, the world's first orangutan research centre, in Aceh.
Dr Ian Singleton, scientific director for the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, said the Ketambe centre is now almost completely destroyed.
"It needs to be rebuilt as soon as possible so it can continue to play that role in protecting the forests in that area and its orangutans."
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bbc_news
|
2025-12-12T00:08:17Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4q1l0ly7wo
|
{"title": "Fears grow that world's rarest apes were swept away in Sumatran floods"}
|
Tanzania crackdown on planned protest leaves streets deserted
Security was tightened across Tanzania on Tuesday with police and military seen patrolling major cities ahead of anticipated anti-government protests called to coincide with independence day.
By sunset, however, no major demonstrations had taken place.
Residents in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mbeya, Mwanza and several other urban centres reported an unusually slow start to the day, with many people choosing to remain indoors amid uncertainty over whether protests would happen.
The demonstrations were called to demand political reforms in the wake of October's post-election unrest which left an unknown number of people dead.
The authorities have admitted using force against protesters, claiming that some groups were attempting to overthrow the regime.
On Tuesday, BBC reporters observed nearly empty streets in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. This was a stark contrast to the city's usual weekday bustle.
Although quiet, the atmosphere remained tense.
In a statement, police spokesperson David Misime assured the public of their safety and the protection of their property, saying the situation remained calm nationwide.
He also urged citizens to dismiss old photos and video clips circulating on social media that falsely suggest protests are taking place.
Security vehicles were seen driving along major roads and intersections, while officers took up positions at strategic locations, including around key public infrastructure.
Public transport stopped operating entirely, the AFP news agency reported.
On social media, activists and campaigners urged supporters to stay alert, suggesting any demonstrations were unlikely to begin until the afternoon. The messaging echoed previous protest calls in Tanzania, when turnout increased later in the day.
"We will move out, it is our right to protest... I know police are everywhere in the town and even in the street where I live... we have plans so wait, you will see what will happen," a resident of Arusha told the BBC earlier on Tuesday.
"I am scared for my children, if these protests happen, it will create a bad atmosphere. Like now my husband is hospitalised, how am I going to attend to him? I feel protesters should call off plans to move to the streets, we need to live in peace," said a resident of Mwanza in northern Tanzania.
Motorists who ventured out reported frequent checks at roadblocks, where officers questioned drivers about their destinations.
The government has not issued detailed comments on the heightened security measures or on the planned protests.
Tanzanian authorities have banned the planned protests and cancelled independence day celebrations, urging citizens to stay indoors.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Kenya several activists were arrested on Tuesday as they were holding a solidarity protest outside the Tanzanian high commission in the capital, Nairobi.
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
|
Tanzania crackdown on planned protest leaves streets deserted
Security was tightened across Tanzania on Tuesday with police and military seen patrolling major cities ahead of anticipated anti-government protests called to coincide with independence day.
By sunset, however, no major demonstrations had taken place.
Residents in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mbeya, Mwanza and several other urban centres reported an unusually slow start to the day, with many people choosing to remain indoors amid uncertainty over whether protests would happen.
The demonstrations were called to demand political reforms in the wake of October's post-election unrest which left an unknown number of people dead.
The authorities have admitted using force against protesters, claiming that some groups were attempting to overthrow the regime.
On Tuesday, BBC reporters observed nearly empty streets in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. This was a stark contrast to the city's usual weekday bustle.
Although quiet, the atmosphere remained tense.
In a statement, police spokesperson David Misime assured the public of their safety and the protection of their property, saying the situation remained calm nationwide.
He also urged citizens to dismiss old photos and video clips circulating on social media that falsely suggest protests are taking place.
Security vehicles were seen driving along major roads and intersections, while officers took up positions at strategic locations, including around key public infrastructure.
Public transport stopped operating entirely, the AFP news agency reported.
On social media, activists and campaigners urged supporters to stay alert, suggesting any demonstrations were unlikely to begin until the afternoon. The messaging echoed previous protest calls in Tanzania, when turnout increased later in the day.
"We will move out, it is our right to protest... I know police are everywhere in the town and even in the street where I live... we have plans so wait, you will see what will happen," a resident of Arusha told the BBC earlier on Tuesday.
"I am scared for my children, if these protests happen, it will create a bad atmosphere. Like now my husband is hospitalised, how am I going to attend to him? I feel protesters should call off plans to move to the streets, we need to live in peace," said a resident of Mwanza in northern Tanzania.
Motorists who ventured out reported frequent checks at roadblocks, where officers questioned drivers about their destinations.
The government has not issued detailed comments on the heightened security measures or on the planned protests.
Tanzanian authorities have banned the planned protests and cancelled independence day celebrations, urging citizens to stay indoors.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Kenya several activists were arrested on Tuesday as they were holding a solidarity protest outside the Tanzanian high commission in the capital, Nairobi.
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-09T16:19:00Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2e3j819eqo
|
{"title": "Tanzania crackdown on planned protest leaves streets deserted"}
|
Some schools disrupted amid rise in flu cases
Some schools have had to bring back Covid-like measures to prevent the spread of flu, as rates of reported illnesses in schools and other educational settings are higher than this time last year.
One primary school in Leeds said last week it had to cut back on singing in assemblies and introduce sanitisation stations, while another in Caerphilly had to close temporarily.
Flu season has come early this year and some hospitals have asked staff, patients and visitors to wear face masks.
The Association of School and College Leaders said they were aware of winter illnesses causing disruption in "several schools across the UK".
The Department for Education (DfE) in England said school closures "should only happen in extreme circumstances".
The most recent data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which monitors the spread of winter viruses, found there were 107 acute respiratory incidents in educational settings in England between 24 and 30 November.
An "acute respiratory incident" is defined for a school as two or more cases occurring among pupils within a five-day period. It could apply to a range of respiratory illnesses like influenza, RSV, covid or the common cold.
Of the 107 incidents reported in education settings for the last week of November, 17 identified influenza as the virus involved, with two more schools reporting Covid as the cause. In 76 cases the school didn't know which respiratory infection was affecting them.
In comparison, during the same week last year there were only 15 respiratory incidents in educational settings overall, with only one due to influenza.
Flu is on the rise in the UK, according to the UKHSA - with a weekly average positivity rate of 17.1% among reported test results as of 2 December, up from 11.6% the week before.
The H3N2 "subclade K" variant of the virus is circulating. It is a mutated strain of the seasonal influenza A virus and people have not encountered much of it in recent years. That means there is less built-up immunity against it.
In Leeds, a primary school has reduced singing in assemblies to reduce the spread of flu. Wigton Moor Primary School said 70 children, or one in six pupils, were off sick or sent home on one day last week with high temperatures and coughs.
Head teacher Elaine Bown called it the "worst year" for sickness since she started teaching almost 14 years ago. The school has also introduced Covid-style measures like opening windows and implementing sanitisation stations.
In Caerphilly, Wales, St Martin's School closed temporarily for a "firebreak" period after more than 250 pupils and staff fell ill with a "flu-like illness".
And in Northern Ireland the headteacher of a primary school in County Londonderry compared levels of sickness to "being back in Covid times" after 170 of his pupils were off sick on the same day.
DfE guidance published in October asks schools in England to open windows and doors whenever possible to make sure classrooms are ventilated, and to use carbon dioxide monitors, if they have them, to "identify poorly ventilated areas".
"Explain why you are opening the window, even on a chilly day, even just for 10 minutes can make a big difference, and the benefits of bringing fresh air into the classroom," it says.
It also advises on reminding children of the importance of handwashing and vaccinations.
Pupils from reception to Year 11 in England are eligible for a flu vaccination nasal spray at their school.
Parents with younger children aged two and three can book their children flu vaccinations at a GP practice.
The guidance stresses the importance of attendance and says most mild illnesses, like runny noses and sore throats, do not mean children need to be off school.
But it adds that "parents know their child best" and that schools can put measures in place to reassure them.
Education is devolved between the nations of the UK so nations issue their own advice on how to stop the spread of flu.
In Scotland officials recommend regular handwashing and advise people with symptoms of respiratory illness to stay off work or school until they are feeling better.
The Welsh government emphasises the importance of handwashing for staff in educational settings.
The Public Health Agency of Northern Ireland recommends the need for school-age children to wash their hands, stay off school when sick and get their flu vaccine.
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "We're aware that flu and other winter illnesses are causing disruption in several schools across the UK and that this can be an extremely difficult situation to manage."
He said schools would communicate any steps they were taking to parents and students and it "may necessitate the closure or partial closure of a site where the situation is particularly severe".
"Schools always endeavour to avoid any disruption to learning and will have in place support for
|
Some schools disrupted amid rise in flu cases
Some schools have had to bring back Covid-like measures to prevent the spread of flu, as rates of reported illnesses in schools and other educational settings are higher than this time last year.
One primary school in Leeds said last week it had to cut back on singing in assemblies and introduce sanitisation stations, while another in Caerphilly had to close temporarily.
Flu season has come early this year and some hospitals have asked staff, patients and visitors to wear face masks.
The Association of School and College Leaders said they were aware of winter illnesses causing disruption in "several schools across the UK".
The Department for Education (DfE) in England said school closures "should only happen in extreme circumstances".
The most recent data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which monitors the spread of winter viruses, found there were 107 acute respiratory incidents in educational settings in England between 24 and 30 November.
An "acute respiratory incident" is defined for a school as two or more cases occurring among pupils within a five-day period. It could apply to a range of respiratory illnesses like influenza, RSV, covid or the common cold.
Of the 107 incidents reported in education settings for the last week of November, 17 identified influenza as the virus involved, with two more schools reporting Covid as the cause. In 76 cases the school didn't know which respiratory infection was affecting them.
In comparison, during the same week last year there were only 15 respiratory incidents in educational settings overall, with only one due to influenza.
Flu is on the rise in the UK, according to the UKHSA - with a weekly average positivity rate of 17.1% among reported test results as of 2 December, up from 11.6% the week before.
The H3N2 "subclade K" variant of the virus is circulating. It is a mutated strain of the seasonal influenza A virus and people have not encountered much of it in recent years. That means there is less built-up immunity against it.
In Leeds, a primary school has reduced singing in assemblies to reduce the spread of flu. Wigton Moor Primary School said 70 children, or one in six pupils, were off sick or sent home on one day last week with high temperatures and coughs.
Head teacher Elaine Bown called it the "worst year" for sickness since she started teaching almost 14 years ago. The school has also introduced Covid-style measures like opening windows and implementing sanitisation stations.
In Caerphilly, Wales, St Martin's School closed temporarily for a "firebreak" period after more than 250 pupils and staff fell ill with a "flu-like illness".
And in Northern Ireland the headteacher of a primary school in County Londonderry compared levels of sickness to "being back in Covid times" after 170 of his pupils were off sick on the same day.
DfE guidance published in October asks schools in England to open windows and doors whenever possible to make sure classrooms are ventilated, and to use carbon dioxide monitors, if they have them, to "identify poorly ventilated areas".
"Explain why you are opening the window, even on a chilly day, even just for 10 minutes can make a big difference, and the benefits of bringing fresh air into the classroom," it says.
It also advises on reminding children of the importance of handwashing and vaccinations.
Pupils from reception to Year 11 in England are eligible for a flu vaccination nasal spray at their school.
Parents with younger children aged two and three can book their children flu vaccinations at a GP practice.
The guidance stresses the importance of attendance and says most mild illnesses, like runny noses and sore throats, do not mean children need to be off school.
But it adds that "parents know their child best" and that schools can put measures in place to reassure them.
Education is devolved between the nations of the UK so nations issue their own advice on how to stop the spread of flu.
In Scotland officials recommend regular handwashing and advise people with symptoms of respiratory illness to stay off work or school until they are feeling better.
The Welsh government emphasises the importance of handwashing for staff in educational settings.
The Public Health Agency of Northern Ireland recommends the need for school-age children to wash their hands, stay off school when sick and get their flu vaccine.
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "We're aware that flu and other winter illnesses are causing disruption in several schools across the UK and that this can be an extremely difficult situation to manage."
He said schools would communicate any steps they were taking to parents and students and it "may necessitate the closure or partial closure of a site where the situation is particularly severe".
"Schools always endeavour to avoid any disruption to learning and will have in place support for students who are affected", he added.
In a statement, a DfE spokesperson confirmed that flu cases are at very high levels this year and acknowledged that it would be a "tough winter" for the NHS.
"School attendance is critical for children's life chances, and while it's clear cases of flu are going to have an impact on attendance levels, we are clear school closures should only happen in extreme circumstances," they said.
"We provide clear guidance to help parents know exactly when to keep children home, and to help schools both manage children's wellbeing and keep disruption to a minimum."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-09T15:52:04Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r90xg5wwqo
|
{"title": "Some schools disrupted amid rise in flu cases"}
|
Pastor and new bride abducted in latest Nigeria attacks
Gunmen have abducted at least 20 people, including a pastor and a new bride, in two separate attacks in the latest Nigerian kidnappings.
Attackers stormed the newly established Cherubim and Seraphim Church on Sunday in the central Kogi state, firing shots and forcing congregants to flee in panic. They seized the pastor, his wife and several worshippers.
In another raid the night before in the northern Sokoto state, a bride and her bridesmaids were among those kidnapped. A baby, the baby's mother and another woman were also taken, the AFP news agency reports.
Schools and places of worship have increasingly been targeted in the latest wave of attacks in north and central Nigeria.
It is not clear who is behind the kidnappings - most analysts believe they are carried out by criminal gangs seeking ransom payments, however a presidential spokesman has told the BBC they believe they are the work of jihadist groups.
Kogi state government spokesman Kingsley Fanwo confirmed the attack in Ejiba to the BBC but was unable to confirm the numbers.
He said authorities were working to track down the attackers.
"The security network, comprising the conventional security agencies and the local security architecture are currently doing what they should do," he told the BBC.
In the attack in the mostly Muslim Sokoto state, local media reported that the bride had been preparing for a wedding ceremony the following morning and she was seized alongside her friends and other guests who had gone to support her.
Some 250 schoolchildren and 12 teachers are still believed to be missing following the biggest such attack in recent weeks, while those seized in other raids have reportedly been released.
The spate of abductions has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of rural communities. It adds to pressure on the authorities to bolster protection for those at risk - schools, churches and isolated communities.
Paying ransoms has been outlawed in a bid to stop the lucrative kidnapping industry, however it is widely believed that such payments are still being made.
Nigeria's security crisis attracted the international spotlight last month after US President Donald Trump threatened to send over troops if the government "continues to allow the killing of Christians".
Nigerian officials and analysts say that members of all faiths are victims of the violence and kidnappings and say it is not true that Christians are being targeted.
Additional reporting by Basillioh Rukanga
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
|
Pastor and new bride abducted in latest Nigeria attacks
Gunmen have abducted at least 20 people, including a pastor and a new bride, in two separate attacks in the latest Nigerian kidnappings.
Attackers stormed the newly established Cherubim and Seraphim Church on Sunday in the central Kogi state, firing shots and forcing congregants to flee in panic. They seized the pastor, his wife and several worshippers.
In another raid the night before in the northern Sokoto state, a bride and her bridesmaids were among those kidnapped. A baby, the baby's mother and another woman were also taken, the AFP news agency reports.
Schools and places of worship have increasingly been targeted in the latest wave of attacks in north and central Nigeria.
It is not clear who is behind the kidnappings - most analysts believe they are carried out by criminal gangs seeking ransom payments, however a presidential spokesman has told the BBC they believe they are the work of jihadist groups.
Kogi state government spokesman Kingsley Fanwo confirmed the attack in Ejiba to the BBC but was unable to confirm the numbers.
He said authorities were working to track down the attackers.
"The security network, comprising the conventional security agencies and the local security architecture are currently doing what they should do," he told the BBC.
In the attack in the mostly Muslim Sokoto state, local media reported that the bride had been preparing for a wedding ceremony the following morning and she was seized alongside her friends and other guests who had gone to support her.
Some 250 schoolchildren and 12 teachers are still believed to be missing following the biggest such attack in recent weeks, while those seized in other raids have reportedly been released.
The spate of abductions has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of rural communities. It adds to pressure on the authorities to bolster protection for those at risk - schools, churches and isolated communities.
Paying ransoms has been outlawed in a bid to stop the lucrative kidnapping industry, however it is widely believed that such payments are still being made.
Nigeria's security crisis attracted the international spotlight last month after US President Donald Trump threatened to send over troops if the government "continues to allow the killing of Christians".
Nigerian officials and analysts say that members of all faiths are victims of the violence and kidnappings and say it is not true that Christians are being targeted.
Additional reporting by Basillioh Rukanga
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-01T10:42:21Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79x8285n29o
|
{"title": "Pastor and new bride abducted in latest Nigeria attacks"}
|
AI has entered the classroom - but is it the solution for overworked teachers?
Schools across the UK are trialling the use of deepfake teachers and even employing remote staff to deliver lessons hundreds of miles away from the classroom.
It comes as the use of AI is becoming increasingly prevalent in schools.
The government says AI has the power to transform education, and improve teacher workload, particularly around admin for teachers.
The BBC has spoken to teachers, school leaders and unions who seem divided on what the future of the UK's classrooms should look like.
Emily Cooke is a maths teacher at The Valley Leadership Academy in Lancashire, which has hired a virtual maths teacher - a decision Mrs Cooke is strongly against.
"Will your virtual teacher be there to dance with you at prom, hug your mum during results day, or high-five you in the corridor because they know you won the match last night?" she says.
Since September, top set pupils in Year 9, 10 and 11 at Mrs Cooke's school have been taught by the remote maths teacher, who is based 300 miles away in Devon.
Teachers went on strike over the move last week and this week.
The school said it was a "small-scale initiative" but the National Education Union (NEU) called it an "unacceptable situation".
Mrs Cooke says: "As a parent, as a teacher, I don't think that teacher-student relationship, which is so important, can be formed or replicated over a screen."
The school told the BBC that its approach is a "win-win", where "pupils benefit from lessons delivered by an outstanding specialist teacher online" who is supported in the classroom by a second teacher.
At a different academy, AI experiments are going further than most.
Shane Ierston, CEO of Great Schools Trust, says giving children in his schools in Liverpool, Warrington and Bolton a "top class, world-quality education" is his priority.
Mr Ierston believes clever use of AI can help to free up teachers' time to focus on building students' character, leadership and resilience.
Teachers there can already use its AI system to mark assessments and mock exams, which they say is more accurate.
Director of AI at the trust, Benjamin Barker, says the AI technology can identify gaps in students' learning and help teachers to plan future lessons.
After marking, the AI deepfake will produce a bespoke feedback video for each child.
The technology is due to be trialled this year, before getting feedback from staff, students and parents.
Using AI "as a leveller" will make sure every child gets "personalised tuition", with the teacher in the room making sure they understand, Mr Ierston says.
Having a deepfake will be "completely voluntary for teachers", he adds.
"What we're not trying to do is replace teachers," says Mr Ierston. "We're trying to use technology - things that have got a bad reputation - and see how it can be used to benefit society.
"That's the future."
Deepfakes will also be used to help absent pupils catch up from home, or to translate parent messages into the 46 languages spoken across the schools.
When asked what they would say to those who oppose children interacting with deepfake technology, Mr Ierston says it's "only natural" that people will fear change.
"But we would much rather be leading the change than Silicon Valley doing it for us," he says.
"We know that what we're doing has got children and the right values at the heart."
Nicola Burrows works for the trust, and has a daughter, Lucy, in Year 11.
When asked for her thoughts on Lucy getting feedback from an AI deepfake of her teacher, she says it would be "really quite special having that very specific personalisation with a face you know".
But adds that it is "really important that we bring the parents with us" when it comes to new initiatives, including addressing any concerns over safety.
Technology, screens and AI in the classroom are divisive topics, particularly among parents.
"I think it's fair to say that parents are deeply sceptical about AI," says Frank Young, chief policy officer of charity Parentkind, a national charity that aims to give parents a voice in education.
Just 12% think AI should be used in the classroom, according to its annual survey results, which over 5,000 parents responded to in April this year.
"But I think we can get there if parents are provided with reassurance over how this AI will be used and how it will benefit the children," Mr Young says.
There are no official figures on how many schools are using AI in the classroom with students, but Ofsted is gathering evidence about how AI is being used in schools and FE colleges.
Data from survey tool Teacher Tapp, which asks thousands of teachers a series of questions each day, found that in October 2024, 31% of teachers said they'd used AI in the past week to help with their work. By October 2025, that had risen to 58%.
John Roberts, chief executive at Oak National Academy, which provides lesson planning resources for teachers funded by the DfE, says
|
AI has entered the classroom - but is it the solution for overworked teachers?
Schools across the UK are trialling the use of deepfake teachers and even employing remote staff to deliver lessons hundreds of miles away from the classroom.
It comes as the use of AI is becoming increasingly prevalent in schools.
The government says AI has the power to transform education, and improve teacher workload, particularly around admin for teachers.
The BBC has spoken to teachers, school leaders and unions who seem divided on what the future of the UK's classrooms should look like.
Emily Cooke is a maths teacher at The Valley Leadership Academy in Lancashire, which has hired a virtual maths teacher - a decision Mrs Cooke is strongly against.
"Will your virtual teacher be there to dance with you at prom, hug your mum during results day, or high-five you in the corridor because they know you won the match last night?" she says.
Since September, top set pupils in Year 9, 10 and 11 at Mrs Cooke's school have been taught by the remote maths teacher, who is based 300 miles away in Devon.
Teachers went on strike over the move last week and this week.
The school said it was a "small-scale initiative" but the National Education Union (NEU) called it an "unacceptable situation".
Mrs Cooke says: "As a parent, as a teacher, I don't think that teacher-student relationship, which is so important, can be formed or replicated over a screen."
The school told the BBC that its approach is a "win-win", where "pupils benefit from lessons delivered by an outstanding specialist teacher online" who is supported in the classroom by a second teacher.
At a different academy, AI experiments are going further than most.
Shane Ierston, CEO of Great Schools Trust, says giving children in his schools in Liverpool, Warrington and Bolton a "top class, world-quality education" is his priority.
Mr Ierston believes clever use of AI can help to free up teachers' time to focus on building students' character, leadership and resilience.
Teachers there can already use its AI system to mark assessments and mock exams, which they say is more accurate.
Director of AI at the trust, Benjamin Barker, says the AI technology can identify gaps in students' learning and help teachers to plan future lessons.
After marking, the AI deepfake will produce a bespoke feedback video for each child.
The technology is due to be trialled this year, before getting feedback from staff, students and parents.
Using AI "as a leveller" will make sure every child gets "personalised tuition", with the teacher in the room making sure they understand, Mr Ierston says.
Having a deepfake will be "completely voluntary for teachers", he adds.
"What we're not trying to do is replace teachers," says Mr Ierston. "We're trying to use technology - things that have got a bad reputation - and see how it can be used to benefit society.
"That's the future."
Deepfakes will also be used to help absent pupils catch up from home, or to translate parent messages into the 46 languages spoken across the schools.
When asked what they would say to those who oppose children interacting with deepfake technology, Mr Ierston says it's "only natural" that people will fear change.
"But we would much rather be leading the change than Silicon Valley doing it for us," he says.
"We know that what we're doing has got children and the right values at the heart."
Nicola Burrows works for the trust, and has a daughter, Lucy, in Year 11.
When asked for her thoughts on Lucy getting feedback from an AI deepfake of her teacher, she says it would be "really quite special having that very specific personalisation with a face you know".
But adds that it is "really important that we bring the parents with us" when it comes to new initiatives, including addressing any concerns over safety.
Technology, screens and AI in the classroom are divisive topics, particularly among parents.
"I think it's fair to say that parents are deeply sceptical about AI," says Frank Young, chief policy officer of charity Parentkind, a national charity that aims to give parents a voice in education.
Just 12% think AI should be used in the classroom, according to its annual survey results, which over 5,000 parents responded to in April this year.
"But I think we can get there if parents are provided with reassurance over how this AI will be used and how it will benefit the children," Mr Young says.
There are no official figures on how many schools are using AI in the classroom with students, but Ofsted is gathering evidence about how AI is being used in schools and FE colleges.
Data from survey tool Teacher Tapp, which asks thousands of teachers a series of questions each day, found that in October 2024, 31% of teachers said they'd used AI in the past week to help with their work. By October 2025, that had risen to 58%.
John Roberts, chief executive at Oak National Academy, which provides lesson planning resources for teachers funded by the DfE, says more than 40,000 teachers have used its experimental AI lesson planning tool since it launched in September last year.
Back at The Valley, Mrs Cooke says she does not think online learning is as effective as face to face, pointing to the "huge gaps" in learning from Covid, when schools closed and millions of lessons moved online.
"I thought we were trying to get teenagers off screens, not give them to them for five hours a week in their maths lessons?" she says.
"The fear is, if we do not stop this, if it goes unchallenged at The Valley, it will spread," she says.
"And in 20 years time, what is education going to look like? And are we okay with that?"
A spokesperson for the academy says remote teaching in the school is "not comparable" to pandemic-era teaching, as it is "structured, supported, and takes place in school".
It says hiring a remote teacher is a "small-scale, targeted response to the national shortage of specialist maths teachers. Our priority is, and always will be, to ensure pupils receive the highest quality teaching."
There are now three virtual teachers being used across the trust "deployed in very specific circumstances where recruitment of high-quality subject specialists has been exceptionally difficult", it says.
The Department for Education says technology must be "carefully managed to enhance – not replace - the deep thinking, creativity and critical engagement that underpin effective learning".
But NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede says the union is against remote teaching, and will "never tolerate the imposition of a virtual teacher".
The trust in charge of The Valley says it is committed to working positively with its NEU colleagues to resolve this matter.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-11T00:52:35Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn9813x0vzdo
|
{"title": "AI has entered the classroom - but is it the solution for overworked teachers?"}
|
Terminally ill mum gets thousands of cards for her last Christmas after plea
When Clare Jones put up a Facebook post asking for extra Christmas cards to make her last Christmas "super special", she never expected thousands of responses.
The mum-of-three was diagnosed with bowel cancer in May 2022 but was recently told her chemotherapy was no longer responding and she has about 10 months to live.
"I'm a simple person who likes simple things," Clare said in her post, adding: "I love Christmas cards. I would love to have lots of cards this year."
"So I'm asking you kindly, when you are doing your cards could you pop an extra one in the post for me?"
What Clare, 47, hoped would be an extra 10 to 15 Christmas cards from friends has been shared by more than 10,000 people, with hundreds flocking to the comments from across the world with well wishes.
Clare said she has been "overwhelmed" with love and has so far received thousands of Christmas cards, as well as flowers, chocolates, personalised gifts, theatre tickets and even caravan holidays.
"Someone even offered me a night with them," Clare laughed.
"I said 'that's very kind of you but no thank you'."
Clare, from Pontarddulais, Swansea, said the reaction had been "amazing" and she had been thinking about putting a post up for a while but worried it would be seen as "cheeky".
She made the online request as she always felt Christmas was special and she had "always made a fuss".
After an operation to remove an 18 inch tumour in 2022, one year later Clare was told the bowel cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and lungs, and had developed to stage four.
She has been on chemotherapy ever since but said she was informed in November that her chemotherapy to help shrink the cancer was no longer responding and 10 months was the average prognosis for someone in her position.
"But am I average? I've never been average," Clare laughed.
While realistic about her diagnosis, Clare remains hopeful for a "Christmas miracle".
Sitting in her kitchen surrounded by flowers and hand-written Christmas wishes, Clare said she and her family have both laughed and cried at the messages left in some of the cards.
"A simple card with a simple message has really made our Christmas, all of us," she said.
From poems and letters to children's handmade cards, Clare says the messages of shared experiences and positivity have touched them all.
"There has just been so much to read," said Clare, adding: "The love has been amazing... genuine love."
America, Greece, Holland, Spain, Germany, France and New Zealand are just some of the countries which Clare has received cards from.
She described the last few months as extremely difficult as she had to tell her three children Summer, 16, Sami, 22, and Finley, 20, that this Christmas could well be her last.
"How do you tell them that? My daughter doesn't believe it."
All three live at home with Clare, who has raised them independently for the past 10 years, and one of Clare's greatest worries is leaving them behind.
"Who have they got? I try and think positively, but this is real.
"I remember when my children were leaving primary school, I would think its their last concert at primary school... you go through the stages of last last.
"But when you're talking about yourself, it's the last time you're ever going to see Christmas, you know, Halloween is gone and you didn't realise that was your last Halloween, last Christmas, last birthday.
"Your mind runs away with you then when you're told ten months."
After posting on Facebook, Clare said she received three cards just a few hours later from people in the area she had never met before: "It's been crazy, how nice people can be."
Clare said she loves getting cards and likes to keep hold of them but "doesn't receive many Christmas cards anymore".
Whereas older generations would send cards, people now tended to send messages, she said, "which is great but it's not quite the same".
With deliveries from the postman now a daily occurrence, Clare has spared a thought for her postman, but said he has been wonderful and so patient.
And despite the hundreds of cards passing through her letterbox everyday, Clare plans to thank each person individually.
"I want to respond to everybody, everyone has been so kind," she said.
Clare is collecting all of the stamps to be sent to a bone cancer charity, as they sell the stamps on and put the proceeds back into their charity work.
Clare said she was kicking herself for not seeing a doctor sooner as she had symptoms for a long time but "put it down to having a dodgy belly".
She added: "I don't feel ill, I feel OK. But I'm not going to feel this way for much longer.
"I have many people around me who care for me. If love could cure cancer, I would be cured."
Clare has several trips planned with her family over Christmas, including a caravan holiday and a day out at the theatre, at the time of year she has always loved.
"I didn't want to dampen Christmas with it being
|
Terminally ill mum gets thousands of cards for her last Christmas after plea
When Clare Jones put up a Facebook post asking for extra Christmas cards to make her last Christmas "super special", she never expected thousands of responses.
The mum-of-three was diagnosed with bowel cancer in May 2022 but was recently told her chemotherapy was no longer responding and she has about 10 months to live.
"I'm a simple person who likes simple things," Clare said in her post, adding: "I love Christmas cards. I would love to have lots of cards this year."
"So I'm asking you kindly, when you are doing your cards could you pop an extra one in the post for me?"
What Clare, 47, hoped would be an extra 10 to 15 Christmas cards from friends has been shared by more than 10,000 people, with hundreds flocking to the comments from across the world with well wishes.
Clare said she has been "overwhelmed" with love and has so far received thousands of Christmas cards, as well as flowers, chocolates, personalised gifts, theatre tickets and even caravan holidays.
"Someone even offered me a night with them," Clare laughed.
"I said 'that's very kind of you but no thank you'."
Clare, from Pontarddulais, Swansea, said the reaction had been "amazing" and she had been thinking about putting a post up for a while but worried it would be seen as "cheeky".
She made the online request as she always felt Christmas was special and she had "always made a fuss".
After an operation to remove an 18 inch tumour in 2022, one year later Clare was told the bowel cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and lungs, and had developed to stage four.
She has been on chemotherapy ever since but said she was informed in November that her chemotherapy to help shrink the cancer was no longer responding and 10 months was the average prognosis for someone in her position.
"But am I average? I've never been average," Clare laughed.
While realistic about her diagnosis, Clare remains hopeful for a "Christmas miracle".
Sitting in her kitchen surrounded by flowers and hand-written Christmas wishes, Clare said she and her family have both laughed and cried at the messages left in some of the cards.
"A simple card with a simple message has really made our Christmas, all of us," she said.
From poems and letters to children's handmade cards, Clare says the messages of shared experiences and positivity have touched them all.
"There has just been so much to read," said Clare, adding: "The love has been amazing... genuine love."
America, Greece, Holland, Spain, Germany, France and New Zealand are just some of the countries which Clare has received cards from.
She described the last few months as extremely difficult as she had to tell her three children Summer, 16, Sami, 22, and Finley, 20, that this Christmas could well be her last.
"How do you tell them that? My daughter doesn't believe it."
All three live at home with Clare, who has raised them independently for the past 10 years, and one of Clare's greatest worries is leaving them behind.
"Who have they got? I try and think positively, but this is real.
"I remember when my children were leaving primary school, I would think its their last concert at primary school... you go through the stages of last last.
"But when you're talking about yourself, it's the last time you're ever going to see Christmas, you know, Halloween is gone and you didn't realise that was your last Halloween, last Christmas, last birthday.
"Your mind runs away with you then when you're told ten months."
After posting on Facebook, Clare said she received three cards just a few hours later from people in the area she had never met before: "It's been crazy, how nice people can be."
Clare said she loves getting cards and likes to keep hold of them but "doesn't receive many Christmas cards anymore".
Whereas older generations would send cards, people now tended to send messages, she said, "which is great but it's not quite the same".
With deliveries from the postman now a daily occurrence, Clare has spared a thought for her postman, but said he has been wonderful and so patient.
And despite the hundreds of cards passing through her letterbox everyday, Clare plans to thank each person individually.
"I want to respond to everybody, everyone has been so kind," she said.
Clare is collecting all of the stamps to be sent to a bone cancer charity, as they sell the stamps on and put the proceeds back into their charity work.
Clare said she was kicking herself for not seeing a doctor sooner as she had symptoms for a long time but "put it down to having a dodgy belly".
She added: "I don't feel ill, I feel OK. But I'm not going to feel this way for much longer.
"I have many people around me who care for me. If love could cure cancer, I would be cured."
Clare has several trips planned with her family over Christmas, including a caravan holiday and a day out at the theatre, at the time of year she has always loved.
"I didn't want to dampen Christmas with it being my last one, spending that Christmas being upset, but it's hard not to.
"As much as I love Christmas and we're going to have a great Christmas... it's still going to be in the back of my head and in my families head that its the last Christmas we're having.
"I want to spend what time I've got left with family."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-13T07:09:14Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yq45pd7xvo
|
{"title": "Terminally ill mum gets thousands of cards for her last Christmas after plea"}
|
Bluetongue restriction relief for some farmers
Some animal movements are to be permitted under licence, after outbreaks of bluetongue virus in County Down.
The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) confirmed the risk of new infection had reduced due to colder weather.
Farmers outside the two temporary control zones near Bangor and Greyabbey will now be able to move livestock to Great Britain under the usual arrangements.
Animals may also be moved into the temporary control zones.
Chief Veterinary Officer Brian Dooher said bluetongue virus had significant impact on the agri-food sector as a result of the restrictions.
Moves of susceptible livestock off farms in the two temporary control zones are still prohibited, with moves direct to slaughter permitted under a general licence.
Bluetongue virus is spread by biting midges and can affect cattle, sheep, goats, deer, llamas and alpacas.
Sheep can be particularly badly affected, while cattle may display no symptoms.
The virus poses no risk to public health or food safety.
The midge is most active from April to September, with the potential for spread depending on climatic conditions and wind patterns.
Mr Dooher said the ongoing results from surveillance, along with colder weather, had made the change to movement restrictions possible.
"Officials remain in close contact with key stakeholders regarding next steps including the potential for animal movements within, and moves out of, the current temporary control zones.
"Currently movements within and out of the temporary control zones are prohibited, with the exception of direct movements to slaughter only permitted.
"Ongoing surveillance in the zones, in addition to further stakeholder engagement, will support decisions on the way ahead and this will be communicated with industry in the immediate days ahead."
The change means farmers may now move livestock to Great Britain to slaughter, markets and for breeding and production, with immediate effect.
Licences for movements are available through the Daera website.
Cattle classes at the annual Winter Fair this week have been cancelled as a result of the restrictions.
|
Bluetongue restriction relief for some farmers
Some animal movements are to be permitted under licence, after outbreaks of bluetongue virus in County Down.
The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) confirmed the risk of new infection had reduced due to colder weather.
Farmers outside the two temporary control zones near Bangor and Greyabbey will now be able to move livestock to Great Britain under the usual arrangements.
Animals may also be moved into the temporary control zones.
Chief Veterinary Officer Brian Dooher said bluetongue virus had significant impact on the agri-food sector as a result of the restrictions.
Moves of susceptible livestock off farms in the two temporary control zones are still prohibited, with moves direct to slaughter permitted under a general licence.
Bluetongue virus is spread by biting midges and can affect cattle, sheep, goats, deer, llamas and alpacas.
Sheep can be particularly badly affected, while cattle may display no symptoms.
The virus poses no risk to public health or food safety.
The midge is most active from April to September, with the potential for spread depending on climatic conditions and wind patterns.
Mr Dooher said the ongoing results from surveillance, along with colder weather, had made the change to movement restrictions possible.
"Officials remain in close contact with key stakeholders regarding next steps including the potential for animal movements within, and moves out of, the current temporary control zones.
"Currently movements within and out of the temporary control zones are prohibited, with the exception of direct movements to slaughter only permitted.
"Ongoing surveillance in the zones, in addition to further stakeholder engagement, will support decisions on the way ahead and this will be communicated with industry in the immediate days ahead."
The change means farmers may now move livestock to Great Britain to slaughter, markets and for breeding and production, with immediate effect.
Licences for movements are available through the Daera website.
Cattle classes at the annual Winter Fair this week have been cancelled as a result of the restrictions.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-09T23:05:13Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crrkjgnxl2xo
|
{"title": "Bluetongue restriction relief for some farmers"}
|
Driver fatally struck girl, 6, as she got off bus
A man who fatally injured a six-year-old girl after he hit her with his truck as she stepped off a bus has been jailed.
Stephen Worden's truck collided with the stationary double decker bus, before mounting a grass verge and striking three children on the A6 Garstang Road in Bilsborrow, Lancashire, on 15 August 2023.
Millie Joy Gribble suffered a catastrophic head injury and died in Alder Hey Hospital six days later, police said. The two other children – a boy now aged 16 and a girl now aged 15 – were left with serious but not life-changing injuries.
At Preston Crown Court, 61-year-old Worden was jailed for 12 months after admitting death by careless driving.
Worden was originally charged with causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Following a trial at Preston Crown Court in October, he was found not guilty of those offences.
However, he had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving on 22 July.
Worden, of Nateby, Preston, was also disqualified from driving for two years.
In victim impact statements read to the court, Millie's dad Joseph Gribble said: "Millie was so close to all our family and the apple of my eye.
"Millie was my world, and we did everything together, from playing football, swimming, new adventures and movie nights when she was with me.
"Millie could do no wrong in my eyes, with her mischievous and yet loving nature. I am so proud to call Millie my daughter and always will be."
Her mum Sam Edmundson said Millie was "the most beautiful six-year-old girl you could ever wish to meet".
"Millie was someone who could light up a room simply by just walking in it," she said.
"It truly breaks my heart and my heart aches knowing none of her dreams for the future are ever going to happen now.
"My beautiful little girl Millie wasn't just my daughter, she was my best friend, my everything.
"I miss her bright, cheerful, innocent energy, the sound of her voice, her giggle, the feel of her hand in mine.
"I miss our cuddles. I just miss everything about her. I just want my beautiful little girl back."
|
Driver fatally struck girl, 6, as she got off bus
A man who fatally injured a six-year-old girl after he hit her with his truck as she stepped off a bus has been jailed.
Stephen Worden's truck collided with the stationary double decker bus, before mounting a grass verge and striking three children on the A6 Garstang Road in Bilsborrow, Lancashire, on 15 August 2023.
Millie Joy Gribble suffered a catastrophic head injury and died in Alder Hey Hospital six days later, police said. The two other children – a boy now aged 16 and a girl now aged 15 – were left with serious but not life-changing injuries.
At Preston Crown Court, 61-year-old Worden was jailed for 12 months after admitting death by careless driving.
Worden was originally charged with causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Following a trial at Preston Crown Court in October, he was found not guilty of those offences.
However, he had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving on 22 July.
Worden, of Nateby, Preston, was also disqualified from driving for two years.
In victim impact statements read to the court, Millie's dad Joseph Gribble said: "Millie was so close to all our family and the apple of my eye.
"Millie was my world, and we did everything together, from playing football, swimming, new adventures and movie nights when she was with me.
"Millie could do no wrong in my eyes, with her mischievous and yet loving nature. I am so proud to call Millie my daughter and always will be."
Her mum Sam Edmundson said Millie was "the most beautiful six-year-old girl you could ever wish to meet".
"Millie was someone who could light up a room simply by just walking in it," she said.
"It truly breaks my heart and my heart aches knowing none of her dreams for the future are ever going to happen now.
"My beautiful little girl Millie wasn't just my daughter, she was my best friend, my everything.
"I miss her bright, cheerful, innocent energy, the sound of her voice, her giggle, the feel of her hand in mine.
"I miss our cuddles. I just miss everything about her. I just want my beautiful little girl back."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-09T15:51:38Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8e9xg5x09lo
|
{"title": "Driver fatally struck girl, 6, as she got off bus"}
|
Tulip Siddiq MP given jail sentence in Bangladesh after trial in her absence
Labour MP and former minister Tulip Siddiq has been sentenced to two years in prison in Bangladesh after being put on trial in her absence alongside 16 other people over corruption allegations.
She was found guilty of influencing her aunt, Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to secure a plot of land for her family in the outskirts of the capital Dhaka, a claim she strongly denies.
Siddiq, who is based in London and has rejected the charges, is unlikely to serve the sentence.
The Labour MP said the process had been "flawed and farcical from the beginning to the end".
"I'm absolutely baffled by the whole thing - I've still had no contact whatsoever from the Bangladeshi authorities despite them spreading malicious allegations about me for a year-and-a-half now," she said.
"There's been absolutely no summons sent to me, there's no charge sheet, I've had no correspondence from them - I'm not difficult to find, I'm a parliamentarian."
She said she had engaged lawyers in the UK and Bangladesh.
"I feel like I'm in some sort of Kafkaesque nightmare," she added.
"The only reason I know I'm being convicted is because I read it in the newspapers. So this is trial by media, which is deeply unfair."
Since Hasina's regime was overturned, prosecutors in Bangladesh have launched a number of wide-ranging legal cases against the former leader, her past associates and family members.
The trial involving Siddiq - who quit as a Treasury minister in January over controversy around her ties to her aunt - has been playing out in Dhaka since August.
Siddiq continues to face a number of outstanding charges.
Court documents included claims that Siddiq "forced and influenced her aunt and the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina using her special power to secure [a plot of land] for her mother Rehana Siddiq, sister Azmina Siddiq and brother Radwan Siddiq".
A prosecutor for Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) previously said Siddiq was tried as a Bangladeshi citizen as authorities had obtained her Bangladeshi passport, ID and tax number.
Siddiq's lawyers have disputed she is a Bangladeshi citizen, telling the Financial Times she has "never had" an ID card or voter ID, and "has not held a passport since she was a child".
She was sentenced by Judge Rabiul Alam to two years in prison and a 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka fine ($821; £620). If she fails to pay, six months will be added to the sentence.
When the trial began, the MP said prosecutors had "peddled false and vexatious allegations that have been briefed to the media but never formally put to me by investigators".
A statement on her behalf continued: "I have been clear from the outset that I have done nothing wrong and will respond to any credible evidence that is presented to me. Continuing to smear my name to score political points is both baseless and damaging."
A Labour spokesperson said the party could not recognise the judgement.
"As has been reported, highly regarded senior legal professionals have highlighted that Tulip Siddiq has not had access to a fair legal process in this case and has never been informed of the details of the charges against her," the spokesperson said.
"This is despite repeated requests made to the Bangladeshi authorities through her legal team.
"Anyone facing any charge should always be afforded the right to make legal representations when allegations are made against them."
It is understood Ms Siddiq is not subject to investigation or party disciplinary proceedings and retains her Labour Party membership and the Labour whip in the House of Commons.
Last week, a group of senior lawyers raised concerns with Bangladesh's representative in the UK over how the trial had been conducted.
Signatories to that statement included ex-Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, and Lady Cherie Blair, a human rights lawyer and wife of former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair.
In a letter first reported by the Guardian, they said Siddiq had not been able to secure proper legal representation during the trial, adding: "Such a process is artificial and a contrived and unfair way of pursuing a prosecution."
The verdict comes two weeks after Hasina was sentenced to death in a separate trial over her role in a brutal crackdown against the protests which ultimately forced her from office in July 2024.
She was found guilty of crimes against humanity over the deaths of an estimated 1,400 people at the hands of the police.
That trial was held in Hasina's absence, as she has been in exile in India since being ousted. She denied the charges.
Siddiq, whose mother is the former prime minister's sister, continues to face a number of outstanding charges in Bangladesh, including two ongoing trials in relation to the allegations at the centre of Monday's verdict.
She is also being investigated over the alleged transfer of a flat located in a lucrative area
|
Tulip Siddiq MP given jail sentence in Bangladesh after trial in her absence
Labour MP and former minister Tulip Siddiq has been sentenced to two years in prison in Bangladesh after being put on trial in her absence alongside 16 other people over corruption allegations.
She was found guilty of influencing her aunt, Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to secure a plot of land for her family in the outskirts of the capital Dhaka, a claim she strongly denies.
Siddiq, who is based in London and has rejected the charges, is unlikely to serve the sentence.
The Labour MP said the process had been "flawed and farcical from the beginning to the end".
"I'm absolutely baffled by the whole thing - I've still had no contact whatsoever from the Bangladeshi authorities despite them spreading malicious allegations about me for a year-and-a-half now," she said.
"There's been absolutely no summons sent to me, there's no charge sheet, I've had no correspondence from them - I'm not difficult to find, I'm a parliamentarian."
She said she had engaged lawyers in the UK and Bangladesh.
"I feel like I'm in some sort of Kafkaesque nightmare," she added.
"The only reason I know I'm being convicted is because I read it in the newspapers. So this is trial by media, which is deeply unfair."
Since Hasina's regime was overturned, prosecutors in Bangladesh have launched a number of wide-ranging legal cases against the former leader, her past associates and family members.
The trial involving Siddiq - who quit as a Treasury minister in January over controversy around her ties to her aunt - has been playing out in Dhaka since August.
Siddiq continues to face a number of outstanding charges.
Court documents included claims that Siddiq "forced and influenced her aunt and the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina using her special power to secure [a plot of land] for her mother Rehana Siddiq, sister Azmina Siddiq and brother Radwan Siddiq".
A prosecutor for Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) previously said Siddiq was tried as a Bangladeshi citizen as authorities had obtained her Bangladeshi passport, ID and tax number.
Siddiq's lawyers have disputed she is a Bangladeshi citizen, telling the Financial Times she has "never had" an ID card or voter ID, and "has not held a passport since she was a child".
She was sentenced by Judge Rabiul Alam to two years in prison and a 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka fine ($821; £620). If she fails to pay, six months will be added to the sentence.
When the trial began, the MP said prosecutors had "peddled false and vexatious allegations that have been briefed to the media but never formally put to me by investigators".
A statement on her behalf continued: "I have been clear from the outset that I have done nothing wrong and will respond to any credible evidence that is presented to me. Continuing to smear my name to score political points is both baseless and damaging."
A Labour spokesperson said the party could not recognise the judgement.
"As has been reported, highly regarded senior legal professionals have highlighted that Tulip Siddiq has not had access to a fair legal process in this case and has never been informed of the details of the charges against her," the spokesperson said.
"This is despite repeated requests made to the Bangladeshi authorities through her legal team.
"Anyone facing any charge should always be afforded the right to make legal representations when allegations are made against them."
It is understood Ms Siddiq is not subject to investigation or party disciplinary proceedings and retains her Labour Party membership and the Labour whip in the House of Commons.
Last week, a group of senior lawyers raised concerns with Bangladesh's representative in the UK over how the trial had been conducted.
Signatories to that statement included ex-Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, and Lady Cherie Blair, a human rights lawyer and wife of former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair.
In a letter first reported by the Guardian, they said Siddiq had not been able to secure proper legal representation during the trial, adding: "Such a process is artificial and a contrived and unfair way of pursuing a prosecution."
The verdict comes two weeks after Hasina was sentenced to death in a separate trial over her role in a brutal crackdown against the protests which ultimately forced her from office in July 2024.
She was found guilty of crimes against humanity over the deaths of an estimated 1,400 people at the hands of the police.
That trial was held in Hasina's absence, as she has been in exile in India since being ousted. She denied the charges.
Siddiq, whose mother is the former prime minister's sister, continues to face a number of outstanding charges in Bangladesh, including two ongoing trials in relation to the allegations at the centre of Monday's verdict.
She is also being investigated over the alleged transfer of a flat located in a lucrative area of Dhaka to her sister.
Siddiq and her family have also been investigated in relation to allegations of embezzlement around a £3.9bn deal in 2013 connected to a Russian-funded nuclear power plant deal.
Siddiq has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in relation to the allegations, which originated with claims made by Bobby Hajjaj, a political opponent of Hasina.
Bangladeshi authorities have said they estimate that around $234bn (£174bn) was appropriated through corruption during Hasina's reign.
Responding to the latest verdict, the Awami League, the political party which Hasina leads, described it as "entirely predictable" and "firmly denied" the allegations against the former prime minister and her family members.
"The process fails to pass any reasonable test of judicial fairness - a point that has been made forcefully by both local and international legal experts," the party said.
Hasina also accused Bangladesh's judiciary of being controlled by an "unelected government run by the Awami League's political opponents", namely the interim government headed up by Dr Muhammad Yunus.
Prior to Siddiq's resignation from the British government, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's independent ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus said he had not found "evidence of improprieties" following an investigation.
However, he said it was "regrettable" Siddiq had not been more alert to the "potential reputational risks" of her ties to Hasina.
While Siddiq continued to insist she was not guilty of any wrongdoing, she quit her junior ministerial role in order not to be a "distraction" for the government.
The UK does not have an extradition treaty in place with Bangladesh. It is categorised as a 2B country, meaning clear evidence needs to be presented to lawyers and judges to authorise any extradition.
Siddiq was not compelled to return to Dhaka for the trial despite authorities there issuing an arrest warrant.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-01T12:55:22Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g9dyd84lwo
|
{"title": "Tulip Siddiq MP given jail sentence in Bangladesh after trial in her absence"}
|
How garden centres became a Christmas day out
When Alfred and Margaret Bent started selling roses from the front garden of their terraced house in Warrington in 1937 they could never have imagined that it would one day grow to become one of the North West's biggest Christmas destinations.
The business soon expanded, but selling plants was seasonal and the family was looking for ways to diversify over the winter months.
"In the 80s garden centres were just selling plants in the gardening season," Bent's Chief Executive and third generation family member Matthew Bent said.
"A lot of people, especially for mum and dad were at the time thinking, well, what else can we do?"
And they were not alone.
Garden centres across the region have diversified and in recent years their Christmas offerings had become a day out all of their own.
"It started with Christmas trees and then people wanted the lights to go on the tree and then they wanted a decorations to go on the tree," said Jill Nicholson, who runs the Gordale garden centre on the Wirral peninsula with her husband Peter.
Peter's parents first started first started as a smallholding in 1948, producing goods for the local markets and it slowly expanded to become a garden centre and a landmark on the A540, complete with its own petrol station.
"People would not only want the plant, they also wanted the pot, then soil," Jill said.
"And the same has happened with Christmas.
"We introduced Christmas trees, and then people wanted the lights to go on the tree and then they wanted the decorations and that's how Christmas grew for us really."
It was the same story for Bents. The site has expanded from Matthew Bent's grandparents front garden to become what is now a 60-acre site in Glazebury, Warrington.
Among the attractions at the store on Warrington Road are 16 displays for home Christmas decorating inspiration, a winter food market, and new for this year an Alice In Wonderland light trail.
And it is a trend being echoed across the region.
Barton Grange Garden Centre in Preston has introduced a virtual reality sleigh ride, Gordale has a Christmas Village and singing penguins and many also now the place to go for Santa's grotto.
"We've come a long way from the 1980s when displays were on the same wooden tables we sold the plants on," Jill Nicholson said.
She believes the familiar surroundings of the garden centre also help to play a part too.
"People who don't want to go into the big cities, they come here," she said.
"And they and can be comfortable with knowing the car park, how they get in - and it's all under one roof."
"It has become a real tradition for people," Matthew Bent said.
"I spend a lot of time on the floor chatting to the customers and a lot of them say to me 'I used to come here when my grandad' or 'I used to come here with my mum and dad when I was younger'.
"I am really proud that they are choosing us."
|
How garden centres became a Christmas day out
When Alfred and Margaret Bent started selling roses from the front garden of their terraced house in Warrington in 1937 they could never have imagined that it would one day grow to become one of the North West's biggest Christmas destinations.
The business soon expanded, but selling plants was seasonal and the family was looking for ways to diversify over the winter months.
"In the 80s garden centres were just selling plants in the gardening season," Bent's Chief Executive and third generation family member Matthew Bent said.
"A lot of people, especially for mum and dad were at the time thinking, well, what else can we do?"
And they were not alone.
Garden centres across the region have diversified and in recent years their Christmas offerings had become a day out all of their own.
"It started with Christmas trees and then people wanted the lights to go on the tree and then they wanted a decorations to go on the tree," said Jill Nicholson, who runs the Gordale garden centre on the Wirral peninsula with her husband Peter.
Peter's parents first started first started as a smallholding in 1948, producing goods for the local markets and it slowly expanded to become a garden centre and a landmark on the A540, complete with its own petrol station.
"People would not only want the plant, they also wanted the pot, then soil," Jill said.
"And the same has happened with Christmas.
"We introduced Christmas trees, and then people wanted the lights to go on the tree and then they wanted the decorations and that's how Christmas grew for us really."
It was the same story for Bents. The site has expanded from Matthew Bent's grandparents front garden to become what is now a 60-acre site in Glazebury, Warrington.
Among the attractions at the store on Warrington Road are 16 displays for home Christmas decorating inspiration, a winter food market, and new for this year an Alice In Wonderland light trail.
And it is a trend being echoed across the region.
Barton Grange Garden Centre in Preston has introduced a virtual reality sleigh ride, Gordale has a Christmas Village and singing penguins and many also now the place to go for Santa's grotto.
"We've come a long way from the 1980s when displays were on the same wooden tables we sold the plants on," Jill Nicholson said.
She believes the familiar surroundings of the garden centre also help to play a part too.
"People who don't want to go into the big cities, they come here," she said.
"And they and can be comfortable with knowing the car park, how they get in - and it's all under one roof."
"It has become a real tradition for people," Matthew Bent said.
"I spend a lot of time on the floor chatting to the customers and a lot of them say to me 'I used to come here when my grandad' or 'I used to come here with my mum and dad when I was younger'.
"I am really proud that they are choosing us."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T07:33:15Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz68dwqql01o
|
{"title": "How garden centres became a Christmas day out"}
|
Prison officer part of jail drug-smuggling ring
Four people, including a prison officer, have been jailed for conspiring to smuggle drugs and tobacco into prison.
Prison custody officer Carla Moskot-Brettell, from HMP Hewell in Worcestershire, conspired with her partner, Darren Oakes, to smuggle goods into HMP Birmingham, where he was a serving prisoner, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
Moskot-Brettell also worked with Louise Docker and Patricia Bucknell in wrapping cannabis in cling film, before it was then smuggled to Oakes in prison during social visits, West Midlands Police said.
All four admitted the charges against them and were sentenced at the court on 28 November.
The packages were laced with spices in an effort to confuse the scent of search dogs deployed at the prison.
Once inside the prison, the packages were placed inside food orders and ingested by Oakes who would later induce vomit in his cell to bring the packages back up for consumption, the court was told.
The four defendants' custody terms were:
"Moskot-Brettell abused her position as a prison officer to participate in criminality that saw contraband smuggled into a prison, the very institution she worked for," said Det Con Adam McHugh.
"The behaviour of Moskot-Brettell clearly erodes public trust and along with her co-conspirators, now faces time behind bars."
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Prison officer part of jail drug-smuggling ring
Four people, including a prison officer, have been jailed for conspiring to smuggle drugs and tobacco into prison.
Prison custody officer Carla Moskot-Brettell, from HMP Hewell in Worcestershire, conspired with her partner, Darren Oakes, to smuggle goods into HMP Birmingham, where he was a serving prisoner, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
Moskot-Brettell also worked with Louise Docker and Patricia Bucknell in wrapping cannabis in cling film, before it was then smuggled to Oakes in prison during social visits, West Midlands Police said.
All four admitted the charges against them and were sentenced at the court on 28 November.
The packages were laced with spices in an effort to confuse the scent of search dogs deployed at the prison.
Once inside the prison, the packages were placed inside food orders and ingested by Oakes who would later induce vomit in his cell to bring the packages back up for consumption, the court was told.
The four defendants' custody terms were:
"Moskot-Brettell abused her position as a prison officer to participate in criminality that saw contraband smuggled into a prison, the very institution she worked for," said Det Con Adam McHugh.
"The behaviour of Moskot-Brettell clearly erodes public trust and along with her co-conspirators, now faces time behind bars."
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bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T19:13:22Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2d3529n09o
|
{"title": "Prison officer part of jail drug-smuggling ring"}
|
Shoppers warned after fake Labubu and KPop Demon Hunters toys seized
Christmas shoppers have been urged to buy from trusted retailers after £22,000 worth of fake toys and products were seized.
The Trading Standards Service (TSS), which operates under Stormont's Department for the Economy, said among the counterfeit goods were Labubu dolls, KPop Demon Hunters merchandise, Lego figures and Lilo and Stitch products.
They were seized from some high street stores as well as shopping centres, with some products being sold for £80 - potentially misleading customers into thinking they were genuine.
TSS Area Inspector Nicholas Lane said fake toys are unsafe and poorly made, with profits often funding organised crime.
"With Christmas shopping in full swing, cheaper alternatives may tempt families, but counterfeit toys carry hidden risks," he added.
"Counterfeiting funds organised crime, including money laundering and forced labour, harming communities."
Mr Lane said the TSS will "not hesitate" to take action against traders selling counterfeit items.
Statistics from the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) show about 259,000 fake toys - worth about £3.5m - have been seized at the UK border this year, with fake Labubu dolls making up 90% of this number.
It also found that 75% of seized toys fail safety tests, with banned chemicals and choking hazards discovered.
The TSS said there are actions consumers can take to avoid buying fake goods.
These include:
|
Shoppers warned after fake Labubu and KPop Demon Hunters toys seized
Christmas shoppers have been urged to buy from trusted retailers after £22,000 worth of fake toys and products were seized.
The Trading Standards Service (TSS), which operates under Stormont's Department for the Economy, said among the counterfeit goods were Labubu dolls, KPop Demon Hunters merchandise, Lego figures and Lilo and Stitch products.
They were seized from some high street stores as well as shopping centres, with some products being sold for £80 - potentially misleading customers into thinking they were genuine.
TSS Area Inspector Nicholas Lane said fake toys are unsafe and poorly made, with profits often funding organised crime.
"With Christmas shopping in full swing, cheaper alternatives may tempt families, but counterfeit toys carry hidden risks," he added.
"Counterfeiting funds organised crime, including money laundering and forced labour, harming communities."
Mr Lane said the TSS will "not hesitate" to take action against traders selling counterfeit items.
Statistics from the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) show about 259,000 fake toys - worth about £3.5m - have been seized at the UK border this year, with fake Labubu dolls making up 90% of this number.
It also found that 75% of seized toys fail safety tests, with banned chemicals and choking hazards discovered.
The TSS said there are actions consumers can take to avoid buying fake goods.
These include:
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-12T12:04:53Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2ee900q0jo
|
{"title": "Shoppers warned after fake Labubu and KPop Demon Hunters toys seized"}
|
'Being in the house is normal' for Lars the reindeer
"He drinks from the dog's water bowl. That's normal for him. Being in the house is normal with him."
Hand-reared reindeer Lars was raised with pet spaniels, but was reintroduced into his herd earlier this year.
However, the six-month-old, described by his owner Angie Nelson as "unique", still likes to spend time inside the house to visit his canine friends.
Angie said the first time Lars spent time with his herd overnight was "like sending your child off to university".
