Man charged over fires at homes linked to PM

A 21-year-old man has been charged after fires at two properties and a car linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, the Metropolitan Police has said.

Roman Lavrynovych, a Ukrainian national, was charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life on Thursday.

He was arrested at an address in Sydenham, south-east London, in the early hours of Tuesday. He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday.

The charges relate to three incidents - a vehicle fire in Kentish Town, north London, a fire at the prime minister's private home on the same street and a fire at an address that he previously lived at in north-west London.

Trump and Putin needed for breakthrough in Ukraine peace talks, Rubio says

5 hours ago Share Save Jessica Rawnsley BBC News Share Save

Reuters

Top US diplomat Marco Rubio says he does not have high expectations for Ukraine-Russia peace talks due to be held in Turkey - and that Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin need to meet for progress to be made. "I don't think we're going to have a breakthrough here until President Trump and President Putin interact directly on this topic," he said after a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in southern Turkey. Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Ukraine would send a delegation for the talks in Istanbul, but accused Russia of not treating them seriously. Speaking to reporters in Ankara, he criticised the "low-level" Moscow delegation. Its head, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, insisted the Kremlin team had "all the necessary competencies".

Earlier in the day, Trump - who is visiting the Middle East - also suggested that significant progress in peace talks was unlikely until he and Putin met in person. Asked by the BBC on board Air Force One if he was disappointed by the level of the Russian delegation, he said: "Look, nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together". "He wasn't going if I wasn't there and I don't believe anything's going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together," he added. "But we're going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying." Trump said he would attend talks in Turkey on Friday if it was "appropriate" but later said he would probably return to Washington. Delegations from Turkey, the US, Ukraine and Russia had been due to meet in Istanbul on Thursday for the first face-to-face Ukraine-Russia talks since 2022. As of Thursday evening, no time for them to take place had been set. Some reports suggest they may now happen on Friday.

Watch: Nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together, Trump says

Vladimir Putin proposed direct talks on 15 May in Istanbul in response to a call by European leaders and Ukraine for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Zelensky then challenged Putin to meet him in person, but on Thursday the Kremlin said that the Russian president was not among officials due to travel. Following a bilateral meeting with Erdogan in Ankara, Zelensky accused Moscow of "disrespect" towards Trump and Erdogan because of the Russian delegation's lack of seniority and reiterated his challenge to the Russian leader to meet him personally. "No time of the meeting, no agenda, no high-level of delegation - this is personal disrespect to Erdogan, to Trump," he said. Meanwhile, Medinsky told reporters in Istanbul that Russia saw the talks as a "continuation" of failed negotiations in 2022 that took place shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbour. "The task of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is to sooner or later reach the establishment of long-term peace by eliminating the basic root causes of the conflict," Medinsky said.

EPA The head of Moscow's delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, insisted the Kremlin team had "all the necessary competencies"

A British doctor has shared footage with the BBC from inside the European Gaza Hospital near the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, moments after a deadly Israeli air strike.

Dr Tom Potokar, a consultant plastic surgeon who has been to Gaza 16 times to treat patients, was at the hospital when warplanes dropped six bombs, killing 28 people and injuring dozens.

Israel says it was a precise strike on Hamas. The hospital has since been evacuated

Dr Potokar shared this footage of what he saw.

He told the BBC it was a "snapshot" of what he had seen while working at the hospital.

"We've been treating patients with huge open wounds, some even with maggots in, infected, multiple amputations, children down to the age of two with significant nerve injuries, traumatic brain injuries," he said.

Israeli bombardment on Thursday killed at least 114 Palestinians in Gaza, rescuers and hospitals said.

Israel qualifies for Eurovision final amid protests

14 minutes ago Share Save Mark Savage Music Correspondent Share Save

Getty Images Yuval Raphael told the BBC she had practiced singing to the sound of people booing to prepare for Eurovision

Israel has qualified for Eurovision's grand final on Saturday, hours after protesters tried to disrupt the country's dress rehearsal. Yuval Raphael, 24, was performing New Day Will Rise during a preview show on Thursday afternoon when six people with whistles and "oversized" Palestinian flags obstructed her act. Under the arena rules, all flags are allowed but there are limits on size. Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR, which is organising the event, said the audience members were quickly ejected from the St Jakobshalle arena. Israel's participation in Eurovision has been a source of controversy, as its military intensifies its bombardment of Gaza, and enforces blockades of all food and other humanitarian supplies.

Getty Images Protesters unfurled a large Palestinian flag during dress rehearsals on Thursday

In recent weeks, broadcasters in Spain, Ireland and Slovenia have called for a debate on Israel's involvement, and there have been small protests in the streets of Basel, Switzerland where this year's contest is taking place. The incident during Thursday's dress rehearsal did not disrupt Raphael's performance, and her appearance in the televised semi-final passed without further demonstrations. Speaking to the BBC earlier this week, Raphael said her team had played audience noises over her rehearsals, "so I can practice when there is distractions in the background." The singer clasped her hands together, then blew a kiss towards the sky when it was announced she would progress to the final. Despite the ongoing tension, her song is currently among the favourites to win, according to bookmakers.

Who qualified from the second semi-final?

Getty Images

The 10 acts who succeeded in Thursday's public vote were: Armenia: PARG – SURVIVOR

Austria: JJ – Wasted Love

Denmark: Sissal – Hallucination

Finland: Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME

Greece: Klavdia – Asteromáta

Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise

Latvia: Tautumeitas – Bur Man Laimi

Lithuania: Katarsis – Tavo Akys

Luxembourg: Laura Thorn – La Poupée Monte Le Son (pictured)

(pictured) Malta: Miriana Conte – SERVING Which means the six countries eliminated were Australia, Czechia, Georgia, Ireland, Montenegro and Serbia. Australia's elimination was the biggest shock. Their innuendo-laden pop anthem Milkshake Man had received a warm reception ahead of the contest but, on the night, viewers proved to be lactose intolerant. Ireland also crashed out, a year after Bambie Thug earned the country a sixth-place finish. The country has now failed to qualify on eight of their last 10 attempts. The continuation of that losing streak will cause much soul-searching in the nation that's tied with Sweden for the most Eurovision victories of all time: Seven in total.

The second semi-final also gave viewers their first chance to see the UK's act, Remember Monday. The girl band delivered a whimsical staging of their song, What The Hell Just Happened? - dancing around a fallen chandelier in Bridgerton-inspired outfits, as they sang about a messy night on the tiles. With effortless three-part harmonies, they put to rest the dodgy vocal performances that plagued Olly Alexander and Mae Muller in 2024 and 2023. And they were spared the public vote, for now. The UK automatically qualifies for the final as one of the "Big Five" countries who make outsized financial contributions to Eurovision.

Corinne Cumming / EBU Remember Monday's routine traded on their experience in West End musicals

Swedish entry KAJ are currently favourites to win the 2025 contest, with their sweaty sauna anthem Bara Bada Bastu. Austrian counter-tenor JJ, whose operatic pop song Wasted Love is the second favourite, was one of the 10 acts voted through after Thursday's show. In an eye-catching performance, the 24-year-old was tossed around the stage in a rickety sailing boat, reflecting the turbulent emotional waters of his lyrics. Elsewhere, the contest had all the traditional Eurovision trappings: Spandex, sequins, gale-force wind machines, and no fewer than 10 on-stage costume changes.

Getty Images French singer Louane showered the stage in sand, in a performance the ruminated on the passage of time and how grief mutates

Among the more novel elements were a "sand tornado" during France's performance, and Maltese contestant Miriana Conte bouncing on a bright red medicine ball for her self-empowerment anthem, Serving. Latvian folk band Tautumeitas took a more ethereal approach with their close-harmony incantation Bur Man Laimi, which literally translates as "a chant for happiness". Dressed in gold bodysuits with branch and vine detailing, they transported the audience to an enchanted forest for a song that emphasised the connection between humanity and nature. The band were considered an outlier for the final, but leapfrogged over higher profile songs from Ireland and Czechia - precisely because they stood out. Also making a mark was Finnish singer Erika Vikman, who ended the show with a bang. Her track Ich Komme is a sex-positive club anthem that saw with the singer rising above the audience astride a giant, fire-spouting golden microphone. Like her, it soared into Saturday's grand final - where the song's predicted to land in the top 10.

Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU Erika Vikman's death-defying performance was a highlight of the show

Chris Brown charged over alleged London nightclub assault

Singer Chris Brown performs at FNB stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa in December 2024.

US singer Chris Brown has been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, says the Metropolitan Police.

The force says the charge relates to an alleged assault, which reportedly took place at a nightclub in London on 19 February 2023.

The 36-year-old was arrested at a hotel in Manchester in the early hours of Thursday.

He remains in custody and is due to appear before Manchester Magistrates' Court on Friday.

PM's Albania trip shows tricky path on migration

3 hours ago Share Save Chris Mason • @ChrisMasonBBC Political editor Share Save

Getty Images

A few days on from seeking to sound muscular about his desire to squeeze legal migration, the prime minister is in Albania focusing on illegal arrivals. The Balkan country has provided a rare British success story in the incredibly difficult politics and diplomacy of attempting to cut illegal migration. In 2022, around 12,500 Albanians crossed the English Channel by small boat, but the number has since shrunk massively. The last government, and latterly this one, set up campaigns to put people off attempting the journey and far more migrants have been returned.

Sir Keir Starmer wanted to lean into this inherited success from the Conservatives, and sought to make a virtue of being the first British prime minister to make an official visit to the country. But he also wanted to talk up negotiations with a handful of unnamed European countries that might temporarily take failed asylum seekers who have exhausted all avenues to remain in the UK. Downing Street told reporters the move could stop failed asylum seekers stalling deportation "using various tactics, whether it's losing their paperwork or using other tactics to frustrate their removal". The PM's spokesman added it would ensure they also cannot make their removal harder "by using tactics such as starting a family".

Rwanda comparison

It is an interesting idea, which draws initial parallels with the last government's plan to send some migrants to Rwanda, but is different. The Conservatives wanted to send people to the African country immediately after their arrival in the UK, to lodge an asylum claim there or another "safe" country. They argued, given the numbers arriving on small boats, a radical policy shift was needed to put people off. Labour argued it was a vastly expensive waste of money, and scrapped the idea. Now they are talking up their own, narrower plan. But the curiosity is they chose to do just that while on a visit to a country that is not interested in hosting what are being called "return hubs".

Awkward timing

And we were to find that out rather bluntly, when no sooner than Sir Keir Starmer had made the case for the idea, the man stood next to him, his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama, said they wouldn't be doing any more deals than the one they already have with Italy, their neighbour over the Adriatic Sea. Downing Street insisted its own deal with Albania was "never planned as part of the discussions." In short, though, they had failed to ensure the most eye-catching idea they were talking about matched the pictures, the backdrop, the stage they were on. Cue the Conservatives, whose own record on small boat crossings was poor, but who can point to that specific success with Albania, seizing on Sir Keir's awkward juxtaposition and branding it an "embarrassment". It is another episode that serves as a reminder of just how hard it is finding workable, practical, deliverable solutions to a massive and complex issue, which plenty in government acknowledge they simply have to get a grip of. Somehow.

US 'troubled' by humanitarian situation in Gaza, Rubio tells BBC

4 hours ago Share Save Tom Bateman in Antalya, David Gritten and Rushdi Abualouf in Cairo BBC News Share Save

Reuters Air strikes reportedly hit homes and tents sheltering displaced families

The top US diplomat Marco Rubio has said the US is "troubled" by the humanitarian situation in Gaza. His comments came as at least 114 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Thursday, health officials said. Asked by the BBC if the Trump administration remained fully behind the nature of Israel's military action given the scale of the recent Israeli attacks and its bombing of hospitals, he once again called on Hamas to surrender and release hostages and said there could be no peace so long as the group exists. "That said, we're not immune or in any way insensitive to the suffering of the people of Gaza, and I know that there's opportunities here to provide aid for them," he said.

Gaza has been under a complete Israeli blockade of all food and other humanitarian supplies for 10 weeks. Israeli forces have been intensifying their bombardment of what they say are Hamas fighters and infrastructure ahead of a planned expansion of their ground offensive in Gaza. Rubio's comments - made after a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Turkey - appeared to be a reference to a controversial Israeli-American proposal to use private providers to set up aid collection points in Gaza. That plan has been rejected by the UN as unethical and unworkable They come as Donald Trump is visiting the region and indirect negotiations on a new ceasefire and hostage release deal between Hamas and Israel continue. Hamas meanwhile accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "undermin[ing] mediation efforts by deliberate military escalation". An Israeli government spokesman said Israel wanted negotiations on hostage releases to succeed, but that they would take place while Hamas was under "military pressure".

In southern Gaza on Thursday the streets of Khan Younis were filled with funeral processions and grieving families on Thursday morning, following what residents said were the deadliest set of air strikes in the city since Israel resumed its offensive almost two months ago. Some 56 people, including women and children, were killed when homes and tents sheltering displaced families were bombed overnight in the city, the local Nasser hospital said. The Israeli military said it struck Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in southern Gaza. One man told BBC Arabic's Middle East Daily programme that Nasser hospital's mortuary was "filled beyond capacity", and that several bodies had to be placed in the corridor before they could be buried. Doctors were forced to treat wounded people, including those with burns, amputations and internal bleeding, on stretchers, benches and on the floor due to a lack of beds, he said. "Among those killed today were 36 children... Entire families have been wiped from the civil registry," he added. "Tragically, this level of destruction has become part of daily life." One video shared by a local activist showed medics laying dozens of bodies on the ground at a local cemetery. An imam stood nearby leading prayers for hundreds of mourners gathered behind him in orderly rows. Safaa al-Bayouk, a 42-year-old mother of six, said her sons Muath, who was six weeks old, and Moataz, who was one year and four months, were killed in one of the strikes. "I gave them dinner and they went to sleep. It was a normal day... [then] the world turned upside down," she told Reuters news agency. Reem al-Zanaty, 13, said her uncle's family, including her 12-year-old cousin Menna, were killed when their two homes were bombed. "We didn't feel or hear anything until we woke up with rubble on us," she said. "The Civil Defence did not come. I will tell you honestly we pulled ourselves [out]. My father helped us." Medics said local journalist Hassan Samour, who worked for Hamas-run al-Aqsa Radio, was killed along with 11 members of his family when their home in the eastern Bani Suheila neighbourhood was struck.

Reuters Reem al-Zanaty said she woke up covered in rubble after an overnight strike on her home and had to be rescued by her father

In northern Gaza, the Civil Defence agency said its first responders had recovered the bodies of four people following Israeli strikes in the northern town of Beit Lahia and two others in the central town of Deir al-Balah. Later, spokesman Mahmoud Basal reported that an Israeli strike on a home in Jabalia town had killed all five members of the Shihab family. Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that 15 people were killed, including 11 children, when the al-Tawbah health clinic and prayer hall in the al-Fakhouri area of Jabalia refugee camp was bombed. A graphic video posted online purportedly from the scene showed two bodies covered in debris on a street next to a badly damaged building. "An indescribable crime, in all meanings of the word. They were safe in a medical clinic, civilians, children, women, men, something a person can't fathom, for them to release a military missile on a medical clinic, on people and passers-by," resident Yehya Abu Jalhoum told Reuters. Amir Selha, a 43-year-old resident of northern Gaza, told AFP news agency: "Tank shells are striking around the clock, and the area is packed with people and tents." He also said Israeli military drones had dropped leaflets over his neighbourhood warning residents to move south. The military said it had struck 130 "terror targets" throughout Gaza over the past two days, including cells of fighters, rocket launchers and infrastructure sites. On Wednesday, Israeli strikes killed at least 80 people across the territory, including 59 in Jabalia town and refugee camp, according to hospitals and the Civil Defence. The military said it struck Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in the north on Tuesday night. It had warned residents of Jabalia and neighbouring areas to evacuate on Tuesday after rockets were launched into Israel. Israeli evacuation orders issued on Wednesday afternoon also caused panic among residents of a crowded area of Gaza City, in the north. The Israeli military said a hospital, a university and several schools sheltering displaced people in the Rimal neighbourhood had become "terrorist strongholds" and that it would soon attack them with "intense force".

