I felt enormous guilt, says ex-MP in honeytrap scandal

Watch: Ex-MP William Wragg on being a victim of catfishing

Warning: This story contains references to suicide It was 4am one morning in April and William Wragg was at home in his cottage on the edge of the Peak District, unable to sleep. "I really was having very dark thoughts," he tells me in his first broadcast interview about his involvement in Parliament’s "honeytrap" scandal. At the time, Wragg was a Conservative MP and a few days earlier he had admitted to a journalist that he had shared the phone numbers of fellow politicians with someone he had met on a dating app. Since the story was published, photographers had been camping outside his parents’ home. "I drove around to my parents’ house and said to them: ‘I need to go to hospital'," he recalls. That night his mother took him to the local accident and emergency unit. He was stooping as he leant on the front desk. "Have you got a bad back?" the receptionist asked cheerily. "No," he replied. "I'm suicidal."

'Charlie'

Wragg had been one of dozens of victims of an individual who adopted the identities of ‘Charlie’ and ‘Abi’ and sent flirtatious texts to politicians, journalists and advisers. Unlike others who had received messages unsolicited, he had been the one to initiate contact with ‘Charlie’ on the gay dating app Grindr. "I was quite lonely to be honest," Wragg says. "It was an evening at the end of January. I was back at my flat in London following a day at Westminster, and I was just on my blank online profile. And I saw his profile and messaged to say hello." ‘Charlie’ seemed to know a lot about the world of UK politics and soon the conversation moved to WhatsApp. Wragg thought this might be the start of a relationship. "I was actually very flattered because he was an attractive guy," Wragg says. "And he had a manner in the conversation that was assertive, but slightly cocky. That's an attractive quality too."

Within hours the men had exchanged naked photos. "Was that wise?" I ask. "Obviously it wasn't," Wragg replies. “But when you're in the moment it wasn't a consideration. I know that might sound ridiculous, people think how stupid can you be? But we're all human. We all have those desires. I'm as fallible as the next person." The pair spoke on the phone two or three times but when they arranged a date at a pub near Parliament, Wragg was stood up. "It didn't materialise obviously, because as it transpired he wasn't real. But I didn't know that at the time," he says. “And I didn't hear from him until the next day. He was incredibly apologetic. I thought OK, he’s just had a bad day at work."

'I felt a threat'

The nature of this apparently fledgling romantic relationship soon took a darker turn when ‘Charlie’ asked Wragg to send him the phone numbers of other men who worked in Parliament. "He said ‘you've got two minutes to send me these numbers’. And that's when it, as far as I was concerned, turned a bit weird.” Was he being blackmailed? "I don't know," he says. "There was never anything that was explicit to say that, but I certainly felt a threat." Wragg also concedes that amidst the intoxication of possible romance he felt "a sense of wanting to please" ‘Charlie’. He ended up handing over around a dozen phone numbers, including for a number of MPs. At the time, then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Wragg was right to apologise, while minister Mel Stride called his actions "exceptionally inappropriate and ill-advised". I point out his actions made the situation worse, resulting in others also becoming victims. "Yeah and that is why I felt guilt," he replies. "That's why I felt so, so sorry and shameful."

‘Charlie’ also told a few of the men he messaged in Westminster that he was a former researcher for Wragg. He asked the MP to lie and say this was true. Wragg agreed. "That is what I feel the most regret for," he tells me. "Because it’s deceitful." Wragg started to have panic attacks. "I remember one evening getting back to my flat in London, waking my flatmates up because I was just in a complete state," he says. "I was shouting, crying, swearing, had this anger, and I didn't know why. They were concerned but I couldn't explain to them what it was."

'My stomach dropped'

Police had first been made aware of a catfisher targeting people involved in UK politics in late 2023, but the news began to emerge more widely in April, after a story was published on the Politico news website. Catfishing involves setting up a fake online identity to trick and control others. Wragg was on a train when he saw the article. "My stomach just dropped," he says. "I thought gosh this must have so much to do with the person I've been interacting with." Approached by a journalist from the Times, Wragg admitted chatting with someone on an app who subsequently asked him for the numbers of others. He apologised for his "weakness", resigned the Conservative whip and stood down from his posts on two parliamentary committees. He had already announced he would not stand in the next general election. "When I found out some of the things that had been going on, I just felt enormous guilt, enormous remorse," he tells me. "My mood just plummeted." Wragg had struggled with his mental health in the past and had already stopped taking his antidepressants, which he considers a factor in the suicidal thoughts which led him to be admitted to hospital. The Westminster catfishing operation was sophisticated, and had been under way for many months before Wragg became involved. But he concedes that his actions led to friends and colleagues also becoming victims. Wragg says he feels "great regret" and has "sought to apologise", adding: "I hope I can explain it in the context of the almost sense of control, the influence this person had over me." However, one former MP who believes his number was passed on by Wragg told the BBC: "None of us to my recollection have ever received an apology from Will… It might be an idea for him to apologise to those he dropped in the dirt." Contrary to some early speculation, police have said they do not think any other foreign state was involved. In June a member of the Labour Party in his mid-20s was arrested in London on suspicion of harassment and offences under the Online Safety Act. He has been bailed until late November.

Getty Images William Wragg was the MP for Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester

Seven months on from the height of the scandal, Wragg has left the world of Westminster behind. He is much happier, he says, but still talks of the "shame" he feels and the "havoc" the catfisher wrought. "I have no bitterness or anger left in me," he says, when I ask how he feels about the catfisher. "Because I felt so wretched and awful in myself." He believes they were motivated by sexual kicks and by the power they held over others. "My only wish for them is not to do it any more," he says. "And to understand that impersonating or pretending to be somebody… it's not victimless. It is very real and its psychological impact is particularly strong." Wragg hopes by speaking out he may help others to spot the signs of catfishing, and report it. ActionFraud has received almost 7,500 reports of dating scams so far this year. "It’s a source of great shame that my time in Parliament ended in this way," he says. On his final day as an MP, Wragg had a consultation with a psychologist, which he jokes is "a fitting summation" of his nine years in the Commons. "They have two mental health beds available at any one time for members of Parliament. And it's surprising how often they're occupied." The trauma of recent months has undoubtedly damaged his interest in dating. Does he think he’ll find love? "I hope so, yes," he says. "But I'm being a bit more guarded at the moment."

Last supermoon of 2024 captured in stunning photos across the UK

The Beaver Moon - the final supermoon of the year has made a dazzling appearance across parts of the UK on Friday night.

It's not quite as bright as last month's Hunter's supermoon but should still provide an impressible spectacle for sky gazers, although clouds may obscure the view in some places.

However with the next supermoon not until October 2025, it's worth capturing a glimpse of this one if you can.

Here are some of the best images sent in to BBC Weather Watchers, along with some agency pictures.

Elon Musk adds Microsoft to lawsuit against ChatGPT-maker OpenAI

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Elon Musk has stepped up his ongoing feud with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI with a revived lawsuit against the firm, adding Microsoft as a defendant. Mr Musk, a co-founder of the artificial intelligence (AI) company, accused it and the tech giant of operating a monopoly in an amended legal complaint on Thursday. It follows previous lawsuits accusing the firm of breaching the principles he agreed to when he helped found it in 2015. Microsoft declined to comment on the lawsuit.