"Only as parents do you get that, because it's like 'oh my god they're now out' and you can't protect them and look after them. They have to live their life," she said.
Angie said Lars was born on 17 May this year, a date which is "stuck in my head like my children's birthdays".
She has owned reindeers full-time for 18 years at her farm, which is between Market Harborough in Leicestershire and Corby in Northamptonshire.
Lars was born to first-time mum Lumi, but Angie noticed that Lars came to her a lot in his first day as his mother was not producing enough milk.
She then had to make a "massive" decision whether to hand rear him "or let nature take its course".
"I slept down with him for two weeks because I was feeding him every two hours and so my life just became him," Angie said, adding that every day of having Lars was "a blessing".
"Knowing that he wouldn't be alive if we hadn't done something is quite rewarding," she said.
Angie said Lars' spaniel companions had been "really key" in his successful upbringing.
One dog in particular, Molly, had puppies before and was "really motherly" with Lars, Angie said, and "immediately snuggled down with him".
"So then he became part of the dog family really," she added.
Angie said: "He's just at home with them and he's at home in [the house] and the key bit was trying to make sure he was all so comfortable and happy within his reindeer community."
Angie said Lars was reintroduced to his herd because it would be "completely impractical" to have him in the house full-time.
"He's now settled there, but equally he's more than happy to come back and it's nice to have him back for visits and he sees the dogs," she said.
Lars was integrated back into the herd while Angie organised her wedding with now husband Justin Mumford, and the reindeer featured in some of the photos from her special day.
Angie, who hires out reindeer for events, described owning the animals as "really specialised".
"We've had to do a lot of learning over the years.
"We've got a very unique set of circumstances which Lars has been born into," she said.
Angie added that she had also received requests from German television to do a piece on Lars, as well as national media from the UK.
|
'Being in the house is normal' for Lars the reindeer
"He drinks from the dog's water bowl. That's normal for him. Being in the house is normal with him."
Hand-reared reindeer Lars was raised with pet spaniels, but was reintroduced into his herd earlier this year.
However, the six-month-old, described by his owner Angie Nelson as "unique", still likes to spend time inside the house to visit his canine friends.
Angie said the first time Lars spent time with his herd overnight was "like sending your child off to university".
"Only as parents do you get that, because it's like 'oh my god they're now out' and you can't protect them and look after them. They have to live their life," she said.
Angie said Lars was born on 17 May this year, a date which is "stuck in my head like my children's birthdays".
She has owned reindeers full-time for 18 years at her farm, which is between Market Harborough in Leicestershire and Corby in Northamptonshire.
Lars was born to first-time mum Lumi, but Angie noticed that Lars came to her a lot in his first day as his mother was not producing enough milk.
She then had to make a "massive" decision whether to hand rear him "or let nature take its course".
"I slept down with him for two weeks because I was feeding him every two hours and so my life just became him," Angie said, adding that every day of having Lars was "a blessing".
"Knowing that he wouldn't be alive if we hadn't done something is quite rewarding," she said.
Angie said Lars' spaniel companions had been "really key" in his successful upbringing.
One dog in particular, Molly, had puppies before and was "really motherly" with Lars, Angie said, and "immediately snuggled down with him".
"So then he became part of the dog family really," she added.
Angie said: "He's just at home with them and he's at home in [the house] and the key bit was trying to make sure he was all so comfortable and happy within his reindeer community."
Angie said Lars was reintroduced to his herd because it would be "completely impractical" to have him in the house full-time.
"He's now settled there, but equally he's more than happy to come back and it's nice to have him back for visits and he sees the dogs," she said.
Lars was integrated back into the herd while Angie organised her wedding with now husband Justin Mumford, and the reindeer featured in some of the photos from her special day.
Angie, who hires out reindeer for events, described owning the animals as "really specialised".
"We've had to do a lot of learning over the years.
"We've got a very unique set of circumstances which Lars has been born into," she said.
Angie added that she had also received requests from German television to do a piece on Lars, as well as national media from the UK.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-14T07:15:43Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly3k4lz0yxo
|
{"title": "'Being in the house is normal' for Lars the reindeer"}
|
Postwoman took life after office sexual assault
This article contains distressing details and references to suicide
A postwoman took her own life after being sexually assaulted by a colleague and managers failed to take appropriate action, a coroner has found.
Carly Wealleans, 30, was on the phone to a Royal Mail boss when she died at her home in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, in March 2022, the county's coroner heard.
Her GP said the only stress in Ms Wealleans' life was the anxiety caused by being sexually harassed by Michael Stewart at Morpeth Delivery Office, and her unhappiness with the response from bosses.
Royal Mail managers said Ms Wealleans' death had been a "wake-up call" and apologised for failures to "protect" her.
Stewart, from Amble, was jailed for six and half years in January for offences against five women including sexual assault, exposure and harassment, with the Newcastle Crown Court judge saying Ms Wealleans' death was a "direct result" of the postman's actions.
Ms Wealleans, a keen boxer who had served in the Army for four years, first complained about Stewart on 6 April 2021, saying she had been subjected to "unwanted sexual banter and comments", the inquest at County Hall in Morpeth heard.
In response, managers said they had a "stern word" with Stewart who apologised to Ms Wealleans, but he also claimed he had been told by bosses they did not want to lose him as he was a good worker, which left her feeling confused and unsure of who to believe, coroner Andrew Hetherington heard.
There were no further complaints recorded by bosses at Morpeth until November 2021, but Royal Mail operations manager Scott Kippen said that did not mean none were made.
Ms Wealleans, who went on to raise a formal grievance, later said Stewart had exposed himself and sexually assaulted her, with Stewart being allowed to resign in November 2021, the inquest heard.
Both Royal Mail and Northumbria Police began investigations into the allegations, but Ms Wealleans told her GP, Dr Janan Swinghurst, she was not happy with the progress they were making.
She went off work with stress in December 2021 and had regular contact with Dr Swinghurst, who prescribed anti-depressants, signposted her to mental health support and provided a sick note until April 2022.
Before December 2021, Ms Wealleans had no "significant" contact with her local health service although had experienced mental health issues before, the coroner heard.
She was taken to hospital in Cramlington after taking an overdose in January 2022 but in the weeks afterwards seemed happier after getting a puppy, the inquest heard.
Dr Swinghurst last spoke to Ms Wealleans on 10 March, the day before she died.
The GP said Ms Wealleans was "quite distressed the work situation wasn't progressing well", adding: "There was nothing going on in her life other than stress at work."
Mr Hetherington asked the GP if she believed the deterioration in Ms Wealleans' health was due to her work situation, to which Dr Swinghurst replied: "Completely."
A pathology report said Ms Wealleans had a "history of anxiety and depression" for which she was on medication for at the time of her death.
Her cause of death was concluded to be hanging, with Ms Wealleans dying during a "panicked and distressed" call to a Royal Mail HR manager, the report said.
Mr Kippen and Royal Mail's interim chief people officer Kieran Judd both apologised to Ms Wealleans' family for the firm's failure to "protect" her.
A subsequent independent investigation of Royal Mail's action found multiple failures in the Morpeth office, including that the company had "not created a working environment that matched the expectations of a modern workplace", the inquest heard.
Other issues included a "comprehensive lack" of note-taking and record-keeping, and managers and staff not understanding the concept of consent or having the skills to properly investigate such serious allegations.
Mr Judd said Ms Wealleans' death had been a "significant wake-up call" and major changes had been made, although improving would always be an ongoing process.
He said steps taken to "change the culture" included:
"We were severely lacking and there were shortfalls and I apologise for that," Mr Judd said, adding: "We are on an absolute journey trying to do the right things."
Concluding Ms Wealleans' death was a suicide, Mr Hetherington said she had been experiencing "significant difficulties in the workplace" after receiving "inappropriate and unwanted conduct" from a colleague.
He said she made a formal complaint and lodged a grievance but her concerns were "not adequately addressed" which left her distressed and unsupported, leading to a "substantial and escalating impact" on her mental health.
Mr Hetherington said Royal Mail accepted it had failed in its duty of care towards Ms Wealleans and the coroner was satisfied "lessons had been learned".
|
Postwoman took life after office sexual assault
This article contains distressing details and references to suicide
A postwoman took her own life after being sexually assaulted by a colleague and managers failed to take appropriate action, a coroner has found.
Carly Wealleans, 30, was on the phone to a Royal Mail boss when she died at her home in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, in March 2022, the county's coroner heard.
Her GP said the only stress in Ms Wealleans' life was the anxiety caused by being sexually harassed by Michael Stewart at Morpeth Delivery Office, and her unhappiness with the response from bosses.
Royal Mail managers said Ms Wealleans' death had been a "wake-up call" and apologised for failures to "protect" her.
Stewart, from Amble, was jailed for six and half years in January for offences against five women including sexual assault, exposure and harassment, with the Newcastle Crown Court judge saying Ms Wealleans' death was a "direct result" of the postman's actions.
Ms Wealleans, a keen boxer who had served in the Army for four years, first complained about Stewart on 6 April 2021, saying she had been subjected to "unwanted sexual banter and comments", the inquest at County Hall in Morpeth heard.
In response, managers said they had a "stern word" with Stewart who apologised to Ms Wealleans, but he also claimed he had been told by bosses they did not want to lose him as he was a good worker, which left her feeling confused and unsure of who to believe, coroner Andrew Hetherington heard.
There were no further complaints recorded by bosses at Morpeth until November 2021, but Royal Mail operations manager Scott Kippen said that did not mean none were made.
Ms Wealleans, who went on to raise a formal grievance, later said Stewart had exposed himself and sexually assaulted her, with Stewart being allowed to resign in November 2021, the inquest heard.
Both Royal Mail and Northumbria Police began investigations into the allegations, but Ms Wealleans told her GP, Dr Janan Swinghurst, she was not happy with the progress they were making.
She went off work with stress in December 2021 and had regular contact with Dr Swinghurst, who prescribed anti-depressants, signposted her to mental health support and provided a sick note until April 2022.
Before December 2021, Ms Wealleans had no "significant" contact with her local health service although had experienced mental health issues before, the coroner heard.
She was taken to hospital in Cramlington after taking an overdose in January 2022 but in the weeks afterwards seemed happier after getting a puppy, the inquest heard.
Dr Swinghurst last spoke to Ms Wealleans on 10 March, the day before she died.
The GP said Ms Wealleans was "quite distressed the work situation wasn't progressing well", adding: "There was nothing going on in her life other than stress at work."
Mr Hetherington asked the GP if she believed the deterioration in Ms Wealleans' health was due to her work situation, to which Dr Swinghurst replied: "Completely."
A pathology report said Ms Wealleans had a "history of anxiety and depression" for which she was on medication for at the time of her death.
Her cause of death was concluded to be hanging, with Ms Wealleans dying during a "panicked and distressed" call to a Royal Mail HR manager, the report said.
Mr Kippen and Royal Mail's interim chief people officer Kieran Judd both apologised to Ms Wealleans' family for the firm's failure to "protect" her.
A subsequent independent investigation of Royal Mail's action found multiple failures in the Morpeth office, including that the company had "not created a working environment that matched the expectations of a modern workplace", the inquest heard.
Other issues included a "comprehensive lack" of note-taking and record-keeping, and managers and staff not understanding the concept of consent or having the skills to properly investigate such serious allegations.
Mr Judd said Ms Wealleans' death had been a "significant wake-up call" and major changes had been made, although improving would always be an ongoing process.
He said steps taken to "change the culture" included:
"We were severely lacking and there were shortfalls and I apologise for that," Mr Judd said, adding: "We are on an absolute journey trying to do the right things."
Concluding Ms Wealleans' death was a suicide, Mr Hetherington said she had been experiencing "significant difficulties in the workplace" after receiving "inappropriate and unwanted conduct" from a colleague.
He said she made a formal complaint and lodged a grievance but her concerns were "not adequately addressed" which left her distressed and unsupported, leading to a "substantial and escalating impact" on her mental health.
Mr Hetherington said Royal Mail accepted it had failed in its duty of care towards Ms Wealleans and the coroner was satisfied "lessons had been learned".
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-11T14:10:58Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyp7rqrjpwo
|
{"title": "Postwoman took life after office sexual assault "}
|
Oracle shares slide as earnings fail to ease AI bubble fears
Shares of cloud computing giant Oracle plunged on Thursday, after weaker-than-expected revenues stoked concerns about returns from massive spending on artificial intelligence.
The company's shares sank 14% after it had reported revenue of $16.1bn (£12bn) for the three months to November on Wednesday, compared with the $16.2bn projected by analysts.
Revenue growth was still up 14%, with a 68% surge in sales at its AI business, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), the company said.
OCI services AI developers whose demand for Oracle's AI infrastructure helped the company's shares reach new highs in recent months. But the results failed to quell fears about a potential AI bubble.
In September, Oracle agreed a highly sought-after contract with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, which agreed to purchase $300bn in computing power from Oracle over five years.
Oracle chairman and chief technology officer Larry Ellison briefly became the world's richest man after the announcement.
The firm's shares have lost 40% of their value since peaking three months ago, although they are still up by more than a third since the start of the year.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mr Ellison struck a cautious tone.
"There are going to be a lot of changes in AI technology over the next few years and we must remain agile in response to those changes," he wrote.
Mr Ellison also appeared to snub Nvidia, the designer of highly-sophisticated AI chips, saying Oracle would buy chips from any maker in order to serve clients.
"We will continue to buy the latest GPUs from Nvidia, but we need to be prepared and able to deploy whatever chips our customers want to buy," Mr Ellison declared in a policy he called "chip neutrality".
Oracle's earnings also pulled down shares in other AI-related technology companies on Thursday. Nvidia's stock fell more than 3.5%, while shares of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) were nearly 4% lower.
Oracle is involved in multiple AI infrastructure arrangements that have raised the prospect that major players in the sector are participating in "circular financing" deals whereby companies finance purchases of their own products and services.
"Oracle's earnings arrive as investors weigh whether its massive OpenAI partnership might mean overexposure with a customer currently in the spotlight over profitability concerns," said Emarketer analyst Jacob Bourne following the release of the company's quarterly report.
Mr Bourne said Oracle faced mounting scrutiny over the increased debt the company has amassed to fund building data centres.
Colleen McHugh, consultant to investment platform Wealthify, said the big questions being asked are whether tech stocks are overvalued and will the AI bubble burst, and given this the share price movement was not surprising.
"It's telling us that many of these tech stocks are priced for absolute perfection, and when there's a revenue miss – which was a small revenue miss to be fair by Oracle yesterday - they do get penalised," she told the BBC's Today programme.
Others said Wall Street's negative reaction was unfounded.
"This was nothing but a great quarter for Oracle," said Cory Johnson, chief market strategist at Epistrophy Capital Research. "Revenue growth of 14% is accelerating."
Including the OpenAI deal from September, Mr Johnson noted, Oracle has signed $385bn in contracts over six months, and "those new clients are the likes of Meta and Nvidia".
"But AI sentiment is so bad right now, that's seen as a bad thing for Oracle," he added.
Oracle raised a record $18bn in a massive bond sale in September, one of the largest debt issuances ever in the tech sector.
"Although Oracle's shares are buoyed by its September surge, this revenue miss will likely exacerbate concerns among already cautious investors about its OpenAI deal and its aggressive AI spending," Mr Bourne said.
The Ellison family, supporters of US President Donald Trump, also recently purchased Paramount and have spearheaded a bid to take over another major Hollywood studio, Warner Brothers Discovery.
|
Oracle shares slide as earnings fail to ease AI bubble fears
Shares of cloud computing giant Oracle plunged on Thursday, after weaker-than-expected revenues stoked concerns about returns from massive spending on artificial intelligence.
The company's shares sank 14% after it had reported revenue of $16.1bn (£12bn) for the three months to November on Wednesday, compared with the $16.2bn projected by analysts.
Revenue growth was still up 14%, with a 68% surge in sales at its AI business, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), the company said.
OCI services AI developers whose demand for Oracle's AI infrastructure helped the company's shares reach new highs in recent months. But the results failed to quell fears about a potential AI bubble.
In September, Oracle agreed a highly sought-after contract with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, which agreed to purchase $300bn in computing power from Oracle over five years.
Oracle chairman and chief technology officer Larry Ellison briefly became the world's richest man after the announcement.
The firm's shares have lost 40% of their value since peaking three months ago, although they are still up by more than a third since the start of the year.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mr Ellison struck a cautious tone.
"There are going to be a lot of changes in AI technology over the next few years and we must remain agile in response to those changes," he wrote.
Mr Ellison also appeared to snub Nvidia, the designer of highly-sophisticated AI chips, saying Oracle would buy chips from any maker in order to serve clients.
"We will continue to buy the latest GPUs from Nvidia, but we need to be prepared and able to deploy whatever chips our customers want to buy," Mr Ellison declared in a policy he called "chip neutrality".
Oracle's earnings also pulled down shares in other AI-related technology companies on Thursday. Nvidia's stock fell more than 3.5%, while shares of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) were nearly 4% lower.
Oracle is involved in multiple AI infrastructure arrangements that have raised the prospect that major players in the sector are participating in "circular financing" deals whereby companies finance purchases of their own products and services.
"Oracle's earnings arrive as investors weigh whether its massive OpenAI partnership might mean overexposure with a customer currently in the spotlight over profitability concerns," said Emarketer analyst Jacob Bourne following the release of the company's quarterly report.
Mr Bourne said Oracle faced mounting scrutiny over the increased debt the company has amassed to fund building data centres.
Colleen McHugh, consultant to investment platform Wealthify, said the big questions being asked are whether tech stocks are overvalued and will the AI bubble burst, and given this the share price movement was not surprising.
"It's telling us that many of these tech stocks are priced for absolute perfection, and when there's a revenue miss – which was a small revenue miss to be fair by Oracle yesterday - they do get penalised," she told the BBC's Today programme.
Others said Wall Street's negative reaction was unfounded.
"This was nothing but a great quarter for Oracle," said Cory Johnson, chief market strategist at Epistrophy Capital Research. "Revenue growth of 14% is accelerating."
Including the OpenAI deal from September, Mr Johnson noted, Oracle has signed $385bn in contracts over six months, and "those new clients are the likes of Meta and Nvidia".
"But AI sentiment is so bad right now, that's seen as a bad thing for Oracle," he added.
Oracle raised a record $18bn in a massive bond sale in September, one of the largest debt issuances ever in the tech sector.
"Although Oracle's shares are buoyed by its September surge, this revenue miss will likely exacerbate concerns among already cautious investors about its OpenAI deal and its aggressive AI spending," Mr Bourne said.
The Ellison family, supporters of US President Donald Trump, also recently purchased Paramount and have spearheaded a bid to take over another major Hollywood studio, Warner Brothers Discovery.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-11T16:24:20Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9qe1e374l1o
|
{"title": "Oracle shares slide as earnings fail to ease AI bubble fears"}
|
Severe disruption hits Portugal in first general strike for 12 years
Dozens of flights and trains have been cancelled, schools closed and hospital operations postponed in cities across Portugal, as the two main union federations stage a general strike over unprecedented labour reforms.
Public transport was down to a minimum service in many areas, and unions said refuse collections were at a standstill as the strike took hold on Thursday.
The last time the CGTP and the generally less militant UGT joined forces was during the eurozone debt crisis in 2013, when a "troika" of international institutions demanded cuts in salaries and pensions as part of Portugal's bailout.
Twelve years later, Portugal's economy has become the fastest growing in the eurozone in recent months, but Prime Minister Luís Montenegro says it is still necessary to tackle "rigidities" in the labour market "so companies can be more profitable and workers have better salaries" as a result.
"I will not give up on having a country with the ambition to be at the forefront, to be at the vanguard of Europe," he said on the eve of the strike.
However, Montenegro appears to have been taken aback by the strength of feeling against his minority right-of-centre government's plans: one of his Social Democrat MPs is on the UGT executive and even he voted for a strike.
The prime minister tweaked some proposals after calling the federation in for talks late last month, but it was clearly not enough.
Among the most controversial of the more than 100 proposals are:
It is Portuguese in their 20s who are likely to be most affected by the changes - and opinion is rather mixed.
Diogo Brito, who works as an air steward but has friends who do casual work in tourism, supports the right to strike but backs the package: "It has to be done. We have to catch up with richer countries and with these measures I think we can evolve more."
But self-employed photographer Eduardo Ferreira says he knows many people who already cannot find secure jobs and is pleased to see the unions unite at a "critical moment" for Portugal: "Things have been tough ever since the troika, and workers haven't reacted until now."
The CGTP has condemned the package as "an assault on the rights of all workers, particularly women and young people", while the UGT calls it "so out of step, in a context of economic growth, financial stability and a strong labour market, that… it reflects a clear bias in favour of employers".
The UGT also complains that formal talks between unions, government and business were "unbalanced, restrictive and detrimental to workers".
Montenegro's governing coalition lacks a majority in parliament, and is seeking support for the bill not only from the small, free-market Liberal Initiative (IL) but from hard-right Chega, which since May's general election has been the second-largest party.
Its leader, André Ventura, has expressed reservations about the way some measures might affect family life, but looks open to negotiations.
Before the election, Montenegro had ruled out deals with Chega, and the unions and the third-biggest party, the Socialists, say the prime minister's mask has slipped.
They also warn that politicians on the right want to amend Portugal's 1976 constitution to loosen employment safeguards considered among Europe's strongest.
The issue has also become caught up in the campaign for January's presidential election, with several candidates arguing that the labour reform bill flouts Portugal's 1976 constitution.
Under Portugal's "semi-presidential" system, the head of state can decline to sign bills approved by parliament. Bills can instead be sent to the Constitutional Court for review or the president can exercise a veto that, while it can be overturned by a majority of elected MPs, delays the process, ensuring further discussion.
With the government seeking to overhaul so much of the labour code, such scrutiny might stoke voter unease about its radicalism, particularly since the plans were not in the coalition's election manifesto.
Unlike many strikes here, Thursday's day of action is not limited to the public sector.
At Portugal's largest factory, VW-owned Autoeuropa, south of Lisbon, almost 1,000 employees voted unanimously last week to back it.
"I believe there is no worker in this country unaffected by the negative measures in this reform," said UGT secretary-general Mário Mourão, after the Autoeuropa gathering. "It must be responded to appropriately."
|
Severe disruption hits Portugal in first general strike for 12 years
Dozens of flights and trains have been cancelled, schools closed and hospital operations postponed in cities across Portugal, as the two main union federations stage a general strike over unprecedented labour reforms.
Public transport was down to a minimum service in many areas, and unions said refuse collections were at a standstill as the strike took hold on Thursday.
The last time the CGTP and the generally less militant UGT joined forces was during the eurozone debt crisis in 2013, when a "troika" of international institutions demanded cuts in salaries and pensions as part of Portugal's bailout.
Twelve years later, Portugal's economy has become the fastest growing in the eurozone in recent months, but Prime Minister Luís Montenegro says it is still necessary to tackle "rigidities" in the labour market "so companies can be more profitable and workers have better salaries" as a result.
"I will not give up on having a country with the ambition to be at the forefront, to be at the vanguard of Europe," he said on the eve of the strike.
However, Montenegro appears to have been taken aback by the strength of feeling against his minority right-of-centre government's plans: one of his Social Democrat MPs is on the UGT executive and even he voted for a strike.
The prime minister tweaked some proposals after calling the federation in for talks late last month, but it was clearly not enough.
Among the most controversial of the more than 100 proposals are:
It is Portuguese in their 20s who are likely to be most affected by the changes - and opinion is rather mixed.
Diogo Brito, who works as an air steward but has friends who do casual work in tourism, supports the right to strike but backs the package: "It has to be done. We have to catch up with richer countries and with these measures I think we can evolve more."
But self-employed photographer Eduardo Ferreira says he knows many people who already cannot find secure jobs and is pleased to see the unions unite at a "critical moment" for Portugal: "Things have been tough ever since the troika, and workers haven't reacted until now."
The CGTP has condemned the package as "an assault on the rights of all workers, particularly women and young people", while the UGT calls it "so out of step, in a context of economic growth, financial stability and a strong labour market, that… it reflects a clear bias in favour of employers".
The UGT also complains that formal talks between unions, government and business were "unbalanced, restrictive and detrimental to workers".
Montenegro's governing coalition lacks a majority in parliament, and is seeking support for the bill not only from the small, free-market Liberal Initiative (IL) but from hard-right Chega, which since May's general election has been the second-largest party.
Its leader, André Ventura, has expressed reservations about the way some measures might affect family life, but looks open to negotiations.
Before the election, Montenegro had ruled out deals with Chega, and the unions and the third-biggest party, the Socialists, say the prime minister's mask has slipped.
They also warn that politicians on the right want to amend Portugal's 1976 constitution to loosen employment safeguards considered among Europe's strongest.
The issue has also become caught up in the campaign for January's presidential election, with several candidates arguing that the labour reform bill flouts Portugal's 1976 constitution.
Under Portugal's "semi-presidential" system, the head of state can decline to sign bills approved by parliament. Bills can instead be sent to the Constitutional Court for review or the president can exercise a veto that, while it can be overturned by a majority of elected MPs, delays the process, ensuring further discussion.
With the government seeking to overhaul so much of the labour code, such scrutiny might stoke voter unease about its radicalism, particularly since the plans were not in the coalition's election manifesto.
Unlike many strikes here, Thursday's day of action is not limited to the public sector.
At Portugal's largest factory, VW-owned Autoeuropa, south of Lisbon, almost 1,000 employees voted unanimously last week to back it.
"I believe there is no worker in this country unaffected by the negative measures in this reform," said UGT secretary-general Mário Mourão, after the Autoeuropa gathering. "It must be responded to appropriately."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-11T10:50:14Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxwrvl1734o
|
{"title": "Severe disruption hits Portugal in first general strike for 12 years"}
|
Home Alone house recreated as Christmas cake
A baker has recreated the house from the Home Alone films as a cake.
Grace Hunt spent weeks making and decorating the model mansion as a Christmas window display for her shop in Beverley, East Yorkshire.
She said she wanted to make a cake that looked like the Hollywood home as it was "my favourite film".
"Many hours went into it, lots of tears as well," Ms Hunt added.
After posting images on social media, she said the response had been "insane".
"Wild, it's gone viral on most socials," she said.
"I can't keep up. It's mind-blowing."
Ms Hunt set up Grace Eva Cakes in 2018 and specialises in wedding and celebration cakes.
"I just started just making cakes for friends and family years ago and then thought, actually, I think I could make a business out of this," she said.
She said she enjoyed making the buildings which are "technically challenging, but really fun to do".
Previous creations include a replica of the nearby Michelin-starred Pipe and Glass pub and restaurant.
Despite the responses to the latest window display, the Home Alone cake will not be on sale and is destined for the bin after the festive season.
"It will be about three months old," Ms Hunt said.
|
Home Alone house recreated as Christmas cake
A baker has recreated the house from the Home Alone films as a cake.
Grace Hunt spent weeks making and decorating the model mansion as a Christmas window display for her shop in Beverley, East Yorkshire.
She said she wanted to make a cake that looked like the Hollywood home as it was "my favourite film".
"Many hours went into it, lots of tears as well," Ms Hunt added.
After posting images on social media, she said the response had been "insane".
"Wild, it's gone viral on most socials," she said.
"I can't keep up. It's mind-blowing."
Ms Hunt set up Grace Eva Cakes in 2018 and specialises in wedding and celebration cakes.
"I just started just making cakes for friends and family years ago and then thought, actually, I think I could make a business out of this," she said.
She said she enjoyed making the buildings which are "technically challenging, but really fun to do".
Previous creations include a replica of the nearby Michelin-starred Pipe and Glass pub and restaurant.
Despite the responses to the latest window display, the Home Alone cake will not be on sale and is destined for the bin after the festive season.
"It will be about three months old," Ms Hunt said.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-01T12:37:40Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yjxy8z815o
|
{"title": "Home Alone house recreated as Christmas cake"}
|
Meghan reaches out to estranged father after amputation reports, spokesman says
The Duchess of Sussex has attempted to contact her estranged father, Thomas Markle, who is reported to be seriously ill in hospital in the Philippines.
A spokesman for Meghan said: "I can confirm she has reached out to her father."
Mr Markle is reported to have had his leg amputated during surgery. The BBC understands that Meghan tried to contact him earlier today, but it is not clear whether the attempt was successful.
The relationship between Meghan and her father broke down in the run-up to her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
During the couple's engagement, the media interest in Thomas Markle and his family was intense.
Mr Markle was found to have colluded with photographers who paid him for photos appearing to show the father of the bride preparing for the wedding.
The fallout saw him pull out of his daughter's wedding just days before the ceremony in Windsor, citing health problems.
King Charles III - who was then the Prince of Wales - walked Meghan down the aisle instead.
It is not clear if Meghan ever resumed any proper relationship with her father following her marriage. Thomas Markle is not believed to have met Harry and Meghan's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
He was critical of his daughter and son-in-law's decision to step back from public duty in the UK and criticise the royal family.
In one media interview he said: "I think they're both turning into lost souls at this point."
"I don't know what they're looking for," he added. "I don't think they know what they're looking for."
|
Meghan reaches out to estranged father after amputation reports, spokesman says
The Duchess of Sussex has attempted to contact her estranged father, Thomas Markle, who is reported to be seriously ill in hospital in the Philippines.
A spokesman for Meghan said: "I can confirm she has reached out to her father."
Mr Markle is reported to have had his leg amputated during surgery. The BBC understands that Meghan tried to contact him earlier today, but it is not clear whether the attempt was successful.
The relationship between Meghan and her father broke down in the run-up to her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018.
During the couple's engagement, the media interest in Thomas Markle and his family was intense.
Mr Markle was found to have colluded with photographers who paid him for photos appearing to show the father of the bride preparing for the wedding.
The fallout saw him pull out of his daughter's wedding just days before the ceremony in Windsor, citing health problems.
King Charles III - who was then the Prince of Wales - walked Meghan down the aisle instead.
It is not clear if Meghan ever resumed any proper relationship with her father following her marriage. Thomas Markle is not believed to have met Harry and Meghan's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
He was critical of his daughter and son-in-law's decision to step back from public duty in the UK and criticise the royal family.
In one media interview he said: "I think they're both turning into lost souls at this point."
"I don't know what they're looking for," he added. "I don't think they know what they're looking for."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T21:29:42Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0je4v8j0vzo
|
{"title": "Meghan reaches out to estranged father after amputation reports, spokesman says"}
|
Deep-sea mining tests impact over a third of seabed animals - scientists
Machines mining minerals in the deep ocean have been found to cause significant damage to life on the seabed, scientists carrying out the largest study of its kind say.
The number of animals found in the tracks of the vehicles was reduced by 37% compared to untouched areas, according to the scientists.
The researchers discovered more than 4,000 animals, 90% of which were new species, living on the seafloor in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean.
Vast amounts of critical minerals needed for green technologies could be locked in the deep ocean, but deep sea mining in international waters is very controversial and currently not permitted until more is known about the environmental impacts.
The research by scientists at the Natural History Museum in London, the UK National Oceanography Centre and the University of Gothenburg was conducted at the request of deep sea mining company The Metals Company.
The scientists said their work was independent and that the company was able to view the results before publication but was not allowed to alter them.
The team compared biodiversity two years before and two months after the test mining that drove machines for 80km on the seafloor.
They looked specifically at animals 0.3mm – 2cm in size, such as worms, sea spiders, snails and clams.
In the tracks of the vehicle, the number of animals fell by 37% and the diversity of species by 32%.
"The machine removes about the top five centimetres of sediment. That's where most of the animals live. So obviously, if you're removing the sediment, you're removing the animals in it too," lead author Eva Stewart, PhD student at the Natural History Museum and the University of Southampton, told BBC News.
"Even if they are not killed by the machine, pollution from the mining operations could slowly kill some less resilient species," said Dr Guadalupe Bribiesca-Contreras from the National Oceanography Centre.
A few of the animals could have moved away, but "whether or not they come back after disturbance is a different question", she added.
However, in the areas near the vehicle tracks, where clouds of sediment landed, the abundance of animals did not decrease.
"We were expecting possibly a bit more impact, but [we didn't] see much, just a shift in which species were dominant over others," Dr Adrian Glover, research scientist at the Natural History Museum, told BBC News.
"We're encouraged by these data," a spokesperson for The Metals Company told BBC News.
"After years of activist alarm that our impacts would spread thousands of kilometers beyond the mine site, the data show that any biodiversity impacts are limited to the directly mined area," they added.
But some experts do not think that this is good news for mining companies.
"I think the study shows that current technologies for harvesting are too damaging to permit large-scale commercial exploration," Dr Patrick Schröder, senior research fellow at the Environment and Society Centre at think tank Chatham House, told BBC News.
"These were only tests and the impact was significant. If they did that at large scale, it would be even more damaging," he added.
Deep sea mining is controversial. At the heart of the debate is a difficult problem.
The latest research took place in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a 6m sq km area of the Pacific Ocean estimated to hold over 21bn tonnes of nickel, cobalt and copper-rich polymetallic nodules.
The world needs these critical minerals for renewable energy technologies to tackle climate change. They are essential components in solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles, for example.
The International Energy Agency predicts that demand for the minerals could at least double by 2040.
The minerals have to come from somewhere, but some scientists and environmental groups are gravely concerned that mining the deep seas could cause untold damage.
Some fear that before we have the chance to explore the full nature of life in the undiscovered deep ocean, it could be endangered.
Oceans play a critical role in regulating our planet and are already at severe risk from rising temperatures.
The International Seabed Authority (ISA), which governs activity in international waters, has not yet approved commercial mining although it has issued 31 licences for exploration.
A total of 37 countries, including the UK and France, are backing a temporary ban on mining.
This week Norway postponed mining plans in its waters including the Arctic.
But in April, US President Donald Trump called for domestic and international projects to be fast-tracked, as the US wants to secure the supply of minerals for use in weapons.
If the ISA concludes that current mining techniques are too destructive, companies could try to develop less intrusive ways of extracting nodules from the seafloor.
The research is published in the scientific journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
|
Deep-sea mining tests impact over a third of seabed animals - scientists
Machines mining minerals in the deep ocean have been found to cause significant damage to life on the seabed, scientists carrying out the largest study of its kind say.
The number of animals found in the tracks of the vehicles was reduced by 37% compared to untouched areas, according to the scientists.
The researchers discovered more than 4,000 animals, 90% of which were new species, living on the seafloor in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean.
Vast amounts of critical minerals needed for green technologies could be locked in the deep ocean, but deep sea mining in international waters is very controversial and currently not permitted until more is known about the environmental impacts.
The research by scientists at the Natural History Museum in London, the UK National Oceanography Centre and the University of Gothenburg was conducted at the request of deep sea mining company The Metals Company.
The scientists said their work was independent and that the company was able to view the results before publication but was not allowed to alter them.
The team compared biodiversity two years before and two months after the test mining that drove machines for 80km on the seafloor.
They looked specifically at animals 0.3mm – 2cm in size, such as worms, sea spiders, snails and clams.
In the tracks of the vehicle, the number of animals fell by 37% and the diversity of species by 32%.
"The machine removes about the top five centimetres of sediment. That's where most of the animals live. So obviously, if you're removing the sediment, you're removing the animals in it too," lead author Eva Stewart, PhD student at the Natural History Museum and the University of Southampton, told BBC News.
"Even if they are not killed by the machine, pollution from the mining operations could slowly kill some less resilient species," said Dr Guadalupe Bribiesca-Contreras from the National Oceanography Centre.
A few of the animals could have moved away, but "whether or not they come back after disturbance is a different question", she added.
However, in the areas near the vehicle tracks, where clouds of sediment landed, the abundance of animals did not decrease.
"We were expecting possibly a bit more impact, but [we didn't] see much, just a shift in which species were dominant over others," Dr Adrian Glover, research scientist at the Natural History Museum, told BBC News.
"We're encouraged by these data," a spokesperson for The Metals Company told BBC News.
"After years of activist alarm that our impacts would spread thousands of kilometers beyond the mine site, the data show that any biodiversity impacts are limited to the directly mined area," they added.
But some experts do not think that this is good news for mining companies.
"I think the study shows that current technologies for harvesting are too damaging to permit large-scale commercial exploration," Dr Patrick Schröder, senior research fellow at the Environment and Society Centre at think tank Chatham House, told BBC News.
"These were only tests and the impact was significant. If they did that at large scale, it would be even more damaging," he added.
Deep sea mining is controversial. At the heart of the debate is a difficult problem.
The latest research took place in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a 6m sq km area of the Pacific Ocean estimated to hold over 21bn tonnes of nickel, cobalt and copper-rich polymetallic nodules.
The world needs these critical minerals for renewable energy technologies to tackle climate change. They are essential components in solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles, for example.
The International Energy Agency predicts that demand for the minerals could at least double by 2040.
The minerals have to come from somewhere, but some scientists and environmental groups are gravely concerned that mining the deep seas could cause untold damage.
Some fear that before we have the chance to explore the full nature of life in the undiscovered deep ocean, it could be endangered.
Oceans play a critical role in regulating our planet and are already at severe risk from rising temperatures.
The International Seabed Authority (ISA), which governs activity in international waters, has not yet approved commercial mining although it has issued 31 licences for exploration.
A total of 37 countries, including the UK and France, are backing a temporary ban on mining.
This week Norway postponed mining plans in its waters including the Arctic.
But in April, US President Donald Trump called for domestic and international projects to be fast-tracked, as the US wants to secure the supply of minerals for use in weapons.
If the ISA concludes that current mining techniques are too destructive, companies could try to develop less intrusive ways of extracting nodules from the seafloor.
The research is published in the scientific journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T08:00:11Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cedx2p8gnx9o
|
{"title": "Deep-sea mining tests impact over a third of seabed animals - scientists"}
|
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
A number of airports have been hit by cyber-attacks, IT outages and other issues in recent months, leaving flights delayed or cancelled.
Passengers have various rights - starting with airlines' requirement to get you to your destination - which can extend to extra compensation in some circumstances.
So what are you entitled to if your journey has been affected, and can you get your money back?
When flights are delayed or cancelled, airlines have a duty to look after you.
That includes providing meals and accommodation, if necessary, and getting you to your destination. The airline should organise putting you on an alternative flight, at no extra cost.
Additional losses - such as unused accommodation - might require a claim to a credit card provider, if that was the payment option used.
After that, a claim may need to go to your travel insurance provider. But there is no standard definition of what is covered.
While 94% of policies cover travel abandonment as standard, only 30% include wider travel disruption as standard, according to analysts Defaqto.
If your flight is covered by UK law, your airline must let you choose between either getting a refund or being booked on to an alternative flight.
That's regardless of how far in advance the cancellation was made.
You can get your money back for any part of the ticket you have not used.
So, if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
If you still want to travel, your airline must find you an alternative flight.
If another airline is flying to your destination significantly sooner, or there are other suitable modes of transport, then you have a right to be booked on to that alternative transport instead.
If your flight was coming into the UK on a non-UK airline, then you should check the terms and conditions of your booking.
Disruption caused by things like a fire, bad weather, strikes by airport or air traffic control staff, or other "extraordinary circumstances" does not entitle you to extra compensation.
However, in other circumstances - when it is considered to be the airline's fault - you have a number of rights under UK law.
These apply as long as you are flying from a UK airport on any airline, arriving at a UK airport on an EU or UK airline, or arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.
What you are entitled to depends on what caused the cancellation and how much notice you are given.
If your flight is cancelled with less than two weeks' notice, you may be able to claim compensation based on the timings of the alternative flight you are offered.
The amount you are entitled to also depends on how far you were travelling:
If you are stuck abroad or at the airport because of a flight cancellation, airlines must also provide you with other assistance.
This includes:
If your airline is unable to arrange assistance, you have the right to organise this yourself and claim back the cost later.
The Civil Aviation Authority advises people to keep receipts and not spend more than necessary.
You are entitled to the same assistance as for a cancellation if your flight is delayed by more than two hours for a short-haul flight, three hours for a medium-haul, or four hours for a long-haul.
If you are delayed by more than five hours and no longer want to travel, you can get a full refund.
If you booked a package holiday with a company that is an ABTA member and your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a suitable alternative flight or a full refund.
Airlines will not refund you for loss of earnings.
Travel insurance policies will not usually cover loss of earnings either.
If you think you're going to be late back at work because of flight delays, you have a responsibility to let your employer know, legal experts say.
You should agree with your employer how to deal with the absence - for example, by using annual leave or taking unpaid leave.
Employers have no legal obligation to pay employees who are absent in this situation, experts say, unless it is stated in their contract.
|
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
A number of airports have been hit by cyber-attacks, IT outages and other issues in recent months, leaving flights delayed or cancelled.
Passengers have various rights - starting with airlines' requirement to get you to your destination - which can extend to extra compensation in some circumstances.
So what are you entitled to if your journey has been affected, and can you get your money back?
When flights are delayed or cancelled, airlines have a duty to look after you.
That includes providing meals and accommodation, if necessary, and getting you to your destination. The airline should organise putting you on an alternative flight, at no extra cost.
Additional losses - such as unused accommodation - might require a claim to a credit card provider, if that was the payment option used.
After that, a claim may need to go to your travel insurance provider. But there is no standard definition of what is covered.
While 94% of policies cover travel abandonment as standard, only 30% include wider travel disruption as standard, according to analysts Defaqto.
If your flight is covered by UK law, your airline must let you choose between either getting a refund or being booked on to an alternative flight.
That's regardless of how far in advance the cancellation was made.
You can get your money back for any part of the ticket you have not used.
So, if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
If you still want to travel, your airline must find you an alternative flight.
If another airline is flying to your destination significantly sooner, or there are other suitable modes of transport, then you have a right to be booked on to that alternative transport instead.
If your flight was coming into the UK on a non-UK airline, then you should check the terms and conditions of your booking.
Disruption caused by things like a fire, bad weather, strikes by airport or air traffic control staff, or other "extraordinary circumstances" does not entitle you to extra compensation.
However, in other circumstances - when it is considered to be the airline's fault - you have a number of rights under UK law.
These apply as long as you are flying from a UK airport on any airline, arriving at a UK airport on an EU or UK airline, or arriving at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.
What you are entitled to depends on what caused the cancellation and how much notice you are given.
If your flight is cancelled with less than two weeks' notice, you may be able to claim compensation based on the timings of the alternative flight you are offered.
The amount you are entitled to also depends on how far you were travelling:
If you are stuck abroad or at the airport because of a flight cancellation, airlines must also provide you with other assistance.
This includes:
If your airline is unable to arrange assistance, you have the right to organise this yourself and claim back the cost later.
The Civil Aviation Authority advises people to keep receipts and not spend more than necessary.
You are entitled to the same assistance as for a cancellation if your flight is delayed by more than two hours for a short-haul flight, three hours for a medium-haul, or four hours for a long-haul.
If you are delayed by more than five hours and no longer want to travel, you can get a full refund.
If you booked a package holiday with a company that is an ABTA member and your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a suitable alternative flight or a full refund.
Airlines will not refund you for loss of earnings.
Travel insurance policies will not usually cover loss of earnings either.
If you think you're going to be late back at work because of flight delays, you have a responsibility to let your employer know, legal experts say.
You should agree with your employer how to deal with the absence - for example, by using annual leave or taking unpaid leave.
Employers have no legal obligation to pay employees who are absent in this situation, experts say, unless it is stated in their contract.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T12:37:27Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9qxnyengdjo
|
{"title": "What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?"}
|
University of Michigan head football coach jailed hours after shock firing
The ex-head football coach at the University of Michigan remained in jail on Thursday, a day after the university fired him "with cause, effective immediately".
The university said an investigation found "credible evidence" coach Sherrone Moore had "engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member".
The same day he was fired, Mr Moore was detained by police in a nearby suburb for alleged assault, according to police.
The termination and detention represent the latest shakeup in the billion-dollar world of college sports, after Lane Kiffin announced last week that he was leaving the University of Mississippi to coach at Louisiana State University under a $91m contract.
Like coach Kiffin's departure, Mr Moore's exit from the team occurred on the eve of the College Football Playoff and a slate of championship games referred to as bowl games.
In his second year as head coach, Mr Moore was due to lead the Michigan Wolverines in a storied rivalry against the University of Texas on 31 December in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
The school's athletic director, Warde Manuel, said in the statement provided to the BBC that Mr Moore's alleged inappropriate relationship "constitutes a clear violation of university policy", and the school "maintains zero tolerance for such behavior".
Mr Moore, 39, will be replaced by Biff Poggi, the team's associate head coach.
According to police in Pittsfield Township, about 15 minutes from the university in Ann Arbor, officers responded at 16:10 EST (21:10 GMT) on Wednesday to investigate reports of an alleged assault.
Police from the neighbouring city of Saline then "assisted in locating and detaining former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore", a statement from Saline police said, according to ESPN.
"Mr. Moore was turned over to the Pittsfield Township Police Department for investigation into potential charges."
Pittsfield police said a suspect was "lodged" at a Washtenaw County jail while prosecutors reviewed charges.
Details of the alleged inappropriate relationship and assault were not released.
Mr Moore could not be reached for comment. Police said he remained in custody on Thursday, and family members did not respond to inquiries from the BBC.
Mr Moore joined the Michigan Wolverines in 2018 as a tight-end coach. He became acting head coach in the 2023 season for three games, while then-head coach Jim Harbaugh was under suspension.
Mr Moore won each of the three games and was officially made head coach after Mr Harbaugh left to coach in the NFL.
|
University of Michigan head football coach jailed hours after shock firing
The ex-head football coach at the University of Michigan remained in jail on Thursday, a day after the university fired him "with cause, effective immediately".
The university said an investigation found "credible evidence" coach Sherrone Moore had "engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member".
The same day he was fired, Mr Moore was detained by police in a nearby suburb for alleged assault, according to police.
The termination and detention represent the latest shakeup in the billion-dollar world of college sports, after Lane Kiffin announced last week that he was leaving the University of Mississippi to coach at Louisiana State University under a $91m contract.
Like coach Kiffin's departure, Mr Moore's exit from the team occurred on the eve of the College Football Playoff and a slate of championship games referred to as bowl games.
In his second year as head coach, Mr Moore was due to lead the Michigan Wolverines in a storied rivalry against the University of Texas on 31 December in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
The school's athletic director, Warde Manuel, said in the statement provided to the BBC that Mr Moore's alleged inappropriate relationship "constitutes a clear violation of university policy", and the school "maintains zero tolerance for such behavior".
Mr Moore, 39, will be replaced by Biff Poggi, the team's associate head coach.
According to police in Pittsfield Township, about 15 minutes from the university in Ann Arbor, officers responded at 16:10 EST (21:10 GMT) on Wednesday to investigate reports of an alleged assault.
Police from the neighbouring city of Saline then "assisted in locating and detaining former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore", a statement from Saline police said, according to ESPN.
"Mr. Moore was turned over to the Pittsfield Township Police Department for investigation into potential charges."
Pittsfield police said a suspect was "lodged" at a Washtenaw County jail while prosecutors reviewed charges.
Details of the alleged inappropriate relationship and assault were not released.
Mr Moore could not be reached for comment. Police said he remained in custody on Thursday, and family members did not respond to inquiries from the BBC.
Mr Moore joined the Michigan Wolverines in 2018 as a tight-end coach. He became acting head coach in the 2023 season for three games, while then-head coach Jim Harbaugh was under suspension.
Mr Moore won each of the three games and was officially made head coach after Mr Harbaugh left to coach in the NFL.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-11T18:01:49Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm21wlwg4g9o
|
{"title": "University of Michigan head football coach jailed hours after shock firing"}
|
Grand jury declines to indict Letitia James for second time in a week
A federal grand jury in Virginia has declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James for alleged mortgage fraud, for the second time in a week.
Such a rare decision by a grand jury marks another blow to President Donald Trump's efforts to prosecute his political foes.
Last month, a judge dismissed the federal case against James, a Democrat, after finding a prosecutor appointed by Trump, a Republican, was not in the post legally.
James, who brought a civil fraud case against Trump last year, said the federal case was politically motivated. Prosecutors say she committed bank fraud and made false statements to a financial institution.
CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reported the grand jury had declined to sign off on an indictment, citing an unnamed official.
Grand juries, made up of members of the public, decide if there is enough evidence to take a case to court.
In legal terms, a grand jury determines whether probable cause exists to believe a crime has been committed. It does not decide guilt or innocence.
Data show how rare it is for grand juries to decline a prosecutor's request to indict a suspect.
In 2016, federal prosecutors investigated more than 150,000 people, and grand juries declined to file charges in only six cases, according to CBS.
The federal government had alleged that James lied when she bought a three-bedroom home in the city of Norfolk, Virginia, with a mortgage loan that required her to use the property as her secondary residence.
The "misrepresentation" allowed James to obtain favourable loan terms that would not have been available for an investment property, prosecutors claimed.
Another grand jury, seated in Norfolk, declined to press charges last week.
The grand jury that met on Thursday was in Alexandria, a suburb of Washington DC.
A lawyer for James said the decision by two different grand juries in two separate cities was proof that the case "should never have seen the light of day".
Lawyer Abbe Lowell called the prosecution "a stain on this Department's reputation" and that any "further attempt to revive these discredited charges would be a mockery of our system of justice".
The justice department has not commented.
As top lawyer for the state of New York, James brought a civil fraud case against Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, in 2022.
Trump was later found liable of falsifying records to secure better loan deals, leading to a $500m (£380m) fine.
The penalty was thrown out by an appeals court, which called it excessive, although it upheld that Trump was liable for fraud.
Trump's allies called that case politically motivated, noting that when James, a Democrat, ran for office as New York attorney general in 2018, she promised to sue him, and called him an "illegitimate president".
In November, a federal judge dismissed the criminal cases against James and former FBI Director James Comey, who was accused of lying to Congress.
James and Comey, whom Trump fired in 2017, are not the only adversaries of the president to have faced federal charges.
Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, is currently charged with sending and wilfully retaining national defence information.
|
Grand jury declines to indict Letitia James for second time in a week
A federal grand jury in Virginia has declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James for alleged mortgage fraud, for the second time in a week.
Such a rare decision by a grand jury marks another blow to President Donald Trump's efforts to prosecute his political foes.
Last month, a judge dismissed the federal case against James, a Democrat, after finding a prosecutor appointed by Trump, a Republican, was not in the post legally.
James, who brought a civil fraud case against Trump last year, said the federal case was politically motivated. Prosecutors say she committed bank fraud and made false statements to a financial institution.
CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reported the grand jury had declined to sign off on an indictment, citing an unnamed official.
Grand juries, made up of members of the public, decide if there is enough evidence to take a case to court.
In legal terms, a grand jury determines whether probable cause exists to believe a crime has been committed. It does not decide guilt or innocence.
Data show how rare it is for grand juries to decline a prosecutor's request to indict a suspect.
In 2016, federal prosecutors investigated more than 150,000 people, and grand juries declined to file charges in only six cases, according to CBS.
The federal government had alleged that James lied when she bought a three-bedroom home in the city of Norfolk, Virginia, with a mortgage loan that required her to use the property as her secondary residence.
The "misrepresentation" allowed James to obtain favourable loan terms that would not have been available for an investment property, prosecutors claimed.
Another grand jury, seated in Norfolk, declined to press charges last week.
The grand jury that met on Thursday was in Alexandria, a suburb of Washington DC.
A lawyer for James said the decision by two different grand juries in two separate cities was proof that the case "should never have seen the light of day".
Lawyer Abbe Lowell called the prosecution "a stain on this Department's reputation" and that any "further attempt to revive these discredited charges would be a mockery of our system of justice".
The justice department has not commented.
As top lawyer for the state of New York, James brought a civil fraud case against Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, in 2022.
Trump was later found liable of falsifying records to secure better loan deals, leading to a $500m (£380m) fine.
The penalty was thrown out by an appeals court, which called it excessive, although it upheld that Trump was liable for fraud.
Trump's allies called that case politically motivated, noting that when James, a Democrat, ran for office as New York attorney general in 2018, she promised to sue him, and called him an "illegitimate president".
In November, a federal judge dismissed the criminal cases against James and former FBI Director James Comey, who was accused of lying to Congress.
James and Comey, whom Trump fired in 2017, are not the only adversaries of the president to have faced federal charges.
Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, is currently charged with sending and wilfully retaining national defence information.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-11T23:42:57Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjrjj30vx8eo
|
{"title": "Grand jury declines to indict Letitia James for second time in a week"}
|
Wonderful to be back home, evacuated residents say
Residents who were evacuated from their properties after police declared a major incident in Derby have said it is "wonderful" to be allowed back in their homes.
About 200 properties were evacuated on Thursday in the Vulcan Street area, after Derbyshire Police arrested two men, one in his 40s and one in his 50s, on suspicion of explosives offences.
Officers carried out a warrant in Vulcan Street following intelligence about materials at a house there and arrested the men, who remain in custody.
John Morley, 86, was told at about 20:00 GMT on Friday that he could return to his home in the evacuation zone, which he said was "wonderful", and added "you can't beat living in your own house".
Mr Morley said he stayed overnight with his daughter in Allestree from Thursday to Friday, then was put up in a hotel on Friday night, before Derby City Council arranged for a taxi to take him home.
He told the BBC he was about to put his feet up for a sleep at about 13:30 when a police officer knocked on his door, telling him he needed to evacuate his home.
Mr Morley said: "At the time we knew it must be serious for us to evacuate at all.
"It's times like that people do pull together."
Charlotte Woodins, 19, also lives in the evacuation zone with her partner Josh Dean, and stayed with family while the major incident was in place.
She said: "We were just about to go out and then a police officer came to my car and said 'when you go out you won't be allowed to come back'.
"I would say we're happy to be home.
"It's still a bit nerve-wracking. Obviously with everything that's happening and the police presence around the area is a bit alarming, but we're glad to be back in our house."
The force said it was not being treated as a terrorism incident and that there was "no wider risk to the community".
Police said a controlled explosion was carried out at about 16:00 on Thursday, while the evacuation zone was active, which included several roads close to Vulcan Street.
The Pakistan Community Centre remains open as a contact point for anyone in the area, while The Singh Sabha Gurdwara, in Princes Street, is available as a new contact point for residents from Saturday.
Supt Becky Webster said: "Thank you to everyone that has been evacuated from their homes, we realise that this has been inconvenient and we appreciate people's patience and cooperation."
The two men who have been arrested are Polish nationals, Derbyshire Police has said.
|
Wonderful to be back home, evacuated residents say
Residents who were evacuated from their properties after police declared a major incident in Derby have said it is "wonderful" to be allowed back in their homes.
About 200 properties were evacuated on Thursday in the Vulcan Street area, after Derbyshire Police arrested two men, one in his 40s and one in his 50s, on suspicion of explosives offences.
Officers carried out a warrant in Vulcan Street following intelligence about materials at a house there and arrested the men, who remain in custody.
John Morley, 86, was told at about 20:00 GMT on Friday that he could return to his home in the evacuation zone, which he said was "wonderful", and added "you can't beat living in your own house".
Mr Morley said he stayed overnight with his daughter in Allestree from Thursday to Friday, then was put up in a hotel on Friday night, before Derby City Council arranged for a taxi to take him home.
He told the BBC he was about to put his feet up for a sleep at about 13:30 when a police officer knocked on his door, telling him he needed to evacuate his home.
Mr Morley said: "At the time we knew it must be serious for us to evacuate at all.
"It's times like that people do pull together."
Charlotte Woodins, 19, also lives in the evacuation zone with her partner Josh Dean, and stayed with family while the major incident was in place.
She said: "We were just about to go out and then a police officer came to my car and said 'when you go out you won't be allowed to come back'.
"I would say we're happy to be home.
"It's still a bit nerve-wracking. Obviously with everything that's happening and the police presence around the area is a bit alarming, but we're glad to be back in our house."
The force said it was not being treated as a terrorism incident and that there was "no wider risk to the community".
Police said a controlled explosion was carried out at about 16:00 on Thursday, while the evacuation zone was active, which included several roads close to Vulcan Street.
The Pakistan Community Centre remains open as a contact point for anyone in the area, while The Singh Sabha Gurdwara, in Princes Street, is available as a new contact point for residents from Saturday.
Supt Becky Webster said: "Thank you to everyone that has been evacuated from their homes, we realise that this has been inconvenient and we appreciate people's patience and cooperation."
The two men who have been arrested are Polish nationals, Derbyshire Police has said.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T14:27:55Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg96g9zln3o
|
{"title": "Wonderful to be back home, evacuated residents say"}
|
'It's ruined my life': Flat-owner says building work by freeholder has left her homeless
A mother and her teenage son are facing a fourth Christmas of homelessness after building contractors, working for the freeholder at their block of flats, left their home uninhabitable.
A botched roof extension caused the ceiling to collapse at Kate Morris's top-floor flat in Ashford, Surrey. A pigeon infestation followed, leaving every room covered in bird droppings.
"It's been devastating, it's completely ruined our lives," she says.
Kate is one of more than 1,000 leaseholders who have contacted the BBC in the past year about disputes and concerns involving the leasehold system.
Another flat on the top floor was also damaged by the works. The owners, Laura and Tom, still live in the block, although they have no idea how safe it is.
They have a small child, George, and say they hate the fact their "happy smiley baby" has to live there.
Work was stopped by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a number of safety breaches. The building remains unfinished and the surrounding land is littered with debris.
Kate, Laura, Tom and another leaseholder have tried to pursue the matter in the courts, but so far, they say they have had little to show for their efforts.
Earlier this year, the leaseholders were even ordered to pay £7,000 legal costs to the businessman they blamed for the works.
In 2021, Kate had been about to sell her two-bedroom flat. It was one of six properties in a two-storey block.
Weeks before the sale went through, she received what she describes as a "forthright" letter to say the building's freehold had been sold, with planning permission to build two more flats on the existing roof - in other words, directly above the flats owned by Kate, Laura and Tom.
As the law currently stands, the freeholder of a property generally owns the building and the land beneath it, outright and forever. Leaseholders effectively buy the right to live in the property for a fixed period of time.
The system has its origins in the Middle Ages, when rich landowners granted tenants the right to work an area of land.
Kate told us she wrote back to the new freeholder, Magnitude Developments Ltd, and its owner Ameen Raza, asking for clarity about the proposed works. She did not get any answers, she says, and her buyer consequently pulled out of the sale.
Work on the roof extension began in spring 2022. There were problems with the contractors from the start, says Laura: "Every time they were on site, something happened."
Workers were "throwing things off the roof" and putting the residents at risk, she adds. "I woke up one morning, they dropped something on our bedroom ceiling, and a piece of our ceiling fell down."
Holes started to appear in Kate's ceiling too. A temporary cover was put in place, but by summer 2022, this had begun to leak.
Kate feared her home was going to collapse and warned the freeholder.
"It was raining inside the building at that point," she says.
In August 2022, her ceiling fell in.
"My furniture, TV, sentimental belongings, photos and books were just absolutely destroyed," she says.
Kate says her home insurance company wouldn't pay out because the property had not been watertight.
Legal documents suggest that, as a "goodwill gesture", Magnitude offered to repair the damage if all claims against it were waived - an offer it said the leaseholders had "unreasonably" refused.
However, the leaseholders say they turned the offer down because the building work would have been carried out by the same contractors, without proof of warranty or insurance.
After the damage, most of the block's residents had to move out.
Magnitude later claimed in court that it had offered alternative accommodation while works continued, but the offer had not been taken up. Kate and Laura told us they dispute this.
Kate says she was forced to sleep on the floor at her parents' house. Tom and Laura moved in with friends in Coventry, 100 miles from Laura's place of work and the couple's home.
"My mental health plummeted," Laura says. "It was awful… it had such an impact that I just wasn't quite prepared for."
