Australia PM Albanese makes stunning comeback with landslide win

1 hour ago Share Save Tiffanie Turnbull Reporting from Sydney Share Save

Watch: Three things to know about the Australian election result

Labor's Anthony Albanese has defied the so-called "incumbency curse" to be re-elected Australia's prime minister in a landslide. Official vote counting won't finish for days, but Albanese's centre-left government will dramatically increase its majority after the conservative Liberal-National coalition suffered a thumping defeat nationwide. "Today, the Australian people have voted for Australian values: for fairness, aspiration and opportunity for all; for the strength to show courage in adversity and kindness to those in need," Albanese said. Coalition leader Peter Dutton, who lost his own seat of 24 years, said he accepted "full responsibility" for his party's loss and apologised to his MPs.

Following the result, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both said they looked forward to deepening their bilateral relationships with Australia. Cost-of-living concerns - particularly the affordability of healthcare and housing - dominated the five-week campaign, but international relations also reared its head, with the issue of how to deal with Donald Trump looming large over the election. Dutton was seen by many as Australia's Trump, which appeared to go down badly with voters, despite his attempts to shake off comparisons made between his policies on immigration, public sector cuts and China, and the Trump administration. Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told BBC Newshour that Dutton ran a "very Trumpian campaign", and the US president was "the mood music that had a very big influence on how people perceived" the Liberal-National opposition. Labor saw swings towards them right across the country – a rare feat for a second-term government in Australia - and Albanese becomes the first prime minister to win back-to-back elections in over 20 years. The party's success has also tempered a trend of voters abandoning the two major parties, which was the big story of the last election in 2022. Labor is on track to finish with 86 seats, the Coalition about 40, and the Greens Party with one or two, according to projections by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Other minor parties and independents are ahead in nine seats. That represents an increase of nine for Labor and a significant drop in support for the Greens. However most "teal" independents have been returned in their more conservative, inner-city electorates. It's a remarkable turnaround from the start of the year, when polling put Albanese's popularity at record lows after three years of global economic pain, tense national debate, and growing government dissatisfaction.

Getty Images Anthony Albanese says his election was a vote for equality and kindess

In his Saturday night victory speech, Albanese addressed some of the election's key issues, which also included migration, climate change and energy. He reiterated his promises to make healthcare - most critically GP appointments - more affordable, put buying a house in reach for more Australians, and do more to address climate change and protect the environment. Notably, he also vowed to advance reconciliation for First Nations people: "We will be a stronger nation when we Close the Gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians." It's a veiled reference to the biggest moment of Albanese's tenure, the failed Voice referendum of October 2023, which sought to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the constitution, and simultaneously establish a parliamentary advisory body for them. Australia remains the only Commonwealth country to have never signed a treaty with its Indigenous people.

Soul-searching after emphatic result

The Voice was one of Albanese's most defining policies, and his most striking setback - it was overwhelmingly rejected after months of often toxic and divisive national debate. Indigenous Australians have told the BBC they feel like they've been forgotten by policymakers since. The prime minister also found difficulty trying to walk a middle path on the Israel-Gaza war, raised eyebrows after buying a multi-million dollar beach pad in the midst of a housing crisis and, like other leaders globally, he grappled with tough economic conditions. With tanking poll numbers, Albanese was broadly seen as the underdog coming into the election, and was poised to be the next victim of the "incumbency curse" – a term to explain a global trend where struggling constituents were turfing out governments after a single term. Dutton, on the other hand, looked like he was writing a great political comeback - he was on the edge of bringing his party from its worst loss in 70 years back into office in a single term. It has been almost a century since a first-term government has failed to win re-election, but as Australian National University Emeritus Professor John Warhurst said: "Dutton entered the campaign [year] in front. It was his to lose." Instead tonight Dutton has overseen a party loss so emphatic he has lost his own electorate of Dickson, to Labor's Ali France.

Getty Images Peter Dutton is one of the opposition's most experience MPs

"I love this country and have fought hard for it," he told supporters in Brisbane, conceding defeat. "We have been defined by our opponents in this election which is not a true story of who we are, but we will rebuild from here and we will do that because we know our values, we know our beliefs, and we will always stick to them." His campaign was marred by unforced errors: including a series of policy backflips which caused confusion, awkward mistakes on important issues like cost of living and, perhaps most memorably, accidentally booting an AFL ball into a cameraman's head. "The opposition has been shambolic," Prof Warhurst says. But the government - while resolute and disciplined in its campaign - was timid. It's strategy was largely allowing voters to judge Dutton and his party, rather than advancing bold or convincing policies, analysts say. And that's something we heard from voters throughout the campaign too.

Watch: 'Boring' and 'weird': Australians sum up their election in one word

Polls predicted a tight race in Australia's election, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has won a second term in a landslide.

His rival Peter Dutton has suffered a humiliating defeat, losing even the seat he held for 24 years.

Our Australia correspondent Katy Watson breaks down the result - and what it means for the country.

Fourteen children arrested over boy's fire death

3 hours ago Share Save Pamela Tickell BBC News, North East and Cumbria Share Save

BBC A 14-year-old boy died in a fire in the Bill Quay area of Gateshead on Friday

Fourteen children have been arrested over the death of a 14-year-old boy in a fire at an industrial unit. The blaze broke out at Fairfield industrial park in the Bill Quay area of Gateshead on Friday evening. It was extinguished, but a body believed to be that of Layton Carr, who had been reported missing, was located inside the building, Northumbria Police said. Eleven boys and three girls aged between 11 and 14 were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and remain in police custody.

Police said they received reports of the fire shortly after 20:00 BST at the 15-acre site on the southern banks River Tyne. It has fallen into disrepair in recent years, with a gatehouse leading to the site smashed down and a number of buildings left abandoned.

A police presence was still in the area on Saturday

Officers said the inquiry into the blaze was at an early stage and asked members of the public not to speculate about what happened. Det Ch Insp Louise Jenkins said it was an "extremely tragic incident where a boy has sadly lost his life". "Our thoughts are with Layton's family as they begin to attempt to process the loss of their loved one. "Our specialist officers will continue to support them in whatever way they can." A cordon would remain in place, along with a police presence, to carry out investigations and "offer reassurance to the public", she said. Police have appealed for anyone with information to get in touch.