AFP Israeli aircraft carried out strikes on the northern Jabalia area on Thursday afternoon

Teen faces long jail wait before Georgia trial

7 hours ago Share Save Tom Burgess BBC News, North East and Cumbria Rayhan Demytrie Caucasus correspondent Reporting from Tbilisi, Georgia Share Save

Watch: Bella Culley appears in court in Tbilisi, Georgia

A British teenager could spend up to nine months in a Georgian prison while she is investigated on suspicion of drug offences. Bella Culley, 18, from Billingham on Teesside, was arrested in Tbilisi, Georgia, and charged with importing large quantities of narcotics. The prosecutor asked for 55 days to find evidence before the case is brought to trial and the BBC understands this could be extended by a further seven months. At the end of a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday Miss Culley told the court she was pregnant. Her lawyer, Ia Todua, said police wanted to establish where 12kg (26lbs) of marijuana and 2kg (4.4lbs) of hashish had come from and whether she was "planning to hand it over to someone".

Ms Todua, who has been appointed by the state to represent the teenager, said the prosecution estimated they would need two months to gather information. "They said that they had to conduct a lot of investigative activities, so that they can collect evidence, establish where it was from [the narcotics] and was she planning to hand it over to someone," she said. "That's what they said they want to establish, and they also confiscated her phone." The lawyer added that, at the end of the hearing, Miss Culley "told the court that she was pregnant".

Rayhan Demytrie Bella Culley has been sent to prison number 5 in Rustavi

The BBC understands other lawyers had been in touch to represent Miss Culley and the British consular service has planned a meeting. The Foreign Office has confirmed that it is "supporting the family of a British woman who is detained in Georgia". Georgian Police said officers had seized marijuana and the narcotic drug hashish in a travel bag at Tbilisi International Airport.

Bella Culley Bella Culley's family is being supported by the Foreign Office

Miss Culley was charged by Georgian police with illegally buying, possessing and importing large quantities of narcotics. A spokesperson said the arrest was the result of a joint operation between multiple departments and, if found guilty, Miss Culley could face up to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment. Cleveland Police has confirmed an 18-year-old woman from Billingham has been arrested in Georgia "on suspicion of drugs offences" and remains in custody.

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Decades-long mystery of ginger cats revealed

8 hours ago Share Save Esme Stallard Climate and science correspondent Share Save

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Garfield, Puss in Boots, Aristocats' Toulouse – cultural icons maybe, ginger most certainly. And now scientists across two continents have uncovered the DNA mystery that has given our furry friends, particularly males, their notable colour. They discovered that ginger cats are missing a section of their genetic code, which means the cells responsible for their skin, eye and fur tone produce lighter colours. The breakthrough has brought delight to the scientists but also the thousands of cat lovers that originally crowdfunded the research.

The scientists hope solving the puzzle could also help shed light on whether orange coloured cats are at increased risk of certain health conditions. It has been known for decades that it is genetics that gives orange tabby cats their distinctive colouring, but exactly where in the genetic code has evaded scientists till now. Two teams of scientists at Kyushu University in Japan and Stanford University in the US have now revealed the mystery in simultaneous papers published on Thursday. What the teams found was that in the cells responsible for giving a cat its skin, hair follicles and eyes their colour - melanocytes - one gene, ARHGAP36, was much more active. Genes are made up of pieces of DNA which give instructions to a cat's cells, like other living creatures, on how to function. By comparing the DNA from dozens of cats with and without orange fur they found that those with ginger colouring had a section of DNA code missing within this ARHGAP36 gene. Without this DNA the activity of the ARHGAP36 is not suppressed i.e. it is more active. The scientists believe that the gene instructs those melanocytes to produce lighter pigment.

Ginger cats mostly male

For decades scientists have observed that cats with completely ginger colouring are far more likely to be male. This tallies with the fact that the gene is carried on the X chromosome. Chromosomes are larger sections of DNA, and male cats like other mammals have an X and a Y chromosome, which carry different number of genes. As it is a gene only on the X chromosome, in this case controlling the pigment production, then one missing piece of DNA is enough to turn a cat fully ginger. In comparison female cats have two X chromosomes so the DNA needs to be missing in both chromosomes to increase lighter pigment production to the same extent - it means a mixed colouring is more likely. "These ginger and black patches form because, early in development, one X chromosome in each cell is randomly switched off," explains Prof Hiroyuki Sasaki, geneticist at Kyushu University. "As cells divide, this creates areas with different active coat colour genes, resulting in distinct patches."

Getty Images Calico and tortoiseshell cats with mixed colourings are more likely to be female

Although couched in science, the study originally started off as a passion project for Professor Sasaki. He had retired from his university post, but as a cat lover said he wanted to continue working to uncover the orange cat gene in the hope it could "contribute to the overcoming of cat diseases". He and his team raised 10.6m yen (£55,109) via crowdfunding for the research from thousands of fellow cat lovers across Japan and the world. One contributor wrote: "We are siblings in the first and third grades of elementary school. We donated with our pocket money. Use it for research on calico cats."

Hiroyuki Sasaki/Kyushu University Professor Sasaki compared the genes of calico cats to those without, using local cats and an international genome database

The ARHGAP36 gene is also active in many other areas of the body including the brain and hormonal glands, and is considered important for development. The researchers think it is possible that the DNA mutation in the gene could cause other changes in these parts of the body linked to health conditions or temperament. The ARHGAP36 gene is found in humans and has been linked to skin cancer and hair loss. "Many cat owners swear by the idea that different coat colours and patterns are linked with different personalities," said Prof Sasaki. "There's no scientific evidence for this yet, but it's an intriguing idea and one I'd love to explore further."

Woman appeals against Southport tweet jail term

6 hours ago Share Save Martin Heath BBC News, Northamptonshire Share Save

PA Media Supporters held up a banner outside the Appeal Court

The wife of a Conservative councillor who was jailed after an online rant on the day of last year's Southport attacks "never" intended to incite violence, the Court of Appeal has heard. Lucy Connolly, from Northampton, used a social media post on 29 July to call for "mass deportation now" and urged followers to "set fire" to hotels housing asylum seekers. She is appealing against the sentence of two years and seven months she was given after she admitted inciting racial hatred. Supporters staged a demonstration outside the Appeal Court in London.

The post came after three girls were stabbed and killed at a holiday club in Southport on the same date, sparking nationwide unrest. Giving evidence from HMP Drake Hall in Eccleshall in Staffordshire, Connolly told the Appeal Court when she initially wrote the post on X that she was "really angry, really upset" and "distressed that those children had died" and that she knew how the parents felt. The court heard that Connolly's son died tragically about 14 years ago, and that news of the murders in Southport had caused a resurgence of the anxiety caused by her son's death. Adam King, representing Connolly, asked if she had intended for anyone to set fire to asylum hotels, or "murder any politicians". She replied: "Absolutely not."

X Lucy Connolly is appealing against her prison sentence

When asked why she had deleted the post three and a half hours after publishing it, Connolly added: "I calmed myself down, and I know that wasn't an acceptable thing to say. "It wasn't the right thing to say; it wasn't what I wanted to happen." Connolly told the court that during discussions with her barrister at the crown court, she did not understand that by pleading guilty she was accepting that she intended to incite violence. She said: "When I wrote that tweet there had been no violence and it was never my intention to cause any."

PA Media Former Conservative councillor Ray Connolly was at hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London and said he was "disappointed" there was no ruling

Following Thursday's hearing, the Appeal Court judges said they would issue a written judgment "as soon as possible" Connolly's husband, Ray, had been a Conservative member of West Northamptonshire Council but lost his seat on 1 May. He remains on Northampton Town Council. Speaking outside the Royal Courts of Justice after the hearing, Mr Connolly said: "Obviously I'm disappointed today. It didn't come to a conclusion and get a result. "It's 279 days now my daughter's been without her mother. I'm hoping that within a week she'll be home and this will come to a positive conclusion."

Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Israeli strikes across Gaza kill 114 people, hospitals and rescuers say

3 hours ago Share Save David Gritten, Rushdi Abualouf in Cairo and Tom Bateman in Antalya BBC News Share Save

Reuters Air strikes reportedly hit homes and tents sheltering displaced families

At least 114 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, health officials and rescuers said. Israeli forces have been intensifying their bombardment of what they say are Hamas fighters and infrastructure ahead of a planned expansion of their ground offensive in Gaza. It comes as US President Donald Trump visits the region and indirect negotiations on a new ceasefire and hostage release deal between Hamas and Israel continue. Later, the top US diplomat Marco Rubio said the US was "troubled" by the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Asked by the BBC if the Trump administration remained fully behind the nature of Israel's military action given the scale of the recent Israeli attacks and its bombing of hospitals, he said: "We're not immune or in any way insensitive to the suffering of the people of Gaza, and I know that there's opportunities here to provide aid for them." Gaza has been under a complete Israeli blockade of all food and other humanitarian supplies for 10 weeks. Rubio once again called on Hamas to surrender and release the hostages it continues to hold and said there could be no peace so long as the group exists. Hamas meanwhile accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "undermin[ing] mediation efforts by deliberate military escalation". An Israeli government spokesman said Israel wanted negotiations on hostage releases to succeed, but that they would take place while Hamas was under "military pressure".

In southern Gaza the streets of Khan Younis were filled with funeral processions and grieving families on Thursday morning, following what residents said were the deadliest set of air strikes in the city since Israel resumed its offensive almost two months ago. Some 56 people, including women and children, were killed when homes and tents sheltering displaced families were bombed overnight in the city, the local Nasser hospital said. The Israeli military said it struck Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in southern Gaza. One man told BBC Arabic's Middle East Daily programme that Nasser hospital's mortuary was "filled beyond capacity", and that several bodies had to be placed in the corridor before they could be buried. Doctors were forced to treat wounded people, including those with burns, amputations and internal bleeding, on stretchers, benches and on the floor due to a lack of beds, he said. "Among those killed today were 36 children... Entire families have been wiped from the civil registry," he added. "Tragically, this level of destruction has become part of daily life." One video shared by a local activist showed medics laying dozens of bodies on the ground at a local cemetery. An imam stood nearby leading prayers for hundreds of mourners gathered behind him in orderly rows. Safaa al-Bayouk, a 42-year-old mother of six, said her sons Muath, who was six weeks old, and Moataz, who was one year and four months, were killed in one of the strikes. "I gave them dinner and they went to sleep. It was a normal day... [then] the world turned upside down," she told Reuters news agency. Reem al-Zanaty, 13, said her uncle's family, including her 12-year-old cousin Menna, were killed when their two homes were bombed. "We didn't feel or hear anything until we woke up with rubble on us," she said. "The Civil Defence did not come. I will tell you honestly we pulled ourselves [out]. My father helped us." Medics said local journalist Hassan Samour, who worked for Hamas-run al-Aqsa Radio, was killed along with 11 members of his family when their home in the eastern Bani Suheila neighbourhood was struck.

Reuters Reem al-Zanaty said she woke up covered in rubble after an overnight strike on her home and had to be rescued by her father

In northern Gaza, the Civil Defence agency said its first responders had recovered the bodies of four people following Israeli strikes in the northern town of Beit Lahia and two others in the central town of Deir al-Balah. Later, spokesman Mahmoud Basal reported that an Israeli strike on a home in Jabalia town had killed all five members of the Shihab family. Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that 15 people were killed, including 11 children, when the al-Tawbah health clinic and prayer hall in the al-Fakhouri area of Jabalia refugee camp was bombed. A graphic video posted online purportedly from the scene showed two bodies covered in debris on a street next to a badly damaged building. "An indescribable crime, in all meanings of the word. They were safe in a medical clinic, civilians, children, women, men, something a person can't fathom, for them to release a military missile on a medical clinic, on people and passers-by," resident Yehya Abu Jalhoum told Reuters. Amir Selha, a 43-year-old resident of northern Gaza, told AFP news agency: "Tank shells are striking around the clock, and the area is packed with people and tents." He also said Israeli military drones had dropped leaflets over his neighbourhood warning residents to move south. The military said it had struck 130 "terror targets" throughout Gaza over the past two days, including cells of fighters, rocket launchers and infrastructure sites. On Wednesday, Israeli strikes killed at least 80 people across the territory, including 59 in Jabalia town and refugee camp, according to hospitals and the Civil Defence. The military said it struck Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in the north on Tuesday night. It had warned residents of Jabalia and neighbouring areas to evacuate on Tuesday after rockets were launched into Israel. Israeli evacuation orders issued on Wednesday afternoon also caused panic among residents of a crowded area of Gaza City, in the north. The Israeli military said a hospital, a university and several schools sheltering displaced people in the Rimal neighbourhood had become "terrorist strongholds" and that it would soon attack them with "intense force".

AFP Israeli aircraft carried out strikes on the northern Jabalia area on Thursday afternoon

A manuscript - once considered an unofficial copy of Magna Carta - is now believed to be a genuine version and ''one of the world's most valuable documents'', according to UK academics.

Harvard Law School paid $27.50 (then about £7) for it in 1946 and for years it has remained tucked away in its library, its true identity unknown.

But two medieval history professors have concluded it is an extraordinarily rare and lost original Magna Carta from 1300 - and could be worth millions.

BBC Newsbeat's Eleanor Doyle explains.

Video by Tom Joyner, Anna Lamche, Ian Casey and Tom Richardson.

Weekly quiz: Which EastEnders star will be in Celebrity Traitors?

This week saw US President Donald Trump take a tour of the Middle East, Kim Kardashian give evidence in a Paris courtroom, and the world's most glamorous film festival kick off in Cannes.

But how much attention did you pay to what else happened in the world?

Quiz collated by Ben Fell.

'I didn't come here for fun' - Afrikaner defends refugee status in US

9 minutes ago Share Save Nomia Iqbal and Cai Pigliucci BBC News, Buffalo, New York Share Save

The BBC's Nomia Iqbal asks an Afrikaner about his refugee status in the US and about being called a "coward"

Last week, 46-year-old Charl Kleinhaus was living on his family farm in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. With its scenic beauty, wildlife and deep canyons, it's known as "the place where the sun rises". His new home - for now - is a budget hotel near an American highway. He and dozens of other white South Africans were moved to the US under President Donald Trump's controversial policy to protect them from the discrimination he alleges they are facing - an accusation that South Africa rejects. Mr Kleinhaus defends the US president, telling the BBC he left his homeland after receiving death threats in WhatsApp messages. "I had to leave a five-bedroom house, which I will lose now," Mr Kleinhaus tells the BBC, adding that he also left behind his car, his dogs and even his mother. "I didn't come here for fun," he adds. The contrast in homes couldn't be more stark. But for Mr Kleinhaus, his situation in Buffalo, New York, is already a better one. "My children are safe," says Mr Kleinhaus, whose wife died in a road accident in 2006. The status of white South African farmers has long been a rallying cry on the right and far-right of American politics. Trump and his close ally, South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk, have even argued that there has been a "genocide" of white farmers in South Africa - a claim that has been widely discredited. In February, Trump signed an executive order granting refugee status to Afrikaners, such as Mr Kleinhaus, who he said were being persecuted. Mr Kleinhaus is one of a group of 59 who arrived on Tuesday at Dulles airport, near Washington DC, after Trump's administration fast-tracked their applications. He admits he was surprised at how quickly he got to the US, and that he is grateful to Trump. "I felt finally somebody in this world is seeing what's going on," he says. As he and his family arrived with others at the airport they were greeted with red, white and blue balloons. He describes the pomp and ceremony as "overwhelming".

