Trump says Starmer and Macron 'haven't done anything' to end Ukraine war

Kellogg went on to praise Zelensky as a "courageous leader" only days after Trump referred to him as a "dictator".

Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg struck a different tone earlier and said he had "extensive and positive" discussions with Zelensky during their meeting on Thursday.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump also said that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has "no cards" in peace negotiations, adding: "I don't think he's very important to be in meetings."

US President Donald Trump has said that French President Emmanuel Macron and UK PM Keir Starmer "haven't done anything" to end the war in Ukraine, ahead of visits from both leaders to the White House next week.

Zelensky has held phone calls with various global leaders in recent days, who have expressed their commitment to ensuring Ukraine is involved in peace talks.

Earlier this week, Starmer said he is "ready and willing" to put UK troops on the ground in Ukraine to help guarantee its security as part of a peace deal.

While European leaders have ruled out negotiating with Russia, they have met regularly to discuss the war in Ukraine - including at an emergency summit in Paris on Monday.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the US, UK and EU, along with countries including Australia, Canada and Japan, have imposed more than 20,000 sanctions on Russia.

Many European nations have also signed agreements to support and provide aid to Ukraine. In January, Starmer signed a "landmark" 100-year pact, telling Zelensky: "We are with you not just today, for this year or the next - but for 100 years - long after this terrible war is over and Ukraine is free and thriving once again."

Trump, in his Fox interview on Friday, said Russia and Ukraine would not want to begin peace talks without his own personal involvement.

He also continued to criticise Zelensky, saying: "I've been watching this man for years now as his cities get demolished, as his people get killed, as his soldiers get decimated.

"I've been watching him negotiate with no cards. He has no cards, and you get sick of it," he continued. "You just get sick of it, and I've had it."

Despite his criticism of Macron and Starmer, Trump also praised the European leaders. He said he considers Macron to be a "friend", and called Starmer "a very nice guy".

Macron is expected to visit Washington DC on Monday, while Starmer is expected to arrive on Friday.

And after criticising Zelensky over the past week - using talking points that analysts say sound more like they originate in Moscow than Washington DC - Trump offered that "of course" he would take a phone call from Ukraine's president.

He insisted several times that Zelensky is to blame to failing to prevent war, saying that Russia could have been "talked out" of invading Ukraine.

Asked about Ukraine's absence at peace talks in Saudi Arabia this week, Trump said that Russia "found it impossible to make a deal with Zelensky".

He said he believes that Russia sincerely wants a deal to end the war, but that Russian President Vladimir Putin "doesn't have to make a deal".

US Vice-President JD Vance later hit back at critics who said that Trump's stance on Russia amounts to "appeasement".

Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

3 hours ago Zoe Kleinman • @zsk Technology editor

Getty Images

Apple is taking the unprecedented step of removing its highest level data security tool from customers in the UK, after the government demanded access to user data. Advanced Data Protection (ADP) means only account holders can view items such as photos or documents they have stored online through a process known as end-to-end encryption. But earlier this month the UK government asked for the right to see the data, which currently not even Apple can access. Apple did not comment at the time but has consistently opposed creating a "backdoor" in its encryption service, arguing that if it did so, it would only be a matter of time before bad actors also found a way in. Now the tech giant has decided it will no longer be possible to activate ADP in the UK. It means eventually not all UK customer data stored on iCloud - Apple's cloud storage service - will be fully encrypted. Data with standard encryption is accessible by Apple and shareable with law enforcement, if they have a warrant. The Home Office told the BBC: "We do not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any such notices." In a statement Apple said it was "gravely disappointed" that the security feature would no longer be available to British customers. "As we have said many times before, we have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products, and we never will," it continued. How does encryption work? The ADP service is opt-in, meaning people have to sign up to get the protection it provides. From 1500GMT on Friday, any Apple user in the UK attempting to turn it on has been met with an error message.

Apple

Existing users' access will be disabled at a later date. It is not known how many people have signed up for ADP since it became available to British Apple customers in December 2022. Prof Alan Woodward - a cyber-security expert at Surrey University - said it was a "very disappointing development" which amounted to "an act of self harm" by the government. "All the UK government has achieved is to weaken online security and privacy for UK based users," he told the BBC, adding it was "naïve" of the UK to "think they could tell a US technology company what to do globally". Online privacy expert Caro Robson said she believed it was "unprecedented" for a company "simply to withdraw a product rather than cooperate with a government". "It would be a very, very worrying precedent if other communications operators felt they simply could withdraw products and not be held accountable by governments," she told the BBC. Meanwhile, Bruce Daisley, a former senior executive at X, then known as Twitter, told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "Apple saw this as a point of principle - if they were going to concede this to the UK then every other government around the world would want this."

What did the UK ask for?

Salman Rushdie attacker found guilty of attempted murder and assault

1 hour ago Alys Davies BBC News

Watch: Hadi Matar found guilty in the attempted murder of Salman Rushdie

A New Jersey man who stabbed renowned British-Indian author Sir Salman Rushdie multiple times on a New York lecture stage has been convicted of attempted murder and assault. Hadi Matar, 27, now faces a sentence of more than 30 years in prison. The attack in August 2022 left Sir Salman with severe injuries including damage to his liver, vision loss in one eye and a paralysed hand caused by nerve damage to his arm. The jury's guilty verdict on Friday came after a two-week trial in Chautauqua County Court in western New York state, near the site of the attack.