What Prince Harry was like during our exclusive interview

16 hours ago Share Save Nada Tawfik BBC News Reporting from California Share Save

BBC

Dawn in a beautiful, expensively landscaped home in Santa Barbara, California, is a strange time and place to meet a British prince. However, the Duke of Sussex infamously stepped away from the usual business of being royal. It's a decision he says he was forced to make. The home wasn't his, but rather a convenient meeting point a few miles from where he lives with his wife Meghan and their two children - Archie, five, and Lilibet, three. As we set up our cameras in the living room, we pulled up the latest court updates and news lines being filed by our teams in London. Meanwhile, we were warned to keep the doors closed so that the screaming peacocks on the porch wouldn't come inside.

The court's judgement wasn't the outcome Prince Harry had hoped for and I expected that when he arrived for our interview, he would be disappointed. It had been a years-long, deeply personal battle. I have interviewed my fair share of famous people during my career - from celebrities and fashion designers to diplomats and politicians. Before the cameras even start rolling, you get a sense of how it might play out based on your interviewee's demeanour, mood and banter. I found Prince Harry to be down-to-earth, softly spoken and easy to talk to. He didn't arrive with an entourage and politely introduced himself to us, shaking each of our hands. I was surprised that he knew I had flown in from New York to do the interview. We began with some very brief small talk, which always helps to break the ice before a formal sit down, but we didn't touch the topic at hand until the cameras started rolling. Prince Harry was eager to share his feelings, despite the critical scrutiny that follows him. As the interviewer, I was also keenly aware of that scrutiny. Sitting there, close up, there was a lot to unpack. I felt it was important to ask why taxpayers should pay for his security, why a change of status wasn't warranted given he wasn't a working royal, and why protection on a case-by-case basis made him feel at greater risk. He wasn't defensive or combative, and he wanted to address each of those points. Equally, it was important to give him space to share his perspective. Because whatever anyone feels about the duke, he raises interesting questions for the public to ponder.

Watch: Prince Harry says he can't see a world where his wife and children will visit the UK and asks for reconciliation with his family

This week proves Nigel Farage's PM ambition is not a wild notion

7 hours ago Share Save Laura Kuenssberg • @bbclaurak Presenter, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg Share Save

BBC

In the first week of 2025, Nigel Farage told me his ultimate goal was to become prime minister. It stuck in my mind that he chose to add: "I'm not joking." Nobody in the two traditional main parties finds his stunning success this week funny. "Farage is no longer someone we can just laugh off," a former Conservative cabinet minister told me. If the idea of Farage in No 10 seemed outlandish in January, the backing of millions of voters this week shows it's not a wild notion. The next General Election is, of course, miles away. Parties can surge and sink. But this week's results show that Farage has changed the race. For Labour, it's a race to prove that government can actually be a force for good. Minister after minister trotted out the same lines as the results came in – waiting lists are starting to come down, the minimum wage has gone up, and new breakfast clubs are opening in schools. I could almost recite their script by the end of our election coverage. There is little appetite in No 10 to budge on any of the big decisions they've already made, however many times internal critics, and increasing numbers of loyalists, complain about cutting winter fuel payments or raising employer National Insurance contributions. But Downing Street is desperate to show that despite its unpopularity in the polls and grisly performance in real elections, there are signs of progress. Labour is well aware its main rival at the next election could be Reform, not the Tories – the disappointment and disillusionment felt by some in the UK finding a voice in Farage. Yet has the party's top brass understood how serious the threat could be?

PA Media Reform candidate Sarah Pochin received 38.7% of the vote in the Runcorn by-election, with the Conservatives finishing third and Green Party in fourth

One party veteran suggests it's only "just starting to dawn" on those at the top, warning "the coming years could be existential for Labour". While the government can 'do', opposition parties can only 'say'. For the Tories it's now a race to look like a serious outfit and for Kemi Badenoch it's a race to become not just a leader who voters recognise, but one they warm to. In politics it's often said you're quick or you're dead – but the Conservative leader's pitch to her party was "Renewal 2030", and she's repeatedly suggested her approach is to have a long, hard think about what the party should do next. There is, this weekend, no serious suggestion that she will come under pressure to quit, but there is a push for her to do more faster, and to be more visible. A former cabinet minister said "we have to show voters we are hungry for their business" and "define who the party is". Another said the "main part of the job is grabbing attention – it doesn't matter what you do if no-one sees or hears". Badenoch will join us on Sunday's programme alongside Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, Green co-leader Adrian Ramsay and Zia Yusuf, chairman of Reform UK.

Pollsters report that six months into the job, Badenoch is still an unknown for huge numbers of voters. Farage is a past master at grabbing headlines, seizing on issues other politicians are sometimes reluctant to, talking in terms that raise eyebrows, creating rows and news coverage. Reform has already been ahead of the Conservatives in the polls for months – and many Tories acknowledge privately it's not impossible that Farage's party could replace them in the medium term. It's "not inevitable", one of the former ministers said, "but we have to throw everything at it to make sure it doesn't happen, not just hope or guess".

Reuters Reform UK also won its first parliamentary by-election, narrowly taking Runcorn and Helsby from Labour by just six votes after a recount

PA Media And it won its first mayoral race, with former Conservative MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns taking 42% of the vote in Greater Lincolnshire

The race for Reform is to show that they can go beyond effective campaigning to running things. When they walk over the threshold of county halls and mayors' offices for the first time, they cross the threshold from being a party of protest to a party with responsibility. They have built a campaigning machine, a brand, and a platform at breakneck speed with lots of money to spend. But being in charge, making choices that affect voters' lives directly, is a different job. We know relatively little about how they'll operate beyond promises of opening the books, Elon Musk-style, and rooting out waste. When pressed for what that would mean, Reform has mentioned council equality officers being axed, and cutting spending on cycle lanes or traffic calming zones. When asked how they would close asylum hotels, as promised in the parts of the country they'll run, Richard Tice, the deputy leader, said: "I'll come back to you." One of Reform's new mayors, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, suggested migrants could be housed in tents instead. With responsibility comes scrutiny, and you can bet the other parties will be watching like hawks and seize on any mishaps.