An OpenAI spokesperson said Mr Musk's refreshed complaint was "baseless". "Elon’s third attempt in less than a year to reframe his claims is even more baseless and overreaching than the previous ones," they told the BBC. They added that previous emails sent by Mr Musk, which it shared publicly in response to his original lawsuit, "speak for themselves". Thursday's legal filing amends a lawsuit filed in a California court in August, and also includes LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman being added as a defendant. The BBC has approached Mr Hoffman for a response. The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of having transformed from a "tax-exempt charity to a $157bn (£124bn) for-profit, market-paralysing gorgon". It also claims Microsoft and OpenAI used a monopoly to eliminate competitors in the AI sector - including Mr Musk's own company, xAI. "As a result of their unlawful actions, defendants have been unjustly enriched to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars in value, while Mr Musk has been conned along with the public," it says.

'Capped profit'

More than £39m raised for Children in Need

BBC The former child stars of TV sitcom Outnumbered are now in their 20s

This year’s Children in Need appeal has raised more than £39m to help disadvantaged young people across the UK, with the total figure likely to rise further. It includes £8.8 million raised by the presenter Paddy McGuinness on his five day cycling challenge from Wales to Scotland, on a children’s Chopper bike. The annual live televised show took place on BBC One on Friday night, with the stars of Strictly Come Dancing, Gladiators, Outnumbered and Doctor Who coming together to help raise funds. The celebrities in the three-hour show included Graham Norton, Girls Aloud, Kylie Minogue and Gary Oldman.

'It's an honour': Paddy McGuinness completes charity bike ride

BBC Radio 2 presenter McGuinness appeared in the studio in Salford, fresh from completing his epic cycle ride which ended in Glasgow earlier in the day. The former Top Gear and Question of Sport host, 51, had set off from Wrexham, almost 300 miles away, on Monday. There were huge cheers from the audience when Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy turned up to reveal McGuinness's final fundraising total during the main Children In Need TV broadcast. "I am literally, underneath these clothes, it's all Sellotape and safety pins," said McGuinness. The Bolton-born star has said he was motivated to take on the challenge by the people he had met who benefitted from projects funded by BBC Children in Need.

Co-host Vernon Kay visited a Children In Need-funded project in Bolton

The televised appeal was hosted by Ade Adepitan, Chris Ramsey and Rochelle Humes, alongside Vernon Kay, Mel Giedroyc and Lenny Rush. Highlights included Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa introducing a preview from the show's Christmas special. And the on-screen family from sitcom Outnumbered reunited for a sketch, ahead of their own forthcoming festive special. Viewers were also treated to a visit from the stars of Gladiators, while there was a special performance from Strictly Come Dancing as the professionals were joined by cartoon character Bluey.

Girls Aloud have released the official Children In Need single as a tribute to Sarah Harding

One poignant moment was the premiere of the video of this year's Children in Need single - a new version of Girls Aloud's I'll Stand By You, with the lead vocal sung entirely by late band member Sarah Harding. The ballad was originally released as a Children In Need song in 2004 and topped the UK chart for two weeks. The new version uses Harding's rediscovered solo recording, with unseen archive footage used in the video. Harding died in 2021 at the age of 39. Also on Friday, there was a performance by singer Ella Henderson, while pop star Kylie recorded a special message.

Gary Oldman said he hopes his bedtime story "brings warmth and encouragement and hope to children and families watching"

More than 100 seek compensation over cruise virus

Getty Images Passengers have accused P&O of downplaying the number of people with norovirus on Ventura

More than 100 people have submitted claims for compensation after falling ill on a cruise ship. Lawyers representing passengers who travelled on P&O's Ventura said there had been "repeated outbreaks" of illness onboard between April and June. About 519 holidaymakers developed norovirus symptoms in May, after the ship departed Southampton for a two-week cruise around the Canary Islands. P&O Cruises apologised and said it would be "responding to the letter of claim".

Getty Images At the peak of reported norovirus cases, the ship was almost full, with just under 3,000 passengers on board

Howard Lunn Howard and Hazel Lunn have joined the group claim after becoming ill on the ship

Howard and Hazel Lunn, from Devon, are part of the group seeking compensation, after coming down with norovirus just days into their £5,000 cruise. The married couple set sail for the Canary Islands on 11 May but were soon asked to isolate in their cabin when they became ill. Mr Lunn said P&O had been "hiding the figures" when it came to how many people on board were ill. "They also deliberately wouldn't specify to us that it was norovirus - they used a phrase like 'gastro-intestinal problems'," he added. P&O Cruises previously confirmed to the BBC that the illness was norovirus.

'No surprise'

Anne Thomson, a lawyer at the firm, said it was "undeniable" that the illness had been rife on Ventura. “Given there were repeated outbreaks onboard over consecutive months, we hope Carnival comes back to us pretty quickly," she said. Hundreds of holidays had been ruined, according to Ms Thomson, who added that the legal action should come as "no surprise" to the cruise company. At the time, P&O said a "wide range of approved protocols" had been put in place, including closing on-board launderettes and preventing passengers from serving themselves at the buffet. Ventura was also deep-cleaned and unwell passengers were asked to isolate in their rooms. Ms Thomson said: “Let’s not forget, it’s not just the time people are confined to the cabin and are too ill to leave, but also the impact it has on the rest of their holiday, as it takes some time to recover from feeling so unwell to again fully enjoy the facilities, restaurants, and locations and days out."

Getty Images As part of deep-cleaning efforts, some areas of the ship were fogged - a process which involves spraying special disinfectant into a sealed room

Carnival has six weeks to acknowledge the claims, and then a further six months to investigate and respond. A P&O spokesperson said: "We are sorry some of our guests may have been affected and we will be responding to the letter of claim in due course.” A norovirus outbreak was also seen on P&O's Aurora around the same time, new figures have revealed. More than 300 people -16% of passengers - were taken ill during its 19-night cruise to the Mediterranean, which departed Southampton on 26 April. And just under 12% of passengers reported symptoms on the following cruise - a three-night trip to Belgium on 15 May.

North Korean troops in Ukraine ‘grave escalation’, Scholz tells Putin

Steffen Kugler/BPA/Handout via Reuters This was the first phone conversation between Scholz and Putin since December 2022

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that Russia’s deployment of North Korean troops against Ukraine was a “grave escalation” of the conflict, according to government sources. In the first phone call between the leaders in nearly two years, Scholz called on Putin to end the war and pull Russian troops out of Ukraine. The Kremlin described the conversation as "a detailed and frank exchange of opinions on the situation in Ukraine”, adding "the very fact of dialogue is positive". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the call was a “Pandora’s box” and argued it weakens Putin's isolation.

According to government sources, the chancellor condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine and called on Moscow to negotiate with Kyiv to come to a “fair and lasting peace”. He also stressed “Germany’s unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russian aggression for as long as necessary”. Scholz condemned in particular the Russian air strikes on civilian infrastructure. The phone conversation lasted about an hour and both leaders agreed to stay in contact. Russian media is reporting that according to the Kremlin, the call was initiated by Germany. The German government will be keen to avoid any accusations that Berlin is trying to strike a deal with Moscow over Ukraine’s head, particularly given painful 20th century memories in eastern Europe of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union carving up the region between them. In a written statement, the chancellor’s office highlighted that Scholz also talked to Zelensky before the call to Putin. Scholz also planned to talk to Zelensky again once the call was over to give details about the conversation with the Russian president. In a statement from the Kremlin to Russian media, Putin reportedly told Scholz that Russian-German relations had suffered "an unprecedented degradation across the board as a result of the German authorities "unfriendly course”. According to the Kremlin, Putin told Scholz that any potential peace agreement must “be based on the new territorial realities” — in other words the Ukrainian territory that Russia has occupied since 2022. Putin also said a peace deal could only happen by removing “the root causes of the conflict”. The Kremlin justifies its invasion of Ukraine with the accusation of Nato “expansion” into eastern Europe. In the call, Putin reportedly said “the current crisis was a direct result of Nato's years-long aggressive policy aimed at creating in Ukrainian territory an anti-Russian bridgehead”. In an interview on German television last Sunday, Scholz said he was planning to talk to Putin to push for peace talks. He said he was not acting on his own, but rather in consultation with others. There is speculation that Scholz is planning to also talk to the Chinese president Xi Jinping, a lukewarm supporter of Russia, about the war in Ukraine at the G20 next week in Rio de Janeiro. The last time Scholz talked to Putin on the phone was on 2 December 2022. They last met in person a week before the full invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin Press Office/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images They last met in Moscow a week before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022