During that period, Laura became pregnant. She and Tom decided to return to their own flat even though works were still ongoing.
"We had a brand-new baby with bad lungs, and we wake up to a generator running above our heads and the absolutely stinking of petrol," says Laura.
Work on the block was halted by an HSE "prohibition notice" in March 2024.
There is a tribunal court system for leaseholder disputes, but the case brought by Kate, Laura and another leaseholder was heard in a civil court.
When the case started in April this year, the judge said he had received a letter informing him that the freeholder, Magnitude Developments Ltd, had commenced liquidation proceedings.
There is no suggestion that the insolvency process was in any way improper.
Court documents submitted before the hearing indicate that Magnitude sought to join
|
'It's ruined my life': Flat-owner says building work by freeholder has left her homeless
A mother and her teenage son are facing a fourth Christmas of homelessness after building contractors, working for the freeholder at their block of flats, left their home uninhabitable.
A botched roof extension caused the ceiling to collapse at Kate Morris's top-floor flat in Ashford, Surrey. A pigeon infestation followed, leaving every room covered in bird droppings.
"It's been devastating, it's completely ruined our lives," she says.
Kate is one of more than 1,000 leaseholders who have contacted the BBC in the past year about disputes and concerns involving the leasehold system.
Another flat on the top floor was also damaged by the works. The owners, Laura and Tom, still live in the block, although they have no idea how safe it is.
They have a small child, George, and say they hate the fact their "happy smiley baby" has to live there.
Work was stopped by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a number of safety breaches. The building remains unfinished and the surrounding land is littered with debris.
Kate, Laura, Tom and another leaseholder have tried to pursue the matter in the courts, but so far, they say they have had little to show for their efforts.
Earlier this year, the leaseholders were even ordered to pay £7,000 legal costs to the businessman they blamed for the works.
In 2021, Kate had been about to sell her two-bedroom flat. It was one of six properties in a two-storey block.
Weeks before the sale went through, she received what she describes as a "forthright" letter to say the building's freehold had been sold, with planning permission to build two more flats on the existing roof - in other words, directly above the flats owned by Kate, Laura and Tom.
As the law currently stands, the freeholder of a property generally owns the building and the land beneath it, outright and forever. Leaseholders effectively buy the right to live in the property for a fixed period of time.
The system has its origins in the Middle Ages, when rich landowners granted tenants the right to work an area of land.
Kate told us she wrote back to the new freeholder, Magnitude Developments Ltd, and its owner Ameen Raza, asking for clarity about the proposed works. She did not get any answers, she says, and her buyer consequently pulled out of the sale.
Work on the roof extension began in spring 2022. There were problems with the contractors from the start, says Laura: "Every time they were on site, something happened."
Workers were "throwing things off the roof" and putting the residents at risk, she adds. "I woke up one morning, they dropped something on our bedroom ceiling, and a piece of our ceiling fell down."
Holes started to appear in Kate's ceiling too. A temporary cover was put in place, but by summer 2022, this had begun to leak.
Kate feared her home was going to collapse and warned the freeholder.
"It was raining inside the building at that point," she says.
In August 2022, her ceiling fell in.
"My furniture, TV, sentimental belongings, photos and books were just absolutely destroyed," she says.
Kate says her home insurance company wouldn't pay out because the property had not been watertight.
Legal documents suggest that, as a "goodwill gesture", Magnitude offered to repair the damage if all claims against it were waived - an offer it said the leaseholders had "unreasonably" refused.
However, the leaseholders say they turned the offer down because the building work would have been carried out by the same contractors, without proof of warranty or insurance.
After the damage, most of the block's residents had to move out.
Magnitude later claimed in court that it had offered alternative accommodation while works continued, but the offer had not been taken up. Kate and Laura told us they dispute this.
Kate says she was forced to sleep on the floor at her parents' house. Tom and Laura moved in with friends in Coventry, 100 miles from Laura's place of work and the couple's home.
"My mental health plummeted," Laura says. "It was awful… it had such an impact that I just wasn't quite prepared for."
During that period, Laura became pregnant. She and Tom decided to return to their own flat even though works were still ongoing.
"We had a brand-new baby with bad lungs, and we wake up to a generator running above our heads and the absolutely stinking of petrol," says Laura.
Work on the block was halted by an HSE "prohibition notice" in March 2024.
There is a tribunal court system for leaseholder disputes, but the case brought by Kate, Laura and another leaseholder was heard in a civil court.
When the case started in April this year, the judge said he had received a letter informing him that the freeholder, Magnitude Developments Ltd, had commenced liquidation proceedings.
There is no suggestion that the insolvency process was in any way improper.
Court documents submitted before the hearing indicate that Magnitude sought to join its contractors to the legal action, alleging that they had failed to properly protect the structure from the elements while the works took place.
Magnitude was not represented in court, and the judge ordered it to pay more than £100,000 in damages to the leaseholders.
Since the company was in liquidation, the leaseholders tried to join Ameen Raza, its former director, to their legal complaint. Their barrister argued that although Magnitude was the legal freeholder, Mr Raza had exercised significant financial control.
A second judge in a later hearing accepted there were "serious concerns" in the case, but he denied the application to make Mr Raza personally liable.
Since the leaseholders' application had failed, he ordered them to pay Mr Raza's legal fees, amounting to £7,000.
Land Registry documents show that, by the time of the court case, Magnitude had already sold the building's freehold for £300,000.
It was bought in May 2024 by a company called Imperial Prime Properties Ltd, which had been in business since January that year.
Imperial Prime Properties Ltd was registered to a virtual office in central London. The BBC has not been able to find a website or phone number, and the company declined to comment in writing.
"Anybody can buy a freehold," says Katie Kendrick, founder of the National Leasehold Campaign, a group campaigning for changes to the law. "They are often sold at auctions."
The system needs overhauling, she believes, because it is too easy for freeholders to avoid being held to account if problems arise.
The leaseholders say they feel completely "powerless" and frustrated that individual directors or shareholders of freehold companies are not liable.
Tom says he feels the system has worked in favour of the former freehold company and Mr Raza personally. "He's hiding behind that corporate veil," he says.
Katie Kendrick believes "leaseholders cannot defend themselves in the same way that rich, deep-pocketed freeholders can".
The BBC has found almost £6.5m worth of property registered to Mr Raza's family. Almost £4m worth was sold in 2023 and 2024 to companies of which Ameen Raza was a director.
Public records also show Mr Raza's companies have earned at least £90,000 in the past five years from a local authority. His firms have provided accommodation to people subject to immigration control with no recourse to public funds, as well as a number of other social services.
Meanwhile, the leaseholders feel there is no protection for people like them.
"There's no-one. We're completely on our own," Kate says.
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act (Lafra), which aims to "strengthen" leaseholder rights in England and Wales, was fast-tracked through Parliament before the 2024 General Election but most of its measures haven't yet come into force.
We asked Housing Secretary Steve Reed when reforms would start protecting leaseholders like Kate, Laura and Tom.
He said he recognised that leasehold had been "a running sore" for years, and the government wanted to eliminate it within the term of this parliament. He added that announcements on further legislation were likely to be published before the end of 2025.
Kate and her son continue to live with her parents. She and the other leaseholders are still in litigation with the companies.
She says she is "incredibly angry and frustrated" that someone can "completely destroy someone's home and walk away".
We contacted Magnitude, Imperial Prime Properties Ltd and - via his barrister - Ameen Raza. All declined to comment.
The leaseholders' local authority, Spelthorne Borough Council, told the BBC it has removed the pigeons and carried out "pest-proofing" in the block, and said it would try to reclaim the cost from the freeholder.
However, the building is still incomplete, with gaps where windows should be, and the leaseholders are concerned the pigeons will return.
Only three out of the six flats in the block are now occupied. None of the leaseholders can sell their properties.
Laura and Tom remain, but say they feel trapped, and hate having to raise their son in a building that most people think is "derelict".
"We try and make the insides nice and liveable and colourful and exciting, but everything else is awful," says Laura.
"This is not what I want for my baby."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-12T05:54:16Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c17xp1dprn7o
|
{"title": "'It's ruined my life': Flat-owner says building work by freeholder has left her homeless"}
|
Catherine joined by stars and charity heroes for Christmas carol concert
The Princess of Wales has hosted her annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey, with guests including royals, celebrities and local heroes who have helped their communities.
In a festive Abbey, dotted with Christmas trees, the 1,600 guests heard a mix of traditional carols, music and poems from actors such as Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor - and a Bible reading from the pulpit by Prince William.
The theme of the service, held in the candle-lit Abbey, was kindness and showing love to others.
Among the guests were Anna and Jonathan Cordiner, whose daughter died of a brain tumour, and who set up a charity, Kayleigh's Wee Stars, to support families who have a child with a terminal illness.
Prince William, and the couple's children George, Charlotte and Louis, were greeted by Catherine outside the Abbey ahead of the service.
Wearing a long green Christmassy coat, Catherine met members of the congregation inside the Abbey, speaking to Holocaust survivor Steven Frank, as well as singer Katie Melua and actor Eugene Levy, who recently interviewed William in what was one of the most open discussions we've seen with the prince.
Catherine chatted to Dame Mary Berry, who had helped to make the Christmas wreaths that decorated the medieval Abbey.
The message of this year's concert was that in a fragmented and disconnected world, small acts of generosity and love can bring people and communities together.
"The time, care and compassion you give, often quietly and unspoken, and without any expectation or recognition, make an extraordinary difference to the lives of others," wrote Catherine, in a letter ahead of the carol service.
The princess has been making her own gradual return to public life after her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy, last month delivering her first public speech for two years, in which she talked about recognising the "quiet, often invisible work of caring".
The order of service, with its green ivy design, reflected an interest of Catherine's, with the quote "Love is enough" from the poetry of William Morris, the Victorian designer and social activist. The princess had admired Morris's work on a visit to the V&A East Storehouse.
Guests arriving at the Abbey were entertained by young musicians supported by the Future Talent charity, co-founded by the Duchess of Kent to widen access to music lessons.
The duchess, who died in September, had been a primary school music teacher and a great supporter of giving more young people opportunities to play music.
Carys Wood, aged 18, who plays the trumpet and is from Pembrokeshire, has been assisted by the charity, with grants helping towards musical instruments, lessons and travel costs - and she said it was "awesome" to be playing at the Westminster Abbey service.
"Music can be very expensive," Carys said. She is now studying at the Royal Academy of Music, and added that "everyone should have the opportunity" to develop their musical skills.
When Carys found out about how the duchess had supported music, she said: "I was amazed by what she'd done and that she'd worked as a teacher."
Carys's 13-year-old sister, Eliza, who plays the euphonium, also performed. "I never thought I'd be able to play there in front of so many important people," she said.
"Everyone should have a chance to play music."
In the middle of the Abbey there was a large crib set, showing the nativity scene, and that provided the setting for a performance by a Cornish sea shanty group, Fisherman's Friends, who sang a version of I Saw Three Ships.
The guests, with many carers and charity representatives, represented both older and younger generations.
That included Saphia Turner, aged nine, winner of the BBC's Make a Difference Young Hero Award, who sells artwork and carries out sponsored challenges to raise money for food banks.
D-Day veteran Jack Mortimer, who is 102 years old, also attended.
Among the musical performances were Katie Melua singing White Christmas, Dan Smith singing O Holy Night, Zac Abel sang Silent Night and choristers from Westminster Abbey singing traditional carols, ending with Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.
That wasn't quite the end.
A hot chocolate was offered on a cold London night to warm up guests, many of whom had travelled a long way for this taste of Christmas.
The Together at Christmas carol concert will be televised and shown on ITV1 on Christmas Eve.
|
Catherine joined by stars and charity heroes for Christmas carol concert
The Princess of Wales has hosted her annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey, with guests including royals, celebrities and local heroes who have helped their communities.
In a festive Abbey, dotted with Christmas trees, the 1,600 guests heard a mix of traditional carols, music and poems from actors such as Kate Winslet and Chiwetel Ejiofor - and a Bible reading from the pulpit by Prince William.
The theme of the service, held in the candle-lit Abbey, was kindness and showing love to others.
Among the guests were Anna and Jonathan Cordiner, whose daughter died of a brain tumour, and who set up a charity, Kayleigh's Wee Stars, to support families who have a child with a terminal illness.
Prince William, and the couple's children George, Charlotte and Louis, were greeted by Catherine outside the Abbey ahead of the service.
Wearing a long green Christmassy coat, Catherine met members of the congregation inside the Abbey, speaking to Holocaust survivor Steven Frank, as well as singer Katie Melua and actor Eugene Levy, who recently interviewed William in what was one of the most open discussions we've seen with the prince.
Catherine chatted to Dame Mary Berry, who had helped to make the Christmas wreaths that decorated the medieval Abbey.
The message of this year's concert was that in a fragmented and disconnected world, small acts of generosity and love can bring people and communities together.
"The time, care and compassion you give, often quietly and unspoken, and without any expectation or recognition, make an extraordinary difference to the lives of others," wrote Catherine, in a letter ahead of the carol service.
The princess has been making her own gradual return to public life after her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy, last month delivering her first public speech for two years, in which she talked about recognising the "quiet, often invisible work of caring".
The order of service, with its green ivy design, reflected an interest of Catherine's, with the quote "Love is enough" from the poetry of William Morris, the Victorian designer and social activist. The princess had admired Morris's work on a visit to the V&A East Storehouse.
Guests arriving at the Abbey were entertained by young musicians supported by the Future Talent charity, co-founded by the Duchess of Kent to widen access to music lessons.
The duchess, who died in September, had been a primary school music teacher and a great supporter of giving more young people opportunities to play music.
Carys Wood, aged 18, who plays the trumpet and is from Pembrokeshire, has been assisted by the charity, with grants helping towards musical instruments, lessons and travel costs - and she said it was "awesome" to be playing at the Westminster Abbey service.
"Music can be very expensive," Carys said. She is now studying at the Royal Academy of Music, and added that "everyone should have the opportunity" to develop their musical skills.
When Carys found out about how the duchess had supported music, she said: "I was amazed by what she'd done and that she'd worked as a teacher."
Carys's 13-year-old sister, Eliza, who plays the euphonium, also performed. "I never thought I'd be able to play there in front of so many important people," she said.
"Everyone should have a chance to play music."
In the middle of the Abbey there was a large crib set, showing the nativity scene, and that provided the setting for a performance by a Cornish sea shanty group, Fisherman's Friends, who sang a version of I Saw Three Ships.
The guests, with many carers and charity representatives, represented both older and younger generations.
That included Saphia Turner, aged nine, winner of the BBC's Make a Difference Young Hero Award, who sells artwork and carries out sponsored challenges to raise money for food banks.
D-Day veteran Jack Mortimer, who is 102 years old, also attended.
Among the musical performances were Katie Melua singing White Christmas, Dan Smith singing O Holy Night, Zac Abel sang Silent Night and choristers from Westminster Abbey singing traditional carols, ending with Hark! the Herald Angels Sing.
That wasn't quite the end.
A hot chocolate was offered on a cold London night to warm up guests, many of whom had travelled a long way for this taste of Christmas.
The Together at Christmas carol concert will be televised and shown on ITV1 on Christmas Eve.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T16:25:50Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn41lqjlw3wo
|
{"title": "Catherine joined by stars and charity heroes for Christmas carol concert"}
|
Girl, 11, stars in film with Kiefer Sutherland
An 11-year-old girl from West Yorkshire has described working with Hollywood A-listers in a new Christmas film as "amazing".
Matilda Firth, from Cleckheaton, plays Kiefer Sutherland's character's daughter in Tinsel Town, which also stars Rebel Wilson.
Filming wrapped earlier in the year, with some of the production shot in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
"Every day on the set was incredible, they taught me so much," she told the BBC.
The film sees Sutherland play Bradley Mac, a failed Hollywood action star who takes on a role in a small English village's eccentric production of Cinderella.
Matilda described her fellow actors as "all so nice", adding that she loved working with Sutherland in particular.
“He was really professional, really funny, really kind," she said.
”He is in the top 10 nicest people I have ever met in the world."
The cast and crew were spotted in Knaresborough locations including Castlegate, Riverside, and Green Dragon Yard.
Danny Dyer, Derek Jacobi and Jason Manford also appear in the production.
The town was decorated in festive lights during filming in February, with the young star feeling during that shoot that it was “Christmas all over again”.
Matilda said filming in Knaresborough gave her the chance to go home, catch up with friends and see her two pet kittens, Newt and Ripley.
Her growing CV already includes appearances in new horror film Wolfman and ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
Matilda said she was excited for the film's release so that her friends could watch it.
Her two brothers also act and her other credits include Netflix's The English Game - which was filmed in Bradford - and a McDonald's Christmas advert.
She has worked alongside other famous names such as Patrick Dempsey, Ryan Gosling, Julia Garner and Matt Smith.
Tinsel Town was released on 5 December.
|
Girl, 11, stars in film with Kiefer Sutherland
An 11-year-old girl from West Yorkshire has described working with Hollywood A-listers in a new Christmas film as "amazing".
Matilda Firth, from Cleckheaton, plays Kiefer Sutherland's character's daughter in Tinsel Town, which also stars Rebel Wilson.
Filming wrapped earlier in the year, with some of the production shot in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
"Every day on the set was incredible, they taught me so much," she told the BBC.
The film sees Sutherland play Bradley Mac, a failed Hollywood action star who takes on a role in a small English village's eccentric production of Cinderella.
Matilda described her fellow actors as "all so nice", adding that she loved working with Sutherland in particular.
“He was really professional, really funny, really kind," she said.
”He is in the top 10 nicest people I have ever met in the world."
The cast and crew were spotted in Knaresborough locations including Castlegate, Riverside, and Green Dragon Yard.
Danny Dyer, Derek Jacobi and Jason Manford also appear in the production.
The town was decorated in festive lights during filming in February, with the young star feeling during that shoot that it was “Christmas all over again”.
Matilda said filming in Knaresborough gave her the chance to go home, catch up with friends and see her two pet kittens, Newt and Ripley.
Her growing CV already includes appearances in new horror film Wolfman and ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
Matilda said she was excited for the film's release so that her friends could watch it.
Her two brothers also act and her other credits include Netflix's The English Game - which was filmed in Bradford - and a McDonald's Christmas advert.
She has worked alongside other famous names such as Patrick Dempsey, Ryan Gosling, Julia Garner and Matt Smith.
Tinsel Town was released on 5 December.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T07:24:17Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgkv4vzp74o
|
{"title": "Girl, 11, stars in film with Kiefer Sutherland"}
|
Royal Navy shadows Russian submarine through English Channel
The Royal Navy says it has tracked a Russian submarine through the English Channel to "safeguard" UK waters.
A tanker shadowed the Russian Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar as it sailed on the surface from the North Sea, through the Strait of Dover and into the English Channel, it said.
The Royal Navy added that it had been prepared to "pivot to anti-submarine operations" if Krasnodar had dived below the surface.
The incident is the latest in a series of instances of Russian naval activity in UK waters. The government says there has been a 30% increase in Russian vessels threatening UK waters in the past two years - though Russia says the UK is the one being provocative.
The Russian submarine and its tugboat Altay were tracked by Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) tanker Tidesurge carrying a specialist Merlin helicopter aboard, as part of a three-day operation.
It said this was part of the government's commitment to "safeguard the integrity of UK waters and protect national security", the Royal Navy said.
Capt James Allen, commanding officer of RFA Tidesurge, said the vessel had provided "a show of presence and deterrence as we transited from the North Sea to the English Channel".
The navy continued to shadow the Russian submarine and its tugboat until it approached the north-west of France, at which point tracking of it was handed over to a Nato ally.
This week, Defence Secretary John Healey announced the government's Atlantic Bastion programme, which aims to secure the UK's undersea cables and pipelines from Russian threats - though critics say the navy lacks sufficient resources to do the job properly.
It was revealed a month after Healey said a Russian spy ship had pointed lasers at RAF pilots tracking its activity near UK waters.
The UK said the ship was being used for gathering intelligence and mapping undersea cables.
"We see you. We know what you are doing. And we are ready," Healey said in a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian embassy has previously said it was "not interested in British underwater communications" and urged the UK to "hold off taking any destructive steps which might aggravate the crisis situation on the European continent".
Meanwhile in the House Commons, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has warned MPs about Russian-linked attempts to target them on WhatsApp and other apps.
In a letter, seen by the Press Association, the Speaker said there were a rising number of phishing attempts - where a hostile actor attempts to trick people into sharing sensitive information or accessing their accounts - on platforms like Signal and WhatsApp which are used by MPs and UK officials.
A government spokesperson said: "The National Cyber Security Centre is working with partners in government and UK Parliament in response to recent targeting against commercial messaging apps including Signal and WhatsApp."
|
Royal Navy shadows Russian submarine through English Channel
The Royal Navy says it has tracked a Russian submarine through the English Channel to "safeguard" UK waters.
A tanker shadowed the Russian Kilo-class submarine Krasnodar as it sailed on the surface from the North Sea, through the Strait of Dover and into the English Channel, it said.
The Royal Navy added that it had been prepared to "pivot to anti-submarine operations" if Krasnodar had dived below the surface.
The incident is the latest in a series of instances of Russian naval activity in UK waters. The government says there has been a 30% increase in Russian vessels threatening UK waters in the past two years - though Russia says the UK is the one being provocative.
The Russian submarine and its tugboat Altay were tracked by Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) tanker Tidesurge carrying a specialist Merlin helicopter aboard, as part of a three-day operation.
It said this was part of the government's commitment to "safeguard the integrity of UK waters and protect national security", the Royal Navy said.
Capt James Allen, commanding officer of RFA Tidesurge, said the vessel had provided "a show of presence and deterrence as we transited from the North Sea to the English Channel".
The navy continued to shadow the Russian submarine and its tugboat until it approached the north-west of France, at which point tracking of it was handed over to a Nato ally.
This week, Defence Secretary John Healey announced the government's Atlantic Bastion programme, which aims to secure the UK's undersea cables and pipelines from Russian threats - though critics say the navy lacks sufficient resources to do the job properly.
It was revealed a month after Healey said a Russian spy ship had pointed lasers at RAF pilots tracking its activity near UK waters.
The UK said the ship was being used for gathering intelligence and mapping undersea cables.
"We see you. We know what you are doing. And we are ready," Healey said in a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian embassy has previously said it was "not interested in British underwater communications" and urged the UK to "hold off taking any destructive steps which might aggravate the crisis situation on the European continent".
Meanwhile in the House Commons, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has warned MPs about Russian-linked attempts to target them on WhatsApp and other apps.
In a letter, seen by the Press Association, the Speaker said there were a rising number of phishing attempts - where a hostile actor attempts to trick people into sharing sensitive information or accessing their accounts - on platforms like Signal and WhatsApp which are used by MPs and UK officials.
A government spokesperson said: "The National Cyber Security Centre is working with partners in government and UK Parliament in response to recent targeting against commercial messaging apps including Signal and WhatsApp."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-11T19:14:31Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2v7j4mmgzo
|
{"title": "Royal Navy shadows Russian submarine through English Channel"}
|
MAFS's Davide on 'healing' after split from husband
Star of Channel 4's Married at First Sight UK (MAFS) Davide Anica has gone back to therapy and wishes his now ex-husband "all the best" after they appeared together on the programme.
Anica, who lives in Horsham, West Sussex, met and wed Keye Luke on the show, which sees strangers marry when they are introduced for the first time at the altar.
But the couple began arguing soon after leaving "the bubble of the experiment", and the marriage finally collapsed when Anica caught Luke on the dating app Grindr.
Anica said: "There's no relationship without trust and if I cannot trust him, there's no way we can rekindle things. That chapter is closed. I wish him all the best."
Cabin crew member Anica became a hit with fans - not least for his under-eye skin care patches.
"We're filming at ridiculous times so these became my life-savers," he told BBC Radio Sussex.
"[Keye and I] were really good, during the experiement we both really wanted it to work and you can see that we put in the work, we are there for each other.
"It was a beautiful love story and looking back at it as well, while I was watching it, it was just so beautiful."
But the pair had split before the show went to air, and Anica said he had been using that time "to heal".
"I think that's exactly what I needed to do, heal and prepare for the show airing because as you can imagine, watching it while you're a little bit heartbroken, it was really hard," he said.
"We were having issues after the show, it was a very difficult time for us.
"What happened that broke the camel's back in the end was the dating app, me finding him on a dating app while I was away working."
Anica said he had "a feeling" Luke was on the dating app, and he said his suspicions were confirmed when he went to check.
"I had to save myself from being in the same position that I was before, and not become a paranoid person," he said.
"I knew I would have trust issues for the rest of my life if I would continue that relationship."
|
MAFS's Davide on 'healing' after split from husband
Star of Channel 4's Married at First Sight UK (MAFS) Davide Anica has gone back to therapy and wishes his now ex-husband "all the best" after they appeared together on the programme.
Anica, who lives in Horsham, West Sussex, met and wed Keye Luke on the show, which sees strangers marry when they are introduced for the first time at the altar.
But the couple began arguing soon after leaving "the bubble of the experiment", and the marriage finally collapsed when Anica caught Luke on the dating app Grindr.
Anica said: "There's no relationship without trust and if I cannot trust him, there's no way we can rekindle things. That chapter is closed. I wish him all the best."
Cabin crew member Anica became a hit with fans - not least for his under-eye skin care patches.
"We're filming at ridiculous times so these became my life-savers," he told BBC Radio Sussex.
"[Keye and I] were really good, during the experiement we both really wanted it to work and you can see that we put in the work, we are there for each other.
"It was a beautiful love story and looking back at it as well, while I was watching it, it was just so beautiful."
But the pair had split before the show went to air, and Anica said he had been using that time "to heal".
"I think that's exactly what I needed to do, heal and prepare for the show airing because as you can imagine, watching it while you're a little bit heartbroken, it was really hard," he said.
"We were having issues after the show, it was a very difficult time for us.
"What happened that broke the camel's back in the end was the dating app, me finding him on a dating app while I was away working."
Anica said he had "a feeling" Luke was on the dating app, and he said his suspicions were confirmed when he went to check.
"I had to save myself from being in the same position that I was before, and not become a paranoid person," he said.
"I knew I would have trust issues for the rest of my life if I would continue that relationship."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T07:08:58Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g63xp0yqvo
|
{"title": "MAFS's Davide on 'healing' after split from husband"}
|
What Putin and Modi got out of Delhi meeting
Russian President Vladimir Putin will wind up a packed day in India at the place where he began his official engagements - with a banquet at the president's house, where he received a guard of honour in the morning.
In between, he held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attended a business forum and announced the launch of Russia Today, a Kremlin-funded state-controlled TV network.
The Russian leader has faced diplomatic isolation since the Ukraine war began in 2022 and the red carpet laid down by Delhi would have sent a strong message to the West.
But what exactly did Delhi and Moscow get out of the visit? Here's our take:
By Steve Rosenberg
First, about the welcome Vladimir Putin received.
The Russians loved it.
"A cavalcade, volleys of cannons and a marble throne room," wrote the ultra pro-Kremlin news site Komsomolskaya Pravda on Friday. "How Vladimir Putin was greeted in an Indian palace with 340 rooms."
So much for Western efforts to turn President Putin into a pariah for his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
When it comes to deals done, there are fewer of those than rooms in the palace.
But still enough for Russia and India to be able to trumpet their "special and privileged strategic partnership" and for President Putin to hail efforts to expand cooperation.
Agreements like the Russia-India economic cooperation programme.
An agreement involving critical minerals and supply chains.
Pharmaceuticals, too. A Russian-Indian pharmaceutical factory will be built in Russia's Kaluga region.
But what about the most talked about - and sensitive - issues?
First, oil.
India has been buying large volumes of Russian oil. These purchases have been a major support for Russia's sanctioned economy.
Much to the annoyance of America. It accuses India of helping to finance the Kremlin's war chest. So, through heavy tariffs on Indian goods, the Trump administration has been exerting pressure on Delhi to stop purchasing Russian energy.
On Friday, Putin emphasised that Moscow is ready to ensure uninterrupted oil supplies to India.
But no details have been announced. It feels like the ball is in India's court to decide what comes next.
Then there's the question of Russian weapons and defence systems.
Ahead of Putin's visit, there was much speculation: Is India about to purchase state-of-the-art Russian fighter jets and air defence systems?
No defence deal was announced.
That may be a sign of the balancing act India has to perform - between its relationship with Moscow and ties with Washington.
On Friday, all eyes were on the pomp and ceremony (and palaces) and deals done and announced.
But I'd love to know what was discussed last night in what the Russians are calling the "informal dinner" between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi.
According to Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, that was "one of the key points of the visit".
Ushakov told the Russian government paper Rossiyskaya Gazeta that "during such confidential face-to-face contacts, the most urgent, most sensitive and most important issues of both bilateral relations and the international situation are discussed".
"Politics is made at these kind of meetings."
By Vikas Pandey
The visit was high on optics - it all started with the famous Modi hug at the airport. It's not usual for the Indian prime minister to receive global leaders at the airport but he did that for Putin.
That shows how much Modi values India's time-tested partnership with Russia, as well as his bonhomie with Putin.
But the pomp and show of big ceremonies didn't result in big deals. There was no major defence deal, or an agreement to enable India to continue importing discounted Russian crude.
After the ceremonies, it was time for the leaders to give their remarks.
As they read out their statements, what stood out first was the conspicuous display of mutual respect. The second was the absence of any blockbuster announcement.
But what became clearer from their remarks was that trade was at the epicentre of this visit.
Russia is reeling under Western sanctions and India is facing 50% tariffs from Washington.
They both need alternative markets to boost their economies. Both countries see each other as big markets and there also seems to be an understanding that their economic partnership has underperformed for decades.
Their current trade volume of $68.72bn, up from $8.1bn in 2020, has hugely relied on India's purchase of discounted Russian oil.
Russia would like this to continue but when Putin said that Moscow was ready to continue "uninterrupted shipments" of fuel, it was a gentle nudge to Modi and India to not give into the White House's demands.
India is under pressure from Trump to stop buying oil from Russia. Now it will be interesting to see how Modi manages to achieve the impossible - that is to continue buying oil from Russia and get a trade deal with Trump at the same time.
But beyond defence and oil, the two countries announced many
|
What Putin and Modi got out of Delhi meeting
Russian President Vladimir Putin will wind up a packed day in India at the place where he began his official engagements - with a banquet at the president's house, where he received a guard of honour in the morning.
In between, he held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attended a business forum and announced the launch of Russia Today, a Kremlin-funded state-controlled TV network.
The Russian leader has faced diplomatic isolation since the Ukraine war began in 2022 and the red carpet laid down by Delhi would have sent a strong message to the West.
But what exactly did Delhi and Moscow get out of the visit? Here's our take:
By Steve Rosenberg
First, about the welcome Vladimir Putin received.
The Russians loved it.
"A cavalcade, volleys of cannons and a marble throne room," wrote the ultra pro-Kremlin news site Komsomolskaya Pravda on Friday. "How Vladimir Putin was greeted in an Indian palace with 340 rooms."
So much for Western efforts to turn President Putin into a pariah for his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
When it comes to deals done, there are fewer of those than rooms in the palace.
But still enough for Russia and India to be able to trumpet their "special and privileged strategic partnership" and for President Putin to hail efforts to expand cooperation.
Agreements like the Russia-India economic cooperation programme.
An agreement involving critical minerals and supply chains.
Pharmaceuticals, too. A Russian-Indian pharmaceutical factory will be built in Russia's Kaluga region.
But what about the most talked about - and sensitive - issues?
First, oil.
India has been buying large volumes of Russian oil. These purchases have been a major support for Russia's sanctioned economy.
Much to the annoyance of America. It accuses India of helping to finance the Kremlin's war chest. So, through heavy tariffs on Indian goods, the Trump administration has been exerting pressure on Delhi to stop purchasing Russian energy.
On Friday, Putin emphasised that Moscow is ready to ensure uninterrupted oil supplies to India.
But no details have been announced. It feels like the ball is in India's court to decide what comes next.
Then there's the question of Russian weapons and defence systems.
Ahead of Putin's visit, there was much speculation: Is India about to purchase state-of-the-art Russian fighter jets and air defence systems?
No defence deal was announced.
That may be a sign of the balancing act India has to perform - between its relationship with Moscow and ties with Washington.
On Friday, all eyes were on the pomp and ceremony (and palaces) and deals done and announced.
But I'd love to know what was discussed last night in what the Russians are calling the "informal dinner" between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi.
According to Putin's foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, that was "one of the key points of the visit".
Ushakov told the Russian government paper Rossiyskaya Gazeta that "during such confidential face-to-face contacts, the most urgent, most sensitive and most important issues of both bilateral relations and the international situation are discussed".
"Politics is made at these kind of meetings."
By Vikas Pandey
The visit was high on optics - it all started with the famous Modi hug at the airport. It's not usual for the Indian prime minister to receive global leaders at the airport but he did that for Putin.
That shows how much Modi values India's time-tested partnership with Russia, as well as his bonhomie with Putin.
But the pomp and show of big ceremonies didn't result in big deals. There was no major defence deal, or an agreement to enable India to continue importing discounted Russian crude.
After the ceremonies, it was time for the leaders to give their remarks.
As they read out their statements, what stood out first was the conspicuous display of mutual respect. The second was the absence of any blockbuster announcement.
But what became clearer from their remarks was that trade was at the epicentre of this visit.
Russia is reeling under Western sanctions and India is facing 50% tariffs from Washington.
They both need alternative markets to boost their economies. Both countries see each other as big markets and there also seems to be an understanding that their economic partnership has underperformed for decades.
Their current trade volume of $68.72bn, up from $8.1bn in 2020, has hugely relied on India's purchase of discounted Russian oil.
Russia would like this to continue but when Putin said that Moscow was ready to continue "uninterrupted shipments" of fuel, it was a gentle nudge to Modi and India to not give into the White House's demands.
India is under pressure from Trump to stop buying oil from Russia. Now it will be interesting to see how Modi manages to achieve the impossible - that is to continue buying oil from Russia and get a trade deal with Trump at the same time.
But beyond defence and oil, the two countries announced many deals in other sectors.
Deals and memorandums have been signed in shipbuilding, training of Indian seafarers to operate in polar waters, investments in new shipping lanes, civil nuclear energy, visa-free travel and critical minerals.
Modi stressed a lot on boosting business ties between the two countries which reflects India's quest to find newer markets.
He also mentioned the progress made in concluding India's potential free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
When concluded, the deal will enable Russia, India and other members to explore each other's markets.
The leaders also spoke about a five-year economic framework that will enable the two countries to reach their target of $100bn in bilateral trade.
It's an ambitious target, especially if discounted oil is taken out of the equation. And that could be the reason why there was so much stress on boosting bilateral trade in many different areas.
And finally, the absence of a big-ticket defence deal doesn't limit Russia's role in Indian armed forces. Moscow will continue to be the most important player for India's defence needs, as it has been for decades.
What is worth noting is that India hasn't said much publicly about its intention to buy the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter aircraft, which it needs to fill critical gaps in its air force.
What India might have demanded is the timely delivery of its defence orders. The delivery of the remaining units of its current order of the S-400 air defence system is running late.
But that's something Russia might find hard to promise, given that vast amounts of its defence resources are being spent in Ukraine at the moment.
That, however, doesn't mean that their negotiations about the jet or other major defence deals are not continuing in the background.
It's just that this visit seems to be all about trade.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T12:49:01Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c773v133xnxo
|
{"title": "What Putin and Modi got out of Delhi meeting"}
|
Trump administration says Europe faces 'civilisational erasure'
US President Donald Trump's administration has warned that Europe faces "civilisational erasure" and questioned whether certain nations can remain reliable allies, in a new strategy document that puts a particular focus on the continent.
The 33-page National Security Strategy sees the US leader outline his vision for the world and how he will wield US military and economic power to work towards it.
Trump described the document as a "roadmap" to ensure the US remains "the greatest and most successful nation in human history".
European politicians have begun to react, with Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul saying his country did not need "outside advice".
A formal National Security Strategy is typically released by presidents once per term. It can form a framework for future policies and budgets, as well as signalling to the world where the president's priorities lie.
The new document follows similar rhetoric to Trump's speech to the UN earlier this year, where he had harsh criticism for western Europe and its approach to migration and clean energy.
The new report doubles down on Trump's point of view, calling for the restoration of "Western identity", combatting foreign influence, ending mass migration, and focusing more on US priorities such as stopping drug cartels.
Focusing on Europe, it asserts that if current trends continue the continent would be "unrecognisable in 20 years or less" and its economic issues are "eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilisational erasure".
"It is far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies," the document states.
It also accused the EU and "other transnational bodies" of carrying out activities that "undermine political liberty and sovereignty".
It said migration policies were "creating strife" and that other issues included "censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition, cratering birthrates, and loss of national identities and self-confidence".
Conversely, the document hails the growing influence of "patriotic European parties" and says "America encourages its political allies in Europe to promote this revival of spirit".
The Trump administration has fostered links with the far-right AfD party in Germany, which has been classified as extreme right by German intelligence.
Germany's Wadephul stressed that the "United States is and will remain our most important ally in the [Nato] alliance", but said "this alliance, however, is focused on addressing security policy issues".
"I believe questions of freedom of expression or the organisation of our free societies do not belong [in the strategy], in any case at least when it comes to Germany," he added.
Referring to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the document says Europe has a lack of "self-confidence" in its relationship with Russia.
Managing European relations with Russia will require significant US involvement, the document says, adding it is a core US interest for hostilities in Ukraine to end.
The Trump administration has proposed a plan to end the war, the original version of which called for Ukraine to hand over some territory to the de facto control of Russia.
However, Trump's envoy has presented a modified version in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it by force.
The White House strategy document repeatedly references the Western Hemisphere, and the need for the US to protect itself from outside threats.
The document says there must be a readjustment of "our global military presence to address urgent threats in our Hemisphere". To do this, the strategy calls for moving assets away from theatres which are less important to American national security than they once were.
This re-prioritising of military power can be seen already in the Caribbean, where the US military has a growing presence and has carried out repeated deadly strikes on boats which the government alleges are carrying drugs. The world's largest warship, the USS Gerald Ford, is currently based in the Caribbean along with its strike group.
Away from the western hemisphere, the Trump administration singles out the South China Sea as a key shipping passage that has major implications for the US economy, and the document says the US will "harden and strengthen our military presence in the Western Pacific".
The US also calls on an increased defence spending from Japan, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan.
It says "deterring a conflict over Taiwan, ideally by preserving military overmatch, is a priority". China views self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to "reunite" with it.
The strategy also talks of pushing for a stronger industrial base in the US and less reliance on foreign technologies, which matches some
|
Trump administration says Europe faces 'civilisational erasure'
US President Donald Trump's administration has warned that Europe faces "civilisational erasure" and questioned whether certain nations can remain reliable allies, in a new strategy document that puts a particular focus on the continent.
The 33-page National Security Strategy sees the US leader outline his vision for the world and how he will wield US military and economic power to work towards it.
Trump described the document as a "roadmap" to ensure the US remains "the greatest and most successful nation in human history".
European politicians have begun to react, with Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul saying his country did not need "outside advice".
A formal National Security Strategy is typically released by presidents once per term. It can form a framework for future policies and budgets, as well as signalling to the world where the president's priorities lie.
The new document follows similar rhetoric to Trump's speech to the UN earlier this year, where he had harsh criticism for western Europe and its approach to migration and clean energy.
The new report doubles down on Trump's point of view, calling for the restoration of "Western identity", combatting foreign influence, ending mass migration, and focusing more on US priorities such as stopping drug cartels.
Focusing on Europe, it asserts that if current trends continue the continent would be "unrecognisable in 20 years or less" and its economic issues are "eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilisational erasure".
"It is far from obvious whether certain European countries will have economies and militaries strong enough to remain reliable allies," the document states.
It also accused the EU and "other transnational bodies" of carrying out activities that "undermine political liberty and sovereignty".
It said migration policies were "creating strife" and that other issues included "censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition, cratering birthrates, and loss of national identities and self-confidence".
Conversely, the document hails the growing influence of "patriotic European parties" and says "America encourages its political allies in Europe to promote this revival of spirit".
The Trump administration has fostered links with the far-right AfD party in Germany, which has been classified as extreme right by German intelligence.
Germany's Wadephul stressed that the "United States is and will remain our most important ally in the [Nato] alliance", but said "this alliance, however, is focused on addressing security policy issues".
"I believe questions of freedom of expression or the organisation of our free societies do not belong [in the strategy], in any case at least when it comes to Germany," he added.
Referring to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the document says Europe has a lack of "self-confidence" in its relationship with Russia.
Managing European relations with Russia will require significant US involvement, the document says, adding it is a core US interest for hostilities in Ukraine to end.
The Trump administration has proposed a plan to end the war, the original version of which called for Ukraine to hand over some territory to the de facto control of Russia.
However, Trump's envoy has presented a modified version in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Ukrainian troops must withdraw from Ukraine's eastern Donbas region or Russia will seize it by force.
The White House strategy document repeatedly references the Western Hemisphere, and the need for the US to protect itself from outside threats.
The document says there must be a readjustment of "our global military presence to address urgent threats in our Hemisphere". To do this, the strategy calls for moving assets away from theatres which are less important to American national security than they once were.
This re-prioritising of military power can be seen already in the Caribbean, where the US military has a growing presence and has carried out repeated deadly strikes on boats which the government alleges are carrying drugs. The world's largest warship, the USS Gerald Ford, is currently based in the Caribbean along with its strike group.
Away from the western hemisphere, the Trump administration singles out the South China Sea as a key shipping passage that has major implications for the US economy, and the document says the US will "harden and strengthen our military presence in the Western Pacific".
The US also calls on an increased defence spending from Japan, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan.
It says "deterring a conflict over Taiwan, ideally by preserving military overmatch, is a priority". China views self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to "reunite" with it.
The strategy also talks of pushing for a stronger industrial base in the US and less reliance on foreign technologies, which matches some of the moves the Trump administration has taken with its sweeping global tariffs.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T12:07:34Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c04vdengk3do
|
{"title": "Trump administration says Europe faces 'civilisational erasure'"}
|
Waste mountain clearance to 'begin imminently'
Planning work to clear a mountain of fly-tipped waste in Oxfordshire is set to begin after fire risk had been detected at the site.
The Environment Agency (EA) said it had started preparations to clear the site near Kidlington, Oxfordshire, which would "begin imminently".
The EA said "an exceptional decision has been made" to clear the site entirely following advice from the Fire and Rescue Services.
MP for Bicester and Woodstock Calum Miller said he was "delighted" at the news.
The mound of rubbish is made of what appears to be processed domestic waste, shredded plastics, polystyrene, tyres and other household items, and stretches for about 150m (490ft) through a field alongside the A34.
Fly-tippers are thought to have been building up the waste since the summer.
The landowner of the neighbouring site said he saw truckloads being dumped there every night for months.
Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management Dan Cooke previously said more than £500,000 in profit could have been made from the illegally dumped waste.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously said "all available powers" would be used to make those responsible pay for the clean-up.
The EA said it was "not legally responsible" nor funded for clearing illegal waste.
"While the organisation continues to support the principle that the criminals responsible should cover the costs of clearance, it retains the power to take action in wholly exceptional circumstances," it added.
It said the Fire and Rescue Services had provided "additional advice" of the possibility of fire on the site, causing widespread impacts on the community, such as raising air quality issues from the smoke.
The EA said the scale of that risk "sets this case apart from other illegal waste dumps in England and presents an overriding public imperative".
The agency's chief executive Philip Duffy said they were working with local partners through "the most effective way to manage this work".
He said the "brazen criminality at Kidlington has appalled all of us".
"We will update the public on progress with that as soon as we are able."
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said she "strongly welcome the decision".
"I will continue working with them to make sure that those responsible pay for their crimes."
The EA said it expected to fund the clearance efforts "through making efficiencies in its operations, without impacting or scaling back any of its other services".
Mr Miller said: "I am delighted that the Government and the Environment Agency have taken on board the responsibility to clear this site.
"It's what local campaigners and I have been asking for ever since we became aware of the scale of this dumping next to the River Cherwell.
"I look forward now to hearing the timetable by which the site will be cleared."
|
Waste mountain clearance to 'begin imminently'
Planning work to clear a mountain of fly-tipped waste in Oxfordshire is set to begin after fire risk had been detected at the site.
The Environment Agency (EA) said it had started preparations to clear the site near Kidlington, Oxfordshire, which would "begin imminently".
The EA said "an exceptional decision has been made" to clear the site entirely following advice from the Fire and Rescue Services.
MP for Bicester and Woodstock Calum Miller said he was "delighted" at the news.
The mound of rubbish is made of what appears to be processed domestic waste, shredded plastics, polystyrene, tyres and other household items, and stretches for about 150m (490ft) through a field alongside the A34.
Fly-tippers are thought to have been building up the waste since the summer.
The landowner of the neighbouring site said he saw truckloads being dumped there every night for months.
Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management Dan Cooke previously said more than £500,000 in profit could have been made from the illegally dumped waste.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously said "all available powers" would be used to make those responsible pay for the clean-up.
The EA said it was "not legally responsible" nor funded for clearing illegal waste.
"While the organisation continues to support the principle that the criminals responsible should cover the costs of clearance, it retains the power to take action in wholly exceptional circumstances," it added.
It said the Fire and Rescue Services had provided "additional advice" of the possibility of fire on the site, causing widespread impacts on the community, such as raising air quality issues from the smoke.
The EA said the scale of that risk "sets this case apart from other illegal waste dumps in England and presents an overriding public imperative".
The agency's chief executive Philip Duffy said they were working with local partners through "the most effective way to manage this work".
He said the "brazen criminality at Kidlington has appalled all of us".
"We will update the public on progress with that as soon as we are able."
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said she "strongly welcome the decision".
"I will continue working with them to make sure that those responsible pay for their crimes."
The EA said it expected to fund the clearance efforts "through making efficiencies in its operations, without impacting or scaling back any of its other services".
Mr Miller said: "I am delighted that the Government and the Environment Agency have taken on board the responsibility to clear this site.
"It's what local campaigners and I have been asking for ever since we became aware of the scale of this dumping next to the River Cherwell.
"I look forward now to hearing the timetable by which the site will be cleared."
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bbc_news
|
2025-12-11T17:03:00Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czj0prvlp30o
|
{"title": "Waste mountain clearance to 'begin imminently'"}
|
'Give me Messi' - fans react to World Cup draw at US watch party
At a viewing party in Philadelphia, dozens of football fans from around the world took refuge from frigid conditions as they watched the draw for next summer's men's World Cup on dozens of TVs.
The glitzy event some 140 miles away at the John F Kennedy Center in Washington DC was attended by the leaders of the three co-hosts: US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Fans here waited with bated breath as sports stars, including hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and NFL great Tom Brady, drew the teams on Friday.
US fans screamed in excitement at being drawn with Australia and Paraguay, but Colombia fans groaned with despair when basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal paired them with Portugal in Group K.
"I feel like the United States has a pretty good chance with the group we are in," Jim House from Atlantic City told the BBC.
"There are definitely some tougher groups out there that I'm glad we're not in," he said. "I feel pretty positive."
Chris Day, who is from Philadelphia, agreed that the co-hosts have a winnable group.
"If they don't make it to the Round of 16, it is a failure," Day, who has secured tickets to all six matches that will be played in Philadelphia, said.
For Colombia fan Julio Mahecha, a group including Portugal might be tough, but he said "if you are going to win, you will have to prove yourself".
Ahead of the draw, he told the BBC he was hoping Colombia would be drawn with high-ranked teams such as Germany. "I would rather play a bigger team because Colombia tends to [lose] when we play smaller teams."
"I'm of the belief that if you're going to be the World Cup champion, it should be tough. To hold that trophy up, they have to deserve it," he said.
When Gretzky drew Jordan in Argentina's group, Hassan Shaaban excitedly screamed "Give me Messi!" in reference to the defending champion's captain.
"We know Messi is one of the GOATs of the sport," he said.
"Saudi Arabia did it four years ago, so why can't we?," Shaaban said, referring to the 2-1 upset at the last tournament in 2022, when the Saudis beat the eventual winners Argentina in the group stage.
Shaaban said the draw would be a major boost for the debutantes. "For our country to go up against Argentina, the World Cup champions, in our first time at a World Cup, it's huge for the football culture in the country. So this will only grow the sport," he said.
Fans wearing the jerseys of the national teams they support mingled with one another at the venue, and there was occasional confusion during the draw about why some teams had been skipped, prompting fans to confer.
Ecuadorian fan Wilson Velez said he was "not at all" worried about his team's draw with four-time winners Germany, African champions Ivory Coast, and newcomers Curacao in Group E.
"I believe we have great players, we have a great coach, I think it's going to be something very interesting," he said. "We are looking forward. There's no more being afraid... we are happy about this."
Christine Titih is a fan of Cameroon, which has caused upsets at the World Cup before, beating Argentina in 1990 and Brazil in 2022.
But since they will not be at the tournament next summer, she is lending her support to South Africa who will face Mexico in the opening match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on 11 June.
"I think we have a good chance, definitely," she told the BBC after the draw.
Besides the co-hosts, South Africa are drawn with South Korea and the winner of a European qualifying play-off. Denmark, Republic of Ireland, North Macedonia or the Czech Republic could take the final spot in that group.
Gerry Grace of Ireland is hopeful her nation will prevail against a "tough" Denmark team in the play-offs to make it to North America. If they do, he believes they can even top the group.
"It looks easier in the World Cup group than it does to qualify," Grace told the BBC.
"I think we can beat South Africa, I think we can beat Korea, and I think we can beat a really bad version of Mexico at the moment. We actually, as a Pot 4 team, could win our group."
He was then a little more circumspect. "I mean, probably not, but there's a chance."
The BBC spoke to other football fans around the world who were just as excited.
In Toronto, cheers erupted at Cafe Diplomatico in the Little Italy district after the final draw revealed Canada could play Italy as part of Group B.
"That's incredible," says Steve Torchia, who is cheering for both Canada and his home country of Italy, adding that it was his dream to watch them play in Toronto.
Lee Jung Gyue, 29, a football fan in Suwon, South Korea, was not optimistic about his nation's chances.
"When Korea's out," he said, "I'll support England. I'm an England fan."
Sean Chan, self-proclaimed top Arsenal fan from Singapore, told the BBC: "As an Arsenal fan, you kind of lean towards England, right?
"But its awkward because you also
|
'Give me Messi' - fans react to World Cup draw at US watch party
At a viewing party in Philadelphia, dozens of football fans from around the world took refuge from frigid conditions as they watched the draw for next summer's men's World Cup on dozens of TVs.
The glitzy event some 140 miles away at the John F Kennedy Center in Washington DC was attended by the leaders of the three co-hosts: US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Fans here waited with bated breath as sports stars, including hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and NFL great Tom Brady, drew the teams on Friday.
US fans screamed in excitement at being drawn with Australia and Paraguay, but Colombia fans groaned with despair when basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal paired them with Portugal in Group K.
"I feel like the United States has a pretty good chance with the group we are in," Jim House from Atlantic City told the BBC.
"There are definitely some tougher groups out there that I'm glad we're not in," he said. "I feel pretty positive."
Chris Day, who is from Philadelphia, agreed that the co-hosts have a winnable group.
"If they don't make it to the Round of 16, it is a failure," Day, who has secured tickets to all six matches that will be played in Philadelphia, said.
For Colombia fan Julio Mahecha, a group including Portugal might be tough, but he said "if you are going to win, you will have to prove yourself".
Ahead of the draw, he told the BBC he was hoping Colombia would be drawn with high-ranked teams such as Germany. "I would rather play a bigger team because Colombia tends to [lose] when we play smaller teams."
"I'm of the belief that if you're going to be the World Cup champion, it should be tough. To hold that trophy up, they have to deserve it," he said.
When Gretzky drew Jordan in Argentina's group, Hassan Shaaban excitedly screamed "Give me Messi!" in reference to the defending champion's captain.
"We know Messi is one of the GOATs of the sport," he said.
"Saudi Arabia did it four years ago, so why can't we?," Shaaban said, referring to the 2-1 upset at the last tournament in 2022, when the Saudis beat the eventual winners Argentina in the group stage.
Shaaban said the draw would be a major boost for the debutantes. "For our country to go up against Argentina, the World Cup champions, in our first time at a World Cup, it's huge for the football culture in the country. So this will only grow the sport," he said.
Fans wearing the jerseys of the national teams they support mingled with one another at the venue, and there was occasional confusion during the draw about why some teams had been skipped, prompting fans to confer.
Ecuadorian fan Wilson Velez said he was "not at all" worried about his team's draw with four-time winners Germany, African champions Ivory Coast, and newcomers Curacao in Group E.
"I believe we have great players, we have a great coach, I think it's going to be something very interesting," he said. "We are looking forward. There's no more being afraid... we are happy about this."
Christine Titih is a fan of Cameroon, which has caused upsets at the World Cup before, beating Argentina in 1990 and Brazil in 2022.
But since they will not be at the tournament next summer, she is lending her support to South Africa who will face Mexico in the opening match at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on 11 June.
"I think we have a good chance, definitely," she told the BBC after the draw.
Besides the co-hosts, South Africa are drawn with South Korea and the winner of a European qualifying play-off. Denmark, Republic of Ireland, North Macedonia or the Czech Republic could take the final spot in that group.
Gerry Grace of Ireland is hopeful her nation will prevail against a "tough" Denmark team in the play-offs to make it to North America. If they do, he believes they can even top the group.
"It looks easier in the World Cup group than it does to qualify," Grace told the BBC.
"I think we can beat South Africa, I think we can beat Korea, and I think we can beat a really bad version of Mexico at the moment. We actually, as a Pot 4 team, could win our group."
He was then a little more circumspect. "I mean, probably not, but there's a chance."
The BBC spoke to other football fans around the world who were just as excited.
In Toronto, cheers erupted at Cafe Diplomatico in the Little Italy district after the final draw revealed Canada could play Italy as part of Group B.
"That's incredible," says Steve Torchia, who is cheering for both Canada and his home country of Italy, adding that it was his dream to watch them play in Toronto.
Lee Jung Gyue, 29, a football fan in Suwon, South Korea, was not optimistic about his nation's chances.
"When Korea's out," he said, "I'll support England. I'm an England fan."
Sean Chan, self-proclaimed top Arsenal fan from Singapore, told the BBC: "As an Arsenal fan, you kind of lean towards England, right?
"But its awkward because you also have Kane and Pickford who play for different teams. So I think I'm going to go with France."
Additional reporting from Nadine Yousif in Toronto, Osmond Chia in Singapore and Lee Hyun Choi in Seoul.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T19:46:39Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyk8ng7n7do
|
{"title": "'Give me Messi' - fans react to World Cup draw at US watch party"}
|
Swinney brands Farage comments about Glasgow pupils racist
First Minister John Swinney has accused Nigel Farage of making racist comments about schoolchildren in Glasgow.
Speaking in a campaign video, the Reform UK leader highlighted how nearly one in three pupils in the city speak English as a second language, which he described as "cultural smashing of Glasgow".
He added it was unfair on taxpayers that "people like this should come into Britain illegally", adding that his party would make it a "really big issue" in next year's election.
Asked about the remarks, Swinney said they "demonstrate that Nigel Farage is a purveyor of racist views" while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Farage was a "toxic divisive disgrace".
Swinney told BBC News: "I think Nigel Farage's comments are quite simply racist. There's no other way to describe them.
"I don't know quite when we believed multilingualism was something of a problem in our society - it's not a view I take, I think it's a benefit and reflects the diversity of our country, and I think these comments demonstrate that Nigel Farage is a purveyor of racist views and people should think long and hard about that before they vote for his party."
Speaking about Farage's comments during a visit to a community hub in Glasgow, the prime minister told journalists "He's a disgrace. He's a toxic, divisive disgrace" and added that it was "particularly poor" that the Reform UK leader had used children "to start that divide".
Sir Keir added that he believed Farage had made the comments because he wanted to distract from pro-Russian elements in his party.
He also told the BBC that Farage was "only interested in the politics of grievance" and "pulling communities and societies apart".
Sir Keir added: "I'm very proud that in Scotland we have communities that are compassionate, reasonable, diverse of course, and I'm very proud to serve all of the communities in Scotland and I don't look to pull those communities apart."
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: "How dare [Farage] use Glasgow's kids to spread his poison."
BBC News has contacted Farage for comment.
The headline figure Farage used in his video came from Scottish government data and is accurate. But the data set also includes information about levels of competency which the Reform UK leader did not highlight.
Pupils are recorded as having English as a "first language", or as an "additional language" in a number of other categories - including being "competent" or "fluent".
Current statistics for the Glasgow City area show:
Edinburgh, by comparison, had a similar rate of pupils who had English as a first language (76%) - but had a much higher rate of competent or fluent English speakers out of those who spoke English as a second language (53%).
Similarly, 76% of pupils in Aberdeen had English as their first language, and out of those who spoke English as a second language, 43% were competent or fluent.
The number of children new to English in Glasgow increased by 27% between 2020 and 2024, but Glasgow City Council said this was partly because it had made improvements to the way it recorded the data.
Fluent English speakers increased by 32% during the same time period.
The number of children from overseas being enrolled in Glasgow's schools is also falling, down from 3,917 in 2012/22 to 2,527 last year.
A total of 147 languages are spoken by Glasgow's schoolchildren.
A council spokeswoman said: "Glasgow thrives as a city enriched by many different languages and cultures, and we proudly celebrate this diversity and the positive impact it brings to all our school communities."
The picture across Scotland is very different compared with cities like Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Only 10% of school-age children in Scotland do not have English as a first language.
Of those, 41% are either competent or fluent in English, while 59% are either new to English, in early acquisition or developing competence in the language.
Farage's campaign video insisted that the Glasgow figures were a result of "housing and better facilities" being offered to migrants.
He referenced "those that come on the back of lorries or across the English Channel by boat".
Farage has recently come under fire from his former classmates who say he displayed racist and antisemitic behaviour while at Dulwich College in London.
One Jewish classmate, Peter Ettedgui, said the Reform leader repeatedly told him "Hitler was right" and "gas them" when they were teenagers.
Last week in response, Farage said he had "never directly racially abused anybody".
And at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, the politician continued to deny he ever made racist remarks in a "malicious or nasty way".
Nigel Farage says his party plans to make immigration a "big issue" at next year's Holyrood election.
Now technically, given this a policy area reserved to Westminster, none of the MSPs elected next May will actually be able to legislate on immigration.
But given the debate among
|
Swinney brands Farage comments about Glasgow pupils racist
First Minister John Swinney has accused Nigel Farage of making racist comments about schoolchildren in Glasgow.
Speaking in a campaign video, the Reform UK leader highlighted how nearly one in three pupils in the city speak English as a second language, which he described as "cultural smashing of Glasgow".
He added it was unfair on taxpayers that "people like this should come into Britain illegally", adding that his party would make it a "really big issue" in next year's election.
Asked about the remarks, Swinney said they "demonstrate that Nigel Farage is a purveyor of racist views" while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Farage was a "toxic divisive disgrace".
Swinney told BBC News: "I think Nigel Farage's comments are quite simply racist. There's no other way to describe them.
"I don't know quite when we believed multilingualism was something of a problem in our society - it's not a view I take, I think it's a benefit and reflects the diversity of our country, and I think these comments demonstrate that Nigel Farage is a purveyor of racist views and people should think long and hard about that before they vote for his party."
Speaking about Farage's comments during a visit to a community hub in Glasgow, the prime minister told journalists "He's a disgrace. He's a toxic, divisive disgrace" and added that it was "particularly poor" that the Reform UK leader had used children "to start that divide".
Sir Keir added that he believed Farage had made the comments because he wanted to distract from pro-Russian elements in his party.