But this week's extraordinary success for Reform UK is leading an increasing number of politicians in the two traditional big parties to ponder how deep the public's disillusionment really is with the political system – and what they can really do to address it. One member of the government told me they have to deal with "anger and frustration. Rebellion. Patriotism. A big four years coming up". A shadow minister, referring to both the Tories and Labour, said: "We're not connecting and politics isn't working… either Labour will be able to get themselves sorted and show government can work, or Reform will win." The Liberal Democrats had impressive advances this week too, and the Greens made some steady progress. The elections were only in England and at a UK-wide level the jigsaw is already much more complicated. But voters' decisions this week have shaken the central dynamic in our national politics, which is always, in the end, a fight between one big bloc on the left and one big bloc on the right. Our two-party system has been declared over on many previous occasions – then miraculously survived. But after this week, you wouldn't say it could never happen. That week back in January when Farage declared he wanted to get into No 10, a senior government figure told me that their party "mustn't over think the threat" Reform posed. After this week, that is a phrase they'd be unlikely to repeat.

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Labour minister sorry over grooming gangs remark

2 hours ago Share Save Amy Walker BBC News Share Save

Listen to heated row between Lucy Powell and Tim Montgomerie

Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell has sought to clarify her remarks after she appeared to describe grooming gangs as a "dog whistle" issue, prompting a backlash from political opponents. During a heated debate on BBC Radio 4's Any Questions on Friday, commentator and Reform UK member Tim Montgomerie asked Powell if she had seen a recent Channel 4 documentary on grooming gangs. Powell responded "oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now do we" and "let's get that dog whistle out shall we". But on Saturday, the Labour minister said she regarded child exploitation and grooming with the "utmost seriousness", adding: "I'm sorry if this was unclear."

Powell said: "I was challenging the political point scoring around it, not the issue itself. As a constituency MP I've dealt with horrendous cases." During the political debate programme, Montgomerie was asked about Reform UK's pledge to replicate the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) - including by cutting diversity and inclusions roles within councils, following its successes in Thursday's local elections. Montgomerie said the UK was "one of the most tolerant [countries] in the world", but argued there "always needs to be more progress on racial issues". He said: "It's not so much the amount of money that is spent on employing diversity officers. "You talk to a lot of civil servants, the amount of time they now have to spend monitoring this issue [of diversity] above all others is an extraordinary diversion." Powell called his claims "absolutely rubbish", and told Montgomerie to go and spend a day with council staff to "actually see what they're dealing with". Montgomerie then asked Powell if she "saw the documentary on Channel 4 about rape gangs", to which she responded: "Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now do we. Let's get that dog whistle out shall we."

He wanted to be Australia's PM. But a 'Trump effect' thwarted Peter Dutton

9 hours ago Share Save Katy Watson Australia correspondent Reporting from Sydney Kelly Ng Reporting from Brisbane Share Save

Watch: Three things to know about the Australian election result

"It's not our night," Australia's opposition leader Peter Dutton told a roomful of supporters in Brisbane after his rival, Anthony Albanese, was re-elected as prime minister. It was indeed a bruising night for Dutton, a 54-year-old political veteran who also lost his parliamentary seat of 24 years to a candidate from Albanese's Labor Party. This is a big win for the prime minister, who made a surprising comeback to secure a comfortable majority for a second term. But it's an even bigger loss for Dutton and his Liberal National Coalition. Dutton initially seemed to have an advantage over the incumbent PM who was battling a cost-of-living crisis and dismal ratings. But that advantage vanished as the campaign wore on, ending in a humiliating defeat. An awkward and inconsistent campaign that did not do enough to reassure voters was partly to blame. But there is no mistaking the big part played by what some have called the "Trump effect". Dutton, whether he liked it or not, was a man who many saw as Australia's Trump - but as it turns out Australians do not appear to want that.

The Trump factor

Dutton's brand of hard-line conservatism, his support for controversial immigration policies – like sending asylum seekers to offshore detention centres – and his fierce criticism of China, all led to comparisons with US President Donald Trump. It's a likeness he has rejected but then the Coalition pursued policies that seemed to have been borrowed from the Trump administration. Dutton said that if elected he would cut public sector jobs - more than 40,000 by some estimates. This reminded voters of billionaire Elon Musk's Doge, or Department of Government Efficiency, which has slashed US bureaucracy. Dutton later walked back the plan. The Coalition even appointed Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as shadow minister for government efficiency. And images of her wearing a cap with the words Maga - short for the popular Trump slogan, Make America Great Again - have become a key talking point.

Getty Images Peter Dutton conceded defeat on Saturday night

None of this served Dutton well and he knew it. Towards the end of the campaign, he tried to shake off Trump's shadow, and in the final leaders' debate he repeatedly told the audience that he didn't know Trump before attempting to answer questions on him. "The Coalition will probably regret issuing messages that came across as supporting Trump and opposing the US Democrats," said Frank Mols, a political science lecturer at the University of Queensland. "Once the stock markets started to drop in response to the uncertainty created by the [Trump's] tariffs, it became harder for the Coalition to profile itself as a safer pair of hands for the economy." The talk of trade wars and tariffs increased voters' worries. Speaking to people across Australia – the BBC travelled to Perth in Western Australia and Melbourne in the final week of campaigning – it was clear that global politics only became more important through the campaign. Australia has long balanced its military alliance with the US and its economic relationship with China, its biggest trading partner. But a US-China trade war, along with an unpredictable White House, is tricky territory for any country - even a US ally like Australia. Could Dutton provide stability in these unusual times? Dutton had long tried to convince voters that he would be the politician best suited to dealing with Trump. He often cited his experience as a cabinet minister during tariff negotiations in Trump's first term.

Getty Images Dutton lost his seat of 24 years to Labor's Ali France, a former para-athlete and disability advocate

But in the end voters weren't convinced. Dutton's own inconsistent policies and the Trump-esque rhetoric and decisions appear to have driven away an electorate that is deeply concerned about a new, tumultuous world order. "Our message was confusing... Labor had a tight and very disciplined campaign," Jitendra Prasad, a LNP supporter, told the BBC as he was about to leave the watch party on Saturday night after a disappointing outcome. That was evident in the swings towards Labor across the country, which led to a fairly quick, emphatic result. Towards the end of the campaign, Dutton also embraced the right-wing One Nation Party, which some Coalition members had warned was the wrong move. And it didn't seem to have helped. Rather, it may have hurt him. "They just read the rooms incorrectly," says Ben Wellings, associate professor of Politics and International Relations at Monash University. "It was one of the things that we always say about the electorate in Australia - it's a small C conservative and maybe the radical right message was just in the end, too radical and seemed too disruptive."