Met officer sacked for viewing Sarah Everard files

Everard family Sarah Everard was murdered by serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens in 2021

A serving Metropolitan Police officer who accessed files relating to Sarah Everard's murder has been dismissed. PC Myles McHugh committed gross misconduct by viewing the confidential files without proper reason, a tribunal has found. Former Det Con Hannah Rebbeck and Sgt Mark Harper were also found by the tribunal to have committed gross misconduct. Ms Rebbeck has since left the force but would have been dismissed had she still been serving, while Sgt Harper was issued with a final written warning. The offences took place between 5 and 15 March 2021, soon after the 33-year-old marketing executive was kidnapped and killed by serving Met Police officer Wayne Couzens.

'Honest mistakes can be made'

PC McHugh repeatedly accessed the police system to search for details including Ms Everard’s medical history, employment, character and lifestyle, the panel heard. Ms Rebbeck also looked for information about the 33-year-old that was not connected with her duties multiple times, which the panel heard had “centred on her own morbid curiosity”. Another serving officer, Det Con Tyrone Ward, and two other former officers who have since retired - Insp Akinwale Ajose-Adeogun and Det Sgt Robert Butters - faced the same gross misconduct charge. However, the panel found they had had a legitimate reason for accessing the information and were not in breach of the standards of police professional behaviour. Another serving officer, PC Clare Tett, will face a separate gross misconduct hearing on a date to be set.

Met Police Wayne Couzens was given a whole-life prison sentence for the kidnap, rape and murder of Ms Everard

Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said the force's thoughts were with Ms Everard's family and friends. "We have apologised to them for the added distress this case has caused and I recognise the wider questions and concerns this raises," he said. None of the officers was directly involved in the criminal investigation into Ms Everard's murder. No evidence was found that any of them inappropriately shared the information with anyone else, the Met said.

The misconduct hearing followed an audit of those who accessed files relating to the case to see if they had had a good reason to do so. In total, 104 officers and police staff were initially identified as having potentially accessed files without legitimate cause. A majority of those of were subject to forms of discipline including written warnings and "reflective practice" training sessions. In most cases, those who accessed the files did so "out of curiosity", Mr Cundy said. "When spoken to, they were remorseful, apologised, admitted poor judgement and were keen to engage in training. “We know that honest mistakes can be made, and the most serious outcomes relate to those who were deliberately evasive or tried to avoid accountability. Those actions are not compatible with the values of the Met.”

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

Club closed after security guard charged with rape

Google The suspension will take effect immediately, the Met said, meaning Heaven will be closed from Friday night onwards

Popular London nightclub Heaven has been closed on public safety grounds after a rape was reported, the Metropolitan Police said. The force successfully applied to Westminster Council to suspend the licence of the Villiers Street venue until a full hearing can take place. In an initial hearing on Friday, the council was told a woman was allegedly raped in the vicinity of the venue by a member of security staff on 1 November. The Met said a member of security staff was arrested and charged with rape, and is on remand in prison. The suspension will take effect immediately, the Met said, meaning Heaven will be closed from Friday night onwards.

The hearing was told that when the woman tried to report the attack, other staff allegedly ignored her. According to the nightclub's website, the progressive metal band VOLA was due to play the venue on Friday evening. A council spokesperson said: “Following a request from the Metropolitan Police, and considering evidence from both the police and the operator, the council’s licensing committee has decided to suspend Heaven’s licence for 28 days. “We recognise this venue’s cultural significance but the committee agreed this step is necessary to prevent serious crime and protect the public. “A full licensing hearing will be held in December where both the police and venue management will have the opportunity to present new evidence. "This case is currently subject of an ongoing police investigation, and we are unable to comment further at this stage." Heaven posted on Instagram to say: "We are sickened by this allegation but can't comment as it is an on going criminal investigation. We can only send out thoughts to the alleged victim."

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

What RFK Jr could do on US vaccines, fluoride and drugs

Trump names vaccine sceptic RFK Jr for health secretary

President-elect Donald Trump has announced he wants to appoint vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr as the head of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The position has a broad remit across the US health industry, including food safety, pharmaceuticals, public health and vaccinations. If his post is confirmed by the US Senate, he would be in charge of key health agencies with about 80,000 employees and a multi-trillion-dollar budget. RFK Jr has long expressed views that conflict with scientific evidence, especially on vaccines, and his nomination has provoked opposition from public health experts. But he has also adopted positions with popular support, scrutinising the use of food additives and urging that the power of big pharma be curbed. The nephew of President JFK, he ran for the White House himself as an independent but dropped out and backed Trump. As secretary, Kennedy would be in charge of huge agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This is where he stands on vaccines, food, fluoride and health agencies.

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Vaccines

The vast majority of health experts champion inoculations for their long history of success - guarding against dangerous diseases and even eradicating deadly smallpox. But as founder of the anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defense, Kennedy has for nearly two decades been airing debunked claims about jabs. In recent years, he has gained prominence in the US for making the discredited claim that childhood immunisations are linked to autism. But he has denied on several occasions that he is anti-vaccination and says he had his own children immunised. Fact-checking RFK Jr's views on health policy

Follow live updates on this story Kennedy has said that if he were to join the Trump administration, he would want to examine government vaccine safety data and share his findings with the public. He recently denied that he would block or ban vaccinations, however. "If vaccines are working for somebody, I’m not going to take them away. People ought to have choice, and that choice ought to be informed by the best information," he told NBC News last week. The stock prices of vaccine makers like Moderna, Pfizer and Merck fell after Trump announced his pick.

Food and pharmaceuticals

Announcing Kennedy's nomination, Trump said Americans had for too long been "crushed" by food and drug companies engaging in "deception, misinformation, and disinformation". Kennedy has long blamed the food and drug industries - as well as the regulators who oversee them - for Americans' poor health. He has said that he wants to overhaul the systems that oversee pesticides, herbicides, food additives and pharmaceuticals. He has called for a ban on food dyes and additives, regularly citing Europe's regulatory standards. "We have 1,000 ingredients in our food that are illegal in Europe that are illegal in other countries and they're making our kids sick," he alleged in an NBC News interview. "They're there because of corruption in our agencies." An FDA spokesperson told the BBC that it is necessary "to dig deeper and understand the context behind the numbers" when comparing estimates of authorised chemicals between the US and Europe. Both "generally apply the same fundamental scientific approach to safety assessment when evaluating the safety of chemicals in food", according to the FDA spokesperson. "Different regulatory definitions and different methodologies can influence the results. Without clarity, comparisons can be misleading," the official added. Last month Kennedy accused the FDA on X of suppressing the use of "psychedelics, peptides, stem cells, raw milk, hyperbaric therapies, chelating compounds, ivermectin, hydroxychloroquine, vitamins, clean foods, sunshine, exercise, nutraceuticals and anything else that advances human health and can't be patented". He said that those who were "part of this corrupt system" should be prepared to "pack your bags". Both ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine were held up as miracle cures for Covid but such claims have not been supported by science. How false science created 'miracle drug'

What do we know about Covid and hydroxychloroquine

Fluoride in the water

Kennedy recently vowed to remove fluoride - a cavity-fighting mineral - from the US drinking water, which about two-thirds of Americans have in their water supply. Though it is a decision made by state and local health authorities, Kennedy said on X earlier this month that "the Trump White House will advise all US water systems to remove fluoride from public water". He alleged the chemical found in toothpaste and regularly used by dentists "is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease". Five takeaways from Trump's first week

How anti-vax misinformation shaped RFK candidacy The US Public Health Service reduced the amount of fluoride it recommended adding to water in 2015, but the federal government has encouraged states since the 1960s to add small amounts of the chemical to water to help prevent cavities and aid oral health. Recent court rulings have led to the reduction of fluoride in US water, and some experts have questioned the continued need for it in water systems given its wide availability in toothpaste and other dental products. Most of western Europe does not add fluoride to its water. In England, about one in 10 people has fluoridated drinking water. Removing it altogether could still pose a challenge, however, as the federal government does not have the final authority over that decision.