Charl Kleinhaus told the BBC he moved to the US after receiving death threats

Afrikaners are a white ethnic minority who ran South Africa during the apartheid era, implementing racist policies of segregation in the country until the regime was officially abolished in 1994. But more than 30 years on, black farmers own only a small fraction of the country's best farmland, with the majority still in white hands. That has led to anger over the slow pace of change. Mr Kleinhaus acknowledges that black South Africans have suffered as well as him. In January, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a controversial law allowing the government to seize privately owned land without compensation - in certain circumstances, when it is deemed "equitable and in the public interest". The South African government says no land has yet been seized. But Mr Kleinhaus says once there is a government claim on your land - as he says is the case with his - it becomes impossible to function. "Your land becomes worthless - the land expropriation has gone too far," he says. "People are scared of that. Other Afrikaners who criticise us live in a bubble." Some fellow Afrikaners have described Mr Kleinhaus and the group as opportunists, and that being a victim of crime is not equivalent to the type of persecution that deserves refugee status. Mr Kleinhaus acknowledges that the murder rate of farmers is low in South Africa, but says he does not want to be a victim. "There are people in my area who were shot and killed," he says. He says he received threats from members of the local community: "I'd regularly get messages on WhatsApp saying, 'we'll get rid of you, you're on my land'." Mr Kleinhaus says he received one message before he left for the US which read: "We are coming for you, you better be awake." He also says his farming machinery was damaged, and that local police failed to act on his reports.

Ramaphosa has called the group who travelled to the US "cowards", saying they do not want to address the inequities of the apartheid era. "As South Africans, we are resilient," he said earlier this week. "We don't run away from our problems. We must stay here and solve our problems." What makes the resettlement of the Afrikaners to the US particularly controversial is that other refugees have been banned, including Afghans who earlier this week had their Temporary Protected Status removed. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that move was justified because the security and economic situation in Afghanistan had improved - despite criticism from opposition lawmakers and rights groups. Mr Kleinhaus says he is sympathetic: "I mean, I feel sorry for the Afghans that they can't get here. But I know there's a process there. And I know when and if you are approved for the process, they take care of you." Does he worry he's being used as a political pawn by Trump? And that another president could potentially reverse this decision in four years' time? Mr Kleinhaus pauses, and says: "Yeah, it is scary, but I am a religious person. Just to be in this first group is an act of God, I believe, because there was a 0.0 something percent chance that you were selected for the first call."

Questions over refugees' vetting

Mr Kleinhaus has come under scrutiny for antisemitic posts on social media, which have since been deleted. Discussing one of these, he says he copied and pasted someone else's thoughts, and that he was being administered morphine as part of medical treatment at the time - though he admits this was not an excuse. The 2023 post was made in a moment of anger, he adds, after he saw a video - not verified by the BBC - which purported to show Jews spitting at Christians in Israel. Mr Kleinhaus insists the comments were specific to one moment, and not a wider comment about Jewish people. "Even now, if I see any person going against my religion, I will speak up against it," he said. The US government is facing questions about the vetting process for those being resettled. The UN's refugee agency told the BBC it was not involved in the screening process for the Afrikaners as it normally would be for refugees heading to the US. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has previously stated it is screening immigrants' social media activity for antisemitism, and using it as a reason for denying applicants. The Trump administration has been citing allegations of antisemitism as its officials have in recent months arrested and tried to deport pro-Palestinian activists. In a statement to the BBC, a senior DHS official said: "The Department of Homeland Security vets all refugee applicants. Any claims of misconduct are thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken as necessary. DHS does not comment on individual application status." Since returning to office, Trump has launched a crackdown to reduce immigration more broadly. So, is Mr Kleinhaus concerned about any backlash to his group being offered entry to the US? "People must not think we are just taking advantage of this," he says. "We come here to make a contribution to the country. "I'm now worried it'll fall apart because I believe this is God's plan for me. "My life is in his hands. And if if he didn't want me to come, I wouldn't be here."

When is the Eurovision 2025 final and who is in it?

5 hours ago Share Save Ewan Somerville BBC News Share Save

EPA-EFE/Shutterstock UK entry Remember Monday perform during a Eurovision dress rehearsal

The Eurovision Song Contest is back - this time in Basel, Switzerland. The UK's entry this year is Remember Monday - a country-pop trio who will perform their song What The Hell Just Happened.

What is the Eurovision Song Contest?

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual televised competition organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The theme for the 2025 edition is "Welcome Home", as the first contest was held in Switzerland in 1956. Songs must be original and no more than three minutes long. They cannot have been released or publicly performed before 1 September 2024. Lead vocals must be live, with no lip-syncing or auto-tuning allowed and a maximum of six singers and dancers.

How to watch the Eurovision final

EPA-EFE/Shutterstock The French contestant is Louane, who gave a heartfelt performance in dress rehearsals

The grand final of the contest will take place in St Jakobshalle, an indoor arena in Basel, on Saturday 17 May. It will be broadcast live on TV on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 20:00 BST, hosted by Graham Norton. You can also listen on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, hosted by Scott Mills and Rylan Clark. Inside the arena, the international Eurovision coverage will be hosted by presenters Hazel Brugger, Sandra Studer and Michelle Hunziker.

Which countries take part in Eurovision?

EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Czech Republic's Adonxs performs as part of preparations for Eurovision 2025

A total of 37 countries are taking part in Eurovision 2025 - all but one took part in last year's contest in Malmö, Sweden. Montenegro returns to the competition this year for the first time since 2022, replacing Moldova - which withdrew because of financial and logistical challenges. Most Eurovision countries are European, but Australia takes part every year, after being invited to join Eurovision's 60th anniversary celebrations in 2015. Australia, however, cannot host if it ever wins. Other non-European countries including Israel participate because they are members of the EBU. Russia has been banned since 2022, following its invasion of Ukraine. Your guide to all 37 Eurovision songs

Why is the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland?

Switzerland is playing host to Eurovision 2025 after contestant Nemo won the 2024 contest with the song The Code. Nemo is due to appear as a guest performer this year too, despite accusing the contest of not supporting artists enough in 2024. This is the third time that Switzerland has hosted Eurovision. Its contestant this year is Zoë Më, with the song Voyage. Eurovision failed to support us amid rows, winner says

PA Media Swiss Eurovision entry Zoë Më

Who is in the Eurovision final?

The "big five" nations who provide extra financial support to Eurovision get an automatic qualification for the final. These are the UK, Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Switzerland also gets a golden ticket to honour last year's victory. In the first semi-final on 13 May, Céline Dion, who won the contest for Switzerland in 1988, delivered a pre-recorded message celebrating the "beautiful" return of the contest to Basel. These countries qualified from the first semi-final: Norway: Kyle Alessandro – Lighter

Albania: Shkodra Elektronike – Zjerm

Sweden: KAJ – Bara Bada Bastu

Iceland: VÆB – RÓA

Netherlands: Claude – C'est La Vie

Poland: Justyna Steczkowska – GAJA

San Marino: Gabry Ponte – Tutta L'Italia

Estonia: Tommy Cash – Espresso Macchiato

Portugal: NAPA – Deslocado

Ukraine: Ziferblat – Bird of Pray These countries were knocked out: Slovenia: Klemen – How Much Time Do We Have Left

Belgium: Red Sebastian – Strobe Lights

Azerbaijan: Mamagama - Run With U

Cyprus: Theo Evan – Shh

Croatia: Marko Bošnjak – Poison Cake Who joins them will be decided at the second-semi final.

EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Australia's Go-Jo performs the song 'Milkshake Man' in Eurovision rehearsals

When is the second Eurovision semi-final?

This takes place on Thursday 15 May. It is being broadcast on BBC iPlayer, BBC One, Radio 2 and BBC Sounds from 20:00. You can also watch it on the BBC News website live stream. This is the running order: Australia: Go-Jo – Milkshake Man

Montenegro: Nina Žižić – Dobrodošli

Ireland: EMMY – Laika Party

Latvia: Tautumeitas – Bur Man Laimi

Armenia: PARG – SURVIVOR

Austria: JJ – Wasted Love

United Kingdom: Remember Monday – What The Hell Just Happened?

Greece: Klavdia – Asteromáta

Lithuania: Katarsis – Tavo Akys

Malta: Miriana Conte – SERVING

Georgia: Mariam Shengelia – Freedom

France: Louane – maman

Denmark: Sissal – Hallucination

Czechia: ADONXS – Kiss Kiss Goodbye

Luxembourg: Laura Thorn – La Poupée Monte Le Son

Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise

Germany: Abor & Tynna – Baller

Serbia: Princ – Mila

Finland: Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME

Who is the UK entry Remember Monday?

