Putin not on Kremlin list of officials attending Ukraine peace talks in Turkey

The Ukrainian president will be in the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Zelensky had previously said he would attend the talks and meet Putin in person if the Russian president agreed, and said he would do everything he could to ensure the face-to-face meeting took place.

Russia's delegation will instead be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, according to the Kremlin statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not among the names listed by the Kremlin as due to attend peace talks on the war in Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday, despite calls from Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky for him to attend.

Putin and Zelensky have not met in person since December 2019. Russia and Ukraine last held direct negotiations in March 2022 in Istanbul, shortly after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbour.

Fighting has raged in Ukraine since then. Russian forces have slowly expanded the amount of territory they control over the past year, mostly in the east of Ukraine.

Putin had initially called for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey's largest city "without pre-conditions", before Zelensky announced that he would go in person and expected the Russian president to travel as well.

Putin's suggestion of direct talks in Istanbul followed Western powers' call for a 30-day ceasefire, after European leaders met in Kyiv on Saturday.

After Trump called for Ukraine to accept the offer on Sunday, Zelensky said he would travel there himself.

"There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally," Zelensky wrote in a social media post.

Earlier on Wednesday, Donald Trump floated the possibility of joining the meeting himself if Putin did.

The US president, who is currently in Qatar, told reporters he did not know if his Russian counterpart would attend "if I'm not there".

"I know he would like me to be there, and that's a possibility. If we could end the war, I'd be thinking about that," Trump said.

The US is expected to send a high-level delegation to the talks.

The country's top diplomat, Marco Rubio, arrived in Turkey on Wednesday, where he will meet Nato foreign ministers on Thursday.

Ahead of that meeting, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said he met Rubio on Wednesday evening. Sybiha said he had reaffirmed Ukraine's commitment to US peace efforts, and called on Russia to "reciprocate Ukraine's constructive steps".

Rubio plans to travel onwards to Istanbul on Friday, where the State Department says he will attend talks with European counterparts to discuss the war in Ukraine.

Arriving at his hotel in Antalya on Wednesday, Rubio did not answer when the BBC asked him if Putin would be coming to Turkey.

Since returning to the White House, President Trump has sought to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

He ended a years-long Western boycott of Russia's leader by speaking to Putin over the phone in February, and his envoy Steve Witkoff has met Vladimir Putin for talks in Moscow.

Trump has previously said Russia and Ukraine were "very close to a deal".

On Sunday, when Putin proposed the direct talks, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: "A potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!"

Israel issues major evacuation order for Palestinians sheltering in Gaza City

36 minutes ago Share Save Wyre Davies BBC News Reporting from Jerusalem Share Save

EPA Many Palestinians displaced from other areas are sheltering in Gaza City

Israel has issued one of the most sweeping evacuation orders for civilians in Gaza yet seen in this war. Large swathes of Gaza City, an area already partially destroyed by bombing, have been declared unsafe, the residents taking shelter there told to leave for their own safety ahead of "intense strikes" by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Among the buildings highlighted by Israel are the Islamic University, Al-Shifa Hospital and three former schools. While Israel alleges that the buildings are being used by Hamas as "command and control centres", local authorities and aid agencies say there are thousands of civilians sheltering there.

Evacuating these areas would require time, they say, and there could be huge numbers of casualties. It's an ominous sign of Israel's threat to significantly expand its military campaign in Gaza. The former Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, has been one of very few senior Israelis so far to speak out against expanding the military campaign in Gaza. In an interview with the BBC, Olmert said: "Most Israelis are against what is happening, large numbers of the [army's] commanders are against expanding the military operation and want to end the war right now." Olmert is a frequent and increasingly vocal critic of Israel's current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his views reflect growing concern about the impact of the 20-month-long war on the country's morale, economy and international standing. Olmert was also outspoken on the humanitarian impact of the war on the residents of Gaza. "It's totally intolerable, unacceptable and unforgivable, it needs to be stopped right away," said the former top official, who has been accused by pro-government outlets of "lobbying for Palestinians". He added: "We have to provide all of the humanitarian needs of the population. We can't allow morally the beginning of famine in Gaza. That has to stop." Such opinions are rarely reflected in the Israeli media or in public opinion polls but they've been urgently repeated in passionate speeches in recent days by UN organisations, aid agencies and by some of Israel's allies abroad – French President Emmanuel Macron called Israel's actions in Gaza "shameful". Netanyahu accused him of "standing with Hamas". There's growing evidence of profound suffering across Gaza after a 10-week blockade, during which Israel has prevented the entry of any food, medicines or fuel into the Palestinian enclave. A UN-backed assessment has said that Gaza's population of around 2.1 million Palestinians is at "critical risk" of famine and faces "extreme levels of food insecurity". The World Health Organisation says without enough nutritious food, clean water and access to health care, an entire generation will be permanently affected. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer insisted to the BBC that "Israel is certainly not starving Gaza". "I don't dispute that there is hunger in Gaza, but we believe that it is hunger caused by Hamas. There is food in Gaza, that's our information. There is no famine," he said. Israel also resumed its aerial bombardment of Gaza on 18 March and its attacks have killed 2,799 since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, including 80 people on Wednesday.

Israeli 'bunker buster' bombs used in Gaza hospital strike, experts say

An Israeli air strike on the European Hospital in Gaza has killed 28 people and injured dozens, according to the Hamas-run civil defence agency.

The Israeli army says it was targeting Hamas fighters and infrastructure.

CCTV footage obtained and verified by the BBC shows the moment before impact and the immediate aftermath. Munitions experts told BBC Verify that the strikes and destruction are consistent with the use of so-called "bunker buster" bombs - designed to hit underground targets.

BBC Verify's Merlyn Thomas has more.

Produced by Aisha Sembhi. Verification by Paul Brown, Shayan Sardarizadeh, Sherie Ryder and Benedict Garman. Graphics by Mark Edwards.

