Firefighters killed in business park blaze named

1 hour ago Share Save Curtis Lancaster BBC News Share Save

Facebook Martyn Sadler and Jennie Logan died in the fire at the Bicester Motion business park

Two firefighters who died in a blaze at an Oxfordshire business park have been named as Jennie Logan and Martyn Sadler, while a member of the public who died is David Chester. Ms Logan, 30, Mr Sadler, 38, and Mr Chester, 57, from Bicester died after explosions were heard at Bicester Motion - a former RAF base - on Thursday. Both firefighters worked at Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Mr Sadler was also part of the London Fire Brigade, Thames Valley Police said. Two more firefighters sustained serious injuries and remain in hospital, Oxfordshire County Council said.

The fire was reported at about 18:30 BST on Thursday and rapidly spread through a former aircraft hangar at the site. At its height, 10 fire crews were tackling the blaze.

Large plumes of smoke were filmed coming from one of the Bicester Motion buildings

The police have launched an unexplained death investigation, but are not currently treating it as a criminal matter. Assistant Chief Constable Tim Metcalfe described the deaths as "an absolute tragedy" and said the thoughts of everyone at the force were with the families, friends and colleagues of those who had died. Officers will remain at the scene for a number of days to ensure the public remain safe.

Emotional fire chief hails 'unwavering bravery' of emergency teams

At the scene on Friday, a visibly emotional Chief Fire Officer Rob MacDougall said he spoke with "a heavy heart" when he confirmed the deaths. He added: "Our thoughts are with the family friends and colleagues affected during this time. "I'm immensely proud and grateful for the exemplary multiagency response and the unwavering bravery demonstrated by the emergency services personnel."

PA Media The fire broke out at Bicester Motion on Thursday and was burning into Friday afternoon

London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe described it as an "incredibly challenging day" for UK fire services and said it highlighted the high-risk nature of their work. He said: "This is clearly an incredibly difficult time for us all; we have lost a well-respected and much-loved colleague who exemplified courage and selflessness in the service of others. "Our thoughts are with all the families, friends, and colleagues impacted by this tragedy. We are doing everything we can to provide support to Martyn's family and colleagues." He added: "Our sincere condolences go out to Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service who also sadly lost a firefighter at this incident, with a further two colleagues in hospital."

Bicester Motion is home to more than 50 specialist businesses, focused on classic car restoration and engineering on the former site of RAF Bicester. It was home to RAF Bomber Command in World War Two and became redundant in 2004. Bicester Motion's chairman Daniel Geoghegan paid tribute to "the three lives that have been lost". In a statement, he said the firefighters showcased "the epitome of selfless service" and had "gone above and beyond under unprecedented circumstances". Mr Geoghegan added that father-of-two Mr Chester, who ran family business Chesters & Sons, had "a long history with the estate". "He joined us 12 years ago when we first bought the site and, with his wife and two sons, has been a pillar of our whole business community," he said. "We considered him a member of our team, part of the fabric of our estate and a friend to us all." "Our whole community used to say that 'Dave always had our back'. Yesterday, he was doing just that – the epitome of his selfless spirit," he added.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said his thoughts were with the families and friends of those who had died following the "devastating news". He said: "The bravery of our firefighters is astounding. Hoping those in hospital make a full and swift recovery." Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch described it as "an absolutely horrifying incident", adding: "I hope that we can get to the bottom of exactly what's caused this and make sure that it doesn't happen again." Sherine Wheeler, chief executive of the Fire Fighters Charity, told BBC Radio Oxford everyone in the firefighting community was feeling "heartbroken". "It's very rare and tragic to have the loss of two firefighters alongside a member of the public and I think the impact of that is being felt deeply," she said. "For a lot of people who serve in the fire service it brings the reality of the risks they hold crashing home."

Floral tributes have been left at the nearby Bicester fire station

People, including members of South Central Ambulance, have left floral tributes to those affected by the incident at nearby Bicester Fire Station. Jamie Jessett, from the town, said he went to school with one of the firefighters who died. He said the fire was "devastating", but also that it was "amazing" to see the community come together to pay their respects. "That's what we need, especially at this moment in time," he added.

PA Media Officers will remain at the scene for a number of days to ensure the public remain safe

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Ukraine and Russia far apart in direct talks, but prisoner swap agreed

Ukrainian and Russian officials met in Turkey for the first talks in more than three years

More than three years into Europe's deadliest war since 1945, there was a small step forward for democracy on Friday.

Delegations from Ukraine and Russia came face-to-face for talks for the first time since March 2022 – one month after Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbour. The setting was an Ottoman- era palace on the shores of the Bosphorus in Istanbul.

Pressure and encouragement from Turkey and the US helped get the warring parties there.

There were no handshakes, and half the Ukrainian delegation wore camouflage military fatigues – a reminder that their nation is under attack.

