Trump says he is 'not happy' with deadly Russian strikes on Kyiv
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Trump says he is 'not happy' with deadly Russian strikes on Kyiv
4 hours ago Share Save Mayeni Jones BBC News Reporting from Pretoria Seher Asaf BBC News Reporting from London Share Save
Reuters
US President Donald Trump has said he is "not happy" with deadly Russian strikes on Kyiv and that President Vladimir Putin should "stop". "Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP!" he said in a post on Truth Social, adding: "Let's get the Peace Deal DONE!" The overnight strikes killed at least eight people and injured 77 more, local officials said. Later on Thursday Trump refused to say whether the US is considering placing more sanctions on Russia, but warned "things will happen" if the bombings don't end.
Trump also said he had "no allegiance" to either side but was focused on bringing an end to the conflict. Earlier, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said the US could be more forceful with Russia to secure a ceasefire. "We believe that if more pressure is applied to Russia, we'll be able to make our positions closer," Zelensky told reporters on a visit to South Africa. When asked if he would be willing to make any concessions, Zelensky said the fact that Ukraine is prepared to negotiate with Russia is a "huge compromise" and a "ceasefire must be the first step". Zelensky cut short his South Africa visit after the Kyiv attack, which he said was "undoubtedly one of the most difficult and impudent". "If Russia says it is ready to cease fire, it must stop massive strikes against Ukraine. It is Ukrainians who are running out of patience, because it is us who are under attack, and no one else," he added. Follow live updates Trump on Wednesday had accused the Ukrainian leader of harming peace negotiations, after Zelensky said Kyiv would not recognise Russian control of Crimea. Ukraine has long said it will not give up Crimea, a southern peninsula illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. Trump claimed a deal to end the war was "very close", but that Zelensky's refusal to accept US terms "will do nothing but prolong" the conflict. Earlier, US Vice-President JD Vance laid out the US vision for a deal, saying it would "freeze the territorial lines [...] close to where they are today". When asked by reporters at the White House this week about whether the administration was looking to recognise Russia's sovereignty over Crimea, Trump said he just wanted to see the war end. Recognising Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea would not only be politically impossible for Zelensky to accept, it would also be contrary to post-war international legal norms that borders should not be changed by force. Zelensky said a meeting about ending the conflict between Ukrainian, US, UK and European officials in London on Wednesday was "difficult but constructive, and it resulted not in differences but a desire to continue working nonetheless". "We've shown them the finish line," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday in the Oval Office, where he appeared alongside Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Støre. "We need both of them to say yes, but what happened last night with those missile strikes should remind everybody of why this war needs to end."
EPA Zelensky met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria
Why Zelensky can't and won't give up Crimea
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Why Zelensky can't and won't give up Crimea
8 hours ago Share Save Paul Kirby Europe digital editor Share Save
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Vladimir Putin initially denied having anything to do with Russia's capture of Crimea in February 2014, when mysterious masked commandos in unidentified green uniforms seized the local parliament and fanned out across the peninsula. Those "little green men" marked the start of Russia's war on Ukraine, which culminated in the 2022 full-scale invasion. The future of Crimea is now at the centre of President Donald Trump's peace plan and has prompted Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky to rule out recognising Russian control of the peninsula. The exact terms of his plan have not been published, but reports suggest it would include the US recognising Crimea as a legal part of Russia - de jure in Latin. For Trump, Ukraine's southern peninsula was "lost years ago" and "is not even a part of discussion" in peace talks. But for Zelensky to renounce Crimea as an indivisible part of Ukraine would be unconscionable. Follow latest updates on Ukraine war In the words of opposition MP Iryna Gerashchenko "territorial integrity and sovereignty is a red line for Ukraine and Ukrainians". Trump made the point that "if [Volodymyr Zelensky] wants Crimea, why didn't they fight for it 11 years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?" Few shots were fired, but Crimea was seized at gunpoint during a power vacuum. Putin later admitted hatching the land-grab in an all-night meeting with his officials days after Ukraine's pro-Russian leader was ousted in Kyiv.
Getty Images Unidentified "little green men" seized Crimea and it soon became clear they were Russian
Crimea a stumbling block for Trump
For a US leader in a hurry to secure a peace deal, Crimea could become a big stumbling block. Trump is correct that there is little chance of Ukraine regaining Crimea in the foreseeable future, and it is in reality - de facto - under Russian control. But that is a far cry from recognising it as legal. Zelensky points to a 2018 "Crimea declaration" by Trump's then secretary of state, Mike Pompeo. Pompeo said the US rejected "Russia's attempted annexation of Crimea" and pledged to continue until Ukraine's territorial integrity was restored. Trump criticises Zelensky over Crimea
US intensifies bid to end war Zelensky's implication is that Trump backed Ukraine on Crimea then, and should stick to that now. If a landgrab unrecognised by the international community is approved by the US as legal, what would that mean for international law and the principles of the UN charter? Weeks after Russia's full-scale war began, there was an initial proposal in Istanbul to park the issue so that Russia and Ukraine would aim to resolve it in the next 10-15 years. The idea did not take hold but it was a way of getting over that stumbling block.
Zelensky constrained by Ukrainian constitution
Getty Images Trump and Vice-President JD Vance have repeatedly appeared frustrated by Zelensky
Zelensky was adamant that he has no power to give up Crimea: "There's nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution." Article 2 of the constitution states that Ukraine's sovereignty "extends throughout its entire territory" which "within its present border is indivisible and inviolable". Any change to Ukraine's territory has to go to a national referendum, which must be authorised by the Ukrainian parliament. It is not just President Trump that has problems with Kyiv. Russia also sees the Ukrainian constitution as an "obstacle" to peace efforts. Constitutions can be changed, but not while Ukraine is under martial law. Approving Russia's illegal annexation would not just be a red line for Ukraine but would be a terrifying precedent for countries such as Romania that border the Black Sea. The precedent would be felt far beyond the Black Sea.
Does Russia have a claim to Crimea?
Getty Images Vladimir Putin staged a concert and a speech in Moscow to mark the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea in 2022
For historical reasons, Russians have long seen Crimea as part of their territory and Putin has spoken of a "living and unbreakable bond" with the peninsula, with its Black Sea resorts and balmy summer climate. But Crimea along with the rest of Ukraine voted for independence from the collapsing Soviet Union in 1991. It had the status of autonomous republic within and Kyiv allowed Russia to lease the port of Sevastopol as a base for the Black Sea Fleet. After its annexation in 2014 Putin sought to cement Russia's control over Crimea, first with a 12-mile bridge built over the Kerch Strait in 2018 and then by capturing a land bridge along the Sea of Azov coast in 2022. Putin felt he was righting a wrong inflicted on Russia when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred Crimea to Ukraine in 1954. Russia, he said, was "not simply robbed, it was plundered". Ukraine in Maps
Why did Putin invade Ukraine? Crimea was first annexed by Tsarist Russia under Catherine the Great in 1783 and largely remained part of Russia until Khrushchev's decision. Russia and Ukraine were both Soviet republics so it was not a big deal for the Kremlin in 1954. More than half the population of Crimea was Russian, mainly because the original majority population of Crimean Tatars were deported under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in 1944. Tatars were only able to return to Crimea from exile from 1989 as the Soviet Union fell apart, and they now make up about 15% of Crimea's population. Russia quickly organised a referendum in March 2014 but it was rejected as a sham by the international community and the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution backing Ukrainian sovereignty. The International Criminal Court ruled that Russia's activity in Crimea amounted to "ongoing occupation". Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Mejlis, a body representing Crimean Tatars, has insisted that Ukraine must categorically reject any territorial concession in exchange for peace. "Crimea is the homeland of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people and an integral part of Ukraine," he said.
