For those wondering what next for Wrexham, the message from one half of the Hollywood ownership is unequivocal.

"Not. Done. Yet."

Rob McElhenney had been asked to sum up events at the Stok Cae Ras on Saturday as the north Wales club celebrated reaching the second tier of English football for only the second time in their history.

It is quite the statement, given the rapid rise under McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds has already seen Wrexham go from the lower end of the non-league fifth tier to one step away from the Premier League.

But the story appears far from over given the plans for the next steps, some taking place within hours of Phil Parkinson's side sealing an unprecedented third successive promotion.

"Four years ago, this man [McElhenney] said our goal is to make it to the Premier League," Reynolds told Sky Sports after the win over Charlton Athletic.

"And there was understandably a lot of titters, laughter and giggles - but it's starting to feel like a tangible thing that could actually come to fruition."

The success so far has long shown the A-list backed ambition is no joke.

But as they prepare to head to the Championship, do Wrexham have what it takes to compete with new rivals such as Leicester City, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion?

And can Wrexham really go up another level and make it to the Premier League?

US to decide its future in Russia-Ukraine talks this week

12 minutes ago Share Save Jessica Rawnsley BBC News Share Save

Watch: Trump says he 'thinks' Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea

This week will be "very critical" for Russia-Ukraine war talks as the US decides if it is an "endeavour that we want to continue to be involved in", the secretary of state has said. Marco Rubio told US media that Donald Trump hasn't imposed new penalties on Russia because he still hopes diplomacy can end the war. It comes after Trump held a brief meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican before Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday. Updating reporters on Sunday, Trump said he believes Zelensky is willing to give up Crimea to Russia as part of a peace deal - despite Kyiv's previous rejections of any such proposal.

Speaking to NBC's Meet the Press programme, Rubio said: "There are reasons to be optimistic, but there are reasons to be realistic. "We're close, but we're not close enough. Throughout this process, it's about determining, do both sides really want peace and how close are they or how far apart they are after 90 days of effort here... that's what we're trying to determine this week." Addressing the prospect of imposing penalties on Vladimir Putin, Rubio said: "The minute you start doing that kind of stuff, you're walking away from it." Over the weekend Trump questioned whether the Russian president wants to "stop the war" against Ukraine. "It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through "Banking" or "Secondary Sanctions?" Too many people are dying!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. His post came just after he held a private meeting with Zelensky in Italy, which the White House described as a "productive discussion." Asked on Sunday if he thought the Ukrainian president was ready to cede control of its southern peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, Trump replied: "I think so."

Ukrainian Presidential Press Service Presidents Trump and Zelensky held talks at the Vatican before Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday

Trump also said Zelensky seemed "calmer", in what could have been a reference to a very public clash between the two presidents at the White House in February. Ukraine has repeatedly rejected making any territorial concessions, stressing that issues about land should only be discussed once a ceasefire is agreed. Neither Zelensky nor Putin have publicly responded to Trump's latest comments.

Elsewhere on Sunday, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned Ukraine not to agree to a deal which involves sweeping territorial concessions in return for a ceasefire. He told German public broadcaster ARD that Kyiv "should not go as far as the latest proposal by the American president", which he said would amount to a "capitulation". The German minister said Ukraine knew it might have to part with some territory to secure a truce. "But they will certainly not go as far - or should not go as far - as the latest proposal by the American president. "Ukraine could have got a year ago what was included in that proposal, it is akin to a capitulation. I cannot discern any added value," Pistorius said. Trump said last week that "most of the major points [of the deal] are agreed to". Reports suggest that Ukraine could be asked to give up large portions of land seized by Russia, including Crimea. The BBC has not seen the exact details of the latest US plan. On Friday, Reuters news agency reported that it had seen proposals from the US that included American legal acceptance of Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and de facto recognition of Russian control of other occupied areas, including all of Luhansk in the east of the country. Reuters says it has also seen counter-proposals from Europe and Ukraine, which reportedly say the sides will only discuss what happens to occupied Ukrainian territory once a ceasefire has come into effect. The US plan also rules out Ukraine's membership in the Nato military alliance and sees a UK-France led "coalition of the willing" providing a security guarantee once a ceasefire is in force without the involvement of the US.