More inmates released early to stop prisons running out of space

4 hours ago Share Save Paul Seddon Political reporter Sima Kotecha Senior UK correspondent Share Save

Watch: "We cannot allow" prisons to reach zero capacity, justice secretary says

More than a thousand inmates will be released early to free up spaces in prisons in England and Wales, the justice secretary has announced, as the government grapples with an overcrowding crisis. Under the move, offenders serving one to four years who are recalled to prison for breaching their licences, will be released after 28 days. Shabana Mahmood said a £4.7bn investment would fund more prisons, but said it would not be possible to "build our way out of this crisis". A senior Ministry of Justice (MoJ) official said the government would "run out of prison places in just five months' time" if action was not taken.

Last week, the prisons minister told the BBC there would be no more emergency releases to deal with the overcrowding crisis in prisons. But Mahmood said the move would free up about 1,400 prison places and buy ministers time to overhaul a system "on the brink of collapse". The change would not apply to those who commit a serious further offence – or are deemed to pose a high risk, she said. In usual circumstances, these offenders would go in front of a parole board before being confirmed for release, but the government has decided to skip that part of the process, arguing they would have already been released if it was not for a backlog in parole assessments. The changes are expected to be introduced in the coming weeks. Mahmood warned that despite plans to start work on three prisons this year, it would not be possible to "build our way out of this crisis" and the government otherwise faced running out of spaces for male offenders by November. The latest prison-building initiative will be funded by a capital investment of £4.7bn over the five years after 2026. Three prisons will be built, with work starting on a site near HMP Gartree in Leicestershire later this year, Mahmood added. A fourth prison, HMP Millsike near York, opened earlier this year. Changes from an upcoming review of sentencing, led by former Conservative minister David Gauke, were only likely to be felt from spring next year, she added. Amy Rees, the MoJ's interim permanent secretary, said that on the government's "current trajectory" England would "entirely run out of prison places for adult men, in November of this year." The number of recalled prisoners has increased in recent years and they now make up 13,583 inmates from a total prison population of 88,087. This is only 1,355 spaces short of the total useable operational capacity of 89,442. It is estimated to increase to between 95,700 and 105,200 by March 2029, according to government analysis released last year. The changes announced on Wednesday would apply to offenders with sentences between one and four years, who have been released after serving their minimum period but recalled for breaching their terms of their licence, such as not sticking to their curfew. The scheme will not include those who have been sent back in for reoffending.

Beginning of the end? Ukraine's front-line soldiers eye Russia talks with hope

2 hours ago Share Save Yogita Limaye BBC News Reporting from Eastern Ukraine Share Save

BBC Some soldiers like Kozak believe too many people have been killed to hand over land to Russia

Big plumes of smoke are visible on a screen that's providing a live feed from Ukrainian drones hovering over the outskirts of the eastern city of Pokrovsk, one of the most intense front lines in Ukraine. A few seconds earlier, Ukrainian artillery strikes Russian positions, places where we'd seen Russian soldiers moving about as they try to advance towards a key road going into Pokrovsk. At least one Russian soldier is injured, possibly dead after the strike. It's chilling to watch the live footage. It drives home the bloody consequences of the war that Russia started, in which hundreds of thousands have so far been killed, a "never-ending bloodbath" as US President Donald Trump calls it. We are in a rural house converted into a command centre for the 155th mechanised brigade of the Ukrainian army. It's a few miles from front-line artillery positions. The scale of the devastation that we see on the screens, homes and buildings completely flattened, is far greater than what we saw six months ago. It is evidence of the fierce battle that has been fought over the past several months to defend Pokrovsk, a crucial transport hub in the Donetsk region.

This week, there's cautious optimism, even among sceptical soldiers who have witnessed hopes of a ceasefire being dashed over and over again, as diplomatic efforts from the US, Europe, Turkey and others have pushed Russia and Ukraine to direct talks for the first time in three years. "I think something should happen since Russia was the first one to push for these talks. I mean since 2022, they have refused to go into any contact," says an officer who wants to be referred to with his call sign "Kozak". "I want to believe this would be the beginning of the end of the war. "But now I see, we have been successful in destroying their rear positions and their supply lines. Russia does not have the same strength and power it had at the beginning. So I think that something will happen."

Yurii (R) does not believe Russia will stop if Ukraine gives up territory now

Yurii, 37, used to work in a technology company before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "They (Russia and Ukraine) have to start talking. Us soldiers, we wish this war would end. But it's important to remember that we cannot stop it because we did not start it," he says. He looks up at the screen and spots Russian soldiers moving again. He and his colleagues calculate the co-ordinates of their positions and pass them on to their artillery unit.

Watch: BBC's Yogita Limaye joins Ukrainian soldiers on the front line

We drive from the command centre to the artillery position, on mud tracks running through a wide expanse of open fields. Clumps of mud fly in the air, our car slips and slides, as we move as fast as possible. The speed is a mitigation against strikes from drones, which have sharply increased fatalities for both Russia and Ukraine since they were deployed in large numbers in 2023. And war technology keeps evolving. Now there's a new threat – drones equipped with a real fibre optic cable which unrolls as they fly. "We cannot detect them or neutralise them, so there are probably a lot more drones in the area right now than we know," says Yurii. As we drive into the artillery position hidden under trees and bushes, soldiers are already loading the gun. It's a French made self-propelled artillery gun called the "Caesar". Scores have been deployed in Ukraine since the start of the war, and France has been trying to ramp up production.