Crimea may not be only problem
Israeli military admits its troops killed UN worker in Gaza Strip
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Israeli military admits its troops killed UN worker in Gaza Strip
3 hours ago Share Save Maia Davies BBC News Share Save
AP The UN guesthouse in Deir al-Balah where staff were located when the building was struck, killing one and injuring others
Israel's military has admitted killing a United Nations (UN) worker with tank fire, having previously denied responsibility, in an incident in the Gaza Strip last month. After a UN staff member was killed when a UN compound in Deir al-Balah was damaged on 19 March, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had not struck the site. But the IDF said on Thursday that the initial findings of its investigation into the incident indicated its troops had in fact killed the UN worker after wrongly identifying the building as containing an "enemy presence". It said in a statement: "The building was struck due to assessed enemy presence and was not identified by the forces as a UN facility."
These preliminary findings have been shared with the UN and the full conclusion will also be provided, it said. It added: "The IDF regrets this serious incident and continues to conduct thorough review processes to draw operational lessons and evaluate additional measures to prevent such events in the future. "We express our deep sorrow for the loss and send our condolences to the family." The incident, which killed Bulgarian UN worker Marin Valev Marinov and seriously injured five other UN personnel, came a day after Israel renewed its offensive against Hamas after a two-month ceasefire collapsed. At the time, UN Secretary General António Guterres called for a full investigation into the incident, while a spokesperson said: "The locations of all UN premises are known to the parties to the conflict, who are bound by international law to protect them and maintain their absolute inviolability." Following the attack, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) said that "explosive ordnance was dropped or fired" at a guesthouse, which was in an "isolated" location. Its executive director, Jorge Moreira da Silva, said it was "not an accident". The IDF said in a statement on the day of the attack: "Contrary to reports, the IDF did not strike a UN compound in Deir el-Balah. The IDF calls on media outlets to act with caution regarding unverified reports." Footage verified by the BBC showed injured people - two wearing blue UN flak jackets - arriving at a hospital in an ambulance and a UN car.
Health of Brazil's ex-president Bolsonaro has worsened, doctors say
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Health of Brazil's ex-president Bolsonaro has worsened, doctors say
Bolsonaro has been ordered to stand trial after charges that he directed an alleged right-wing coup attempt after he lost the 2022 presidential election to the left-wing President Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro was visited in hospital by a court official on Wednesday, who delivered a summons giving him five days to present his initial defence against coup charges, in preparation for his trial.
The 70-year-old remains in intensive care and will undergo new tests.
The health of Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro has worsened after intestinal surgery earlier this month, according to his medical team.
In a video of the summons being delivered, Bolsonaro could be seen reacting furiously, saying: "I have five days to present my defence?"
During the alleged coup attempt, Bolsonaro's supporters stormed government buildings. Investigations by the police outlined allegations he had personal conversations - including with figures from the armed forces - about the idea of a coup to cling onto power.
His earlier intestinal surgery was in response to ongoing health issues after he was stabbed in 2018 on the campaign trail in the south eastern state of Minas Gerais.
He lost around 40% of his blood and had emergency surgery, with the perpetrator later declared mentally unfit to stand trial.
He has repeatedly denied coup allegations and accused his opponents of a political witch-hunt.
A day before he was delivered the summons in hospital, he recorded a live YouTube broadcast from his hospital bed with three of his sons, despite a doctor's recommendation not to have visitors.
The Brazilian Supreme Court argued that this showed he was able to be summoned and notified.
Bolsonaro had been hoping to contest the presidential elections again in 2026, despite a current ban on running for office, but he risks a 40-year prison sentence if found guilty.
Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack
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Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack
2 hours ago Share Save Maia Davies BBC News Share Save
Reuters Armed French officers were seen outside the school on Thursday after four students were stabbed
A teenage girl has been killed and three students were injured in a stabbing at a private school in western France. The attack took place at Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides school in Nantes on Thursday afternoon. The attacker is said to have been arrested at the scene after being restrained by a teacher. A significant police presence and emergency services were sent to the school, with army officers also present. It has since been evacuated.
Eye-witness accounts in local media described students running through the site, with some confined to classrooms after an alarm was sounded around lunch time. Families were informed of the knife attack and told students had been immediately held inside the school. Authorities helped students gradually leave the site from 15:30 local time (13:30 GMT), as some parents waited nearby. One father told the Reuters news agency they were "waiting to hold them [our children] in our arms" and "help deal with the stress this will have caused". The school has around 2,000 students and educates pupils from nursery through to high school, according to its website. Psychological support has been put in place for students and teachers. Rue des Épinettes, where the school is located in the east of the city, has been closed off.
Reuters There was a large police presence at the Nantes school
Reform UK criticised for candidates' offensive posts
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Reform UK criticised for candidates' offensive posts
4 hours ago Share Save Damian Grammaticas Political correspondent Phil Kemp Political reporter Share Save
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Reform UK is fielding local election candidates who have "posted hate, pushed far-right conspiracies and praised extremists" - despite Nigel Farage's claim to have beefed up the party's vetting process, campaign group Hope Not Hate has said. Reform UK, which has recruited more than 1,600 candidates for 1 May's English council elections, has made much of its efforts to "professionalise" the party after a series of racism scandals at last year's general election. Speaking at a campaign event in Dover on Thursday, Farage said the party had put in place "a vetting system that was as good if not better than the other parties" for this year's elections. The Reform UK leader said "hundreds of people who applied to be candidates for the county council elections were rejected... often because of repeated use of words beginning with F and C on social media." He said others had been rejected "because they just said things that were just ridiculous, outrageous, embarrassing". But Hope Not Hate, an anti-racism campaign group which has clashed with Farage in the past, said the examples it had found undermined his vetting claims.
On Thursday last week, the group published details of social media posts it had found from 14 different current Reform UK candidates. The BBC has spent the past seven days checking the posts and seeking a response from individual candidates, as well as the party's head office. We sent several requests for comment to Reform UK HQ but have yet to receive anything back. The posts seen by the BBC include: A Reform UK candidate saying "one big nuke bomb" should be used to remove Islam from the world
Another saying Bradford has a large Muslim population and is a "shithole"
Others promoting the conspiracy theory that Muslims are seeking to "supplant the native population" in the UK Some of the posts, on Facebook or X, were made this year, others date back up to a decade. They appear to have been open to anyone to view when Reform UK selected and vetted the candidates but some have now been hidden or deleted.
Steven Biggs is a Reform UK candidate hoping to win a seat in Pelton in North Durham on 1 May. On the Reform UK website he says he is "standing for Reform UK because they stand for good old fashioned traditional values". In August 2015, he posted on his Facebook page that "Islam has no place on this earth. One big nuke bomb needed". The BBC confirmed that post was still visible last week, but by this week it appeared to have been deleted. Biggs has also repeatedly posted links to Britain First, the anti-Islam political party, on his Facebook account. The BBC attempted to contact Biggs for comment by phone but he did not reply.