Meanwhile Europe want the US to give "robust" guarantees in the form of a cast-iron Nato-style commitment to come to Ukraine's aid if it is attacked. The US reportedly further proposes to take control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant - currently occupied by Russia - which would then provide electricity to both Russia and Ukraine. The counter-plan makes no mention of giving Russia power. In an interview with Time magazine this week, Trump once again blamed Kyiv for starting the war, citing its ambitions of joining Nato. The US president also told Time: "Crimea will stay with Russia." The US has warned it would walk away from negotiations if progress was not made. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Moscow currently controls almost 20% of Ukrainian territory.

The Atlanta Falcons have apologised to Shedeur Sanders after their defensive co-ordinator's son helped to prank call the young quarterback during the NFL Draft.

In video footage on social media, Sanders can be heard taking a call from someone purporting to be the New Orleans Saints' general manager Mickey Loomis.

The caller tells Sanders the Saints will make him their next pick before saying that he is going to "have to wait a little bit longer".

Sanders - whose father Deion began his storied NFL career with the Falcons - ended up being selected by the Cleveland Browns as the sixth pick of the fifth round and 144th overall.

"Earlier in the week, Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of defensive co-ordinator Jeff Ulbrich, unintentionally came across the draft contact phone number for Shedeur Sanders off an open iPad while visiting his parent's home and wrote the number down to later conduct a prank call," said a Falcons statement.

"Jeff Ulbrich was unaware of the data exposure or any facets of the prank and was made aware of the above only after the fact.

"The Atlanta Falcons do not condone this behaviour and send our sincere apologies to Shedeur Sanders and his family, who we have been in contact with to apologise to, as well as facilitate an apology directly from Jax to the Sanders family.

"We are thoroughly reviewing all protocols, and updating if necessary, to help prevent an incident like this from happening again."

Jax Ulbrich also made an apology on social media, saying he had made a "tremendous mistake" and described what he did as "completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful".

He added: "I'm so sorry I took away from your moment, it was selfish and childish."

Sanders, who had been tipped to be one of the first picks, eventually became the sixth quarterback selected in the draft and the second by the Browns.

"It didn't really have an impact on me," said Sanders when asked about the prank call.

"I think of course it was a childish act, but everybody does childish things here and there."

Sanders' father Deion - who had a notable career during which he played cornerback in defence as well as a kick returner and wide receiver on offence - coached his son at Colorado.

The NFL Hall of Famer also played in the World Series - the pinnacle of baseball - for the Atlanta Braves in 1992.

Ministers face above projected teacher and NHS pay deals

5 minutes ago Share Save Henry Zeffman Chief Political Correspondent Sam Francis Political reporter Share Save

PA Media

Millions of public sector workers should be given pay rises of as much as 4%, pay review bodies have told ministers - significantly higher than ministers wanted. The pay review body for teachers in England has recommended a pay rise of about 4% this year, while its NHS equivalent has recommended about 3%, according to figures first reported by The Times. Both figures are higher than the 2.8% the government had budgeted for in their proposals to the pay bodies, and are likely to place further strain on public finances. Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said the government will give "careful consideration" to pay rise recommendations for NHS workers but must make sure to balance the books.

Speaking on Sky News, Kinnock said: "We are all about putting more money into the pockets of working people, but we do also have to ensure that we are balancing the books, and we have got to work in terms of public sector pay within fiscal constraints. "We will give these recommendations careful consideration. "But I would, of course, also urge our colleagues in the trade union movement to engage constructively with us and recognise the reality of the financial position."