France has been sending dozens of Caesar self-propelled artillery guns to Ukraine since 2022

"I'm very impressed by its accuracy, and we can use a large range of ammunition. The most important thing is that bringing it into combat is very fast. It is much more effective than the old Soviet equipment I've used," says Kozak. Ukrainian soldiers fire four rounds, each one emitting a deafening sound. From around us, we also hear the sound of incoming shells. The battle rages on. "As you can hear, there is a wave of assaults from the enemy and we need a lot of ammunition to suppress that. We hope our international partners can give us as much ammunition as possible, because if we have to start choosing priority and non-priority targets then the enemy will be successful," says Kozak. We ask the soldiers how they feel about suggestions that Ukraine will have to make concessions, that it might have to give up land to secure peace. "It's painful to hear that. Even I want to go home to my family. My daughter is eight and I miss her so much. But we need to be strong. I don't believe that if we give up some territory, they will stop. In a couple of years, they will return and start over," says Yurii. "A person who has not come here, who hasn't felt the consequences of Russian aggression, those armchair commentators say you can give up land and everything will be over. They will never understand how many brothers and friends we have lost. We shouldn't give up a single metre of our land," says Kozak.

The impact of three years of war can be seen everywhere across Ukraine

The cost Ukraine has paid to defend its land is visible everywhere, most acutely in the photos of smiling, young soldiers posted by the side of highways, on memorial walls in central city squares, and on rows and rows of freshly dug graves in the country. Yana Stepanenko lovingly buys her son's favourite treats - a cup of steaming hot chocolate and a chocolate roll. Then she drives out to a cemetery in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, and places them neatly by 22-year-old Vladislav's grave. She and her daughter, 13-year-old Nicole, wipe the grave with wet tissues. Before long, they break down inconsolably into each other's arms. Vladislav was a drone operator with the Ukrainian military. He was killed in combat in a Russian strike on 21 February this year. For Yana, news of direct talks resuming bring no hope. "It seems to me that this war is eternal. Of course, I hope they will find a solution. Because people are dying here and there (in Russia). But Putin is greedy. His hunger for our land is insatiable," says Yana.

Yana, whose son was killed earlier this year, says she cannot live in land taken over by Russia

Lineker apologises for sharing 'offensive' Zionism post with rat image

6 hours ago Share Save Ian Youngs Culture reporter Share Save

PA Media

Gary Lineker has "apologised unreservedly" after being criticised for sharing a social media post about Zionism that included an illustration of a rat. "On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references," he said in a statement. "I very much regret these references. "I would never knowingly share anything antisemitic. It goes against everything I believe in." The Match of the Day presenter said he deleted the post "as soon as I became aware of the issue". A rat has historically been used as an antisemitic insult, referring to language used by Nazi Germany to characterise Jews.

"Whilst I strongly believe in the importance of speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza, I also know that how we do so matters," Lineker continued. "I take full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views. "It was an error on my part for which I apologise unreservedly." On Tuesday, the Match of the Day host deleted an Instagram story post he shared from the group Palestine Lobby, which said: "Zionism explained in two minutes" and featured a rat. Zionism refers to the movement to create a Jewish state in the Middle East, roughly corresponding to the historical land of Israel, and thus support for the modern state of Israel.

'Alan Carr could be frontrunner': Who will win Celebrity Traitors?

4 hours ago Share Save Alex Taylor • @Tayloredword BBC News Culture reporter Share Save

BBC/Studio Lambert/Peacock/Euan Cherry The roundtable of stars joining Claudia Winkleman on Celebrity Traitors boasts household names

The line-up for UK's celebrity edition of The Traitors has finally been revealed - with enough star power to rival Graham Norton's chat show sofa. The 19-strong roundtable of stars joining Claudia Winkleman at Ardross Castle in Scotland boasts household names across sport and the arts. Among them are comedians Stephen Fry and Alan Carr, chat show host Jonathan Ross and Olympic diver Tom Daley - all vying to win the game of deception. Singers Paloma Faith, Cat Burns and Charlotte Church will also be there, alongside others including historian David Olusoga, broadcaster Clare Balding, actress Celia Imrie and Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed. The third series of The Traitors, which aired in January, attracted more than 10 million viewers. The show's format is deceptively simple. A handful of contestants, known as traitors, pick off their castmates, the faithful, with nightly "murders" - while the faithful try to work out their identity. If any traitors remain at the end, they nab the cash prize (though this time the money goes to a charity of the winner's choosing). The celebrity season, which airs this autumn, will bring a unique mix of fame, ego and public image to the popular format. BBC News speaks to psychologists to uncover likely faithfuls, traitors and frontrunners.

The comedians

Getty Images Alan Carr hosts numerous TV shows

Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross, Stephen Fry, Joe Wilkinson and Lucy Beaumont

Comedians are likely to be "the obvious frontrunners to go the distance", says Susie Masterson, a psychotherapist registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Humour can be a highly adapted defence mechanism, she says, which can make comedians more opaque than other contestants. Comics are also quick on their feet, used to presenting a persona and masking in public - this makes them well-equipped traitors, notes Masterson. "I think Alan Carr could well be a frontrunner," she says. "There is an affability about him, but he's also not afraid of stirring the pot. He's very authentic and has a big personality without necessarily dominating the space." But fame could disadvantage the high-profile names in the group, like Jonathan Ross. Status, explains consultant counselling psychologist Dr Ritika Suk Birah, can create a power imbalance. "It can make others feel threatened or suspicious of their motives, even when there's no evidence," she says. This may be a particular challenge for those understood as both intelligent and articulate, like Stephen Fry. This perception can lead others to assume strategic manipulation, potentially forcing early elimination out of fear rather than logic, adds Dr Birah. Unfortunately, Masterson also believes Fry could fit into the category of contestants who "struggle with criticism or scrutiny". "He might struggle with banishing people as well as any potential heat he might receive," she says.

The singers

Getty Images Welsh singer Charlotte Church

Paloma Faith, Cat Burns and Charlotte Church

Stage performers like Cat Burns are used to high-pressure situations, interacting with a variety of people in a live environment. "This could help at the round table," says Masterson. She adds that Paloma Faith and Charlotte Church are both "big personalities and have direct communication styles". While this may make them good motivators, Masterson is unsure whether they can appear contained or measured enough to endure as traitors.