Firing hundreds of health officials

Two of UK's biggest clubs get in-house drug testing

Getty Images Warehouse Project in Manchester is one of the venues hosting the testing

Two of the UK's biggest clubs have announced they will host onsite drug testing for the first time. Charity The Loop will operate at Drumsheds in London and the Warehouse Project in Manchester, checking any confiscated or surrendered substances. If testers find something potentially dangerous - stronger than usual, contaminated, or sold as something it's not - they'll put a warning out to clubbers. The Loop's CEO Katy Porter tells BBC Newsbeat it doesn't endorse drug-taking, but accurate information can save lives if people choose to use them.

The charity's mainly tested at summer music festivals since 2013, but has been granted permission by the government to test at both venues. Katy says being able to test throughout the year allows The Loop to monitor trends in the "ever-changing" drug market more accurately. "Every point in time that we're testing, we're getting real-time information," she says. "So if we have a pause in that, we've got some delay in terms of understanding." Katy says an example of those trends came during the summer, when one in ten MDMA pills tested contained more than 200 milligrams - a much higher strength than normal. Katy says more recent testing has seen the frequency increase to one in four pills. "That poses risk for people, if they think they might be taking something of lower strength and it turns out to be much stronger than they think it is," she says.

The charity will perform "back-of-house" tests out of sight of the public, as opposed to "front-of-house" tests where people can take drugs to have them tested. Drug checking is widely supported by event organisers and authorities as part of an approach known as harm reduction. They will take measures to stop drugs getting into venues and arrest anyone supplying drugs, but most accept it's impossible to stop people from taking them completely. Harm reduction tries to make people aware of the risks and warn them about any unusual or dangerous substances in circulation. Sam Spencer, from Drumsheds, said testing at the venue was "a significant move" towards keeping audiences safer.

'You can do anything', says Grammy nominated NI star

Getty Images Jordan Adetunji said: "Having a song that I made in my bedroom in Belfast be up for a Grammy is crazy"

“It’s great for music coming out of Belfast; it just shows you can do anything no matter where you’re from.” Northern Irish hip-hop artist Jordan Adetunji, who has been nominated for a Grammy, has said he's "still processing". The Belfast rapper was named in the shortlist for Best Melodic Rap Performance alongside Beyoncé and the Weeknd for his song Kehlani. Speaking on BBC's Across The Line programme, he said: "Having a song that I made in my bedroom in Belfast be up for a Grammy is crazy."

'Exciting'

Getty Images Jordan Adetunji performing during the 2024 VMAs Block Party in Brooklyn, New York

The song has amassed 300 million streams worldwide. Adetunji, who had no inkling that he'd be nominated, said it's "exciting". "That's why it was such a surprise, because when it came out I thought it was maybe, you know, those fake prediction lists," he said. "But then I turned my phone up, because I was in the studio for an hour, and... I was like, why are so many people ringing me and then I realised."

'Your phone is your tool'

Adetunji was born in Croydon, London, and moved to Belfast when he was 10. He made his debut back in 2019, posting rap videos to social media while in school. He managed to gain greater musical recognition posting his music to TikTok resulting in him being snapped up by RCA Records, after being spotted by Bring Me the Horizon’s Oli Sykes due to a song Adetunji made called 'Woke Up.' His song Kehlani contains elements of R&B melodies and rap.. “It’s taught me a lesson to keep going, no matter what the circumstances are. Your phone is your tool." "You can do it all. You can do it all from your bedroom,” he said.

Getty Images Jordan Adetunji said, if you want to be an artist, "don't give up"

America rapper Lil Baby "was one of the first to reach out to" Adetunji after he "first dropped Kehlani". The rapper asked him to send him some music to listen to. The American singer-songwriter Kehlani also FaceTimed him asking for an "open verse" when he was out in a club. "I remember that day like yesterday," he said.

'You only fail when you give up'

Adetunji has been working on "mixing different drum patterns with R&B-sounding music" for his next project. He's been working in America, where "the crowds have been taking to my music quite well," he said. "They loved the unreleased music, which was really reassuring.” His advice to blooming artists who want to follow in his footsteps is to "always think of new ways of getting your content out there. Always be on the ball". "If it's not doing, try again tomorrow," he said. Adetunji said being nominated has taught him that "you can make it happen". "The world is so big, and there is such a way for people to discover you, so don't give up." "You only fail when you give up."

X users jump to Bluesky - but what is it and who owns it?

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You may have seen the word "Bluesky" popping up on your social media pages recently and wondered what people are talking about. It is an alternative platform to Elon Musk's X and in terms of its colour and logo, it looks quite similar. Bluesky is growing rapidly and is currently picking up around one million new sign-ups a day. It had 16.7m users at the time of writing, but that figure will likely be outdated by the time you read this. So what is it - and why are so many people joining?

What is Bluesky?

Bluesky describes itself as "social media as it should be", although it looks similar to other sites. Visually, a bar to the left of the page shows everything you might expect - search, notifications, a homepage and so on. People using the platform can post, comment, repost and like their favourite things. To put it simply, it looks how X, formerly known as Twitter, used to look.

Bluesky The Bluesky page looks remarkably like other social media platforms

The main difference is Bluesky is decentralised - a complicated term which basically means users can host their data on servers other than those owned by the company. This means that rather than being limited to having a specific account named after Bluesky, people can (if they like) sign up using an account they themselves own. But it is worth stating that the vast majority of people don't do that and a new joiner will most likely have a ".bsky.social" at the end of their username.

Who owns Bluesky?

If you think it feels a lot like X, you won't be surprised to learn why. The former head of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, created it. He even once said he wanted Bluesky to be a decentralised version of Twitter that no single person or entity owns. But Mr Dorsey is no longer part of the team behind it, having stepped down from the board in May 2024. He deleted his account altogether in September. It is now run and predominantly owned by chief executive Jay Graber as a US public benefit corporation.

Why is it gaining in popularity?

Bluesky has been around since 2019, but it was invitation-only until February of this year. That let the developers deal with all the kinks behind-the-scenes, to try and stabilise it before opening the doors to the wider public. The plan has worked, somewhat. But the flurry of new users has been so significant in November that there continue to be issues with outages.

Bluesky

It is no coincidence that the number of new Bluesky users spiked following Donald Trump's success in the US elections in November. X's owner, Mr Musk, was a big backer of Trump during his campaign, and will be heavily involved in his administration. Inevitably, this has led to a political division, with some people leaving X in protest. But others have cited different reasons, such as the Guardian newspaper which has chosen to stop posting there as it called X "a toxic media platform". Meanwhile, Bluesky's app continues to pick up significant downloads worldwide and on Thursday was the top free app in the Apple App Store in the UK. Several celebrities, from pop singer Lizzo to Taskmaster's Greg Davies, have announced they are joining the platform and limiting their use of - or in some cases leaving altogether - X. Other names you might recognise include Ben Stiller, Jamie Lee Curtis and Patton Oswalt. But this growth, while significant, will have to continue for a long time before Bluesky is able to mount a true challenge to its microblogging rival. X does not share its total user numbers but it is understood to be measured in the hundreds of millions, with Elon Musk previously saying the platform had 250 million users each day.