He also told the BBC that Farage was "only interested in the politics of grievance" and "pulling communities and societies apart".
Sir Keir added: "I'm very proud that in Scotland we have communities that are compassionate, reasonable, diverse of course, and I'm very proud to serve all of the communities in Scotland and I don't look to pull those communities apart."
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: "How dare [Farage] use Glasgow's kids to spread his poison."
BBC News has contacted Farage for comment.
The headline figure Farage used in his video came from Scottish government data and is accurate. But the data set also includes information about levels of competency which the Reform UK leader did not highlight.
Pupils are recorded as having English as a "first language", or as an "additional language" in a number of other categories - including being "competent" or "fluent".
Current statistics for the Glasgow City area show:
Edinburgh, by comparison, had a similar rate of pupils who had English as a first language (76%) - but had a much higher rate of competent or fluent English speakers out of those who spoke English as a second language (53%).
Similarly, 76% of pupils in Aberdeen had English as their first language, and out of those who spoke English as a second language, 43% were competent or fluent.
The number of children new to English in Glasgow increased by 27% between 2020 and 2024, but Glasgow City Council said this was partly because it had made improvements to the way it recorded the data.
Fluent English speakers increased by 32% during the same time period.
The number of children from overseas being enrolled in Glasgow's schools is also falling, down from 3,917 in 2012/22 to 2,527 last year.
A total of 147 languages are spoken by Glasgow's schoolchildren.
A council spokeswoman said: "Glasgow thrives as a city enriched by many different languages and cultures, and we proudly celebrate this diversity and the positive impact it brings to all our school communities."
The picture across Scotland is very different compared with cities like Glasgow or Edinburgh.
Only 10% of school-age children in Scotland do not have English as a first language.
Of those, 41% are either competent or fluent in English, while 59% are either new to English, in early acquisition or developing competence in the language.
Farage's campaign video insisted that the Glasgow figures were a result of "housing and better facilities" being offered to migrants.
He referenced "those that come on the back of lorries or across the English Channel by boat".
Farage has recently come under fire from his former classmates who say he displayed racist and antisemitic behaviour while at Dulwich College in London.
One Jewish classmate, Peter Ettedgui, said the Reform leader repeatedly told him "Hitler was right" and "gas them" when they were teenagers.
Last week in response, Farage said he had "never directly racially abused anybody".
And at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, the politician continued to deny he ever made racist remarks in a "malicious or nasty way".
Nigel Farage says his party plans to make immigration a "big issue" at next year's Holyrood election.
Now technically, given this a policy area reserved to Westminster, none of the MSPs elected next May will actually be able to legislate on immigration.
But given the debate among the public and politicians at the moment, it still seems likely to feature fairly prominently – particularly if Reform UK is involved.
It kind of suits both sides at the moment, in that Swinney is very keen to go up against Farage at the ballot box, and pitch his SNP as being the anti-Reform vote in a bid to squeeze Labour out of the conversation.
Meanwhile, Farage is quite comfortable straying onto what most would consider controversial territory, if it gets a rise out his opponents and gets his party into the headlines.
In truth he won't much mind being attacked by the first minister if it draws attention to the issues he wants to talk about, and lets him burnish his anti-establishment credentials.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T09:29:30Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn814e1ev47o
|
{"title": "Swinney brands Farage comments about Glasgow pupils racist"}
|
Plans aim to support men before it is too late
The government has published its first men's health strategy, with plans to halve the gap in life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. It says it wants to help men to take charge of their physical and mental health - but what's the picture like in north-east England?
John is diabetic. Despite this, he avoided seeing a GP for 40 years after a bad experience.
"It was trying to explain something to the doctor, but he didn't listen. And I couldn't understand what he was saying," John, who lives in Blyth, Northumberland, says.
He says he lost his temper and vowed he would never go back.
"I have survived without going until the last five years, when I lost my legs," he says.
Men in the most deprived areas die 10 years earlier on average than those in the wealthiest areas, the government says, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting saying "men's health has been neglected for too long".
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average life expectancy of men in the North East between 2021 and 2023 was 77 years, compared with 81 for women.
ONS statistics also show that last year, more men in the North East were recorded to have died from cancer (4,193) compared with women (3,767), and 67% are overweight or obese, compared with 61% of women.
The new men's health strategy highlights that men are also more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours including alcoholism, problem gambling and drug addiction.
Although mental health issues are more common in women, one in five men are still diagnosed with depression or anxiety and suicide is the biggest cause of death in men under the age of 50.
Gordon, also from Blyth, says he avoided asking for help with his mental health until he reached crisis.
"I had a bit of an issue a few years ago, I burnt myself out," he says. "I was really working myself too hard and I ended up putting myself three days in the Freeman Hospital [in Newcastle]."
The 64-year-old says he is now more attentive with his health.
"To me that was a wake-up call, I didn't want to go back to the Freeman Hospital again."
In designing plans for men's health, the government gathered evidence from men, experts, charities and campaigners.
The resulting strategy aims to encourage men to "take charge of their own physical and mental health" and improve access to support services.
It also aims to challenge societal norms and stigmas, "so that every man feels empowered to reach out for help".
The strategy talks about the need to "meet men where they are - in their communities, workplaces and everyday lives".
This includes places like football stadiums on match days, by working with the Premier League.
The strategy details a number of new initiatives, including investing £3m over three years in community-based men's health programmes to reach those least likely to ask for help.
The Marine Medical Group in Blyth already runs weekly drop-in sessions away from the doctor's surgery, alternating between a local theatre and the High Street.
Janey D'arcy is one of the professionals staffing the centre.
She is a social prescriber, helping to connect people to activities, groups, and services in their community to meet their needs.
Men are the most reluctant to come for help, she says.
"We see men when they've reached crisis point. They put it off and put it off."
When Mrs D'arcy asks men why they have left it so long, she says they tell her "there's a stigma".
"It's embarrassment," she says. "Or they're not sure of what will happen at an appointment."
She now helps people understand medical letters they receive, and explains what might happen at routine screening tests or examinations.
Paul Galdas, professor of men's health at York University, wrote the foreword to the strategy, and has been tasked with monitoring its success in its first year.
He says it is not always about doing new things.
"It's about organisations stepping up to the plate and doing things differently. It's about considering whether men's needs are being met.
"And it's about giving permission for workplaces to think, what are we doing to support the men in our organisation?"
Prof Galdas says the benefits of getting it right could benefit the whole society.
"Having healthier men means healthier workplaces. It means healthier families. It leads to more resilient communities."
But he say the strategy is just the beginning.
"If it goes on the shelf and it gathers dust and no action is taken, then we won't have achieved what we've been working towards for a number of years."
The strategy calls on the voluntary and private sector to continue supporting men, and pioneer new approaches.
But one voluntary organisation that has been supporting men across the North East for the past decade says future funding will be key.
Just this month, County Durham-based ManHealth announced it would have to stop providing its peer support sessions, citing "relentless financial pressures" and
|
Plans aim to support men before it is too late
The government has published its first men's health strategy, with plans to halve the gap in life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. It says it wants to help men to take charge of their physical and mental health - but what's the picture like in north-east England?
John is diabetic. Despite this, he avoided seeing a GP for 40 years after a bad experience.
"It was trying to explain something to the doctor, but he didn't listen. And I couldn't understand what he was saying," John, who lives in Blyth, Northumberland, says.
He says he lost his temper and vowed he would never go back.
"I have survived without going until the last five years, when I lost my legs," he says.
Men in the most deprived areas die 10 years earlier on average than those in the wealthiest areas, the government says, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting saying "men's health has been neglected for too long".
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average life expectancy of men in the North East between 2021 and 2023 was 77 years, compared with 81 for women.
ONS statistics also show that last year, more men in the North East were recorded to have died from cancer (4,193) compared with women (3,767), and 67% are overweight or obese, compared with 61% of women.
The new men's health strategy highlights that men are also more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours including alcoholism, problem gambling and drug addiction.
Although mental health issues are more common in women, one in five men are still diagnosed with depression or anxiety and suicide is the biggest cause of death in men under the age of 50.
Gordon, also from Blyth, says he avoided asking for help with his mental health until he reached crisis.
"I had a bit of an issue a few years ago, I burnt myself out," he says. "I was really working myself too hard and I ended up putting myself three days in the Freeman Hospital [in Newcastle]."
The 64-year-old says he is now more attentive with his health.
"To me that was a wake-up call, I didn't want to go back to the Freeman Hospital again."
In designing plans for men's health, the government gathered evidence from men, experts, charities and campaigners.
The resulting strategy aims to encourage men to "take charge of their own physical and mental health" and improve access to support services.
It also aims to challenge societal norms and stigmas, "so that every man feels empowered to reach out for help".
The strategy talks about the need to "meet men where they are - in their communities, workplaces and everyday lives".
This includes places like football stadiums on match days, by working with the Premier League.
The strategy details a number of new initiatives, including investing £3m over three years in community-based men's health programmes to reach those least likely to ask for help.
The Marine Medical Group in Blyth already runs weekly drop-in sessions away from the doctor's surgery, alternating between a local theatre and the High Street.
Janey D'arcy is one of the professionals staffing the centre.
She is a social prescriber, helping to connect people to activities, groups, and services in their community to meet their needs.
Men are the most reluctant to come for help, she says.
"We see men when they've reached crisis point. They put it off and put it off."
When Mrs D'arcy asks men why they have left it so long, she says they tell her "there's a stigma".
"It's embarrassment," she says. "Or they're not sure of what will happen at an appointment."
She now helps people understand medical letters they receive, and explains what might happen at routine screening tests or examinations.
Paul Galdas, professor of men's health at York University, wrote the foreword to the strategy, and has been tasked with monitoring its success in its first year.
He says it is not always about doing new things.
"It's about organisations stepping up to the plate and doing things differently. It's about considering whether men's needs are being met.
"And it's about giving permission for workplaces to think, what are we doing to support the men in our organisation?"
Prof Galdas says the benefits of getting it right could benefit the whole society.
"Having healthier men means healthier workplaces. It means healthier families. It leads to more resilient communities."
But he say the strategy is just the beginning.
"If it goes on the shelf and it gathers dust and no action is taken, then we won't have achieved what we've been working towards for a number of years."
The strategy calls on the voluntary and private sector to continue supporting men, and pioneer new approaches.
But one voluntary organisation that has been supporting men across the North East for the past decade says future funding will be key.
Just this month, County Durham-based ManHealth announced it would have to stop providing its peer support sessions, citing "relentless financial pressures" and the cost of living crisis.
In an open letter to stakeholders, chief executive Paul Bannister said: "We are ending our groups not because the need has gone, but because of the complete apathy towards men's issues in our society."
Mr Bannister said thousands of men had attended the groups, and that they "do save lives on a weekly basis".
While he welcomed the government's strategy, he said £3m for community groups over the next three years was "not a great deal".
"These community groups are where the magic happens. That money is not enough to fund these groups that make a real difference to men's lives."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T07:13:09Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx257dev8eko
|
{"title": "Plans aim to support men before it is too late"}
|
No 10 says it backs pubs as landlords bar Labour MPs in tax protest
Downing Street has insisted the government backs pubs, as a growing number sign up to a campaign to bar Labour MPs from their premises in protest at tax rates.
The Labour MP ban was kicked off a week ago and more than 250 pubs, restaurants and hotels have signed up all over the country, including the Old Thatch in Dorset.
The Old Thatch landlord Andy Lennox said the protest was a last resort after multiple campaigns spelling out the need for tax cuts ended with higher taxes for hospitality.
But the prime minister's official spokesman said the chancellor had delivered a £4.3bn support package for pubs, restaurants, and cafes because hospitality is a "vital part of our economy".
He said: "Without this intervention pubs would have faced a 45% rise in bills next year. We've cut that down to just 4%.
"We've also maintained the draught beer duty cut, eased licences rules over pavement drinks and events, and capped corporation tax.
"These measures show we're backing hospitality not abandoning it."
Industry body UKHospitality disputes the government's figures, both for the support package and the impact of intervention.
Asked how the prime minister felt about potentially being barred from his local pub over Christmas, the spokesman said: "The PM is obviously going to be working hard up to Christmas. I won't get ahead of his Christmas plans."
He refused to comment further on individual businesses' polices.
But Mr Lennox said the campaign to bar the PM and other Labour MPs from pubs was only happening because the government had not responded to the hospitality industry's needs.
The industry had mounted "huge, professional campaigning efforts", including contacting every MP and hand-delivering letters to the Chancellor's door, he told the BBC.
"Everyone is fed up because the Labour government hasn't listened and instead has taxed us more.
"What's really angered people is they they're acting as if they haven't - it's as if somebody has pushed the wrong button and, instead of taxing Amazon and the warehouses they're taxing us instead.
"We have been imploring our MPs for years because people are going out of business, and it's not because they're a bad business, but because they're being taxed to oblivion."
Mr Lennox said the landlord who sparked the campaign was neighbouring Dorset publican James Fowler, who was the first to put up the No Labour MPs stickers in the Larderhouse in Bournemouth on Saturday.
Bournemouth East's Labour MP Tom Hayes, made a video reacting to the "No Labour MPs" sign that has gone up in one of his local pubs
The MP said: "It's the Christmas season, it's meant to be the joyful season, but the Larderhouse and other businesses with a "no Labour MPs" sticker in the window are undermining the inclusive culture that business owners locally have helped to nourish.
"My job has just got a million times harder because I can't go and bang the drum for businesses with the Chancellor if I can't speak to business owners because they're banning me from doing so."
Sounding upset, he added: "We need to get politics off the high street full stop, but especially at Christmas, when frankly we have enough playground politics over in parliament, we have enough division in our country."
Mr Lennox said: The ban is a risky move for us to make and I understand the bridges I have burned.
"Tom Hayes is a good guy and he has engaged with us and signed letters, so there's nothing wrong with Tom.
"But his frustration with landlords should be directed at his government, not the people who are having to protest like this."
The UK's 20% VAT rate for hospitality is one of the highest rates in Europe, with most countries charging about half that, and the Liberal Democrats called for a 5% VAT cut ahead of the Budget.
Mr Lennox said reducing the tax would "solve all the issues", adding: "Cutting VAT will generate more growth and more taxation, so the government will make the money back but we're allowed to make a profit first."
Many businesses are also angry about changes to business rates, announced in last month's Budget, that they say could add tens of thousands to their bills every year.
The government said it would calculate business rates for 750,000 High Street retail and hospitality firms using a lower percentage of the rateable value of premises, but this lower tax rate was not as generous as expected.
At the same time, many firms have seen their rateable value increase and face the phasing out of a Covid-era 40% discount from April.
The net result is that, despite some transitional relief, lots of them will see significant increases in their business rates bill.
Downing Street said the government was capping the business rate increases at 15% for most most properties and at £800 for the smallest.
From April there will be new, permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure, which he said will be the lowest in more than 30 years for
|
No 10 says it backs pubs as landlords bar Labour MPs in tax protest
Downing Street has insisted the government backs pubs, as a growing number sign up to a campaign to bar Labour MPs from their premises in protest at tax rates.
The Labour MP ban was kicked off a week ago and more than 250 pubs, restaurants and hotels have signed up all over the country, including the Old Thatch in Dorset.
The Old Thatch landlord Andy Lennox said the protest was a last resort after multiple campaigns spelling out the need for tax cuts ended with higher taxes for hospitality.
But the prime minister's official spokesman said the chancellor had delivered a £4.3bn support package for pubs, restaurants, and cafes because hospitality is a "vital part of our economy".
He said: "Without this intervention pubs would have faced a 45% rise in bills next year. We've cut that down to just 4%.
"We've also maintained the draught beer duty cut, eased licences rules over pavement drinks and events, and capped corporation tax.
"These measures show we're backing hospitality not abandoning it."
Industry body UKHospitality disputes the government's figures, both for the support package and the impact of intervention.
Asked how the prime minister felt about potentially being barred from his local pub over Christmas, the spokesman said: "The PM is obviously going to be working hard up to Christmas. I won't get ahead of his Christmas plans."
He refused to comment further on individual businesses' polices.
But Mr Lennox said the campaign to bar the PM and other Labour MPs from pubs was only happening because the government had not responded to the hospitality industry's needs.
The industry had mounted "huge, professional campaigning efforts", including contacting every MP and hand-delivering letters to the Chancellor's door, he told the BBC.
"Everyone is fed up because the Labour government hasn't listened and instead has taxed us more.
"What's really angered people is they they're acting as if they haven't - it's as if somebody has pushed the wrong button and, instead of taxing Amazon and the warehouses they're taxing us instead.
"We have been imploring our MPs for years because people are going out of business, and it's not because they're a bad business, but because they're being taxed to oblivion."
Mr Lennox said the landlord who sparked the campaign was neighbouring Dorset publican James Fowler, who was the first to put up the No Labour MPs stickers in the Larderhouse in Bournemouth on Saturday.
Bournemouth East's Labour MP Tom Hayes, made a video reacting to the "No Labour MPs" sign that has gone up in one of his local pubs
The MP said: "It's the Christmas season, it's meant to be the joyful season, but the Larderhouse and other businesses with a "no Labour MPs" sticker in the window are undermining the inclusive culture that business owners locally have helped to nourish.
"My job has just got a million times harder because I can't go and bang the drum for businesses with the Chancellor if I can't speak to business owners because they're banning me from doing so."
Sounding upset, he added: "We need to get politics off the high street full stop, but especially at Christmas, when frankly we have enough playground politics over in parliament, we have enough division in our country."
Mr Lennox said: The ban is a risky move for us to make and I understand the bridges I have burned.
"Tom Hayes is a good guy and he has engaged with us and signed letters, so there's nothing wrong with Tom.
"But his frustration with landlords should be directed at his government, not the people who are having to protest like this."
The UK's 20% VAT rate for hospitality is one of the highest rates in Europe, with most countries charging about half that, and the Liberal Democrats called for a 5% VAT cut ahead of the Budget.
Mr Lennox said reducing the tax would "solve all the issues", adding: "Cutting VAT will generate more growth and more taxation, so the government will make the money back but we're allowed to make a profit first."
Many businesses are also angry about changes to business rates, announced in last month's Budget, that they say could add tens of thousands to their bills every year.
The government said it would calculate business rates for 750,000 High Street retail and hospitality firms using a lower percentage of the rateable value of premises, but this lower tax rate was not as generous as expected.
At the same time, many firms have seen their rateable value increase and face the phasing out of a Covid-era 40% discount from April.
The net result is that, despite some transitional relief, lots of them will see significant increases in their business rates bill.
Downing Street said the government was capping the business rate increases at 15% for most most properties and at £800 for the smallest.
From April there will be new, permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure, which he said will be the lowest in more than 30 years for small venues and would provide "certainty and stability for the future".
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-13T10:09:51Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gvvvdz01go
|
{"title": "No 10 says it backs pubs as landlords bar Labour MPs in tax protest"}
|
Am I addicted to my smartwatch?
There's a feeling of anticipation. I can see the cold breath coming from my competitors as they do the "about to run" wiggle on the start line.
A quick flick of the hips.
I'm at my local 5km community parkrun event on a Saturday morning and I mean business. Three, two, one...
Oh, hang on. I need to sort my Garmin. As does the guy next to me.
The person behind us tuts. I'm not moving until… yes! GPS ready, I'm off.
In the melee, it's hard to see a wrist without a smartwatch on it. And it's not just us runners who use them.
It's a booming, multi-billion pound industry. Names like Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy, Garmin, Huawei Watch and Google's Fitbit dominate, each with an extensive selection of different models to suit a range of lifestyles. Depending on how high tech the model you go for, prices can range from £100 to thousands of pounds.
"It drives me insane, I can't switch off."
"It comforts me… It's like a friend supporting me."
"Stop telling me I've had a bad night's sleep."
Just some of the comments I've had from fellow smartwatch wearers when I ask what they think of theirs.
My thoughts on mine? Right now, annoying. It's telling me I'm off pace, making me wonder whether the trees I'm running below are blocking my GPS connection.
Millions of us strap these little monitors onto our wrists and wear them 24/7, seemingly at ease with the fact they're constantly tracking us.
Gone are the days when we relied on them solely to give us an idea of our step count. Now, they can measure our sleep patterns, blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), our oxygen, our glucose levels, our VO2 max.
It's tricky to find a bodily function they don't track.
But do they do what they say they do? And are the statistics we analyse a reflection of reality? Do they improve our mental and physical wellbeing, or do the multitude of measurements and motivational messages just add to our daily stresses?
"I do get a bit obsessed with mine," Rachael Fairclough from St Helens on Merseyside, tells me.
While she loves how her Apple Watch tracks her runs, she finds some of its other functions "overwhelming" at times - as she first discovered when she became pregnant.
Before she realised she could put it into pregnancy mode, Rachael's smartwatch kept telling her she was not being productive enough. Now she's had her baby, the watch keeps telling her she's had a bad night's sleep.
"I've got a six-month old, I don't need to be told I've not slept," Rachael says. "I know that only too well."
Couldn't she just take it off?
"I could, I suppose, but I've got this love-hate relationship with it," she says. "I love it for its fitness insights, I just wonder whether all the other things it can now do is perhaps too much for me."
Each model of smartwatch has its own novel way of tracking your vitals and interpreting your data, but the majority use sensors on the back of the watch.
They usually shine small, green LED lights onto your wrist which can monitor blood flow, detecting your pulse rate. More advanced devices detect changes in the electrical current that runs through the skin to get an idea of your stress levels.
Niels Peek, Professor of Data Science at the University of Manchester, says that in general for smartwatches, it's a "fine balance" - while the ever-evolving tech could actually save lives, "detecting disease before we show symptoms", it could also turn us watch wearers into the "worried well".
He says some of the latest wearables can carry out tests like electrocardiograms (ECGs), which constantly monitor how healthy the heart is. They can flag if someone is having an atrial fibrilliation (AF), where there is abnormal electrical activity in the heart causing an irregular heartbeat.
This does not mean someone is about to have a heart attack, but it can give an early warning they might be more at risk of a stroke, blood clot or heart problems in the future.
But how to interpret these figures is complex. Prof Peek fears that as more functions are added, people may not be able to fully understand their data.
"I'm not entirely convinced being able to monitor so many things is such a good idea," he says.
Clinical psychologist and professor in cardiology Lindsey Rosman, agrees. She's carried out research into the impact of wearable tech on a cohort of cardiovascular patients.
While it's a small, specific patient group and not the general population, her study suggested 20% of those who were given wearable tech to monitor their heart health experienced anxiety and were "far more likely to use healthcare resources".
She saw a pattern with her patients - they saw a worrying figure on their watch. They became worried. Their heart rate went up. They got more worried. They checked again, and their heart rate increased again.
"If we see stats about ourselves that we don't really understand then, of course, we are going to want to know more," Prof Rosman says. "We check, we check again - it becomes a
|
Am I addicted to my smartwatch?
There's a feeling of anticipation. I can see the cold breath coming from my competitors as they do the "about to run" wiggle on the start line.
A quick flick of the hips.
I'm at my local 5km community parkrun event on a Saturday morning and I mean business. Three, two, one...
Oh, hang on. I need to sort my Garmin. As does the guy next to me.
The person behind us tuts. I'm not moving until… yes! GPS ready, I'm off.
In the melee, it's hard to see a wrist without a smartwatch on it. And it's not just us runners who use them.
It's a booming, multi-billion pound industry. Names like Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy, Garmin, Huawei Watch and Google's Fitbit dominate, each with an extensive selection of different models to suit a range of lifestyles. Depending on how high tech the model you go for, prices can range from £100 to thousands of pounds.
"It drives me insane, I can't switch off."
"It comforts me… It's like a friend supporting me."
"Stop telling me I've had a bad night's sleep."
Just some of the comments I've had from fellow smartwatch wearers when I ask what they think of theirs.
My thoughts on mine? Right now, annoying. It's telling me I'm off pace, making me wonder whether the trees I'm running below are blocking my GPS connection.
Millions of us strap these little monitors onto our wrists and wear them 24/7, seemingly at ease with the fact they're constantly tracking us.
Gone are the days when we relied on them solely to give us an idea of our step count. Now, they can measure our sleep patterns, blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), our oxygen, our glucose levels, our VO2 max.
It's tricky to find a bodily function they don't track.
But do they do what they say they do? And are the statistics we analyse a reflection of reality? Do they improve our mental and physical wellbeing, or do the multitude of measurements and motivational messages just add to our daily stresses?
"I do get a bit obsessed with mine," Rachael Fairclough from St Helens on Merseyside, tells me.
While she loves how her Apple Watch tracks her runs, she finds some of its other functions "overwhelming" at times - as she first discovered when she became pregnant.
Before she realised she could put it into pregnancy mode, Rachael's smartwatch kept telling her she was not being productive enough. Now she's had her baby, the watch keeps telling her she's had a bad night's sleep.
"I've got a six-month old, I don't need to be told I've not slept," Rachael says. "I know that only too well."
Couldn't she just take it off?
"I could, I suppose, but I've got this love-hate relationship with it," she says. "I love it for its fitness insights, I just wonder whether all the other things it can now do is perhaps too much for me."
Each model of smartwatch has its own novel way of tracking your vitals and interpreting your data, but the majority use sensors on the back of the watch.
They usually shine small, green LED lights onto your wrist which can monitor blood flow, detecting your pulse rate. More advanced devices detect changes in the electrical current that runs through the skin to get an idea of your stress levels.
Niels Peek, Professor of Data Science at the University of Manchester, says that in general for smartwatches, it's a "fine balance" - while the ever-evolving tech could actually save lives, "detecting disease before we show symptoms", it could also turn us watch wearers into the "worried well".
He says some of the latest wearables can carry out tests like electrocardiograms (ECGs), which constantly monitor how healthy the heart is. They can flag if someone is having an atrial fibrilliation (AF), where there is abnormal electrical activity in the heart causing an irregular heartbeat.
This does not mean someone is about to have a heart attack, but it can give an early warning they might be more at risk of a stroke, blood clot or heart problems in the future.
But how to interpret these figures is complex. Prof Peek fears that as more functions are added, people may not be able to fully understand their data.
"I'm not entirely convinced being able to monitor so many things is such a good idea," he says.
Clinical psychologist and professor in cardiology Lindsey Rosman, agrees. She's carried out research into the impact of wearable tech on a cohort of cardiovascular patients.
While it's a small, specific patient group and not the general population, her study suggested 20% of those who were given wearable tech to monitor their heart health experienced anxiety and were "far more likely to use healthcare resources".
She saw a pattern with her patients - they saw a worrying figure on their watch. They became worried. Their heart rate went up. They got more worried. They checked again, and their heart rate increased again.
"If we see stats about ourselves that we don't really understand then, of course, we are going to want to know more," Prof Rosman says. "We check, we check again - it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy."
Some people have a slightly healthier relationship with their tech.
"It's not going to make me an Olympic athlete or anything," Mark Morton, a specialist vet from Cheshire, tells me about the Whoop device strapped around his bicep, "but it has really made me think about my health".
The 43-year-old dad-of-two wears a fitness tracker which gives him a daily rundown of how he's slept.
"It's completely changed my attitude to sleep," he says. "I used to have a beer, just one or two, near bedtime to unwind, but then I've seen how it messes up the quality of my sleep."
He now wears a sleep mask, sleeps in a cool room and tries not to eat or drink later in the evening - all of which have contributed to him feeling better when he wakes up, which in turn is reflected in his data.
Back on my parkrun and you'll be relieved to hear I've picked up the pace. My legs are beginning to hurt though and there's that slight incline round the corner. I check my watch again.
I've got 1km left and someone is trying to talk to me, asking me about my pace. No time for that, mate. I glance at my watch for what feels like the 6,350th time. Is what I'm looking at accurate?
"It depends on what you mean by accurate," Dr Kelly Bowden-Davies, a senior lecturer in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University, says.
"They're not going to give you laboratory quality results. They don't give you a true reading of your speed or pace in a given moment."
There are too many variables - the GPS is not always reliable for a start, she cautions. Then, if our watch moves around on our wrist, it might not capture all the data it needs for an accurate assessment.
Dr Bowden-Davies says that because they're not subject to the same regulations as a medical device, they can't give us a true picture of our health. But what they can give us is a baseline to work off, she says.
"That baseline might not reflect reality to the second, or the calorie, or the metre, but it's personal to you," Dr Bowden-Davies explains.
"You can then figure out how well you are doing - if you've got faster, or you've slept better, or you've burnt more calories. They're really useful for that."
For many of us, these watches are purely a personal thing - we care about how well we've done in comparison to how we've done before. And don't get me started on the watches that let you track and compete with your friends.
I've just crossed the line at parkrun and stopped my watch - 22 mins and 28 secs.
It's not a PB, but I'm chuffed and my sprint at the end was exceptional, if I do say so myself.
Right, I'm off. I've got some data to scrutinise.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T00:03:59Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8xdgwrrd0vo
|
{"title": "Am I addicted to my smartwatch?"}
|
Failed Sarah Ferguson-backed app received £1m taxpayers' money
A lifestyle app backed by Sarah Ferguson received more than £1m of taxpayers' money but collapsed without ever launching a product, according to documents filed this week.
vVoosh was founded by Manuel Fernandez, a close friend of Ms Ferguson, who once described herself as an "ambassador" for the company and was an investor.
It promised to give users "the power to Find, Plan, Share, Live, and Remember all the things you love to do - and those you're yet to try."
Ms Ferguson and Mr Fernandez did not respond to requests for comment.
vVoosh was put into administration last month - and its failure will raise further questions about the judgement of the former duchess and the business relationships she pursued.
Over the years the company raised approximately £9m, including more than £1m from the UK government through research and development tax credits, according to documents filed by the administrator.
It paid teams in the UK and then India to work on the app, but never launched it, and so had no income to fund further development.
Progress on the app stopped when the Indian contractor threatened legal action.
The administrator's report describes a "breakdown in communication between the current directors/major creditors and the founder [Mr Fernandez], who ceased communication following [his] resignation as a director earlier in the year".
The report says that the company is owed £324,609 by a former director. This is believed to be Mr Fernandez, who is the only director to leave the company since 2019.
Last summer he sold his house in North London for £1.3m, according to Land Registry documents, and is believed to have left the UK.
Meanwhile, vVoosh owes £50,000 to one of Ms Ferguson's companies, La Luna Investments, which also held just under 1% of the company's shares.
Documents show the firm had more than 60 other small shareholders - many with addresses in Essex and London, though a few American addresses also appear.
The administrators said that there was "significant uncertainty" over how much money the company's creditors would get back once the company was wound up.
One of the firm's American backers, Mark Guzy, has put more than £400,000 into the company to preserve "certain essential services" and protect the value of its software platform, which is the company's main remaining asset.
vVoosh originally intended to share 10% of its profits with a charitable foundation.
The BBC understands that the Charity Commission has now begun the process of removing vVoosh Charitable Foundation from the register of charities, on the basis that it does not operate.
It is more than four-and-a-half years overdue with its reporting.
HMRC declined to respond to questions about the tax credits. Mr Guzy and the other directors of vVoosh declined to comment.
Earlier this month Mr Fernandez denied taking money out of the firm, according to the Times.
He told the newspaper that allegation would be "disproven in the course of legal proceedings".
Ms Ferguson, 66, lost her duchess title when her former husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, relinquished use of his Duke of York title over his links with Epstein. He has since been stripped of the title of prince as well.
Last month it emerged that a crypto-currency mining firm had agreed to pay her up to £1.4m for acting as a "brand ambassador" - that firm also failed, allegedly costing investors millions. Its co-founder denied misconduct and said he was working to repay backers.
In September, a number of charities dropped her as a patron or ambassador after an email from 2011 revealed that she called sex offender Jeffrey Epstein her "supreme friend" and seemed to apologise for her public criticism of him.
Mr Fernandez went to school at Billericay in Essex, and was a soldier in the Royal Anglian Regiment, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He then held senior sales roles at a number of tech companies before founding vVoosh in 2010.
He was regularly photographed with the then duchess in 2015 and 2016, and they attended Sir Bob Geldof's wedding together, but she denied rumours they were a couple, saying they were just "good friends".
Correction 6 December: An earlier version included financial figures for vVoosh charitable foundation, taken from the Charity Commission website, but the charity never traded.
|
Failed Sarah Ferguson-backed app received £1m taxpayers' money
A lifestyle app backed by Sarah Ferguson received more than £1m of taxpayers' money but collapsed without ever launching a product, according to documents filed this week.
vVoosh was founded by Manuel Fernandez, a close friend of Ms Ferguson, who once described herself as an "ambassador" for the company and was an investor.
It promised to give users "the power to Find, Plan, Share, Live, and Remember all the things you love to do - and those you're yet to try."
Ms Ferguson and Mr Fernandez did not respond to requests for comment.
vVoosh was put into administration last month - and its failure will raise further questions about the judgement of the former duchess and the business relationships she pursued.
Over the years the company raised approximately £9m, including more than £1m from the UK government through research and development tax credits, according to documents filed by the administrator.
It paid teams in the UK and then India to work on the app, but never launched it, and so had no income to fund further development.
Progress on the app stopped when the Indian contractor threatened legal action.
The administrator's report describes a "breakdown in communication between the current directors/major creditors and the founder [Mr Fernandez], who ceased communication following [his] resignation as a director earlier in the year".
The report says that the company is owed £324,609 by a former director. This is believed to be Mr Fernandez, who is the only director to leave the company since 2019.
Last summer he sold his house in North London for £1.3m, according to Land Registry documents, and is believed to have left the UK.
Meanwhile, vVoosh owes £50,000 to one of Ms Ferguson's companies, La Luna Investments, which also held just under 1% of the company's shares.
Documents show the firm had more than 60 other small shareholders - many with addresses in Essex and London, though a few American addresses also appear.
The administrators said that there was "significant uncertainty" over how much money the company's creditors would get back once the company was wound up.
One of the firm's American backers, Mark Guzy, has put more than £400,000 into the company to preserve "certain essential services" and protect the value of its software platform, which is the company's main remaining asset.
vVoosh originally intended to share 10% of its profits with a charitable foundation.
The BBC understands that the Charity Commission has now begun the process of removing vVoosh Charitable Foundation from the register of charities, on the basis that it does not operate.
It is more than four-and-a-half years overdue with its reporting.
HMRC declined to respond to questions about the tax credits. Mr Guzy and the other directors of vVoosh declined to comment.
Earlier this month Mr Fernandez denied taking money out of the firm, according to the Times.
He told the newspaper that allegation would be "disproven in the course of legal proceedings".
Ms Ferguson, 66, lost her duchess title when her former husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, relinquished use of his Duke of York title over his links with Epstein. He has since been stripped of the title of prince as well.
Last month it emerged that a crypto-currency mining firm had agreed to pay her up to £1.4m for acting as a "brand ambassador" - that firm also failed, allegedly costing investors millions. Its co-founder denied misconduct and said he was working to repay backers.
In September, a number of charities dropped her as a patron or ambassador after an email from 2011 revealed that she called sex offender Jeffrey Epstein her "supreme friend" and seemed to apologise for her public criticism of him.
Mr Fernandez went to school at Billericay in Essex, and was a soldier in the Royal Anglian Regiment, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He then held senior sales roles at a number of tech companies before founding vVoosh in 2010.
He was regularly photographed with the then duchess in 2015 and 2016, and they attended Sir Bob Geldof's wedding together, but she denied rumours they were a couple, saying they were just "good friends".
Correction 6 December: An earlier version included financial figures for vVoosh charitable foundation, taken from the Charity Commission website, but the charity never traded.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T00:01:16Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgl6zejp75wo
|
{"title": "Failed Sarah Ferguson-backed app received £1m taxpayers' money"}
|
Grand jury declines to charge Letitia James after first case dismissed
A federal grand jury in Virginia has declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, days after a judge dismissed the earlier case against her.
It marks another blow to Trump's efforts to prosecute those he considers political adversaries, which also includes ex-FBI Director James Comey.
Last month, a judge dismissed the federal cases against James and Comey after finding the prosecutor appointed by Trump was not in the post legally.
James, who had successfully brought charges against President Donald Trump before he won re-election, had said the federal case - which alleged she committed bank fraud and made false statements to a financial institution - was politically-motivated.
CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reported the grand jury declined to sign off on an indictment, citing an unnamed official.
Both cases against James and Comey were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the government can attempt to indict them again.
Made up of members of the public, grand juries only decide if there is enough evidence to take a case to court. In legal terms, a grand jury determines whether probable cause exists to believe a crime has been committed. It does not decide guilt or innocence.
It is extremely rare for a grand jury to decline a prosecutor's request to indict a suspect. In 2016, federal prosecutors investigated more than 150,000 people, and grand juries declined to file charges in only six cases, according to CBS.
The federal government had alleged that James lied when she bought a three-bedroom home in Norfolk with a mortgage loan that required her to use the property as her secondary residence.
The "misrepresentation" allowed James to obtain favourable loan terms that would not have been available for an investment property, prosecutors claimed.
Unnamed sources have told US media that James bought the home for her great-niece in 2020 and that the relative never paid rent for the home.
James released a statement on Thursday, praising the grand jury's decision.
"As I have said from the start, the charges against me are baseless," she said. "It is time for this unchecked weaponization of our justice system to stop."
A lawyer for James, Abbe David Lowell, called the grand jury's refusal "a decisive rejection of a case that should never have existed in the first place". He added that if the government continues to seek a prosecution "it will be a shocking assault on the rule of law and a devastating blow to the integrity of our justice system".
As the top lawyer for the state of New York, James brought a civil fraud case against Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, in 2022. Trump was later found liable of falsifying records to secure better loan deals, leading to a $500m (£376m) fine.
The penalty was thrown out by an appeals court, which called it excessive, although it upheld that Trump was liable for fraud.
James and Comey are not the only adversaries of Trump to have faced federal charges.
Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, is currently charged with sending and wilfully retaining national defence information.
|
Grand jury declines to charge Letitia James after first case dismissed
A federal grand jury in Virginia has declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, days after a judge dismissed the earlier case against her.
It marks another blow to Trump's efforts to prosecute those he considers political adversaries, which also includes ex-FBI Director James Comey.
Last month, a judge dismissed the federal cases against James and Comey after finding the prosecutor appointed by Trump was not in the post legally.
James, who had successfully brought charges against President Donald Trump before he won re-election, had said the federal case - which alleged she committed bank fraud and made false statements to a financial institution - was politically-motivated.
CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reported the grand jury declined to sign off on an indictment, citing an unnamed official.
Both cases against James and Comey were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the government can attempt to indict them again.
Made up of members of the public, grand juries only decide if there is enough evidence to take a case to court. In legal terms, a grand jury determines whether probable cause exists to believe a crime has been committed. It does not decide guilt or innocence.
It is extremely rare for a grand jury to decline a prosecutor's request to indict a suspect. In 2016, federal prosecutors investigated more than 150,000 people, and grand juries declined to file charges in only six cases, according to CBS.
The federal government had alleged that James lied when she bought a three-bedroom home in Norfolk with a mortgage loan that required her to use the property as her secondary residence.
The "misrepresentation" allowed James to obtain favourable loan terms that would not have been available for an investment property, prosecutors claimed.
Unnamed sources have told US media that James bought the home for her great-niece in 2020 and that the relative never paid rent for the home.
James released a statement on Thursday, praising the grand jury's decision.
"As I have said from the start, the charges against me are baseless," she said. "It is time for this unchecked weaponization of our justice system to stop."
A lawyer for James, Abbe David Lowell, called the grand jury's refusal "a decisive rejection of a case that should never have existed in the first place". He added that if the government continues to seek a prosecution "it will be a shocking assault on the rule of law and a devastating blow to the integrity of our justice system".
As the top lawyer for the state of New York, James brought a civil fraud case against Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, in 2022. Trump was later found liable of falsifying records to secure better loan deals, leading to a $500m (£376m) fine.
The penalty was thrown out by an appeals court, which called it excessive, although it upheld that Trump was liable for fraud.
James and Comey are not the only adversaries of Trump to have faced federal charges.
Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, is currently charged with sending and wilfully retaining national defence information.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T00:52:06Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9d9gyxewyxo
|
{"title": "Grand jury declines to charge Letitia James after first case dismissed"}
|
Fáilte Ireland expansion 'great opportunity' for NI
The decision to extend part of the Fáilte Ireland brand into County Fermanagh is a "great opportunity" for local tourism operators.
Barry Flanaghan, who runs Erne Water Taxis, is hopeful the move to expand the brand's Hidden Heartlands campaign will bring more visitors to the county's famous lakes.
"We're in a really unique position now," he said. "I think we can only go from strength to strength with this announcement."
The collaboration marks the first time that Fáilte Ireland, the Republic of Ireland's official tourism body, has included Northern Ireland in its campaigns.
It launched Hidden Heartlands in 2018 to promote Ireland's midland counties, which will now include Fermanagh, to visitors from around the world.
A report in 2019 said tourism in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands was worth €307m (£286m) to the Irish economy.
Mr Flanaghan thinks the Fermanagh scenery will fit perfectly with the existing brand.
"The natural landscape covered in lakes, mountains, cave systems, we've got our cross border Geopark there's so much to offer people when they do come here," he said.
"And to be the very top of Ireland's Hidden Heartlands is a great opportunity. It's brilliant."
Laura McCorry from Tourism NI said Fermanagh businesses now have access to a "powerful global platform".
"Any businesses within the County Fermanagh area will be offered the opportunity to use this brand when they choose to promote their businesses, either on the island or overseas," she said.
"This initiative is really about encouraging visitors who come to the island of Ireland to travel to Fermanagh where there is so much to offer and where there is room to grow."
Gillian Beare from Finn Lough, a forest lodge retreat, hopes it will mean more "reach and exposure" for businesses.
She told BBC News NI that she hopes it will "help us to increase visitor numbers and, of course, increase revenue and that is good for us, good for employing more people, good for adding everything to the region".
Hidden Heartlands is one of a number of regional brands by Fáilte Ireland, others include the world famous Wild Atlantic Way and Ancient East which have attracted millions of tourists and added billions of euros into the Irish economy.
Alice Mansergh from Tourism Ireland said the key to the success of the individual brands is that they simplify things for visitors.
"It helps people to see why they should come, what they can do, and how they can journey around," she said.
"The waterways and the geography really leant themselves to coming together in this way, because you can take that journey up to Shannon into the Erne.
"It's a very logical journey and a beautiful itinerary."
Northern Ireland's Department for the Economy will part fund the project, spending £300,000 to roll it out.
Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald said the collaboration "just makes sense" .
She wants to see the other campaigns also extend across the border by incorporating the North Coast into the Wild Atlantic Way and Armagh into the Ancient East campaign, saying she believes "there are opportunities for us to gain from that".
"We have a spectacular coastline in the north that we obviously market ourselves as a causeway coastal route, and I think there is big potential from joining those together," she said.
|
Fáilte Ireland expansion 'great opportunity' for NI
The decision to extend part of the Fáilte Ireland brand into County Fermanagh is a "great opportunity" for local tourism operators.
Barry Flanaghan, who runs Erne Water Taxis, is hopeful the move to expand the brand's Hidden Heartlands campaign will bring more visitors to the county's famous lakes.
"We're in a really unique position now," he said. "I think we can only go from strength to strength with this announcement."
The collaboration marks the first time that Fáilte Ireland, the Republic of Ireland's official tourism body, has included Northern Ireland in its campaigns.
It launched Hidden Heartlands in 2018 to promote Ireland's midland counties, which will now include Fermanagh, to visitors from around the world.
A report in 2019 said tourism in Ireland's Hidden Heartlands was worth €307m (£286m) to the Irish economy.
Mr Flanaghan thinks the Fermanagh scenery will fit perfectly with the existing brand.
"The natural landscape covered in lakes, mountains, cave systems, we've got our cross border Geopark there's so much to offer people when they do come here," he said.
"And to be the very top of Ireland's Hidden Heartlands is a great opportunity. It's brilliant."
Laura McCorry from Tourism NI said Fermanagh businesses now have access to a "powerful global platform".
"Any businesses within the County Fermanagh area will be offered the opportunity to use this brand when they choose to promote their businesses, either on the island or overseas," she said.
"This initiative is really about encouraging visitors who come to the island of Ireland to travel to Fermanagh where there is so much to offer and where there is room to grow."
Gillian Beare from Finn Lough, a forest lodge retreat, hopes it will mean more "reach and exposure" for businesses.
She told BBC News NI that she hopes it will "help us to increase visitor numbers and, of course, increase revenue and that is good for us, good for employing more people, good for adding everything to the region".
Hidden Heartlands is one of a number of regional brands by Fáilte Ireland, others include the world famous Wild Atlantic Way and Ancient East which have attracted millions of tourists and added billions of euros into the Irish economy.
Alice Mansergh from Tourism Ireland said the key to the success of the individual brands is that they simplify things for visitors.
"It helps people to see why they should come, what they can do, and how they can journey around," she said.
"The waterways and the geography really leant themselves to coming together in this way, because you can take that journey up to Shannon into the Erne.
"It's a very logical journey and a beautiful itinerary."
Northern Ireland's Department for the Economy will part fund the project, spending £300,000 to roll it out.
Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald said the collaboration "just makes sense" .
She wants to see the other campaigns also extend across the border by incorporating the North Coast into the Wild Atlantic Way and Armagh into the Ancient East campaign, saying she believes "there are opportunities for us to gain from that".
"We have a spectacular coastline in the north that we obviously market ourselves as a causeway coastal route, and I think there is big potential from joining those together," she said.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T07:42:02Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crmdkyjvgpzo
|
{"title": "Fáilte Ireland expansion 'great opportunity' for NI"}
|
Council agrees deal to share former grammar school
Plans to lease two-thirds of a refurbished grammar school to Derbyshire County Council for use as office space have been given the go-ahead.
Amber Valley Borough Council took on the former Heanor Grammar School in 2022 after receiving £8.6m through the government's Future High Streets Fund.
The borough council said on Thursday it had reached an agreement with the county council on the terms of a new tenancy at the former school.
The remaining third would be retained by the borough, the authority said, which would provide community space alongside a standalone business hub, called Baby Grammar, that would be offered for small and start-up businesses to rent.
The decision to offer part of Heanor Grammar School to Reform UK-run Derbyshire County Council was made in July by the leader of Labour-controlled borough council, Chris Emmas-Williams.
Part of the building would provide office space for about 150 staff, while other sections would be available for community use.
The county council previously said it welcomed the offer of the agreement as it would keep public money in public hands and give staff "a more modern working environment".
But it was criticised by some Amber Valley councillors because they had expected more opportunities for local people to use the building.
Stephen Reed, the county council's cabinet member for business services, said he was "delighted" that the two authorities had agreed terms and said there would "still be plenty of space" for local people.
"We wanted to find a location that brings our teams and services closer to the people we serve," he added.
"Moving into Heanor Grammar means our residents will have easier access to council services.
"It also ensures we are making good use of the public estate, while providing our employees with a well-equipped working environment to deliver the best possible support to the community."
Emma Monkman, deputy leader of the borough council, said the authority had reached a "financially responsible" outcome and protected the building's long-term future.
"The Grammar is a significant asset for Heanor and the wider area, and this agreement allows us to move forward with confidence about its future use.
"Having more public services based in the town centre will increase footfall and activity, which in turn will help support local businesses.
"Alongside this, the dedicated community space and the Baby Grammar will provide opportunities for local groups and small and start-up businesses to come together, work, and thrive in a high-quality environment," Monkman said.
|
Council agrees deal to share former grammar school
Plans to lease two-thirds of a refurbished grammar school to Derbyshire County Council for use as office space have been given the go-ahead.
Amber Valley Borough Council took on the former Heanor Grammar School in 2022 after receiving £8.6m through the government's Future High Streets Fund.
The borough council said on Thursday it had reached an agreement with the county council on the terms of a new tenancy at the former school.
The remaining third would be retained by the borough, the authority said, which would provide community space alongside a standalone business hub, called Baby Grammar, that would be offered for small and start-up businesses to rent.
The decision to offer part of Heanor Grammar School to Reform UK-run Derbyshire County Council was made in July by the leader of Labour-controlled borough council, Chris Emmas-Williams.
Part of the building would provide office space for about 150 staff, while other sections would be available for community use.
The county council previously said it welcomed the offer of the agreement as it would keep public money in public hands and give staff "a more modern working environment".
But it was criticised by some Amber Valley councillors because they had expected more opportunities for local people to use the building.
Stephen Reed, the county council's cabinet member for business services, said he was "delighted" that the two authorities had agreed terms and said there would "still be plenty of space" for local people.
"We wanted to find a location that brings our teams and services closer to the people we serve," he added.
"Moving into Heanor Grammar means our residents will have easier access to council services.
"It also ensures we are making good use of the public estate, while providing our employees with a well-equipped working environment to deliver the best possible support to the community."
Emma Monkman, deputy leader of the borough council, said the authority had reached a "financially responsible" outcome and protected the building's long-term future.
"The Grammar is a significant asset for Heanor and the wider area, and this agreement allows us to move forward with confidence about its future use.
"Having more public services based in the town centre will increase footfall and activity, which in turn will help support local businesses.
"Alongside this, the dedicated community space and the Baby Grammar will provide opportunities for local groups and small and start-up businesses to come together, work, and thrive in a high-quality environment," Monkman said.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-12T06:32:46Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e43xlvgnpo
|
{"title": "Council agrees deal to share former grammar school"}
|
TUI removes last aircraft from airport amid low demand
Travel company TUI will move its only aircraft based at London Luton Airport to London Gatwick Airport by next summer.
The company said it was due to bigger demand at Gatwick and supported "our long-term strategy to strengthen core operations".
It added that it remained "committed" to Luton where its UK headquarters and engineering hanger were located.
"We will continue to offer holidays from Luton Airport through our trusted airline partners," a spokesperson said.
Holidaymakers who have booked with TUI to fly out from Luton will travel with partner airlines easyJet and Ryanair.
They could also be moved to fly with the company from another airport.
One TUI flight to Palma in Majorca will stop en route at Luton - when it goes outbound and returns - in order to pick up or drop off passengers.
Consultation with affected cabin crew is ongoing.
Staff have told the BBC they are being offered the chance to relocate to other airports or take redundancy.
Workers based at its UK headquarters at Wigmore House in Luton are not impacted.
The company is planning to move to nearby Capability Green in Luton following the end of its lease at Wigmore House.
TUI flights still use the prefix TOM which is a legacy of the Thomson Travel Group which it acquired in 2000.
As part of that deal TUI gained Britannia Airways which was founded in Luton in 1961 as Euravia and became the world's largest holiday airline.
TUI rebranded the remaining Britannia aircraft as Thomsonfly in 2004.
|
TUI removes last aircraft from airport amid low demand
Travel company TUI will move its only aircraft based at London Luton Airport to London Gatwick Airport by next summer.
The company said it was due to bigger demand at Gatwick and supported "our long-term strategy to strengthen core operations".
It added that it remained "committed" to Luton where its UK headquarters and engineering hanger were located.
"We will continue to offer holidays from Luton Airport through our trusted airline partners," a spokesperson said.
Holidaymakers who have booked with TUI to fly out from Luton will travel with partner airlines easyJet and Ryanair.
They could also be moved to fly with the company from another airport.
One TUI flight to Palma in Majorca will stop en route at Luton - when it goes outbound and returns - in order to pick up or drop off passengers.
Consultation with affected cabin crew is ongoing.
Staff have told the BBC they are being offered the chance to relocate to other airports or take redundancy.
Workers based at its UK headquarters at Wigmore House in Luton are not impacted.
The company is planning to move to nearby Capability Green in Luton following the end of its lease at Wigmore House.
TUI flights still use the prefix TOM which is a legacy of the Thomson Travel Group which it acquired in 2000.
As part of that deal TUI gained Britannia Airways which was founded in Luton in 1961 as Euravia and became the world's largest holiday airline.
TUI rebranded the remaining Britannia aircraft as Thomsonfly in 2004.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-11T12:29:38Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0q5pg37p44o
|
{"title": "TUI removes last aircraft from airport amid low demand"}
|
Irish police investigating drone activity during Zelensky visit
An Garda Síochána (Irish police force) has launched an investigation after drones were detected in Irish skies on the night the Ukrainian president arrived in Ireland.
Volodymyr Zelensky flew into Dublin late on Monday night for a one-day official visit with his wife, First Lady Olena Zelenska.
Senior Irish government figures, including Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin, have been briefed on the issue. Martin confirmed it would be discussed at a National Security Council meeting later this month.
In a statement, gardaí said its Special Detective Unit (SDU) is investigating the matter and will be liaising with the Defence Forces and international security partners.
In a statement on Thursday, the Irish Defence Forces said it had no comment on "the specifics of any alleged incidents".
On Monday, crew on board the Irish naval vessel LÉ William Butler Yeats spotted several unidentified drones flying near Howth, over the Irish Sea, around the same time Zelensky arrived in Dublin Airport, Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported.
Speaking during a meeting of the British-Irish Council (BIC) in Cardiff, the taoiseach said the Ukrainian president's visit went well, and the security dimension went "particularly well".
While Martin said he did not want to comment on security matters, he said a review would now take place and it will include drones.
"It's been a feature now across Europe in more recent times the emergence of drones in the airspace of other colleagues in the European Union member states and we liaise and... we share experience," he added.
"Suffice to say that since the onset of the Ukrainian war there's been heightened activity on the cyber security front, in terms of maritime issues and in terms of drones."
Asked if this suggested Russia's involvement in the drone activity, the taoiseach responded: "I'm not going to make any comment until we have a full review."
|
Irish police investigating drone activity during Zelensky visit
An Garda Síochána (Irish police force) has launched an investigation after drones were detected in Irish skies on the night the Ukrainian president arrived in Ireland.
Volodymyr Zelensky flew into Dublin late on Monday night for a one-day official visit with his wife, First Lady Olena Zelenska.
Senior Irish government figures, including Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin, have been briefed on the issue. Martin confirmed it would be discussed at a National Security Council meeting later this month.
In a statement, gardaí said its Special Detective Unit (SDU) is investigating the matter and will be liaising with the Defence Forces and international security partners.
In a statement on Thursday, the Irish Defence Forces said it had no comment on "the specifics of any alleged incidents".
On Monday, crew on board the Irish naval vessel LÉ William Butler Yeats spotted several unidentified drones flying near Howth, over the Irish Sea, around the same time Zelensky arrived in Dublin Airport, Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported.
Speaking during a meeting of the British-Irish Council (BIC) in Cardiff, the taoiseach said the Ukrainian president's visit went well, and the security dimension went "particularly well".
While Martin said he did not want to comment on security matters, he said a review would now take place and it will include drones.
"It's been a feature now across Europe in more recent times the emergence of drones in the airspace of other colleagues in the European Union member states and we liaise and... we share experience," he added.
"Suffice to say that since the onset of the Ukrainian war there's been heightened activity on the cyber security front, in terms of maritime issues and in terms of drones."
Asked if this suggested Russia's involvement in the drone activity, the taoiseach responded: "I'm not going to make any comment until we have a full review."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T16:30:41Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0l94kz44ggo
|
{"title": "Irish police investigating drone activity during Zelensky visit"}
|
What we know about suspected pipe bomber on eve of 2021 US Capitol riot
A picture is beginning to emerge about the suspect accused of planting two pipe bombs next to Democratic and Republican headquarters on the eve of the 2021 Capitol riot, following his arrest on Thursday.
Neighbours and family members described Brian Cole Jr, 30, as "naive" and a "quiet guy" who often walked a chihuahua in their Washington DC suburb. He also told investigators he thought the 2020 election was "rigged", US media reports say.
Authorities arrested Mr Cole and charged him with attempted malicious destruction with explosive materials. The bombs did not detonate.
Authorities did not provide a motive. A lawyer representing Mr Cole at a court hearing on Friday declined to comment on the case.
Federal agents in armoured vehicles descended upon Mr Cole's family home on Thursday morning. He lives with his mother and others in Woodbridge, Virginia, about 20 miles (32km) outside of Washington DC.
He was arrested without incident, US Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
A neighbour who was an eyewitness to the arrest told NBC that Woodbridge is "like Sleepytown" and "nothing ever happens here".
Another neighbour, speaking to the New York Post, said Mr Cole "would wear shorts all winter long, no matter how cold it was".
"We all knew him as the guy that walked the Chihuahua," the neighbour said.
According to court documents, Mr Smith works for a bail bond company, a type of firm that helps people get out of jail by posting bail on their behalf for a fee.
Mr Cole's grandmother Loretta told the New York Post the business is called Brian Cole Bail Bonds, named for and owned by his father, Brian Cole Sr. FBI agents raided the company's office on Thursday, Loretta said.
She described Mr Cole as "very naive" and "almost autistic-like".
"He would not hurt a fly. He's just not that kind of person," she said.
Mr Cole told FBI investigators during interviews that he believed the 2020 election was stolen, CNN reported, echoing US President Donald Trump's false mantra that the election he lost to Joe Biden was "rigged".
Investigators have not detailed what they believe his motive was for allegedly placing the pipe bombs, but his statements to investigators provide the first glimpse of why he may have chosen to plant the explosives outside the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee headquarters on the eve of Congress's certification of the election results.
Kamala Harris, who was the US vice president-elect at the time, was evacuated from the Democratic National Committee headquarters shortly after the devices were found.
The bombs in question were placed on the night of 5 January 2021 and were only discovered the following afternoon as Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol in the last days of his first presidency.
To arrive at an arrest, nearly five years after the incident, authorities said they had to comb through a mountain of evidence, including millions of lines of data.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino described the effort to Fox News on Friday morning as "an extensive amount of work".
Bongino said the FBI "had chased down thousands of leads, six thousand-plus interviews had been conducted" and "hundreds of tips" had been received, before he was sworn in this year, pledging on day one to "find this guy".
Investigators found mobile phone data that showed Mr Cole was near the locations of the pipe bombs when they were planted between 19:39 and 20:24 local time on 5 January 2021.
His car - a 2017 Nissan Sentra with a Virginia licence plate - was also seen by a licence plate reader less than half a mile (0.8km) from the location where the individual who placed the devices was first observed in the area.
Investigators said both pipe bombs were manufactured using end caps, with US Attorney Jeanine Pirro saying there were 233,000 black-end caps of the type used in the plot.
"I want you to think about the act that the FBI had to go through the sale of every one of them," Pirro said.
The suspect's shoes were believed to be Nike Air Max Speed Turfs, leading investigators to go through thousands of pairs of shoes distributed through more than two dozen retailers.
During the court appearance on Friday, Mr Cole was joined by his lawyer John Shoreman and several relatives, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.
US Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya read the charges against him, including transporting an explosive device across state lines with unlawful intent. He will remain in custody until a detention hearing on 15 December.
His relatives told him "I love you" as he was escorted out.
|
What we know about suspected pipe bomber on eve of 2021 US Capitol riot
A picture is beginning to emerge about the suspect accused of planting two pipe bombs next to Democratic and Republican headquarters on the eve of the 2021 Capitol riot, following his arrest on Thursday.
Neighbours and family members described Brian Cole Jr, 30, as "naive" and a "quiet guy" who often walked a chihuahua in their Washington DC suburb. He also told investigators he thought the 2020 election was "rigged", US media reports say.
Authorities arrested Mr Cole and charged him with attempted malicious destruction with explosive materials. The bombs did not detonate.
Authorities did not provide a motive. A lawyer representing Mr Cole at a court hearing on Friday declined to comment on the case.
Federal agents in armoured vehicles descended upon Mr Cole's family home on Thursday morning. He lives with his mother and others in Woodbridge, Virginia, about 20 miles (32km) outside of Washington DC.
He was arrested without incident, US Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
A neighbour who was an eyewitness to the arrest told NBC that Woodbridge is "like Sleepytown" and "nothing ever happens here".