The sports stars

Getty Images Tom Daley is Britain's most decorated diver

Tom Daley, Joe Marler and Clare Balding

Sports people will likely make good faithfuls, says Masterson, as strong physical types tend to do better in most of the challenges and can also both lead and motivate the rest of the group. They are also usually goal-driven and able to handle pressure. "They are quite different personalities in this group, and I'm interested to see how it might play out," says Masterson. "Clare Balding is very practical and pragmatic, but we have also seen her emotional side on TV recently". She feels Tom Daley, and to a lesser extent Balding, could well be "golden retriever types" - loyal and supportive - whereas rugby star Joe Marler may be less likely to want to talk things through. As for the in-built competitive edge, she says success depends on whether they can "play as a team rather than against each other."

The actors

Getty Images Celia Imrie's long screen career includes Absolutely Fabulous and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Nick Mohammad, Mark Bonnar, Tameka Empson, Ruth Codd, Celia Imrie

Actors, like comics, may also face distrust depending on how much their castmates expect them to be naturally deceptive. However, among the group of actors, there is a good mix of ages, types of acting and levels of fame - from soap star Tameka Empson to established film names like Mark Bonnar and Celia Imrie. This could "balance out this superficial disadvantage" by muddying the threat level, says Masterson. She says cast members with lesser-known personalities, like Ruth Codd and Nick Mohammed, might be harder to read.

The media personalities

Getty Images Historian and author David Olusoga has presented numerous documentaries

David Olusoga, Niko Omilana and Kate Garraway

Trump's meeting with Sharaa, unthinkable just months ago, boosts Syrians' hopes

5 hours ago Share Save Lyse Doucet Chief international correspondent Reporting from Riyadh Share Save

Reuters Donald Trump and Ahmed al-Sharaa met in Riyadh on Wednesday

Donald Trump has said his administration is now exploring the possibility of normalising relations with Syria - his comments coming shortly after he met Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose forces ended the decades-long dictatorship of the Assad family. The extraordinary encounter, unthinkable just months ago, was short but significant. "I think he has got the potential," Trump remarked after his meeting in Riyadh, 37 minutes long, with the former Syrian fighter formerly linked to al-Qaeda. The $10m US bounty on his head was only lifted in December.

Video footage of their conversation in a lavish Saudi royal palace showed some initial awkwardness as they spoke through a translator. A beaming Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman, sat next to them. The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined them by telephone. Trump acknowledged it was these two leaders who had convinced him to also lift the US's punishing Syria sanctions. His sudden announcement on Tuesday night at a major US-Saudi investment forum in Riyadh won him a standing ovation. It was a volte-face after his many previous posts on social media that the US had "no interest in Syria".

Watch: 'Young, attractive guy' - Trump talks about Syrian president

"Tough guy, very strong past," is how Trump later described Sharaa to journalists travelling with his high-powered American delegation on his first official four-day tour. It was a very Trump gloss about Sharaa's old links to al-Qaeda. His Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria until he severed ties in 2016. HTS is still designated as a terrorist organisation by the UN, US and UK. Since assuming power in December, Sharaa has been wearing Western business suits and trying to present himself as a president for all Syrians. "It's a new light at the end of this tunnel," exclaimed Hind Kabawat, minister of social affairs and labour, in the interim government. She told the BBC's Newshour programme they had been calling for sanctions relief ever since their "Liberation Day". The US decision sparked celebrations across a county where 90% of Syrians are said to be living in poverty, after more than a decade of civil war and profound suffering. Removing restrictions which cut Syria off from the international financial system will enable greater engagement by aid agencies and encourage foreign investment and trade.

Reuters The meeting took place on the second day of Trump's four-day tour of the Gulf

French taxi driver charged with theft after Lammy dispute

David Lammy and Nicola Green had been part of a state visit to Rome

But the Foreign Office said in a statement the fare had been paid in full before they set off on their private holiday.

The driver insisted he was owed 700 euros (£590) in cash for part of the journey not covered by an upfront payment to a booking service.

The driver allegedly sped off with the couple's luggage after a row over a fare for the 360-mile journey from Forli, in Italy, to the French ski resort of Flaine, in Haute-Savoie.

French police have charged a taxi driver with stealing luggage and cash from UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and his wife Nicola Green.

The taxi driver had a row with Ms Green before driving off with their luggage to a police station, where he made a complaint.

According to French newspaper la Provence, an investigation into a "commercial dispute" was opened by the Bonneville prosecutor's office in Haute-Savoie.

A member of the foreign secretary's office contacted the driver to get the luggage back, and it was allegedly deposited at a police station with a "considerable" sum of money missing from Ms Green's bag, prompting her to make a statement to officers.

Bonneville prosecutor Boris Duffau told the BBC the taxi driver was now being charged with theft.

"An investigation has been opened following a disagreement regarding the payment of a taxi ride between Italy and France," said Mr Duffau.

"After an investigation by French police, the Bonneville prosecutor's office has decided to prosecute the taxi driver who has been summoned to appear at the Bonneville court on 3 November 2025.

"He has been charged with theft (of luggage and cash) to the detriment of Nicola Green and David Lindon Lammy."

The couple had decided to take a private holiday in France after spending three days on a state visit to Italy with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Sources say they arranged their own transport, at their own expense, through booking company getTransfer.com.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told the BBC there were no sensitive documents or laptops in the car and the foreign secretary had been travelling on his own personal passport, rather than a diplomatic one.

The FCDO strongly disputes the taxi driver's version of events.

A spokesperson said: "The fare was paid in full.

"The foreign secretary and his wife are named as victims in this matter and the driver has been charged with theft.

"As there is an ongoing legal process, it would be inappropriate to comment further."

Mark Carney says Canadians are not 'impressed' by UK's invite to Trump

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer invited Trump to come to the UK for a visit during a meeting at the White House in February.