How does Bluesky make money?

Welsh advert causes Celtic confusion in Glasgow

The SP Energy Networks advert in both English and Welsh appeared in Glasgow

Passers-by in Glasgow were left scratching their heads after spotting an advert by an energy company in the Welsh language.

Pádraig Durnin saw the sign in Scotland's biggest city and posted it on social media platform Bluesky with the caption: "Some corporate outreach to the southside of Glasgow’s Welsh-speaking community."

Scottish Power, which owns SP Energy Networks, said it hoped "the people of Glasgow enjoyed their brief introduction to the beauty of this wonderful language".

The sign, advising what to do in a power cut, was in English as well - but the company said it would make sure its bilingual signs were shown in the right places in future.

Elon Musk met Iran's UN ambassador in New York

Several of the recent appointees to Trump's national security team, including Mike Waltz and Marco Rubio are known Iran hawks, believing the US should take a tough stance against Iran.

It is not clear if President-elect Trump or his national security team were aware of the meeting.

The meeting took place at ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani 's residence in New York, with the aim of discussing how to ease tensions between the two nations, according to the New York Times which first reported the story.

Elon Musk met Iran's ambassador to the UN a day before he was made joint head of Donald Trump's new cost cutting department, the BBC's US partner CBS has confirmed.

The US does not have diplomatic relations with Tehran but a private meeting with Musk provided a workaround, allowing Iran to avoid a meeting with an American official, according to the New York Times.

The newspaper also said that Musk requested the meeting with the ambassador, and that it was described by Iranian officials as “positive” and “good news".

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said "We do not comment on reports of private meetings that did or did not occur."

The Iranian mission to the UN and the White House declined a request for comment from CBS News.

During his first term as president, Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal, brokered in 2015 during Barack Obama’s presidency, and reinstated harsh economic sanctions which largely prohibit US companies from doing business in Iran.

Trump also ordered the air strike which killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020.

The president-elect is also a strong supporter of Israel, which has been at war with the Iranian-backed groups Hamas and Hezbollah since Hamas's 7 October attack on Israel last year.

Musk was recently appointed joint head of Donald Trump's new cost cutting department, which will advise on government cost cutting but will not be an official arm of the government.

The tech billionaire and Tesla boss also joined Trump in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and has played a key role in providing communications to Ukraine's military via his Starlink satellite internet system.

Netanyahu aide investigated over 7 October document changes

Tzachi Braverman, right, reportedly said he altered the documented time of a call to the prime minister

The accusation is focused around two telephone calls that Netanyahu received as the Hamas cross border raid was unfolding on 7 October 2023.

Detectives have confirmed an investigation is under way.

Tzachi Braverman, one of Netanyahu’s closest advisors, was questioned by the Israeli police Lahav 433 major crimes unit for over five hours on Thursday, according to reports in Israeli media.

The Chief of Staff to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being investigated by police over allegations of altering documents relating to the 7 October Hamas attack to portray his boss in a more favourable light.

Braverman is suspected of having altered the documented time when Netanyahu first received an update on the attack via a telephone call from his military secretary at the time, Major General Avi Gil.

The chief of staff is accused of changing the time from 06:40 to 06:29.

He denies having altered the transcript of the call other than to change the time.

“I know that the first call was received at 06:29, that’s why I insisted on changing it,” he is reported to have told detectives during the interrogation.

While Gil had phoned Netanyahu at 06:29, as the Hamas attack began, Netanyahu did not give any instructions, telling him instead to phone again in 10 minutes, at 06:40, according to a report in the Haaretz newspaper,

It was only during the second phone call for which Braverman allegedly altered the time stamp to appear as though it was the first, that Netanyahu ordered Gil to hold a situational assessment on the developing Hamas invasion, Haaretz reported.

The allegation is that Braverman altered the time, in order to give the impression that the prime minister had acted more urgently and more decisively.

The chief of staff denies that.

The 7 October attack was the biggest military and intelligence failure in Israel’s history.

Several senior military officials have already resigned over it.

Netanyahu has consistently denied any personal failure.

His critics though, believe it is the prime minister who was ultimately responsible for the failure to prevent the deadliest attack on the country since the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948.

Various investigations are under way into the military and intelligence failures and Netanyahu has rejected claims he is stalling on demands for a full-scale inquiry.

This potential scandal is in its infancy, but it could go on to seriously undermine the Prime Minister’s position.

And it comes at a time when Netanyahu is mid-way through a trial facing corruption charges. He is due to testify in that trial next month, having failed to have the case thrown own, believing it is a political witch-hunt.

'Pray' for Davina and '£280 hike to bills'

BBC The i Weekend writes people should expect a £280 hike to household bills in a "new blow to cost of living". It reports council tax, energy bills, water, broadband and train travel will add £278 to the costs of a typical household next year. The paper also warns inflation is expected to climb on Wednesday.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has written in the Daily Mail warning against the scourge of "thought police" in the UK under Sir Keir Starmer, comparing it to the "Soviet Union at its worst". It comes amid a row over non-crime hate incidents thrust into the spotlight after columnist Allison Pearson revealed police knocked on her door over a tweet from a year ago. Elsewhere, Davina McCall is pictured as the paper reports the presenter is out of surgery after undergoing an operation to remove a brain tumour.

The new Conservative leader is pictured on the front of the Daily Telegraph, as Kemi Badenoch calls for hate crime laws to be reviewed to protect free speech. She told the paper it was "absolutely wrong" for the police to visit any journalist's home because of an opinion they expressed.

"Say prayer for me", headlines the Daily Mirror as it splashes on Davina McCall's request before going into surgery. The 57-year-old brain tumour was benign, but the cyst was removed over fear it could cause problems if left to grow. The star's partner said after the operation: "Davina is out of surgery and according to the surgeon it was textbook."

The Sun also headlines on the McCall's "emotional pleas to fans" to pray for her as she went into her operation. It writes the mum of three underwent the six hour operation after being diagnosed purely by chance. Meanwhile, Rebecca Vardy is pictured as it reveals she will be sharing her thoughts on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in a column for the paper. The show this year stars her Wagatha Christie libel court case nemesis Coleen Rooney.

The Times reports a senior economic adviser for Donald Trump has urged the UK to align itself with US on trade rather pursing closer ties with EU. Stephen Moore, who is helping the president-elect prepare for government, said the US would be "less interested" in a free trade deal with the UK if it moved into closer alignment with the EU. The paper also highlights an interview with Cora Corre, granddaughter of the late Vivienne Westwood, who details her decision to quit her role at the fashion designer's label.

Robert Roberson's execution can resume, Texas Supreme Court rules

Roberson has long maintained his innocence. His lawyers say new evidence shows the child died of complications from pneumonia.

He was set to be the first person in the US to be executed for a murder related to "shaken baby syndrome", but legal challenges, prompted by some public outcry, paused the execution at the last minute last month.

A Texas Supreme Court has said the execution of Robert Roberson - a Texas man who was convicted of killing his two-year-old daughter - can proceed.

Just hours before Roberson, 57, was set to be executed on 17 October, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the Texas House of Representatives issued a subpoena for him to testify in a hearing that would take place after his execution date.

A Travis County judge then issued a temporary restraining order to stop the execution going ahead before the hearing took place.

But on Friday, weeks after that subpoena was issued, the Texas Supreme Court said that group of lawmakers did not have the authority to override Roberson's scheduled execution with a subpoena and the execution should now move forward.