The government could reject the pay recommendations and stick to 2.8%. But it is more likely that ministers say the higher pay will have to be funded by existing budgets and efficiency savings. That would set ministers on a collision course with trade unions and - government insiders privately concede - make a new wave of strikes possible. Teaching unions NASUWT and National Education Union, which together represent the bulk of England's teaching workforce, have already threatened strikes if pay rises trigger cuts or layoffs. The British Medical Association (BMA) has previously said the government's approach "indicates a poor grasp of the unresolved issues from two years of industrial action". Last year the government accepted the recommendations of the pay review bodies in full, handing workers raises of between 4.75% to 6% - a move that ended widespread industrial action. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has cited ending strikes as a key part of his plan to improve the NHS, arguing it is one of the reasons waiting lists have been falling for the past six months.

Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Paul Johnson said the government will face "tough" trade-offs when considering how to award pay. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has set "very, very tight budgets" so any pay increase risks the government being "forced into tax rises or other spending cuts", Johnson said. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Johnson said: "If you're increasing pay then you can't do other things. "You can't employ more teachers or open breakfast clubs or have more doctors and nurses."

Public anger over pay, squeezed public services and potential strikes could play a major role in local elections this week - the government's first major test since last year's landslide general election victory. Sir Keir is spending Monday touring hospitals promoting reforms to the NHS app - which he said will haul the health service out of the "dark ages", saving it money and cutting waiting lists.

The salaries of NHS staff, as well as other public-sector workers such as police officers, teachers and the members of the armed forces, are recommended by eight pay review bodies (PRBs). They cover 2.5 million workers - about 45% of public-sector staff - and a pay bill of around £100bn. The PRBs are made up of economists and experts on human resources, with experience in both the public and private sector and are appointed by the relevant government department. The independent pay review bodies take overall earnings, both public and private sector, and the forecast rate of inflation into account when they make their recommendations.

Woman hurt in attack involving crossbow 'stable'

15 hours ago Share Save Emily Johnson and Grace Wood BBC News, Yorkshire Share Save

YappApp Police removed the cordon that had been in place on Otley Road on Sunday evening

One of two women seriously injured in an attack involving a crossbow and a firearm in Leeds has undergone surgery for "life-threatening injuries". Counter Terrorism Policing North East said the "isolated incident" happened on Otley Road, in the Headingley area, when people were taking part in the popular Otley Run pub crawl at about 14:47 BST on Saturday. Two victims, aged 19 and 31, were taken to hospital and one was discharged earlier while the other, who underwent surgery, was now in a stable condition, police said. A 38-year-old man, who officers said was "the key suspect", remains in hospital in a critical condition, under police guard, after suffering a "self-inflicted injury".

YappApp Two weapons were recovered from the scene, which were a crossbow and a firearm

Det Ch Supt James Dunkerley said: "The investigation continues and officers are working at pace to establish the full facts and circumstances of Saturday's incident. "We are not currently seeking anyone else in connection with this matter, which has caused understandable concern. We believe it was an isolated incident." Alison Lowe, deputy mayor of West Yorkshire for policing and crime, said the man was being held under police guard.

'We're here for you'

She said: "The suspect injured themselves and is now in hospital under police guard so the threat has been eliminated." Lowe reassured the public and said there would be an increased police presence across Headingley in "the coming days and weeks". "This is a very, very rare incident and the police know that the public are very frightened, so there is a much bigger police presence. "I would be scared if I had witnessed or been close to an incident of that magnitude. "All I can say to those women and girls is that we're here for you. We're increasing those patrols." Cordons around the scene on Otley Road were removed on Sunday evening.

BBC/Trudy Scanlon Vasileios Balampanos says the area is usually quiet, apart from students doing the Otley Run

MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, Alex Sobel, said the incident raised concerns about the safety of the Otley Run. He said: "We need to look at the numbers and see what we can do to ensure safety on the Otley Run. "This is really serious and shocking and nobody foresaw that anything like this would happen, but we have had other issues, just because of the huge volume of people who come every Saturday and the growth in it. "Because of this we're going to have to look really deeply at how Otley Run operates."