An inconsistent campaign

What also didn't help was that Dutton's was never a smooth campaign. There were gaffes, such as when he accidentally hit a cameraman with a football, and costly missteps, like getting the price of a carton of eggs wrong during an election debate - his guess (A$4.20) was, in fact, half the actual price. It was not a good look in an election where cost-of-living has been a dominant theme. "Dutton has seemed more comfortable attacking Labor than presenting a strong alternative," says Jacob Broom, a lecturer in politics and policy at Murdoch University in Perth. "I think it has been effective for Labor to point to the Liberals voting against cost-of-living measures like the tax cuts which they proposed toward the end of the term." While Dutton criticised Labour's tax relief measures and spending, he then announced that he would also effect tax rebates and big spends, including billions to boost defence and fix an ailing public healthcare system. But at the same time he also promised cuts. Analysts say this inconsistency confused voters and became an unfortunate theme in his campaign. He announced and then walked back plans for huge changes to the bureaucracy, including job cuts and the plans to end work from home arrangements. He said it was "a mistake". But "the backflips on working from home and his uncertainty over public service cuts," complicated his message, according to John Warhurst, Emeritus Professor, Australian National University.

Getty Images Voters and analysts say Dutton's campaign has been inconsistent

Trump criticised after posting AI image of himself as Pope

1 hour ago Share Save Max Matza BBC News Share Save

X/White House

US President Donald Trump has attracted criticism from some Catholics after posting an AI-generated image of himself as the Pope. The picture, which was shared by official White House social media accounts, comes as Catholics mourn the death of Pope Francis, who died on 21 April, and prepare to choose the next pontiff. The New York State Catholic Conference accused Trump of mocking the faith. The post comes days after he joked to reporters: "I'd like to be Pope." Trump is not the first president to be accused of making a mockery of the Catholic faith. Former US President Joe Biden caused outrage a year ago when he made the sign of the cross at a pro-abortion access rally in Tampa, Florida.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni declined to answer questions about Trump's post during a briefing with journalists on Saturday. The Vatican is preparing to host a conclave to choose Francis's successor beginning on Wednesday. The image posted by Trump on Friday night features him wearing a white cassock and pointed miter, traditionally worn by a bishop. He wears a large cross around his neck, and has his finger held up, with a solemn facial expression. The New York State Catholic Conference, which represents bishops in New York, took to X to criticise the picture. "There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President," the group wrote. "We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St Peter. Do not mock us."

Watch: Trump jokes he'd "like to be Pope"

Warren Buffett, 94, stepping down as Berkshire Hathaway CEO

Mr Buffett, who built Berkshire Hathaway from a failing textile maker into an investment juggernaut worth $1.16tn (£870bn), is arguably the world's most successful investor.

"I think the time has arrived where Greg should become the chief executive of the company at year end," said Buffett, 94.

The veteran investor, known as the Oracle of Omaha, told his company's annual meeting he would hand over the reins to Vice-Chairman Greg Abel.

Warren Buffett has announced he will retire as chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of the year.

Mr Buffett handpicked Mr Abel as his successor four years ago but gave no indication at the time that he would retire.

Mr Abel, sitting next to Mr Buffett on stage, was apparently caught unaware by the announcement.

The billionaire told Saturday's company meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, that the only people who had known about his decision were his two children, Howard and Susie Buffett.

After standing applause from the audience of around 40,000, he joked: "The enthusiasm shown by that response could be interpreted in two ways."

Mr Abel, seen at an investor's meeting in 2022

During the meeting, Mr Buffett added that he does not plan to sell off any of his Berkshire stocks.

"I have no intention, zero, of selling one share of Berkshire Hathaway. It will get given away," he said, as the crowd cheered.

Apple CEO Tim Cook was among several business leaders who released statements praising Mr Buffett's business legacy.

"There's never been someone like Warren, and countless people, myself included, have been inspired by his wisdom," Mr Cook wrote on X/Twitter.

"It's been one of the great privileges of my life to know him. And there's no question that Warren is leaving Berkshire in great hands with Greg."

In 2023, Mr Buffett issued a rare letter in which he acknowledged that whilst he had no desire to step down, he was "playing in extra innings".

Berkshire Hathaway owns more than 60 companies, including insurer Geico, battery-maker Duracell and restaurant chain Dairy Queen.

It also has major stakes in Apple, Coca Cola, Bank of America and American Express, among others.

Mr Buffett, who has given away billions to charity, was last month ranked by Bloomberg as the world's fourth-wealthiest person, with a net worth of $154bn.

He earned his first money as a six-year-old, bought his first shares at 11 and filed his first tax return at 13.

Despite being one of the richest people in the world, Mr Buffett has lived in the same modest house in Omaha for more than 65 years.

The announcement came as Mr Buffet spoke out against President Donald Trump's tariffs, telling investors that the US should not use "trade as a weapon".

"It's a big mistake in my view when you have 7.5 billion people who don't like you very well, and you have 300 million who are crowing about how they have done," he said earlier in the meeting.

"We should be looking to trade with the rest of the world. We should do what we do best and they should do what they do best," he added.

Crowds flock to free Lady Gaga concert in Brazil

40 minutes ago Share Save Gabriela Pomeroy BBC News Share Save

Reuters

Large crowds have gathered in Rio de Janeiro for a free Lady Gaga concert due to kick off on Saturday night on Copacabana beach. The Brazilian authorities say they expect 1.6m people to attend the event. The concert is being paid for by the city in an attempt to revitalise Rio's economy, and they expect it could bring in $100m (£75m) to the local economy.

Saturday's performance is part of a promotional tour for Lady Gaga's eighth album, Mayhem, whose songs include Abracadabra and Die With a Smile. Some fans - known as Gaga's "Little Monsters" - began queuing early in the morning and waited in long lines to gain access to the beach. A massive security operation is in place, with 5,000 police officers on duty and attendees having to pass through metal detectors. The authorities are also using drones and facial recognition cameras to help police the event. Lady Gaga is not the first person to play a free concert in Rio. Madonna gave a concert on Copacabana beach in May 2024, which was also paid for by the city.

Getty Images

Many people travelled from all across the country to see the concert. One man, 28-year-old Luan Messias, said he spent all night on a bus from Itanhaem in neighbouring Sao Paulo state. "I can't wait for her to sing Abracadabra, it's great to dance to, like her early stuff," he said. Alisha Duarte, 22, told AFP news agency she started queuing at 0740 in the morning. "Lady Gaga is worth it! It's going to get super crowded, but we'll survive," she said. Another fan, Paulo Oliveira, explained why people were so excited about the concert. She "tells us that we can be who we are, that we can be different and that being different is cool," he told Reuters. It's going to be an "unforgettable show", concert attendee Lai Borges told Reuters. "It's going to be emotional and I'm going to cry a lot," she said.