Reuters Two of the three members of Remember Monday during a dress rehearsal

Girl band Remember Monday are made up of Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele. They will be performing a song titled What The Hell Just Happened, full of harmonies and pop melodies. The band formed at school in Farnborough, Hampshire, and appeared on TV talent show The Voice, in 2019. Lauren and Holly-Anne have also appeared in West End shows like Phantom of the Opera and Six: The Musical. They'll be hoping to turn around the UK's fortunes, after the last two contestants Olly Alexander and Mae Muller both finished at the bottom end of the table in 2024 and 2023 respectively. Remember Monday: 'The closer we get, the hungrier we become'

UK's Eurovision Song Contest hopefuls revealed

Why is Israel's Eurovision entry controversial?

More than 70 former Eurovision contestants, including Britain's Mae Muller, have signed an open letter demanding that Israel's public broadcaster KAN be banned from the contest, alleging that it was "complicit in Israel's genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza". Eurovision, which has always billed itself as non-political, has resisted calls for Israel to be excluded. Yuval Raphael, Israel's contestant this year, told BBC News she was "expecting" to be booed during her performance. The inclusion of Israel sparked controversy last year, when its contestant Eden Golan also faced boos during a rehearsal and thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the venue. Golan was also forced to change the lyrics of her entry, titled Hurricane, to remove references to the deadly attacks by Hamas on Israel, on 7 October 2023.

EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Israel's entry Yuval Raphael performs during rehearsals

The last major music event Raphael attended was the Nova festival, in Israel, when it came under attack by Hamas gunmen during the 7 October attacks and more than 360 people were killed. Around 1,200 people were killed in Israel by gunmen led by Hamas that day, and 251 were taken hostage. During Israel's ensuing military campaign in Gaza more than 53,000 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. 'I've practised being booed', Israel's Eurovision entry says

Ireland asks Eurovision organisers for discussion over Israel

Chaotic build-up to Eurovision 2024 as thousands protest

How does Eurovision voting work?

Madeleine McCann suspect release date pushed back

6 hours ago Share Save Jessica Parker and Kristina Völk BBC News Reporting from Lehrte, Lower Saxony Share Save

Watch: Christian Brückner was asked about the McCann case as he left court in Germany

The chief suspect in Madeleine McCann's disappearance, who is currently serving a sentence for a rape conviction, is set to be released from prison in Germany later than originally scheduled, his lawyer has said. Christian Brückner, 48, was convicted of raping a 72-year-old American tourist in Portugal in 2005 and had been scheduled for release in September, but this could now be pushed back to early next year. He has never been charged in the McCann case and denies any involvement in her disappearance in 2007. As he left court in Lower Saxony, Germany, he was asked by BBC News if he kidnapped and killed the three-year-old. He declined to comment.

Madeleine's disappearance during a family holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal, is one of the most widely-reported missing child cases and remains unsolved. Brückner's lawyer told the BBC the delayed release date was due to an unpaid fine – which he does not believe Brückner will be able to pay. "He will probably be released round about February," said Philipp Marquort. A prosecutor involved in the McCann case against Brückner told the BBC that a "substitute custodial sentence" due to an unpaid fine of €1446 would result in imprisonment until early January. A prison official also understood Brückner's release to be at a later date. It is believed Brückner would still be due for release in September, should the fine be paid. Brückner was at court in Lehrte to face an accusation of insulting a female prison staff member at Sehnde jail during a meeting in March 2024. For that, a judge sentenced him to one month's probation - meaning if he breaches probation conditions upon any future release he could be made to serve another month in jail.

Reuters

Any further time in prison potentially gives German prosecutors more time to pursue an appeal in a separate case that saw Brückner cleared of three counts of rape and two counts of child sex abuse – charges dating back to between 2000 and 2017 in Portugal. BBC News has been told that there are still no current plans to charge Brückner over Madeleine's disappearance – in which he has denied any involvement. A convicted child sex offender, Brückner is a German national who has a history of sex, forgery, drug, and theft offences. A drifter, he lived in Portugal's Algarve region, on and off, for years.

'Laughing stock'

Iran using criminal gangs for hit jobs abroad, court papers show

7 hours ago Share Save Jiyar Gol BBC world affairs correspondent Share Save

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps special forces (file photo) US and Israeli intelligence have accused Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards of planning attacks abroad

There has been a sharp rise in plots by the Iranian regime to kidnap or assassinate dissidents, journalists and political foes living abroad, according to reports by Western intelligence agencies. These attempts have escalated dramatically since 2022, with even US President Donald Trump among the alleged targets. In the UK, police are questioning a number of Iranians arrested earlier this month on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack. The BBC understands the alleged target was the Israeli embassy in London. And court documents from Turkey and the US - seen by BBC Eye Investigations and BBC Persian - contain evidence that Iran has been hiring criminal gangs to carry out killings on foreign soil, allegations the Iranian regime has previously denied. Iranian officials did not respond to a fresh request for a comment. One name repeatedly surfaced in these documents: Naji Sharifi Zindashti, an Iranian criminal boss, known for international drug smuggling. His name appeared in a Turkish indictment in connection with the 2017 killing in Istanbul of Saeed Karimian, the head of a Persian TV network that broadcast Western films and programmes to Iran.

Instagram Naji Sharifi Zindashti fled to Iran after being controversially released from custody in Turkey

Iranian authorities considered Karimian a threat to Islamic values, and three months before his assassination an Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced him in absentia to six years in prison. US and Turkish officials believed his death was related to a mafia feud. But when in 2019, Massoud Molavi, a defector from Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), was gunned down in Istanbul, it shed light on Zindashti's alleged role in Karimian's assassination. Molavi had been exposing corruption at the highest levels of Iran's leadership. The Turkish police discovered Zindashti's gardener had been present at the scene of Molavi's assassination, and that his driver had been at Karimian's murder. The police suspected the gardener and the driver had been sent by Zindashti. Zindashti was arrested in connection with Karimian's death but was controversially released after just six months, causing a legal scandal in Turkey. A Higher Court judge ordered his rearrest but by then he had left the country. He then fled to Iran, raising suspicions that he might have been working for Iranian intelligence all along.

Cengiz Erdinc, a Turkish investigative journalist, claims that when those out of favour with the Iranian regime are killed, Zindashti's men are at the scene. "It is not the first time, but there has always been a connection between organised crime and the intelligence agencies," he says.

Turkish investigative journalist Cengiz Erdinc

Over three decades ago, he was convicted of drug smuggling in Iran and sentenced to death. But rumours suggested his escape from prison, which led him to Turkey, may have been orchestrated by Iranian intelligence.

"If someone sentenced to death in Iran escapes after killing a guard, they're unlikely to make it out alive - unless there's more to the story," says someone who knew Zindashti closely. The BBC is withholding their identity for their own safety. "The only plausible way for him to return and live freely would be if he had been working for Iran's intelligence services, making his escape appear to be part of a planned cover story for intelligence work with Iran's security agencies and IRGC," they told BBC World Service.