BBC/Cathy Killick Police said officers were working "at pace to establish the full facts and circumstances" of the incident

Headingley resident Vasileios Balampanos described seeing the aftermath of the incident. He said he saw paramedics treating someone further up Otley Road and "a couple of distressed individuals, students mostly". "It was quite scary," he said. "Generally, this is a quiet area but we have plenty of people doing the Otley Run and going to the pub. It can get busy sometimes." Headingley councillor Abdul Hannan said his thoughts were with the victims and said the council was working closely with the police and reassuring the community. "It's horrific," he said. "There is a lot of footfall in that area, it is a busy stretch, especially on a Saturday. "It is a tragedy what has taken place."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

Call for ban on AI apps creating naked images of children

The children's commissioner said the apps were being allowed to go unchecked

A government spokesperson said child sexual abuse material was illegal and that there were plans for further offences for creating, possessing or distributing AI tools designed to create such content.

She said the government was allowing such apps to "go unchecked with extreme real-world consequences".

Dame Rachel de Souza said a total ban was needed on apps which allow "nudification" - where photos of real people are edited by AI to make them appear naked - or can be used to create sexually explicit deepfake images of children.

The children's commissioner for England is calling on the government to ban apps which use artificial intelligence (AI) to create sexually explicit images of children.

Deepfakes are videos, pictures or audio clips made with AI to look or sound real.

In a report published on Monday, Dame Rachel said the technology was disproportionately targeting girls and young women with many bespoke apps appearing to work only on female bodies.

Girls are actively avoiding posting images or engaging online to reduce the risk of being targeted, according to the report, "in the same way that girls follow other rules to keep themselves safe in the offline world - like not walking home alone at night".

Children feared "a stranger, a classmate, or even a friend" could target them using technologies which could be found on popular search and social media platforms.

Dame Rachel said: "The evolution of these tools is happening at such scale and speed that it can be overwhelming to try and get a grip on the danger they present.

"We cannot sit back and allow these bespoke AI apps to have such a dangerous hold over children's lives."

Dame Rachel also called for the government to:

impose legal obligations on developers of generative AI tools to identify and address the risks their products pose to children and take action in mitigating those risks

set up a systemic process to remove sexually explicit deepfake images of children from the internet

recognise deepfake sexual abuse as a form of violence against women and girls

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said members shared the commissioner's concerns.

He said: "This is an area that urgently needs to be reviewed as the technology risks outpacing the law and education around it."

It is illegal in England and Wales under the Online Safety Act to share or threaten to share explicit deepfake images.

The government announced in February laws to tackle the threat of child sexual abuse images being generated by AI, which include making it illegal to possess, create, or distribute AI tools designed to create such material.

It said at the time that the Internet Watch Foundation - a UK-based charity partly funded by tech firms - had confirmed 245 reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse in 2024 compared with 51 in 2023, a 380% increase.

Media regulator Ofcom published the final version of its Children's Code on Friday, which puts legal requirements on platforms hosting pornography and content encouraging self-harm, suicide or eating disorders, to take more action to prevent access by children.

Websites must introduce beefed-up age checks or face big fines, the regulator said.

Dame Rachel has criticised the code saying it prioritises "business interests of technology companies over children's safety".

A government spokesperson said creating, possessing or distributing child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated images, is "abhorrent and illegal".

"Under the Online Safety Act platforms of all sizes now have to remove this kind of content, or they could face significant fines," they added.

"The UK is the first country in the world to introduce further AI child sexual abuse offences - making it illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate heinous child sex abuse material."