"To be frank, [Canadians] weren't impressed by that gesture... given the circumstance," he said. "It was at a time when we were being quite clear about the issues around sovereignty."

The newly elected Carney told Sky News that the UK's invitation earlier this year did not help Canadians, who were facing repeat comments from Trump about making Canada the 51st US state.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said Canadians were not "impressed" by the UK government's invitation to US President Donald Trump for a second state visit.

Asked whether the invitation was "appropriate", Carney said that was a decision for the government of the UK and Buckingham Palace.

"I leave the diplomacy to the UK government," he said.

The BBC has contacted the Carney's office and No 10 for comment.

When reached by the BBC, Buckingham Palace said the issue was a matter for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and did not comment further.

The criticism from Carney comes as the Canadians prepare to welcome King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the end of this month for a royal visit.

During the Sky News interview, Carney said his invitation for the King - Canada's head of state - to attend the opening of Canada's Parliament "is not coincidental".

"It is also a reaffirming moment, will be a reaffirming," Carney said, saying issues around Canada's sovereignty "have been accentuated by the president".

During his visit, the King will also read the Speech from the Throne - a function usually carried out by the governor general.

The last time this happened was in October 1977 when Queen Elizabeth II read the speech for the second time in Canada's history. The first was in 1957.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has made repeated comments undermining Canada's sovereignty, including that the Canadian border is an "artificially drawn line".

Meanwhile, Carney has firmly said Canada is "not for sale, ever".

Carney - who said he would only meet the US president "until we get the respect we deserve" - sat down with Trump in Washington DC last week to begin negotiations on a new trade and security relationship.

During the visit, Trump repeated his 51st state comments.

Pressed on that, Carney told Sky News that Trump has shifted his tone from "expectation to a desire for that to happen".

"He also came from a place where he recognised that was not going to happen."

Exceptionally low river levels raise fears over water supplies

9 hours ago Share Save Malcolm Prior, Georgina Rannard, Jenny Kumah BBC Rural Affairs and Climate and Science teams Share Save

Getty Images

Many of the UK's rivers have hit exceptionally low levels and that could worsen in the next three months, according to the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), raising questions over supplies to households, farmers and businesses. The warning comes after the driest spring in England since 1961, with northern regions experiencing the driest start to the year in nearly a century. Almost all of the UK is expected to have below normal or low river levels in May, apart from the south-west of England and southern Wales. The Environment Agency has said that the UK is at medium risk of drought and warned households of the risk of water restrictions.

The next 2-3 weeks will be "crucial" in determining whether the country goes into drought, says Mark Owen, head of fisheries for the Angling Trust and a member of the National Drought Group. That is the committee, led by the government, that declares if and when a drought is officially under way. The country is not now in drought, but the impacts of the exceptionally dry weather are already being felt. Some farmers are being forced to water their crops instead of relying on rainfall, which is something that normally happens later in the year. "We are having a drought now from an agricultural point of view," arable farmer Nick Deane told BBC News from his farm in Norfolk. He had to start irrigating his fields in March. "We have to ration our water and decide which areas we are going to put that water on in order to keep the crops growing," he said. He warned that an extremely long drought would mean farmers struggle to produce food and more produce would need to be imported. The dry and sunny weather this year has led to a larger area of the UK burned by wildfires this year compared to in any other entire year.

Malcolm Prior/BBC Nick Deane is worried about how early in the year he has been forced to irrigate his crops

The last drought was in June-August 2022, which was the joint hottest summer (with 2018) and fifth driest since the 1890s. Five companies introduced hosepipe bans, affecting 19 million people, and waterways had restricted navigation. That drought was preceded by six months of very dry weather. However, the wet summer in 2024 and moderately-wet winter means water supplies are in a better place now and water companies have larger reserves to rely on. But dry weather earlier in the year has risks. It does "potentially pose a greater risk to water resources later on in the year, particularly if the dry weather continues," says Stephen Turner, hydrologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

Last week, Richard Thompson, chair of the National Drought Group, warned that water companies may need to bring in water restrictions to protect supplies if the dry weather continues. At the moment the key questions are when will it next rain and when it does, how much will there be. There are some signs that some rain is on the horizon, with unsettled weather from the west at the end of next week. Drinking water comes from different places depending on the geography and geology of regions. Roughly speaking, the south of England takes a long time to get into drought but a long time to leave. That's because a lot of rainfall is stored in rocks underground and takes a long time to reach rivers and water supplies. By contrast, the north of England quickly enters drought and quickly gets out because reservoirs are more heavily used for water supplies. Water Companies introduce hosepipe bans when water supplies reach a certain low in their areas. If drought conditions become severe, the government can restrict irrigation of farms, reduce boats' movement on waterways, and limit water available to non-essential businesses like car washes. In an extreme scenario, it could ration the amount of water available to homes and businesses but that has not happened since 1976. Water industry bosses and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) are calling on the government to do more to ensure the driest parts of the UK have secure water supplies in the face of any future drought. Water UK, which represents the water industry, is calling for a new national water grid of pipes, canals and reservoirs to be set up in England to move water from the wettest regions to where it is most needed. And farmers say they need more government funding and less planning red tape to build their own reservoirs to supply their farms.

Malcolm Prior/BBC Tim Place is one of the six farmers who built their own 270,000 cubic metre reservoir to secure water supplies

Mr Deane came together with five other farmers, including fruit growers, to build their own reservoir. It took four years and cost more than £1m. It has proved vital, they say, with 15% of the stored water already used this year in the dry conditions. But the group said obtaining planning permission was costly and difficult. A government spokesman said it was working with the agricultural sector to improve its water supply resilience and establish more groups of farmers who could work together to develop their own reservoirs. He added: "Over £104bn of private sector investment has been secured to fund essential infrastructure, including nine new reservoirs, to help secure our future water supply for farmers."

Are the dry conditions linked to climate change?