The jury also found Matar guilty of assault for wounding the interviewer, Henry Reese, who was on stage with the author. Mr Reese suffered a minor head injury during the attack. Matar's sentencing date has been scheduled for 23 April. Sir Salman, 77, testified that he was on stage at the historic Chautauqua Institute when he saw a man rushing towards him. Recalling the incident, he said he was struck by the assailant's eyes, "which were dark and seemed very ferocious". He initially thought he had been punched, before realising he had been stabbed - 15 times in total - with wounds to his eye, cheek, neck, chest, torso and thigh. The attack took place more than 35 years after Sir Salman's novel, The Satanic Verses, was first published. The novel, inspired by the life of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, sparked outrage among some Muslims, who considered its content to be blasphemous. The book was banned in some countries after it was published in 1988. Sir Salman faced countless death threats and was forced into hiding for nine years after Iran's religious leader issued a fatwa - or decree - calling for the author's death due to the book. But in recent years, the author said he believed the threats against him had diminished.

Reuters Sir Salman lost his sight in one eye following the attack

Man seriously injured in stabbing at Berlin Holocaust memorial

Watch: Man arrested near site of stabbing at Berlin Holocaust memorial

The victim - a 30-year-old Spanish tourist - has been transported to hospital with wounds not thought to be life threatening.

Images showed emergency vehicles and armed police lined along one side of the memorial site. Officers cordoned off the site and were searching the area.

The incident took place at around 18:00 local time (17:00 GMT), police said on X, adding that investigations into what happened "are ongoing".

A man has been seriously injured in a knife attack near Berlin's Holocaust memorial.

Police have arrested a male suspect. It is not clear whether the attacker was known to the victim.

They also said they did not know what the weapon was.

Many officers have been deployed to the area in the aftermath, with a police statement on X saying there are also rescue workers on site "caring for several people who witnessed the events".

The attack appears to have taken place on the northern side of the memorial - opposite which sits the US Embassy.

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which covers 19,000 sq metres, is described as being Germany's central Holocaust memorial.

Hours after the attack in the German capital, Swedish police said they had apprehended three men near the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm, on suspicion of preparing to commit violent crime.

"We are unable to comment on the potential motive," police spokesperson Susanna Rinaldo told the Reuters news agency.

There has been no suggestion that the attack in Berlin and arrests in Stockholm are linked.

The stabbing comes just days before federal elections are held in Germany.

Israel checking Hamas claims new body handed to Red Cross is Shiri Bibas

Shiri Bibas was kidnapped with her two children during the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was in contact with the Bibas family.

Israeli medical authorities said they were preparing to conduct an identification test on the body.

It comes after Israel said forensic testing showed a body handed over on Thursday - said by Hamas to be Shiri Bibas - was not that of the Israeli mother but a different unidentified woman.

Hamas says it has handed over a body to the Red Cross which it claims is that of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas.

A senior Hamas official confirmed to the BBC the handover of the new body had taken place on Friday evening.

Israel earlier accused Hamas of breaking the terms of the ceasefire deal after forensic testing showed the remains of Shiri Bibas had not been handed back on Thursday.

The bodies of her sons Ariel and Kfir Bibas were returned to Israel, as was that of another hostage, Oded Lifschitz.

Hamas claimed the children and their mother were killed by Israeli bombing, without providing evidence.

In a post on X on Friday, Hamas spokesman Ismail al-Thawabta said Shiri's remains seemed to have been mixed up with other bodies under rubble after the air strike.

Israel has disputed the claim that Ariel and Kfir Bibas were killed in an airstrike, with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari telling a press conference "forensic findings", which have not been seen by the BBC, suggested the boys had been killed "deliberately".

He said evidence had been shared with Israel's "partners around the world so they can verify it".

Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were aged 32, four and nine months when they were kidnapped during the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023.

They were taken hostage along with the children's father Yarden Bibas, 34, who was released alive by Hamas on 1 February.

In the Hamas attacks of 7 October, about 1,200 people - mostly civilians - were killed and 251 others taken back to Gaza as hostages.

In response, Israel launched a massive military campaign against Hamas which has killed at least 48,319 Palestinians - mainly civilians - according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Minister sacked over WhatsApp messages faces standards probe

7 hours ago Joshua Nevett Political reporter

PA Media

Parliament's standards watchdog has launched an investigation into MP Andrew Gwynne. Gwynne was sacked as a minister and suspended from the Labour Party earlier this month after a newspaper reported offensive messages in a WhatsApp group. Gwynne, who is now sitting as the independent MP for Gorton and Denton, apologised for any offence caused by the comments. Parliament's website says the investigation relates to "actions causing significant damage to the reputation of the House as a whole, or of its Members generally".

The commissioner for standards, who looks into potential breaches of parliamentary rules, opened the investigation on Tuesday. The commissioner said the investigation is relevant to a section of code of conduct that says MPs "shall never undertake any action which would cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons as a whole, or of its members generally". Earlier this month, Gwynne said he regretted "badly misjudged" comments in the WhatsApp group named Trigger Me Timbers, after he was sacked by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. In messages first reported by the Mail on Sunday, Gwynne had said he hoped a 72-year-old woman would soon be dead after she wrote to her local councillor about bin collections. Gwynne also joked about a constituent being "mown down" by a truck in the messages, which have been seen by the BBC. Burnley MP Oliver Ryan and 11 councillors in Greater Manchester, who were members of the WhatsApp group, were also suspended by the Labour Party. At the time, Downing Street said the prime minister would "not hesitate to take action" when ministers and MPs do not uphold high standards.