Another neighbour, speaking to the New York Post, said Mr Cole "would wear shorts all winter long, no matter how cold it was".
"We all knew him as the guy that walked the Chihuahua," the neighbour said.
According to court documents, Mr Smith works for a bail bond company, a type of firm that helps people get out of jail by posting bail on their behalf for a fee.
Mr Cole's grandmother Loretta told the New York Post the business is called Brian Cole Bail Bonds, named for and owned by his father, Brian Cole Sr. FBI agents raided the company's office on Thursday, Loretta said.
She described Mr Cole as "very naive" and "almost autistic-like".
"He would not hurt a fly. He's just not that kind of person," she said.
Mr Cole told FBI investigators during interviews that he believed the 2020 election was stolen, CNN reported, echoing US President Donald Trump's false mantra that the election he lost to Joe Biden was "rigged".
Investigators have not detailed what they believe his motive was for allegedly placing the pipe bombs, but his statements to investigators provide the first glimpse of why he may have chosen to plant the explosives outside the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee headquarters on the eve of Congress's certification of the election results.
Kamala Harris, who was the US vice president-elect at the time, was evacuated from the Democratic National Committee headquarters shortly after the devices were found.
The bombs in question were placed on the night of 5 January 2021 and were only discovered the following afternoon as Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol in the last days of his first presidency.
To arrive at an arrest, nearly five years after the incident, authorities said they had to comb through a mountain of evidence, including millions of lines of data.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino described the effort to Fox News on Friday morning as "an extensive amount of work".
Bongino said the FBI "had chased down thousands of leads, six thousand-plus interviews had been conducted" and "hundreds of tips" had been received, before he was sworn in this year, pledging on day one to "find this guy".
Investigators found mobile phone data that showed Mr Cole was near the locations of the pipe bombs when they were planted between 19:39 and 20:24 local time on 5 January 2021.
His car - a 2017 Nissan Sentra with a Virginia licence plate - was also seen by a licence plate reader less than half a mile (0.8km) from the location where the individual who placed the devices was first observed in the area.
Investigators said both pipe bombs were manufactured using end caps, with US Attorney Jeanine Pirro saying there were 233,000 black-end caps of the type used in the plot.
"I want you to think about the act that the FBI had to go through the sale of every one of them," Pirro said.
The suspect's shoes were believed to be Nike Air Max Speed Turfs, leading investigators to go through thousands of pairs of shoes distributed through more than two dozen retailers.
During the court appearance on Friday, Mr Cole was joined by his lawyer John Shoreman and several relatives, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.
US Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya read the charges against him, including transporting an explosive device across state lines with unlawful intent. He will remain in custody until a detention hearing on 15 December.
His relatives told him "I love you" as he was escorted out.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T19:09:49Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0l94knl26go
|
{"title": "What we know about suspected pipe bomber on eve of 2021 US Capitol riot"}
|
US hits out at EU's 'suffocating regulations' after it fines Elon Musk's X
The EU has fined Elon Musk's social media platform X €120m (£105m) over its blue tick badges - prompting an angry reaction from the US.
The European Commission said by allowing people to pay for a blue verified check mark on their profile, the platform "deceives users" because the firm is not "meaningfully verifying" who is behind the account.
"This deception exposes users to scams, including impersonation frauds, as well as other forms of manipulation by malicious actors," it said.
But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have criticised the EU regulator, accusing it of attacking and censoring US firms.
"The European Commission's fine isn't just an attack on X, it's an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments," Rubio wrote in a post on X.
"The days of censoring Americans online are over."
His remarks were reposted by Musk, who added "absolutely".
Earlier on Friday, FCC chair Brendan Carr had accused the Commission of targeting X merely because it was "a successful US tech company".
"Europe is taxing Americans to subsidise a continent held back by Europe's own suffocating regulations," he wrote.
Their comments echo those made by US Vice-President JD Vance on Thursday.
He lashed out at the EU amid rumours of its forthcoming fine - claiming the platform was being punished "for not engaging in censorship".
"The EU should be supporting free speech, not attacking American companies over garbage," he said.
Social media expert Matt Navarra said the comments showed the fine was not "just a punishment [but] a statement" of the EU's willingness to enforce its regulation of tech firms.
In addition to taking issue with its use of blue ticks, EU regulators said X was also failing to provide transparency around its adverts, and it was not giving researchers access to public data.
"The fine issued today was calculated taking into account the nature of these infringements, their gravity in terms of affected EU users, and their duration," the Commission said.
Henna Virkkunen, the regulator's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, said it was "holding X responsible for undermining users' rights and evading accountability".
"Deceiving users with blue checkmarks, obscuring information on ads and shutting out researchers have no place online in the EU," she said.
The decision means X must tell the Commission how it will bring the allegedly violating measures into compliance with EU laws, or face further, periodic fines.
The action constitutes the Commission's first decision on a platform's "non-compliance" with its Digital Services Act (DSA) - one of two rulebooks online firms must follow in order to operate their services in the EU.
The DSA sets out obligations for platforms around content, data and advertising, while the Digital Markets Act establishes how companies should operate in order to benefit consumers and competition.
Such rules have come under increased scrutiny from US leaders, who warned against tougher regulation of tech firms by governments and regulators.
Musk's shake-up to verification formed part of a sweeping set of changes he made after acquiring Twitter in late 2022.
It saw the previous system - which functioned similarly to other social media verification schemes displaying someone as verified if they supply proof of who they are - cast out and replaced with one tied to its Premium subscription tier.
This required people to pay a monthly subscription fee if they wanted a blue tick displayed next to their account name on the site.
To get a verified checkmark, an X account must have a display name and profile picture, a confirmed phone number and have been active in the previous 30 days.
They also cannot be "misleading or deceptive" or have engaged in spam activity.
Musk launched the new system as a way to incentivise people to subscribe and boost X's overall income.
It also gave blue tick holders a higher presence in replies, and was mooted as a way to tackle the amount of bots on the platform.
But it proved highly controversial, with warnings it might open users up to scams by impersonators or fake accounts and increase the profile of bad actors and misleading content.
Mr Navarra said Musk's new system marked a departure from the way platforms usually verify users.
"It's a trust signal not a transaction, but on X that was flipped," he told the BBC.
"There's no meaningful ID check, there's no rigorous validation and I think that's where the EU has drawn the line," he said - adding X had made itself "an easy first target" for the Commission's scrutiny of deceptive design on social platforms.
|
US hits out at EU's 'suffocating regulations' after it fines Elon Musk's X
The EU has fined Elon Musk's social media platform X €120m (£105m) over its blue tick badges - prompting an angry reaction from the US.
The European Commission said by allowing people to pay for a blue verified check mark on their profile, the platform "deceives users" because the firm is not "meaningfully verifying" who is behind the account.
"This deception exposes users to scams, including impersonation frauds, as well as other forms of manipulation by malicious actors," it said.
But US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have criticised the EU regulator, accusing it of attacking and censoring US firms.
"The European Commission's fine isn't just an attack on X, it's an attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments," Rubio wrote in a post on X.
"The days of censoring Americans online are over."
His remarks were reposted by Musk, who added "absolutely".
Earlier on Friday, FCC chair Brendan Carr had accused the Commission of targeting X merely because it was "a successful US tech company".
"Europe is taxing Americans to subsidise a continent held back by Europe's own suffocating regulations," he wrote.
Their comments echo those made by US Vice-President JD Vance on Thursday.
He lashed out at the EU amid rumours of its forthcoming fine - claiming the platform was being punished "for not engaging in censorship".
"The EU should be supporting free speech, not attacking American companies over garbage," he said.
Social media expert Matt Navarra said the comments showed the fine was not "just a punishment [but] a statement" of the EU's willingness to enforce its regulation of tech firms.
In addition to taking issue with its use of blue ticks, EU regulators said X was also failing to provide transparency around its adverts, and it was not giving researchers access to public data.
"The fine issued today was calculated taking into account the nature of these infringements, their gravity in terms of affected EU users, and their duration," the Commission said.
Henna Virkkunen, the regulator's executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, said it was "holding X responsible for undermining users' rights and evading accountability".
"Deceiving users with blue checkmarks, obscuring information on ads and shutting out researchers have no place online in the EU," she said.
The decision means X must tell the Commission how it will bring the allegedly violating measures into compliance with EU laws, or face further, periodic fines.
The action constitutes the Commission's first decision on a platform's "non-compliance" with its Digital Services Act (DSA) - one of two rulebooks online firms must follow in order to operate their services in the EU.
The DSA sets out obligations for platforms around content, data and advertising, while the Digital Markets Act establishes how companies should operate in order to benefit consumers and competition.
Such rules have come under increased scrutiny from US leaders, who warned against tougher regulation of tech firms by governments and regulators.
Musk's shake-up to verification formed part of a sweeping set of changes he made after acquiring Twitter in late 2022.
It saw the previous system - which functioned similarly to other social media verification schemes displaying someone as verified if they supply proof of who they are - cast out and replaced with one tied to its Premium subscription tier.
This required people to pay a monthly subscription fee if they wanted a blue tick displayed next to their account name on the site.
To get a verified checkmark, an X account must have a display name and profile picture, a confirmed phone number and have been active in the previous 30 days.
They also cannot be "misleading or deceptive" or have engaged in spam activity.
Musk launched the new system as a way to incentivise people to subscribe and boost X's overall income.
It also gave blue tick holders a higher presence in replies, and was mooted as a way to tackle the amount of bots on the platform.
But it proved highly controversial, with warnings it might open users up to scams by impersonators or fake accounts and increase the profile of bad actors and misleading content.
Mr Navarra said Musk's new system marked a departure from the way platforms usually verify users.
"It's a trust signal not a transaction, but on X that was flipped," he told the BBC.
"There's no meaningful ID check, there's no rigorous validation and I think that's where the EU has drawn the line," he said - adding X had made itself "an easy first target" for the Commission's scrutiny of deceptive design on social platforms.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T17:58:27Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g9kejzvw0o
|
{"title": "US hits out at EU's 'suffocating regulations' after it fines Elon Musk's X "}
|
Government pledges to end children living in B&Bs
The government has pledged to stop children growing up in B&Bs and to make childcare more accessible for families on Universal Credit as part of its child poverty strategy.
It expects to lift around 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030, "the biggest reduction in a single Parliament since records began", with measures including scrapping the two-child benefit cap.
Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern said the effect of temporary accommodation was a reason attributed to the death of some children and babies, and that she would consider herself "a failure" if newborns were still living in B&Bs by the time she finished her job.
Homelessness charities welcomed the plans, but called for greater changes to lift people out of poverty.
In England alone, more than 172,000 children are living in temporary accommodation.
To address this, the government plans to end the "unlawful placement" of families in B&Bs beyond six weeks.
Councils are currently only meant to house families with children in B&Bs as a last resort, and for a maximium of six weeks, the law says.
But figures from April to June 2025 show that more than 2,000 children had been living in B&Bs for longer than that.
Child poverty levels are currently at a "historic high", the government says, with 4.5 million children - roughly a third - living in relative poverty after housing costs. Three quarters of these come from working families.
McGovern said the strategy is about putting a "proper roof over our children's heads".
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, she said it "really, really shocked me" that in the five years to 2024, 74 children - including 58 babies - died and "one of the causes that was attributed to their death was the effect of temporary accommodation".
She added that the government wants to make sure no newborn babies are discharged from hospital into B&B accommodation, which she is "sorry to say does occasionally happen".
"If that's still happening by the time I've finished my job, I'll consider myself a failure," she said.
The government's child poverty strategy comes after announced it would scrap the two-child benefit cap in April, expanded free school meals to all children from families receiving Universal Credit, and introduced free breakfast clubs.
"Too many families are struggling without the basics: a secure home, warm meals, and the support they need to make ends meet," Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said.
Meanwhile, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said there was "considerable uncertainty over how large a reduction in measured poverty these policies will ultimately deliver, partly due to genuine economic uncertainty".
On ending the two-child benefit cap, it said it was forecast to account for 450,000 of the children lifted out of poverty by the end of the Parliament, with the remainder attributable to expanding free school meals.
Other announcements, including on temporary accommodation, were targeted at "much smaller groups of people", the IFS said.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said: "You don't lift children out of poverty by making the whole country poorer."
She said work was "the best way out of poverty", adding: "Only the Conservatives have a credible plan to grow the economy, support parents back into work and tackle child poverty."
Munira Wilson, education spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, said the announcement is just "a collection of existing proposals" and called on the government to focus on building council and social rent homes.
"Even the government's own numbers suggest that this strategy will leave nearly four million children trapped in poverty," she said.
She also called on the government to "properly fund their free school meals rollout and auto-enrol families on the scheme, so no child slips through the cracks".
The government says the "devastating impact" on children living in temporary accommodation includes damage to physical and mental health, missing school and family disruption.
James Cassidy, headteacher of Eton Park Junior Academy in Burton-upon-Trent, told the BBC that he increasingly sees pupils coming into school tired, anxious and stressed, having a knock-on effect on their concentration and friendships.
He said the "vast majority" of pupils' families were experiencing difficulties with the cost of living and retaining long-term employment.
The government's measures on housing are "so welcomed", Mr Cassidy said, adding that in his experience, families often try to cope alone when placed in temporary accommodation.
Under the government's plans, councils will also have a new legal duty to notify schools, health visitors and GPs when a child is placed in temporary accommodation to provide "a more joined up" approach to supporting them.
The government confirmed that it will continue an £8m pilot to reduce dependence on B&Bs as emergency accommodation in the 20 local authorities with the highest use over the next three years.
|
Government pledges to end children living in B&Bs
The government has pledged to stop children growing up in B&Bs and to make childcare more accessible for families on Universal Credit as part of its child poverty strategy.
It expects to lift around 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030, "the biggest reduction in a single Parliament since records began", with measures including scrapping the two-child benefit cap.
Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern said the effect of temporary accommodation was a reason attributed to the death of some children and babies, and that she would consider herself "a failure" if newborns were still living in B&Bs by the time she finished her job.
Homelessness charities welcomed the plans, but called for greater changes to lift people out of poverty.
In England alone, more than 172,000 children are living in temporary accommodation.
To address this, the government plans to end the "unlawful placement" of families in B&Bs beyond six weeks.
Councils are currently only meant to house families with children in B&Bs as a last resort, and for a maximium of six weeks, the law says.
But figures from April to June 2025 show that more than 2,000 children had been living in B&Bs for longer than that.
Child poverty levels are currently at a "historic high", the government says, with 4.5 million children - roughly a third - living in relative poverty after housing costs. Three quarters of these come from working families.
McGovern said the strategy is about putting a "proper roof over our children's heads".
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, she said it "really, really shocked me" that in the five years to 2024, 74 children - including 58 babies - died and "one of the causes that was attributed to their death was the effect of temporary accommodation".
She added that the government wants to make sure no newborn babies are discharged from hospital into B&B accommodation, which she is "sorry to say does occasionally happen".
"If that's still happening by the time I've finished my job, I'll consider myself a failure," she said.
The government's child poverty strategy comes after announced it would scrap the two-child benefit cap in April, expanded free school meals to all children from families receiving Universal Credit, and introduced free breakfast clubs.
"Too many families are struggling without the basics: a secure home, warm meals, and the support they need to make ends meet," Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said.
Meanwhile, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said there was "considerable uncertainty over how large a reduction in measured poverty these policies will ultimately deliver, partly due to genuine economic uncertainty".
On ending the two-child benefit cap, it said it was forecast to account for 450,000 of the children lifted out of poverty by the end of the Parliament, with the remainder attributable to expanding free school meals.
Other announcements, including on temporary accommodation, were targeted at "much smaller groups of people", the IFS said.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said: "You don't lift children out of poverty by making the whole country poorer."
She said work was "the best way out of poverty", adding: "Only the Conservatives have a credible plan to grow the economy, support parents back into work and tackle child poverty."
Munira Wilson, education spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, said the announcement is just "a collection of existing proposals" and called on the government to focus on building council and social rent homes.
"Even the government's own numbers suggest that this strategy will leave nearly four million children trapped in poverty," she said.
She also called on the government to "properly fund their free school meals rollout and auto-enrol families on the scheme, so no child slips through the cracks".
The government says the "devastating impact" on children living in temporary accommodation includes damage to physical and mental health, missing school and family disruption.
James Cassidy, headteacher of Eton Park Junior Academy in Burton-upon-Trent, told the BBC that he increasingly sees pupils coming into school tired, anxious and stressed, having a knock-on effect on their concentration and friendships.
He said the "vast majority" of pupils' families were experiencing difficulties with the cost of living and retaining long-term employment.
The government's measures on housing are "so welcomed", Mr Cassidy said, adding that in his experience, families often try to cope alone when placed in temporary accommodation.
Under the government's plans, councils will also have a new legal duty to notify schools, health visitors and GPs when a child is placed in temporary accommodation to provide "a more joined up" approach to supporting them.
The government confirmed that it will continue an £8m pilot to reduce dependence on B&Bs as emergency accommodation in the 20 local authorities with the highest use over the next three years.
It also plans to build 5,000 homes that can be used as more suitable temporary accommodation by 2030 as part of its upcoming homelessness strategy.
Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza says it is a welcome focus on improving the quality of temporary accommodation, where many children live in "shocking Dickensian conditions".
Homelessness charity Shelter agreed with the government that "no child should be growing up in a B&B or mouldy bedsit".
But it called on ministers to "get children out of temporary accommodation and into permanent homes" by unfreezing housing benefits and building a new generation of social rent homes.
The Health Foundation said the strategy marked progress, but "must go further" to deliver a "preventative approach that tackles the deep structural causes of poverty".
Meanwhile, the founder of the Big Issue magazine Lord John Bird said the government's strategy was lacking "ambitious targets".
"In this challenging economic climate, there is every reason to worry warm words will not translate into tangible progress," he said.
Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the plans will make a "real difference" but called for "more than just these policies in isolation".
"A cross-Whitehall response, backed by widespread investment, is required," he said.
More accessible childcare is also included in the strategy, the government says, as childcare costs are one of the biggest barriers for getting back to work, with many struggling to cover upfront fees before getting their first payslip.
It has pledged a rule change from next year to extend eligibility for upfront childcare costs to people returning from parental leave, which it said will make it easier for new parents who receive Universal Credit to return to work.
Other measures include helping parents to save money on baby formula.
Additional reporting by Vanessa Clarke
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bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T15:01:25Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0l9nrkd4z6o
|
{"title": "Government pledges to end children living in B&Bs"}
|
Kim Cattrall marries fiancé she met on BBC radio show
Sex and the City actress Kim Cattrall has married Russell Thomas, almost a decade after they met when she was a guest on a radio show at the BBC, where he worked.
The actress shared an image of them kissing on Instagram, after People reported that they had tied the knot at London's Chelsea Old Town Hall.
People said the ceremony was attended by 12 family members and close friends, reflecting their "preference for intimacy and authenticity".
Liverpool-born Cattrall, who is most famous for playing Samantha Jones in the popular HBO comedy-drama, met Thomas in 2016 when she appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.
She recently told the Times: "We've been together almost 10 years now. And we've had a blast. We've just had so much fun."
The newspaper said they met in April 2016 when she appeared on Woman's Hour to read diary entries written during a bout of "crippling insomnia", which had forced her to pull out of a play at London's Royal Court.
She said Thomas has been "erroneously reported" as being a sound engineer.
While she did not expand on his exact role, she said: "He was an actor originally. He's had an incredibly interesting life and really done it on his terms. He's a bit of a rebel, which I love," she said.
Sex and the City ran for six series from 1998 to 2004 and generated two spin-off films. It co-starred Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis.
Cattrall won a Golden Globe for her role in 2003, and received three other nominations for the show, along with five primetime Emmy nominations.
Parker, Nixon and Davis appeared in spin-off series And Just Like That from 2021, while Cattrall just made a brief appearance in the final episode of season two in 2023.
She reportedly did not play a greater part in the spin-off because of a strained relationship with the show and her cast-mates.
Her other acting work includes the BBC's Bafta-nominated series The Witness for the Prosecution in 2016, the 2022 revival of Queer as Folk, 1987 film Mannequin and the original Police Academy film in 1984.
Her stage work includes Sweet Bird of Youth in 2013 at London's Old Vic and Private Lives on Broadway in 2011.
|
Kim Cattrall marries fiancé she met on BBC radio show
Sex and the City actress Kim Cattrall has married Russell Thomas, almost a decade after they met when she was a guest on a radio show at the BBC, where he worked.
The actress shared an image of them kissing on Instagram, after People reported that they had tied the knot at London's Chelsea Old Town Hall.
People said the ceremony was attended by 12 family members and close friends, reflecting their "preference for intimacy and authenticity".
Liverpool-born Cattrall, who is most famous for playing Samantha Jones in the popular HBO comedy-drama, met Thomas in 2016 when she appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.
She recently told the Times: "We've been together almost 10 years now. And we've had a blast. We've just had so much fun."
The newspaper said they met in April 2016 when she appeared on Woman's Hour to read diary entries written during a bout of "crippling insomnia", which had forced her to pull out of a play at London's Royal Court.
She said Thomas has been "erroneously reported" as being a sound engineer.
While she did not expand on his exact role, she said: "He was an actor originally. He's had an incredibly interesting life and really done it on his terms. He's a bit of a rebel, which I love," she said.
Sex and the City ran for six series from 1998 to 2004 and generated two spin-off films. It co-starred Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis.
Cattrall won a Golden Globe for her role in 2003, and received three other nominations for the show, along with five primetime Emmy nominations.
Parker, Nixon and Davis appeared in spin-off series And Just Like That from 2021, while Cattrall just made a brief appearance in the final episode of season two in 2023.
She reportedly did not play a greater part in the spin-off because of a strained relationship with the show and her cast-mates.
Her other acting work includes the BBC's Bafta-nominated series The Witness for the Prosecution in 2016, the 2022 revival of Queer as Folk, 1987 film Mannequin and the original Police Academy film in 1984.
Her stage work includes Sweet Bird of Youth in 2013 at London's Old Vic and Private Lives on Broadway in 2011.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T13:55:36Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdd5zelp7v6o
|
{"title": "Kim Cattrall marries fiancé she met on BBC radio show"}
|
Western countries press Tanzania to release bodies of post-election victims
Western embassies in Tanzania, including the UK and France, have called on the authorities to release to the families all bodies of those killed in October's electoral violence.
Citing "credible reports", the 17 missions said there was "evidence of extrajudicial killings, disappearances, arbitrary arrests" and the "concealment of bodies" by Tanzanian authorities during the unrest.
In response, Tanzania said it had set up a commission of inquiry which would bring about an understanding of the "unfortunate events".
Hundreds are reported to have been killed in the violence, though the government has not released an official toll.
The authorities violently cracked down on widespread demonstrations after the 29 October presidential election, in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with nearly 98% of the vote.
Samia's main rivals were barred, prompting widespread anger over the fairness of the presidential contest, which the opposition denounced as a "mockery of democracy".
The authorities also imposed an internet blackout and threatened anyone sharing photos from the protests.
Samia has defended the fairness of the election and rejected criticism of her human rights record.
At least 240 people were charged with treason after the protests, but the president later sought to ease tension and asked prosecutors to "show leniency". Many of those charged have reportedly already been released.
Opposition leader Tundu Lissu was charged with treason in April and remains behind bars.
In a joint statement on Friday, the coalition of Western embassies in Tanzania urged the government to free political prisoners and allow detainees to get legal and medical help.
"We call on the authorities to urgently release all the bodies of the dead to their families," added the statement issued by the European Union delegation, several EU member countries, Canada, Norway and Switzerland.
They welcomed the government's decision to investigate the causes and circumstances of the violence but stressed that the probe be independent, transparent, and inclusive, involving civil society, faith-based organisations, and political stakeholders.
"We reiterate our call on the government to uphold its international commitments to protecting fundamental freedoms and the constitutional rights of all Tanzanians to access information and express themselves freely," they added.
The statement comes amid growing diplomatic pressure on Tanzania over reported human rights abuses during the disputed election.
UN human rights office spokesman Seif Magango on Friday told a press briefing in Geneva that the Tanzanian government had "intensified a crackdown against opponents since the vote".
"Reports indicate that since mid-November, dozens of individuals including academics, civil society actors and local political leaders have been detained, with several arrests allegedly carried out by unidentified armed personnel," Magango added.
He said hundreds were reportedly killed and more than 2,000 detained after demonstrations broke out following the elections.
"We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those arbitrarily detained."
The US government on Thursday said it was reconsidering relations with Tanzania in the wake of its heavy-hand response against protesters.
The State Department said the US "cannot overlook actions that jeopardize the safety of our citizens, or the security and stability of the region".
In a statement on Friday, the Tanzania's foreign affairs ministry said it had noted these comments but urged other countries to wait for the results of the commission of inquiry before judging.
In a defiant speech on Tuesday, President Samia angrily hit out Western nations, accusing them of interfering in the country's internal affairs. defended the use of force as "necessary" against protesters who "were ready to overthrow the government".
She repeated accusations that unnamed foreign actors had colluded with opposition groups to cause "regime change," without providing evidence to back up the claim.
Samia said her government was ready to confront protesters in fresh demonstrations planned for Tuesday next week.
The 65-year-old leader came into office in 2021 as Tanzania's first female president following the death of President John Magufuli.
She was initially praised for easing political repression, but the political space has since narrowed.
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
|
Western countries press Tanzania to release bodies of post-election victims
Western embassies in Tanzania, including the UK and France, have called on the authorities to release to the families all bodies of those killed in October's electoral violence.
Citing "credible reports", the 17 missions said there was "evidence of extrajudicial killings, disappearances, arbitrary arrests" and the "concealment of bodies" by Tanzanian authorities during the unrest.
In response, Tanzania said it had set up a commission of inquiry which would bring about an understanding of the "unfortunate events".
Hundreds are reported to have been killed in the violence, though the government has not released an official toll.
The authorities violently cracked down on widespread demonstrations after the 29 October presidential election, in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared the winner with nearly 98% of the vote.
Samia's main rivals were barred, prompting widespread anger over the fairness of the presidential contest, which the opposition denounced as a "mockery of democracy".
The authorities also imposed an internet blackout and threatened anyone sharing photos from the protests.
Samia has defended the fairness of the election and rejected criticism of her human rights record.
At least 240 people were charged with treason after the protests, but the president later sought to ease tension and asked prosecutors to "show leniency". Many of those charged have reportedly already been released.
Opposition leader Tundu Lissu was charged with treason in April and remains behind bars.
In a joint statement on Friday, the coalition of Western embassies in Tanzania urged the government to free political prisoners and allow detainees to get legal and medical help.
"We call on the authorities to urgently release all the bodies of the dead to their families," added the statement issued by the European Union delegation, several EU member countries, Canada, Norway and Switzerland.
They welcomed the government's decision to investigate the causes and circumstances of the violence but stressed that the probe be independent, transparent, and inclusive, involving civil society, faith-based organisations, and political stakeholders.
"We reiterate our call on the government to uphold its international commitments to protecting fundamental freedoms and the constitutional rights of all Tanzanians to access information and express themselves freely," they added.
The statement comes amid growing diplomatic pressure on Tanzania over reported human rights abuses during the disputed election.
UN human rights office spokesman Seif Magango on Friday told a press briefing in Geneva that the Tanzanian government had "intensified a crackdown against opponents since the vote".
"Reports indicate that since mid-November, dozens of individuals including academics, civil society actors and local political leaders have been detained, with several arrests allegedly carried out by unidentified armed personnel," Magango added.
He said hundreds were reportedly killed and more than 2,000 detained after demonstrations broke out following the elections.
"We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those arbitrarily detained."
The US government on Thursday said it was reconsidering relations with Tanzania in the wake of its heavy-hand response against protesters.
The State Department said the US "cannot overlook actions that jeopardize the safety of our citizens, or the security and stability of the region".
In a statement on Friday, the Tanzania's foreign affairs ministry said it had noted these comments but urged other countries to wait for the results of the commission of inquiry before judging.
In a defiant speech on Tuesday, President Samia angrily hit out Western nations, accusing them of interfering in the country's internal affairs. defended the use of force as "necessary" against protesters who "were ready to overthrow the government".
She repeated accusations that unnamed foreign actors had colluded with opposition groups to cause "regime change," without providing evidence to back up the claim.
Samia said her government was ready to confront protesters in fresh demonstrations planned for Tuesday next week.
The 65-year-old leader came into office in 2021 as Tanzania's first female president following the death of President John Magufuli.
She was initially praised for easing political repression, but the political space has since narrowed.
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T17:22:49Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8xdvg2ydddo
|
{"title": "Western countries press Tanzania to release bodies of post-election victims"}
|
Driving test touts offer instructors £250 monthly kickbacks
Driving instructors are being offered kickbacks of up to £250 a month to sell their official test-booking login details to touts, a BBC investigation has found.
Touts use these login details to book driving tests in bulk and sell them to learners on WhatsApp and Facebook, charging as much as £500 for tests that should cost no more than £75. This makes it harder for learners to book through legitimate routes and adds to already lengthy waiting times.
The BBC has also uncovered evidence that the outgoing head of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Loveday Ryder, was told about these operations in February - yet some sellers reported to the DVSA are still operating. In response, the DVSA said it does not comment on specific complaints but has zero tolerance for those exploiting learner drivers.
We have identified touts operating in London, Birmingham, Manchester and the Home Counties. Posing as driving instructors, we approached them on WhatsApp and were offered monthly payments in exchange for login details to the DVSA's system, where instructors can book tests.
One tout boasted he worked with more than 1,000 instructors - while another, Anil Ahmed, who goes by the name "Ahadeen", said he signed up two instructors every week. We could not independently verify either of these claims. When we later confronted Mr Ahmed in person he denied any involvement, but we have found significant evidence implicating him.
The BBC has not been able to identify specific driving instructors selling their details but our conversations with these touts, the sheer volume of tests they are selling, and images of test-booking systems shared on WhatsApp suggest hundreds of rogue instructors might be involved.
Separately, 30 instructors we spoke to across Great Britain - England, Scotland and Wales - said they had heard of test slots being sold at huge mark-ups. Ten of them told us they had been approached by touts or had spoken to other instructors who had been.
Carly Brookfield, chief executive of the Driving Instructors Association, said that the schemes were "an own goal for driving instructors that brings the profession into disrepute".
"This is a very small community of bad actors that have penalised the entire industry," she told BBC Breakfast, adding that some had already had their instructor licences revoked.
At the end of October, 642,000 learners in Great Britain were waiting to take a test, with an average wait time of 21 weeks, DVSA data shows. There is a separate system in Northern Ireland.
Waits can be as long as six months, according to learners we spoke to - some say they are turning to touts out of desperation. A recent DVSA survey suggested about one in three learners had used "third parties" to book their driving tests.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander recently announced plans to change driving test rules, which it is hoped will stop touts and reduce the backlog. From the spring, only learners - not instructors - will be able to book test slots.
Instructors we spoke to welcomed the Department of Transport's (DfT) proposals, but also said they had been raising these issues for some time and now want to know whether the government will root out rogue teachers. Tests have been bulk-booked and resold for profit for years, but these instructors say it is now getting much worse.
We were first alerted to the concerns about touts by an instructor in West Yorkshire, who emailed the BBC's Your Voice inbox.
They told us they had been approached by someone offering £250 a month to buy their login details to the system that instructors use to book tests, called Online Business Service (OBS). Learner drivers can only book one test, but instructors can book multiple slots at different locations.
We decided to investigate and immediately found Facebook groups, Snapchat accounts and WhatsApp communities where hundreds of test slots were being posted for sale every day, costing up to £500 each.
The names of certain resellers popped up frequently and it was clear from the volume of tests being advertised that they had gained access to OBS.
The shady system we uncovered appears to work as follows.
Once touts are able to login, they then use learners' licence details - harvested from customers buying tests from them - to book slots, which they then sell at inflated prices to other learners desperate to ditch their L plates.
Using people's licences to book tests may breach data protection laws. The behaviour of some instructors would also appear to be a violation of DVSA terms.
During our investigation frustrated instructors emailed us - alongside irate learners and their parents - many of them sick at the idea of learners feeling they had to pay touts to get a test.
Ian Pinto from St Albans in Hertfordshire - whose children, aged 20 and 18, have spent the past two years trying to get driving tests - said: "These people are taking advantage of kids and I don't
|
Driving test touts offer instructors £250 monthly kickbacks
Driving instructors are being offered kickbacks of up to £250 a month to sell their official test-booking login details to touts, a BBC investigation has found.
Touts use these login details to book driving tests in bulk and sell them to learners on WhatsApp and Facebook, charging as much as £500 for tests that should cost no more than £75. This makes it harder for learners to book through legitimate routes and adds to already lengthy waiting times.
The BBC has also uncovered evidence that the outgoing head of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Loveday Ryder, was told about these operations in February - yet some sellers reported to the DVSA are still operating. In response, the DVSA said it does not comment on specific complaints but has zero tolerance for those exploiting learner drivers.
We have identified touts operating in London, Birmingham, Manchester and the Home Counties. Posing as driving instructors, we approached them on WhatsApp and were offered monthly payments in exchange for login details to the DVSA's system, where instructors can book tests.
One tout boasted he worked with more than 1,000 instructors - while another, Anil Ahmed, who goes by the name "Ahadeen", said he signed up two instructors every week. We could not independently verify either of these claims. When we later confronted Mr Ahmed in person he denied any involvement, but we have found significant evidence implicating him.
The BBC has not been able to identify specific driving instructors selling their details but our conversations with these touts, the sheer volume of tests they are selling, and images of test-booking systems shared on WhatsApp suggest hundreds of rogue instructors might be involved.
Separately, 30 instructors we spoke to across Great Britain - England, Scotland and Wales - said they had heard of test slots being sold at huge mark-ups. Ten of them told us they had been approached by touts or had spoken to other instructors who had been.
Carly Brookfield, chief executive of the Driving Instructors Association, said that the schemes were "an own goal for driving instructors that brings the profession into disrepute".
"This is a very small community of bad actors that have penalised the entire industry," she told BBC Breakfast, adding that some had already had their instructor licences revoked.
At the end of October, 642,000 learners in Great Britain were waiting to take a test, with an average wait time of 21 weeks, DVSA data shows. There is a separate system in Northern Ireland.
Waits can be as long as six months, according to learners we spoke to - some say they are turning to touts out of desperation. A recent DVSA survey suggested about one in three learners had used "third parties" to book their driving tests.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander recently announced plans to change driving test rules, which it is hoped will stop touts and reduce the backlog. From the spring, only learners - not instructors - will be able to book test slots.
Instructors we spoke to welcomed the Department of Transport's (DfT) proposals, but also said they had been raising these issues for some time and now want to know whether the government will root out rogue teachers. Tests have been bulk-booked and resold for profit for years, but these instructors say it is now getting much worse.
We were first alerted to the concerns about touts by an instructor in West Yorkshire, who emailed the BBC's Your Voice inbox.
They told us they had been approached by someone offering £250 a month to buy their login details to the system that instructors use to book tests, called Online Business Service (OBS). Learner drivers can only book one test, but instructors can book multiple slots at different locations.
We decided to investigate and immediately found Facebook groups, Snapchat accounts and WhatsApp communities where hundreds of test slots were being posted for sale every day, costing up to £500 each.
The names of certain resellers popped up frequently and it was clear from the volume of tests being advertised that they had gained access to OBS.
The shady system we uncovered appears to work as follows.
Once touts are able to login, they then use learners' licence details - harvested from customers buying tests from them - to book slots, which they then sell at inflated prices to other learners desperate to ditch their L plates.
Using people's licences to book tests may breach data protection laws. The behaviour of some instructors would also appear to be a violation of DVSA terms.
During our investigation frustrated instructors emailed us - alongside irate learners and their parents - many of them sick at the idea of learners feeling they had to pay touts to get a test.
Ian Pinto from St Albans in Hertfordshire - whose children, aged 20 and 18, have spent the past two years trying to get driving tests - said: "These people are taking advantage of kids and I don't want my kids' friends being taken advantage of by these guys."
One of the most popular resellers in Mr Pinto's area is "Ahadeen". We linked Ahadeen's mobile phone number to a Facebook profile connected to Anil Ahmed - a 34-year-old who lives in Luton.
Posing as a driving instructor, we got in touch with the tout via WhatsApp and arranged a call.
"I sign up two driving instructors a week," he boasted. Unlike other touts we contacted, he also claimed to have staff logged in as instructors all day, booking every test they could.
"I'm going to guarantee you £100 a month into your account every month… send me the login details," he said.
The tout told us he could get driving tests at any centre in Great Britain and sell them to learners for between £222 and £242 per test.
Practical tests cost £62 from the DVSA - or £75 on evenings, weekends and bank holidays - so he would make at least £140 on every test he sold.
He explained how we, as a driving instructor, could buy a test slot from him for £192 and then sell it to a learner driver for up to £300, though he did add that this mark-up is perhaps "unethical".
After our phone call, we made a fresh approach - via Facebook - to meet the tout in person. This helped us confirm Ahadeen's identity as Anil Ahmed, as he gave us a phone number that was the same one we had WhatsApped Ahadeen on, and an address that public records show is linked to the name Anil Ahmed.
The BBC has also seen bank details used to buy a test from "Ahadeen" - the name on that account is Anil Ahmed.
When confronted in person, he refused to directly answer our questions and tried to deny being Mr Ahmed, even though he responded to the name Anil as we approached him.
Later in the conversation he told us that everything we were putting to him was a "complete fabrication".
Anil Ahmed is not the only driving test tout we spoke to.
Khalid sells tests in the West Midlands.
We posed as an instructor again, and Khalid offered us £250 a month for our logins. He said he used a "machine that automatically picks tests" on OBS accounts, and said he had "over 1,000 partner" instructors.
For every other instructor we helped signed up, he also told us, he would add £50 to our monthly payment. He claimed some instructors were making more than £500 a month from this.
A third tout - Jamal, who operates in the Home Counties - did not try to buy our login details but offered to sell us tests.
From WhatsApp conversations we have seen, it appears Jamal and Khalid are working together.
Driving instructor Peter Brooks, who teaches in Oxfordshire, wrote a letter in February to the head of the DVSA, Loveday Ryder, providing evidence that he and colleagues had gathered on Jamal. The BBC has seen this letter.
"They never seemed to realise that we were telling them that people were paying instructors for their logins. Nothing has ever happened and this Jamal character is still selling tests to this day. It makes me very angry."
The BBC put all of this to the DVSA. It told us that it does not comment on individual complaints, but added that any instructors who are involved in these schemes may be investigated.
In a subsequent FOI response, the DVSA told us that as of the 17 November it had closed 346 OBS accounts belonging to driving instructors for breaches of terms and conditions.
The DfT says the changes it is planning to introduce next spring will help clamp down on abuse of the system. In the meantime, however, learners who need a test may feel forced to pay the touts.
At Great Britain's busiest driving test centre, Goodmayes in east London, 23-year-old student Md Rahmath Ullah Mehedi told us he had paid a tout £120 for a slot in March.
"Going through these people seems like the only way. If I could afford it, I'd pay again for a test even sooner but they're asking for £400-£500 for tests in December."
His instructor, Asif Darbar, who runs Busy Bee Driving School, said he couldn't remember the last time one of his students booked a test through the official route.
Another instructor, Jag Singh, told us: "One of my students just failed and he was in tears because his parents are going to have to pay over £500 for another test. It's a vicious cycle."
He said the idea that other instructors were potentially involved made his "blood boil".
"We're out here trying to work, making ends meet, and these guys are sat at home making hundreds and hundreds of pounds."
Additional reporting by Sophie Wallace, Rozina Sini and Stephen West
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T17:00:04Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0k2858jj1o
|
{"title": "Driving test touts offer instructors £250 monthly kickbacks"}
|
'Our town has everything we need - that's why it's such a happy place'
Nestled on the outskirts of the Yorkshire Dales lies a market town that has been crowned the happiest place to live in Britain in 2025.
Skipton is scenic and historic - it has cobbled streets, a medieval castle, canal and traditional independent shops - but those who live there said its community spirit and friendly vibe were what made them so content.
It took the top spot in Rightmove's 2025 Happy at Home survey after being placed at number six in last year's study, and in second place in 2020.
Ben Crick, a local composer, said it was no surprise the "beautiful place" had caught judges' eyes.
"Skipton is in a very fortunate position and there's lots of reasons for it being chosen as the happiest place, such as the shops, castle and nice houses," he said.
Rightmove said 19,500 people took part in its survey and those who voted for Skipton ranked it highly for the friendliness of the people and also its access to nature and green spaces.
Skipton was also praised for making people feel they could "be themselves" and for the affordability of the area, as respondents felt they earned enough to live comfortably.
Natalie Davison, office manager at Bizzie Lizzie's fish and chip shop, said she had lived in Skipton for most of her life and has no plans to ever move away, as she loves the "great community spirit".
"It's just a nice place to walk around with my daughter as we like to visit places like the castle and take lots of pictures," she said.
"Skipton is full of kind and welcoming people, it's just a lovely place.
"Businesses support each other and we're generally happier as it is a nice standard of living here and it is great it has been given some positive recognition."
Richard Wilson, one of the owners of "quirky cafe" Cake'ole, said he agreed that people in the town were friendly and "welcoming to everyone who comes from around the country to visit".
"We've got lovely cafes, lovely independent shops, and it's a town full of independent people working and smiling every day to welcome the tourists and the locals who treasure Skipton," he added.
Ian Clarke, one of the directors of Pennine Cruises and the Boat House bar, added that the town was a "diverse place".
"It's busy in the winter as well as the summer, we've got loads of attractions for people and it's a good place to live," he said.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is on Skipton's doorstep and the town positions itself as a "gateway" to the area.
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal provides access for walkers and cyclists to other popular destinations such as Saltaire, and the well-preserved castle dates back to the 11th Century.
The family-friendly town has two selective grammar schools and a number of sports clubs, as well as an independent cinema. The railway station offers direct trains to Leeds, Bradford and London - and connects with the famous Settle to Carlisle line.
Mr Clarke acknowledged that house prices in Skipton could be "dearer than the surrounding places, but we have a good mix of people and a lot of people who've moved to Skipton from down south".
He added people were attracted to the town because of the "good walks, the canal, trains, we've got everything we need really, a good selection of coffee shops and pubs - it suits a lot of people and so there is a good feeling about it."
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove's property expert, said it was "great to see the town of Skipton getting the attention it deserves this year having ranked highly in previous studies".
"A lot more goes into choosing an area to live other than the home itself. Being within easy reach of nature and green spaces regularly comes out as an important factor for people, along with having friendly neighbours and feeling you can truly be yourself where you live," she said.
|
'Our town has everything we need - that's why it's such a happy place'
Nestled on the outskirts of the Yorkshire Dales lies a market town that has been crowned the happiest place to live in Britain in 2025.
Skipton is scenic and historic - it has cobbled streets, a medieval castle, canal and traditional independent shops - but those who live there said its community spirit and friendly vibe were what made them so content.
It took the top spot in Rightmove's 2025 Happy at Home survey after being placed at number six in last year's study, and in second place in 2020.
Ben Crick, a local composer, said it was no surprise the "beautiful place" had caught judges' eyes.
"Skipton is in a very fortunate position and there's lots of reasons for it being chosen as the happiest place, such as the shops, castle and nice houses," he said.
Rightmove said 19,500 people took part in its survey and those who voted for Skipton ranked it highly for the friendliness of the people and also its access to nature and green spaces.
Skipton was also praised for making people feel they could "be themselves" and for the affordability of the area, as respondents felt they earned enough to live comfortably.
Natalie Davison, office manager at Bizzie Lizzie's fish and chip shop, said she had lived in Skipton for most of her life and has no plans to ever move away, as she loves the "great community spirit".
"It's just a nice place to walk around with my daughter as we like to visit places like the castle and take lots of pictures," she said.
"Skipton is full of kind and welcoming people, it's just a lovely place.
"Businesses support each other and we're generally happier as it is a nice standard of living here and it is great it has been given some positive recognition."
Richard Wilson, one of the owners of "quirky cafe" Cake'ole, said he agreed that people in the town were friendly and "welcoming to everyone who comes from around the country to visit".
"We've got lovely cafes, lovely independent shops, and it's a town full of independent people working and smiling every day to welcome the tourists and the locals who treasure Skipton," he added.
Ian Clarke, one of the directors of Pennine Cruises and the Boat House bar, added that the town was a "diverse place".
"It's busy in the winter as well as the summer, we've got loads of attractions for people and it's a good place to live," he said.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is on Skipton's doorstep and the town positions itself as a "gateway" to the area.
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal provides access for walkers and cyclists to other popular destinations such as Saltaire, and the well-preserved castle dates back to the 11th Century.
The family-friendly town has two selective grammar schools and a number of sports clubs, as well as an independent cinema. The railway station offers direct trains to Leeds, Bradford and London - and connects with the famous Settle to Carlisle line.
Mr Clarke acknowledged that house prices in Skipton could be "dearer than the surrounding places, but we have a good mix of people and a lot of people who've moved to Skipton from down south".
He added people were attracted to the town because of the "good walks, the canal, trains, we've got everything we need really, a good selection of coffee shops and pubs - it suits a lot of people and so there is a good feeling about it."
Colleen Babcock, Rightmove's property expert, said it was "great to see the town of Skipton getting the attention it deserves this year having ranked highly in previous studies".
"A lot more goes into choosing an area to live other than the home itself. Being within easy reach of nature and green spaces regularly comes out as an important factor for people, along with having friendly neighbours and feeling you can truly be yourself where you live," she said.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T07:32:48Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20gwwr0wz4o
|
{"title": "'Our town has everything we need - that's why it's such a happy place'"}
|
Historic picture house awarded £675k grant
A project to restore a Grade II* listed cinema has been given a grant of more than half a million pounds.
Historic England (HE) has awarded £675,246 to the Paignton Picture House to carry out works to stabilise the building and restore architectural features.
HE South West regional director Rebecca Barrett said it was one of the largest grants given this year and it represented "another big step towards its future as a thriving cultural hub".
Paignton Picture House is expected to reopen in September 2026.
Ms Barrett said HE had invested more than £940,000 since the cinema was added to the Heritage at Risk Register in 2013.
The recent grant is intended to help restore features including the mosaic floor, original ticket offices and Art Deco lighting.
Julian Carnell, a trustee of the Paignton Picture House Trust, said it was "fantastic news".
He said it was "a very significant grant which will further enable us to restore and repair this historic building".
The picture house opened in 1914 and has been associated with Agatha Christie as she was a regular visitor and it is believed she watched adaptations of her novels from the balcony.
It was closed in 1999 and the building is being developed in to a hub for film, arts and community activity.
|
Historic picture house awarded £675k grant
A project to restore a Grade II* listed cinema has been given a grant of more than half a million pounds.
Historic England (HE) has awarded £675,246 to the Paignton Picture House to carry out works to stabilise the building and restore architectural features.
HE South West regional director Rebecca Barrett said it was one of the largest grants given this year and it represented "another big step towards its future as a thriving cultural hub".
Paignton Picture House is expected to reopen in September 2026.
Ms Barrett said HE had invested more than £940,000 since the cinema was added to the Heritage at Risk Register in 2013.
The recent grant is intended to help restore features including the mosaic floor, original ticket offices and Art Deco lighting.
Julian Carnell, a trustee of the Paignton Picture House Trust, said it was "fantastic news".
He said it was "a very significant grant which will further enable us to restore and repair this historic building".
The picture house opened in 1914 and has been associated with Agatha Christie as she was a regular visitor and it is believed she watched adaptations of her novels from the balcony.
It was closed in 1999 and the building is being developed in to a hub for film, arts and community activity.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-08T06:19:20Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce86zzgl888o
|
{"title": "Historic picture house awarded £675k grant"}
|
'Significant weaknesses' at Tower Hamlets Council
Tower Hamlets Council risks being stuck in a cycle of government intervention due to "significant weaknesses" in the way it is run, an auditor has warned.
External auditor EY outlined 10 issues at the council, which is controlled by Lutfur Rahman's Aspire Party, including "significant turnover" of senior management and the management of social housing.
The council's chief executive Stephen Halsey said they welcomed the report and were acting upon its recommendations, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
However, Labour councillor Marc Francis accused the council's leadership of being "defensive", saying it needed a "less rose-tinted view of itself".
The report said the council had been "slow" in efforts to find a permanent replacement for its former chief finance officer (CFO), who left in April.
It also said the council should have referred itself to the Regulator for Social Housing sooner, after taking its housing management service in-house in 2023.
However, the council's corporate director for housing said he did not think the timeframe in which the council referred itself to the regulator was "unreasonable".
Meanwhile, Mr Halsey said the council's efforts to recruit a new CFO were hampered by a "competitive" employment market.
Other weaknesses identified in the report included procurement and management of contracts, and how the council conducts internal investigations.
The report was presented to the council's audit committee on Wednesday, following EY's audit in the 2024-25 financial year.
It gave the council a C3 grade, the second worst out of four possible marks.
EY partner Stephen Reid told councillors that many of the issues in the report had persisted for "many years", and that "the pace of improvement has not matched the scale of the challenge".
"Without urgent and sustained action and clear accountability, the council risks remaining in a cycle of statutory intervention and limited assurance," he added.
The government sent ministerial envoys to intervene in January, after inspectors raised concerns about failing governance and local accountability.
Rahman was banned from public office in 2015 when it was found he had won the previous year's election in the borough with the help of "corrupt and illegal practices".
These included smearing another candidate as a racist, and bribery.
Rahman was re-elected mayor in 2022 after the ban expired.
Mr Francis said members of the audit committee had already raised "every single one" of the weaknesses identified in the report.
However, another Labour councillor, Asma Islam, questioned the reassurances given by the council that things were changing.
"There's a systematic, cultural issue that is actually weaving through a lot of what this council does through all of its decision-making," she said.
|
'Significant weaknesses' at Tower Hamlets Council
Tower Hamlets Council risks being stuck in a cycle of government intervention due to "significant weaknesses" in the way it is run, an auditor has warned.
External auditor EY outlined 10 issues at the council, which is controlled by Lutfur Rahman's Aspire Party, including "significant turnover" of senior management and the management of social housing.
The council's chief executive Stephen Halsey said they welcomed the report and were acting upon its recommendations, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
However, Labour councillor Marc Francis accused the council's leadership of being "defensive", saying it needed a "less rose-tinted view of itself".
The report said the council had been "slow" in efforts to find a permanent replacement for its former chief finance officer (CFO), who left in April.
It also said the council should have referred itself to the Regulator for Social Housing sooner, after taking its housing management service in-house in 2023.
However, the council's corporate director for housing said he did not think the timeframe in which the council referred itself to the regulator was "unreasonable".
Meanwhile, Mr Halsey said the council's efforts to recruit a new CFO were hampered by a "competitive" employment market.
Other weaknesses identified in the report included procurement and management of contracts, and how the council conducts internal investigations.
The report was presented to the council's audit committee on Wednesday, following EY's audit in the 2024-25 financial year.
It gave the council a C3 grade, the second worst out of four possible marks.
EY partner Stephen Reid told councillors that many of the issues in the report had persisted for "many years", and that "the pace of improvement has not matched the scale of the challenge".
"Without urgent and sustained action and clear accountability, the council risks remaining in a cycle of statutory intervention and limited assurance," he added.
The government sent ministerial envoys to intervene in January, after inspectors raised concerns about failing governance and local accountability.
Rahman was banned from public office in 2015 when it was found he had won the previous year's election in the borough with the help of "corrupt and illegal practices".
These included smearing another candidate as a racist, and bribery.
Rahman was re-elected mayor in 2022 after the ban expired.
Mr Francis said members of the audit committee had already raised "every single one" of the weaknesses identified in the report.
However, another Labour councillor, Asma Islam, questioned the reassurances given by the council that things were changing.
"There's a systematic, cultural issue that is actually weaving through a lot of what this council does through all of its decision-making," she said.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-08T06:13:25Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj38rlnl4pyo
|
{"title": "'Significant weaknesses' at Tower Hamlets Council"}
|
Police launch crackdown on rogue airport car parks
A police operation targeting rogue airport parking companies has been carried out after complaints of cars being damaged or having unexplained additional mileage.
The action, led by officers covering Bristol Airport, targeted unofficial companies in North Somerset.
Avon and Somerset Police said officers went to three car parks and found no staff there, with insecure vehicles and a caravan being used as offices with what appeared to be customers' car keys in them.
Some customers told how they had been abandoned at the airport, having been given various excuses by the parking operators.
The day of action was led by the airport police team, along with immigration enforcement staff, North Somerset Council and the British Parking Association.
One family reported they were told to take a taxi to a farm, where they were made to wait for an hour, before being instructed to go to another farm.
They waited there for a further two hours before they got their car back, police said.
Another family, with two distressed children, was also apparently stranded before airport staff took them to a hotel, a force spokesman added.
Councillor Annemieke Waite from North Somerset Council said: "When deals look too good to be true, they usually are".
She said none of the off-site operators had planning permission and had "never been assessed against planning policy".
"If anyone experiences a problem with a parking operator, please report it to the police or North Somerset Council," she added.
Avon and Somerset Police sergeant Danielle Hardaway said people would be "horrified" if they knew how their vehicles are used and stored.
Police say people wanting to park at the airport should use the airport's official website or accredited parking companies.
|
Police launch crackdown on rogue airport car parks
A police operation targeting rogue airport parking companies has been carried out after complaints of cars being damaged or having unexplained additional mileage.
The action, led by officers covering Bristol Airport, targeted unofficial companies in North Somerset.
Avon and Somerset Police said officers went to three car parks and found no staff there, with insecure vehicles and a caravan being used as offices with what appeared to be customers' car keys in them.
Some customers told how they had been abandoned at the airport, having been given various excuses by the parking operators.
The day of action was led by the airport police team, along with immigration enforcement staff, North Somerset Council and the British Parking Association.
One family reported they were told to take a taxi to a farm, where they were made to wait for an hour, before being instructed to go to another farm.
They waited there for a further two hours before they got their car back, police said.
Another family, with two distressed children, was also apparently stranded before airport staff took them to a hotel, a force spokesman added.
Councillor Annemieke Waite from North Somerset Council said: "When deals look too good to be true, they usually are".
She said none of the off-site operators had planning permission and had "never been assessed against planning policy".
"If anyone experiences a problem with a parking operator, please report it to the police or North Somerset Council," she added.
Avon and Somerset Police sergeant Danielle Hardaway said people would be "horrified" if they knew how their vehicles are used and stored.
Police say people wanting to park at the airport should use the airport's official website or accredited parking companies.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T15:30:05Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yq737x0ngo
|
{"title": "Police launch crackdown on rogue airport car parks"}
|
Putin says Russia ready to supply 'uninterrupted' fuel to India
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow is ready to provide "uninterrupted shipments" of fuel to India, as Delhi faces pressure from the US to stop buying Russian oil.
Putin, speaking alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, questioned earlier why India should be punished for buying oil when the US itself buys nuclear fuel from Moscow.
President Donald Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on most Indian products, arguing that Delhi's continued purchases of Russian oil helped fund the war in Ukraine - an accusation India denies.
Putin's visit comes as the US holds a series of talks with Russia and Ukraine in an attempt to broker a peace deal to end the war.
On Thursday, Putin told India Today that Russia was working on a "peaceful solution" to ending the war - warning that Ukraine must withdraw from the Donbas or Russia would seize it.
"Either we liberate these territories by force, or Ukrainian troops will leave these territories," he said.
Modi repeated India's stance that it was not neutral on the war in Ukraine and stood on "the side of peace", welcoming efforts to find a "lasting" solution to end the war.
He highlighted that increasing the "connectivity" of Russia and India was a "major priority" for India.
In recent months, India-US ties have hit an all-time low as the two countries have failed to resolve the tariff deadlock.
Trump initially imposed a 25% tariff on India, but announced an additional 25% later as a penalty for Delhi's purchase of Russian oil - a move the Indian government called "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable" at the time.
In his interview with India Today, Putin commented on the US tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, and said that India should have the same opportunities available as the US.
"The United States itself still buys nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants. If the US has the right to buy our fuel, why shouldn't India have the same privilege?," he asked.
Russia remained the US' top supplier of nuclear reactor fuel last year, Bloomberg reported in September - citing data from the Department of Energy. A ban on enriched uranium imports from the country was enshrined into law in May.
The two leaders exchanged memorandums during Friday's briefing, outlining mutual objectives in areas including trade and agriculture.
Modi announced two new 30-day visa schemes for Russian tourists visiting India, and said that two new Indian consulates had opened in Russia.
Russia Today, a Kremlin-funded, state-controlled TV network, would also be launched in India, the prime minister said.
No major defence deals were announced, but the two men said there were agreements signed on shipbuilding, investments in civil nuclear energy and critical minerals.
India and Russia also agreed on an economic programme valid until 2030, the leaders said, spanning jobs, shipping and the health industry.
Putin said he was confident about increasing current bilateral trade from $60bn to $100bn in the coming years.
Modi said that "energy security has been a strong and important pillar of the India-Russia partnership", but made no specific reference to oil.
India - the world's third largest consumer of crude oil - has been buying large volumes from Russia since the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
But some Indian firms have already started reducing oil imports from Russia to comply with US sanctions.
Putin also referenced a "flagship project": building India's largest nuclear power plant, that he said Moscow would help with.
In a joint statement released after their meeting, the leaders said their partnership was being "reoriented toward joint research and development, as well as the production of advanced defence platforms".
Putin added that he and Modi were cooperating on foreign policy, with their coalition of Brics countries promoting a "more just" and "multi-polar" world.
Brics is an informal alliance of several major developing countries - including India, Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa - which formed in 2006, broadly to challenge the political and economic power of North America and Western European nations.
|
Putin says Russia ready to supply 'uninterrupted' fuel to India
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow is ready to provide "uninterrupted shipments" of fuel to India, as Delhi faces pressure from the US to stop buying Russian oil.
Putin, speaking alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, questioned earlier why India should be punished for buying oil when the US itself buys nuclear fuel from Moscow.
President Donald Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on most Indian products, arguing that Delhi's continued purchases of Russian oil helped fund the war in Ukraine - an accusation India denies.
Putin's visit comes as the US holds a series of talks with Russia and Ukraine in an attempt to broker a peace deal to end the war.
On Thursday, Putin told India Today that Russia was working on a "peaceful solution" to ending the war - warning that Ukraine must withdraw from the Donbas or Russia would seize it.
"Either we liberate these territories by force, or Ukrainian troops will leave these territories," he said.
Modi repeated India's stance that it was not neutral on the war in Ukraine and stood on "the side of peace", welcoming efforts to find a "lasting" solution to end the war.
He highlighted that increasing the "connectivity" of Russia and India was a "major priority" for India.
In recent months, India-US ties have hit an all-time low as the two countries have failed to resolve the tariff deadlock.
Trump initially imposed a 25% tariff on India, but announced an additional 25% later as a penalty for Delhi's purchase of Russian oil - a move the Indian government called "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable" at the time.
In his interview with India Today, Putin commented on the US tariffs on India for buying Russian oil, and said that India should have the same opportunities available as the US.
"The United States itself still buys nuclear fuel from us for its own nuclear power plants. If the US has the right to buy our fuel, why shouldn't India have the same privilege?," he asked.
Russia remained the US' top supplier of nuclear reactor fuel last year, Bloomberg reported in September - citing data from the Department of Energy. A ban on enriched uranium imports from the country was enshrined into law in May.
The two leaders exchanged memorandums during Friday's briefing, outlining mutual objectives in areas including trade and agriculture.
Modi announced two new 30-day visa schemes for Russian tourists visiting India, and said that two new Indian consulates had opened in Russia.
Russia Today, a Kremlin-funded, state-controlled TV network, would also be launched in India, the prime minister said.