Madeleine McCann family mark 18 years since disappearance

"We continue to 'celebrate' her as the very beautiful and unique person she is," the statement added. "We miss her."

"No matter how near or far she is, she continues to be right here with us, every day, but especially on her special day," the Leicestershire family said in a statement on Saturday.

Madeleine was three years old when she vanished from a holiday apartment complex in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on 3 May 2007, sparking a Europe-wide police investigation that is ongoing. She has never been found.

The family of Madeleine McCann have said their "determination to leave no stone unturned is unwavering" on the 18th anniversary of her disappearance.

The night that Madeleine disappeared, her parents had been at dinner with a group of friends at a restaurant a short walk away while Madeleine and her younger twin siblings were asleep in the apartment.

Her parents checked in on the children throughout the evening, until her mother, Kate, discovered Madeleine was missing around 10:00 that night.

In the years since, authorities in Portugal and the UK have sought to understand where she went and who may have taken her.

"The years appear to be passing even more quickly," the McCann family said ahead of Madeleine's 22nd birthday, on 12 May.

They added that they had "no significant news to share" but will "do our utmost" to "leave no stone unturned".

While referencing International Missing Children's Day on 25 May in their statement, the family said it continues to "remember all missing children and their families, both here in the UK and abroad".

They added they are "thinking especially" of children displaced from their homes and families due to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

Their statement thanked the charity Missing People for its "ongoing, invaluable work", and "organisations, charities and police forces who remain committed, despite many challenges and limited resources, to finding and bringing home the many missing and abducted children".

The Metropolitan Police continues its investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, known as Operation Grange, which has been going since 2011.

Home Office sources said in April that a request to provide the probe with up to £108,000 of additional funding had been approved for 2025-26. It has received more than £13.2m since it began.

Authorities in Germany and Portugal continue to treat German national Christian Brueckner, a convicted rapist, as their main suspect. However, prosecutors in Germany said earlier this year there was as yet "no prospect" of a charge against him relating to Madeleine's disappearance.

Two women, including a Polish national claiming to be Madeleine, have also this year been accused of stalking the McCann family. Both deny the charges and are due to appear in court in October.

British student killed in Texas days before graduation

Ms Odunsi had a TikTok account, Tamidollars, where she posted to her 30,000 followers about her experiences as a Briton living in the US.

Police said she had multiple stab wounds. A man was found in another room with at least one stab wound and he was taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Elizabeth Tamilore Odunsi, 23, was discovered on 26 April by officers who had gone to her flat to check on her, Houston police said.

A British nursing student studying in the US has been found stabbed to death in an apartment in Houston, Texas, just days before she was due to graduate, say police and her family.

In her last post, from 21 April, she described how she was ready to graduate in two weeks, and had already booked a holiday.

An online fundraiser to repatriate her remains to the UK for burial has gathered more than £47,000 ($62,000).

"Tami was a beautiful soul, full of light, ambition, and kindness," her sister, Georgina Odunsi, wrote on GoFundMe.

"She moved from the UK to the United States to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse, dedicating herself to a life of care and service," she continued.

"Tragically, Tami was brutally murdered just days before she was set to graduate from university - an unimaginable loss at a moment that should have marked the beginning of a bright and promising future," her sister wrote.

According to a Houston Police Department statement, officers were called to the student housing complex at 15:50 local time last Saturday.

Officers knocked on the door, but there was no answer. They saw blood on a rear concrete patio and entered the apartment.

"The female victim was discovered on the kitchen floor with multiple stab wounds. A male was discovered in a bedroom with at least one stab wound," detectives wrote.

Ms Odunsi was pronounced dead at the scene.

Texas Woman's University, where she was studying, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BBC News.

In a post last year, Ms Odunsi described how she preferred living in the US to the UK, telling her TikTok followers that "the vibes are just so much better here".

In a more recent post, she shared video of the cap and gown she intended to wear to graduation, with the caption "3 more weeks".

In an earlier post, she shared a video of herself studying with the caption: "She doesn't know it yet, but a year from now all her hard work will pay off, she'll be working as a nurse in her dream speciality."

Ms Odunsi added that she hoped to have a "stronger relationship with Christ, living a quiet and peaceful life".

Donkey has two mums after 'one in a million' birth

16 hours ago Share Save Debbie Jackson BBC Scotland News Share Save

The foal is now a week old and has been named Solomon

A donkey foal at a popular farm park has ended up with two mums after a "one in a million" birth. Staff at Dalscone Farm in Dumfries now have a unique family-of-three after a series of events left the two mothers believing the foal was theirs. Seven days ago, farm owner Ben Best had been cleaning a pen in the morning when he noticed a foal standing between his two pregnant donkeys, Star and Mary. Both donkeys were carrying at the same time, but they were not expected to deliver for several weeks.

Dalscone Farm The foal is now a week old and has been named Solomon

Dalscone Farm Solomon arrived overnight but the other donkey's foal sadly died

He guessed one of them must have gone into labour overnight and was relieved it seemed to have gone smoothly. He went to check on the foal and the mum but discovered another foal, stillborn, at the other side of the paddock. He told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme: "I stopped still, thinking: 'Have they both foaled at the exact same time? Or has one had twins and one's not made it?' Both would be incredibly rare circumstances." Both donkeys had, in fact, foaled at the exact same time. The farm's vet confirmed the foal was stillborn due to a rare deformity but could not confirm which one was the mother of which foal. Mr Best said; "That's where the confusion got deeper. Both mums thought the foal was theirs. Both were behaving exactly the same way, almost mirroring each other's behaviour."

Dalscone farm Both donkey mums take turns to feed and look after the foal

He added: "The foal is grey so that gives us no indication from either mum. "Because they foaled at the same time, both donkeys were looking round to see a foal that was fine and running about and that's what they found. "They both bonded with the same foal, are feeding the same foal and care for the same foal. Conflicting advice came from the nearest equine hospital in Lanark and from a behaviourist at The Donkey Sactuary in Devon. Should they separate the mums, and which one should get the foal, now named Solomon? Mr Best tried to work it out: "Looking at the foal, he was snuggling with Mary and feeding, but then five minutes later he would nestle into Star. He is nursing from both donkeys at the same time. To the foal he has two mums." The farm staff considered the idea of trying to find an orphan foal to give to the bereaved donkey, but Mr Best said he realised why that wouldn't work. "I had an epiphany. An orphan foal isn't going to work because none of these mums accept they have lost a foal. "None of them are looking for a foal because to them, they have it." So, for now the threesome will live together.