Kendrick Lamar earns first UK number one with Not Like Us

5 hours ago Annabel Rackham Culture reporter

Getty Images Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl half-time show was the most watched of all time, according to the NFL

Nine months after it was originally released, Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us has earned the rapper his first number one single in the UK. The song's popularity was boosted by Lamar's record-breaking Super Bowl half-time show earlier this month, in which the track was one of the set's biggest talking points. Not Like Us, the diss track that became the knockout blow in his feud with fellow rapper Drake, was streamed 6.4 million times in the UK in the last week. Luther and All The Stars, Kendrick's collaborations with SZA, have both also re-entered the top five. Drake has also made his way into the official charts this week, with three songs from his joint album with PARTYNEXTDOOR, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, entering the top 40.

The album itself, which was released on Valentine's Day, sits at number three in this week's UK album chart.

Getty Images Drake has filed a defamation lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar diss track Not Like Us

Kendrick still appears to have the upper hand over Drake in the US charts, with Not Like Us and Luther at numbers one and two respectively. Earlier this week, Kendrick made history by becoming the first rapper to have three albums in the Billboard top 10. His latest release GNX climbed from number four to number one, 2017's DAMN. is at nine, and 2021's good kid, m.A.A.d city reached number 10. Kendrick's rise to chart domination came after his Super Bowl performance was the most-watched halftime show ever with 133.5 million viewers, according to the NFL. The Los Angeles native also won five Grammys earlier this month, including record and song of the year for Not Like Us. His difficult relationship with Drake is set to continue as Drake is currently suing the pair's record label Universal for for defamation and harassment over Not Like Us.

Getty Images Sabrina Carpenter has this week's number one album with Short N' Sweet

Families return home after sinkhole swallows road

6 hours ago Adrian Harms BBC News, Godstone Katy Docherty-Warren BBC News, South East

Reuters Six evacuated families are returning home after two sinkholes appeared since Monday

Six families have been allowed to return to their homes after a sinkhole swallowed a large part of a Surrey road. Residents from 30 properties in Godstone were told to evacuate in the early hours of Tuesday after the hole appeared in the village overnight. Tandridge District Council leader Catherine Sayer said it was considering whether other families could be allowed home. Families had previously said they had been left "homeless" by the sinkhole and had "no idea" when they would be allowed home.

Ms Sayer previously said she was "very sorry" if anyone felt let down by the level of support from the local authority, adding the council had been "doing their best" to keep residents informed. A spokesperson for Tandridge District Council (TDC) added that affected residents and businesses would not need to pay council tax or business rates while they were unable to use their properties.

Families had been forced to leave their homes after a 100m cordon was put in place after a second sinkhole appeared in Godstone High Street. A major incident was previously declared but this is now being referred to as a "significant incident". An 87-year-old man told BBC Radio Surrey he would remain in his home only metres from the sinkholes. Bren Davis said he had lived in his property, approximately 60ft (18m) opposite the sinkhole, all his life and despite having no water, he and his wife do not want to leave. He said : "I'm staying put."

BBC / Adrian Harms The sinkhole was declared a "major incident" by Surrey County Council on Tuesday

Mr Davis said he was confident his house was stable and that it was built by his grandfather. "There are more bricks below our house than above," he said. Mr Davis has had three "helpful" visits from the police, but nobody has ordered him to leave, he said. He has an escape plan if anything goes wrong, he said. "If we have a problem, we have a back entrance so we can run out that way," he added.

Godstone Farm's chief executive, Nicola Henderson, said the farm was left without water on Tuesday before receiving water bowsers. Although the animals are her priority, she worries visitors will be put off by disruption to the village in the long term. She said: "There's a lot at stake here."

BBC / Adrian Harms Godstone Farm was left without water for part of Tuesday, says their CEO

Garage owner Shane Fry told BBC Radio Surrey he believed customers would soon be allowed to limited access to the High Street. Surrey County Council said: "Any decision to move the cordon back will depend on the outcome of technical safety assessments over the coming days." Residents said on Thursday they feared they would be homeless for months.

The first hole appeared late on Monday night when a water pipe burst, growing to at least 65ft (20m) long by Tuesday lunchtime. TDC said on Thursday: "The sinkhole in Godstone remains a significant incident and we continue to work closely with our partners to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. "The response is now being led by TDC, with ongoing support from the Surrey Local Resilience Forum, which includes Surrey County Council." A spokesperson for SES Water confirmed it had "restored water supplies to all customers in the area" and was working with other agencies involved in the incident.

Shackled Luigi Mangione in packed court over healthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killing

53 minutes ago Madeline Halpert and Nada Tawfik Reporting from court

Watch: Luigi Mangione arrives at court surrounded by security

A lawyer for Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has argued that the 26-year-old is not being granted the right to a fair trial. The comments came during a brief procedural hearing on Friday, which drew hundreds of supporters - some from as far as Kansas - chanting the defendant's name and wearing shirts adorned with his face. Mr Mangione arrived in court with his hands and legs shackled, wearing a green sweater and a bulletproof vest. He has pleaded not guilty to the New York charges. The killing of Mr Thompson, 50, a husband and father of two, sparked a nationwide conversation about the US healthcare system, unleashing pent-up anger at the industry and some ugly reaction.