Daughter of murdered MP calls for Kneecap apology

34 minutes ago Share Save Share Save

PA Media Katie Amess says she would be willing to meet the group and have a conversation with them

The daughter of an Conservative MP who was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery has said rap group Kneecap should apologise over comments where they allegedly called for MPs to be killed. A video emerged of the west Belfast trio at a November 2023 gig appearing to show one person from the band saying: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP." Katie Amess, whose father Sir David Amess was an MP when he was murdered in 2021, said she was "gobsmacked at the stupidity of somebody or a group of people being in the public eye and saying such dangerous, violent rhetoric". Tory Party leader Kemi Badenoch has since called for police prosecution.

Kneecap have said on social media that they have "faced a co-ordinated smear campaign".

The footage is being assessed by counter-terrorism police.

'This demands prosecution'

Getty Images Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch says the group "glorifies terrorism"

In a post on social media, Badenoch called for action: "Kneecap's glorification of terrorism and anti-British hatred has no place in our society". "After the murder of Sir David Amess, this demands prosecution," she added.

Getty Images Sir David Amess, who was a Conservative MP for Southend West, died after he was stabbed more than 20 times

Ms Amess told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme that the band's alleged comments were deeply upsetting and hurtful to her and her family. "It is just beyond belief that human beings would speak like that in this day and age and it is extremely dangerous," Ms Amess told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme. "To say to kill anybody, what on earth are they thinking?" Ms Amess said there were "absolute nutters" who could try to act upon the comments allegedly made by Kneecap. Sir David, who represented Southend West in the House of Commons, was stabbed to death by Ali Harbi Ali, a fanatic of so-called Islamic State, at a constituency surgery on 15 October 2021. The Metropolitan Police also said another video, from November 2024, was being assessed. The footage appeared to show a Kneecap band member shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" at a performance in London. Both Hamas and Hezbollah, are banned in the UK and it is a crime to express support for them. A Met Police spokesperson said: "We were made aware of a video on 22 April, believed to be from an event in November 2024, and it has been referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) for assessment and to determine whether any further police investigation may be required. "We have also been made aware of another video believed to be from an event in November 2023."

Getty Images Kneecap say they have "faced a co-ordinated smear campaign"

Ms Amess said Kneecap should contact her and apologise to her "and every other person that has been offended by this". She said the band should take a "long hard look in the mirror and realise that my family and my life has been destroyed, I will never ever be the same again and we lost a wonderful man, a wonderful parliamentarian and they could only hope to be as good a person as he is". "I think when they hear these words from me, they are going to realise the pain and the torment, it has just ruined my life and my family's life," she said. "I have hope, I think that they are going to say sorry, they didn't think it through and maybe they can work with people to educate them and change the minds of their fans, because I am sure this incited their fans to think of evil and violence and abhorrent things."

'Hopefully they just made a mistake'

Ms Amess said she would be prepared to meet Kneecap and have a conversation with them. "If they are willing to listen to how my life has been obliterated and will never be the same, for them to say those words is obviously very triggering," she said. "I'm sure deep down they are nice people, hopefully they just made a mistake and are going to apologise for it."

A government spokesman said: "We unequivocally condemn threatening remarks made towards any individual. "Political intimidation and abuse must have no place in our society. We recognise the chilling effect that harassment and intimidation of elected representatives can have on our democracy. "All reports of intimidation, harassment and threats are taken extremely seriously. We work with the police and Parliament to do everything in our power to crack down on threats to elected officials." Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson called for Kneecap to be investigated. "Promoting sectarianism, glorifying violence and spreading division under the guise of "art" is still hate," the Belfast East MP said in a post on X. None of the members of the group have been charged with any offences.

Sharon Osborne criticism

One dead and multiple injured after hit-and-run boat crash in Florida

One person has died and multiple others were seriously injured after a boat crash in the city of Clearwater, Florida, police have said.

The Clearwater Ferry, which had 45 people on board, including two crew members, was struck by a boat which then left the scene. The boat was later identified by another law enforcement agency, Clearwater government officials said.

The fire department declared a mass casualty event because of the "number and severity of injuries". Two of the injured were transported to hospital via helicopter.