People outside the UK can watch the documentary on YouTube

In 2020, Zindashti's name appeared again in a Turkish indictment in connection with the kidnapping of Habib Chaab, an Iranian dissident who was lured to Istanbul, abducted, and later paraded on Iranian state TV. Chaab was sentenced to death and executed. Zindashti's nephew was arrested in Turkey in connection with Chaab's disappearance. Zindashti has denied having any role. Then, in 2021, Zindashti was implicated in a plot in the United States. According to Minnesota court documents, communications between Zindashti and a Canadian with a full-patch member of the Hells Angels criminal gang, were logged in the indictment. Zindashti allegedly offered $370,000 to have two Iranian defectors assassinated in Maryland. The FBI intervened and arrested two men before the attack could be carried out. Our investigation into court documents also uncovered that the IRGC and its overseas operations arm, the Quds Force, have been working with criminal organisations like the Thieves-in-Law, a notorious international criminal gang from the former Soviet Union, to carry out kidnappings and assassinations. US and Israeli intelligence sources say Unit 840 of the IRGC's Quds Force's main responsibility is to plan and establish terror infrastructure abroad. In March, a New York jury convicted two men associated with the Thieves-in-Law for plotting to assassinate Masih Alinejad, an Iranian-American activist. Iranian agents allegedly offered $500,000 for her killing. Just two years earlier, a man with a loaded gun had been arrested near her home in Brooklyn. Following the 2020 assassination by the US of top IRGC commander General Qasem Soleimani, Iran vowed revenge. Since then, the US says Iran has been plotting to kill former members of the Trump administration involved in Soleimani's death, including former national security adviser John Bolton, and Mike Pompeo, former head of the CIA and secretary of state. During last year's US presidential election, prosecutors accused Iran of plotting to assassinate Donald Trump, which Iran strongly denied. In response to these growing threats, the US and UK have imposed sanctions on individuals linked to Iran's intelligence operations, including Zindashti, Iranian diplomats, and members of the IRGC. Zindashti denies ever working for the Iranian intelligence service. In 2024, Ken McCallum, the director of MI5 reported 20 credible threats against individuals in the UK linked to Iran. In one case in West London, a Chechen man was arrested near Iran International, a Persian-language TV station in London. He was convicted of gathering information for Iranian agents. Last year, Pouria Zerati, a London-based presenter for Iran International, was attacked with a knife. Soon after, two men were arrested in Romania at the request of UK counter-terrorism police. Sources in the UK security services told the BBC these men were part of the Thieves-in-Law, allegedly hired by Iranian agents. Sima Sabet, a presenter for Iran International, was one of the targets, but an attempt to blow up her car failed. "When they realised they couldn't attach a bomb to my car, the agents told the man to finish the job quietly," says Sima, who has seen the police file, says. "He asked how quietly, and they replied, 'As quiet as a kitchen knife.'"

Sima Sabet, from Iran International, was the target of an assassination plot

Hunt on for teens after kittens found 'mutilated'

2 hours ago Share Save Victoria Cook BBC London Share Save

Police are hoping to identify two teenagers caught on CCTV near West Ruislip Tube station

CCTV footage has been released by police trying to track down two teenagers after the "mutilated" remains of two kittens were found in a field in west London. Sgt Babs Rock of the Met Police said that the kittens - discovered in Ickenham at about midday on Saturday 3 May - had been "tortured and dismembered". "This is an incredibly distressing incident which I know has caused concern in the local community," she said, adding that the force was taking the "horrific incident" extremely seriously. Police hope that by releasing the CCTV footage of the teens fleeing the scene, and an image of a duffel bag thought to have been used to carry the kittens, they will be able to identify those involved.

Met Police This black duffel bag is thought to have been used to transport the kittens

A dog walker, who posted online anonymously, said they had been in the field when they interrupted two teenagers "stooping over something on the floor", who quickly ran off when disturbed. "To my horror, I saw two dead mutilated kittens, along with an array of weaponry," the witness recounted. They added: "The poor cats had clearly suffered." Sgt Rock told BBC News that the kittens were found not far from West Ruislip Tube station, near Ruislip Golf Course, in Hillingdon. She said: "We are working to help try and identify who the pair are so that we can firstly ensure that justice is brought to them, but also to safeguard them and make sure that it doesn't lead to any future offences."

Met Police Police hope a letter sent to parents via local schools informing them of recent animal cruelty incidents will help to prevent further incidents

Police say there have been other recent attacks on animals in the area - including on ducks and swans targeted with catapults - although they believe these are isolated and not connected to what happened to the kittens. The Met says it has taken the "rare" step of writing to parents, via local schools, to raise awareness of animal cruelty issues and to ask parents to speak to their children about what has happened. Sgt Rock said: "We've put out an appeal to schools and parents in order to educate their children into making sure that they understand how important it is to look after wildlife and pets." The sergeant explained that causing unnecessary suffering to animals could result in fines, disqualification from keeping animals and up to five years' imprisonment. "If you do see any animals being harmed, or any children acting in a suspicious way, it's really important to feed that information through to us," she said. "Even if there isn't necessarily a crime taking place, it's not a wasted phone call." The force urged anyone with information, or footage from house or car cameras, to come forward, or report what they know anonymously via CrimeStoppers.

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Thirteen people were injured when a car crashed into fans outside the derby match between Espanyol and Barcelona on Thursday.

The match, in which Barcelona won the La Liga title thanks to a 2-0 victory, was delayed for several minutes in the early stages while the referee was briefed by police.

Police in Barcelona said four of those injured were taken to hospital but none were said to be in a serious condition.

Police added in a statement on social media that the incident did not present any danger to the crowd inside the stadium.

The driver has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and causing injury.

Videos posted on social media showed a car had stopped between some bins outside the stadium and was surrounded by fans. It then drove into the crowd.

Local authorities said the incident occurred as Espanyol fans gathered to welcome the team's coach.

Ten ambulances were sent to the scene. The most severe injury reported was a broken leg.

"It was an accident, some people were injured, but not seriously. There are no major incidents to report," Salvador Illa, the president of the Government of Catalonia, who was present at the match, told Spanish TV channel Movistar Plus.

Hancock ignored call to test all NHS staff, Covid inquiry hears

4 hours ago Share Save Jim Reed Health reporter Share Save

Getty Images

The government ignored an early warning by two Nobel prize-winning scientists that all healthcare workers should be routinely tested for coronavirus in the pandemic, the Covid inquiry has heard. The advice came in a strongly-worded letter sent in April 2020 by the chief executive of the Francis Crick Institute, Sir Paul Nurse, and its research director, Sir Peter Ratcliffe, to the then health secretary Matt Hancock. NHS and care home staff were not offered Covid tests until November 2020 in England, unless they had symptoms of the disease. Matt Hancock is due to appear at the inquiry next week, along with other health ministers from the four nations of the UK.

Giving evidence, Sir Paul, who won the Nobel prize for medicine in 2001, said it was "disturbing" that he did not receive a response to his concerns until July 2020. "For the secretary of state to ignore a letter from two Nobel laureates in physiology or medicine for three months is a little surprising, I would say," he told the inquiry. "Rather than acknowledge they couldn't do it, because that would have indicated a mistake in their overall strategy, they remained silent." It was likely that the decision not to routinely test NHS and care home staff led to an increase in infections and deaths in the early stages of the pandemic, he added.

Hospitals and care homes

In the first six months of Covid, there was a frantic drive to increase testing for the disease. Matt Hancock set a target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April 2020 in England. By this time it had become clear to scientists across the world that Covid could be spread by people who had not developed symptoms, such as a cough or fever. Sir Paul Nurse, Sir Peter Ratcliffe and their colleague Dr Sam Barrell wrote to Mr Hancock on 14 April 2020 saying they had "grave concerns" about "asymptomatic transmission" between healthcare staff and patients. "We advise you that all NHS trusts and healthcare providers should be required to set up surveillance systems for the regular testing of all healthcare workers and patients with immediate effect," the letter said. The scientists received a response on 6 July 2020, signed by a junior official in the Department of Health. That reply did not directly address the subject of healthcare workers, instead stating that testing was a "key part" of the government's strategy and that capacity was being "rapidly expanded".

Lighthouse labs

Trial of man accused of suitcase murders collapses

Yostin Mosquera (left) with Albert Alfonso (centre) and Paul Longworth on a boat in Colombia

The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering two men in London before dumping some of their remains in suitcases in Bristol has been discharged.

Yostin Mosquera, 35, denies murdering Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, on or before 11 July 2024 and was on trial at London's Old Bailey.

Parts of their bodies were found in Shepherd's Bush, while some were discovered in a suitcase left near Clifton Suspension Bridge. The prosecution opened its case on 30 April but trial judge Mr Justice Bennathan discharged the jury earlier.

Justice Bennathan said there had been problems identifying the accurate times of searches made by Mr Mosquera on his laptop, which had been used as evidence.

Walmart says higher prices could hit this month due to tariffs

6 hours ago Share Save Natalie Sherman Business reporter, BBC News Share Save

AFP/Getty

Walmart is preparing to raise prices in the US as soon as this month, as its own costs increase as a result of the new tariffs on imports imposed by President Donald Trump. The plans by the world's largest retailer come as White House announcements in recent weeks have resulted in most goods from around the world facing new import taxes of at least 10%, with products from China facing higher duties of at least 30%. Reporting to investors on the firm's performance on Thursday, chief executive Doug McMillon said he was grateful that the Trump administration had, for now, suspended plans for more aggressive levies. But he said that his firm was still likely to raise prices to cover the new costs.