Abortion decriminalisation plans pushed by Labour MP

6 hours ago Share Save Sam Francis BBC News Share Save

BBC

A Labour MP has launched a bid to decriminalise abortions, after campaigners revealed estimates that police have prosecuted more than 100 women under abortion laws in recent years. Abortion remains a criminal offence in England and Wales unless under strict circumstances - including taking place before 24 weeks into the pregnancy with the approval of two doctors - under a 164-year-old law. Tonia Antoniazzi, Labour MP for Gower, tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill to decriminalise the process without "changing anything about provision of abortion care". Antoniazzi said the current situation was "unacceptable" and led to police prosecuting vulnerable women.

Nearly 60 MPs from Labour, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Green Party and Plaid Cymru have put their names to Antoniazzi's amendment. MPs had been due to debate similar amendments last year, but Parliament was dissolved for the general election before this could take place.

Last year a BBC investigation found an unprecedented number of women are being investigated by police on suspicion of illegally ending a pregnancy. Some investigations followed natural pregnancy loss, the report by File on 4 found. Pregnancy loss is investigated only if credible evidence suggests a crime, according to the National Police Chiefs' Council. The issue was in the news again this week when Nicola Packer, 45, was cleared by a jury of "unlawfully administering" herself with abortion pills at home during a coronavirus lockdown in 2020. She had taken prescribed abortion medicine when she was around 26 weeks pregnant, beyond the legal limit of 10 weeks for taking such medication at home. She told jurors she did not realise she had been pregnant for more than 10 weeks. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) said Ms Packer's trial demonstrated "just how outdated and harmful" current abortion law was and called for reform. RCOG are among several royal medical colleges, charities and trade unions backing Antoniazzi's amendment. Records collected by the UK's largest abortion services have found at least 100 women have been investigated for having an abortion in the last five years. Of those, six have appeared in court according to data collected by British Pregnancy Advisory Group (Bpas), National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory Service (NUPAS) and MSI abortion services. Antoniazzi said: "There is simply no world in which prosecuting a vulnerable woman who may have experienced a medical complication, miscarriage or stillbirth is the right course of action." She said her amendment, laid before Parliament on Tuesday, is "tightly drawn - not changing anything about provision of abortion care, the time limit, the right to conscientious objection or any other aspects of abortion law". She added: "I am confident that, when Parliament has the opportunity to vote on these proposals, my colleagues will agree that never again should a woman be prosecuted for ending her own pregnancy in England and Wales."

The amendment follows repeated calls to repeal sections of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. Abortions were completely illegal under 19th Century law until it was modified by the 1967 Abortion Act, which initially allowed them to take place up to 28 weeks. This was reduced to 24 weeks in 1990. Abortions after 24 weeks are allowed only if: the woman's life is in danger

there is a severe fetal abnormality

the woman is at risk of grave physical and mental injury Since 2018, women in England have taken the second abortion pill at home, aligning the rules with Scotland and Wales. Though the same rules apply in Scotland, it has a distinct healthcare and legal system. Abortion laws are currently under review in Scotland following appeals from advocacy groups' to decriminalise the process. Abortion was decriminalised in Northern Ireland in 2019. Latest figures show there were 251,377 abortions recorded in England and Wales in 2022 - the highest number since the Abortion Act was introduced and an increase of 17% over the previous year. About 88% of recorded abortions took place before 10 weeks, after which the procedure must be carried out in an approved clinic or NHS hospital.

Israeli strikes across Gaza kill 80, hospitals and rescuers say

4 hours ago Share Save David Gritten BBC News Share Save

Reuters Several homes in the northern Jabalia area were reportedly destroyed in the overnight strikes

At least 80 people have been killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza, hospitals and first responders say. The Indonesian hospital said 22 children and 15 women were among 50 people who died when several homes in the northern Jabalia area were hit overnight. Nearby al-Awda hospital said it had received the bodies of another nine people, seven of them children. The Israeli military said it struck Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters in the north. It had warned residents of Jabalia and neighbouring areas to evacuate on Tuesday after rockets were launched into Israel. It came as the UN's humanitarian chief urged members of the UN Security Council to take action to "prevent genocide" in Gaza.

Speaking at a meeting in New York on Tuesday, Tom Fletcher accused Israel of "deliberately and unashamedly imposing inhumane conditions on civilians". He also called on Israel to lift its 10-week blockade on Gaza and criticised the Israeli-US plan to take over the distribution of humanitarian aid by using private companies, saying it was a "fig leaf for further violence and displacement" of Palestinians. Israel's envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, said the accusations were "baseless and outrageous". He insisted the existing system for aid was "broken" because it was being used to help Hamas's war effort - an allegation both the UN and the armed group have denied.

Residents of Jabalia town and its refugee camp reported hearing multiple explosions overnight, and videos shared by activists showed flames lighting up the sky. One video shared online showed at least 14 bodies wrapped in blankets and white shrouds on the floor of the Indonesian hospital. Hadi Moqbel, 42, said several members of his family were killed. "They fired two rockets, they told us the house of Moqbel [had been hit]," he told Reuters news agency as he clambered over the destroyed building. "We came running, we saw body parts on the ground, children killed, [a] woman killed and a baby killed... He was two months old." The director of al-Awda hospital said in an audio message that it was struggling to deal with the 52 injured people brought there for treatment after the strikes because of the shortages of medical supplies and fuel for its electricity generators, with the latter forcing the closure of several departments. The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported that 80 people had been killed in Israeli strikes across the territory since dawn, including 59 in the north. The Israeli military said in a statement that it "struck Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists" in northern Gaza overnight. It added that "numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians". On Tuesday night, the military had issued what it described as a "final warning" to residents of Jabalia and neighbouring areas. It ordered them to evacuate immediately to Gaza City, saying Israeli forces would "attack with great force any area from which rockets are launched". The military said three rockets launched from Gaza crossed into Israeli territory, triggering sirens in Israeli border communities and the town of Sderot. Two of the rockets were intercepted by the Israeli air force and the third fell in an open area, it added. PIJ - an armed group that like its ally Hamas is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US, UK and other countries - said it launched the rockets in response to what it called "Zionist massacres". On Wednesday afternoon, the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for six parts of the northern Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City, warning that there would be strikes "due to Hamas's exploitation of civilian areas for terrorist activities". An infographic identified the affected areas as al-Shifa hospital, the Islamic University, and the al-Shati, Carmel, Mustafa Hafez and al-Furqan school complexes, and alleged that they contained Hamas command centres, structures and meeting points. The areas are packed with tents housing thousands of displaced people. Al-Shifa is also one of only 22 partially functional hospitals in Gaza. It was largely destroyed in a two-week raid by Israeli forces last year but has since reopened its emergency department.