Another of the Reform UK candidates highlighted by Hope Not Hate is Isaiah-John Smith Reasbeck, standing in Hexthorpe and Balby North in Doncaster. On 6 August last year, Reasbeck wrote on X "Bradford has one of the biggest Muslim populations in Europe it's also one of the biggest shitholes in Europe draw your own conclusions". When the BBC checked the account of the user @ij_Reasbeck the post was visible last week. It has since been deleted. The account, however, remains active and identifies Mr Reasbeck as a Reform UK council candidate. The BBC contacted Reform UK's Doncaster branch seeking comment from Reasbeck. None has been received.
Isaiah-John Smith Reasbeck/Facebook Isaiah-John Smith Reasbeck's social media posts are coming under scrutiny
Other posts the BBC has been able to confirm were made by Howard Rimmer, who is also standing for Reform UK in Doncaster, hoping to win in Roman Ridge. On 16 January this year, Rimmer reposted to his Facebook page an item from the "Traditional Britain Group – Lifeboat" which describes itself as "a home to the disillusioned patriot". The group's post said: "We are importing low IQ people and when they commit heinous crimes they are given more lenient sentences by the Judges as they are 'Low IQ and don't understand our way of life'". It also referenced "the Great Replacement", a conspiracy theory that elites are seeking to replace the populations of western nations with immigrants. That post was still visible this week, along with other items Rimmer has reposted, including a graphic titled "How Islam is colonising non-Muslim countries", something, the graphic said, was "known as Demographic Jihad" Several times in the past year, Rimmer reposted items about far right activist Tommy Robinson, including one describing him as someone "vocal about the importance of celebrating British identity, culture and values" and another saying "Batley needs these people". The BBC has contacted the chair of Reform's Doncaster branch by email and phone several times but has yet to receive a response.
Howard Rimmer/Facebook Howard Rimmer is standing for Reform UK in Doncaster
Another candidate whose posts the BBC has seen is Trevor Bridgwood, standing in Bardney and Cherry Willingham in Lincolnshire. Bridgwood, who has past links to the Conservatives and UKIP, shared an article on his Facebook page in 2015 titled "The Goal of Muslim Immigration" which said it was "a means of supplanting the native population" of a country. He added his own comment "now does this not look like what is happening in the news?". The BBC emailed Bridgwood for a response last week but has not received a reply.
Hope Not Hate, which is funded by individual donations and trade unions, says it is a nonpartisan campaign that "focuses on the organised far right," something Farage has repeatedly insisted does not include Reform UK. Reform UK is chaired by a Muslim, Zia Yusuf, and Farage has said he "never wants anything to do with" Tommy Robinson, rejecting calls from some members to allow him to join Reform. In 2024, Reform UK dropped a number of candidates it had selected for the general election over offensive comments on social media. Following that, Farage told the BBC "I had no idea how bad it was. I had no idea that half of these people simply haven't been vetted - that's got to change." At a party press conference in February, Yusuf said the new system "while it will not be perfect" was "the most thorough vetting process of any party, I think I can say that with confidence and conviction, certainly at the council level."
Cyber attack causes further chaos for shoppers at M&S
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Cyber attack causes further chaos for M&S shoppers
It said it had stopped processing contactless payments, had paused the collection of click and collect orders in stores, and warned of delays to online order deliveries.
However, it has since confirmed it has been forced to take some systems offline as part of its "proactive management of the incident."
It told the BBC on Wednesday that customer-facing systems were back to normal.
Customers began reporting problems on the weekend, with the retailer confirming on Tuesday it was dealing with a "cyber incident."
M&S shoppers are facing further frustration at the checkout as the company struggles to recover from a cyber attack.
Contactless payments have since been restored, the BBC has been told, however this has been questioned by some customers.
BBC staff have described witnessing the impact of the suspension of contactless payments.
At Euston station, in London, shop staff were seen shouting that it was cash only as the payments system was down. Disruption was also seen in Glasgow, and a store at Edinburgh Haymarket seemingly closed early.
M&S says it had made the "decision to move some of our processes offline to protect our colleagues, partners, suppliers and our business".
But stores remain open and customers could "continue to shop on our website and our app", the statement added.
But confusion has reigned on social media amongst M&S customers.
The firm has responded to some posts on X (formerly Twitter) in the past few hours advising customers contactless payments can be taken in stores
However, this has been contradicted by some individuals, with one saying: "That is wrong - only chip and pin or cash is working".
M&S also told click & collect customers not to travel to a store "until they have received their 'Ready To Collect' email".
Some customers also questioned that, with one person saying after receiving their email, "store staff said they are unable to retrieve the item"
The company has declined to provide detail on the nature of the attack, but moving systems offline is often a response to ransomware attacks.
On Tuesday the firm said in a notice to investors that it had engaged "external cyber security experts to assist with investigating and managing the incident.
"We are taking actions to further protect our network and ensure we can continue to maintain customer service," it added.
The company said it also reported the incident to the National Cyber Security Centre which told the BBC it was "working with Marks and Spencer to support their response to a cyber incident".
The National Crime Agency told the BBC its officers were "working alongside partners in the NCSC to better understand the incident and support the company".
'He brought so many to the faith': Family pay respects to Pope
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Thousands of mourners continue to file through the iconic St Peter's Basilica, where the late Pope Francis is lying in state.
BBC News Correspondent Mark Lowen caught up with one family from New York who described being able to pay their final respects ahead of the Pope's funeral on Saturday as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity".
"We just happened to be here and to be able to see Pope Francis and just be here with people and Catholics from all over the world is pretty special," said Ben who was joined by his wife Elizabeth and their four children.
"He brought so many people to the catholic faith," said Elizabeth, adding that Francis had inspired her to "think about the marginalised and the people on the fringes of society".
Runcorn by-election battle tests Labour nerves
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Runcorn by-election battle tests Labour nerves
Catherine Chadwick is a Runcorn resident who wants to see more focus from politicians on the NHS and for more police on the streets
"I think what the by-election is really doing is shining a spotlight and causing a debate."
"There are good places in Runcorn, there's so much going on, and it sometimes gets overlooked which is a real shame," says Stephen J Holloran, the group's community engagement officer.
The charity wants to reopen the canal as a regeneration project – and recently they've had a lot of attention from politicians, not least the parties vying for votes in the upcoming by-election.
The Unlock Runcorn group have long wanted to reconnect the Bridgewater and Manchester Ship canals, restoring what was an important water route that linked Runcorn with both Manchester and Liverpool and played a key part in the town's industrial boom.
In a quiet corner of Runcorn, a group of residents who've been fighting to bring a disused canal back to use have found themselves thrust into the centre of a political battle.
Runcorn and Helsby by-election - all you need to know
The attention thrust on the Cheshire constituency of Runcorn and Helsby is a sign of the high stakes in this by-election, which was triggered by the resignation of the former Labour MP Mike Amesbury.
He was handed a 10-week prison term after punching a constituent in Frodsham, Cheshire. It was reduced to a suspended sentence after an appeal.
The constituency combines the industrial town of Runcorn, sitting on the banks of the River Mersey, with a more rural area stretching south towards Chester.
It's a relatively new seat, formed by boundary changes ahead of last year's general election, but Labour still won comfortably in an area that's considered one of the party's strongholds in the North West of England.
But Reform UK placed second in 2024 – and now they have the constituency firmly in their sights as they try to show their momentum isn't limited to opinion polls.
The party's set up a visible office in the middle of a shopping centre in Runcorn, emblazoned with branding, and is trying to tap into a sense of political disillusionment with other parties.
At the Heath Business Park - a hub for businesses that also has community facilities - Catherine Chadwick is at a weekly get-together for the over-50s.