No major defence deals were announced, but the two men said there were agreements signed on shipbuilding, investments in civil nuclear energy and critical minerals.
India and Russia also agreed on an economic programme valid until 2030, the leaders said, spanning jobs, shipping and the health industry.
Putin said he was confident about increasing current bilateral trade from $60bn to $100bn in the coming years.
Modi said that "energy security has been a strong and important pillar of the India-Russia partnership", but made no specific reference to oil.
India - the world's third largest consumer of crude oil - has been buying large volumes from Russia since the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
But some Indian firms have already started reducing oil imports from Russia to comply with US sanctions.
Putin also referenced a "flagship project": building India's largest nuclear power plant, that he said Moscow would help with.
In a joint statement released after their meeting, the leaders said their partnership was being "reoriented toward joint research and development, as well as the production of advanced defence platforms".
Putin added that he and Modi were cooperating on foreign policy, with their coalition of Brics countries promoting a "more just" and "multi-polar" world.
Brics is an informal alliance of several major developing countries - including India, Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa - which formed in 2006, broadly to challenge the political and economic power of North America and Western European nations.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T12:50:31Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g482m3yyzo
|
{"title": "Putin says Russia ready to supply 'uninterrupted' fuel to India "}
|
Tractor light run set to spread Christmas cheer
An annual festive tractor run is set to take place with the aim of raising thousands of pounds for charity.
The Ashbourne Christmas Tractor Lights is expected to see about 85 tractors and farm machinery light up villages in the area later on Saturday.
Organiser Clare Thornley said the event was about "having fun and spreading some Christmas cheer".
Mrs Thornley said the event was set up as a way to remember her husband's mum Helen Mead, who died of cancer in 2019.
Mrs Mead, who worked as a healthcare assistant at Royal Derby Hospital for more than 25 years, said: "Helen loved Christmas and was immensely proud of Tom and his tractors, so this seemed the perfect way to remember her.
"The smiles on the children's faces as we go around is what makes it worthwhile."
The event, which was first held in 2020, along with a fundraising party raised more than £11,000 last year for Cancer Research, Farming Community Network and PASIC - a local charity that fundraises to support children with cancer and their families.
Mrs Thornley said the tractors will follow a "slimmed down" route for this year.
The forage harvester with Mr and Mrs Thornley dressed as Mr and Mrs Claus is set to lead the parade.
The route begins at Stanton Dale at 16:15 GMT and is set to arrive at Ashbourne town centre at around 19:30 GMT. The parade is set to return to Stanton Dale at 21:00 GMT.
There will be collection points at local pubs along the way for people to donate.
|
Tractor light run set to spread Christmas cheer
An annual festive tractor run is set to take place with the aim of raising thousands of pounds for charity.
The Ashbourne Christmas Tractor Lights is expected to see about 85 tractors and farm machinery light up villages in the area later on Saturday.
Organiser Clare Thornley said the event was about "having fun and spreading some Christmas cheer".
Mrs Thornley said the event was set up as a way to remember her husband's mum Helen Mead, who died of cancer in 2019.
Mrs Mead, who worked as a healthcare assistant at Royal Derby Hospital for more than 25 years, said: "Helen loved Christmas and was immensely proud of Tom and his tractors, so this seemed the perfect way to remember her.
"The smiles on the children's faces as we go around is what makes it worthwhile."
The event, which was first held in 2020, along with a fundraising party raised more than £11,000 last year for Cancer Research, Farming Community Network and PASIC - a local charity that fundraises to support children with cancer and their families.
Mrs Thornley said the tractors will follow a "slimmed down" route for this year.
The forage harvester with Mr and Mrs Thornley dressed as Mr and Mrs Claus is set to lead the parade.
The route begins at Stanton Dale at 16:15 GMT and is set to arrive at Ashbourne town centre at around 19:30 GMT. The parade is set to return to Stanton Dale at 21:00 GMT.
There will be collection points at local pubs along the way for people to donate.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T07:28:50Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g62254dq5o
|
{"title": "Tractor light run set to spread Christmas cheer"}
|
North American leaders take stage together for the first time
It was all smiles at Washington DC's Kennedy Centre as the leaders of the US, Mexico and Canada took the stage for the 2026 World Cup draw, even as trade tensions simmered in the background.
For Donald Trump, the brief interaction marked his first meeting with Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum, who leads the largest trading partner for the US.
While Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has already met with Trump several times, trade talks have been halted.
Trump this week signalled that the US is still weighing whether it will leave in place a single long-standing free trade agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico or look at separate bilateral deals.
The agreement - known as the USMCA - is up for a mandatory review next year. Carney has credited it with shielding Canadian businesses from the bulk of US-imposed tariffs on Canada.
Those underlying tensions seemed distant on Friday, when the leaders took the stage together to select the balls of their own countries from bowls, marking the beginning of a process to select groups for the initial stage of the jointly-hosted tournament.
The leaders' body language appeared cordial and warm. Collectively, they posed for a selfie with Fifa President Gianni Infantino on stage.
Reporters later saw Trump sitting with Sheinbaum, who had said earlier in the week that she planned to have a brief one-on-one with Trump to discuss trade matters, including steel, aluminium and automobile tariffs, on the sidelines of the event.
The Trump administration has largely backed away from threats to impose steep tariffs as negotiations continue.
Carney was sitting beside Sheinbaum. Both have expressed an interest in securing the future of the USMCA, which has been in place in some form since 1994.
Its fate is uncertain pending the outcome of the mandatory review due to be completed in the summer of 2026.
Trump also met for a brief 45 minutes with Sheinbaum and Carney on Friday.
In a statement, Sheinbaum said they talked about the World Cup and separately "agreed to continue working together on trade issues with our teams".
Carney's office said the three agreed to keep working together on the USMCA.
Trump told reporters in the White House on Wednesday that the US will "either let it expire, or we'll maybe work out another deal with Mexico and Canada".
He added that he believed both Canada and Mexico had "taken advantage" of the US.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told news outlet Politico on Thursday that Trump is considering dividing the agreement into two parts.
"Our relationship with the Canadian economy is totally different than our relationship with the Mexican economy," Greer said, adding: "It actually doesn't make a ton of economic sense why we would marry those three together."
The current USMCA deal was signed by Trump during his first term. At the time, he praised it as "the best agreement we've ever made".
American businesses have so far signalled that they want the trade agreement to remain in place.
At a three-day public hearing about the coming review of the agreement in Washington this week, speakers from agriculture, business and policy groups said it has allowed them to access Canadian and Mexican markets.
The World Cup draw also saw President Trump receive the inaugural Fifa Peace Prize, which Infantino said was "in recognition of his exceptional and extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity around the world".
In brief remarks, Trump said that award was "one of the honours" of his life.
|
North American leaders take stage together for the first time
It was all smiles at Washington DC's Kennedy Centre as the leaders of the US, Mexico and Canada took the stage for the 2026 World Cup draw, even as trade tensions simmered in the background.
For Donald Trump, the brief interaction marked his first meeting with Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum, who leads the largest trading partner for the US.
While Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has already met with Trump several times, trade talks have been halted.
Trump this week signalled that the US is still weighing whether it will leave in place a single long-standing free trade agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico or look at separate bilateral deals.
The agreement - known as the USMCA - is up for a mandatory review next year. Carney has credited it with shielding Canadian businesses from the bulk of US-imposed tariffs on Canada.
Those underlying tensions seemed distant on Friday, when the leaders took the stage together to select the balls of their own countries from bowls, marking the beginning of a process to select groups for the initial stage of the jointly-hosted tournament.
The leaders' body language appeared cordial and warm. Collectively, they posed for a selfie with Fifa President Gianni Infantino on stage.
Reporters later saw Trump sitting with Sheinbaum, who had said earlier in the week that she planned to have a brief one-on-one with Trump to discuss trade matters, including steel, aluminium and automobile tariffs, on the sidelines of the event.
The Trump administration has largely backed away from threats to impose steep tariffs as negotiations continue.
Carney was sitting beside Sheinbaum. Both have expressed an interest in securing the future of the USMCA, which has been in place in some form since 1994.
Its fate is uncertain pending the outcome of the mandatory review due to be completed in the summer of 2026.
Trump also met for a brief 45 minutes with Sheinbaum and Carney on Friday.
In a statement, Sheinbaum said they talked about the World Cup and separately "agreed to continue working together on trade issues with our teams".
Carney's office said the three agreed to keep working together on the USMCA.
Trump told reporters in the White House on Wednesday that the US will "either let it expire, or we'll maybe work out another deal with Mexico and Canada".
He added that he believed both Canada and Mexico had "taken advantage" of the US.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told news outlet Politico on Thursday that Trump is considering dividing the agreement into two parts.
"Our relationship with the Canadian economy is totally different than our relationship with the Mexican economy," Greer said, adding: "It actually doesn't make a ton of economic sense why we would marry those three together."
The current USMCA deal was signed by Trump during his first term. At the time, he praised it as "the best agreement we've ever made".
American businesses have so far signalled that they want the trade agreement to remain in place.
At a three-day public hearing about the coming review of the agreement in Washington this week, speakers from agriculture, business and policy groups said it has allowed them to access Canadian and Mexican markets.
The World Cup draw also saw President Trump receive the inaugural Fifa Peace Prize, which Infantino said was "in recognition of his exceptional and extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity around the world".
In brief remarks, Trump said that award was "one of the honours" of his life.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T22:52:09Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz7nlp8l4j0o
|
{"title": "North American leaders take stage together for the first time"}
|
Strictly stars gear up for Musicals week as final looms
It's just two weeks to go until the final of Strictly Come Dancing 2025, and things are heating up on the ballroom floor.
Saturday night sees the return of Musicals week, which will feature songs from The Phantom of the Opera and Guys and Dolls, among others.
There will also be a new dance relay performance to open the show, which will see all of the remaining couples take to the floor.
Musicals week will also see some special guest appearances, from Paddington Bear to the cast of hit West End show Titanique.
Warning: The section below includes spoilers from last week's Strictly
Last Saturday, Lewis and Katya made Strictly history by winning the first-ever Instant Dance challenge.
Before the challenge, Karen and Amber both scored perfect 40s - it was Karen's first of the series.
It was another strong week for George and Alexis, with judge Craig Revel Horwood telling the pair their Quickstep was "a joy to watch".
But Alex and Johannes didn't fare as well on the leaderboard with their Cha Cha Cha.
Two celebrities ended up in Sunday night's dance off - Balvinder Sopal and Alex Kingston.
And in the end, the judges decided to save Balvinder, meaning Alex became the latest star to exit the contest.
This year's Strictly has seen a number of new challenges that are shaking up the format of the show.
Hot on the heels of last week's Instant Dance challenge, there's another new addition to this week's show.
This time, it's a "dance relay", which will take place at the start of Saturday night's show.
The five-minute challenge will see each pair take to the floor as part of a celebration of musicals.
Songs from shows including My Fair Lady, Oliver!, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins Returns will all feature, as the remaining couples battle for viewers' votes.
Musicals Week will also see the professionals perform Cell Block Tango from Chicago, as well as performances from former Strictly contestant Tom Fletcher alongside Paddington Bear who is making his Strictly debut.
It's approaching crunch time in the show, with the grand final taking place on 20 December.
At this stage, things can get very unpredictable. Even a decent score can land you in the bottom half of the leaderboard, and with so few couples remaining, there's everything to play for.
And on Sunday night, two more couples will face the dreaded dance-off, with another set to be sent home.
|
Strictly stars gear up for Musicals week as final looms
It's just two weeks to go until the final of Strictly Come Dancing 2025, and things are heating up on the ballroom floor.
Saturday night sees the return of Musicals week, which will feature songs from The Phantom of the Opera and Guys and Dolls, among others.
There will also be a new dance relay performance to open the show, which will see all of the remaining couples take to the floor.
Musicals week will also see some special guest appearances, from Paddington Bear to the cast of hit West End show Titanique.
Warning: The section below includes spoilers from last week's Strictly
Last Saturday, Lewis and Katya made Strictly history by winning the first-ever Instant Dance challenge.
Before the challenge, Karen and Amber both scored perfect 40s - it was Karen's first of the series.
It was another strong week for George and Alexis, with judge Craig Revel Horwood telling the pair their Quickstep was "a joy to watch".
But Alex and Johannes didn't fare as well on the leaderboard with their Cha Cha Cha.
Two celebrities ended up in Sunday night's dance off - Balvinder Sopal and Alex Kingston.
And in the end, the judges decided to save Balvinder, meaning Alex became the latest star to exit the contest.
This year's Strictly has seen a number of new challenges that are shaking up the format of the show.
Hot on the heels of last week's Instant Dance challenge, there's another new addition to this week's show.
This time, it's a "dance relay", which will take place at the start of Saturday night's show.
The five-minute challenge will see each pair take to the floor as part of a celebration of musicals.
Songs from shows including My Fair Lady, Oliver!, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins Returns will all feature, as the remaining couples battle for viewers' votes.
Musicals Week will also see the professionals perform Cell Block Tango from Chicago, as well as performances from former Strictly contestant Tom Fletcher alongside Paddington Bear who is making his Strictly debut.
It's approaching crunch time in the show, with the grand final taking place on 20 December.
At this stage, things can get very unpredictable. Even a decent score can land you in the bottom half of the leaderboard, and with so few couples remaining, there's everything to play for.
And on Sunday night, two more couples will face the dreaded dance-off, with another set to be sent home.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T03:25:53Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8r3pe81v0xo
|
{"title": "Strictly stars gear up for Musicals week as final looms"}
|
Plea to save airfield earmarked for 4,250 homes
Campaigners working to save a popular airfield are urging supporters to respond to a new consultation on plans turn it into a "garden village".
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's draft local plan includes proposals for 4,250 new homes on Popham Airfield in Hampshire.
After a 2024 consultation, the council indicated Popham would be removed from the plan, but new national guidance means the borough must now accommodate 20,000 new homes by 2042 - 6,300 more than previously required.
It said including the airfield "wasn't an easy decision", but unless it planned for the new homes it would lose control over where development takes place.
The BBC attempted to contact the airfield's owners but has not yet received a response.
According to campaign group Popham Airfield Matters, there are about 20,000 annual aircraft movements at Popham and last year it welcomed about 70,000 visitors.
It said the airfield, which held its 50th anniversary celebrations in August, was home to 150 aircraft, has 530 club members and hosts classic car shows, fly-ins and trade shows.
Strategic planning and infrastructure councillor Andy Konieczko said: "Including sites like Popham Airfield again, which we consulted on in spring last year, wasn't an easy decision.
"This site was put forward by the landowner and we are undertaking more research to better understand the role of the airfield.
"However, if we don't plan for these extra homes, we risk losing even more control over where, when and how development happens."
In its response to the 2024 consultation the Civil Aviation Authority described Popham as "an important component in the network of general aviation airfields" and "in the top 30th percentile in a study of nearly 1,000 airfields".
Popham Airfield Matters, a 2,500-strong group made up of pilots and members of the community, is fundraising to pay consultants and legal fees to help protect it from development.
Residents have until 23 January to submit their views to the consultation.
There will also be a series of drop-in events across the borough, the first of which is at the Warren Centre in Micheldever Station on 6 January from 14:00 to 20:00 GMT.
|
Plea to save airfield earmarked for 4,250 homes
Campaigners working to save a popular airfield are urging supporters to respond to a new consultation on plans turn it into a "garden village".
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's draft local plan includes proposals for 4,250 new homes on Popham Airfield in Hampshire.
After a 2024 consultation, the council indicated Popham would be removed from the plan, but new national guidance means the borough must now accommodate 20,000 new homes by 2042 - 6,300 more than previously required.
It said including the airfield "wasn't an easy decision", but unless it planned for the new homes it would lose control over where development takes place.
The BBC attempted to contact the airfield's owners but has not yet received a response.
According to campaign group Popham Airfield Matters, there are about 20,000 annual aircraft movements at Popham and last year it welcomed about 70,000 visitors.
It said the airfield, which held its 50th anniversary celebrations in August, was home to 150 aircraft, has 530 club members and hosts classic car shows, fly-ins and trade shows.
Strategic planning and infrastructure councillor Andy Konieczko said: "Including sites like Popham Airfield again, which we consulted on in spring last year, wasn't an easy decision.
"This site was put forward by the landowner and we are undertaking more research to better understand the role of the airfield.
"However, if we don't plan for these extra homes, we risk losing even more control over where, when and how development happens."
In its response to the 2024 consultation the Civil Aviation Authority described Popham as "an important component in the network of general aviation airfields" and "in the top 30th percentile in a study of nearly 1,000 airfields".
Popham Airfield Matters, a 2,500-strong group made up of pilots and members of the community, is fundraising to pay consultants and legal fees to help protect it from development.
Residents have until 23 January to submit their views to the consultation.
There will also be a series of drop-in events across the borough, the first of which is at the Warren Centre in Micheldever Station on 6 January from 14:00 to 20:00 GMT.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-08T06:09:55Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyvn1v2z9yo
|
{"title": "Plea to save airfield earmarked for 4,250 homes"}
|
PCC says there is lack of understanding of her job
A Labour Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) says she does not agree with the government's decision to scrap her job from 2028.
In November, the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said scrapping the roles across England and Wales would save £100m over this parliament's term. She added most voters did not know who their PCC was.
Asked about the move, Avon and Somerset PCC Clare Moody said: "You will not be surprised to know that I regret the fact the decision has been made...there wasn't a full understanding of what we do."
Policing Minister Sarah Jones previously told the House of Commons the PCC model had "failed to live up to expectations" and had "not delivered what it was set up to achieve".
PCCs are elected officials and are intended to act as a link between local police forces and the communities they serve.
They are in charge of setting the policing budget, appoint the Chief Constable of the force in their area and work with other agencies to improve public safety.
When Ms Moody's term ends in 2028, her scrutiny of Avon and Somerset Police will be taken on by a board of local authority leaders, including the West of England mayor Helen Godwin.
In some areas of England with mayors, including London and Manchester, the deputy mayor will take on the duties of a PCC.
The change was not in Labour's manifesto and Ms Moody said the announcement came as a surprise.
But despite her role being scrapped, she said she remained positive.
"I love this job. I think there is immense value in the work of Police and Crime Commissioners.
"I still have two-and-a-half years left to demonstrate the value...but it is a decision that has been made," she said.
|
PCC says there is lack of understanding of her job
A Labour Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) says she does not agree with the government's decision to scrap her job from 2028.
In November, the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said scrapping the roles across England and Wales would save £100m over this parliament's term. She added most voters did not know who their PCC was.
Asked about the move, Avon and Somerset PCC Clare Moody said: "You will not be surprised to know that I regret the fact the decision has been made...there wasn't a full understanding of what we do."
Policing Minister Sarah Jones previously told the House of Commons the PCC model had "failed to live up to expectations" and had "not delivered what it was set up to achieve".
PCCs are elected officials and are intended to act as a link between local police forces and the communities they serve.
They are in charge of setting the policing budget, appoint the Chief Constable of the force in their area and work with other agencies to improve public safety.
When Ms Moody's term ends in 2028, her scrutiny of Avon and Somerset Police will be taken on by a board of local authority leaders, including the West of England mayor Helen Godwin.
In some areas of England with mayors, including London and Manchester, the deputy mayor will take on the duties of a PCC.
The change was not in Labour's manifesto and Ms Moody said the announcement came as a surprise.
But despite her role being scrapped, she said she remained positive.
"I love this job. I think there is immense value in the work of Police and Crime Commissioners.
"I still have two-and-a-half years left to demonstrate the value...but it is a decision that has been made," she said.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T13:15:46Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cze8r6g506go
|
{"title": "PCC says there is lack of understanding of her job"}
|
Is Holyrood bad at making law?
In the space of just over a week, MSPs have discovered that one bill they passed had blown a £400m hole in the tax code, another needs to be updated to deliver on its original purpose, and a third still hasn't been implemented after five years.
Each example speaks to a particular problem in lawmaking - which after all is Holyrood's core purpose.
With the remaining days of term before next May's election fast ticking down, MSPs are still working through a huge stack of legislation.
Sometimes that means sitting until 22:00 to agree reforms that have been years in the making - but it's worth examining whether the end product does the job it's intended to.
Perhaps the most worrying example was the discovery of an error in the tax code which left tens of thousands of businesses paying rates they legally didn't have to.
Following a routine inquiry from a council, government officials were examining the rules around non-domestic rates when they had the ultimate "uh-oh" moment.
While passing a bill aimed at handing more responsibility to councils in 2020, MSPs had accidentally removed the legal basis for levying the tax on empty properties.
In a bid to avoid a £400m bill for refunds, they had to thrash through an emergency bill in the space of 48 hours to retrospectively bring the letter of law into line with what everyone thought it was.
In fairness, the law on non-domestic rates is notoriously complicated.
Parts of it date back to the 1850s, and there have been more than 150 revisions since then.
The blunder MSPs corrected last week involved the repeal of measures passed in 1956.
As Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee pointed out, it was missed by government lawyers, parliament lawyers, tax experts and academics who helped scrutinise the bill.
The Conservatives have warned of a "significant" risk of legal challenge against this retrospective rewriting of the rules, although the business groups I've spoken to seemed rather more sanguine.
Fingers will no doubt be crossed, because the government has a decidedly mixed record when it comes to defending legislation in court.
There have been some wins, over minimum pricing and the freeze on rents and evictions during the cost of living crisis.
But there have been notable defeats on the named persons system, the deposit return scheme and gender balance on public boards - the latter case snowballing into a Supreme Court case with UK-wide consequences for the rights of women and trans people.
The hope here is to avoid costly litigation.
But this is not the only bill which appears to require retrospective surgery.
The government has just announced that it is bringing forward new legislation next year on the visitor levy - better known as the tourist tax.
The legislation underpinning it was passed last year, creating the power for councils to impose a charge on overnight accommodation like hotels, B&Bs and holiday cottages.
But after some debate the bill specified the tax as a percentage of the overall bill for the stay, rather than a flat cash amount - so 5% rather than £5.
After requests from councils and further dispute in parliament, new legislation is now being drafted to allow both options.
It is obviously far from ideal to have to pass a second piece of primary legislation to achieve a singular aim, and opposition MSPs have hit out at what they call a "cack-handed" handling of the issue.
This wasn't a problem with the drafting of the bill, but rather the thinking behind it. So there can be problems even when the law is technically watertight.
On the very same day the new visitor levy bill was announced, concerns were raised about a law passed in 2020 about female genital mutilation.
The practice has been illegal in the UK since 1985, but the bill sought to create protection orders to strengthen safeguards for women.
It was unanimously passed - but five years after landing on the statute book, the law has still not actually come into force.
Minister Kaukab Stewart told MSPs that time was needed for councils, health boards and justice agencies to put resources in place, develop processes and train staff.
This kind of delay is not uncommon.
Provisions of a law passed in 2016 to update regulations for burials and cremations are set to come into force next March - just days before of the ten-year anniversary of MSPs passing them.
And some laws don't even have that kind of target date.
Holyrood passed the Air Departure Tax Act in 2017, but leaders remain no closer to figuring out how to make it work with both state aid rules and the existing exemption for local airports in the Highlands and Islands.
Implementation of a landfill ban has been kicked two years down the road after it transpired it would require shipping 100 truckloads of waste to England each day.
Meanwhile a licensing regime to clamp down on misuse of fireworks - signed off in 2022 - has also been "paused" due to concerns about costs.
We shouldn't overstate things, because MSPs
|
Is Holyrood bad at making law?
In the space of just over a week, MSPs have discovered that one bill they passed had blown a £400m hole in the tax code, another needs to be updated to deliver on its original purpose, and a third still hasn't been implemented after five years.
Each example speaks to a particular problem in lawmaking - which after all is Holyrood's core purpose.
With the remaining days of term before next May's election fast ticking down, MSPs are still working through a huge stack of legislation.
Sometimes that means sitting until 22:00 to agree reforms that have been years in the making - but it's worth examining whether the end product does the job it's intended to.
Perhaps the most worrying example was the discovery of an error in the tax code which left tens of thousands of businesses paying rates they legally didn't have to.
Following a routine inquiry from a council, government officials were examining the rules around non-domestic rates when they had the ultimate "uh-oh" moment.
While passing a bill aimed at handing more responsibility to councils in 2020, MSPs had accidentally removed the legal basis for levying the tax on empty properties.
In a bid to avoid a £400m bill for refunds, they had to thrash through an emergency bill in the space of 48 hours to retrospectively bring the letter of law into line with what everyone thought it was.
In fairness, the law on non-domestic rates is notoriously complicated.
Parts of it date back to the 1850s, and there have been more than 150 revisions since then.
The blunder MSPs corrected last week involved the repeal of measures passed in 1956.
As Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee pointed out, it was missed by government lawyers, parliament lawyers, tax experts and academics who helped scrutinise the bill.
The Conservatives have warned of a "significant" risk of legal challenge against this retrospective rewriting of the rules, although the business groups I've spoken to seemed rather more sanguine.
Fingers will no doubt be crossed, because the government has a decidedly mixed record when it comes to defending legislation in court.
There have been some wins, over minimum pricing and the freeze on rents and evictions during the cost of living crisis.
But there have been notable defeats on the named persons system, the deposit return scheme and gender balance on public boards - the latter case snowballing into a Supreme Court case with UK-wide consequences for the rights of women and trans people.
The hope here is to avoid costly litigation.
But this is not the only bill which appears to require retrospective surgery.
The government has just announced that it is bringing forward new legislation next year on the visitor levy - better known as the tourist tax.
The legislation underpinning it was passed last year, creating the power for councils to impose a charge on overnight accommodation like hotels, B&Bs and holiday cottages.
But after some debate the bill specified the tax as a percentage of the overall bill for the stay, rather than a flat cash amount - so 5% rather than £5.
After requests from councils and further dispute in parliament, new legislation is now being drafted to allow both options.
It is obviously far from ideal to have to pass a second piece of primary legislation to achieve a singular aim, and opposition MSPs have hit out at what they call a "cack-handed" handling of the issue.
This wasn't a problem with the drafting of the bill, but rather the thinking behind it. So there can be problems even when the law is technically watertight.
On the very same day the new visitor levy bill was announced, concerns were raised about a law passed in 2020 about female genital mutilation.
The practice has been illegal in the UK since 1985, but the bill sought to create protection orders to strengthen safeguards for women.
It was unanimously passed - but five years after landing on the statute book, the law has still not actually come into force.
Minister Kaukab Stewart told MSPs that time was needed for councils, health boards and justice agencies to put resources in place, develop processes and train staff.
This kind of delay is not uncommon.
Provisions of a law passed in 2016 to update regulations for burials and cremations are set to come into force next March - just days before of the ten-year anniversary of MSPs passing them.
And some laws don't even have that kind of target date.
Holyrood passed the Air Departure Tax Act in 2017, but leaders remain no closer to figuring out how to make it work with both state aid rules and the existing exemption for local airports in the Highlands and Islands.
Implementation of a landfill ban has been kicked two years down the road after it transpired it would require shipping 100 truckloads of waste to England each day.
Meanwhile a licensing regime to clamp down on misuse of fireworks - signed off in 2022 - has also been "paused" due to concerns about costs.
We shouldn't overstate things, because MSPs pass dozens of bills in every term of parliament, some containing seismic reforms, with no problems whatsoever.
But are they making law in the best way?
Members have voiced concerns about the frequency of late-night sittings where they pore over hundreds of amendments to weighty bills.
The vast justice reform bill saw 160 amendments debated in a single marathon sitting, and Labour's justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill said there was "simply not time" to understand them all.
If even the experts risked getting lost, how were backbenchers meant to keep track of the shape of the law they were voting on?
Part of this is about the partisan approach of political parties, scoring points by pressing amendments even knowing they will fail - like the Tory attempts to wedge a grooming gangs inquiry into that justice bill.
But that is only really possible when the government brings forward such wide-ranging bills like those on justice, housing and land reform, each of which easily could have been broken down into two or three smaller laws.
Questions are frequently raised about the causes pursued by opposition members bills too.
Some academics have despaired at time being spent legislating to criminalise things which are already illegal.
This month's concluding votes on a bill to make dog theft a specific crime follows in the footsteps of the law which underlined that it was illegal to assault a shop worker.
These are well-meaning efforts to highlight an issue - but the abuse of shop workers has actually risen since that bill was passed in 2021.
Is this the best use of parliamentary time, given how long it takes to draft, scrutinise, amend and pass a legally watertight bill?
We have already seen proposals for a law against misogyny being shelved due to a lack of time to properly consider them.
The government has also said it supports the principle of Ash Regan's bill banning the buying of sex, but that there likely won't be time to get it in shape before Holyrood breaks up in March.
There are worries about the quality of legislation even deeper in the machinery of parliament too.
There is a constant churn of secondary legislation - smaller instruments which tinker with the law rather than rewrite it entirely - moving through Holyrood's committees.
There have been concerns that this pipeline is increasingly choked with post-Brexit measures, as the statute book creaks into line behind our new constitutional arrangements.
But we've got to the point where the mild-mannered delegated powers committee felt the need to sound the alarm about "a marked decline in the quality of instruments" they were examining.
Convener Stuart McMillan told MSPs that some instruments contained flaws so serious they were considered "defective".
The committee hoped that shouting about this would lead to a change for the better in terms of drafting.
And the legislative troubles of the past fortnight should be a wake-up call to MSPs too.
Perhaps May's election will be the moment for a reset.
A record number of MSPs are stepping down, and still more may lose their seats. It's entirely possible the next parliament will contain an outright majority of first-time lawmakers.
Over a five-year term they will consider dozens of bills. Hopefully the lessons of the past fortnight will help make sure those laws are sound.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T09:23:08Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0l94k1j1ypo
|
{"title": "Is Holyrood bad at making law?"}
|
Gluten-free prescriptions axed to save money
NHS bosses have voted to scrap gluten-free prescriptions in South Yorkshire in a move dieticians say will have a "inordinate impact on patients".
South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) said it had taken the "difficult decision" amid a "difficult financial climate" in order to help it deliver the "best possible value for money within the resources available".
Coeliac specialist Dr Nick Trott said it was the "wrong thing at the wrong time" and would deliver "very little saving".
Meanwhile Jody and her eight-year-old son Asher, who both have coeliac disease, said they were "very anxious" about the impact as shopping bills were already "sky high".
Coeliac disease is a condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues when you eat gluten, damaging your gut so your body cannot properly take in nutrients.
It can cause a range of symptoms, including diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloating.
The ICB's decision to axe all gluten-free prescriptions came after it had initially suggested it would retain them for under 18s.
Jody, from Barnsley, said her son was diagnosed with coeliac disease when he was just one.
"He deteriorated really fast," said the 43-year-old said.
"It started with constipation and then it just got worse to the point where we couldn't actually leave the house.
"He was in pain and we just got back from A and E when he projectile vomited."
She said after the diagnosis he was "like a different child".
The ICB said it had surveyed the price of bread in several supermarkets and found at the highest end Lidl's GF 480g white loaf was £2.99 compared to an 800g normal loaf for 49p.
Jody said her family would struggle as a result of the change, saying: "Prescriptions [have] saved us an absolute fortune, it makes a massive difference.
"Buying gluten-free bread in the supermarket is not cheap, we would have to cut corners elsewhere. The cost of living crisis is massive and taking prescriptions away from under 18s will be really detrimental."
A public consultation on the issue received more than 1,100 responses, with 63% calling for the prescribing guidelines to remain the same.
Dr Trott, who works at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital where they see 400 to 500 patients per year, said he was disappointed with the ICB's decision.
"This is purely a financial decision, but it's actually going to save less than 1% of the South Yorkshire budget," he said.
"It's going to have an inordinate impact on patients that have a significant disease. This is not a lifestyle choice and we have to take it seriously.
"It's a complete U-turn from the ICB's decision in March 2023 when the board said they were going to support gluten-free prescribing to improve equity.
"As a clinician working in this area, I don't understand what's changed in the intervening years, the diseases are the same. This is doing the wrong thing at the wrong time for the wrong group of patients for very little saving."
The ICB says the total spend on GF prescriptions for the year ending February 2025 across South Yorkshire was £443,847.
Chris Edwards, interim chief executive at NHS South Yorkshire, said: "The board has made the difficult decision to decommission gluten free bread and mixes prescribing, except for the most at risk of clinical harm by not adhering to a gluten free diet.
"We are assessing a range of services in relation to our organisational priorities, the needs of our citizens, clinical outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and the provision of essential services.
"This decision has not been taken lightly, However, in a difficult financial climate we have a responsibility to balance the needs of all our communities and ensure that we are delivering the best possible value for money within the resources available."
|
Gluten-free prescriptions axed to save money
NHS bosses have voted to scrap gluten-free prescriptions in South Yorkshire in a move dieticians say will have a "inordinate impact on patients".
South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) said it had taken the "difficult decision" amid a "difficult financial climate" in order to help it deliver the "best possible value for money within the resources available".
Coeliac specialist Dr Nick Trott said it was the "wrong thing at the wrong time" and would deliver "very little saving".
Meanwhile Jody and her eight-year-old son Asher, who both have coeliac disease, said they were "very anxious" about the impact as shopping bills were already "sky high".
Coeliac disease is a condition where your immune system attacks your own tissues when you eat gluten, damaging your gut so your body cannot properly take in nutrients.
It can cause a range of symptoms, including diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloating.
The ICB's decision to axe all gluten-free prescriptions came after it had initially suggested it would retain them for under 18s.
Jody, from Barnsley, said her son was diagnosed with coeliac disease when he was just one.
"He deteriorated really fast," said the 43-year-old said.
"It started with constipation and then it just got worse to the point where we couldn't actually leave the house.
"He was in pain and we just got back from A and E when he projectile vomited."
She said after the diagnosis he was "like a different child".
The ICB said it had surveyed the price of bread in several supermarkets and found at the highest end Lidl's GF 480g white loaf was £2.99 compared to an 800g normal loaf for 49p.
Jody said her family would struggle as a result of the change, saying: "Prescriptions [have] saved us an absolute fortune, it makes a massive difference.
"Buying gluten-free bread in the supermarket is not cheap, we would have to cut corners elsewhere. The cost of living crisis is massive and taking prescriptions away from under 18s will be really detrimental."
A public consultation on the issue received more than 1,100 responses, with 63% calling for the prescribing guidelines to remain the same.
Dr Trott, who works at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital where they see 400 to 500 patients per year, said he was disappointed with the ICB's decision.
"This is purely a financial decision, but it's actually going to save less than 1% of the South Yorkshire budget," he said.
"It's going to have an inordinate impact on patients that have a significant disease. This is not a lifestyle choice and we have to take it seriously.
"It's a complete U-turn from the ICB's decision in March 2023 when the board said they were going to support gluten-free prescribing to improve equity.
"As a clinician working in this area, I don't understand what's changed in the intervening years, the diseases are the same. This is doing the wrong thing at the wrong time for the wrong group of patients for very little saving."
The ICB says the total spend on GF prescriptions for the year ending February 2025 across South Yorkshire was £443,847.
Chris Edwards, interim chief executive at NHS South Yorkshire, said: "The board has made the difficult decision to decommission gluten free bread and mixes prescribing, except for the most at risk of clinical harm by not adhering to a gluten free diet.
"We are assessing a range of services in relation to our organisational priorities, the needs of our citizens, clinical outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and the provision of essential services.
"This decision has not been taken lightly, However, in a difficult financial climate we have a responsibility to balance the needs of all our communities and ensure that we are delivering the best possible value for money within the resources available."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-08T05:55:24Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq6z56ymd5go
|
{"title": "Gluten-free prescriptions axed to save money"}
|
They contracted hepatitis before the vaccine was given at birth - now the shot may be delayed again
John Ellis was 16 when frequent stomach pains led to an unexpected diagnosis.
His mother suggested they go to the doctor, and after a series of tests, the results took even Mr Ellis's mother, a nurse of 30 years, by surprise: Mr Ellis had hepatitis B.
Born in 1990, just a year before the US began universally vaccinating against the virus right after birth, Mr Ellis had contracted the virus sometime before he got the shot at age 12.
"My mom and my initial reaction was, 'Is that even something that people get anymore?'" he said. "That was kind of a dark time for me, being a teenager and having to navigate conversations with friends and family about this chronic illness that a lot of people just aren't familiar with."
The US has now returned to a time where vaccinations against hepatitis B are no longer recommended for all newborns.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (Acip), an expert panel that makes vaccine recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), voted 8-3 on Friday to recommend "individual-based decision-making" for babies born to mothers who have tested negative for the virus. The panel suggested babies be given their initial dose "no earlier than two months of age".
Some public health experts and those living with hepatitis B say the move is a regression that could risk exposing all children to a virus that has become much less common because of vaccines.
"Evidence shows that even a two-month delay in administering the hepatitis B vaccine can result in hundreds of additional deaths from liver disease and liver cancer as those children age," said Claudia Hawkins, director for the Center for Global Communicable and Emerging Infectious Diseases at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.
Since the US began giving children their first of several hepatitis B vaccine doses at birth in 1991, data suggests the shots have reduced the number of childhood infections by 95% and prevented an estimated 90,000 deaths.
Hepatitis B is a liver infection that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, and can lead to dangerous liver conditions including cancer, liver failure and cirrhosis. Pregnant people who have hepatitis B also can transmit the virus to newborns during delivery, which can lead to chronic infections that can damage the liver.
Most people infected with the virus do not have symptoms and are therefore unaware of their infection.
For years, that was the case for Phil Shin, who was diagnosed with hepatitis B during a doctor's visit before middle school. Soon, he discovered that his two siblings had the virus, as well as his mother and his mother's mother, all born years before the vaccine.
A runner, Mr Shin lived for years without symptoms, until age 48, when doctors found a "racketball-sized tumor" in his liver.
He had emergency surgery, but the cancer returned. Eventually, a friend helped him with a liver transplant that saved his life, but waiting for the transplant was agonising.
"That was a period of about eight months where we were just completely in the dark," said Mr Shin, a board member of the American Liver Foundation. "So that was where most of the emotional toll did its damage."
Others have lost loved ones over the illness.
Helen Ouyang's father had only "vague symptoms" like fatigue before he was diagnosed with end-stage liver cancer as a result of hepatitis B. Within three days, he was dead. She was just three years old.
"It was very hard, especially since his death was so early and unexpected," said Dr Ouyang, an emergency physician with Columbia University Irving Medical Center who wrote about the death in a New York Times essay.
Medications helped Mr Ellis manage his illness, lowering his viral count and allowing him to live without symptoms and complications.
But there is no cure for hepatitis B, and Mr Ellis said there have been other challenges, like explaining to romantic partners that he could potentially spread it to them.
People living with the virus often report high levels of stigma, social isolation and anxiety about their future health, said Dr Hawkins.
Mr Shin said people sometimes assume hepatitis B is only contracted through unsafe sex or drug usage. "But for us, it was completely out of our control," he said. "It was simply just passed down from our mother."
Those affected by hepatitis B say it is frustrating to watch Acip, the panel of independent vaccine advisors, raise concerns about an immunisation that has been proven safe and effective.
In June, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a vaccine sceptic, fired all members of Acip and replaced them with his own appointees - several have been critical of vaccines.
During a September meeting where the hepatitis B vaccine at birth was discussed, committee member Robert Malone raised worries about parents who were "uncomfortable with this medical procedure being
|
They contracted hepatitis before the vaccine was given at birth - now the shot may be delayed again
John Ellis was 16 when frequent stomach pains led to an unexpected diagnosis.
His mother suggested they go to the doctor, and after a series of tests, the results took even Mr Ellis's mother, a nurse of 30 years, by surprise: Mr Ellis had hepatitis B.
Born in 1990, just a year before the US began universally vaccinating against the virus right after birth, Mr Ellis had contracted the virus sometime before he got the shot at age 12.
"My mom and my initial reaction was, 'Is that even something that people get anymore?'" he said. "That was kind of a dark time for me, being a teenager and having to navigate conversations with friends and family about this chronic illness that a lot of people just aren't familiar with."
The US has now returned to a time where vaccinations against hepatitis B are no longer recommended for all newborns.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (Acip), an expert panel that makes vaccine recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), voted 8-3 on Friday to recommend "individual-based decision-making" for babies born to mothers who have tested negative for the virus. The panel suggested babies be given their initial dose "no earlier than two months of age".
Some public health experts and those living with hepatitis B say the move is a regression that could risk exposing all children to a virus that has become much less common because of vaccines.
"Evidence shows that even a two-month delay in administering the hepatitis B vaccine can result in hundreds of additional deaths from liver disease and liver cancer as those children age," said Claudia Hawkins, director for the Center for Global Communicable and Emerging Infectious Diseases at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.
Since the US began giving children their first of several hepatitis B vaccine doses at birth in 1991, data suggests the shots have reduced the number of childhood infections by 95% and prevented an estimated 90,000 deaths.
Hepatitis B is a liver infection that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, and can lead to dangerous liver conditions including cancer, liver failure and cirrhosis. Pregnant people who have hepatitis B also can transmit the virus to newborns during delivery, which can lead to chronic infections that can damage the liver.
Most people infected with the virus do not have symptoms and are therefore unaware of their infection.
For years, that was the case for Phil Shin, who was diagnosed with hepatitis B during a doctor's visit before middle school. Soon, he discovered that his two siblings had the virus, as well as his mother and his mother's mother, all born years before the vaccine.
A runner, Mr Shin lived for years without symptoms, until age 48, when doctors found a "racketball-sized tumor" in his liver.
He had emergency surgery, but the cancer returned. Eventually, a friend helped him with a liver transplant that saved his life, but waiting for the transplant was agonising.
"That was a period of about eight months where we were just completely in the dark," said Mr Shin, a board member of the American Liver Foundation. "So that was where most of the emotional toll did its damage."
Others have lost loved ones over the illness.
Helen Ouyang's father had only "vague symptoms" like fatigue before he was diagnosed with end-stage liver cancer as a result of hepatitis B. Within three days, he was dead. She was just three years old.
"It was very hard, especially since his death was so early and unexpected," said Dr Ouyang, an emergency physician with Columbia University Irving Medical Center who wrote about the death in a New York Times essay.
Medications helped Mr Ellis manage his illness, lowering his viral count and allowing him to live without symptoms and complications.
But there is no cure for hepatitis B, and Mr Ellis said there have been other challenges, like explaining to romantic partners that he could potentially spread it to them.
People living with the virus often report high levels of stigma, social isolation and anxiety about their future health, said Dr Hawkins.
Mr Shin said people sometimes assume hepatitis B is only contracted through unsafe sex or drug usage. "But for us, it was completely out of our control," he said. "It was simply just passed down from our mother."
Those affected by hepatitis B say it is frustrating to watch Acip, the panel of independent vaccine advisors, raise concerns about an immunisation that has been proven safe and effective.
In June, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a vaccine sceptic, fired all members of Acip and replaced them with his own appointees - several have been critical of vaccines.
During a September meeting where the hepatitis B vaccine at birth was discussed, committee member Robert Malone raised worries about parents who were "uncomfortable with this medical procedure being performed at birth in a rather unilateral fashion without significant informed consent".
"Are we asking our babies to solve an adult problem?" fellow committee member Evelyn Griffin asked during the meeting.
Kennedy, for his part, has questioned the safety of the hepatitis B vaccine and has downplayed the risk of contracting the virus, claiming it is not "casually contagious" - though research has shown it can be spread through indirect contact such as shared toothbrushes and razors.
"The virus doesn't discriminate," Mr Ellis said. "This is a problem for everyone."
Other critics have argued that babies should only be vaccinated at birth if their mother tests positive for the virus. But such a method is unsafe, doctors said, pointing out that some don't have reliable access to care and some could receive a false negative test for hepatitis B.
Health experts also worry the end of universal vaccination will lead to more parents opting out of the hepatitis B shots - and could jeopardise insurance coverage if companies do not feel mandated to provide the shots.
For Mr Ellis, it is not hard to imagine what the Acip vote could mean for some children if they do not have access to vaccines.
"I'm kind of a living, breathing testament to what could happen," he said. "I didn't get the vaccine at birth. I got the vaccine later in life, and I still contracted hepatitis B."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T16:58:40Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1m8gx545k5o
|
{"title": "They contracted hepatitis before the vaccine was given at birth - now the shot may be delayed again"}
|
Elf movie costume sells for £239,000 at auction
A costume worn by Will Ferrell in the film Elf has sold for more than £239,000 at auction.
Hertfordshire-based auction house Propstore estimated the costume from the 2003 Christmas comedy could sell for up to £200,000.
The green and yellow outfit was worn by Ferrell's character, Buddy the Elf, in a scene where he presses every button in a New York lift.
A fedora used in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which was filmed at Elstree Studios, sold in the same auction on Friday for £327,600.
The Elf outfit came directly from the collection of the film's producer Jon Berg, the auction house said.
A Propstore spokesperson previously said: "With only a handful of costumes believed to have been made for the film, this remarkable provenance makes it an exceptionally desirable piece of Christmas movie history."
There were 21 bids on the on the Indiana Jones' fedora.
Star Wars' character Boba Fett's original blaster prop from The Empire Strikes Back is expected to fetch between £350,000 and £700,000 on Saturday.
Items from a range of films and TV series have been going under the hammer in an auction in London which lasts until Sunday.
|
Elf movie costume sells for £239,000 at auction
A costume worn by Will Ferrell in the film Elf has sold for more than £239,000 at auction.
Hertfordshire-based auction house Propstore estimated the costume from the 2003 Christmas comedy could sell for up to £200,000.
The green and yellow outfit was worn by Ferrell's character, Buddy the Elf, in a scene where he presses every button in a New York lift.
A fedora used in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which was filmed at Elstree Studios, sold in the same auction on Friday for £327,600.
The Elf outfit came directly from the collection of the film's producer Jon Berg, the auction house said.
A Propstore spokesperson previously said: "With only a handful of costumes believed to have been made for the film, this remarkable provenance makes it an exceptionally desirable piece of Christmas movie history."
There were 21 bids on the on the Indiana Jones' fedora.
Star Wars' character Boba Fett's original blaster prop from The Empire Strikes Back is expected to fetch between £350,000 and £700,000 on Saturday.
Items from a range of films and TV series have been going under the hammer in an auction in London which lasts until Sunday.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T06:09:33Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8xdv5gzez7o
|
{"title": "Elf movie costume sells for £239,000 at auction"}
|
Evidence of burial ground at Tuam mother and baby home
An excavation team said it has found evidence of a burial ground at the site of the former institution for unmarried mothers and their children in Tuam in County Galway.
The agency began the work in July, with the aim of finding and identifying as many remains as possible.
The institution at Tuam came to international attention in 2014, after local historian Catherine Corless discovered there were 796 death certificates for children and babies who died there, but no burial records.
The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT) has published its fourth regular update.
It said it found "graves of child or infant size" at an area on the western edge of the site, where excavations have been carried out under a tent.
It corresponded to an area labelled as "burial ground" on historical maps of the site.
ODAIT said: "Despite these historical references, there were no surface or ground level indications of the potential for a burial ground at this location prior to excavation.
"The presence of burials at this location has now been confirmed.
"The layout and size of the graves is consistent evidence that, at this part of the site, there is a burial ground from the time of the operation of the mother-and-baby institution."
The institution was open from 1925 until 1961.
ODAIT said it recovered four more sets of human remains in the same area, further to the seven which it had found in its previous update last month.
It said "initial assessments" indicated that all eleven remains were of infants and they had been in coffins.
Further analysis is being carried out on the remains.
The excavations under the tent are being carried out by machine and by hand.
The area is about 100m from another part of the site where investigators from a government inquiry found "significant quantities" of remains in underground chambers in 2017.
The Director of Authorised Intervention, Daniel MacSweeney, is leading the team.
He has previously worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross in operations to recover missing people.
He told the Irish national broadcaster RTÉ that the confirmation that infant remains were present was "very important".
Mr MacSweeney said that 160 people had made contact with a view to giving DNA samples to help identify the bodies.
He expressed hope that more would now follow, saying: "I know from experience that sometimes the discovery of remains can be a catalyst for people to come forward."
The institution at Tuam was owned by Galway County Council and run by a religious order, the Bon Secours Sisters.
The order has previously acknowledged that children and infants were "buried in a disrespectful and unacceptable way", and apologised.
It has contributed £2.14m towards the cost of the excavation.
Galway County Council also apologised for "failing mothers and children" after the inquiry report in 2021.
The excavation is expected to continue until 2027, with follow-up work expected to last several more years.
|
Evidence of burial ground at Tuam mother and baby home
An excavation team said it has found evidence of a burial ground at the site of the former institution for unmarried mothers and their children in Tuam in County Galway.
The agency began the work in July, with the aim of finding and identifying as many remains as possible.
The institution at Tuam came to international attention in 2014, after local historian Catherine Corless discovered there were 796 death certificates for children and babies who died there, but no burial records.
The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT) has published its fourth regular update.
It said it found "graves of child or infant size" at an area on the western edge of the site, where excavations have been carried out under a tent.
It corresponded to an area labelled as "burial ground" on historical maps of the site.
ODAIT said: "Despite these historical references, there were no surface or ground level indications of the potential for a burial ground at this location prior to excavation.
"The presence of burials at this location has now been confirmed.
"The layout and size of the graves is consistent evidence that, at this part of the site, there is a burial ground from the time of the operation of the mother-and-baby institution."
The institution was open from 1925 until 1961.
ODAIT said it recovered four more sets of human remains in the same area, further to the seven which it had found in its previous update last month.
It said "initial assessments" indicated that all eleven remains were of infants and they had been in coffins.
Further analysis is being carried out on the remains.
The excavations under the tent are being carried out by machine and by hand.
The area is about 100m from another part of the site where investigators from a government inquiry found "significant quantities" of remains in underground chambers in 2017.
The Director of Authorised Intervention, Daniel MacSweeney, is leading the team.
He has previously worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross in operations to recover missing people.
He told the Irish national broadcaster RTÉ that the confirmation that infant remains were present was "very important".
Mr MacSweeney said that 160 people had made contact with a view to giving DNA samples to help identify the bodies.
He expressed hope that more would now follow, saying: "I know from experience that sometimes the discovery of remains can be a catalyst for people to come forward."
The institution at Tuam was owned by Galway County Council and run by a religious order, the Bon Secours Sisters.
The order has previously acknowledged that children and infants were "buried in a disrespectful and unacceptable way", and apologised.
It has contributed £2.14m towards the cost of the excavation.
Galway County Council also apologised for "failing mothers and children" after the inquiry report in 2021.
The excavation is expected to continue until 2027, with follow-up work expected to last several more years.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T12:35:15Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy84ggnl8y7o
|
{"title": "Evidence of burial ground at Tuam mother and baby home"}
|
Care home fraudster jailed for faking £175k will
The "ringleader" of a trio of care home bosses who faked an elderly resident's will has been jailed for five and a half years.
Three people were convicted of fraud after using coloured pens and different styles of handwriting to fake the will to 85-year-old Rita Barnsley's £175,000 estate.
Jamiel Slaney-Summers, former manager of Amberley Care Home in Dudley, West Midlands, had also been found guilty of stealing £6,000 using Miss Barnsley's bank card.
Judge John Butterfield, sentencing the 65-year-old at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday, said he was sure she was the "driving force behind the creation of" the fake will.
Miss Barnsley had moved into the home for respite care after becoming unwell in May 2020.
Miss Barnsley was "particularly vulnerable, physically frail and very isolated", Judge Butterfield told Slaney-Summers.
He said she had taken "deliberate steps" to stop her speaking to her cousin and only surviving relative, Verna Wooley, on the phone.
It was Ms Wooley who alerted the Care Quality Commission about her suspicions in September of that year.
The fake will was suspected to have been drawn up in the summer of 2021, shortly after Miss Barnsley died, according to Dudley Trading Standards, which investigated and prosecuted the case.
The investigation found Miss Barnsley's will was a "sham" with mis-matched signatures naming Walker and Slaney-Summers as executors.
The court heard Slaney-Summers also stole cash by making withdrawals from Miss Barnsley's bank account by using her card.
Draining £6,000 from Ms Barnsley's bank account was "seemingly not enough" for the defendant, which led to the creation of the fake will, added Judge Butterfield.
He told Slaney-Summers she was someone for whom "lies appear to drip fluidly from your tongue".
"You have a relationship with truth and lies that is more self-serving and complicated than ordinary folk find it to be," he said.
He also praised the Dudley Trading Standards investigation, believed to be one of the largest of its kind in the UK.
In her defence, David Burgess told the court it "spoke volumes" that Slaney-Summers had worked in care for 35 years and had no previous convictions.
He said it remained a "mystery" what motivated her offending, even though she continues to deny the charges.
Slaney-Summers of Raven Hays Road, Birmingham, quietly left the courtroom while some people in the public gallery sobbed and hugged one another.
Her co-defendants, Graham Walker, 74 and Lyn Walker, 71, both of Ribberford Close, Halesowen, who owned the home, will be sentenced at a later date.
|
Care home fraudster jailed for faking £175k will
The "ringleader" of a trio of care home bosses who faked an elderly resident's will has been jailed for five and a half years.
Three people were convicted of fraud after using coloured pens and different styles of handwriting to fake the will to 85-year-old Rita Barnsley's £175,000 estate.
Jamiel Slaney-Summers, former manager of Amberley Care Home in Dudley, West Midlands, had also been found guilty of stealing £6,000 using Miss Barnsley's bank card.
Judge John Butterfield, sentencing the 65-year-old at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday, said he was sure she was the "driving force behind the creation of" the fake will.
Miss Barnsley had moved into the home for respite care after becoming unwell in May 2020.
Miss Barnsley was "particularly vulnerable, physically frail and very isolated", Judge Butterfield told Slaney-Summers.
He said she had taken "deliberate steps" to stop her speaking to her cousin and only surviving relative, Verna Wooley, on the phone.
It was Ms Wooley who alerted the Care Quality Commission about her suspicions in September of that year.
The fake will was suspected to have been drawn up in the summer of 2021, shortly after Miss Barnsley died, according to Dudley Trading Standards, which investigated and prosecuted the case.
The investigation found Miss Barnsley's will was a "sham" with mis-matched signatures naming Walker and Slaney-Summers as executors.
The court heard Slaney-Summers also stole cash by making withdrawals from Miss Barnsley's bank account by using her card.
Draining £6,000 from Ms Barnsley's bank account was "seemingly not enough" for the defendant, which led to the creation of the fake will, added Judge Butterfield.
He told Slaney-Summers she was someone for whom "lies appear to drip fluidly from your tongue".
"You have a relationship with truth and lies that is more self-serving and complicated than ordinary folk find it to be," he said.
He also praised the Dudley Trading Standards investigation, believed to be one of the largest of its kind in the UK.
In her defence, David Burgess told the court it "spoke volumes" that Slaney-Summers had worked in care for 35 years and had no previous convictions.
He said it remained a "mystery" what motivated her offending, even though she continues to deny the charges.
Slaney-Summers of Raven Hays Road, Birmingham, quietly left the courtroom while some people in the public gallery sobbed and hugged one another.
Her co-defendants, Graham Walker, 74 and Lyn Walker, 71, both of Ribberford Close, Halesowen, who owned the home, will be sentenced at a later date.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T13:36:31Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwypwrjnxrdo
|
{"title": "Care home fraudster jailed for faking £175k will "}
|
Music group helps young people 'feel like they belong'
Young people taking part in a community music group say it "helps them feel like they belong".
Bristol Beacon's Hope Creative, a scheme set up to support children in the care system, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary after helping about 400 young people.
They are offered the chance to take part in song-writing sessions and performances, as well as paid placements and mentoring.
Lu Bristow, creative producer for the scheme, said: "This isn't solely a music project. It's about helping care-experienced young people recognise their own value."
One participant said: "It feels amazing to be heard and not be hidden. It makes me feel like we belong."
A Beacon spokesperson said: "Participants collaborate with professional musicians, with opportunities to perform at Bristol Beacon, and build a sense of community belonging."
One of the scheme's first participants, Benji Dorney, now works at the Beacon as a music centre assistant.
He said: "I always loved music as a kid, so to hear there was a music group for children in care was really exciting."
Mr Dorney joined Hope Creative aged 10 following his social worker's recommendation.
The group offered stability, something he said he was not used to living in the care system.
He said: "The people that work there stay there [a long time] and are invested in the project."
Ms Bristow said: "He brings real insight to our work and shows what's possible when support is sustained and rooted in creativity."
A 2025 evaluation showed 88% (352) of children in care who attended the group reported improved social skills, and every care leaver surveyed said they had developed new skills.
|
Music group helps young people 'feel like they belong'
Young people taking part in a community music group say it "helps them feel like they belong".
Bristol Beacon's Hope Creative, a scheme set up to support children in the care system, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary after helping about 400 young people.
They are offered the chance to take part in song-writing sessions and performances, as well as paid placements and mentoring.
Lu Bristow, creative producer for the scheme, said: "This isn't solely a music project. It's about helping care-experienced young people recognise their own value."
One participant said: "It feels amazing to be heard and not be hidden. It makes me feel like we belong."
A Beacon spokesperson said: "Participants collaborate with professional musicians, with opportunities to perform at Bristol Beacon, and build a sense of community belonging."
One of the scheme's first participants, Benji Dorney, now works at the Beacon as a music centre assistant.
He said: "I always loved music as a kid, so to hear there was a music group for children in care was really exciting."
Mr Dorney joined Hope Creative aged 10 following his social worker's recommendation.
The group offered stability, something he said he was not used to living in the care system.
He said: "The people that work there stay there [a long time] and are invested in the project."
Ms Bristow said: "He brings real insight to our work and shows what's possible when support is sustained and rooted in creativity."
A 2025 evaluation showed 88% (352) of children in care who attended the group reported improved social skills, and every care leaver surveyed said they had developed new skills.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T07:53:35Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cedxyw843p2o
|
{"title": "Music group helps young people 'feel like they belong'"}
|
From fighting for his life to fighting in the ring
Three years ago Charlie Dugdale was fighting for his life as he battled a rare blood disorder.
After receiving a life-changing bone marrow transplant, he has turned his fighting spirit to the boxing ring.
Dugdale, 20, from Liskeard, Cornwall, has aplastic anaemia - a condition where the bone marrow and stem cells do not produce enough blood cells.
In the race to find a bone marrow donor, his family organised a mass swab in 2022 to find a suitable match.
But it was the charity Anthony Nolan which connected him with a 29-year-old man from Germany for the transplant, giving him a second chance at life.
Since the operation, he has pursued his passion of mixed martial arts (MMA).
He won his debut amateur fight at the Meltdown Fighting Championships in Bristol in September and recently met his hero Tyson Fury.
Having only just started training in February, he said MMA was "everything" to him.
"My coaches and friends convinced me to perform my first fight, just go all out and have my MFA fight," Dugdale said.
"Went up there, executed it, got the second round knockout.
"I think I'm going to stick to MMA now because it's everything."
Through the Rays of Sunshine children's charity Dugdale recently visited Fury at the boxer's Morecambe gym.
"It was a bit mind-blowing when I met him," he said.
"I've seen him on TV. I've seen him all my life. We jumped straight on the pads, I was with him for about 45 minutes. It was good, really good.
"His words were 'kid can box' and he was impressed with my skills."
Rays of Sunshine chief executive Amy Chambers said Dugdale had shown "remarkable courage and determination in getting back into the boxing ring after his diagnosis and treatment".
"To see his wish to meet his hero come true has been incredibly special," she said.
"Our heartfelt thanks go to Tyson and his team for creating a day that Charlie will never forget.
"Moments like this fuel his motivation and inspire a bright future filled with possibility."
Dugdale said he would keep training but he was still mindful of his recovery.