Getty Images Mr Mangione is being tried in three separate cases in New York and Pennsylvania, where he was arrested

Chants from Mr Mangione’s supporters could be heard from the court’s 15th floor on Friday. His brief appearance drew more people than the number that attended the public gallery in the same courtroom last year for President Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Some of Mangione's supporters wore face masks and green Luigi hats, from the Super Mario video game franchise. A court officer watching the spectacle muttered: "What a joke." Among members of the public in court was Chelsea Manning, who was convicted more than a decade ago of espionage for leaking secret military files to Wikileaks. Investigators say Mr Mangione was motivated to kill Mr Thompson because of anger with US healthcare insurance companies. In addition to the New York state-level charges, Mr Mangione is accused of federal stalking and murder offences that could carry a death penalty. The three separate cases were a source of frustration for Mr Mangione's lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, who argued before the packed court on Friday that her client was being treated differently than other defendants. "His right to a fair trial is continuing to be impacted," she said at the hearing, which lasted less than 30 minutes. She cited her client's detainment in federal custody and remarks made by city officials about the case as factors that could influence the proceedings. At the beginning of the hearing to discuss a pre-trial schedule, Ms Agnifilo said her client should not have to be shackled while in court, arguing it denies him the presumption of innocence guaranteed to all defendants. "He is a model prisoner" in federal custody, Ms Agnifilo said. But Judge Gregory Carro said court security preferred for Mr Mangione to remain shackled.

Watch: Luigi Mangione's lawyer speaks outside of court

Man offers to split winnings after thieves win jackpot with his credit card

The owner of the credit card has suggested splitting the winnings 50/50

No one has so far come forward with the winning ticket, which has been blocked by Française des Jeux (FDJ), the operator of France's national lottery, according to Jean-David.

"Without me, they would not have won, but without them, I would not have bought this ticket. I want to offer them to share the winnings," the Toulouse resident said.

Introducing himself as Jean-David E, the man told RTL radio that since the money would otherwise be seized by the authorities, he is looking to strike a deal with the thieves.

A Frenchman has appealed to two thieves who used his stolen credit card to purchase a jackpot-winning scratch card to come forward, promising to split the €500,000 (£413,664) prize with them.

Jean-David discovered that his backpack containing his wallet had been stolen from his car parked in central Toulouse on the 3 February.

After calling his bank to block his credit card, he discovered that €52.50 (£43.47) had been spent via a contactless payment at Tabac des Thermes, a nearby corner shop. Jean-David went to the shop to see if the staff had seen anything suspicious or if any of his belongings had been abandoned at the shop.

"My client spoke to the cashier and discovered that two men who appeared to be homeless used his credit card to purchase cigarettes and several scratch cards", Jean-David's lawyer, Pierre Debuisson told the BBC.

The two men told the cashier that they had won the €500,000 jackpot on one of the cards and that they were planning on going to FDJ to claim their winnings.

The cashier found the two men's behaviour suspicious as they were unable to enter the PIN number of one of the cards they attempted to make the purchase with, according to Jean-David.

After his conversation with the cashier, Jean-David contacted the local police who in turn reached out the FDJ to alert the games company.

The police are now likely to seize the winnings and should the thieves approach the FDJ themselves, they are likely to be arrested, according to Jean-Davide.

Scratch card winners have 30 days from the date of purchase to claim their winnings, and for Jean-Davide and his unlikely collaborators, the deadline is fast approaching.

His lawyer Mr Debuisson proposed an amnesty: "My client was very happy to have his credit card stolen in these circumstances and so is not looking to prosecute. This is also a miraculous opportunity for these two men to build a new life for themselves."

"Unless they contact my lawyer, the ticket is unusable. So why not settle amicably and do fifty-fifty?," 40-year-old Jean-David told RTL.

"For that amount of money, I'm ready to come to an agreement", he added, explaining that he would use his share of the winnings - €250,000 (£206,988) - to help pay off his mortgage.

The FDJ and Toulouse police has been approached for comment.

Woman in court over McCann family stalking charges

Julia Wandel was interviewed by the BBC in January 2024

A woman who claimed to be Madeleine McCann has appeared in court charged with four counts of stalking the missing girl's family.

Julia Wandel, also known as Julia Wandelt, was arrested at Bristol Airport on Wednesday on suspicion of stalking involving serious alarm and distress.

Ms Wandel, originally from Poland, was remanded into custody after appearing at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Friday and is due to enter a plea at the city's crown court on 7 April.

Court documents state the 23-year-old is alleged to have sent messages, left voicemails and turned up at the family home between 3 January 2024 and 15 February 2025.

Musk wields his Doge chainsaw - but is a backlash brewing?

Watch: Elon Musk handed chainsaw by Argentina's President Milei at CPAC

Wearing a black "Make America Great Again" hat and dark sunglasses, Elon Musk - the multi-billionaire tasked by Donald Trump with taking a metaphorical chainsaw to the federal government - received a rock-star welcome as he took the stage at a right-wing gathering on Thursday.

He even had a literal chainsaw.