The lawmakers' last-minute attempt last month followed Roberson pleading for leniency. He also lost multiple appeals in state courts.

A Texas parole board rejected Roberson's bid for clemency and Texas Governor Greg Abbott declined to halt Roberson's execution as well.

With their subpoena, Texas lawmakers said they planned to address questions surrounding Roberson's case and new scientific developments that could impact his conviction.

While scientific experts and Phil McGraw, the television host known as Dr Phil, spoke at the hearing, Roberson did not.

The state's attorney general refused to allow Roberson to appear in person at the hearing for security reasons.

The legislature also refused to have Roberson appear virtually because he has autism and he is not familiar with modern technology after spending 20-plus years in prison.

Among the topics discussed at the hearing was Texas' junk science law, which lets inmates challenge convictions based on later discredited science.

Mr McGraw was among the people who said that law might have affected Roberson's case.

Roberson was originally sentenced to death in 2003 for the death of his daughter, Nikki Curtis.

A post-mortem examination found she died of injuries from abuse but Roberson says his daughter fell out of her bed and when he returned hours later she was not breathing.

He took her to an emergency room where she was pronounced dead.

While medical staff immediately suspected abuse, Roberson's lawyers argued his daughter was prescribed medicines that are no longer given to children because they can cause serious complications and that, along with the fall, was the cause of her death.

In 2023 an appeals court agreed there was insufficient evidence to overturn Roberson's conviction. The Supreme Court declined to hear his case.

"Shaken baby syndrome" - now called abusive head trauma - is usually diagnosed after finding evidence of retinal haemorrhage, brain swelling and bleeding in the brain.

While the diagnosis is broadly accepted by the medical community, a recent report highlighted the need to thoroughly examine other causes before concluding injuries were due to abuse.

Pro-Russia bill triggers protests in Georgia breakaway region

Protesters storm parliament building in Georgia breakaway region Abkhazia

Abkhazia declared its independence in 1999, and Moscow recognised the region as an independent state after the Georgian-Russian war in 2008. Georgia declared Abkhazia as "occupied" by Russia. Most countries regard the area as part of Georgia.

Both the president and prime minister have reportedly fled the presidential compound.

The bill, which would have legalised Russian investment and land ownership, is being withdrawn after protesters took control of the government quarter in the capital Sukhumi.

Protesters in the breakaway Georgia region of Abkhazia have stormed parliament and the presidential complex after the government planned to approve a controversial pro-Russia bill.

Located along the Black Sea and Caucasus mountains, Abkhazia is known for its natural beauty and coastline. Locals feared an influx of Russian investment could ruin the landscape with residential complexes and price locals out of the property market.

Abkhazia was historically known as a holiday destination for the Soviet elite, and since being recognised by Moscow and its allies, has maintained a Russian presence.

The Russian foreign ministry warned its citizens to not travel to Abkhazia and if already there "to exercise increased caution, not to approach places of unrest, and, if possible, to leave" the area.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia would not interfere and "trusts" that the situation will be "resolved exclusively by peaceful political means", adding it was unfortunate the opposition didn't resolve disagreements through "civilised, mutually respectful dialogue".

Video footage showed hundreds of protesters breaking into parliament, taking down window bars and climbing through smashed windows.

According to Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti, protesters are demanding President Aslan Bzhania's resignation, with the opposition currently discussing a replacement.

This is not the first time a leader has been called upon to resign.

In 2014, demonstrators stormed the presidential headquarters, forcing then-leader Alexander Ankvab to flee. He later resigned over accusations of corruption and misrule.

In 2020, opposition leader Raul Khadzhimba, who was elected following the unrest in 2014, was also forced to step down after street protests.

Before Doak started to motor, this was shaping up to be a paean to Luka Modric and his delicious array of passes, his uncanny ability to make everything look so effortless and his other-worldly ability to find space in crowded places.

Scotland sent one man after another to get close to him and he counted them in and counted them back out again.

Not one Scot ruffled his feathers. That job fell instead to an Israeli. And what a job referee Orel Grinfeeld made of it. World-class whistling, from a Scottish perspective at least.

Grinfeeld sounds like a character from the Fantastic Beasts movies and, in sending off Petar Sucic just before the break, he became a beautiful creature to a previously angst-ridden home crowd.

The Tartan Army were living off their nerves to that point. Scotland were blessed to be level. Frankly, they were all over the place.

Hustled and harried and looking to all the world like they were preparing to plunge ever deeper into the bottomless pit of poor results.

Croatia should have been a goal or two to the good, but weren't. If they were frustrated, it was nothing compared to the state they were about to get themselves.

Sucic, on a booking, was adjudged to have barrelled into John Souttar and out came the red. It was unjust and, suddenly, Modric lost his shape.

He shouted, he laughed sarcastically, he waved his arms in disbelief. And then he was booked. He'll miss Portugal on Monday.

At the break, one of his coaches stared out Grinfeeld in a slightly comedic scene. When the Croatian advanced, out came a yellow card. Pantomime stuff. Wonderful.

Emma Raducanu made a winning return from injury before Katie Boulter followed with another victory to secure Great Britain's place in the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals.

In the opening match of Britain's first-round tie against Germany, Raducanu secured a 6-4 6-4 victory - on her sixth match point after an edgy finish - over Jule Niemeier in Malaga.

The 22-year-old was playing her first match in almost two months because of a foot injury, but produced an encouraging display in the 12-nation women's team event on her latest comeback.

"I feel pretty good physically. Emotionally I felt pretty calm out there. I'm very pleased to have scored that point," said Raducanu.

"I think this event is a great way to come back, even though there is some pressure to score a point for your team. You're not just playing for yourself, you're playing for everyone."

Fresh from breaking into the top 25, British number one Boulter clinched victory in the best-of-three encounter with a 6-1 6-2 win over 84th-ranked Laura Siegemund later on Friday.

Boulter's win ensured the nation progressed without needing Olivia Nicholls and Heather Watson to play in a deciding doubles match against German pair Anna-Lena Friedsam and Tatjana Maria.

Britain, who have never won the BJK Cup, will face defending champions Canada in the last eight on Sunday from 16:00 GMT.

Having had their 19-game winning streak in Dublin halted by the All Blacks a week before, Ireland would have sought a quick start to ease any pressure built through seven days of scrutiny.

While they got just that through a pair of tries in the opening five minutes, the visitors will be left wondering what might have been had Matias Moroni not been sent to the sin bin in the second minute, the first of two cards for each side.

The Argentina centre had crossed the line just moments before being shown the yellow, his high tackle on Jack Crowley bringing the double blow of a disallowed score and 10 minutes on the sidelines.

Ireland were quick to take advantage, crossing the line twice as the centre watched on.

The first came directly from the subsequent penalty, Crowley darting across after Ronan Kelleher had been stopped short, with the second arriving only moments later from an attack launched directly from the subsequent restart.

With centres Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose both carrying well, the ball was spread to Tadhg Beirne whose popped pass inside to Mack Hansen saw Ireland open up a two-score lead.

Argentina got on the board when Albornoz punished a Henshaw offside but as Moroni returned his side trailed 12-3. The centre quickly played his part in dislodging the ball from Beirne's hand as he tried to ground for the score.

To conclude a frantic opening 17 minutes, it was Ireland then reduced to 14 when Finlay Bealham was sent to the bin for a croc roll on his fellow prop Joel Scalvi but the visitors could not take advantage as Ireland had previously.

Albornoz kicked another pair of penalties during the Connacht man's absence but, with a Crowley drop-goal in between, Ireland were still 15-9 ahead when restored to 15.