Reuters Casualties from the strikes on Jabalia were brought to nearby Indonesian hospital

Israel cut off all deliveries of aid and other supplies to Gaza on 2 March and resumed its offensive against Hamas on 18 March after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire. The UN says 20% of the 2.1 million population has been displaced again, and that 70% of Gaza is now either within Israeli military "no-go" zones or under evacuation orders. Severe shortages of food and fuel have forced all UN-supported bakeries and more than 60% of the 180 community kitchens providing hot meals to shut down. A UN-backed assessment released on Monday warned that the entire population was facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with half a million people facing starvation. The UN has said Israel is obliged under international law to ensure food and medical supplies for Gaza's population. Israel has said it is complying with international law and there is no shortage of aid because thousands of lorry loads entered during the ceasefire. Palestinians are hoping Hamas's decision on Monday to release the last living Israeli-American hostage in Gaza, Edan Alexander, could pave the way for a possible new ceasefire deal with Israel and the end of the blockade. Hamas said it freed Mr Alexander as a goodwill gesture to US President Donald Trump, who is visiting the Middle East this week. On Wednesday morning, Trump told a summit of Gulf leaders in Riyadh that he was hopeful that more of the 58 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza would be freed. "All hostages must be released as a stepping stone to peace," he said. "I think that's going to be happening." At the same time, his special envoys Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler participated in a new round of indirect talks in Doha along with officials from regional mediators Qatar and Egypt. Later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office also said he had a "lengthy" discussion with Witkoff by telephone "on the issue of the hostages". More than 65 former hostages meanwhile signed a letter urging the Israeli government to seize a "genuine opportunity to return to the negotiating table" and secure the release of all the hostages. "Please do not walk away until a comprehensive deal is signed," they said.

Israeli 'bunker buster' bombs used in Gaza hospital strike, experts say

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Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi has woken from an induced coma after having surgery to repair a serious abdominal injury.

Awoniyi was taken to hospital on Monday, having collided with a goalpost in the closing stages of the 2-2 draw against Leicester City on Sunday.

BBC Sport understands Awoniyi sustained a ruptured intestine in the incident.

Having had the first part of the surgery on Monday, the striker spent Tuesday in an induced coma as medical staff monitored his progress as part of the procedure.

Awoniyi had the second stage of the operation, including closing the wound, on Wednesday.

He was subsequently woken from the induced coma in the early evening.

Forest are set to open an internal review into the episode.

Awoniyi received lengthy medical attention on the pitch after the collision, and he appeared to inform medics that he could continue.

It soon became clear he was still feeling the effects of the collision, but he remained on the field. By that stage, head coach Nuno Espirito Santo had fielded his allocation of substitutes.

Construction sites appear in Gaza ahead of Israeli-US aid plan rejected by UN, images show

21 minutes ago Share Save Benedict Garman, Matt Murphy & Merlyn Thomas BBC Verify Share Save

BBC

Israel is preparing a series of sites in Gaza that could be used as distribution centres for humanitarian aid in a controversial new plan, satellite images show. The Israeli government suspended food and medicine deliveries into Gaza in March. Ministers said the move, which has been condemned by UN, European and Middle Eastern leaders, was intended to put pressure on Hamas to release its remaining hostages. Israel also accused Hamas of stealing aid – an allegation the group has denied. The UN has said the blockade has caused severe shortages of food, medicines and fuel, and an assessment on Monday warned that Gaza's population of around 2.1 million people was at "critical risk" of famine. The US confirmed last week that it was preparing a new system for providing aid from a series of hubs inside Gaza, which would be run by private companies and protected by security contractors and Israeli forces. Images analysed by BBC Verify show that land has already been cleared, with new roads and staging areas constructed at a number of locations in southern and central Gaza in recent weeks.

Israel has not publicly said where the hubs will be, but humanitarian sources - briefed previously by Israeli officials - told BBC Verify that at least four centres will be built in the southern section of Gaza and one further north near the Netzarim Corridor, a strip of land controlled by the military that effectively divides the territory. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - an organisation set up to support the plan - initially said food, water and hygiene kits would be supplied to 1.2 million people, less than 60% of the population. On Wednesday it announced it would start operations before the end of May, and appeared to call for Israel to allow aid through normal channels until its distribution centres were fully operational. It also called for aid hubs to be built in northern Gaza, something not envisaged under the original plan. UN agencies have insisted they will not co-operate with the plan - which is in line with one previously approved by Israel's government - saying it contradicted fundamental humanitarian principles. A spokesperson for the UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) accused Israel of seeking to use "food and fuel as leverage, as part of a military strategy". "All aid would be channelled through a handful of militarised hubs," Olga Cherevko told BBC Verify. "That kind of arrangement would cut off vast areas of Gaza – particularly the most vulnerable, who can't move easily, or are otherwise marginalised – from any help at all." Meanwhile, Bushra Khalidi of Oxfam described the new plan as a "farce". "No logistical solution is going to address Israel's strategy of forcible displacement and using starvation as a weapon of war. Lift the siege, open the crossings and let us do our job." It is understood that the proposed new system has not yet had final sign-off from the Israeli government.