As the crowd of several thousand cheered, Argentine President Javier Milei, also a favourite at the annual Cpac event, emerged from backstage. He handed Musk a shiny chainsaw with "viva la Libertad carajo! – Spanish for "Long live liberty, damn it!"- emblazoned on the blade.

Musk waved the power tool high, shouting: "This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy! Chainsaw!"

It was a remarkable moment on a day typified by less animated speeches about the dangers of big government and the accomplishments of Trump's first month back in the White House. It demonstrated how Musk is the only conservative who approaches Trump's ability to energise a crowd.

Outside of Washington, however, there are signs that Musk's chainsaw approach to federal government – which includes shuttering agencies, defunding programmes and mass civil service layoffs – may be cutting too close to the bone.

At about the same time as Musk was celebrating the work of his so-called "Department of Government Efficiency" at the event near Washington DC, Republican congressman Rich McCormick was holding a town hall forum for his constituents.

Many in Roswell, Georgia, were angry about the impact of the Musk-inspired cuts and let the congressman know it.

"Congress controls the budget, not the president," a woman said. "You are doing a disservice to set that down and not stand up for us."

McCormick's response was drowned out by jeers.

"I understand trying to do more with less – that's reasonable," another constituent said. "What's not reasonable is taking this chainsaw approach."

Earlier this month, Pew Research found that 54% of Americans have an unfavourable view of Musk, including 37% that responded "very unfavourable".

Only 23% of Americans told Reuters-Ipsos pollsters this week that the president has the right to fire "any federal employee who disagrees with the president". Fifty-eight percent said they were concerned that popular government programmes, like Social Security retirement benefits for the elderly and subsidised student loans – could be affected.

Just over half of Americans in a CNN poll said Trump had gone "too far" in exercising his presidential power.

At an earlier event at Cpac on Thursday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson praised Musk and his team.

"They are exposing this massive fraud, waste and abuse that we have not been able to uncover because the deep state has hidden it from us," he said.

'The smallest coffins are the heaviest': Israel grieves youngest hostages

3 hours ago Lucy Manning Special correspondent

Reuters Hamas returned the bodies of deceased child hostages Kfir and Ariel Bibas to Israel this week

Kfir and Ariel Bibas were last seen on 7 October with their mother Shiri's hands around them, holding onto her boys surrounded by gunmen and violence, trying to protect them. She couldn't. According to the Israeli army, Kfir and Ariel's last moments were at the "bare hands" of their captors. How do you eulogise children who have barely lived their lives? Kfir Bibas, a hostage at just nine months old, did not live to take his first steps or celebrate his first birthday. Ariel Bibas had only experienced four years of a life that should have been much longer. A statement from Kibbutz Nir Oz, where the boys were taken hostage from, described Kfir as "a calm and smiley baby, with ginger hair and a laugh that would make anyone's heart melt. Wherever he went he lit it up with his smile and joy." Ariel, they said, was "a playful boy with ginger hair, curious eyes and a big smile. He loved superheroes, tractors and cars, and ran non-stop, climbing and exploring the world." The two brothers became the greatest symbol of the hostage nightmare Israelis are enduring. Bringing home the Bibas family was a country's fervent hope. Throughout the last 16 months they have been remembered, prayed for, kept in the hearts of people, not just in Israel but by Jews and others across the world.

FAMILY HANDOUT The Bibas family were taken hostage during Hamas's 7 October attack

Images were shared of the boys in their Batman costumes with Ariel's cape flying in the wind; of older brother Ariel hugging his baby brother Kfir when he was born; of Kfir giggling and gurgling as his father Yarden played with him. And then the image seared into the minds since Hamas's attack on 7 October: the boys clutching onto their mother Shiri Bibas, her face tormented in fear, as they were surrounded by gunmen and taken to Gaza. No one in Israel wanted this ending; where Kfir and Ariel returned, not to their innocent childhood, but with their tender years already over. And where their mother who protected them until the last moment has not even returned with them. In Israel, there is communal pain and grief. In a video statement, the Israeli Prime Minister said Ariel and Kfir Bibas and 84-year-old Oded Lifschitz, whose body was also returned on Thursday, were "brutally murdered by Hamas savages." Holding up a picture of the boys, Benjamin Netanyahu said: "Today is a tragic day. It's a day of boundless sorrow, of indescribable pain. "Their bodies return home to a nation in mourning. A nation that will never forget and never forgive the evil that cut down these beautiful souls…The Bibas children in particular became the symbol of who we are, and who we're fighting against." Netanyahu said: "Who kidnaps a little boy and a baby and murders them? Monsters. That's who." Israel's President Isaac Herzog said in a statement: "Agony. Pain. Our hearts — the hearts of an entire nation — lie in tatters." He asked for forgiveness on behalf of the country for not protecting them and bringing them home. Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were aged 32, four and nine months when they were kidnapped during the 7 October attacks. About 1,200 people - mostly civilians - were killed in the attacks and 251 others taken back to Gaza as hostages. Israel launched a massive military campaign against Hamas in response, which has killed at least 48,297 Palestinians - mainly civilians - according to the Hamas-run health ministry. This week, in Israel and abroad, people across social media posted images of broken orange hearts to represent the boys with the striking ginger hair. On Thursday, as the vehicles with the bodies of the Bibas children and Oded Lifschitz crossed into Israel, people lining the streets with Israeli flags shouted out "sorry".