Dalscone farm Park owner Ben Best has also bonded with Solomon the donkey with two mums

Three-time champion Mark Williams produced a vintage display to defeat world number one Judd Trump 17-14, becoming the oldest ever player to reach a World Championship final.

The Welshman, who turned 50 in March, eclipses his compatriot Ray Reardon, who won the title six times and appeared in the 1982 final as a 49-year-old.

Williams had trailed 7-3 early in the match but his enduring class shone through as he reined in the 2019 winner to 8-8 on Friday, then pulled clear over two sessions on Saturday to avenge his 17-16 loss to Trump in their last-four Crucible thriller in 2022.

"I was starting to twitch towards the end, I'm not going to lie. I nearly missed the black in the last frame - I did feel a bit of tension on the back arm," Williams told BBC Sport.

"I'm never normally nervous at any stage but I was in that break. I can't believe I'm in another final - I don't know how I'm doing to be honest."

Resuming 13-11 up, the Welshman took the first two frames with half centuries before Trump responded with his 106th century of a fruitful campaign, which has yielded six appearances in finals.

However, when Trump hit a safety shot too thinly, it left Williams among the balls and he capitalised with a superb 100 break of his own to lead 16-12 at the mid-session interval.

The 35-year-old Englishman, who was looking to add to his world crown from 2019, took the 29th frame and made a 116 clearance when Williams missed a red to the left middle to get back to 16-14.

His hopes of a revival were dashed when he missed a difficult black to the right corner and Williams wrapped up a famous victory with his second century of the evening.

"Mark was the more consistent player throughout and in the end he really deserved the win. There are no negatives, I tried my heart out and just ran out of steam," Trump said.

"Any other player apart from Mark and I probably would have been in the final, so I think you just have to take your hat off to him, he was too good over the three days and I'll try to improve for next year."

Williams will now face China's Zhao Xintong in the first world final to be contested by two left-handed players.

Their best-of-35 encounter will get under way on Sunday at 13:00 BST, which will be live on BBC Two.

"It's been a great qualifying," Verstappen said. "We improved the car a tiny amount, which helped me rotate it a bit better.

"Q1, Q2, Q3 improving every run. Trying to find the limit. I had a tiny moment into Turn One trying to find more time there but it's very tricky here with the tyres. It's qualifying, try to correct it and floor it out of the corner."

It was a second piece of good news for the four-time champion this week, after the birth of his first child, a daughter called Lily.

Norris said: "Congrats to Max, especially being a dad now. I was hoping it would slow him down a bit but it clearly didn't.

"Max did a Max lap again and I'm happy for him. The pace is there. I have been feeling good. It is what it is, I'm P2, Max on pole, ready to see what I can do into Turn One."

Antonelli's third place proved his pole in the sprint on Friday was not a flash in the pan, on a weekend where he is showing the spark of prodigious talent that convinced Mercedes to put the 18-year-old straight into their team in his debut season. He beat team-mate George Russell by 0.114secs.

It also made amends to some degree for a disappointing sprint result, where he lost the lead at the start and then was hit by Verstappen's car in the pits and finished seventh.

"This weekend is going well so far," he said. "It was a bit disappointing this morning, but happy to bounce back. I was a bit too greedy into Turn One but the rest of the lap was quite good. The gaps are super-tight."

Piastri, winner of the last two races to put him into the championship lead, said his fourth place was down to "poor execution - there was quite a bit left on the table".

Sir John Curtice: The map that shows Reform's triumph was much more than a protest vote

12 minutes ago Share Save Sir John Curtice Professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde Share Save

BBC

There is no doubt that Reform performed well in Thursday's local council elections. The party won most votes, most seats and overall control of most councils. True, the party's share of the votes cast across all 23 councils where elections took place on Thursday was no more than 31%. So despite doing well, it secured far from a majority of those voting. However, its performance was enough to put Reform well ahead of the Conservatives – who traditionally dominate county councils - on 23%, the Liberal Democrats on 17% and Labour on 14% when you tally up the votes in those parts of England that went to the polls on Thursday.

At the 2024 general election Reform secured 14% of the vote but just 5 out of 650 seats at Westminster. But crucially, being ahead of everyone else in 2025 ensured the first past the post-election system helped Reform. Its tally of 677 council seats represented 41% of all those being contested on Thursday, ten points above its share of the vote, a nod to both the nature of the voting system and Reform's ability to cluster votes. That boost helped the party win control of as many as 10 councils, something that Reform's predecessor, Ukip, never managed at the height of its popularity in the run up to the 2015 general election.

In Staffordshire, Reform won 72% of the seats on 41% of the vote. In Kent, 37% of the vote delivered it 70% of the seats, while in Derbyshire the same share was rewarded with 66% of all the councillors. Instead of insulating Conservative and Labour from the impact of a third-party challenge, as it has done so often before, first-past-the-post exacerbated their losses. In both cases Reform took nearly half of all the seats those parties were defending. The map above is the most detailed local election mapping ever produced by the BBC. It details the strength of the Reform vote in every ward that voted on Thursday and shows support for Reform varied considerably. That variation has some striking and important features. They suggest the party was particularly popular among those who voted for Brexit in 2016 and for Boris Johnson in 2019 - and that Reform's success cannot simply be dismissed as a short-lived protest vote.

Brexit still a fault line

Reflecting the party's anti-EU stance, Reform did much better in wards that voted heavily for Leave in the 2016 EU referendum than it did in wards that backed Remain. In wards where more than 65% voted Leave in 2016, Reform won on average as much as 45% of the vote. In contrast, in places where a majority backed Remain, only 19% voted for Reform. Although talked about much less by politicians nowadays, Brexit is still an important fault line in our politics. Reform's appeal is significantly concentrated among those who believe the Brexit decision was right. Even so, the fact that even in pro-Remain wards the party was able to win as much as a fifth of the vote was testimony to the scale of the swing that it enjoyed on Thursday.