McCarthy's try, again started from the line-out, edged Farrell's side further ahead but their discipline remained an issue.

Having been whistled too frequently against the All Blacks, they conceded six penalties in the first half, including three in quick succession in the final minute of the half, but Argentina could not make them pay.

Xiao Guodong defeated 2023 winner Mark Allen 6-3 as he moved into the final of the Champion of Champions in Bolton.

China's Xiao, who is enjoying his best campaign as a professional, took the opener with a 71 clearance after world number three Allen broke down on 65 and he also enjoyed runs of 83 and 71 to establish a 3-1 lead at the interval.

However, the Northern Irishman drew level at 3-3 before Xiao pulled clear again, taking two hard-fought frames before sealing his victory.

Xiao, who had already beaten Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Selby on his way to the last four, will now face either Mark Williams or Neil Robertson on Sunday (13:00 GMT) in a battle for the £150,000 top prize.

I'm not going to lose, did you hear me? - Tyson. Video, 00:01:53I'm not going to lose, did you hear me? - Tyson

Floods, ceiling holes and loose sockets - life in a new-build

Shelby Brown Five-year-old Riley and his mum, Shelby Brown, were crossing the road with a group near their house when he bruised his leg in a broken drain

Buying a home on a brand new estate is meant to offer peace of mind, free from the potential pitfalls of older homes. But people living on Fern Meadow in Wrexham have been plagued by issues including unfinished roads and pavements, flooding, and loose sockets and holes in their ceilings. Shelby Brown's five-year-old son Riley was injured when he fell down a broken drain cover while trick or treating. Anwyl Homes said health and safety advice was given to home buyers while and Bellway Homes - joint developer of the estate in Llay - added that it was in "regular communication with affected residents".

The 360-home development was built in 2020, but most of the estate's roads and pavements are yet to be surfaced. While out on Halloween, Riley's foot went through a gap in a drain cover, leaving him with bruises up his leg.

Anwyl sent its best wishes to the family and said the gully cover had immediately been replaced. But Ms Brown said she felt "shrugged off" after being told the company "did not believe" it was responsible as it told home buyers to "take extra precautions" on unfinished roads and use the "footpaths provided". Ms Brown said the response was "absolutely shocking".

Melissa Brimer and James Evans said the condition of the new estate gives a "bad impression"

This incident brought into sharp focus the problems that have plagued Fern Meadow residents since they started moving in four years ago. Drainage system problems, flooding, and construction issues inside and outside their homes are chief among the complaints. One resident, who did not want to be named, said what happened to Riley was "not a surprise" and there were other safety hazards, including loose manhole covers.

Shelby Brown Riley suffered bruising to his leg when his foot slipped through this hole

He paid £250,000 for his Bellway home two years ago and said, when he moved in, the list of unfinished work included kitchen sockets hanging out of walls, holes in the ceiling and flooding in his back garden. He added that he discovered one issue that could have been fatal when he was trying to install some lights. "The fuses were the wrong way around," he said. "The wires were live. I had a tester, so I realised. I'd be dead if not."

Fern Meadow resident Residents have complained about many issues, including flooded gardens

For James Evans and Melissa Brimer, who moved in just over 18 months ago, it is the look of the estate that is a big concern, with unfinished roads and makeshift ramps. Mr Evans said the "lack of communication" and "poor after-sale care" was frustrating. "No-one from the developers comes here to explain the timescales," he said.

Another resident, who did not want to give their name, said he and his partner commissioned their own independent engineering report after persistent flooding in their garage, driveway, and garden. They also notified the National House Building Council (NHBC) about issues inside including a sinking kitchen floor and a gas leak which left them with no heating, but said developers seem "not to be answerable to anyone". "You are left in a wilderness. You would have better consumer protection if you were buying a pair of shoes," they added.

Developers say work to get the roads and pavements finished is getting underway

Both developers have apologised for the delays in completing work on the roads and pavements, but said progress was being made. Bellway homes said it would continue to work with residents, but in some cases, access to properties had prevented them from carrying out work. Regarding concerns about manhole covers, Bellway said keys were needed to lift them and any loose covers had been "remedied" when spotted by the onsite team. Another Wrexham Bellway development, Gatewen Village in New Broughton, has also been suffered flooding while waiting for drainage works to start. The house builder is also dealing with complaints about flooding and outstanding snagging issues on other developments including in one in Cambridgeshire. Swansea-based snagging expert John Cooper said the issues at Fern Meadow were common on new-build estates across the UK, with too few quality tradespeople to cope with the demand.

One resident said he had easily lifted a number of manhole covers near his house

Fern Meadow was controversial before it was even built - plans were rejected by Wrexham council, only to be given the green light by the Welsh government's planning inspector. Llay councillor Rob Walsh said objections included fears about flooding. He believes people who moved in had been "let down", saying residents who complained were told "it's a private matter, sort it out between yourselves". Fellow councillor Bryan Apsley said "it seems like it's been a disaster from day one". The Welsh government said its permission included land drainage works to be submitted to the council, and it was the authority's job to enforce planning conditions. The council told the BBC developers were responsible until it was happy that "drainage, roads and footways are completed to a satisfactory standard for adoption". NHBC said its 10-year warranty "protects homeowners in the event of serious structural defect" but said snagging issues were the builder’s responsibility.

What should happen with the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields?

PA Media Protesters from Greenpeace and Uplift gathered outside the Court of Session in Edinburgh at the start of the case

How much oil — and how much profit — remain beneath the waters that buffet the British Isles? Going by the number of lawyers packed into the Court of Session in Edinburgh this week, it must be a decent amount. Seven advocates squeezed into the front row of courtroom number one where environmental campaigners are challenging the government's approval of the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields. Behind them, a further three rows were also packed with lawyers, tapping on laptops and scribbling in notebooks. Such an army obviously does not come cheap. Remarkably they all agree on one basic fact — the Rosebank oil field in the Atlantic and the Jackdaw gas development in the North Sea were approved unlawfully. However, the lawyers disagree sharply about what, if anything, should be done about it.

The person who must decide is Andrew Stewart, better known by his judicial title, Lord Ericht, who is presiding over this judicial review of the UK government's decisions to approve the fields. The previous Conservative administration and the oil and gas regulator consented to Jackdaw in summer 2022, with its owner Shell saying the field would be able to provide gas to 1.4 million British homes.

Rosebank, located west of Shetland and estimated to contain between 300 and 500 million barrels of oil, was given the green light the following autumn. Operated by Norwegian state energy giant Equinor and Aberdeen-based Ithaca Energy, it is believed to be the largest untapped field in UK waters and its oil is to be taken off by tanker and sold on the international market, with some gas being piped to Shetland. Among many other requirements, consent was granted on the basis of environmental impact statements submitted by the companies. As was standard practice at the time, these assessed the climate impact of emissions caused by the process of extracting oil and gas but did not assess the impact of the greenhouse gases which would be released when the fossil fuels were eventually burned, known as downstream emissions. Consent in hand, the owners of the fields raced ahead with work to get ready for drilling, striking deals with suppliers and hiring staff. All week the court has heard repeated references to the vast sums of money that are being spent on the two projects.

PA Media Equinor says it will invest £2.2bn in Rosebank and provide employment for 4,000 people

Counsel for Equinor said it was investing £2.2bn in Rosebank, providing employment for 4,000 people. Shell's lawyer said it was investing £1.1bn in the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, employing "at least 1,000" people between 2023 and 2025. Production is scheduled to begin at Jackdaw in 2026 and at Rosebank in 2026/27. But this June a victory for climate campaigners in the UK Supreme Court sent a shiver through all three firms and the wider industry. In Finch v Surrey County Council, which involved a dispute about drilling oil wells near London's Gatwick Airport, the court ruled that an environmental impact assessment must include downstream emissions.