In her view, the town's pensioners are among those who can feel overlooked.
"We fought the war and everything else and this country needs to start looking after their own people," she said. "We want someone that will do something for Runcorn.
"More for the younger ones to do instead of getting into trouble. They need places to go. And more bobbies on the beat….and the NHS. Definitely the NHS needs fixing."
Both national and local issues have come up in this campaign, from tolls on local bridges and the regeneration of the high street to health, housing, the cost of living and immigration – with a lot of focus on a local hotel that's been used to house asylum seekers.
Anthony Stonebanks, who runs a café and events space at the Heath Business Park, cites illegal immigration as one of the issues on his mind - along with facilities for young people and a lack of funding in the area.
But his biggest concern is whether any party has the answers.
"I think working class people are sort of neglected, where it's like we're going to put all these things in place and they don't see it through," he said.
"Obviously certain areas around Runcorn are quite deprived. They look at these areas and say we're going to do this and we're going to do that…but they need to back it up."
It's a familiar refrain from those who feel elections can bring attention and promises, without always yielding results.
Gwyneth Paltrow eating bread and pasta after 'hardcore' food regime
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Paltrow eating bread and pasta after 'hardcore' food regime
7 hours ago Share Save Paul Glynn Culture reporter Share Save
Getty Images Paltrow won the best actress Oscar in 1999 for Shakespeare in Love and has gone on to become a wellness influencer
Gwyneth Paltrow said she has returned to eating food she previously restricted, including sourdough bread, pasta and cheese, having been on a strict paleo diet for several years. The Oscar-winning US actress-turned-health guru has advocated for the benefits of a range of different diets while promoting her lifestyle business. Speaking on her most recent Goop podcast this week, she said: "I went into hardcore macrobiotic for a certain time, that was an interesting chapter where I got obsessed with eating very, very healthily." Paltrow said she got into "wellness and food" because of her father's throat cancer but has now broadened out her food choices.
'Strict with it for so long'
A paleo diet is based on the idea that if we eat like our ancient ancestors, we'll be healthier and reduce our risk of certain diseases. "I really deepened my connection with food and the whole philosophy around macrobiotics, which is essentially just how they eat in the mountains of Japan, so very local, very seasonal," she explained. "Lots of fish, vegetables, rice, no dairy, no sugar, etc." The star went on to admit that during that period of time she "might have got a little didactic about it." "I felt so good, I wanted to share that with my dad, my friends and family." She said she had become "intoxicated by that idea" that if she and her loved ones stayed hydrated and ate "whole foods" then "we could just feel so much better". 10 things you may not know about carbs She added she still feels the same way today, to an extent, but that things had "gotten a little more complicated" as she had gotten older regarding "inflammation and health stuff." "It's the reason that Brad and I became paleo a few years ago now, although I'm a little bit sick of it, if I'm honest," she added, with reference to her husband Brad Falchuk, co-creator of the Glee TV series. "I'm getting back into eating sourdough bread, and some cheese - there, I said it. A little pasta after being strict with it for so long. "But again I think it's a good template, right? Eating foods that are as whole and fresh as possible. I don't think there is any doctor or nutritionist that would refute that, it's a good starting point."
'Balanced and nutritious diet'
China tells Trump: If you want trade talks, cancel tariffs
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China tells Trump: If you want trade talks, cancel tariffs
7 hours ago Share Save Tom Espiner BBC business reporter Share Save
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China has called on the US to cancel its sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods entering the country as a sign that the President Donald Trump is serious about resolving the trade war between the two countries. A Chinese official said there had been no trade talks with the US, despite suggestions otherwise from the Trump administration. The trade war between the world's two largest economies has been escalating, with China sending back Boeing planes it ordered from the US in its latest retaliation over tariffs. But Trump has appeared to soften his stance on China, saying that the taxes he has so far imposed on Chinese imports would "come down substantially, but it won't be zero".
A trade war between China and the US is in full swing, with Trump imposing import taxes of up to 145% on Chinese goods coming into the US, and China hitting back with a 125% tax on American products. In one of China's strongest statements yet over the tariff war, Commerce Ministry spokesman He Yadong said the US should remove all "unilateral tariff measures" against China "if it truly wanted" to solve the issue. "The person who tied the bell must untie it," he added. Separately, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said China and the US had "not conducted consultations or negotiations on tariffs, let alone reached an agreement". He added that reports to the contrary were "false". Trump previously said negotiations between the countries were "active" - but this was also contradicted by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said on Wednesday they had not yet begun. Bessent added that there was an opportunity for a "big deal" between the US and China on trade. He has previously said he expected a de-escalation of the "unsustainable" trade war, and said the current situation was "not a joke".
Watch: Trump insists the US and China are having trade talks
Mansfield Town's Lucas Akins jailed for causing cyclist's death
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Footballer jailed for causing cyclist's death
7 hours ago Share Save Steve Jones BBC News, Yorkshire Share Save
PA Media Mansfield Town forward Lucas Akins admitted causing the death of Adrian Daniel in a crash in Huddersfield
A professional footballer has been jailed for 14 months for causing the death of a cyclist in a crash in West Yorkshire. Adrian Daniel, 33, died 10 days after he was struck by a Mercedes G350 being driven by Mansfield Town striker Lucas Akins, near Huddersfield in March 2022. The League One player, 36, of Heys Road in Thongsbridge, Holmfirth, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court having previously pleaded guilty to causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving. In a victim impact statement, Mr Daniel's wife, Savanna, said his death had been "like hell and a nightmare I'm not waking up from", adding: "There was no reason for Adrian to be killed that way."
West Yorkshire Police Adrian Daniel died from his injuries in hospital 10 days after the crash
Mrs Daniel added: "He was a great father, son and husband and his legacy will always be to live life to the full." Mr Daniel, from Meltham, was cycling home from work along Huddersfield Road in Netherton on 17 March when he hit Mr Akins' vehicle as the footballer pulled out in front of him from the junction with Crosland Factory Lane. The court heard the crash was captured on Mr Daniel's helmet camera, and that he was not breaking the speed limit on his bike and had adopted an appropriate position in the middle of the lane. Judge Alex Menary said Akins, who played in a League One match for Mansfield on Monday, did not check left and right before pulling out. Had he paused for more time it would have allowed Mr Daniel to travel through any blind spot, the judge added.
Akins, pictured arriving at court, continued to play for Mansfield after pleading guilty
The Grenada international, who showed no emotion as he was sentenced, was also banned from driving for 12 months. In a statement, Mansfield Town said it "offers its sincere and deepest condolences to the family of Adrian Daniel at this difficult time". "The club is considering its position with regards to Lucas and will be making no further comment at this stage," the club added. The court heard the father-of-three, whose previous clubs include Huddersfield Town and Burton Albion, had been driving his daughter to a piano lesson when the crash took place.
Google Mr Daniel was cycling along Huddersfield Road when he hit Mr Akins' vehicle as the footballer pulled out from the Crosland Factory Lane junction
Mrs Daniel criticised Akins for not pleading guilty at the first opportunity, but said she did not want him to go to jail. "We do not need any more lives to be destroyed by this." Defending, Tim Pole apologised on behalf of Akins. "The fact he caused the death of Mr Daniel continues to dominate his thoughts and it's a burden he will carry for the rest of his life," he said. Judge Menary acknowledged Akins' mitigation, but concluded: "It seems to be the appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody." He said he accepted Akins's remorse was genuine, but said his failure to admit his guilt at an earlier stage prolonged Mrs Daniel's "heartache and grief". In a statement released after sentencing, Mrs Daniel criticised "the farce Akins has made of the justice system". "This could all have been resolved sooner and that is the further insult to injury," she said. "[It] makes a mockery of any remorse that Akins offers for his actions."
Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
UK bans video game controller exports to Russia used to pilot drones
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UK bans video game controller exports to Russia
Other technology items used in the defence and energy sectors are among items which can also no longer be exported to Russia, including software used to search for new oil and gas wells.
The European Union enforced a similar ban on video games and joysticks earlier this year.
It is part of a package of around 150 trade sanctions against Russia announced by the Foreign Office on Thursday.
The export of video game controllers from the UK to Russia has been banned as they can be repurposed to pilot drones used to launch attacks on Ukraine.
Sanctions were also announced on exports of chemicals, electronics, machinery and metals to limit Russia's military capability.
This includes electronic circuits and other components that can be used in weapons systems.
"Gaming consoles will no longer be repurposed to kill in Ukraine," Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said.
He added: "Putin thought he could use British markets to boost his war effort, buying harmless goods and turning them into tools of war - but the UK is exposing and acting on this sinister trade.
"Today's action clamps down on Russia's sneaky trading and deprives Putin of the goods he desperately needs to fight his barbaric war."
He added that cutting off Russia's energy revenues "will drain Putin's war chest".
"And our tough new measures will also degrade Russia's military machine - new export sanctions mean Putin will no longer be able to get his hands on specialist technology used to produce weaponry for his illegal war."
The latest package is part of wider sanctions by the US, UK and EU on Russia, in response to its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Sanctions are penalties imposed by one country on another, to stop them acting aggressively or breaking international law.
The UK also condemned a Russian missile strike on Kyiv that killed nine people and injured dozens overnight on Thursday, one day after Ukrainian, US, UK and European officials met in London to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine.
UK foreign minister David Lammy said on X: "While Ukrainian ministers were in London working towards peace, [President Vladimir] Putin's Russia was attacking the Ukrainian people."
UK lifts sanctions on Syrian defence ministry
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UK lifts sanctions on Syrian defence ministry
6 hours ago Share Save Becky Morton Political reporter Share Save
EPA
The UK has lifted asset freezes on Syrian government bodies including the defence and interior ministries, in the latest easing of sanctions on the country. Sanctions are also being lifted on sectors including financial services and energy production, which the UK government said would help facilitate investment and rebuild Syria's economy. It comes nearly five months after President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by a rebel offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), following years of civil war. The Foreign Office said sanctions on members of the former Assad regime and those involved in the illicit trade in the drug Captagon would remain.
Other bodies no longer subject to asset freezes include a number of media organisations and Syria's intelligence agencies, although these were dissolved after the overthrow of Assad. The sanctions were previously imposed on people involved in repressing civilians in Syria, as well as those supporting or benefitting from the Assad regime. In March the UK lifted asset freezes on 24 Syrian bodies previously used by the Assad regime to fund the oppression of civilians, including the Central Bank of Syria, Syrian Arab Airlines and energy companies. It is generally prohibited to deal with frozen funds or make funds available to those subject to sanctions. Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer said: "The Syrian people deserve the opportunity to rebuild their country and economy, and a stable Syria is in the UK's national interest."
Downing Street said the measures would also encourage the return of Syrian refugees to the country. The processing of asylum claims for the thousands of Syrians in the UK was paused in December, with the Home Office saying it was assessing the situation following the fall of Assad. At the time, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper suggested some would return to Syria following the change of regime. HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was named as Syria's interim president earlier this year, has called for western sanctions to be lifted, arguing they were a response to the crimes of the previous regime. HTS is designated a terrorist group by the UK. However, British diplomats held talks with Al-Sharaa in December, with the government saying it would deal with HTS when necessary. The Foreign Office said: "The UK remains committed to working with the Syrian government and international partners to support an inclusive political transition in Syria, including the protection of human rights, unfettered access for humanitarian aid, safe destruction of chemical weapons stockpiles, and combatting terrorism and extremism." The European Union and the US have also been gradually lifting sanctions on Syria, which were imposed following Assad's crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011. In February the EU announced the suspension of restrictions on transport, energy and banking sectors, while in January the US eased some sanctions including on essential energy services.
Americast - Signal chats, leaks, and sackings... What's going on in the Pentagon? - BBC Sounds
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Signal chats, leaks, and sackings... What's going on in the Pentagon? Signal chats, leaks, and sackings... What's going on in the Pentagon?
How Just Stop Oil was policed to extinction
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Just Stop Oil was policed to extinction - now the movement has gone deeper underground
29 minutes ago Share Save Justin Rowlatt Climate Editor Share Save
BBC
Listen to Justin read this article Just Stop Oil (JSO) activists are dusting down their placards, digging out their infamous fluorescent orange vests, and charging up their loud hailers — a routine they have gone through many a time before. It has taken just three years of throwing soup, spraying corn-starch paint and blocking roads - lots and lots of roads – for the troop of climate activists to become one of the country's most reviled campaigning organisations. They expect hundreds of activists to turn out on Saturday in Central London. However, despite appearances, this JSO gathering is going to be very different from what has gone before. For a start it's existence is no secret. And secondly, there is unlikely to be any of the mass disruption that has been seen previously. In fact, this is their last ever protest. JSO are, in their own words, "hanging up the hi-viz" and ending their campaign of civil disobedience. The group's official line is that they've won their battle because their demand that there should be no new oil and gas licences is now government policy. But privately members of JSO admit tough new powers brought in to police disruptive protests have made it almost impossible for groups like it to operate.
Getty Images Saturday will mark JSO's last ever protest
Sarah Lunnon, co-founder of JSO, says Saturday's gathering will be a "joyful celebration". "We've done incredible things together, trusted each other with so much," she says. The group aren't the only ones who'll be celebrating. Many of the thousands of motorists who've been delayed, art lovers appalled by the attacks on great paintings, or the sports fans and theatre goers whose events were interrupted, will be glad to see the back of them. So too the police. Policing JSO protests has soaked up thousands of hours of officer time and cost millions. In 2023 the Met Police said the group's protests cost almost £20m. But the end of JSO also raises some big questions, including if this is really the end of disruptive climate protest in the UK or whether being forced underground could spawn new, even more disruptive or chaotic climate action. And there's a bigger strategic question. Despite widespread public concern about the future of the planet, much of the public ended up hostile to JSO. How can the climate movement avoid a repeat of that?
Policed to extinction?
JSO's model involved small groups of committed activists undertaking targeted actions designed to cause maximum disruption or public outrage. But it had strict internal rules. The actions had to be non-violent, and activists had to be held accountable – they had to wait around to get arrested. For leaders like Roger Hallam, who was originally jailed for five years for plotting to disrupt traffic on the M25, being seen to be punished was a key part of the publicity. The police, roused by public anger and hostile media coverage, demanded more powers to stop the "eco-loons", as the Sun newspaper dubbed them, and other protesters. And politicians heeded the call.