"We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible but given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren't able to absorb all the pressure," he said. More than two-thirds of what Walmart sells in the US is made, assembled or grown in the country, the company said. But China is the dominant supplier in key categories, such as toys and electronics. Executives also warned that tariffs on countries that have received less attention such as Costa Rica, Colombia and Peru were putting price pressure on staples such as bananas, avocados, coffee and roses. In interviews with US business outlets on Thursday, chief financial officer John David Rainey said shoppers could see higher prices in stores as soon as this month and definitely in June.

In Canada, which put its own tariffs on US goods in retaliation for US measures, the boss of major retailer Loblaw's also warned that Canadians were set to see a "large wave of tariff-related increased in the weeks ahead" as the retailer runs out of supplies purchased before the new duties were in place. "While the tariff situation might be improving between the US and other countries, that's not yet the case here in Canada," Loblaw's chief executive Per Bank wrote on social media.

When former Bayern Munich and Germany boss Flick arrived at Barcelona, he found a number of players were performing well below expectations.

Experienced stars like Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong were low in confidence, simply because of the lack of trust they felt they had from their previous coach, Xavi.

Raphinha would rarely play more than 60 minutes before being replaced, while Lewandowski was made to play with his back to goal in a style alien to him.

In addition, none of the three felt particularly welcome at the club with De Jong rightly convinced that Barcelona wanted to sell him to help alleviate their financial plight.

One of the first things Flick did was to tell the three of them how important they were to his plans. This season Lewandowski is top scorer with 25 goals, while Raphinha has a league tally of 18.

Flick also sensed an established culture where the club's irrepressible youth was not at the heart of the team, and not given the prominence they believed they merited.

Youngsters had been given their debuts because of financial constraints - and Xavi deserves praise for working under such restrictions - but they wanted more. They wanted to take over the team.

Flick's approach allowed the likes of Gavi, Yamal, Alejandro Balde (21), and Marc Casado (also 21) to do just that. He helped them find their voices, even going as far as allowing them to pick the dressing-room music.

That trust was repaid a hundred times over and reflected on the pitch with a youthful and carefree - some might even say naive - style of play.

He also always remained very close to those who didn't play regularly, stressing that with the inevitable injuries all clubs have to face, their time would come.

Flick has asked the club for very little so far, paying money for just Dani Olmo and Pau Victor in the summer and adding no-one in the winter transfer window.

The 60-year-old German also strongly believes no-one knows their fitness better than the players themselves. So, any plans to rest the likes of Yamal or Raphinha are not taken without asking them - again building the trust and his popularity among the team.

He also never allows himself to be influenced by the very powerful and demanding Barcelona media, and has remained honest to his players - an approach severely tested when they lost four games and collected just five points out of a possible 21 before the Christmas break.

While Rashford is understood to have enjoyed his time working under Emery and had a significant impact on Villa's run to the Champions League quarter-finals - where they were narrowly beaten by Paris St-Germain - there have been no negotiations over a permanent transfer.

Villa still harbour realistic ambitions of a top-five Premier League finish, which would secure a return to the Champions League next season. It would also put them in a better position to broker a deal, considering sources close to Rashford stress he has no intention of taking a pay cut from his estimated £325,000-a-week salary.

The Rashford camp do not believe United head coach Ruben Amorim wants to restore the player to his squad, while minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe previously spoke about his frustration at some of the team's high earners not being on the pitch.

It has echoes of 12 months ago, when Jadon Sancho finished the season with Borussia Dortmund following a major public falling-out with then-manager Erik ten Hag.

An uneasy peace was brokered by senior club officials between player and manager that at least allowed Sancho to be part of United's pre-season preparations, but the England forward was overlooked for the opening Premier League games and eventually joined Chelsea.

It is not yet clear whether Chelsea will pay a £5m fee to send Sancho back to United, rather than pay the agreed £20m-£25m to sign the 25-year-old.

As it stands, sources close to Rashford expect him to return to United for pre-season training in July. United have a match against newly promoted Leeds in Sweden on 19 July before they head to the United States for three games in the Premier League's summer tournament.

They conclude their preparations against Fiorentina, who have former United goalkeeper David de Gea in their ranks, at Old Trafford on 9 August.

Nathan Aspinall took the Premier League nightly win in Aberdeen to close on a play-off place while Luke Littler sealed top spot.

Aspinall is on the brink of qualifying after beating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the final on a dramatic evening which saw Gerwyn Price hit a nine-darter.

Dobey claimed a decider to win his semi-final 6-5 against world champion Littler, who earlier won a classic against world number one Luke Humphries that featured 14 180s.

Despite averaging 110.01, Humphries could not halt Littler, who averaged 115.96 to guarantee he would finish top of the league phase.

Littler had already qualified for the four-man play-offs in London on 29 May alongside Humphries and Price.

Price hit his second nine-darter of the campaign but ended a 6-4 quarter-final loser to Stephen Bunting.

Aspinall moved above seven-time champion Michael van Gerwen into fourth spot with a 6-3 victory over the Dutchman before dispatched Bunting 6-1.

If Van Gerwen does not claim the night win in Sheffield next week, Aspinall – who finished fifth in 2023 and 2024 – will claim the last play-off spot.

Masters champion Rory McIlroy slipped eight shots off the lead on day one of the US PGA Championship after a disappointing round of three over par.

American Ryan Gerard set the pace at five under while Ryder Cup captains Luke Donald and Keegan Bradley both impressed among the early starters at Quail Hollow.

Englishman Donald shot a bogey-free 67 while Bradley, who will lead the United States team in September's Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, dropped his only shot at the last to finish at three under par.

McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning at Augusta in April, managed just two birdies in his round of 74.

The 36-year-old was playing in the same group as world number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Xander Schauffele, who finished at two under and one over respectively.

All three struggled at times on day one, but Scheffler birdied two of his final three holes to keep himself in touch with the leaders.

That trio will start their second round at 18:47 BST on Friday.

Cristiano Ronaldo has topped the Forbes list of highest-paid athletes for the third consecutive year, while NBA star Stephen Curry has moved up to second.

The business magazine, external says Ronaldo, who has topped the list fives times during his career, has increased his estimated total earnings by $15m to $275m (approx £206m).

That figure has only been surpassed by former world champion boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300m in 2015 (then £194m) and $275m in 2018 (then £205m).

Portugal forward Ronaldo, 40, moved to the lucrative Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr in December 2022 and has generated greater income through off-field endorsements and sponsorship deals backed by his social media followers, which currently total 939m.

Golden State Warriors guard Curry, who became the first NBA player to reach 4,000 career three-pointers in March, climbs up to second after earning $156m (approx £117m).

British boxer Tyson Fury moved up to third with $146m (approx £109m) despite losing his world heavyweight titles to Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk in December.

Fury was the beneficiary of a Netflix reality television show and a partnership with Maltese tourism.

Ronaldo's long-standing rival Lionel Messi has fallen further behind the Portuguese after dropping from third to fifth.

Sportspeople and pundits have told a regulator that "vile" online abuse has become so severe they fear it could lead to someone taking their own life.

Former cricketer Azeem Rafiq, broadcaster and ex-England footballer Eni Aluko and ex-rugby referee Wayne Barnes were among those interviewed by the government's online safety regulator, Ofcom.

Working with the football anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out, Ofcom spoke to figures from across sport and broadcasting to get an understanding of their experiences to help with tackling the issue.

It heard that one person barricaded themselves indoors following abuse, and others reported suffering from disordered eating. Fear, anxiety and paranoia had all resulted from suffering abuse, Ofcom said.

"Participants raised concerns that it might only be a matter of time before online hate and abuse becomes a major factor contributing to the suicide of someone in the sector," Ofcom said in its report documenting the project.

The body spoke to seven selected individuals and held nine discussion groups to examine the impacts of the abuse.

Those interviewed said online platforms needed to offer more protection and felt current tools - such as the ability to block or mute accounts - were not enough.

Ofcom's report - Online Hate and Abuse in Sport - was released on Friday.