EPA A street artwork depicting the Bibas family in Tel Aviv

Musician seeks help to recover ancient violin stolen in pub

2 hours ago Tom Symonds BBC News

BBC The violin, worth six figures, was produced in 1740 in Florence

A distraught classical musician has appealed for help to find his 284-year old violin stolen from a pub in north London while he was having dinner. David Lopez Ibanez plays the Lorenzo Cacassi violin, worth a six-figure sum, in orchestras including the London's Philharmonia Orchestra. The instrument had been given to him on a long-term loan. Describing the realisation it had gone, the Spanish violinist said: "My life was torn apart. Your heart feels like it's going to explode."

He had settled down to a pub dinner with a friend in Canonbury, north London, following a rehearsal with the orchestra. "I put it right next to me," he said, on the bench on which he was sitting. "You get taught from a very early age to take such good care of it. Nothing prepares you for having it snatched away." Mr Ibanez's hat was on top of the violin case, and fell on the floor. Someone in the pub picked up the hat thinking it belonged to the suspected thief, and went after him. Only afterwards did they realise the violin must have been stuffed under a coat the man was wearing. The instrument was produced by renowned instrument maker Lorenzo Carcassi in 1740 in Florence. It had been passed down to musicians over two centuries before it was purchased by a businessman in Germany. Eight years ago, the businessman saw Mr Ibanez playing online and decided to loan him the violin to help his career. Mr Ibanez said: "It's lived 300 years prior to my hands touching it. It's got its own history." Losing it was like a bereavement of an old friend. "Each hour, each performance, each challenge you get to know each other more and you express yourself through it." It is insured, but for the musician the violin is "priceless". The Metropolitan Police has been informed and is likely to examine the pub's CCTV footage. But violins like this are also very easy to identify, making them hard for criminals to sell. This one will be even more difficult to offload. It has a unique feature - a tiny heart-shaped cut-out on the back of the 'scroll' at the top end of the instrument.

David Lopez Ibanez The violin has a distinctive heart shape cut into the 'scroll' at the top

A goat in Madrid was rescued by firefighters after it became trapped on a window ledge on the fifth-floor of a block of flats.

The emergency workers tried to tempt it off the ledge with carrots and lettuce and eventually put it into the hands of emergency veterinary services.

This week, talks between Russia and the US began on the war in Ukraine.

Donald Trump and his administration also made a series of comments about Ukraine and Europe that raised fundamental questions about how the war may be resolved - and how the US sees Europe.

The BBC's Analysis editor Ros Atkins takes a look.

French far-right leader cancels speech, accusing Bannon of 'Nazi' gesture

Bannon makes one-armed gesture on CPAC stage

Bannon denied the Nazi comparison and called the gesture a "wave", saying it was the "exact same wave" he did on stage at a speech seven years ago in France to Bardella's party.

Bardella, who leads France's National Rally party, was scheduled to speak at the event on Friday. He said in a statement that he was cancelling his appearance over what he called a "gesture referring to Nazi ideology".

Steve Bannon yelled "fight, fight, fight" before extending his right arm, fingers pointed and palm down, during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (Cpac) near Washington DC on Thursday evening.

French far-right leader Jordan Bardella has cancelled a planned speech in the US, after President Donald Trump's former top adviser made a hand gesture that some likened to a Nazi salute.

"If he cancelled [the speech] over what the mainstream media said about the speech, he didn't listen to the speech. If that's true, he's unworthy to lead France. He's a boy, not a man," Bannon told the French news magazine Le Point.

Inside the halls of the suburban convention centre hosting Cpac, Romanian far-right leader George Simion also disagreed with Bardella's interpretation of Bannon's hand gesture.

"Any historian knows that wasn't a Nazi salute," he told the BBC.

Bannon's on-stage gesture appeared to mirror one from tech billionaire-turned-presidential adviser Elon Musk during Donald Trump's inauguration in January. Musk also denied he had performed a Nazi salute after an uproar.

Bardella, seen as a future French presidential hopeful, was one of several high-profile international politicians scheduled to speak at Cpac during the four-day conference, which began on Wednesday.

Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss addressed the conservative bash on its first day, telling attendees that the British state was "failing". On Thursday, Argentine President Javier Milei handed Elon Musk a shiny chainsaw that he wielded on stage, celebrating sweeping cuts to the federal government by his Doge initiative.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is due to speak on Saturday, ahead of President Trump's address.

The annual Cpac conference has become increasingly dominated by Trump's Make America Great Again movement, and this year, it has taken on a celebratory tone in the wake of his election victory in November.

Speaker after speaker have lauded the blizzard of action launched by the White House in the month since the Republican returned to the Oval Office.

Bannon was met with a standing ovation after his speech on Thursday, which ended with the controversial gesture.

"The only way that they win is if we retreat, and we are not going to retreat," he told the crowd.

"We're not going to surrender, we are not going to quit, we're going to fight, fight, fight."

Bannon was Trump's top adviser at the start of his first term in office before the president fired him. The firebrand conservative hosts the influential War Room podcast, listened to by legions of Trump supporters.

He was released from prison in October, after serving four months for defying a congressional subpoena over the attack on the US Capitol on 6 January 2021.