Getty Images JSO had strict internal rules, including that actions had to be non-violent
The biggest change came with the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act in 2022. It made "intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance" a statutory offence. A list of loosely defined actions including causing "serious distress, serious annoyance, serious inconvenience or serious loss of amenity" were now potentially serious crimes. And that opened up another legal route for the authorities: the charge of conspiracy to intentionally cause public nuisance. Now even planning a potentially disruptive action could bring substantial jail time. The Public Order Act the following year broadened the police's powers to manage protests and brought in new criminal offences including "locking on" to objects, causing serious disruption by tunnelling, and interfering with major infrastructure. At the same time judges, backed by the higher courts, have removed the right of protestors to claim they had a "lawful excuse" for their actions in the vast majority of protest cases. The Court of Appeal has accepted that the "beliefs and motivation" of a defendant are too remote to constitute lawful excuse for causing damage to a property. It means they can no longer argue to juries that their right to splash paint on buildings, sit in the road, or undertake other disruptive activities, is justified by the bigger threat posed by climate change. In most trials the only question for the court now is whether the defendants did what they are accused of, not why they did it.
Getty Images Some JSO members have been sent to prison for years
"We've seen people being found guilty and sent to prison for years," says JSO's Sarah Lunnon. David Spencer, a former police officer who now is head of crime and justice at the think tank Policy Exchange, says too often the law had previously "favoured those involved in disruptive protests at the expense of the legitimate interests of other people." The human rights organisation Liberty sees things very differently, believing the changes amount to an attack on democracy. Ruth Ehrlich, head of policy and campaigns at the organisation argues the legal changes have "had a chilling effect on the ways all of us are able to speak out for what we believe".
What comes next?
In this context, some climate activists have concluded that it is time to drop the movement's long-standing commitment to accountability – they will undertake disruptive actions but won't stick around to be arrested any more. Over the past year a group called Shut the System (STS) has carried out a series of criminal attacks on the offices of finance and insurance companies: smashing windows, daubing paint, supergluing locks, and in January this year they targeted fibre optic communication cables. I spoke to one of the organisers on a messaging app. They argue the legal changes mean the traditional forms of accountable protest aren't viable anymore. "It would be impossible for people to sustain an effective campaign with people going to prison for years after a single action," the spokesperson told me. "Activists are forced into a position where we have to go underground."
Getty Images Some climate activists have concluded that it is time to drop the movement's commitment to accountability
I asked the group what they would say to people who criticise them for breaking the law. They said that in their view the stakes are such that they have to do what they think works. This is not the first time protestors in the UK have taken clandestine action on climate issues. Over the past few years a group calling itself the Tyre Extinguishers has deflated tyres on sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in several locations, while this year another group drilled holes in the tyres of cars at a Land Rover dealership in Cornwall. The idea of protesters causing JSO levels of disruption - but unlike JSO, avoiding justice - may send a chill down the spine of many motorists. But Dr Graeme Hayes, reader in Political Sociology at Aston University, thinks only a tiny minority of climate campaigners are likely to get involved in such actions. He has studied environmental protest groups in the UK for decades and says the more radical groups are finding it increasingly hard to recruit people. "There is a very strong, profound ethical commitment to being non-violent within the climate movement so I think whatever it does will be based on those principles," he says.
'Disgruntled people find each other'
Others have found legal ways to make their protests heard. A group called the Citizen's Arrest Network (CAN) is attempting to flip the script by using the law of public nuisance – implemented so effectively against the disruptive protests of JSO – against the bosses of fossil fuel and other polluting companies. The group exploits the right, dating back to medieval England, that allows citizens to arrest people they think have committed a crime. CAN put together alleged criminal cases against those company bosses they argue are causing public nuisance by damaging the environment. Then they "arrest" them in public, which involves handing them documents detailing the alleged crimes they are responsible for. The group claims to have "arrested" a number of executives from fossil fuel and water companies and last month served indictments against Shell and BP to the Crown Prosecution Service. Gail Lynch, one of the organisers, says the group was born out of frustration, "disgruntled people find each other, and they need a mechanism to have their voice heard," she says.
Drawing the line
These days very few elected politicians speak out in favour of JSO's actions. Yet as recently as April 2019 Extinction Rebellion (XR) staged 10 days of protests across the UK that caused widespread disruption and included blocking Oxford Circus in central London with a large pink boat. Instead of lengthy prison sentences for those involved, the protest leaders were instead rewarded with a meeting with Conservative government ministers. Within two months the UK parliament had passed a law committing the country to bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Robert Jenrick, then a Treasury minister, was one of the ministers who met XR and was still in post when the Net Zero laws were passed.
Getty Images In April 2019 Extinction Rebellion blocked Oxford Circus in central London with a large pink boat
But things are different now and Jenrick, who is now shadow Justice Secretary, is very critical of JSO's actions. "It was completely unacceptable that ambulances were being blocked and millions of commuters were being subjected to hours of delays and misery," he tells me. "Just Stop Oil's zealotry has probably set back their cause by alienating the law-abiding majority."
Getty Images JSO has not been looked at favourably by all the public
Polling evidence suggests there is still strong support for climate action amongst the public. Ahead of the general election last year, the polling organisation More in Common, along with climate think tank ESG, found around 80% of Britons thought it was important that the government cares about tackling climate change. This broad sentiment was echoed across the political board - nearly four out of five Conservative voters and two thirds of Reform voters felt this way. But despite this, JSO is not well regarded by the public. A 2023 YouGov poll of almost 4,000 people found just 17% had a favourable view of the group. According to Dr Hayes, what happened with JSO has prompted deep reflection within the climate movement about its future strategy. There are some within the green movement who will be pleased to see the end of JSO.
Getty Images Some within the green movement will be pleased to see the end of JSO
Rupert Read, a former spokesperson for XR is one of many who believes JSO's message on the urgency of action on climate change got lost in the outrage caused by their disruptive campaigning. "Just Stop Oil has been effective at getting attention," says Read, "but that's not the same thing as getting real change." They generated a lot of headlines: "[but] sometimes people give you coverage precisely because they think that coverage will be bad for you and your cause." John Gummer, now Lord Deben, was an environment minister under Margaret Thatcher and chaired the government's watchdog on climate change for a decade. He has been very critical of successive governments' lack of action on climate change. But Lord Deben believes the disruptive actions of groups like JSO are counterproductive. "I think it annoys people more than it encourages people to think seriously about the issue," he says. His advice to people who want to see more action on climate change is to use the democratic system more effectively, for example by telling MPs and local councillors about concerns.
Public support
XR's former spokesperson, Mr Read, believes campaigners should now focus on building a mass movement. "If we are going to actually win on this, we need to do something that will bring most people with us because there is no way one gets to win on climate without bringing most people with one," he says. He's working with the former head of the Green Party, Caroline Lucas, on a new organisation, the Climate Majority Project. It lists prominent Conservatives including Lord Deben among its supporters and aims to use non-disruptive methods. The focus will be building support for climate action by focusing on tackling the impacts of extreme weather in local communities. "The end game is that we get a situation where the political parties are racing to compete for votes on climate and nature, rather than running away from them," explains Read. Naturalist and presenter Chris Packham believes "empowering" voters should be the focus. "We need a larger number, a larger percentage of our populace, on board when it comes to being able to talk […] truth to power."
Getty Images Some climate activists believe that new forms of disruptive protest will emerge in time
But he argues there are real dangers for governments that stifle the voices of those who have legitimate concerns. "If a government is arrogant enough not to listen to people protesting and they have good grounds for protest […] there are bound to be those people who say we are going to escalate the protest." He helped organise last year's Restore Nature Now march which brought tens of thousands of people onto the streets and was supported by a whole range of nature focused organisations including big charities like the National Trust and RSPB, as well as campaign groups like JSO. Packham was hoping that by getting a whole range of activists together on a single stage "they would all see the bigger picture and recognise that there are far more commonalities between them than differences." But peaceful climate action does not get the same attention as non-peaceful action. "We put between 70,000 and 80,000 people on the streets of London, but because it was a peaceful demonstration made up of kids in fancy dress we didn't get any coverage," says Packham.