The room was decked with Ukrainian, Turkish and Russian flags – two of each – and a large flower arrangement – a world away from the shattered cities and swollen graveyards of Ukraine.

Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, told the delegations there were two paths ahead – one road leading to peace, and the other leading to more death and destruction.

The talks lasted less than two hours and sharp divisions soon emerged. The Kremlin made "new and unacceptable demands", according to a Ukrainian official. That included insisting Kyiv withdraw its troops from large parts of its own territory, he said, in exchange for a ceasefire.

While there was no breakthrough on the crucial issue of a truce – as expected - there is news of one tangible result.

Each side will return 1,000 prisoners of war to the other.

"This was the very good end to a very difficult day," said Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Serhiy Kyslytsya, and "potentially excellent news for 1,000 Ukrainian families."

The swap will take place soon, said Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who led his country's delegation. "We know the date," he said, "we're not announcing it just yet."

He said "the next step" should be a meeting between Zelensky and Putin.

Nearly 100 people killed in Israeli attack on north Gaza, rescuers say

7 hours ago Share Save Rushdi Abualouf, Cairo; Yolande Knell, Jerusalem; Mallory Moench, London BBC News Share Save

Reuters A mourner reacts during the funeral of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes at the Indonesian hospital in Beit Lahia

Nearly 100 people, including children, have been killed in a large-scale Israeli ground, air and sea attack launched early Friday in north Gaza, the Hamas-run civil defence and residents have said. The civil defence said at least nine homes and tents housing civilians had been bombed overnight and it had received dozens of calls from people trapped. Witnesses also reported smoke bombs, artillery shelling and tanks in Beit Lahia. Israel's military said it was "operating to locate and dismantle terrorist infrastructure sites" in north Gaza and had "eliminated several terrorists" over the past day. This marks the largest ground assault on north Gaza since Israel resumed its offensive in March.

Basheer al-Ghandour, who fled Beit Lahia for Jabalia after the attack, told the BBC people were sleeping when suddenly "intense bombing" hit overnight. "It came from all sides - air strikes and warships. My brother's house collapsed. There were 25 people inside," he said. He said 11 people were injured and five killed, including his nieces, aged five and 18, and a 15-year-old nephew. He and others tried to free relatives from the rubble. "My brother's wife is still under the rubble - we didn't manage to rescue her. Because of how intense the bombing was, we had to flee," he said. "We didn't take anything with us - no furniture, no food, no flour. We even left in bare feet." Another survivor, Yousif Salem, told reporters he and his three children had "just escaped death". "An air strike hit our neighbours' home - none of them survived," he said. He said artillery shells began hitting near their house as they were trapped inside. When he tried to leave, a quadcopter drone opened fire, he said. He made a second attempt under heavy shelling, he said. All roads were blocked, but they managed to find a side road. "We escaped only minutes before Israeli tanks encircled the area," he said. According to local residents, the attack began with smoke bomb barrages followed by intense artillery shelling from nearby Israeli positions. Tanks then began advancing toward Al-Salateen neighbourhood in western Beit Lahia. Witnesses reported that Israeli armoured vehicles surrounded a school sheltering hundreds of displaced civilians. Israeli aircraft dropped leaflets early Friday over several areas in north Gaza calling on residents to evacuate the areas immediately, raising fears the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was expanding its military operation in one of Gaza's most densely populated regions. The evacuation orders sparked panic among families who have been displaced multiple times since the war began. Many have nowhere else to go. "I swear I don't know where we're going," said Sana Marouf, who was fleeing with her family on a donkey cart in Gaza City. "We don't have mattresses, blankets, food or water." She said she had seen people "torn to pieces" overnight. "It was a black night. They were relentlessly bombing us."

Reuters Palestinians make their way with belongings as they fled their homes, after Israeli air strikes, in the northern Gaza Strip on 16 May

The attack in north Gaza comes after Israeli air strikes killed more than 120 people, mostly in the south, on Thursday. The IDF said on Friday it had struck more than 150 "terror targets" throughout Gaza over the past day, including anti-tank missile posts, military structures, and centres where groups were planning to "carry out terrorist attacks against IDF troops". In south Gaza, the IDF said it had dismantled Hamas structures and shafts and killed "several terrorists" who Israel said had planned to plant an explosive device. While Friday's powerful overnight strikes and reported advance by ground troops west of Beit Lahia are significant, this does not yet look like Israel's threatened major military offensive. Israel's government has pledged to intensify operations in Gaza and indefinitely reoccupy the Strip if Hamas did not accept a proposal for a temporary ceasefire and the return of remaining hostages by the end of President Donald Trump's regional trip, which concluded on Friday. While there has been no sign of a breakthrough with negotiating teams still in Doha, local media say that Arab mediators have been pushing for more time to give talks a chance. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas agreed in January broke down when Israel relaunched air strikes on Gaza in March. Israel also implemented a total blockade on humanitarian aid, including food, that has been widely condemned by the UN as well as European and Arab countries. Israel's defence minister Israel Katz last month said the blockade was a "main pressure lever" to secure victory over Hamas and get all the hostages out. There is growing evidence that Israel's 10-week blockade is having an increasingly detrimental humanitarian impact. Aid organisations and residents say people in Gaza are now starving. A recent UN-backed report said Gaza's whole population – some 2.1 million people – is at critical risk of famine. The Israeli government has insisted there is no shortage of food in Gaza and that the "real crisis is Hamas looting and selling aid".