In another case, Bannon was spared prison time after pleading guilty earlier this month to defrauding donors over a fundraiser to build a US-Mexico border wall.

Teenager plotted mass shooting at Edinburgh school

7 hours ago

PA Media The boy pleaded guilty to a charge under the Terrorism Act at the High Court in Glasgow

A teenager obsessed by murder wanted to carry out a mass shooting at his own school in Edinburgh. A court heard how the boy "idolised" the killers behind the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado in the United States in 1999, which saw 12 students and a teacher murdered. He repeatedly spoke about doing the same at his own secondary school - describing the "Doomsday" when he would "clear it out". But a large-scale police probe was sparked in the summer of 2023 after a social media photo of him at school in full combat gear and carrying an imitation gun caused panic among pupils and parents.

The boy, who also held racist and pro-Nazi views, had already been referred to a UK-wide programme designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. The now 17-year-old appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow. He pleaded guilty via his defence KC Shelagh McCall to a breach of the peace and a charge under the Terrorism Act.

Military tactical vest

The crimes spanned between June 2022 and July 2023. The teenager, who cannot be identified due to his age, had his bail revoked by judge Lord Arthurson pending sentencing next month. Ms McCall KC told the court: "This is a vulnerable young person. He has mental health difficulties. "He is a transgender person - that would need to be taken into account." Prosecutor Greg Farrell told how, on 20 June 2023, the boy had turned up at school wearing cargo trousers and carrying a military tactical vest and helmet. Mr Farrell: "He was later seen at the school carrying an imitation firearm while wearing the vest and helmet. "A photograph was circulated on social media. It was taken and published without his knowledge. "The image provoked a considerable degree of fear and alarm among pupils and parents. "Police were advised by a parent who saw the image."

Mark Leffingwell/AFP/Getty Images Until 2012, the Columbine shooting was the deadliest school shooting in US history

Officers went on to discover that the boy had a TikTok account which had footage of him in black combat clothes as well as a skeleton mask. Mr Farrell: "One piece of commentary referenced school shootings." The teenager was immediately suspended. Police, however, went on to take statements from other pupils who knew the boy. Mr Farrell: "They provided information that the boy had exhibited a variety of alarming behaviours over a period of time. "The greatest concern was the suggestion he had divulged to various people a desire to carry out a school shooting similar to that which had taken place in 1999 at Columbine High School in Colorado in the USA." Classmates recalled how the boy "spoke excitedly and with considerable enthusiasm" when he talked about Columbine and other school shootings. He "sympathised" with the pair behind it - Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris - and would copy how they had dressed. One girl said he "idolised school shooters in America". Mr Farrell said: "In November 2022, he told her how he would go about carrying out a school attack. "He explained that he would start on the second floor and that he would 'clear it out' using guns. "He would then move downstairs continuing to shoot until police arrived, at which point he would turn the gun on himself."

'Fed-up being bullied'

The boy described a possible mass shooting at his school as "Doomsday". He was said to be so "interested" in Columbine that he stated he wanted to change his name "in an act of homage" to Klebold. Mr Farrell said: "One pupil told police that the boy wore the same black trousers, trench coat, cap worn backwards and circular glasses as favoured by one of the Columbine pair. "He often made comments that he 'looked like a school shooter'." The boy told another classmate that he would "place a bomb in every second classroom". He would then shoot people as they fled the building. The boy told one girl he met online that he wanted to carry out a shooting as he was being bullied and was "fed-up" being there. The teenager was stopped by police under the Terrorism Act as he returned from holiday with his family on 9 July 2023.

Murdered backpacker's mum says she could not identify daughter

6 hours ago Keiron Tourish BBC News NI north-west reporter

McLaughlin family Vikat Bhagat was found guilty of raping and murdering Danielle McLaughlin and sentenced to life imprisonment earlier this month

The mother of an Irish woman raped and murdered in India almost eight years ago has spoken of how her daughter was so seriously injured in the attack that she was not able to identify her. Danielle McLaughlin, 28, from Buncrana in County Donegal, was found dead in a field in the western state of Goa in March 2017. Vikat Bhagat was found guilty of raping and murdering Ms McLaughlin and sentenced to life imprisonment earlier this month. "I could never see her face…he left Danielle (in such a way) that Danielle could never be identified," Ms McLaughlin's mother Andrea Brannigan said.

Warning: This page contains distressing details

Ms Brannigan said she had gone to see her daughter after she had been brought home with the help of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. "It didn't work but they did try. And it's something I'll always be grateful for. But I could never view her… I could never see her face," Ms Brannigan said. "You've always doubts then… I wonder was it her. Days you would have doubts – are you sure its definitely her."

'I could see no remorse'

Andrea Brannigan said her daughter's killer showed 'no remorse'

Ms McLaughlin was identified by hair colour and by a distinctive tattoo, her mother said. She had been left unrecognisable by her killer who used a rock and bottle during a brutal assault, her mother added. A second post mortem examination found brain damage and strangulation as the cause of death. Danielle's family sat beside Bahgat during court proceedings. "That was hard. I could see no remorse," she told BBC News NI. Ms Brannigan added: "I've no feelings for him because he doesn't deserve my feelings. Only Danielle does." She hopes he is never released, and that "no family or friends ever go through the pain that we're going through because he robbed the world of beauty and of somebody who was going to do a lot of good in this world."