It is in this context that Ms Lunnon of JSO believes new forms of disruptive protest will emerge in time. "The movement is there and will find new ways to confront the government," she says. "Nobody is shutting up shop and calling it a day. We know morally that we have to continue." However it is clear that, for now at least, the model that made JSO so notorious is dead. Top picture credit: Getty Images
BBC News Quiz of the Week: What kind of bread was crowned Britain’s Best Loaf?
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Weekly quiz: What kind of bread was crowned Britain's Best Loaf?
This week saw pilgrims flock to Rome to pay tribute to the late Pope Francis, the US threaten to pull out of Ukraine peace talks, and Prince Louis celebrate his seventh birthday.
But how much attention did you pay to what else has been going on in the world over the past seven days?
Quiz compiled by Ben Fell.
Ballet teacher hangs up her shoes aged 89 as students hail 'end of an era'
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Grande dame hangs up her ballet shoes aged 89
2 hours ago Share Save Angie Brown BBC Scotland, Edinburgh and East reporter Share Save
'I discovered I was far happier teaching ballet, it was what I really loved'
Sheena Gough is 89 years old but she can easily lift her leg on to a ballet barre to demonstrate elegant dance moves to her class. The ballet teacher, who trained in London and Paris, has pupils who travel hundreds of miles every week for her 90-minute lessons in Edinburgh. But now the grande dame has decided to hang up her ballet shoes after a 72 year career. BBC Scotland News joined her last class in the Stockbridge area of the city, where her students said it was the "end of an era".
Some of Sheena's students travel hundreds of miles to learn from her expertise
Sheena enrolled at the Scottish School of Ballet in Grosvenor Crescent in Edinburgh when she was 14 years old. By the age of 17, her talent had caught the eye of English ballet dancer and choreographer Anton Dolin - who begged her parents to let her be taught by Bolshoi-trained Olga Preobrajenska in Paris. "Fortunately my parents agreed," Sheena said. "I was really rather nervous, my parents took me over in the car and dropped me off at someone's flat in Paris and left me to get on with it. "It wasn't even a school, she was just somebody that famous dancers from all over the world would go to to attend her classes, so it was a little bit daunting." Margot Fonteyn - the Royal Ballet prima ballerina - was among Sheena's fellow pupils in the classes, which were conducted in French. "She was sweet, I remember her having difficulty with one of the steps. It was all quite an adventure," Sheena said.
Sheena Gough Sheena, pictured age 17, moved to Paris to be trained by Olga Preobrajenska
But it was when she moved to London that she badly injured her ankle while doing pointe work - where dancers perform on the tips of their toes - and her parents told her to travel back to Edinburgh while it healed. There she helped with the teaching at her former ballet school during her recovery. "And lo and behold I discovered I was far happier teaching than performing - and I've never looked back. I've been teaching ever since," she said. Ian Johnston, 60, regularly makes a 200-mile round trip from Carlisle to join Sheena's lessons. He first joined her class when he lived in Edinburgh in 1991. Now he brings his son, Sandy. "I travel this distance every week because Sheena is one of a kind, her classes are inspirational and her teaching style is very exciting," he said. Ian contacted the BBC through Your Voice, Your BBC News to suggest we tell Sheena's story.
Sheena Gough A mother-of-three and grandmother-of-two, Sheena is looking forward to spending more time in her garden.
"There is nobody else who teaches quite like her," Ian added. "Her classes are notoriously tough and rewarding. "It's going to be quite a shock not to have her anymore but I will hear her corrections in my head and her saying, 'Where's your face? Where's the join? Where's the excitement?' every time I do other classes in the future." Ian's son, Sandy, added: "I can't tell you how much I will miss the classes, they are the best I have ever been to and unlike anything else. "She doesn't let us away with anything, she notices everything, and she knows what you can aim for. "I'm very sad she's retiring because you don't find many classes like these anymore."
Sandy Johnston and his dad, Ian, travel from Carlisle for Sheena's classes
Sheena said she decided to retire after worrying she might not be able to remain at her peak. But she is not planning to have a rest. "There is the garden and my house to tidy up," she said. "I think I ought to make it easier for anybody who has to sort it out after I go." Another pupil, data scientist Ryan Mcmanus, said it was the end of an era. The 34-year-old, who travels more than 100 miles every week for the class, said: "It's the highlight of my every week to come along and have a great time learning how to do things and getting corrections. "I have been to other classes and what I like about Sheena is she is very insistent on the fundamentals: on correct placement, correct posture, on correct technique. "I've seen a vast improvement in me and it's entirely down to her correctness, which I really appreciate coming from a scientific background myself. "I had tears in my eyes when the class ended, I'm so sad and I sincerely doubt we will be able to find anyone like her again."
Ryan Mcmanus has seen a "vast improvement" in his technique thanks to Sheena's tuition.
Tracy Hawkes, a ballet dancer who owns the dance studio in St Stephen Street where Sheen's classes are held, said the teacher had left a wonderful legacy. "She's certainly one of the grande dames in Scotland," she said. "To have someone who has been through decades of change in style and methods of teaching but has continued to have been such a font of all knowledge and experience, to have someone who is nearly 90 still doing that is just amazing. "I've been so proud to have her here at the studio and it's a very sad day now she's retiring."
Sheena has since had requests for private lessons since retiring on Sunday
World Snooker Championship: Four-time Crucible champion Mark Selby suffers shock loss
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Four-time winner Mark Selby suffered a shock first-round loss at the World Championship as Ben Woollaston secured a superb victory in a late-night Crucible finish.
Woollaston, 37, is ranked 44th in the world and had to win two qualifying matches just to get to the main phase of the tournament for only the second time, after losing in round one in 2013.
Selby held a 5-4 lead after Wednesday's first session but Woollaston won six of Thursday's nine frames to claim a 10-8 victory and set up a last-16 tie with 2023 semi-finalist Si Jiahui.
"I didn't deserve to win," admitted Selby afterwards. "Ben played some great stuff, his safety was unbelievable at times but I still had my chances. It was pathetic really from me, to play like that is disappointing.
"It's the same old story, I try too hard and stop myself from playing. I love Ben to bits, I've known him for years. I grew up with him and have seen him progressing.
"To finish off the season like that has put a dampener on the season. My goal going forward is to win more Triple Crown events."
The match finished at seven minutes past midnight, the latest finish of this year's tournament so far.
For world number four Selby it is the second successive year that he has lost in round one at the Crucible to a fellow player from Leicester after he was beaten by Joe O'Connor in 2024.
Eubank vs Benn: Chris Eubank Jr opens up on "pain" and heckles Eddie Hearn off stage at news conference
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Chris Eubank Jr opened up about the fractured relationship with his father and the death of his brother before Saturday's much-hyped fight with rival Conor Benn.
The all-British grudge match will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, more than 30 years after their fathers began their own iconic rivalry.
Speaking at Thursday's news conference, Benn, 28, vowed to inflict "pain" on the 35-year-old Eubank Jr in their middleweight contest
"What is pain, though?", retorted Eubank Jr, whose brother Sebastian died in 2021 aged 29. "I have a brother who is buried in the desert in Dubai, that is pain.
"I have his son, three years old, he asks, 'why can't I see my daddy? why can't he take me to school?'. That is pain."