"That's just my debut fight, I have to be careful of my health. I've still got a few things I need to sort out and next year I'm going to get the ball rolling and have a few more fights," he said.
"I just need to be careful and not rush into it and make myself ill again."
As he continues his recovery, Dugdale said he hoped to meet his German donor when he and his family take a holiday in the UK next year.
His mother Danielle said on the second anniversary of his transplant her son had "reached out to his donor and sent a letter saying, 'Thank you for saving my life'."
"[But] before we had the chance his donor had reached out to us," she added.
"I never wanted to hug a man I don't know more."
|
From fighting for his life to fighting in the ring
Three years ago Charlie Dugdale was fighting for his life as he battled a rare blood disorder.
After receiving a life-changing bone marrow transplant, he has turned his fighting spirit to the boxing ring.
Dugdale, 20, from Liskeard, Cornwall, has aplastic anaemia - a condition where the bone marrow and stem cells do not produce enough blood cells.
In the race to find a bone marrow donor, his family organised a mass swab in 2022 to find a suitable match.
But it was the charity Anthony Nolan which connected him with a 29-year-old man from Germany for the transplant, giving him a second chance at life.
Since the operation, he has pursued his passion of mixed martial arts (MMA).
He won his debut amateur fight at the Meltdown Fighting Championships in Bristol in September and recently met his hero Tyson Fury.
Having only just started training in February, he said MMA was "everything" to him.
"My coaches and friends convinced me to perform my first fight, just go all out and have my MFA fight," Dugdale said.
"Went up there, executed it, got the second round knockout.
"I think I'm going to stick to MMA now because it's everything."
Through the Rays of Sunshine children's charity Dugdale recently visited Fury at the boxer's Morecambe gym.
"It was a bit mind-blowing when I met him," he said.
"I've seen him on TV. I've seen him all my life. We jumped straight on the pads, I was with him for about 45 minutes. It was good, really good.
"His words were 'kid can box' and he was impressed with my skills."
Rays of Sunshine chief executive Amy Chambers said Dugdale had shown "remarkable courage and determination in getting back into the boxing ring after his diagnosis and treatment".
"To see his wish to meet his hero come true has been incredibly special," she said.
"Our heartfelt thanks go to Tyson and his team for creating a day that Charlie will never forget.
"Moments like this fuel his motivation and inspire a bright future filled with possibility."
Dugdale said he would keep training but he was still mindful of his recovery.
"That's just my debut fight, I have to be careful of my health. I've still got a few things I need to sort out and next year I'm going to get the ball rolling and have a few more fights," he said.
"I just need to be careful and not rush into it and make myself ill again."
As he continues his recovery, Dugdale said he hoped to meet his German donor when he and his family take a holiday in the UK next year.
His mother Danielle said on the second anniversary of his transplant her son had "reached out to his donor and sent a letter saying, 'Thank you for saving my life'."
"[But] before we had the chance his donor had reached out to us," she added.
"I never wanted to hug a man I don't know more."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-08T06:16:43Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79x1zwx7n1o
|
{"title": "From fighting for his life to fighting in the ring"}
|
Woman home for Christmas months after M1 crash
A woman who was severely injured in a crash after her husband had a heart attack at the wheel says she has "great hope" after finally being allowed home from hospital.
Sonia and Mark Meakin had been driving along the M1 in Nottinghamshire in July when he became unwell. Despite Sonia grabbing the steering wheel, she was unable to prevent their car from crashing on a slip road.
Mark died at the scene, while his wife spent two weeks in a coma with severe injuries requiring 19 operations.
Following treatment in hospital and a rehabilitation centre, Sonia returned to her home in Spondon, Derby, on Friday.
"It's tinged with sadness but also great hope for the future," she told the BBC.
"There are so many different emotions going through me today, saying goodbye to people here [at the hospital] but also knowing I'm going home for the first time in five months.
"The doctor said my stubbornness had helped me get through and pushed me to where I am today, going home to be with my family, my children, my grandchildren and my dog."
Having recently returned from a holiday, the couple were driving to meet friends for a meal when the crash happened on the evening of 11 July.
Mark, 51, told his wife he felt like he was going to blackout and then became unresponsive.
Sonia, 56, grabbed the wheel and tried to pull over on to the slip road, but their car hit another vehicle and caused a domino effect with a further three cars becoming involved.
While her husband died at the scene, Sonia was rushed to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham with extensive injuries, including broken wrists, elbows, fibula and tibia along with wounds to her stomach, diaphragm and spleen.
From there, she was transferred to rehabilitation unit Linden Lodge at Nottingham City Hospital.
Recovery has been slow and painful, but she said she was making good progress with her mobility and had recently been able to tackle steps for the first time.
Now, the grandmother of two is looking forward to continuing her journey back to wellness in a house filled with love.
"I feel so much more positive than I did a few months ago," she said. "I've got my wonderful Mary Poppins - my sister - my children, my grandchildren, my nephew and nieces. I couldn't ask for more support really.
"I've got to rest and recover - so I can just watch Christmas films and be happy."
|
Woman home for Christmas months after M1 crash
A woman who was severely injured in a crash after her husband had a heart attack at the wheel says she has "great hope" after finally being allowed home from hospital.
Sonia and Mark Meakin had been driving along the M1 in Nottinghamshire in July when he became unwell. Despite Sonia grabbing the steering wheel, she was unable to prevent their car from crashing on a slip road.
Mark died at the scene, while his wife spent two weeks in a coma with severe injuries requiring 19 operations.
Following treatment in hospital and a rehabilitation centre, Sonia returned to her home in Spondon, Derby, on Friday.
"It's tinged with sadness but also great hope for the future," she told the BBC.
"There are so many different emotions going through me today, saying goodbye to people here [at the hospital] but also knowing I'm going home for the first time in five months.
"The doctor said my stubbornness had helped me get through and pushed me to where I am today, going home to be with my family, my children, my grandchildren and my dog."
Having recently returned from a holiday, the couple were driving to meet friends for a meal when the crash happened on the evening of 11 July.
Mark, 51, told his wife he felt like he was going to blackout and then became unresponsive.
Sonia, 56, grabbed the wheel and tried to pull over on to the slip road, but their car hit another vehicle and caused a domino effect with a further three cars becoming involved.
While her husband died at the scene, Sonia was rushed to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham with extensive injuries, including broken wrists, elbows, fibula and tibia along with wounds to her stomach, diaphragm and spleen.
From there, she was transferred to rehabilitation unit Linden Lodge at Nottingham City Hospital.
Recovery has been slow and painful, but she said she was making good progress with her mobility and had recently been able to tackle steps for the first time.
Now, the grandmother of two is looking forward to continuing her journey back to wellness in a house filled with love.
"I feel so much more positive than I did a few months ago," she said. "I've got my wonderful Mary Poppins - my sister - my children, my grandchildren, my nephew and nieces. I couldn't ask for more support really.
"I've got to rest and recover - so I can just watch Christmas films and be happy."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T07:16:49Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1j9wxk1g80o
|
{"title": "Woman home for Christmas months after M1 crash"}
|
Bank notes auction nets retired artist £542,500
A collection of bank note designs and specimens sold for £542,500 at an auction, more than double the total it was expected to fetch.
Richard Adams, who lives in Wiltshire, joined the New Malden-based British banknote printing company Bradbury Wilkinson & Co in 1972 aged 24 and retired in 2016.
The collection was sold by auctioneers Special Auction Services (SAS) in Newbury, which had expected to collect £200,000 for about 300 designs, essays, models and test prints from Bradbury Wilkinson.
A one-sided specimen proof of a 100 Riyals bank note, produced for the then Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, was initially expected to fetch between £300 and £500 but was sold for £50,000.
A rare and hand-painted essay of a bank note design, possibly a model for a Saudi Arabia One Riyal note, thought to date from the 1930s, sold for £28,750.
Thomas Forrester, director at SAS, said he was "delighted" with the result.
"It has been a pleasure to work alongside Richard Adams, whose knowledge and passion for his career has been an inspiration.
"The prices achieved are a true reflection of that passion. The originality and freshness of the bank notes to the market also contributed to the high demand and great prices realised."
|
Bank notes auction nets retired artist £542,500
A collection of bank note designs and specimens sold for £542,500 at an auction, more than double the total it was expected to fetch.
Richard Adams, who lives in Wiltshire, joined the New Malden-based British banknote printing company Bradbury Wilkinson & Co in 1972 aged 24 and retired in 2016.
The collection was sold by auctioneers Special Auction Services (SAS) in Newbury, which had expected to collect £200,000 for about 300 designs, essays, models and test prints from Bradbury Wilkinson.
A one-sided specimen proof of a 100 Riyals bank note, produced for the then Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, was initially expected to fetch between £300 and £500 but was sold for £50,000.
A rare and hand-painted essay of a bank note design, possibly a model for a Saudi Arabia One Riyal note, thought to date from the 1930s, sold for £28,750.
Thomas Forrester, director at SAS, said he was "delighted" with the result.
"It has been a pleasure to work alongside Richard Adams, whose knowledge and passion for his career has been an inspiration.
"The prices achieved are a true reflection of that passion. The originality and freshness of the bank notes to the market also contributed to the high demand and great prices realised."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T15:14:52Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewjddy795no
|
{"title": "Bank notes auction nets retired artist £542,500"}
|
Concerns raised over care home fraudster years before faked will
On a LinkedIn profile boasting two decades in health and social care, Jamiel Slaney-Summers claims she is able to "quickly integrate and gain trust with others".
But the care home manager has been jailed for five and a half years for trying to steal an elderly resident's life savings by creating a fake will with coloured pens, different styles of handwriting and mismatched signatures.
She plotted with two others to claim the £175,000 fortune of 85-year-old Rita Barnsley, before being undone after a worried relative raised the alarm.
The BBC can now reveal concerns were raised about the behaviour of Slaney-Summers, from Birmingham, more than a decade ago.
Numerous bizarre allegations range from her fraudulently selling pets to attempting to poison a former colleague.
A number of people who previously worked with her are questioning why she was not stopped from working in the care industry years earlier.
Slaney-Summers was convicted of fraud alongside Graham and Lyn Walker, who previously owned Amberley Care Home in Brierley Hill, Dudley, and where Miss Barnsley had lived for just over a year.
Slaney-Summers was found guilty of stealing £6,000 from Miss Barnsley's bank account. Amberley, which provides personal care for about 25 people, some with dementia, is under new management.
Miss Barnsley's cousin and only surviving family member, Verna, alerted the Care Quality Commission (CQC) about her suspicions in September 2021, a month after her relative's death.
It led to a 12-month investigation led by trading standards chief officer Kuldeep Maan, who suspects the fake will was drawn up after Miss Barnsley died.
Mr Maan said Slaney-Summers' gambling habit could have been a motive to steal the woman's estate.
He also said she was the trio's ringleader and "100% the most eccentric" person he had ever prosecuted.
"We were going to interview her under caution [in 2022] and she was about three or four hours late," Mr Maan explained.
"She claimed there was an accident on the motorway and she had to save a child from a car and collect some sheep that escaped from a lorry.
"She likes to make everything the Jamiel show."
During her trial, Slaney-Summers, from Northfield, tried to halt proceedings by saying she had numerous infections and gastroenteritis.
She also claimed to have made a suicide attempt by running into the path of a bus and a tram, but Mr Maan said CCTV showed that was not the case.
That kind of behaviour comes as little surprise to Alex Cooper-Kite.
The 49-year-old was a care worker at Breach House, a home for 26 residents in Belbroughton, Worcestershire, in 2014.
She claimed Slaney-Summers, a manager, made her life a misery by bullying her because of her bipolar disorder.
Ms Cooper-Kite eventually went to an employment tribunal, where she alleged her boss was spiking her tea with prescription medicine, causing her to collapse at work.
"She told people that I broke into her house, stole her car and got speeding tickets and then took the car keys back," Ms Cooper-Kite said.
"She made me sound like a lunatic."
In 2015, the tribunal in Birmingham awarded Ms Cooper-Kite £33,000 for the unfair dismissal and disability discrimination she suffered at the hands of Slaney-Summers.
But she insisted "nobody was interested" in her concerns about her former manager, despite contacting the CQC multiple times.
"They must have had her on the radar and on the system. Why didn't they do anything?" she said.
The BBC understands the CQC received reports related to Breach House in October 2014, carrying out initial checks but later concluding no further action was needed.
The same concerns were referred to the safeguarding team at Worcestershire County Council, which said it takes "issues of safeguarding and care quality extremely seriously".
Breach House was contacted for a response.
Another person who raised the alarm is Julie Collett, from Kinver, Staffordshire, who worked with Slaney-Summers at Clent View Apartments domiciliary care service in Brierley Hill in 2017.
The 66-year-old, who is now retired, claimed she told management she saw her "looking through and tampering with client files, finances and support plans", but said her concerns were not acted upon.
"[There are] definitely questions to answer," Ms Collett said.
"When staff take the time to report [concerns] to their hierarchy then you expect them to act on it."
In an email, Edgeview Homes, which ran Clent View, strongly defended its position.
The company said Slaney-Summers failed to pass her probationary period, partly because it became aware of the earlier employment tribunal.
"No clients suffered any abuse at the hands of Jamiel so it would not have been necessary for us to report the matter of an unsatisfactory probationary period and her dismissal to CQC or safeguarding," the email read.
Edgeview added it was "false and egregious" to suggest any causative link between its
|
Concerns raised over care home fraudster years before faked will
On a LinkedIn profile boasting two decades in health and social care, Jamiel Slaney-Summers claims she is able to "quickly integrate and gain trust with others".
But the care home manager has been jailed for five and a half years for trying to steal an elderly resident's life savings by creating a fake will with coloured pens, different styles of handwriting and mismatched signatures.
She plotted with two others to claim the £175,000 fortune of 85-year-old Rita Barnsley, before being undone after a worried relative raised the alarm.
The BBC can now reveal concerns were raised about the behaviour of Slaney-Summers, from Birmingham, more than a decade ago.
Numerous bizarre allegations range from her fraudulently selling pets to attempting to poison a former colleague.
A number of people who previously worked with her are questioning why she was not stopped from working in the care industry years earlier.
Slaney-Summers was convicted of fraud alongside Graham and Lyn Walker, who previously owned Amberley Care Home in Brierley Hill, Dudley, and where Miss Barnsley had lived for just over a year.
Slaney-Summers was found guilty of stealing £6,000 from Miss Barnsley's bank account. Amberley, which provides personal care for about 25 people, some with dementia, is under new management.
Miss Barnsley's cousin and only surviving family member, Verna, alerted the Care Quality Commission (CQC) about her suspicions in September 2021, a month after her relative's death.
It led to a 12-month investigation led by trading standards chief officer Kuldeep Maan, who suspects the fake will was drawn up after Miss Barnsley died.
Mr Maan said Slaney-Summers' gambling habit could have been a motive to steal the woman's estate.
He also said she was the trio's ringleader and "100% the most eccentric" person he had ever prosecuted.
"We were going to interview her under caution [in 2022] and she was about three or four hours late," Mr Maan explained.
"She claimed there was an accident on the motorway and she had to save a child from a car and collect some sheep that escaped from a lorry.
"She likes to make everything the Jamiel show."
During her trial, Slaney-Summers, from Northfield, tried to halt proceedings by saying she had numerous infections and gastroenteritis.
She also claimed to have made a suicide attempt by running into the path of a bus and a tram, but Mr Maan said CCTV showed that was not the case.
That kind of behaviour comes as little surprise to Alex Cooper-Kite.
The 49-year-old was a care worker at Breach House, a home for 26 residents in Belbroughton, Worcestershire, in 2014.
She claimed Slaney-Summers, a manager, made her life a misery by bullying her because of her bipolar disorder.
Ms Cooper-Kite eventually went to an employment tribunal, where she alleged her boss was spiking her tea with prescription medicine, causing her to collapse at work.
"She told people that I broke into her house, stole her car and got speeding tickets and then took the car keys back," Ms Cooper-Kite said.
"She made me sound like a lunatic."
In 2015, the tribunal in Birmingham awarded Ms Cooper-Kite £33,000 for the unfair dismissal and disability discrimination she suffered at the hands of Slaney-Summers.
But she insisted "nobody was interested" in her concerns about her former manager, despite contacting the CQC multiple times.
"They must have had her on the radar and on the system. Why didn't they do anything?" she said.
The BBC understands the CQC received reports related to Breach House in October 2014, carrying out initial checks but later concluding no further action was needed.
The same concerns were referred to the safeguarding team at Worcestershire County Council, which said it takes "issues of safeguarding and care quality extremely seriously".
Breach House was contacted for a response.
Another person who raised the alarm is Julie Collett, from Kinver, Staffordshire, who worked with Slaney-Summers at Clent View Apartments domiciliary care service in Brierley Hill in 2017.
The 66-year-old, who is now retired, claimed she told management she saw her "looking through and tampering with client files, finances and support plans", but said her concerns were not acted upon.
"[There are] definitely questions to answer," Ms Collett said.
"When staff take the time to report [concerns] to their hierarchy then you expect them to act on it."
In an email, Edgeview Homes, which ran Clent View, strongly defended its position.
The company said Slaney-Summers failed to pass her probationary period, partly because it became aware of the earlier employment tribunal.
"No clients suffered any abuse at the hands of Jamiel so it would not have been necessary for us to report the matter of an unsatisfactory probationary period and her dismissal to CQC or safeguarding," the email read.
Edgeview added it was "false and egregious" to suggest any causative link between its employment of Slaney-Summers and her recent crimes.
"We have no questions to answer," they added.
The BBC has also heard allegations Slaney-Summers was scamming people in August 2023, while the Dudley Trading Standards investigation into the financial abuse of 85-year-old Miss Barnsley was ongoing.
Jade Just, from Kings Heath, Birmingham, said she had met Slaney-Summers at a car boot sale in the city that month. The latter introduced herself as a lady called Joy and went on to sell her a dog in the days afterwards.
The 38-year-old purchased what she believed was a two-year-old Boston Terrier.
The pet was a gift for a mother's 60th birthday and "Joy" insisted it had been spayed.
But when the dog came into season and presented with other health issues a short while later, vets told Ms Just she had bought a 12 to 14 month old "puppy machine".
The family were forced to give the dog up, leaving them "heartbroken" and hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
"It was lie after lie and deceit after deceit," Ms Just said.
The transaction has been reported to trading standards.
Last month, it took a jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court just over an hour to convict Slaney-Summers of fraud and theft.
But Dudley Trading Standards said their work could be far from over, with fresh allegations continuing to emerge.
While Slaney-Summers did not have any previous convictions, investigators have been made aware of claims involving other care homes as far back as 2008.
Officers have also received reports of Slaney-Summers offering aesthetic injections on social media.
"I've been doing this job for nearly 20 years and this is the first case where my phone, since conviction, has been ringing non-stop," added Mr Maan.
The CQC said it did not have any legal powers to investigate individual complaints.
But the regulator encouraged people to inform it of concerns so it could decide where to inspect.
"This is a deeply concerning case and shows how important it is for providers of social care services to have in place robust measures to root out financial abuse and keep people safe," a spokesperson said.
"When we receive information of concern about a service, we carry out checks to make sure people are safe."
West Midlands Police said there were no continuing investigations into Slaney-Summers but if new evidence was presented it would review the matter.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T12:33:13Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c80x5y3vy9go
|
{"title": "Concerns raised over care home fraudster years before faked will"}
|
Unavailability of fire crews revealed
A rural fire station in Hampshire was unavailable to attend callouts 93% of the time over a one-year period (2022), new figures have revealed.
A BBC freedom of information request also showed one-in-five retained fire stations were unavailable for more than half of the year in 2024.
Regional Secretary of the Southern branch of the FBU, Mark Chapman, said "the public would be surprised and should be concerned" by the "shocking" statistics.
The government has said it "understood the challenges" and was increasing funding for fire authorities by an average 3.6%.
The vast majority (85%) of fire stations in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are crewed by on-call firefighters, not full-time staff who are called out when there is an incident.
But there are times where not enough crew are marked as available so the appliance cannot be deployed.
The freedom of information request showed unavailability data for all Hampshire and the Isle of Wight's retained fire stations for the three years 2022-2024.
The fire stations with low availability are all in rural villages or small towns, including Grayshott, Sutton Scotney and Stockbridge.
Mark Chapman said it was not uncommon for only 19 of the Hampshire forces 80 plus fire engines to be available for deployment.
He added retaining and recruiting crews was particularly difficult since the pandemic in rural areas because of house price rises.
"The demographic has changed significantly and the people we would normally recruit, the plumbers, the electricians, the gas fitters are no longer living in those areas".
In July, the Petersfield appliance was unavailable to respond to a fire in a flat in Lavant Street, with the nearest alternative taking nearly 18 minutes to attend.
The FBU say in that time it had spread to more properties.
Chief Fire Officer, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton said public safety was always the primary concern but added "The brigade is facing significant financial challenges due to underfunding and the Government needs to increase the funding it provides to carry out their vital role in keeping communities safe".
She said they'd introduced more flexible contracts to try and encourage more applications for retained crew.
In Dorset, Swanage fire station was almost never recorded as unavailable.
But in some more rural parts of the county, the fire appliance was often unavailable more than half of the time because of a lack of crew.
Val Hampshire, the executive council member South West for the FBU said the lack of crews meant incidents like the Holt heath wildfire in August had needed support from crews as far away as Merseyside and Lancashire.
She added working conditions was affecting retention.
"The pressure of the job, the fact they don't have enough crew, they don't get breaks, they have to work twice as hard for twice as long at incidents, there's the danger element, the time it takes to get to the incident pulls moral pressure on the crews, all of those things affect morale".
Dorset and Wiltshire's fire chief, Andy Cole, said the service had undergone a review to make sure "resources were in the right place based on need" and had increased its investment in wholetime (full time) crew to give the best coverage.
He agreed fire services were facing "significant financial challenges".
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it "understood the challenges fire services are facing".
It said standalone fire and rescue authorities would see an increase in funding this financial year.
For Hampshire and Isle of Wight - £99.8m for 2025/26 which is a 3.5% increase on 2024/25.
In Dorset & Wiltshire - £74.9m for 2025/26 which is a 3.3% increase.
Those figures are below the national average increase.
|
Unavailability of fire crews revealed
A rural fire station in Hampshire was unavailable to attend callouts 93% of the time over a one-year period (2022), new figures have revealed.
A BBC freedom of information request also showed one-in-five retained fire stations were unavailable for more than half of the year in 2024.
Regional Secretary of the Southern branch of the FBU, Mark Chapman, said "the public would be surprised and should be concerned" by the "shocking" statistics.
The government has said it "understood the challenges" and was increasing funding for fire authorities by an average 3.6%.
The vast majority (85%) of fire stations in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are crewed by on-call firefighters, not full-time staff who are called out when there is an incident.
But there are times where not enough crew are marked as available so the appliance cannot be deployed.
The freedom of information request showed unavailability data for all Hampshire and the Isle of Wight's retained fire stations for the three years 2022-2024.
The fire stations with low availability are all in rural villages or small towns, including Grayshott, Sutton Scotney and Stockbridge.
Mark Chapman said it was not uncommon for only 19 of the Hampshire forces 80 plus fire engines to be available for deployment.
He added retaining and recruiting crews was particularly difficult since the pandemic in rural areas because of house price rises.
"The demographic has changed significantly and the people we would normally recruit, the plumbers, the electricians, the gas fitters are no longer living in those areas".
In July, the Petersfield appliance was unavailable to respond to a fire in a flat in Lavant Street, with the nearest alternative taking nearly 18 minutes to attend.
The FBU say in that time it had spread to more properties.
Chief Fire Officer, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton said public safety was always the primary concern but added "The brigade is facing significant financial challenges due to underfunding and the Government needs to increase the funding it provides to carry out their vital role in keeping communities safe".
She said they'd introduced more flexible contracts to try and encourage more applications for retained crew.
In Dorset, Swanage fire station was almost never recorded as unavailable.
But in some more rural parts of the county, the fire appliance was often unavailable more than half of the time because of a lack of crew.
Val Hampshire, the executive council member South West for the FBU said the lack of crews meant incidents like the Holt heath wildfire in August had needed support from crews as far away as Merseyside and Lancashire.
She added working conditions was affecting retention.
"The pressure of the job, the fact they don't have enough crew, they don't get breaks, they have to work twice as hard for twice as long at incidents, there's the danger element, the time it takes to get to the incident pulls moral pressure on the crews, all of those things affect morale".
Dorset and Wiltshire's fire chief, Andy Cole, said the service had undergone a review to make sure "resources were in the right place based on need" and had increased its investment in wholetime (full time) crew to give the best coverage.
He agreed fire services were facing "significant financial challenges".
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it "understood the challenges fire services are facing".
It said standalone fire and rescue authorities would see an increase in funding this financial year.
For Hampshire and Isle of Wight - £99.8m for 2025/26 which is a 3.5% increase on 2024/25.
In Dorset & Wiltshire - £74.9m for 2025/26 which is a 3.3% increase.
Those figures are below the national average increase.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-08T06:09:05Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0l9nrl652ro
|
{"title": "Unavailability of fire crews revealed"}
|
Bluetongue control zone may be extended across NI, says minister
A Northern Ireland-wide exclusion zone may have to be considered if further cases of bluetongue virus (BTV) are found, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has said.
On Friday, an additional 44 cases were confirmed in the same County Down herd where the first outbreak on the island of Ireland was discovered at the weekend and a 20km control zone is in place.
A Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) statement said testing on farms near where the outbreak occurred is continuing and movement restrictions remain.
Muir said he hoped no further cases would be found but that he "wouldn't be surprised" if more are detected as the virus is spread through midges.
"If there's further cases found outside the zone, then we'll respond to that, whether we extend the zone or make Northern Ireland one complete zone."
Muir told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme on Thursday that 44 was a "very concerning number".
"The fact that we were able to find midges capable of spreading this disease outside of the shed where these animals are housed would indicate that this is in the midge population and there is a high likelihood that this could have spread," he said.
The minister is also due to update members of the agriculture committee at Stormont today.
Seven midge traps are being used across Northern Ireland as part of monitoring and surveillance of the virus.
One has also been set up at Clandeboye Estate in County Down, where more than 40 cows are suspected of having the virus.
Two confirmed cases were detected during routine surveillance at an abattoir last month.
Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Dr David Kyle told the Stormont committee meeting that there was "good" midge-modelling data showing high density plumes.
"The modelling is really interesting to see and it would show the plumes effect all along the eastern seaboard, from the south of Ireland all the way up," he said.
"So that's what leading us to this that this disease could be more prevalent out there than we are initially detecting.
"And that's what our surveillance is there to detect, how far it has spread."
Some species of biting midges are the most common source of bluetongue infection.
The agriculture minister earlier made clear that the department is taking various steps to try and help the situation.
"We've got increased surveillance at abattoirs. That's how we found these original cases, and that surveillance is continuing."
Muir also said that 20 large farms within the control zone are under surveillance as well as farms near the zone.
"There's traps been set in terms of the midge population in order for us to get an eyesight in terms of what's going on there," he added.
William Irvine, President of the Ulster Farmers Union, said that the department is progressing testing and it's "fairly likely" there will be more cases.
Mr Irvine advised any farmer with any concerns to "talk to their own private vet and get advice relevant to their own farm situation".
He explained that the disease was having a "major impact" on normal farm trade.
But he said that the work by the government has been positive.
"In this situation, the veterinary department and the minister are doing everything possible to address this effectively. They're engaging with all the stakeholders really well and taking the feedback," he said.
"We are all in a fast moving situation and basically learning more about this disease and the impacts everyday.
"I think at this moment, they're doing what can be done and what should be done."
Bluetongue virus affects cattle, goats, sheep, deer and camelids such as llamas and alpacas.
It can cause ulcers or sores around the animal's mouth and face, difficulties swallowing and breathing, fever and lameness, foetal deformities and stillbirths.
It is a notifiable disease so anyone suspecting their animals may have it must report it to a vet, local divisional veterinary office or to Daera directly.
The latest outbreak began in the Netherlands in 2023, where tens of thousands of sheep died, and midges blown over from the continent began infecting livestock in the south-east of England too.
But the impact of BTV-3 seems to vary considerably across different regions, with some animals showing little sign of infection and managing to recover.
|
Bluetongue control zone may be extended across NI, says minister
A Northern Ireland-wide exclusion zone may have to be considered if further cases of bluetongue virus (BTV) are found, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has said.
On Friday, an additional 44 cases were confirmed in the same County Down herd where the first outbreak on the island of Ireland was discovered at the weekend and a 20km control zone is in place.
A Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) statement said testing on farms near where the outbreak occurred is continuing and movement restrictions remain.
Muir said he hoped no further cases would be found but that he "wouldn't be surprised" if more are detected as the virus is spread through midges.
"If there's further cases found outside the zone, then we'll respond to that, whether we extend the zone or make Northern Ireland one complete zone."
Muir told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme on Thursday that 44 was a "very concerning number".
"The fact that we were able to find midges capable of spreading this disease outside of the shed where these animals are housed would indicate that this is in the midge population and there is a high likelihood that this could have spread," he said.
The minister is also due to update members of the agriculture committee at Stormont today.
Seven midge traps are being used across Northern Ireland as part of monitoring and surveillance of the virus.
One has also been set up at Clandeboye Estate in County Down, where more than 40 cows are suspected of having the virus.
Two confirmed cases were detected during routine surveillance at an abattoir last month.
Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Dr David Kyle told the Stormont committee meeting that there was "good" midge-modelling data showing high density plumes.
"The modelling is really interesting to see and it would show the plumes effect all along the eastern seaboard, from the south of Ireland all the way up," he said.
"So that's what leading us to this that this disease could be more prevalent out there than we are initially detecting.
"And that's what our surveillance is there to detect, how far it has spread."
Some species of biting midges are the most common source of bluetongue infection.
The agriculture minister earlier made clear that the department is taking various steps to try and help the situation.
"We've got increased surveillance at abattoirs. That's how we found these original cases, and that surveillance is continuing."
Muir also said that 20 large farms within the control zone are under surveillance as well as farms near the zone.
"There's traps been set in terms of the midge population in order for us to get an eyesight in terms of what's going on there," he added.
William Irvine, President of the Ulster Farmers Union, said that the department is progressing testing and it's "fairly likely" there will be more cases.
Mr Irvine advised any farmer with any concerns to "talk to their own private vet and get advice relevant to their own farm situation".
He explained that the disease was having a "major impact" on normal farm trade.
But he said that the work by the government has been positive.
"In this situation, the veterinary department and the minister are doing everything possible to address this effectively. They're engaging with all the stakeholders really well and taking the feedback," he said.
"We are all in a fast moving situation and basically learning more about this disease and the impacts everyday.
"I think at this moment, they're doing what can be done and what should be done."
Bluetongue virus affects cattle, goats, sheep, deer and camelids such as llamas and alpacas.
It can cause ulcers or sores around the animal's mouth and face, difficulties swallowing and breathing, fever and lameness, foetal deformities and stillbirths.
It is a notifiable disease so anyone suspecting their animals may have it must report it to a vet, local divisional veterinary office or to Daera directly.
The latest outbreak began in the Netherlands in 2023, where tens of thousands of sheep died, and midges blown over from the continent began infecting livestock in the south-east of England too.
But the impact of BTV-3 seems to vary considerably across different regions, with some animals showing little sign of infection and managing to recover.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T14:51:21Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9vjg38mkz1o
|
{"title": "Bluetongue control zone may be extended across NI, says minister"}
|
First electric ferry launches on River Thames
A fully electric passenger ferry has been launched on the River Thames.
The Orbit Clipper, which will plug in and charge overnight, will carry passengers between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe every 10 minutes.
After being progressively phased into operation, the 150-passenger boat, with capacity for 100 bicycles, will cross the river every 10 minutes from each side on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends.
Project leaders said the ferry went towards the target of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2035 and achieving net zero by 2050.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said: "This is a fantastic new transport option for Londoners – not only cleaner and greener than its predecessor, but providing quicker and more accessible journeys across the river for far more people.
"Innovation and investment in travel infrastructure like this will help us navigate the challenges facing our environment and our economy as we continue building a fairer, greener, better London for everyone."
The new vessel comes ahead of London hosting the World Triathlon Championship Series next July.
Ruth Daniels, CEO at British Triathlon, said the new boat would offer "a unique and efficient route to the start line" for competitors.
She added: "With space for up to 100 bikes, the Orbit Clipper gives triathletes, commuters, tourists and anyone traveling across London a greener, more convenient way to get around."
|
First electric ferry launches on River Thames
A fully electric passenger ferry has been launched on the River Thames.
The Orbit Clipper, which will plug in and charge overnight, will carry passengers between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe every 10 minutes.
After being progressively phased into operation, the 150-passenger boat, with capacity for 100 bicycles, will cross the river every 10 minutes from each side on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends.
Project leaders said the ferry went towards the target of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2035 and achieving net zero by 2050.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said: "This is a fantastic new transport option for Londoners – not only cleaner and greener than its predecessor, but providing quicker and more accessible journeys across the river for far more people.
"Innovation and investment in travel infrastructure like this will help us navigate the challenges facing our environment and our economy as we continue building a fairer, greener, better London for everyone."
The new vessel comes ahead of London hosting the World Triathlon Championship Series next July.
Ruth Daniels, CEO at British Triathlon, said the new boat would offer "a unique and efficient route to the start line" for competitors.
She added: "With space for up to 100 bikes, the Orbit Clipper gives triathletes, commuters, tourists and anyone traveling across London a greener, more convenient way to get around."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T13:00:05Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyl6y70pq6o
|
{"title": "First electric ferry launches on River Thames"}
|
Teesside and County Durham stories you might have missed
Calls for an investigation into breast cancer care and a three-year road closure have been in the news.
You can read more about them here as well as some other headline-making events from Teesside and County Durham you might have missed over the last week.
Calls are being made for an independent inquiry into breast cancer care at an NHS trust.
The BBC learned patients suffered unnecessary mastectomies, delayed diagnoses and a lack of compassionate care at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.
Steve Russell, new chief executive of the trust, said the breast service today was "very different" and reiterated his apology to "the patients, families, communities and colleagues who have been affected".
Former patient Kate Driver, from Chester-le-Street, is among those calling for a public inquiry into the failings, and said: "Everybody deserves to know and our families deserve to know."
Residents of a remote village say they feel "isolated" as one of the main roads out of it has been closed for nearly three years.
The C31 into Hamsterley, near Bishop Auckland, was fenced off after part of the surface slipped into the River Wear in January 2023.
Marc Shepherd has lived in the village for six years and said the closure, combined with work on nearby Wolsingham Bridge, had added 20 minutes to his morning commute.
Mark Readman, Durham County Council's head of highway services, said the subsidence issues were "incredibly complex and there isn't a simple solution".
About two in five trains were recorded as arriving late to the Tees Valley's worst railway station for delayed services.
Yarm had the highest percentage of delayed trains in the area, according to documents presented to the transport committee of the Tees Valley Combined Authority.
A report showed only 58% of trains calling at Yarm in January arrived within three minutes of the scheduled time. Over the rest of 2025, the proportion of timely trains fluctuated between 61% and 69%.
The committee heard the station was served by Transpennine Express as part of a long-distance line running through Leeds and Manchester, which could bring "significant performance risk".
Inspectors have decided a town's lamp-posts are not suited to supporting Christmas decorations this year.
Durham County Council inspects its lamp-posts every year to make sure they are able to safely hold the size and weight of festive lights, and Ferryhill's street lights failed the test.
Ferryhill Labour councillor Curtis Bihari said he was "gutted" the lights could not be used this year and highlighted how previously "they have always passed the test".
Paul Watson, Durham County Council's highways service manager, said the "columns remain safe and stable for the existing street lighting units".
BP has pulled out of building a hydrogen plant on Teesside following a row over whether the site would be better suited to housing a data centre instead.
A government decision on whether the plant at Teesworks in Redcar could be built had been due imminently.
But the energy firm backed out before the decision could be made, citing a "material change in circumstances" to the land that the plant had been due to be built on.
The project, H2Teesside, had been mired in controversy after landowners South Tees Group (STG) sought permission to build a data centre there instead. Teesworks Ltd, which is part of STG, said it wanted to maximise the land's benefit for locals.
|
Teesside and County Durham stories you might have missed
Calls for an investigation into breast cancer care and a three-year road closure have been in the news.
You can read more about them here as well as some other headline-making events from Teesside and County Durham you might have missed over the last week.
Calls are being made for an independent inquiry into breast cancer care at an NHS trust.
The BBC learned patients suffered unnecessary mastectomies, delayed diagnoses and a lack of compassionate care at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.
Steve Russell, new chief executive of the trust, said the breast service today was "very different" and reiterated his apology to "the patients, families, communities and colleagues who have been affected".
Former patient Kate Driver, from Chester-le-Street, is among those calling for a public inquiry into the failings, and said: "Everybody deserves to know and our families deserve to know."
Residents of a remote village say they feel "isolated" as one of the main roads out of it has been closed for nearly three years.
The C31 into Hamsterley, near Bishop Auckland, was fenced off after part of the surface slipped into the River Wear in January 2023.
Marc Shepherd has lived in the village for six years and said the closure, combined with work on nearby Wolsingham Bridge, had added 20 minutes to his morning commute.
Mark Readman, Durham County Council's head of highway services, said the subsidence issues were "incredibly complex and there isn't a simple solution".
About two in five trains were recorded as arriving late to the Tees Valley's worst railway station for delayed services.
Yarm had the highest percentage of delayed trains in the area, according to documents presented to the transport committee of the Tees Valley Combined Authority.
A report showed only 58% of trains calling at Yarm in January arrived within three minutes of the scheduled time. Over the rest of 2025, the proportion of timely trains fluctuated between 61% and 69%.
The committee heard the station was served by Transpennine Express as part of a long-distance line running through Leeds and Manchester, which could bring "significant performance risk".
Inspectors have decided a town's lamp-posts are not suited to supporting Christmas decorations this year.
Durham County Council inspects its lamp-posts every year to make sure they are able to safely hold the size and weight of festive lights, and Ferryhill's street lights failed the test.
Ferryhill Labour councillor Curtis Bihari said he was "gutted" the lights could not be used this year and highlighted how previously "they have always passed the test".
Paul Watson, Durham County Council's highways service manager, said the "columns remain safe and stable for the existing street lighting units".
BP has pulled out of building a hydrogen plant on Teesside following a row over whether the site would be better suited to housing a data centre instead.
A government decision on whether the plant at Teesworks in Redcar could be built had been due imminently.
But the energy firm backed out before the decision could be made, citing a "material change in circumstances" to the land that the plant had been due to be built on.
The project, H2Teesside, had been mired in controversy after landowners South Tees Group (STG) sought permission to build a data centre there instead. Teesworks Ltd, which is part of STG, said it wanted to maximise the land's benefit for locals.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T13:28:26Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyvgn6592z1o
|
{"title": "Teesside and County Durham stories you might have missed"}
|
Children retell nativity as a breaking news story
A group of children have recreated the nativity as a breaking news story set where they live.
The production by the youth group from Haywood village church in Weston-super-Mare had reporters and presenters as well as the traditional roles of Mary and Joseph.
The Reverend Fiona Mayne said she wanted to make the Christmas story more relatable.
The nativity was filmed by former students at Weston College and University of the West of England (UWE) and will be shown to family and friends at a special screening on Christmas Eve.
Ms Mayne said: "In our youth group we were talking about the Easter story.
"I asked the young people if they would like to do it as anchors, reporters and newsreaders and write it in their own words.
"It was so much fun that we thought it would be really good to do it for Christmas," she added.
The story was filmed in Ms Mayne's garage and at other locations in the village.
The pub, the Landing Light, was used for the role of innkeeper and the local shop provided gifts.
Nine-year-old Elsie, who plays Mary, said she was nervous about the screening.
"First of all I will be embarrassed, doing your line over and over again (in rehearsals) can be frustrating, but also I'm excited," she added.
|
Children retell nativity as a breaking news story
A group of children have recreated the nativity as a breaking news story set where they live.
The production by the youth group from Haywood village church in Weston-super-Mare had reporters and presenters as well as the traditional roles of Mary and Joseph.
The Reverend Fiona Mayne said she wanted to make the Christmas story more relatable.
The nativity was filmed by former students at Weston College and University of the West of England (UWE) and will be shown to family and friends at a special screening on Christmas Eve.
Ms Mayne said: "In our youth group we were talking about the Easter story.
"I asked the young people if they would like to do it as anchors, reporters and newsreaders and write it in their own words.
"It was so much fun that we thought it would be really good to do it for Christmas," she added.
The story was filmed in Ms Mayne's garage and at other locations in the village.
The pub, the Landing Light, was used for the role of innkeeper and the local shop provided gifts.
Nine-year-old Elsie, who plays Mary, said she was nervous about the screening.
"First of all I will be embarrassed, doing your line over and over again (in rehearsals) can be frustrating, but also I'm excited," she added.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-08T06:07:27Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy7v5x1mn23o
|
{"title": "Children retell nativity as a breaking news story"}
|
Chair and well fabled for 'healing powers' gets protected status
An ancient site steeped in myth in County Tyrone and still believed by some to possess healing powers has been granted protected status.
Located on the outskirts of Augher, St Patrick's Chair and Well - known also as the Druids Chair and Well or St Brigid's Well - is one of a number of monuments across Northern Ireland to receive a historic listing this week.
While its exact history remains something of a mystery, local folklore holds that it was once a venue for pagan rituals, before later becoming a sacred place for Christians after being visited by an ageing Saint Patrick in the fifth century AD.
"Droves continue to come, some for fun, others seeking a cure for all kinds of ills," local historian Mary McGee said.
The site, in a glen outside Augher, comprises a large 2m throne-shaped block of sandstone, beneath which is a well - a depression in another rock - that is said to never run dry.
"Legend has it that the site was once a place where ancient druids would perform all sorts of nefarious practices. Everything from sacrifices to witchcraft," said Mary McGee, who grew up "a stone's throw" from the chair and well.
Such Celtic customs are said to have continued until St Patrick, accompanied by St Macartan of nearby Clogher, persuaded the local pagans of the virtues of Christianity.
"To show their appreciation to St Patrick, who was quite old by the time he arrived in Augher, the local people built him a chair from stone," said Mary.
"The well, so the story goes, was a gift left by St Patrick before he moved on."
Local folklore says it has healing powers and the water which gathers there is particularly famous for curing warts.
Mary's father, Mick McKenna, still lives in the family home which is just a few hundred yards from the historic site.
"It's great that the chair and well have been given this protected status. It's a very important thing for local people," he said.
The 92-year-old has fond memories of a festival that used to take place every July known as Heather Sunday, when local people would congregate for games, food, music and dance.
In a manner that mirrors the history of St Patrick's Stone and Well, it is thought the festival had pagan origins before later being adopted into the Christian calendar.
The importance of the chair and well for local people endures to this day with nearby primary school pupils visiting every year.
Principal of St Patrick's Primary School, Gemma Quinn, said the children usually have a picnic and learn about the history of the well.
"We tell them about the pagans, about St Patrick, and about why our school has the name that it does. It's very special," she said.
Gemma said she encourages each child to take a seat on the stone chair and make a wish like she remembers doing as a child.
"I love seeing them do it. Maybe in another twenty or thirty years, their children will do the same," she added.
"And on through the generations that tradition will travel."
St Patrick's Chair and Well was only one of a number of sites in Northern Ireland to receive Scheduled Historic Monument status this week.
It is granted to recognise and preserve significant sites of human interaction with the landscape over the last 10,000 years.
There are more than 2,000 Scheduled Historic Monuments in Northern Ireland, including many prehistoric sites, forts, churches, castles, maritime sites and also more recent industrial and defence heritage.
The remains of the docks at Lisahally in Londonderry also received protected status this week, recognising its strategic importance in World War Two.
German U-boats officially surrendered there at the end of the war in 1945.
Bert Whoriskey, 96, who witnessed the surrender, said it was one of the most exciting days of his life.
"Us as young fellas ,the way we looked at it was, we were fighting the Germans for six years and now we were going to see real Germans you know," he said.
"It was at the back of our house.
"The surrender took place on a battleship that had come in along with them and that's where all the 'big noises', as we said, came for the surrender."
Military historian Richard Doherty said Lisahally was "absolutely crucial" to the Allies war effort.
"There were anything up to 140, perhaps even more, ocean-going warships based here for the majority of the second world war," he said.
"That's bigger than all the other main escort bases put together. That's Liverpool, Glasgow and Belfast."
Other sites added to the protected places and monuments list include a battle garden at Kilwarlin Moravian Church, near Hillsborough, and a number of granite milestones on the old Enniskillen to Dublin coach road.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons welcomed the listing of the new sites, saying "the structures we have protected this week represent a microcosm of our rich heritage".
"I am pleased that my department has taken steps to identify and protect these unique aspects of
|
Chair and well fabled for 'healing powers' gets protected status
An ancient site steeped in myth in County Tyrone and still believed by some to possess healing powers has been granted protected status.
Located on the outskirts of Augher, St Patrick's Chair and Well - known also as the Druids Chair and Well or St Brigid's Well - is one of a number of monuments across Northern Ireland to receive a historic listing this week.
While its exact history remains something of a mystery, local folklore holds that it was once a venue for pagan rituals, before later becoming a sacred place for Christians after being visited by an ageing Saint Patrick in the fifth century AD.
"Droves continue to come, some for fun, others seeking a cure for all kinds of ills," local historian Mary McGee said.
The site, in a glen outside Augher, comprises a large 2m throne-shaped block of sandstone, beneath which is a well - a depression in another rock - that is said to never run dry.
"Legend has it that the site was once a place where ancient druids would perform all sorts of nefarious practices. Everything from sacrifices to witchcraft," said Mary McGee, who grew up "a stone's throw" from the chair and well.
Such Celtic customs are said to have continued until St Patrick, accompanied by St Macartan of nearby Clogher, persuaded the local pagans of the virtues of Christianity.
"To show their appreciation to St Patrick, who was quite old by the time he arrived in Augher, the local people built him a chair from stone," said Mary.
"The well, so the story goes, was a gift left by St Patrick before he moved on."
Local folklore says it has healing powers and the water which gathers there is particularly famous for curing warts.
Mary's father, Mick McKenna, still lives in the family home which is just a few hundred yards from the historic site.
"It's great that the chair and well have been given this protected status. It's a very important thing for local people," he said.
The 92-year-old has fond memories of a festival that used to take place every July known as Heather Sunday, when local people would congregate for games, food, music and dance.
In a manner that mirrors the history of St Patrick's Stone and Well, it is thought the festival had pagan origins before later being adopted into the Christian calendar.
The importance of the chair and well for local people endures to this day with nearby primary school pupils visiting every year.
Principal of St Patrick's Primary School, Gemma Quinn, said the children usually have a picnic and learn about the history of the well.
"We tell them about the pagans, about St Patrick, and about why our school has the name that it does. It's very special," she said.
Gemma said she encourages each child to take a seat on the stone chair and make a wish like she remembers doing as a child.
"I love seeing them do it. Maybe in another twenty or thirty years, their children will do the same," she added.
"And on through the generations that tradition will travel."
St Patrick's Chair and Well was only one of a number of sites in Northern Ireland to receive Scheduled Historic Monument status this week.
It is granted to recognise and preserve significant sites of human interaction with the landscape over the last 10,000 years.
There are more than 2,000 Scheduled Historic Monuments in Northern Ireland, including many prehistoric sites, forts, churches, castles, maritime sites and also more recent industrial and defence heritage.
The remains of the docks at Lisahally in Londonderry also received protected status this week, recognising its strategic importance in World War Two.
German U-boats officially surrendered there at the end of the war in 1945.
Bert Whoriskey, 96, who witnessed the surrender, said it was one of the most exciting days of his life.
"Us as young fellas ,the way we looked at it was, we were fighting the Germans for six years and now we were going to see real Germans you know," he said.
"It was at the back of our house.
"The surrender took place on a battleship that had come in along with them and that's where all the 'big noises', as we said, came for the surrender."
Military historian Richard Doherty said Lisahally was "absolutely crucial" to the Allies war effort.
"There were anything up to 140, perhaps even more, ocean-going warships based here for the majority of the second world war," he said.
"That's bigger than all the other main escort bases put together. That's Liverpool, Glasgow and Belfast."
Other sites added to the protected places and monuments list include a battle garden at Kilwarlin Moravian Church, near Hillsborough, and a number of granite milestones on the old Enniskillen to Dublin coach road.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons welcomed the listing of the new sites, saying "the structures we have protected this week represent a microcosm of our rich heritage".
"I am pleased that my department has taken steps to identify and protect these unique aspects of Northern Ireland's rich and varied historic environment," he added.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T07:42:09Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ge2d90kwgo
|
{"title": "Chair and well fabled for 'healing powers' gets protected status"}
|
'Our home looks apocalyptic after hurricane'
A British family who relocated to Jamaica have begun rebuilding their lives after Hurricane Melissa destroyed their home and business.
Sabrina Morgan-Mitchell, 45, from Bristol, moved to Robins River in the south-west region of Jamaica two years ago with her husband, Dwight, and their three young children.
Their 100-year-old house's doors and windows were ripped off in the storm's 298km/h (185 mph) winds and many of their possessions are ruined. To help them recover, family and friends have launched a fundraiser.
Mrs Morgan-Mitchell, said: "I have never been so frightened. The roar of a hurricane sounded like a devil."
After the hurricane warning was issued, the family moved to a small room underneath their house, staying in a closet with a mattress for hours.
Mrs Morgan-Mitchell said the family prayed and read Psalms, which helped calm her children.
After leaving the shelter, she said: "My eight-year-old dropped to his knees screaming and crying, saying 'mummy the house is terrorised', we lost everything."
She added the destruction left by the hurricane looked apocalyptic.
Their family business hiring out agricultural machines has also been impacted as equipment was destroyed in the storm.
The hurricane made landfall on 28 October as a category five storm in Jamaica, where 28 people were confirmed dead.
About 1.5 million people have been affected by the incident - more than half of the country's population.
Mrs Morgan-Mitchell said they still wake up in disbelief about what they went through.
"We've just got to be grateful for life, because a lot of people lost their lives," she said.
The family have received help from relatives abroad and were given care packages from charity organisations.
They have also begun rebuilding their business, and their children are set to return to school next week after nearly a month off
Rachel, who lives in Bristol, is "like a sister" to Mrs Morgan-Mitchell and a friend of the family.
She said: "Having been there so many times, it's hard to reconcile what it's like now. The house is 100 years old. It's gone, it's unbelievable."
She set up a GoFundMe page to help the family rebuild their lives, and is organising a fundraiser for the family in the Jamaica Club in Gloucester this month.
|
'Our home looks apocalyptic after hurricane'
A British family who relocated to Jamaica have begun rebuilding their lives after Hurricane Melissa destroyed their home and business.
Sabrina Morgan-Mitchell, 45, from Bristol, moved to Robins River in the south-west region of Jamaica two years ago with her husband, Dwight, and their three young children.
Their 100-year-old house's doors and windows were ripped off in the storm's 298km/h (185 mph) winds and many of their possessions are ruined. To help them recover, family and friends have launched a fundraiser.
Mrs Morgan-Mitchell, said: "I have never been so frightened. The roar of a hurricane sounded like a devil."
After the hurricane warning was issued, the family moved to a small room underneath their house, staying in a closet with a mattress for hours.
Mrs Morgan-Mitchell said the family prayed and read Psalms, which helped calm her children.
After leaving the shelter, she said: "My eight-year-old dropped to his knees screaming and crying, saying 'mummy the house is terrorised', we lost everything."
She added the destruction left by the hurricane looked apocalyptic.
Their family business hiring out agricultural machines has also been impacted as equipment was destroyed in the storm.
The hurricane made landfall on 28 October as a category five storm in Jamaica, where 28 people were confirmed dead.
About 1.5 million people have been affected by the incident - more than half of the country's population.
Mrs Morgan-Mitchell said they still wake up in disbelief about what they went through.
"We've just got to be grateful for life, because a lot of people lost their lives," she said.
The family have received help from relatives abroad and were given care packages from charity organisations.
They have also begun rebuilding their business, and their children are set to return to school next week after nearly a month off
Rachel, who lives in Bristol, is "like a sister" to Mrs Morgan-Mitchell and a friend of the family.
She said: "Having been there so many times, it's hard to reconcile what it's like now. The house is 100 years old. It's gone, it's unbelievable."
She set up a GoFundMe page to help the family rebuild their lives, and is organising a fundraiser for the family in the Jamaica Club in Gloucester this month.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T07:41:33Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cglgrz054g7o
|
{"title": "'Our home looks apocalyptic after hurricane'"}
|
Sycamore Gap sapling planted at community centre
A sapling from the illegally felled Sycamore Gap tree has been planted at a community centre which provides support and social connection for people in need.
One of the young trees grown from seeds from the tree, which stood in a dip next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, was awarded to Moorclose Community Centre in Workington, Cumbria, as part of the Trees of Hope initiative.
The centre's chief executive, Angela Rumney, said her hope was for the community to watch it grow together.
"The idea is that, coming to visit it, coming to the community centre for whatever reason, even if it's just a chat and to keep warm, it's to nurture everyone together," she said.
She added: "Maybe in a couple of hundred years time, we might have a magnificent tree."
Daniel Michael Graham 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, both from Cumbria, were jailed in July for felling the tree - which was considered an irreplaceable landmark - in September 2023.
Ms Rumney said she had a strong personal connection to the tree, with her daughter getting engaged there, and had also taken groups associated with the community centre on visits.
She said it was "so sad" when the tree was felled but the centre was lucky to get one of the 49 saplings.
Ms Rumney invited anyone who had a connection to the tree to come and visit the sapling as it grows at the centre in Workington.
"The last time I visited Sycamore Gap there was a lady there scattering her granddaughter's ashes," she said.
"The first thing I thought about when it was felled was this poor lady.
"I'm quite sure a little bit of her granddaughter's here now. If she wants to come and visit she's very welcome."
|
Sycamore Gap sapling planted at community centre
A sapling from the illegally felled Sycamore Gap tree has been planted at a community centre which provides support and social connection for people in need.
One of the young trees grown from seeds from the tree, which stood in a dip next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, was awarded to Moorclose Community Centre in Workington, Cumbria, as part of the Trees of Hope initiative.
The centre's chief executive, Angela Rumney, said her hope was for the community to watch it grow together.
"The idea is that, coming to visit it, coming to the community centre for whatever reason, even if it's just a chat and to keep warm, it's to nurture everyone together," she said.
She added: "Maybe in a couple of hundred years time, we might have a magnificent tree."
Daniel Michael Graham 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, both from Cumbria, were jailed in July for felling the tree - which was considered an irreplaceable landmark - in September 2023.
Ms Rumney said she had a strong personal connection to the tree, with her daughter getting engaged there, and had also taken groups associated with the community centre on visits.
She said it was "so sad" when the tree was felled but the centre was lucky to get one of the 49 saplings.
Ms Rumney invited anyone who had a connection to the tree to come and visit the sapling as it grows at the centre in Workington.
"The last time I visited Sycamore Gap there was a lady there scattering her granddaughter's ashes," she said.
"The first thing I thought about when it was felled was this poor lady.
"I'm quite sure a little bit of her granddaughter's here now. If she wants to come and visit she's very welcome."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T18:17:57Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn8e4l51m8lo
|
{"title": "Sycamore Gap sapling planted at community centre"}
|
US Girl Scout sells family's valuable painting to help Highland museum
A teenager in the US has sold a valuable painting that her family owns to raise thousands of pounds for a Lochaber museum.
Amelia Cimbalo and her art collector dad Jeff spend their summer holidays near Fort William and are regular visitors to the town's West Highland Museum.
The 17-year-old from Virginia set up her own charity for a Girl Scout project to help the museum's £6.2m redevelopment programme.
The painting - Travellers on a Country Path, Possibly Ayr Beyond by Edinburgh-born artist Alexander Nasmyth - was sold by fine art auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull for £4,191.
Amelia shares her father's interests in history and Scotland.
During their visits to the west Highlands she works as a research assistant at the museum.
Before the sale, she told BBC Scotland News she wanted to use her Girl Scout's final year project to help its revamp.
"The whole idea is to spread awareness about Scottish history," she said.
"The painting has been hanging in our house for five years and it is a painting that my dad thought would be very good for this because it is by a Scottish artist, and it is small enough to be shipped out."
Amelia's father said they were in the Fort William area so often that they felt like locals.
He said his fascination with Scotland was partly due to reading books by Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, whose work include Treasure Island.
Mr Cimbalo said his family spent their holidays near the location of the Appin murder. The assassination of a government agent in 1752 was an inspiration for Stevenson's novel Kidnapped.
The family are also regular visitors to Fort William's museum.
Mr Cimbalo said: "I have been dragging Amelia to this museum since she could walk. We've formed a relationship with the place.
"We love being there. If we could go there more we would."
The museum in Fort William's Cameron Square is popular with fans of the Outlander books and TV series, who come to see its large collection of objects associated with the Jacobite cause.
Diana Gabaldon, the author of the books, toured the building last month while in Scotland to receive an honorary doctorate.
In 2012 the museum attracted about 9,000 visitors, but since then it has become free to enter and last year 59,000 people came to view its displays.
Nasmyth, who died in 1758, was a landscape and portrait painter and a friend of poet Robert Burns.
Travellers on a Country Path, Possibly Ayr Beyond depicts a scene in Burns' home area of Ayrshire.
Lyon and Turnbull's senior fine art specialist Alice Strang said: "What an amazing Girl Scout Amelia is, to have established not only a charity for her final scout project, but one that will support Highland heritage.
"Travellers on a Country Path, Possibly Ayr Beyond is a gem of a painting by one of Scotland's most important artists and its sale will help the West Highland Museum's exciting redevelopment plans."
|
US Girl Scout sells family's valuable painting to help Highland museum
A teenager in the US has sold a valuable painting that her family owns to raise thousands of pounds for a Lochaber museum.
Amelia Cimbalo and her art collector dad Jeff spend their summer holidays near Fort William and are regular visitors to the town's West Highland Museum.
The 17-year-old from Virginia set up her own charity for a Girl Scout project to help the museum's £6.2m redevelopment programme.
The painting - Travellers on a Country Path, Possibly Ayr Beyond by Edinburgh-born artist Alexander Nasmyth - was sold by fine art auctioneers Lyon and Turnbull for £4,191.
Amelia shares her father's interests in history and Scotland.
During their visits to the west Highlands she works as a research assistant at the museum.
Before the sale, she told BBC Scotland News she wanted to use her Girl Scout's final year project to help its revamp.
"The whole idea is to spread awareness about Scottish history," she said.
"The painting has been hanging in our house for five years and it is a painting that my dad thought would be very good for this because it is by a Scottish artist, and it is small enough to be shipped out."
Amelia's father said they were in the Fort William area so often that they felt like locals.
He said his fascination with Scotland was partly due to reading books by Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, whose work include Treasure Island.
Mr Cimbalo said his family spent their holidays near the location of the Appin murder. The assassination of a government agent in 1752 was an inspiration for Stevenson's novel Kidnapped.
The family are also regular visitors to Fort William's museum.
Mr Cimbalo said: "I have been dragging Amelia to this museum since she could walk. We've formed a relationship with the place.
"We love being there. If we could go there more we would."
The museum in Fort William's Cameron Square is popular with fans of the Outlander books and TV series, who come to see its large collection of objects associated with the Jacobite cause.
Diana Gabaldon, the author of the books, toured the building last month while in Scotland to receive an honorary doctorate.
In 2012 the museum attracted about 9,000 visitors, but since then it has become free to enter and last year 59,000 people came to view its displays.
Nasmyth, who died in 1758, was a landscape and portrait painter and a friend of poet Robert Burns.