PA Media Reform's successful campaign saw it win 677 English council seats

The Brexit division is also evident in the demographic character of the places where Reform did best and those where it did less well. University graduates and those in professional and managerial jobs were least likely to vote for Brexit in 2016. Reform found it more difficult to do well in places where they are most numerous. Reform won 39% of the vote in heavily working-class wards but only 19% in the most middle-class ones. The map shows Reform's highest vote of all (65.1%) was in Thornley & Wheatley Hill, situated in Tony Blair's former Sedgefield constituency in Durham and once a centre of coal mining. Next highest was Chadsmoor in Staffordshire and Romney Marsh in Kent.

PA Media Reform performed best in areas that have sometimes been characterised in the wake of the Brexit referendum as 'left-behind' Britain

Meanwhile, support for the party averaged 43% in wards where more than half of adults have few, if any, educational qualifications. In contrast, it polled just 19% where more than two in five have a degree. Reform's lowest share of the vote, 3.7%, was in the Parks ward in Oxford, situated in the heart of the famous university city. Immigration is also a key issue for Reform. However, this perhaps makes the party less appealing to those from a minority background. Certainly, on average the party only polled 22% in wards where more than one in five identify as other than 'white', compared with a tally of 33% in places where more than 95% told the 2021 Census that they were 'white'. In summary, Reform did best in what has sometimes been characterised in the wake of the Brexit referendum as 'left-behind' Britain – places that have profited less from globalisation and university expansion and where a more conservative outlook on immigration is more common.

A problem for the two main parties

Neither the Conservatives nor Labour are likely to recover from the drubbing they received on Thursday unless they can appeal more to this slice of Britain. Although polls indicate that Reform finds it easier to win over former Conservative voters than their Labour counterparts, Reform's average share of the vote was strikingly just as high in wards that Labour were defending as it was in places that the Conservatives were trying to retain. The party on average won 32% of the vote in previously Labour wards and 32% in Conservative ones.

Reuters Reform won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by just six votes

As a result, Labour lost seats to Reform at much the same rate as the Conservatives, a pattern that cost Labour control of the one council they were defending, Doncaster. In contrast, Reform's advance was more muted in wards that the Liberal Democrats and the Greens were defending. The party's average share in these wards was just 22%. As a result, Reform had relatively little success in taking seats from these two parties. Liberal Democrat and Green wards – unlike many Conservative and Labour ones - are heavily populated by university graduates. Reform's success on Thursday undoubtedly reflects the mood of an electorate that still has little faith in the Conservatives and which now is disappointed by Labour's performance in office. However, it is evidently proving most popular in a very distinctive part of Britain that overturned the political tables a decade ago in voting for Brexit - and which now has done so again. John Curtice is Professor of Politics, University of Strathclyde, and Senior Fellow, National Centre for Social Research and 'The UK in a Changing Europe'. Analysis by Patrick English, Steve Fisher, Robert Ford, and Lotte Hargrave Map produced by Libby Rogers, Muskeen Liddar, Jess Carr and Callum Thomson.

Harry bombshell 'backfires' and Reform 're-education'

29 minutes ago Share Save Share Save

It's a mixed bag across the papers on Sunday, however several touch on the continued fallout from the Duke of Sussex's BBC interview, which took place after after he lost an appeal over the levels of security he and his family are entitled to while in the UK. The Sunday People reports that the "bombshell" interview means that a meeting between Prince Harry and the King is "feared to be further apart", quoting an unnamed royal insider who says it "proves why" the relationship has soured.

The Mail on Sunday also leads on reaction to Prince Harry's sit-down interview after his court defeat, reporting that "government insiders flatly rejected" the prince's call for an investigation into the committee that downgraded his security. Commenting after the interview, Buckingham Palace said: "All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion." The Home Office said it was "pleased" that the judgement was in the government's favour. Continuing along the theme of family feuds, the Mail also bills a story on the Beckham family as it reports Brooklyn "snubs" his father's 50th birthday.

The Sunday Times's day-two take on the Prince Harry revelations includes comments from sources close to King Charles. The paper's royal editor Roya Nikkhah reports that the King fears that conversations with his son would be leaked to the media. An unnamed friend of the monarch suggests that it's not that the King won't speak to Prince Harry, "it's that he can't". Sunday's lead story, however, reports bold plans from Reform if it were to win a general election, including to declare a "national emergency" on illegal migration and "remoralise" young people. It quotes party chair Zia Yusuf vowing that Reform's first 100 days in power would be "more transformational even than Margaret Thatcher's".

Reform also takes the top spot in the Observer, which dedicates this week's front page to the women who ran successful campaigns for the party in England's local elections. Some of the group, wearing their cyan rosettes, are photographed standing under a large tree in flower behind the headline 'Blooming Reform: The women who won it."

Ahead of VE Day celebrations on Sunday, the Sunday Mirror leads with a "call-up" from the prime minister for the public to honour the "lion-hearted generation that defeated Nazi evil".

The Daily Star's Sunday edition also mentioned VE Day, however the top slot on the front page goes to the late television personality Paul O'Grady. A biography of "untold stories" is due to be released, it reports, based on "more than 100 hours of chat" with his friend Malcolm Prince.

The Sunday Telegraph's chief US correspondent gets top billing this week for an interview with Peter Navarro, US President Donald Trump's tariffs "tsar". In comments described by the paper as an "intervention", Navarro claims the UK risks having its "blood sucked" by Beijing. He labels the UK an "all too compliant servant" of the CCP, which he says spreads soft power via "string-laden gifts". Photographed beside that story is Dame Mary Archer, wife of Tory peer Lord Jeffrey Archer, who has been sacked from the board of Energy Secretary Ed Miliband's net zero department.

And the Sunday Express leads on comments from the shadow environment secretary on Labour's changes to inheritance tax on agricultural assets which is due to begin in a years' time. Victoria Atkins tells the Express that elderly and ill farmers are facing a mental health crisis as they question "whether their family can afford for them to live beyond April" - when the changes come into force.

For a start, the Gunners need to be better at defending set-pieces.

While they were far from at their best against Bournemouth they were in control of the game, as the visitors did not manage a shot on target for the first hour.

But their first such attempt resulted in an equaliser as Dean Huijsen headed in from Antoine Semenyo's long throw.

A set-piece was again Arsenal's undoing for the winner as a corner was flicked on to the far post for Evanilson to bundle in.

Of the goals Arsenal have conceded this season 38.7% have come from set-piece situations - the most in the English top flight.

Arsenal have to score on Wednesday and then somehow keep out a PSG side that has scored a league-high 42 goals in 16 Ligue 1 games at home so far this season.