Mukesh Kumar Danielle's sister Jolene McLaughlin Brannigan (left) and mother Andrea Brannigan (centre) travelled to Goa for the verdict

Danielle was the eldest of six daughters, her mum said, adding she doted on all her siblings, and they all looked up to her. Ms McLaughlin travelled to India in February 2017. She was there for two weeks before she was murdered. The Liverpool John Moores University student had been staying in a beach hut with an Australian friend. The pair had been celebrating Holi, a Hindu festival, in a nearby village. She left the village at night and her body was found the next day by a local farmer in an isolated spot.

McLaughlin family Danielle, who grew up in County Donegal, travelled to India in February 2017

People always remembered the psychology and sociology student's "big smile and infectious laugh," her mother said. Danielle had struggled in childhood with dyslexia, Ms Brannigan said, but had loved writing in her diaries and grew up to be "a brilliant friend and an amazing sister". "The girls miss her terrible. I miss Danielle as I used to go to her with all my problems. I miss talking to her. We talked every day."

MCLAUGHLIN FAMILY Andrea Brannigan said her daughter was a 'free spirit'

Danielle's mum said she was "a free spirt" who had loved travelling in Australia and India – where she had helped to build schools and also volunteered in an orphanage. "She trusted everybody," Ms Brannigan said. "That would be part of the reason why this happened because she did trust everybody." He family now hold on to the "many happy memories" and want the world to know of Danielle's genrousity and kindness. "She was always so kind. She was kind up until she passed away. She didn't see evil," Ms Brannigan said."

Danielle's sister, Joleen McLaughlin Brannigan, read a statement outside court following Bhagat's conviction

You have to wonder if there has been something in the water in England this past week, a strange substance that causes loss of perspective and certain delusions.

Courtney Lawes, the wonderful former England forward, wrote that he couldn't see "Scotland living with England" provided the hosts produce a seven or eight out of 10 performance at Twickenham on Saturday.

"It's about time we showed them we are the better team," he added.

That's a bold view, given that Scotland have won the past four meetings and have lost only one of seven Calcutta Cups under Gregor Townsend, outscoring their big rivals by 19 tries to 13 in the process. But anyway…

"I simply cannot see England losing," wrote Sir Clive Woodward, under a headline predicting a monstering of the Scotland forwards.

This England pack is impressive, and perhaps they are about to take Scotland to the cleaners, but as yet we have not seen much of a sustained capacity for inflicting beatings on too many rival packs in this kind of arena. England 2003, they are not.

Woodward, in fairness, did not write the headline, but he did come out with this: "England will win with plenty to spare."

It looks, on the face of it, a confusing decision.

England have promoted Jamie Smith to bat at number three in their opening match of the Champions Trophy - a position he has filled once in his entire professional career.

That occasion was against Kent for Surrey way back in 2019. On Saturday he will do so against Australia in Lahore.

"He's a really exciting player, who has obviously taken to international cricket so well and we feel he's got a huge amount to offer in that role," captain Jos Buttler said.

So what is England's thinking?

England took a step closer to an Under-20 Six Nations Grand Slam by hammering Scotland in Newcastle.

Exeter Chiefs wing Campbell Ridl glided through for the opening try, but Scotland quickly responded when Fergus Watson dotted down from a pinpoint cross-field kick.

However, England dominated the remainder of the first half as hooker Kepu Tuipulotu crossed twice, with number eight Kane James and prop Tye Raymont also scoring.

Captain Tom Burrow, George Pearson, Jack Bracken and Angus Hall all scored in a dominant second-half display.

Flanker Oliver Duncan cut a sharp line to score another try for the visitors, who never looked like picking up their first win of this campaign following defeats against Italy and Ireland.

Hooker Tuipulotu impressed throughout to pick up the player-of-the-match award, with his barnstorming run and grubber kick helping to set up Raymont's try a highlight moment.

Having beaten Ireland and France in their opening two games, Mark Mapletoft's side remain in a strong position to win a Grand Slam for the first time since 2021.

England won the title last season but failed to secure the Grand Slam because of a thrilling 32-32 draw with Ireland.

The next round of fixtures will be on 7 March, when England face Italy and winless Scotland take on Wales.

Wigan Warriors returned to winning ways before next week's trip to Las Vegas to face Warrington Wolves as they swept aside Hull FC at MKM Stadium.

A week on from drawing a blank in the historic first single point 1-0 defeat against Leigh Leopards and a week before the trip Stateside, Matty Peet's side were back to something approaching last season's best.

In a dominant first-half display that saw Jai Field hit Hull with two tries and Abbas Miski and Patrick Mago one apiece, Wigan blew their hosts away and went in 22-0 up at the break.

Despite a brighter start to the second period from the Black and Whites, which saw hopes briefly rise when Lewis Martin went over in the corner, the Warriors quickly extinguished them.

Jordan Rapana's short goal-line dropout backfired, allowing Tom Forber to pick up and add a fifth try while another smart break from Field, finished off by Jake Wardle, put Wigan back out of sight.

Field continued the rout with a training ground move off the back of a scrum to bag his hat-trick with 13 minutes remaining before Bevan French completed the scoring, rounding off a break on the right wing.

Bolsonaro: Is it all over for the 'Trump of the Tropics'?

Bolsonaro: Is it all over for the 'Trump of the Tropics'?