It is becoming increasingly unlikely Chris Eubank Sr, who beat Nigel Benn in 1990 before a contentious draw three years later, will be at Saturday's bout.
Eubank Sr has fallen out with his son and not been involved in any of the fight build-up.
"My own father, a man I idolised for my entire life, and he doesn't speak to me," added Eubank Jr.
"We haven't spoken for years and he thinks I'm a disgrace. These things are what pain is to me."
Eubank Jr and Benn were scheduled to fight in October 2022, before Benn failed a voluntary drugs test.
A long and intense stare down ensued at the face-off, although there was no repeat of February's infamous news conference when Eubank Jr slapped Benn with an egg.
Premier League Darts results: Gerwyn Price wins in Liverpool after Luke Littler booed in defeat
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Gerwyn Price won night 12 of the Premier League Darts in Liverpool while Luke Littler was booed in an agonising defeat by Michael van Gerwen.
Welshman Price moved up to third in the table with a 6-4 success over England's Luke Humphries in the final.
It was a third nightly win of the campaign for the 40-year-old after victories in Dublin and Nottingham.
Price, the 2021 world champion, averaged 104.43 on a night where he topped the ton mark in all three matches to become the fifth different winner in the past five weeks.
"When I'm on my game I am the best in the world. I'm just a little inconsistent," he said. "If I keep pushing forward, there's no reason why I can't win the Premier League this season."
Jamie Vardy: Leicester City Premier League title winner will leave a legacy
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"He is obviously the greatest ever Leicester player," former team-mate Marc Albrighton told BBC Sport.
"Everything he's achieved individually and with the team will never be forgotten by the Leicester fans and the club. It's going to be be tough for everyone because people have grown up watching him. It will take some getting used to not having him around the club."
Vardy has scored 198 times in 496 appearances for the Foxes since his £1m move from Fleetwood in 2012, showing the quality that led to appearances at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.
Even before their memorable and miraculous title achievement, though, he helped Leicester to their 'Great Escape' in the 2014-15 campaign where they won seven of their last nine games to avoid relegation under Nigel Pearson.
Vardy scored goals in the Champions League and Europa League, and won the Premier League's Golden Boot in 2019-20 after scoring 23 times - the oldest to win the prize at the age of 33.
He also beat current Foxes boss Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of scoring in consecutive Premier League games when he netted in his 11th straight match against Manchester United in 2015.
Vardy was Leicester's leading light and the influential figure they turned to, and could rely on, in times of need.
After relegation in 2023, he scored 20 times in all competitions last season as they won the Championship and, amid Leicester's troubles in this campaign, he is their top scorer with eight goals.
It's no surprise he was on target when they last scored at home in the league on 8 December against Brighton. They have since failed to do so in nine successive matches at the King Power, setting an unwanted top-flight record and a major reason why they are second bottom in the table and 18 points adrift of safety.
Winger Albrighton played with Vardy for 10 years after he moved to Leicester from Aston Villa on a free transfer in 2014, and they formed a tight bond on and off the pitch.
There is a view of Vardy, especially from opposition fans, as a wind-up merchant who takes delight in responding to abuse and gestures aplenty.
A central figure in the dressing room too, players also have a pre-conceived opinion of him.
But that changes once they meet him as Albrighton, 35, revealed: "He's a very unique character, very unique. There's nobody who came into the dressing room that was anything like him. I had a great relationship with him so he's always been fantastic with me.
"The way he is with everybody in the dressing room was incredible. New signings would come in with a perception of him and they'd quickly find out the true character behind his personality.
"He is a down-to-earth person, very, very humble, just normal. People make out he is some sort of a superstar, but he's just normal.
"He likes the normal things, the simple things in life, he's a family man and is just an all-round good person, he'll do anything for you."
Formula 1: FIA discusses new 'catch-up' performance rules
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Formula 1 bosses have agreed in principle to a mechanism that would allow engine manufacturers facing a performance shortfall under next year's new rules to catch up.
But there was no agreement at a meeting of the F1 Commission on Thursday on a proposal to cut the amount of electrical energy permitted in races.
That had been tabled as a means of preventing cars running out of electrical deployment down the straights at certain circuits.
Both ideas will be discussed at future meetings of the F1 power-unit manufacturers.
It was broadly agreed by the F1 Commission that the regulations, which are scheduled to run from 2026-30, should be modified so that it is easier for any manufacturer whose engine is short of performance to close the gap to its rivals.
The new rules for next year retain 1.6-litre turbo hybrid engines but with a simplified architecture while increasing the proportion of power supplied by the electrical part of the engine to about 50% from the current 20%, and running on sustainable fuels.
There are concerns that the greater demands on the hybrid system could lead to significant performance differences between the various manufacturers - in 2026, Red Bull Powertrains and Audi join current suppliers Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda in the sport.
Mercedes, Honda and Audi made clear at a meeting at the Bahrain Grand Prix earlier this month that they felt the sport should stick to the rules as they are and retain the electrical part of the engine as a potential performance differentiator.
The increased hybrid aspect of the rules was critical in attracting Audi and Red Bull's partner Ford, and in convincing Honda to stay in F1. It has also persuaded General Motors to enter F1.
GM will run a Cadillac-branded new team next year using Ferrari engines and has pledged to have its own power-unit ready by 2029.
The Bahrain meeting also kicked into the long grass a proposal to change the engine formula before 2030, although discussions will continue on this idea.
On Thursday, no agreement was reached on the details of mechanisms by which manufacturers may be able to make up a shortfall.
However, examples of ideas by which this could happen are to allow increased amounts of dynamometer testing or an increased engine budget cap to any who end up behind.
This has been passed to the power-unit working group for further refinement.
Maddy Cusack: Inquest into death of Sheffield United footballer delayed
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Maria Mulla, appearing remotely on behalf of the Cusack family, told the hearing: "One of the concerns is a perceived lack of transparency, particularly in relation to documents that are being provided to them [the family]. I am told the FA report in particular has missing pages and appears with a large number of redactions, whole pages."
She later added: "The scope of this inquest is very much a work in progress. The family wants some transparency."
However, coroner Sophie Cartwright said that disclosure had been made under "the Worcestershire principle", which permits redactions according to matters such as relevance.
Ms Cartwright added that while she was given "full, unfettered access", both the FA and Sheffield United had sought redactions before onward disclosure, and she had considered additional ones necessary.
Legal representatives for both the FA and Sheffield United said they had acted in accordance with those principles.
However, Ms Cartwright did issue an apology to the Cusack family for the length of time it had taken to collate the disclosure bundle, which extends to more than 700 pages and was sent to them earlier this week.
"I apologise to the family, you have been waiting a long time for disclosure that is important to you," she said.
Shortly after Cusack's death, her family complained about "processes and conduct" at Sheffield United, including the conduct of former women's team manager Jonathan Morgan.
An investigation commissioned by the club found no evidence of wrongdoing.
But the FA launched its own investigation to establish whether "further action is required under our jurisdiction within football".
At a previous hearing, the FA's legal counsel said the organisation would file a report to the coroner by the middle of January. It is understood this took place.
Mr Morgan attended the hearing alone, while the FA's legal counsel Stephen Walsh and head of integrity David Matthews were also present.
Sheffield United's chief executive Stephen Bettis appeared remotely.
A fourth pre-inquest hearing has been scheduled for 3 June. The earliest date for the inquest is late July, but the coroner indicated it might not take place until the end of the year.