'Simply lost a bet'

On the eve of the judicial review, Sarah Finch, the environmental campaigner after whom the Surrey case is named, told me that "the exact same thing happened at Rosebank.” “It was granted permission with no assessment of the impact of burning the oil or gas to come out of it,” she said, adding: “So, a much bigger site, but exactly the same argument." The three companies involved in the Court of Session accept the Finch ruling means that, in retrospect, their licences were granted unlawfully. However, they insist they provided all the environmental information required at the time of their applications; they were told by the industry regulator not to assess downstream emissions; and they should not be "punished" for a Supreme Court decision which they say they could not have foreseen. Lord Ericht appeared to sum up their position succinctly on Friday, when he suggested it amounted to them asking him to say: "I accept this decision is unlawful but I give it lawful effect." The campaign groups Greenpeace and Uplift strongly object to any such idea. They disagree that the decision in Finch could not have been predicted with one lawyer suggesting the oil companies had simply lost a bet.

PA Media

Both groups now want the judge to pause work on Rosebank and Jackdaw while the fields' downstream emissions are assessed. Then, they argue, the Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, and the government's North Sea Transition Authority (formerly known as the Oil and Gas Authority), could make a fresh decision about the fields’ licences, armed with a fuller understanding of their contribution to climate change. Even then, there may be a snag. Lawyers for the government, who were also in court, say they have doubts that Mr Miliband has the necessary legal power to revisit the decisions at all. If Mr Miliband does have the power, and if it does come to the crunch, it is not clear what he would do. In court, the UK government's lawyer was reluctant to be drawn on the matter. At times he sounded as if ministers very much wished the whole affair would simply go away. After all, in campaigning against the Tories in the general election this summer, Labour had carefully crafted a policy which appeared designed to minimise controversy, and to avoid becoming dragged into the debate about Rosebank. It went like this — Labour was committed to tackling climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions but also recognised the importance of the oil and gas industry. As such it would not grant any new exploration licences in UK waters but it would allow existing projects — including Rosebank and Jackdaw — to continue. Ministers spoke of domestic energy production as critical for keeping bills down; helping to ensure the nation's energy security; generating taxes; and for assisting with the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Many of those claims are contested by environmentalists.

PA Media Campaigners hope Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will be able to make a fresh decision on licensing, but he may not have the legal authority to do so

Tessa Khan, executive director of Uplift, said 80% of the UK's oil was exported. "There's no world in which you could have a robust environmental assessment that takes into account those downstream emissions and decide that those environmental impacts are acceptable," she told me. In Aberdeen though, the heart of the UK's energy industry, there is a great deal of nervousness about the potential impact of the decision in this case, and about the wider impact of government policy on the sector. Just last week, one US oil firm said it would end all North Sea operations by the end of 2029 because of high levels of taxation.

Minister at NI-Belarus match despite government guidance

BBC Minister Lyons seen attending the match on Friday evening

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons attended Northern Ireland's game against Belarus despite UK government guidance that the game shouldn’t go ahead. The UK has sanctions in place against Belarus due to the country's support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. BBC News NI understands the government is "disappointed" Uefa allowed the match at Windsor Park in south Belfast to go ahead - in spite of this it granted visas to Belarusian players and staff. In a statement, a Department for Communities spokesperson said: "Any matters relating to sanctions are for UEFA and the UK Government, who issued the visas to the players.”

They added: “Gordon Lyons was tonight proudly supporting Northern Ireland in the UEFA Nations League match against Belarus. "He has expressed his delight at the result and the continued success of our country."

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Uefa told the BBC that Belarus was not permitted to host matches, but it did not comment on its position on the country playing games elsewhere. The Irish Football Association has not responded to requests for comment. Belarus has been banned from taking part in other international sporting competitions including the Olympics and Paralympics.

Pacemaker Posting on social media after the game, Lyons wrote: "Great result for Northern Ireland this evening"

Getty Images Belarus last played at Windsor Park in 2019

A source told BBC News NI that it was the UK government's "unequivocal position that there should be no Russian or Belarusian representation in international sport. We have issued guidance to our domestic sports bodies to that effect". "We are disappointed that Uefa has now followed this approach and has allowed Belarusian teams to participate in international competition," they said. "The decision to allow the participation of Belarus in Uefa competitions and to play the fixture in Northern Ireland is a matter for Uefa and the Irish Football Association."

KREMLIN POOL The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of the Russian President Vladamir Putin

The previous Conservative government signed a pledge with a number of other countries agreeing that Belarusian footballers should be banned from competing in other countries. The pledge says that "athletes selected by Russia and Belarus, administrators and teams representing the Russian or Belarusian state should be banned from competing in other countries, including those representing bodies, cities or brands that are effectively representing Russia or Belarus, such as major football clubs". The pledge was signed by the then Culture and Sport Secretary Nadine Dorries. Jack Chambers, a junior minister in the Irish government, signed on behalf of the Republic of Ireland. In 2023, 100 members of the European parliament wrote to Uefa asking that Belarus be expelled from their tournaments due to its human rights record. Uefa did not respond directly to any of the issues raised but pointed the BBC to a statement it released in March 2022 about the issue. "All Belarusian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues with immediate effect," it said. "Furthermore, no spectators shall attend matches in which the teams from Belarus feature as host. "The Uefa executive committee will convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary."

Why are there sanctions against Belarus?

Ambulance 'failure' played role in motorbike death

Family Handout Aaron Morris's wife saw the crash site while returning from an appointment

The death of a motorcyclist who had to wait almost an hour for a paramedic following a crash was caused in part by a "failure" in the response time of an ambulance service, a coroner said. Aaron Morris, 31, died about six hours after his motorbike collided with a car on 1 July 2022 in Esh Winning, near Durham. Coroner Crispin Oliver was told it took 54 minutes for an ambulance to get to the crash due to high demand. He heard evidence from one expert who suggested Mr Morris's chance of survival had been as high as 95% had he been treated in a timely manner.

The North East Ambulance Service's (NEAS) target for arrival at a scene was 18 minutes. During the inquest, at Crook in County Durham, the coroner heard an air ambulance could have been sent to the scene earlier, but this did not happen. He said a specialist paramedic, known as a clinical team leader (CTL), was not deployed to the crash. Mr Oliver said: "It is highly likely that Aaron Morris would have survived had available specialist medical treatment been applied in a timely manner." He added such treatment had not occurred speedily due to "overstretched resources" and the failure to deploy a CTL to the crash.

'Would have survived'

The inquest also heard that Mr Morris's pregnant wife, Samantha, came across the scene of the crash while returning from a hospital appointment. It was also told the father-of-five experienced a cardiac arrest in the ambulance, which Mrs Morris directed to the hospital because the driver did not know the way. Mr Oliver concluded: "It is highly likely that Aaron Morris would have survived had available specialist medical treatment been applied in a timely manner. "Aaron Morris died from injuries sustained in a road traffic collision and failure of the response of the ambulance service, contributed to by neglect."

PA Samantha Morris said she appreciated the ambulance service's transparency

NEAS medical director Dr Kat Noble said the service "unreservedly apologise" for not providing the right care. "We accept that opportunities were missed to deploy a clinical team leader to this incident," she said, adding the service fully accepts the coroner's findings and has taken a number of actions as a result of its investigations into Mr Morris's death. Mrs Morris said the transparency shown by bodies such as NEAS was "appreciated". "After hearing the evidence from Dr Noble... I would now feel confident dialling 999 and requesting a North East ambulance which I never thought I would say. "I want to now focus on my children and moving forwards." Additional reporting by PA Media.

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