In their past five Premier League games Arsenal have taken the lead, but in four of those games they failed to hold on to that advantage.

In total they have dropped 21 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, their joint-most in a single campaign (also 21 in 2019-20).

The other concern to arise from Saturday's defeat was that after Bournemouth took the lead in the 75th minute, the Gunners did not manage a single attempt on or off target.

"At the minute, looking at that you just cannot see it [Arsenal beating PSG]," former West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green said on BBC Radio 5 live.

"You take Declan Rice out of the equation of this team and you've got a group of players bereft of confidence and ideas on how to score goals and have an incisive edge.

"There's work to do and so little time to do it."

Zhao Xintong began this season suspended from snooker after a match-fixing scandal but is tipped to be the sport's new "megastar" if he becomes the first Chinese player to win the World Championship.

The 28-year-old, who lives just a 10-minute walk from the Crucible venue in Sheffield, is one match away from joining Terry Griffiths and Shaun Murphy as the only qualifiers to land snooker's biggest prize since the tournament's 1977 move to South Yorkshire.

Should he triumph on Monday, he will be the only amateur to triumph in the Crucible era and the youngest winner since Murphy in 2005.

Zhao, who hails from Xi'an in north central China, moved to the UK in 2016 and will be appearing in the third ranking event final of his career.

"Winning the championship is the big dream for Chinese snooker," said Zhao, who will face three-time winner Mark Williams on Sunday.

"It is still very far because I have one last round against one of the top players of the world. Everyone says that no Chinese player has won it before, but I will just try to enjoy it.

"When I was eight to 10 years old it was my first time to play snooker and from that moment it has been really far [to get to this point]. If you want to become a good player you need to do this [move away from home] even though it is very hard."

He previously won the UK Championship in 2021 and the German Masters in 2022, but his burgeoning career was abruptly stopped when he was one of 10 players from China sanctioned in 2023 following an investigation into match-fixing.

Zhao did not directly throw a match, but he accepted charges of being a party to another player fixing two matches and betting on matches himself, and for those offences he received a 20-month ban.

He returned to action in September on the amateur Q Tour and has won events in Manchester, Sweden, Austria and Belgium, while he also qualified for the UK Championship and lost to Shaun Murphy in the first round.

At the World Championship, Zhao had to advance through four qualifying rounds and then get past beaten 2024 Crucible finalist Jak Jones, Lei Peifan and Chris Wakelin just to reach the semi-finals.

Zhao, nicknamed 'The Cyclone', swept seven-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan aside with a session to spare in the last four, to record his 46th win in 48 matches since returning from his ban.

As a result of his suspension, Zhao lost his place on the World Snooker Tour and his professional status, although he has secured his card to return to the elite tour next term.

"We punched them in the face."

Alex Mitchell's reference to an act of violence after 80 minutes of compelling European rugby at Aviva Stadium may have delivered an element of surprise.

It was, however, an emotive reflection which suitably matched a Northampton Saints performance that left Leinster with more than a bloodied nose in their Investec Champions Cup semi-final.

Fuelled with vengeance for last year's defeat at the same stage and a quiet confidence amid a backdrop of external doubt, the reigning Premiership champions produced the knockout blow to end Leinster's pursuit of a fifth star on the jersey - a stunning 37-34 win.

"A couple of pundits were saying they're going to win by 20-30 points and that Saints won't score a point," Saints and England scrum-half Mitchell told RTE.

"We showed up today and were a bit more fearless this time around. Last year, we were waiting to see what Leinster were going to do.

"We showed up today and the first 20 minutes, we punched them in the face. They weren't really expecting that. Credit to the boys, we got the result."

Confidence in Leinster reaching a fourth consecutive final from fans and pundits alike was well-founded.

The Irish province pitched up at their vociferous Dublin home without having conceded a point in thumping knockout victories over Harlequins and United Rugby Championship title-holders Glasgow Warriors.

Saints, though, had not read the script.

England wing Tommy Freeman scored a first-half hat-trick to extend his tally to seven tries in his past three Champions Cup appearances and further strengthen his claim for British and Irish Lions selection, while Henry Pollock's star continues to rise after his searing try.

The hosts responded after half-time, but, somewhat uncharacteristically, lacked the clinical edge to regain the lead, while Saints were able to negate Leinster's blitz defence once more as James Ramm scored their fifth try.

Ireland wing James Lowe dragged his side to within three points to set up a thrilling finale but, after referee Pierre Brousset awarded Leinster a late penalty instead of a try, Northampton salvaged possession with a last-gasp turnover camped on their own line before kicking the ball dead.

Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson was a member of the playing squad the last time the club overcame Leinster in 2013, but the former back row's masterminding of their latest victory is perhaps the greatest of his coaching career.

"Lots of people wrote us off and we understood we were underdogs but the belief within the group was outstanding," Dowson told BBC Radio Northampton.

"I would hate to think what my blood pressure was doing at the end but the last defensive set spoke volumes about our group, about the lads coming on and their impact. We got the turnover, killed the clock and cue the wild scenes in the coaching box.

"We have had experience before of playing into a press defence. We had practised playing through it and we revisited those principles. There were more opportunities we could've taken but we took enough to get on the scoresheet."

Premier League champion, FA Cup winner, Leicester City legend - and now, very fleetingly, playing the role of referee.

When ref David Webb sank to the floor after being accidentally shoulder barged by Jordan Ayew in Leicester's 2-0 victory over Southampton at King Power Stadium, Jamie Vardy stepped in.

As Webb clutched his face on the ground, he took the opportunity to halt a Saints attack by blowing the stricken official's whistle.

"I saw Southampton breaking down the left and with the ref down I thought I'll blow his whistle to stop the game," Vardy said with a smile to BBC Match of the Day.

Although Webb was unable to continue - replaced by fourth official Sam Barrott - he was able to walk off the pitch unaided.

Vardy, 38, was clearly in high spirits, having scored Leicester's opener moments earlier with a crisp finish in the 17th minute.

That was his 199th goal for Leicester - the club he is leaving after 13 years when his contract expires in the summer.

The striker has three more games left this season to reach the 200-goal mark, make his 500th appearance for the club and cement his status as one of Leicester's greats.

"It's been everything," Vardy said when asked what Leicester meant to him.

"It's been mine and my family's life for 13 years. We've been taken in by the fans and the whole city, and it has meant every single thing to me personally.

"When it's been your life for that long and you see the camaraderie with the fans and my team-mates for the last 13 years, it's been unbelievable."