All of the injuries were from the ferry, which came to rest on a sandbar.

Police responded at 20:43 local time on Sunday (00:43 GMT on Monday).

Critical week for US's future in Ukraine-Russia talks, Rubio says

47 minutes ago Share Save Jessica Rawnsley BBC News Share Save

Watch: Trump says he 'thinks' Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea

This week will be "very critical" for Russia-Ukraine war talks as Washington decides if it is an "endeavour that we want to continue to be involved in", US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. Rubio told US media that Donald Trump hasn't imposed new penalties on Russia because he still hopes diplomacy can end the war. It comes after Trump held a brief meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican before Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday. Updating reporters on Sunday, Trump said he believes Zelensky is willing to give up Crimea to Russia as part of a peace deal - despite Kyiv's previous rejections of any such proposal.

Speaking to NBC's Meet the Press programme, Rubio said: "There are reasons to be optimistic, but there are reasons to be realistic. "We're close, but we're not close enough. Throughout this process, it's about determining, do both sides really want peace and how close are they or how far apart they are after 90 days of effort here... that's what we're trying to determine this week." Addressing the prospect of imposing penalties on Vladimir Putin, Rubio said: "The minute you start doing that kind of stuff, you're walking away from it." Over the weekend Trump questioned whether the Russian president wants to "stop the war" against Ukraine. "It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through "Banking" or "Secondary Sanctions?" Too many people are dying!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. His post came just after he held a private meeting with Zelensky in Italy, which the White House described as a "productive discussion." Asked on Sunday if he thought the Ukrainian president was ready to cede control of its southern peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, Trump replied: "I think so."

Ukrainian Presidential Press Service Presidents Trump and Zelensky held talks at the Vatican before Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday

Trump also said Zelensky seemed "calmer", in what could have been a reference to a very public clash between the two presidents at the White House in February. Ukraine has repeatedly rejected making any territorial concessions, stressing that issues about land should only be discussed once a ceasefire is agreed. Neither Zelensky nor Putin have publicly responded to Trump's latest comments.

Elsewhere on Sunday, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius warned Ukraine not to agree to a deal which involves sweeping territorial concessions in return for a ceasefire. He told German public broadcaster ARD that Kyiv "should not go as far as the latest proposal by the American president", which he said would amount to a "capitulation". The German minister said Ukraine knew it might have to part with some territory to secure a truce. "But they will certainly not go as far - or should not go as far - as the latest proposal by the American president. "Ukraine could have got a year ago what was included in that proposal, it is akin to a capitulation. I cannot discern any added value," Pistorius said. Trump said last week that "most of the major points [of the deal] are agreed to". Reports suggest that Ukraine could be asked to give up large portions of land seized by Russia, including Crimea. The BBC has not seen the exact details of the latest US plan. On Friday, Reuters news agency reported that it had seen proposals from the US that included American legal acceptance of Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and de facto recognition of Russian control of other occupied areas, including all of Luhansk in the east of the country. Reuters says it has also seen counter-proposals from Europe and Ukraine, which reportedly say the sides will only discuss what happens to occupied Ukrainian territory once a ceasefire has come into effect. The US plan also rules out Ukraine's membership in the Nato military alliance and sees a UK-France led "coalition of the willing" providing a security guarantee once a ceasefire is in force without the involvement of the US.

Meanwhile Europe want the US to give "robust" guarantees in the form of a cast-iron Nato-style commitment to come to Ukraine's aid if it is attacked. The US reportedly further proposes to take control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant - currently occupied by Russia - which would then provide electricity to both Russia and Ukraine. The counter-plan makes no mention of giving Russia power. In an interview with Time magazine this week, Trump once again blamed Kyiv for starting the war, citing its ambitions of joining Nato. The US president also told Time: "Crimea will stay with Russia." The US has warned it would walk away from negotiations if progress was not made. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Moscow currently controls almost 20% of Ukrainian territory.