Travellers on a Country Path, Possibly Ayr Beyond depicts a scene in Burns' home area of Ayrshire.
Lyon and Turnbull's senior fine art specialist Alice Strang said: "What an amazing Girl Scout Amelia is, to have established not only a charity for her final scout project, but one that will support Highland heritage.
"Travellers on a Country Path, Possibly Ayr Beyond is a gem of a painting by one of Scotland's most important artists and its sale will help the West Highland Museum's exciting redevelopment plans."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T09:48:10Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgrded128zo
|
{"title": "US Girl Scout sells family's valuable painting to help Highland museum"}
|
Teacher who set up OnlyFans account avoids ban
A school teacher who set up an OnlyFans account featuring explicit content has avoided a ban following a professional conduct hearing.
Leanne Wilson, who had worked at Holbrook School for Autism in Holbrook, Derbyshire, since 2015 resigned in May 2023 after being suspended when the account came to light.
Ms Wilson told a Teaching Regulation Agency panel she had set up the account in April 2022 at a time when she was "extremely unwell", and actively used it until about October that year.
The panel concluded a ban from the classroom would not be proportionate, and the publication of its findings would be sufficient.
A spokesperson for Esteem Multi-Academy Trust, which operates the school, said it had "extremely high standards" and "acted promptly" as soon as it was made aware of concerns.
The hearing was told Ms Wilson had adopted the alias Sophie Palmer for the OnlyFans account, which offered subscribers sexually explicit photos and interactions via direct messages and chat.
She also set up an Instagram account under the same pseudonym, which featured photographs of herself in underwear and a link to her OnlyFans account.
Her online activities came to light when a school staff member was shown the Instagram account through the app's "people you may know" function and recognised Ms Wilson.
The panel heard Ms Wilson, who accepted her conduct had been inappropriate and unprofessional, had suffered from a number of serious conditions for a significant period of her life and this had been disclosed to the school when she first applied to work there.
It was noted there had been a series of events leading up to the misconduct, which included Ms Wilson being assaulted by a student in September 2021.
Accepting Ms Wilson's account that she had been extremely unwell, the panel - in its report - said: "It was in this context that both the Instagram account and OnlyFans account were set up."
The report added: "It was a significant factor which led to her doing what she did and it is highly unlikely that she would have acted as she had if she had not been ill at the time.
"Ms Wilson's conduct was not momentary or done on impulse, however the panel were nonetheless of the view that this was a one-off episode in Ms Wilson's life and that she had shown insight into what had led to this occurring."
The report concluded: "Although the panel recognised the severity of Ms Wilson's behaviour, the panel was of the view that this had to be balanced against the significant and compelling mitigation that was present in this case.
"Whilst Ms Wilson's behaviour was serious, the panel considered that her actions were not of the kind which were incompatible with being a teacher."
A spokesperson for the academy trust said: "At Esteem we have extremely high standards and expectations for both staff and students.
"We acted promptly as soon as we were made aware of concerns about a former member of staff in May 2023.
"She was suspended immediately while a swift and thorough investigation took place and was dismissed following its conclusion in July of the same year.
"The case was then referred to the Teacher Regulation Authority for a full hearing."
|
Teacher who set up OnlyFans account avoids ban
A school teacher who set up an OnlyFans account featuring explicit content has avoided a ban following a professional conduct hearing.
Leanne Wilson, who had worked at Holbrook School for Autism in Holbrook, Derbyshire, since 2015 resigned in May 2023 after being suspended when the account came to light.
Ms Wilson told a Teaching Regulation Agency panel she had set up the account in April 2022 at a time when she was "extremely unwell", and actively used it until about October that year.
The panel concluded a ban from the classroom would not be proportionate, and the publication of its findings would be sufficient.
A spokesperson for Esteem Multi-Academy Trust, which operates the school, said it had "extremely high standards" and "acted promptly" as soon as it was made aware of concerns.
The hearing was told Ms Wilson had adopted the alias Sophie Palmer for the OnlyFans account, which offered subscribers sexually explicit photos and interactions via direct messages and chat.
She also set up an Instagram account under the same pseudonym, which featured photographs of herself in underwear and a link to her OnlyFans account.
Her online activities came to light when a school staff member was shown the Instagram account through the app's "people you may know" function and recognised Ms Wilson.
The panel heard Ms Wilson, who accepted her conduct had been inappropriate and unprofessional, had suffered from a number of serious conditions for a significant period of her life and this had been disclosed to the school when she first applied to work there.
It was noted there had been a series of events leading up to the misconduct, which included Ms Wilson being assaulted by a student in September 2021.
Accepting Ms Wilson's account that she had been extremely unwell, the panel - in its report - said: "It was in this context that both the Instagram account and OnlyFans account were set up."
The report added: "It was a significant factor which led to her doing what she did and it is highly unlikely that she would have acted as she had if she had not been ill at the time.
"Ms Wilson's conduct was not momentary or done on impulse, however the panel were nonetheless of the view that this was a one-off episode in Ms Wilson's life and that she had shown insight into what had led to this occurring."
The report concluded: "Although the panel recognised the severity of Ms Wilson's behaviour, the panel was of the view that this had to be balanced against the significant and compelling mitigation that was present in this case.
"Whilst Ms Wilson's behaviour was serious, the panel considered that her actions were not of the kind which were incompatible with being a teacher."
A spokesperson for the academy trust said: "At Esteem we have extremely high standards and expectations for both staff and students.
"We acted promptly as soon as we were made aware of concerns about a former member of staff in May 2023.
"She was suspended immediately while a swift and thorough investigation took place and was dismissed following its conclusion in July of the same year.
"The case was then referred to the Teacher Regulation Authority for a full hearing."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T12:15:48Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy84de09j4zo
|
{"title": "Teacher who set up OnlyFans account avoids ban"}
|
Hundreds of evacuated residents allowed back home
Residents evacuated from 200 properties in Derby are being allowed back into their homes, a day after a major incident was declared.
Derbyshire Police said searches at properties in the Vulcan Street area of Derby were continuing on Friday, with officers to remain at the property where they carried out a warrant.
People were told to leave their homes on Thursday after police carried out a warrant following intelligence about materials at a house in Vulcan Street.
Two men - one in his 40s, another in his 50s - were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences, and are still currently in custody.
The force said it was not being treated as a terrorism incident and that there was "no wider risk to the community".
On Friday, police said in an updated statement at 19:00 GMT that residents were being allowed to return to their homes and the cordon had been lifted.
The Pakistan Community Centre remains open as a contact point for anyone in the area, the force added.
The Singh Sabha Gurdwara, in Princes Street, will be available as a new contact point for residents from Saturday.
Derby City Council had public protection officers and colleagues from their neighbourhood teams working in the area to provide reassurance.
Supt Becky Webster said: "Thank you to everyone that has been evacuated from their homes, we realise that this has been inconvenient and we appreciate people's patience and cooperation."
Police said a controlled explosion was carried out at about 16:00 on Thursday, with the council confirming accommodation had been arranged for affected residents.
The entirety of Vulcan Street was covered by the evacuation zone, as was Reeves Road and Shaftesbury Crescent.
Harrington Street, from Holcombe Street to Vulcan Street; Baseball Drive, up to Columbo Street, and Cambridge Street at Reeves Road and Shaftesbury Crescent were also included within the exclusion area.
Baggy Shanker, MP for Derby South, said the situation had been "very difficult" for the local community, but added he had been told everyone who needed accommodation had either been supported by friends and family, or had been put in a hotel.
"That just shows the strength of the community spirit here," he added.
Amjad Ashraf, who runs the Pakistan Community Centre, said about 50 families had come in on Thursday afternoon, and told the BBC many had found alternative accommodation for the night.
"We reassured everyone that if you've not got anywhere to stay with friends or family, Derby Homes are on site and they're going to be putting people in hotels.
"The community in the Normanton area always rally around really quick to provide that support.
"We had the Gurdwara which is also on Harrington Street providing refreshments and some food. We had volunteers that came together to provide that emotional support, a bit of hand-holding, and at times like this, that's what's mainly needed," he said.
John Morley, 86, lives in the evacuation zone and stayed overnight with his daughter in Allestree.
He told the BBC he was about to put his feet up for a sleep at about 13:30 when a police officer knocked on his door, telling him he needed to evacuate his home.
"I grabbed my tablets, my coat and umbrella, and that was it," he said.
"I'm OK, it's just an experience. To think that was going on on our doorsteps.
"I'm eager [to get back in], because it's odd when you leave your home."
Amy Anderson, who lives on Shaftesbury Crescent and is six months pregnant, told the BBC she spent the night at her mum's house with her son, and said she felt like she was "in limbo".
"I'm hoping we'll be able to get back in today, but I left the property thinking we would be able to get in last night, so I don't really know," she said.
Ms Anderson added she was "very fortunate" to be able to stay at her mum's house and she knew some neighbours had been put in hotels for the night.
The two men who have been arrested are Polish nationals, Derbyshire Police has said.
|
Hundreds of evacuated residents allowed back home
Residents evacuated from 200 properties in Derby are being allowed back into their homes, a day after a major incident was declared.
Derbyshire Police said searches at properties in the Vulcan Street area of Derby were continuing on Friday, with officers to remain at the property where they carried out a warrant.
People were told to leave their homes on Thursday after police carried out a warrant following intelligence about materials at a house in Vulcan Street.
Two men - one in his 40s, another in his 50s - were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences, and are still currently in custody.
The force said it was not being treated as a terrorism incident and that there was "no wider risk to the community".
On Friday, police said in an updated statement at 19:00 GMT that residents were being allowed to return to their homes and the cordon had been lifted.
The Pakistan Community Centre remains open as a contact point for anyone in the area, the force added.
The Singh Sabha Gurdwara, in Princes Street, will be available as a new contact point for residents from Saturday.
Derby City Council had public protection officers and colleagues from their neighbourhood teams working in the area to provide reassurance.
Supt Becky Webster said: "Thank you to everyone that has been evacuated from their homes, we realise that this has been inconvenient and we appreciate people's patience and cooperation."
Police said a controlled explosion was carried out at about 16:00 on Thursday, with the council confirming accommodation had been arranged for affected residents.
The entirety of Vulcan Street was covered by the evacuation zone, as was Reeves Road and Shaftesbury Crescent.
Harrington Street, from Holcombe Street to Vulcan Street; Baseball Drive, up to Columbo Street, and Cambridge Street at Reeves Road and Shaftesbury Crescent were also included within the exclusion area.
Baggy Shanker, MP for Derby South, said the situation had been "very difficult" for the local community, but added he had been told everyone who needed accommodation had either been supported by friends and family, or had been put in a hotel.
"That just shows the strength of the community spirit here," he added.
Amjad Ashraf, who runs the Pakistan Community Centre, said about 50 families had come in on Thursday afternoon, and told the BBC many had found alternative accommodation for the night.
"We reassured everyone that if you've not got anywhere to stay with friends or family, Derby Homes are on site and they're going to be putting people in hotels.
"The community in the Normanton area always rally around really quick to provide that support.
"We had the Gurdwara which is also on Harrington Street providing refreshments and some food. We had volunteers that came together to provide that emotional support, a bit of hand-holding, and at times like this, that's what's mainly needed," he said.
John Morley, 86, lives in the evacuation zone and stayed overnight with his daughter in Allestree.
He told the BBC he was about to put his feet up for a sleep at about 13:30 when a police officer knocked on his door, telling him he needed to evacuate his home.
"I grabbed my tablets, my coat and umbrella, and that was it," he said.
"I'm OK, it's just an experience. To think that was going on on our doorsteps.
"I'm eager [to get back in], because it's odd when you leave your home."
Amy Anderson, who lives on Shaftesbury Crescent and is six months pregnant, told the BBC she spent the night at her mum's house with her son, and said she felt like she was "in limbo".
"I'm hoping we'll be able to get back in today, but I left the property thinking we would be able to get in last night, so I don't really know," she said.
Ms Anderson added she was "very fortunate" to be able to stay at her mum's house and she knew some neighbours had been put in hotels for the night.
The two men who have been arrested are Polish nationals, Derbyshire Police has said.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T19:17:00Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3e05enn9jqo
|
{"title": "Hundreds of evacuated residents allowed back home "}
|
Temporary 30mph speed limit lifted on link road
A temporary speed limit has been lifted on a new link road.
A 30mph (48.2km/h) limit was put in place when the A30 to St Austell Link Road opened while engineers completed work on and near the 3.9-mile (6.3km) single carriageway, Cornwall Council said.
The road, which connects the A391 at Singlerose Roundabout in Carluddon with the A30 at Victoria, has been built to divert traffic away from villages such as Roche and Bugle.
Steve Trevelyan, councillor for Roche and Bugle, said the road would make a "massive difference" but there had been frustration over how long the work had taken.
In October, Trevelyan said motorists were not using the road because the speed limit and ongoing work meant it was quicker to use the old route through the villages.
The councillor said the road was "brilliant" and long overdue, but there had been "no urgency" to get the work done and temporary speed limit lifted.
"It's like someone coming round and doing your kitchen and then leaving and saying 'oh we'll finish it off' and it takes forever," Trevelyan said.
He added he would like to see measures set up in the future to stop similar delays.
Trevelyan said: "I would like to see contracts put in place where there's time constraints and possibly fines, because it just seemed like 'we'll finish it when we can with the few men we've got'."
|
Temporary 30mph speed limit lifted on link road
A temporary speed limit has been lifted on a new link road.
A 30mph (48.2km/h) limit was put in place when the A30 to St Austell Link Road opened while engineers completed work on and near the 3.9-mile (6.3km) single carriageway, Cornwall Council said.
The road, which connects the A391 at Singlerose Roundabout in Carluddon with the A30 at Victoria, has been built to divert traffic away from villages such as Roche and Bugle.
Steve Trevelyan, councillor for Roche and Bugle, said the road would make a "massive difference" but there had been frustration over how long the work had taken.
In October, Trevelyan said motorists were not using the road because the speed limit and ongoing work meant it was quicker to use the old route through the villages.
The councillor said the road was "brilliant" and long overdue, but there had been "no urgency" to get the work done and temporary speed limit lifted.
"It's like someone coming round and doing your kitchen and then leaving and saying 'oh we'll finish it off' and it takes forever," Trevelyan said.
He added he would like to see measures set up in the future to stop similar delays.
Trevelyan said: "I would like to see contracts put in place where there's time constraints and possibly fines, because it just seemed like 'we'll finish it when we can with the few men we've got'."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T16:02:31Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93n99ggd62o
|
{"title": "Temporary 30mph speed limit lifted on link road"}
|
'Netflix seals $85bn Warner Bros deal' and 'One L of a draw'
The World Cup draw features on several front pages, with the Daily Mirror calling it "one L of a draw" - referencing England's group. The Sun says the contest is "Ghana be tough" - as England will face the African nation, as well as Croatia and Panama. The paper then says "at least we're not Scotland", whose opponents include Brazil. The Daily Star says the inaugural FIFA peace prize, which was awarded to President Donald Trump during the event, was "taking the peace".
The Daily Telegraph claims allies of Health Secretary Wes Streeting are pressing the former deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, to join him on a joint ticket to lead Labour. The paper says Rayner would be promised a cabinet role if she backed a future leadership bid by Streeting. A spokesperson for Streeting is quoted as saying the report is a "silly season" story. A source close to Rayner is reported to say there's "no vacancy and no pact".
The Guardian leads on further allegations that Nigel Farage made racist comments as a student. It contains claims from a former Dulwich College pupil, who says a 17-year-old Nigel Farage told him "that's the way back to Africa" when they were at school together. Farage has previously denied that he ever directly racially abused anybody, or made offensive remarks with malice.
Elsewhere, the Times focuses on comments from Baroness Falkner, who has just finished her term as head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. She accuses the government of "letting women down" over its record on single sex spaces. Baroness Falkner says Labour has lost touch with its "fundamental values". The government has previously said it wants to ensure women have access to single sex spaces, while ensuring trans people are treated with "dignity and respect".
The Daily Mail is launching a campaign calling for an end to what it calls "cruel injustices" around dementia care. It says patients face a "postcode lottery", with the NHS failing to hit diagnosis targets in more than half of the country.
Pictures of Catherine, the Princess of Wales's "Together at Christmas" carol service feature on the front of many papers. The Telegraph shows the prince and princess, and their children, holding candles and reading from songbooks during the event at Westminster Abbey. The Times headlines its picture "stars of wonder".
|
'Netflix seals $85bn Warner Bros deal' and 'One L of a draw'
The World Cup draw features on several front pages, with the Daily Mirror calling it "one L of a draw" - referencing England's group. The Sun says the contest is "Ghana be tough" - as England will face the African nation, as well as Croatia and Panama. The paper then says "at least we're not Scotland", whose opponents include Brazil. The Daily Star says the inaugural FIFA peace prize, which was awarded to President Donald Trump during the event, was "taking the peace".
The Daily Telegraph claims allies of Health Secretary Wes Streeting are pressing the former deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, to join him on a joint ticket to lead Labour. The paper says Rayner would be promised a cabinet role if she backed a future leadership bid by Streeting. A spokesperson for Streeting is quoted as saying the report is a "silly season" story. A source close to Rayner is reported to say there's "no vacancy and no pact".
The Guardian leads on further allegations that Nigel Farage made racist comments as a student. It contains claims from a former Dulwich College pupil, who says a 17-year-old Nigel Farage told him "that's the way back to Africa" when they were at school together. Farage has previously denied that he ever directly racially abused anybody, or made offensive remarks with malice.
Elsewhere, the Times focuses on comments from Baroness Falkner, who has just finished her term as head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. She accuses the government of "letting women down" over its record on single sex spaces. Baroness Falkner says Labour has lost touch with its "fundamental values". The government has previously said it wants to ensure women have access to single sex spaces, while ensuring trans people are treated with "dignity and respect".
The Daily Mail is launching a campaign calling for an end to what it calls "cruel injustices" around dementia care. It says patients face a "postcode lottery", with the NHS failing to hit diagnosis targets in more than half of the country.
Pictures of Catherine, the Princess of Wales's "Together at Christmas" carol service feature on the front of many papers. The Telegraph shows the prince and princess, and their children, holding candles and reading from songbooks during the event at Westminster Abbey. The Times headlines its picture "stars of wonder".
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T04:21:41Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg5mzne2dqzo
|
{"title": "'Netflix seals $85bn Warner Bros deal' and 'One L of a draw'"}
|
Revamped military museum's new name revealed
The new name of a revamped military museum has been revealed.
The former Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Museum in Aykley Heads, which is due to reopen in 2026, will be called Light.
Durham County Council said the name was inspired by the county's associations with light, including Durham University's involvement in the James Webb Space Telescope.
Reform UK cabinet member for leisure, Karen Allison, said the art and science venue would help cement the county's reputation for being a "cultural base" and would hopefully boost tourism.
The DLI Museum opened in 1968 and told the story of the Durham Light Infantry, with particular emphasis on World Wars One and Two.
It shut in 2016 due to cost-cutting measures but plans to refurbish it were approved in March last year.
The local authority said the building had been stripped down to its basic structure and almost completely rebuilt.
It will be a multipurpose cultural space with links to its military history retained through a DLI gallery telling the regiment's story through objects, documents and film footage, it said.
The venue's new name was also inspired by the creation of Bede's lunar calendar in the region 1,300 years ago.
Allison said: "It's been fantastic to see the venue taking shape and, now that we're able to announce its name, it really feels like we are getting closer to opening day.
"County Durham has a long history of culture-based regeneration and we are committed to building on its reputation as a culture county."
|
Revamped military museum's new name revealed
The new name of a revamped military museum has been revealed.
The former Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Museum in Aykley Heads, which is due to reopen in 2026, will be called Light.
Durham County Council said the name was inspired by the county's associations with light, including Durham University's involvement in the James Webb Space Telescope.
Reform UK cabinet member for leisure, Karen Allison, said the art and science venue would help cement the county's reputation for being a "cultural base" and would hopefully boost tourism.
The DLI Museum opened in 1968 and told the story of the Durham Light Infantry, with particular emphasis on World Wars One and Two.
It shut in 2016 due to cost-cutting measures but plans to refurbish it were approved in March last year.
The local authority said the building had been stripped down to its basic structure and almost completely rebuilt.
It will be a multipurpose cultural space with links to its military history retained through a DLI gallery telling the regiment's story through objects, documents and film footage, it said.
The venue's new name was also inspired by the creation of Bede's lunar calendar in the region 1,300 years ago.
Allison said: "It's been fantastic to see the venue taking shape and, now that we're able to announce its name, it really feels like we are getting closer to opening day.
"County Durham has a long history of culture-based regeneration and we are committed to building on its reputation as a culture county."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-07T14:41:21Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgexrxny4dxo
|
{"title": "Revamped military museum's new name revealed"}
|
Women swim in cold water in 'bonkers' challenge
A woman is plunging into freezing cold water for a third year in a row as part of a "bonkers" challenge to raise money for a hospice charity.
Nic Moorey from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, is taking part in the Sue Ryder Big Dip which will see participants jump into an unheated pool at Cheltenham Lido on Sunday.
Ms Moorey now works at the charity which cared for her mum before she passed away seven years ago.
"Her final two days with us, the care was just extraordinary. I always felt I wanted to give something back", she said.
Ms Moorey said she dreamt about working at the hospice as a volunteer after witnessing the care her mum received at Leckhampton Court Hospice in Cheltenham.
Now she works as a complimentary therapist for the charity.
"It feels like a real privilege", she added.
"I've sat in that chair, cried those tears.
"I know exactly what it's like to be in that situation, and that gives me an extra layer of understanding."
Ms Moorey admits most people think the challenge is "absolutely bonkers".
Last year the water was a relatively mild 11C (51F), but the previous year temperatures dropped to 4.6C (40F).
"Anything under 5C (41F) is considered an ice bath", she told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
"It was the coldest I've ever been. But afterwards there's a real euphoria — your body warms you up and it's not as horrible as it might seem," she said.
The Big Dip has become a tradition, with a festive atmosphere including carols from a local choir and music.
"There's a real camaraderie," Ms Moorey added.
"Everyone taking part is thinking of someone they've lost, and their loved ones often donate," she said.
|
Women swim in cold water in 'bonkers' challenge
A woman is plunging into freezing cold water for a third year in a row as part of a "bonkers" challenge to raise money for a hospice charity.
Nic Moorey from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, is taking part in the Sue Ryder Big Dip which will see participants jump into an unheated pool at Cheltenham Lido on Sunday.
Ms Moorey now works at the charity which cared for her mum before she passed away seven years ago.
"Her final two days with us, the care was just extraordinary. I always felt I wanted to give something back", she said.
Ms Moorey said she dreamt about working at the hospice as a volunteer after witnessing the care her mum received at Leckhampton Court Hospice in Cheltenham.
Now she works as a complimentary therapist for the charity.
"It feels like a real privilege", she added.
"I've sat in that chair, cried those tears.
"I know exactly what it's like to be in that situation, and that gives me an extra layer of understanding."
Ms Moorey admits most people think the challenge is "absolutely bonkers".
Last year the water was a relatively mild 11C (51F), but the previous year temperatures dropped to 4.6C (40F).
"Anything under 5C (41F) is considered an ice bath", she told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
"It was the coldest I've ever been. But afterwards there's a real euphoria — your body warms you up and it's not as horrible as it might seem," she said.
The Big Dip has become a tradition, with a festive atmosphere including carols from a local choir and music.
"There's a real camaraderie," Ms Moorey added.
"Everyone taking part is thinking of someone they've lost, and their loved ones often donate," she said.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T07:55:36Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c36z5283y32o
|
{"title": "Women swim in cold water in 'bonkers' challenge"}
|
'Hyper local vaccine push needed amid worst flu season'
A county's approach to encouraging vaccine uptake has been praised as the NHS faces what some have called the worst flu season in decades.
Charity The King's Fund said the "hyper local" approach used in Gloucestershire during the Covid-19 pandemic should be adopted across the UK.
Gloucestershire's Integrated Care Board (ICB), which commissions health care in the county and also commissioned the report, was praised for using community spaces for vaccine delivery and local GPs inviting patients to have the drug.
Prior to the pandemic, the county's vaccine take-up among at-risk groups had been below the national average, but this was improved dramatically during the pandemic.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Gloucestershire's flu vaccination rate among at-risk groups was 45%, which was slightly below the national average of 46%.
During the pandemic, vaccine uptake among most groups was consistently higher than the national average, and Gloucestershire now ranks among the top-performing areas.
Flu vaccine uptake among at-risk groups is at 50%, compared to a national average of 41%.
As well as the use of community spaces and drive through sites, other reasons cited for the improvement include that patients were often invited for vaccines by their own GP practices and greeted by staff they knew.
Beccy Baird, senior fellow at The King's Fund and joint author of the report, said a "one-size-fits-all approach" to health care does not work for all.
"When local health leaders are trusted and empowered to work hand-in-hand with their communities, care became more personal, more effective, and more equitable," she said.
"Now more than ever, vaccine uptake campaigns must be driven locally by people who are known and trusted."
The number of flu patients in hospital has hit a record high in England.
NHS figures show there were an average of 1,700 patients in hospital with flu last week - that is more than 50% higher than the same time last year - and early indications from this week are that hospitalisations have continued climbing sharply since.
|
'Hyper local vaccine push needed amid worst flu season'
A county's approach to encouraging vaccine uptake has been praised as the NHS faces what some have called the worst flu season in decades.
Charity The King's Fund said the "hyper local" approach used in Gloucestershire during the Covid-19 pandemic should be adopted across the UK.
Gloucestershire's Integrated Care Board (ICB), which commissions health care in the county and also commissioned the report, was praised for using community spaces for vaccine delivery and local GPs inviting patients to have the drug.
Prior to the pandemic, the county's vaccine take-up among at-risk groups had been below the national average, but this was improved dramatically during the pandemic.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Gloucestershire's flu vaccination rate among at-risk groups was 45%, which was slightly below the national average of 46%.
During the pandemic, vaccine uptake among most groups was consistently higher than the national average, and Gloucestershire now ranks among the top-performing areas.
Flu vaccine uptake among at-risk groups is at 50%, compared to a national average of 41%.
As well as the use of community spaces and drive through sites, other reasons cited for the improvement include that patients were often invited for vaccines by their own GP practices and greeted by staff they knew.
Beccy Baird, senior fellow at The King's Fund and joint author of the report, said a "one-size-fits-all approach" to health care does not work for all.
"When local health leaders are trusted and empowered to work hand-in-hand with their communities, care became more personal, more effective, and more equitable," she said.
"Now more than ever, vaccine uptake campaigns must be driven locally by people who are known and trusted."
The number of flu patients in hospital has hit a record high in England.
NHS figures show there were an average of 1,700 patients in hospital with flu last week - that is more than 50% higher than the same time last year - and early indications from this week are that hospitalisations have continued climbing sharply since.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-08T06:10:13Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpd64pw12wjo
|
{"title": "'Hyper local vaccine push needed amid worst flu season'"}
|
Woman jailed for murdering her baby to have convictions quashed
A mother jailed for murdering her eight-week-old son and attempting to murder his toddler sister is to have her convictions quashed, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
The woman, whose identity is protected by an anonymity order, accepted having stabbed the children, but denied the charges.
On Friday, senior judges held that the guilty verdicts over the double stabbing back in July 2021 were unsafe.
No further details about their decision can be published at this stage for legal reasons.
Both the prosecution and defence representatives remain in dispute on any possible retrial.
The woman was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in June 2023, following a jury trial at Belfast Crown Court.
She had been found guilty of murdering her son by a majority verdict and unanimously convicted of attempting to murder her then two-year-old daughter.
Both children had been taken to the Royal Belfast Hospital for sick children, where the girl was successfully treated, with the boy later pronounced dead.
The woman's lawyers mounted a legal bid to overturn the guilty verdict, based on issues around the trial process.
Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan, sitting in the Court of Appeal, backed those grounds of challenge, saying that she "cannot be satisfied that the convictions are safe".
The woman currently remains in custody while the court seeks further clarification on any potential retrial.
|
Woman jailed for murdering her baby to have convictions quashed
A mother jailed for murdering her eight-week-old son and attempting to murder his toddler sister is to have her convictions quashed, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
The woman, whose identity is protected by an anonymity order, accepted having stabbed the children, but denied the charges.
On Friday, senior judges held that the guilty verdicts over the double stabbing back in July 2021 were unsafe.
No further details about their decision can be published at this stage for legal reasons.
Both the prosecution and defence representatives remain in dispute on any possible retrial.
The woman was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in June 2023, following a jury trial at Belfast Crown Court.
She had been found guilty of murdering her son by a majority verdict and unanimously convicted of attempting to murder her then two-year-old daughter.
Both children had been taken to the Royal Belfast Hospital for sick children, where the girl was successfully treated, with the boy later pronounced dead.
The woman's lawyers mounted a legal bid to overturn the guilty verdict, based on issues around the trial process.
Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan, sitting in the Court of Appeal, backed those grounds of challenge, saying that she "cannot be satisfied that the convictions are safe".
The woman currently remains in custody while the court seeks further clarification on any potential retrial.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T17:06:36Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm28md08lmgo
|
{"title": "Woman jailed for murdering her baby to have convictions quashed"}
|
University building evacuated after chemical leak
A university building was evacuated following a chemical leak involving a laboratory oven, a fire service has said.
Dozens of firefighters were deployed to the incident at the University of Plymouth's Davy Building at about 14:10 GMT on Friday, along with some specialist appliances.
A university spokesperson confirmed nobody has been injured, but the ambulance service was called as a precautionary measure.
A fire spokesperson said crews were still on site and it is believed the incident was caused by a nitric acid spill on the fourth floor of the building.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said crews were checking the building and monitoring gas levels after isolating the laboratory oven where the chemical reaction occurred.
"We will be carrying out safety assessments and environmental protection units are onsite to decontaminate our crew and hazmat team once they exit," it said.
A university spokesperson said staff worked with emergency services to ensure the incident was "contained and dealt with appropriately".
|
University building evacuated after chemical leak
A university building was evacuated following a chemical leak involving a laboratory oven, a fire service has said.
Dozens of firefighters were deployed to the incident at the University of Plymouth's Davy Building at about 14:10 GMT on Friday, along with some specialist appliances.
A university spokesperson confirmed nobody has been injured, but the ambulance service was called as a precautionary measure.
A fire spokesperson said crews were still on site and it is believed the incident was caused by a nitric acid spill on the fourth floor of the building.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said crews were checking the building and monitoring gas levels after isolating the laboratory oven where the chemical reaction occurred.
"We will be carrying out safety assessments and environmental protection units are onsite to decontaminate our crew and hazmat team once they exit," it said.
A university spokesperson said staff worked with emergency services to ensure the incident was "contained and dealt with appropriately".
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T21:19:43Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93n9d2q0xvo
|
{"title": "University building evacuated after chemical leak"}
|
Doctor turned dinosaur hunter who rewrites history
Jeremy Lockwood didn't play golf.
He wasn't a fan of gardening either.
So when the former Midlands GP retired after 30 years of medicine he needed something to do.
Little did he know his chosen hobby on the Isle of Wight would help rewrite history.
It was a fascination which began in childhood. Growing up Jeremy spend hours searching for fossil shells and trilobites – ancient marine creatures that predate the dinosaurs by millions of years.
"We lived in an area rich in prehistoric treasure," Jeremy remembers. "As a small boy the prize was finding trilobite fossils. That sense of wonder never left me."
Jeremy was a frequent visitor with his own children to the Isle of Wight. It was his finds of dinosaur bones on the island which really sparked his interest and awoke his childhood curiosity.
Taking his discoveries to the local museum he was told the bones he had found belonged to the same species. But his medical background triggered a recurring thought that the variation from a human point of view appeared too great.
It was that observation that would change his life.
To pursue his hunch Jeremy decided to study Paleontology at the University of Portsmouth.
"I thought it would be a good discipline to do a PhD. It would help me focus and give me the expert advice that the people supervising me would be able to give me. I'm not sure my wife was a hundred percent happy with me taking retirement and working 12 hours a day on a thesis."
Determined to test his theory Jeremy began sifting through thousands of fragments of dinosaur bones at the Dinosaur Museum on the Isle of Wight and the Natural History Museum in London.
At first, his research focused on understanding variation within Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis, a herbivorous dinosaur closely related to Iguanodon
"It seemed a good bet that there was probably more than one species of these. So I started sort of looking at the bones. Hundreds and hundreds of them – measuring them, photographing them and making a huge catalogue of virtually everything that had been found in the last 200 years."
While piecing together a skull thought to belong to Mantellisaurus, the former GP noticed something extraordinary.
"I was trying to reconstruct a skull by putting it all together to take a photograph of it. Once you got it into the right angle you could see there was a definite bulge – this animal had a bulbous nose." he recounts.
'And Mantellisaurus, which for the previous hundred years everyone had thought was the only one, had a very straight nose. So this was clearly a very different thing. I remember calling in the curator of the museum and saying – come here – it's not just me, is it?"
It was a eureka moment. The first of three new species that Jeremy would go on to discover.
It was Jeremy's medical background which drove his discoveries.
"As a doctor, you learn that human bones look remarkably similar. But in dinosaurs, I kept finding bones that were supposedly from the same species yet looked completely different. It was difficult to make sense of it all."
Jeremy's discoveries show much still remains to be learned about dinosaurs from the thousands of specimens sit in museum.
"There's so much material that hasn't been fully examined," says Jeremy. "Sometimes, the most remarkable discoveries are hiding in plain sight."
Jeremy's forensic study of dinosaur bones continues. From sifting through the archives to studying specimens where it all began – on his Isle of Wight kitchen table.
"There are definitely other species out there and we're working on a couple of those at the moment.
The retired GP's work has been recognized worldwide – his part on solving the puzzle of an ancient and diverse ecosystem. But come the winter months – there's just one place he'd rather be – on a windswept beach on the Isle of Wight.
"It's lovely publishing and writing. But there's nothing as exciting as being out in the field and finding something new."
|
Doctor turned dinosaur hunter who rewrites history
Jeremy Lockwood didn't play golf.
He wasn't a fan of gardening either.
So when the former Midlands GP retired after 30 years of medicine he needed something to do.
Little did he know his chosen hobby on the Isle of Wight would help rewrite history.
It was a fascination which began in childhood. Growing up Jeremy spend hours searching for fossil shells and trilobites – ancient marine creatures that predate the dinosaurs by millions of years.
"We lived in an area rich in prehistoric treasure," Jeremy remembers. "As a small boy the prize was finding trilobite fossils. That sense of wonder never left me."
Jeremy was a frequent visitor with his own children to the Isle of Wight. It was his finds of dinosaur bones on the island which really sparked his interest and awoke his childhood curiosity.
Taking his discoveries to the local museum he was told the bones he had found belonged to the same species. But his medical background triggered a recurring thought that the variation from a human point of view appeared too great.
It was that observation that would change his life.
To pursue his hunch Jeremy decided to study Paleontology at the University of Portsmouth.
"I thought it would be a good discipline to do a PhD. It would help me focus and give me the expert advice that the people supervising me would be able to give me. I'm not sure my wife was a hundred percent happy with me taking retirement and working 12 hours a day on a thesis."
Determined to test his theory Jeremy began sifting through thousands of fragments of dinosaur bones at the Dinosaur Museum on the Isle of Wight and the Natural History Museum in London.
At first, his research focused on understanding variation within Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis, a herbivorous dinosaur closely related to Iguanodon
"It seemed a good bet that there was probably more than one species of these. So I started sort of looking at the bones. Hundreds and hundreds of them – measuring them, photographing them and making a huge catalogue of virtually everything that had been found in the last 200 years."
While piecing together a skull thought to belong to Mantellisaurus, the former GP noticed something extraordinary.
"I was trying to reconstruct a skull by putting it all together to take a photograph of it. Once you got it into the right angle you could see there was a definite bulge – this animal had a bulbous nose." he recounts.
'And Mantellisaurus, which for the previous hundred years everyone had thought was the only one, had a very straight nose. So this was clearly a very different thing. I remember calling in the curator of the museum and saying – come here – it's not just me, is it?"
It was a eureka moment. The first of three new species that Jeremy would go on to discover.
It was Jeremy's medical background which drove his discoveries.
"As a doctor, you learn that human bones look remarkably similar. But in dinosaurs, I kept finding bones that were supposedly from the same species yet looked completely different. It was difficult to make sense of it all."
Jeremy's discoveries show much still remains to be learned about dinosaurs from the thousands of specimens sit in museum.
"There's so much material that hasn't been fully examined," says Jeremy. "Sometimes, the most remarkable discoveries are hiding in plain sight."
Jeremy's forensic study of dinosaur bones continues. From sifting through the archives to studying specimens where it all began – on his Isle of Wight kitchen table.
"There are definitely other species out there and we're working on a couple of those at the moment.
The retired GP's work has been recognized worldwide – his part on solving the puzzle of an ancient and diverse ecosystem. But come the winter months – there's just one place he'd rather be – on a windswept beach on the Isle of Wight.
"It's lovely publishing and writing. But there's nothing as exciting as being out in the field and finding something new."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T06:05:06Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3e05205pvgo
|
{"title": "Doctor turned dinosaur hunter who rewrites history"}
|
Tartan Army excited for World Cup despite tough draw for Scotland
The Tartan Army have been reacting to a "tough" World Cup draw which paired the Scotland men's team against five-time winners Brazil as well as Morocco and Haiti.
Venues for the matches will be announced on Saturday but the Group C fixtures will all be played in the US across Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Miami.
Manager Steve Clarke was in the audience for the ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC where it was confirmed Scotland will face Haiti on 13 June.
They will then take on Morocco - who are ranked 11th in the world - on 19 June before lining up against top seeds Brazil on 24 June.
Afterwards Clarke said Scotland can "bring a little bit of magic" to the tournament after qualifying for the first time in 28 years.
Last time round the national side, managed by the late Craig Brown, were also drawn against the then defending champions Brazil and Morocco.
The 2026 edition will feature 48 teams and be played from 11 June to 19 July in 16 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico.
Scotland secured automatic qualification last month after a thrilling 4-2 Hampden victory over Denmark.
In Glasgow, scores of fans followed the draw at a special watch event in the Barras Art and Design venue.
John Plott was at the heart of the festivities, dressed in a Batman-Saltire costume.
He was also in the crowd for the opening match of the 1998 tournament, when Scotland took on Brazil in Paris.
And he intends to be in the US for the re-match next summer.
Brimming with confidence, John told BBC Scotland News: "We're due to give Brazil one.
"We're going to go far in this tournament and I'm going to be there.
"Batman is going from Gotham to Glasgow to global."
Lewis Kinloch, 12, was following the draw with his mother, Sarah Jane.
He said: "I think we might get through. I'm excited."
Sarah Jane said: "We went to Germany and go to home games.
"I don't know if we'll make it to the States but we'll certainly be watching and there will be lots of parties here."
Scott Simpson was also watching the draw in the Barras Art and Design venue.
He said it wasn't the draw he was hoping for, but he added: "Scotland are a team who can take on anyone.
"I was hoping for Group A but playing in the US against Brazil and Morocco will be exciting.
"I probably won't go because the games will be in the US but we'll look forward to having a party at home."
Wife Rachel added: "Brazil are obviously a really tough side and that is a little bit scary, but it will be really fun.
"Brazil love their football as much as we do.
"That game is going to be a huge party."
Earlier this week Daris Nesbitt told BBC Scotland News how he had reserved 22 hotels across the the host nations.
After the ceremony, he said: "I pre-booked flights to Boston on Wednesday from Barcelona.
"I now only need to book a cheap one-way flight from a UK airport.
"I'm delighted we are on the east coast."
The IT analyst will fly out on 10 June and admits Scotland could have faced easier opponents.
He said: "It will be a very tough group but if we want to qualify we need to beat the good teams.
"It won't be easy but we need to keep the faith."
One fan who has reason to be extra excited about the draw is Halina Rifai.
She is half-Moroccan but grew up in Dunoon, Argyll and Bute.
Halina now lives in Glasgow with Scotland-mad husband Stuart and the couple hope to be in the US when the teams meet on 19 June.
She told BBC Scotland that she was in disbelief at the draw but would support both teams during the game.
Halina said: "My heart was in my chest watching the draw. I just thought I was going to throw up.
"I will feel joy and heartbreak equally no matter what happens.
"I'll probably cry regardless of the result."
There has already been some joking in her family group chat, with one text message reading "divorce incoming" and "it's going to kick-off in your house".
She said it's a really weird symmetry between Scotland's last World Cup outing.
"I feel like I'm back in 1998 again. It's a weird kid of excitement.
"I know for a fact that both Scotland fans and Morocco fans will show a lot a lot of love for each other so it will be a really special game."
No matter who Scotland were drawn against, there was always going to be a story.
As the draw progressed, group C, featuring Brazil and Morocco, looked very much like one to avoid.
When Scotland were joined in it by Haiti, there was a sigh of relief. Progression is very much possible.
Forgetting the football for a moment though, two things jumped out for me. First of all the area in which the games will be played.
The East coast means cheaper flights and fewer hours in the sky for Scotland fans and there are also more ex pats to join the party with those travelling.
Secondly, having Haiti in the group could work in the Tartan Army's favour in terms of tickets available.
The current US administration doesn't allow Haitians into the country, so might there be
|
Tartan Army excited for World Cup despite tough draw for Scotland
The Tartan Army have been reacting to a "tough" World Cup draw which paired the Scotland men's team against five-time winners Brazil as well as Morocco and Haiti.
Venues for the matches will be announced on Saturday but the Group C fixtures will all be played in the US across Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Miami.
Manager Steve Clarke was in the audience for the ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC where it was confirmed Scotland will face Haiti on 13 June.
They will then take on Morocco - who are ranked 11th in the world - on 19 June before lining up against top seeds Brazil on 24 June.
Afterwards Clarke said Scotland can "bring a little bit of magic" to the tournament after qualifying for the first time in 28 years.
Last time round the national side, managed by the late Craig Brown, were also drawn against the then defending champions Brazil and Morocco.
The 2026 edition will feature 48 teams and be played from 11 June to 19 July in 16 cities across the US, Canada and Mexico.
Scotland secured automatic qualification last month after a thrilling 4-2 Hampden victory over Denmark.
In Glasgow, scores of fans followed the draw at a special watch event in the Barras Art and Design venue.
John Plott was at the heart of the festivities, dressed in a Batman-Saltire costume.
He was also in the crowd for the opening match of the 1998 tournament, when Scotland took on Brazil in Paris.
And he intends to be in the US for the re-match next summer.
Brimming with confidence, John told BBC Scotland News: "We're due to give Brazil one.
"We're going to go far in this tournament and I'm going to be there.
"Batman is going from Gotham to Glasgow to global."
Lewis Kinloch, 12, was following the draw with his mother, Sarah Jane.
He said: "I think we might get through. I'm excited."
Sarah Jane said: "We went to Germany and go to home games.
"I don't know if we'll make it to the States but we'll certainly be watching and there will be lots of parties here."
Scott Simpson was also watching the draw in the Barras Art and Design venue.
He said it wasn't the draw he was hoping for, but he added: "Scotland are a team who can take on anyone.
"I was hoping for Group A but playing in the US against Brazil and Morocco will be exciting.
"I probably won't go because the games will be in the US but we'll look forward to having a party at home."
Wife Rachel added: "Brazil are obviously a really tough side and that is a little bit scary, but it will be really fun.
"Brazil love their football as much as we do.
"That game is going to be a huge party."
Earlier this week Daris Nesbitt told BBC Scotland News how he had reserved 22 hotels across the the host nations.
After the ceremony, he said: "I pre-booked flights to Boston on Wednesday from Barcelona.
"I now only need to book a cheap one-way flight from a UK airport.
"I'm delighted we are on the east coast."
The IT analyst will fly out on 10 June and admits Scotland could have faced easier opponents.
He said: "It will be a very tough group but if we want to qualify we need to beat the good teams.
"It won't be easy but we need to keep the faith."
One fan who has reason to be extra excited about the draw is Halina Rifai.
She is half-Moroccan but grew up in Dunoon, Argyll and Bute.
Halina now lives in Glasgow with Scotland-mad husband Stuart and the couple hope to be in the US when the teams meet on 19 June.
She told BBC Scotland that she was in disbelief at the draw but would support both teams during the game.
Halina said: "My heart was in my chest watching the draw. I just thought I was going to throw up.
"I will feel joy and heartbreak equally no matter what happens.
"I'll probably cry regardless of the result."
There has already been some joking in her family group chat, with one text message reading "divorce incoming" and "it's going to kick-off in your house".
She said it's a really weird symmetry between Scotland's last World Cup outing.
"I feel like I'm back in 1998 again. It's a weird kid of excitement.
"I know for a fact that both Scotland fans and Morocco fans will show a lot a lot of love for each other so it will be a really special game."
No matter who Scotland were drawn against, there was always going to be a story.
As the draw progressed, group C, featuring Brazil and Morocco, looked very much like one to avoid.
When Scotland were joined in it by Haiti, there was a sigh of relief. Progression is very much possible.
Forgetting the football for a moment though, two things jumped out for me. First of all the area in which the games will be played.
The East coast means cheaper flights and fewer hours in the sky for Scotland fans and there are also more ex pats to join the party with those travelling.
Secondly, having Haiti in the group could work in the Tartan Army's favour in terms of tickets available.
The current US administration doesn't allow Haitians into the country, so might there be more tickets for the Scots? Something for SFA to look into in the coming days as the scramble for tickets and flights gets underway.
Steve Clarke's reaction after learning Scotland's opponents was: "Bring it on".
He told BBC Sport Scotland: "The draw's fantastic. One of the big things in my head was no European teams.
"So we're playing three top sides from three different continents of the world and that's what the World Cup's all about."
Midfielder Ryan Christie told BBC Sportscene: "You can't ask for more exciting games. I'm sure me and the rest of the boys are buzzing for it."
Christie joked that he feared he had "jinxed" Scotland's draw.
He said: "Everybody's been asking me who I've wanted, I've been saying Brazil the whole week and then they came out and I thought, maybe I shouldn't be saying that.
"Brazil was one of my favourite international teams growing up."
Scotland striker, Lyndon Dykes told the programme he was feeling confident after the "tough draw".
He said: "Obviously, you've got massive teams in there but I don't think it's something we should shy away (from).
"It's the World Cup you're going to get hard teams.
"We've faced hard teams before, so we should be going into it full of confidence, I think."
Scotland played Brazil and Morocco in the 1998 World Cup but have never met Haiti, who are returning to the tournament for the first time in 52 years.
Last time round the national team lost 2-1 in the opening match against reigning world champions Brazil in Paris.
A Craig Burley goal secured a 1-1 draw in the second game against Norway in Bordeaux.
But in the final group game in Saint-Étienne Scotland went down 3-0 to Morocco to once again miss out on the knock-out stages.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T22:02:10Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjwyn7140wdo
|
{"title": "Tartan Army excited for World Cup despite tough draw for Scotland"}
|
Police probe after door lock 'sabotaged' at museum
Police are investigating after the locks to a museum at the centre of an inquiry by the regulator were broken.
Cheshire Police said a key had been snapped off in the lock at Congleton Museum and officers were looking into the incident.
The museum said the lock had been "sabotaged" but the team later gained access and a locksmith repaired the door.
It came after the Charity Commission confirmed it was investigating the museum over concerns about its governance, linked to a dispute between trustees.
As part of the row, calls were made for founding trustee Ian Doughty to resign over claims he changed the locks to the building and attempted to suspend his seven fellow trustees.
Speaking on behalf of the seven trustees, Anne Gubbins, one of the museum's co-chairs, said the situation was "getting out of hand".
A report, commissioned by the board of trustees, said the recent events "should be considered a serious incident" and were reported to the Charity Commission.
The regulator said: "We have opened a compliance case into Congleton Museum Trust to assess concerns raised about the charity's governance."
Arts Council England also confirmed it had added the museum to its risk register.
Mr Doughty has been repeatedly approached for comment, but previously said there had been a "misinformation campaign" waged against him.
He also described the independent report as "fake" and said the museum was not at risk.
"This project has enjoyed decades of success thanks to the work of our volunteers and we should all hope for this to continue," he said.
Mr Doughty said he made a report to Cheshire Police claiming unauthorised payments were made from the museum's bank account.
Ms Gubbins said these were made to someone who had done some work as part of a grant-funded project and to the author of the independent report.
"There was no earthly reason for why we shouldn't have made these payments," she said.
A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said: "Police are currently reviewing an allegation of fraud in relation to the museum. Enquiries are continuing."
|
Police probe after door lock 'sabotaged' at museum
Police are investigating after the locks to a museum at the centre of an inquiry by the regulator were broken.
Cheshire Police said a key had been snapped off in the lock at Congleton Museum and officers were looking into the incident.
The museum said the lock had been "sabotaged" but the team later gained access and a locksmith repaired the door.
It came after the Charity Commission confirmed it was investigating the museum over concerns about its governance, linked to a dispute between trustees.
As part of the row, calls were made for founding trustee Ian Doughty to resign over claims he changed the locks to the building and attempted to suspend his seven fellow trustees.
Speaking on behalf of the seven trustees, Anne Gubbins, one of the museum's co-chairs, said the situation was "getting out of hand".
A report, commissioned by the board of trustees, said the recent events "should be considered a serious incident" and were reported to the Charity Commission.
The regulator said: "We have opened a compliance case into Congleton Museum Trust to assess concerns raised about the charity's governance."
Arts Council England also confirmed it had added the museum to its risk register.
Mr Doughty has been repeatedly approached for comment, but previously said there had been a "misinformation campaign" waged against him.
He also described the independent report as "fake" and said the museum was not at risk.
"This project has enjoyed decades of success thanks to the work of our volunteers and we should all hope for this to continue," he said.
Mr Doughty said he made a report to Cheshire Police claiming unauthorised payments were made from the museum's bank account.
Ms Gubbins said these were made to someone who had done some work as part of a grant-funded project and to the author of the independent report.
"There was no earthly reason for why we shouldn't have made these payments," she said.
A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said: "Police are currently reviewing an allegation of fraud in relation to the museum. Enquiries are continuing."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-06T07:44:36Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mp84w2kjeo
|
{"title": "Police probe after door lock 'sabotaged' at museum"}
|
PM told budget was 'missed opportunity' for NI by Stormont leaders
The UK prime minister has been told by the leaders of the Stormont Executive that the chancellor's budget was "a missed opportunity" for Northern Ireland.
Sir Keir Starmer heard the criticism when he attended the latest meeting of the British Irish Council (BIC) in Cardiff.
First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly took the chance to deliver an attack on the government's plan even though it included an extra £370m for Northern Ireland.
Little-Pengelly said it was "a good opportunity" to speak directly with the prime minister so shortly after the budget.
"We emphasised that while there were some good aspects to the budget, we do feel that it was a missed opportunity," she added.
"We need to have economic growth in Northern Ireland. We need to have economic growth across the UK. These types of fiscal events are an opportunity to try to get that economic growth to support businesses.
"You don't get economic growth by taxing those who work more. You don't get economic growth by putting more and more cost on to businesses. So we do feel it was a missed opportunity."
Little-Pengelly added that the ministers raised several specific issues.
"We wanted to see, not least, that VAT reduction pilot for Northern Ireland, the issues with agricultural relief, the changes that had been proposed, and we want to see that reversed in this budget," she said.
"So there were a number of key things that didn't happen."
The deputy first minister also said she raised extending grace periods for some post-Brexit trade rules with the prime minister, including veterinary medicines and changes around new cars coming into Northern Ireland.
There has been concern from vets that some medicines may not be available in Northern Ireland after the EU's full implementation comes into force on 1 January 2026.
"While the discussions with the EU are ongoing with the UK government, there is a gap between what it will be the conclusion of those substantive UK-EU discussions," she said.
"I think it's critically important that we create that stability for businesses in Northern Ireland.
"So it was a call to the UK government to extend those grace periods and to not allow those derogations to end while those discussions are ongoing."
O'Neill said: "I said publicly before I came here, that I would put directly to the prime minister the anger that's out there among many families and households that are really struggling to meet the food bills, that are really struggling with the cost of living crisis, and I feel that this budget was a missed opportunity.
"And I said that directly to the prime minister today, I don't believe the policy choices being made in London reflect the needs of the people that we represent at home."
The two leaders said they were not looking for special treatment.
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin and the Irish government's Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee also joined the proceedings.
It is McEntee's first bilateral meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn since taking up her new role in the Dublin administration.
She replaced Tánaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) Simon Harris last month after the Fine Gael leader moved to the finance portfolio.
Senior UK government minister Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, is also expected to attend.
The summit comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves last week unveiled the government's Autumn Budget, which included an extra £370m for Northern Ireland.
Stormont's Finance Minister John O'Dowd has said the funding "falls far short of what is needed".
But the secretary of state said the Northern Ireland Executive "does have the means if it wants" to consider its own revenue-raising measures.
The first minister said she would challenge Sir Keir over his government's budget settlement for Northern Ireland.
In an interview with the PA news agency on Thursday ahead of the summit, she accused the government of "prioritising weapons of war while people are struggling to pay for food and energy".
The government was approached for comment.
The BIC also follows the UK and Irish governments agreeing a joint framework on addressing the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
It includes plans for a commission to investigate Troubles-related killings, an information recovery body, and a dedicated legacy unit within An Garda Síochána (Irish police).
The government's bill last month passed its second reading in the House of Commons.
But some unionist MPs have criticised the Irish government's involvement in the deal, while some have questioned the strength of a separate package of protections for veterans.
The BIC summit is set to be the second Sir Keir has attended as prime minister. He also joined the event when it was held last December in Scotland.
The Labour leader is only the third prime minister to attend a meeting of the British-Irish Council in 18
|
PM told budget was 'missed opportunity' for NI by Stormont leaders
The UK prime minister has been told by the leaders of the Stormont Executive that the chancellor's budget was "a missed opportunity" for Northern Ireland.
Sir Keir Starmer heard the criticism when he attended the latest meeting of the British Irish Council (BIC) in Cardiff.
First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly took the chance to deliver an attack on the government's plan even though it included an extra £370m for Northern Ireland.
Little-Pengelly said it was "a good opportunity" to speak directly with the prime minister so shortly after the budget.
"We emphasised that while there were some good aspects to the budget, we do feel that it was a missed opportunity," she added.
"We need to have economic growth in Northern Ireland. We need to have economic growth across the UK. These types of fiscal events are an opportunity to try to get that economic growth to support businesses.
"You don't get economic growth by taxing those who work more. You don't get economic growth by putting more and more cost on to businesses. So we do feel it was a missed opportunity."
Little-Pengelly added that the ministers raised several specific issues.
"We wanted to see, not least, that VAT reduction pilot for Northern Ireland, the issues with agricultural relief, the changes that had been proposed, and we want to see that reversed in this budget," she said.
"So there were a number of key things that didn't happen."
The deputy first minister also said she raised extending grace periods for some post-Brexit trade rules with the prime minister, including veterinary medicines and changes around new cars coming into Northern Ireland.
There has been concern from vets that some medicines may not be available in Northern Ireland after the EU's full implementation comes into force on 1 January 2026.
"While the discussions with the EU are ongoing with the UK government, there is a gap between what it will be the conclusion of those substantive UK-EU discussions," she said.
"I think it's critically important that we create that stability for businesses in Northern Ireland.
"So it was a call to the UK government to extend those grace periods and to not allow those derogations to end while those discussions are ongoing."
O'Neill said: "I said publicly before I came here, that I would put directly to the prime minister the anger that's out there among many families and households that are really struggling to meet the food bills, that are really struggling with the cost of living crisis, and I feel that this budget was a missed opportunity.
"And I said that directly to the prime minister today, I don't believe the policy choices being made in London reflect the needs of the people that we represent at home."
The two leaders said they were not looking for special treatment.
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin and the Irish government's Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee also joined the proceedings.
It is McEntee's first bilateral meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn since taking up her new role in the Dublin administration.
She replaced Tánaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) Simon Harris last month after the Fine Gael leader moved to the finance portfolio.
Senior UK government minister Darren Jones, chief secretary to the prime minister, is also expected to attend.
The summit comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves last week unveiled the government's Autumn Budget, which included an extra £370m for Northern Ireland.
Stormont's Finance Minister John O'Dowd has said the funding "falls far short of what is needed".
But the secretary of state said the Northern Ireland Executive "does have the means if it wants" to consider its own revenue-raising measures.
The first minister said she would challenge Sir Keir over his government's budget settlement for Northern Ireland.
In an interview with the PA news agency on Thursday ahead of the summit, she accused the government of "prioritising weapons of war while people are struggling to pay for food and energy".
The government was approached for comment.
The BIC also follows the UK and Irish governments agreeing a joint framework on addressing the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
It includes plans for a commission to investigate Troubles-related killings, an information recovery body, and a dedicated legacy unit within An Garda Síochána (Irish police).
The government's bill last month passed its second reading in the House of Commons.
But some unionist MPs have criticised the Irish government's involvement in the deal, while some have questioned the strength of a separate package of protections for veterans.
The BIC summit is set to be the second Sir Keir has attended as prime minister. He also joined the event when it was held last December in Scotland.
The Labour leader is only the third prime minister to attend a meeting of the British-Irish Council in 18 years.
It is the 44th summit of the BIC - one of the bodies established as a result of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Political leaders from BIC's eight member administrations are set to attend.
The eight administrations are the UK government, Irish government, Scottish government, Welsh government, Northern Ireland Executive, and the governments in the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey.
This will be the seventh BIC summit hosted by the Welsh government.
The latest summit's theme is: "A creative future: unlocking the potential of the creative industries across these islands."
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T15:47:51Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c77310e4x8vo
|
{"title": "PM told budget was 'missed opportunity' for NI by Stormont leaders"}
|
Cannabis vapes and a machete found in shop raids
Cannabis vapes, a machete and more than 203,000 counterfeit cigarettes were seized during a series of town centre raids.
They were found at shops in Market Street, Cambridge Street and Victoria Road in Wellingborough on 26 November.
Northamptonshire Police said the estimated unpaid excise duty of the cigarettes and 40kg (6st 2lb) of illegal tobacco was £120,000.
Sgt Glenn Thompson said: "We hope this operation demonstrates that we won't tolerate any kind of criminal activity in our towns."
The warrants were led by police, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Trading Standards and North Northamptonshire Council.
Police said they also recovered:
Several businesses were also served notices by the council in relation to their waste disposal processes.
Sgt Thompson, a neighbourhood officer in Wellingborough, said the raids were partly informed by concerns raised by residents.
"Action like this wouldn't be possible without the continued support of the public," he said.
"We encourage people to report any information or concerns to us," he added.
|
Cannabis vapes and a machete found in shop raids
Cannabis vapes, a machete and more than 203,000 counterfeit cigarettes were seized during a series of town centre raids.
They were found at shops in Market Street, Cambridge Street and Victoria Road in Wellingborough on 26 November.
Northamptonshire Police said the estimated unpaid excise duty of the cigarettes and 40kg (6st 2lb) of illegal tobacco was £120,000.
Sgt Glenn Thompson said: "We hope this operation demonstrates that we won't tolerate any kind of criminal activity in our towns."
The warrants were led by police, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Trading Standards and North Northamptonshire Council.
Police said they also recovered:
Several businesses were also served notices by the council in relation to their waste disposal processes.
Sgt Thompson, a neighbourhood officer in Wellingborough, said the raids were partly informed by concerns raised by residents.
"Action like this wouldn't be possible without the continued support of the public," he said.
"We encourage people to report any information or concerns to us," he added.
|
bbc_news
|
2025-12-05T10:14:13Z
|
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7731g7kr2vo
|
{"title": "Cannabis vapes and a machete found in shop raids"}
|
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