'Secure distribution sites'

BBC Verify used satellite imagery to identify four potential sites based on the limited available information about their locations. The sites are similar in size, shape and design to existing open-air distribution sites inside Gaza, such as at Erez, Erez West and Kisufim. The largest site we've looked at is bigger - more comparable to the area inside Gaza at Kerem Shalom crossing. Our analysis of the imagery shows significant development at one of the sites in south-west Gaza, close to the ruins of a village that is now an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) base. Satellite photos since early April show the construction of a road there and a large staging area, surrounded by berms - large defensive barriers made of piled sand - about 650m (2,130ft) from the border with Egypt. A high-resolution image captured on 8 May shows bulldozers and excavators working on a section of land spanning about 20 acres (8 hectares). IDF armoured vehicles are at a fortified building nearby. A photo taken on site, geolocated by BBC Verify, also shows lighting being installed on the perimeter. Further imagery from 11 and 12 May shows this, along with three other sites, continuing to expand. One site is about half a kilometre from a collection of eight UN warehouses, and 280m from another large warehouse.

Stu Ray - a senior imagery analyst with McKenzie Intelligence - agreed the sites were likely to be secure distribution centres. He noted that some of the facilities are in "close proximity to IDF Forward Operating Bases which ties in with the IDF wishing to have some control over the sites". Analysts with another intelligence firm, Maiar, said the facilities appeared to be designed with separate entrances for trucks to move in and out, and with other gaps in the berms that would be suitable for pedestrian entrances. The IDF did not comment on the potential aid centres when approached by BBC Verify, but said that its operations in Gaza were carried out "in accordance with international law". Cogat - the Israeli body responsible for managing crossings into Gaza - did not respond to a request for comment. Three of the four sites located by BBC Verify are south of the IDF's newly created Morag Corridor.

What is the Morag Corridor?

This is an Israeli military zone that runs across the Gaza Strip and separates the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah. Since the IDF established a security zone there in early April, a six-mile (10km) road has been built covering two thirds of the width of Gaza, bordered by defensive berms and dotted with IDF outposts. This new road leads directly to one of the development sites visible in satellite imagery, and a pre-existing road connects it to two more. This entire area has been subjected to extensive land clearance by the IDF. BBC Verify has geolocated video and images of areas throughout the Morag Corridor, and south of it, filmed by Israeli forces, which show controlled demolitions using explosives and heavy machinery, and extensive destruction of buildings. Humanitarian sources said Israeli briefings indicated that aid would enter Gaza via Kerem Shalom crossing. Satellite imagery shows ongoing construction work happening there too over the past few months, with the apparent expansion of its storage areas, and new roads added.

The aftermath of the West Ham defeat has been filled with stories about the plans United's hierarchy have put in place around the final.

Limits have been placed on the number of tickets players are allowed - and what staff are entitled to.

There will be no parade in the event of a win against Tottenham. Instead celebrations will be restricted to a low-key barbeque at the club's Carrington training ground when Amorim's squad return on Thursday.

Evidently, Amorim and his players have the financial muscle to pay for their friends and family to get to Bilbao if needed.

However, others who work closely with the first team are not in the same fortunate financial position.

So, at a time when a second round of up to 200 redundancies are planned following the 250 jobs that were axed last year, Amorim and his players have decided to help out by paying for some tickets for the backroom team's families.

"The situation is simple," he said. "We have a lot of things, with people leaving and a lot of changes in the staff, so at this moment in our club sometimes it is hard to know when to give and when to take.

"We have to respect the people whose jobs are being taken to survive and rebuild.

"It is complicated for the club to start giving to other members of staff, which makes it a really hard position.

"That situation was explained so my reaction was to help.

"It is not going to change my life [financially]. To help the staff be there and comfortable means they will be better staff for the final.

"We talk to the players and the players have the same reaction - everybody wants their families there."

Amorim has his own experience of a Europa League final, as a player in the Benfica side beaten on penalties by Sevilla in Turin in 2014.

Aside from the £100m financial windfall that qualification for the Champions League would bring, as a straightforward football match Amorim knows next week is not a game to lose.

"I will never say I was a finalist," he said. "The feeling has to be 'what a waste of time'.

"My message to the players is we have to win or it doesn't matter."

Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian has bought a stake in Women's Super League champions Chelsea.

Ohanian, who is the husband of American tennis star Serena Williams, will have a seat on the club's board after purchasing a 8-10% share, believed to be worth around £20m.

In a post to X, external, Ohanian said: "I've bet big on women's sports before, and I'm doing it again.

"I'm proud to announce that I'm joining Chelsea as an investor and board member. I'm honored for the chance to help this iconic club become every American's favorite WSL team and much, much more."

He also posted images of Chelsea kits with the names of his children, Olympia and Adira, on the backs.

The 42-year-old has invested in women's football previously, as the largest shareholder in American club side Angel City FC until it was sold in 2024 for £192.3 million - the highest price for a women's sports team until this deal.

Star bowler Sophie Ecclestone has been left out of new coach Charlotte Edwards' first squad to face West Indies as England look to manage her return from a knee injury.

Ecclestone played her first match of the English season on Wednesday, scoring a 49-ball 50 and taking 1-29 off 10 overs in Lancashire's One-Day Cup win over Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

The 26-year-old is one of several senior players omitted by Edwards, who will coach her country for the first time after being appointed in the aftermath of England's disastrous Ashes campaign.

Top-order batter Maia Bouchier does not feature in either the one-day international or T20 squad, while Alice Capsey and veteran Danni Wyatt-Hodge will sit out the 50-over fixtures.

There are recalls for batter Emma Lamb, all-rounder Alice Davidson-Richards and seamer Issy Wong, while uncapped medium pacer Emily Arlott is also included.

England face West Indies in three ODIs and three T20s, starting in Canterbury on 21 May, with these series also Nat Sciver-Brunt's first as permanent captain.