Getty Images Palestinians struggle to get their food rations outside a crowded distribution centre in Beit Lahia on 15 May

Prison governor jailed for relationship with inmate

6 hours ago Share Save Sarah Spina-Matthews & Tom Mullen BBC News Mat Trewern BBC News Reporting from Preston Crown Court Share Save

CPS A judge said Kerri Pegg had "betrayed public trust" with her relationship with Anthony Saunderson

A prison governor who had a relationship with a drug-dealing gang boss has been jailed for nine years. Kerri Pegg, 42, was seen as a "rising star" of the Prison Service, climbing the career ladder from graduate to governor at HMP Kirkham in Lancashire in six years. But her trial heard she "didn't play by the rules" and began a relationship with major Liverpool crime figure Anthony Saunderson, helping him secure day release. Sentencing her at Preston Crown Court, Judge Graham Knowles KC told her: "You betrayed the public trust in you and you betrayed the Prison Service."

He continued: "It was shocking and unconscionable that you should have had that relationship. "You knew how you should and should not act. You had training and support. You were warned and you were challenged. "The boundaries were clear and explicit and you knew you were crossing them."

Pegg, from Up Holland in Lancashire, was convicted of misconduct in public office and possession of criminal property following a trial at the same court in April. The jury heard how, when police raided Pegg's home in Orrell, Wigan, they found a toothbrush with Saunderson's DNA on it. It also emerged Pegg, who was also found guilty of one count of possession of criminal property, had been given a £12,000 Mercedes C-class car by Saunderson, which was paid for from the proceeds of 34 kilos of amphetamines.

PA Media Kerri Pegg, 42, was seen as a "rising star" of the Prison Service

During his communications with other criminals, Saunderson - who is now spending 35 years behind bars - had used the name Jesse Pinkman after a meth dealer in the hit TV show Breaking Bad, the trial heard. He also went under the name James Gandolfini, the actor who played Tony Soprano in the mafia TV series.

'Catastrophically compromised'

Jurors heard Pegg was known to spend a lot of time in her office with the inmate and, in October 2018, he put in a request to be released on temporary licence. Though such requests are routine there are specific rules for how they should be dealt with - rules which the governor broke.

Detectives found Pegg, originally from Bramhall, Stockport, was living way beyond her means, buying designer jewellery and clothes including Jimmy Choo shoes and Chanel necklaces. They found that despite her £3,000 a month income, she was deeply in debt and had not declared three County Court judgments which amounted to misconduct, as debts make officials vulnerable to corruption. Her four credit cards were "maxed out", the court heard, and she had just 6p in her savings account. Judge Knowles said the fact she had not declared the County Court Judgements left her "catastrophically compromised" and vulnerable to "corruption and blackmail". He added that Pegg was "impossibly vulnerable to Saunderson'" once she started in her "dereliction of duty" because she "knew he could destroy your career".

Police found at Pegg's house a pair of Hugo Boss flip flops with Saunderson's DNA on them

In addition to the nine-year sentence for the first charge of misconduct in public office, Pegg was sentenced to two years' prison for the second misconduct charge and four years for accepting criminal property - all to be served concurrently. Pegg was arrested in late 2020 following a police investigation into Saunderson's communications on the encrypted messaging system Encrochat. Officers found messages from Saunderson which included references to "Kerri" and to buying a Mercedes for his girlfriend. Saunderson also joked with associates about driving around with "Peggy" in her new car. Pegg was arrested with the Mercedes parked outside her house, the court heard. She also had a "burner" mobile phone she used solely to communicate with Saunderson. Pegg joined the prison service in 2012 as a graduate entrant, working at prisons including Risley, Liverpool and Styal, and by April 2018 she was a governor at HMP Kirkham, where Saunderson was reaching the end of a 10-year sentence for drugs offences. He had been one of Merseyside's most wanted fugitives for his part in importing cocaine with a street value £19m in shipments of corned beef from Argentina. Pegg's trial heart Saunderson had developed and delivered a programme titled BADD (Beating Alcohol and Drug Dependency) for inmates at several jails while he was still actively involved in drug dealing, running an amphetamines factory. Saunderson was released from Kirkham in May 2019 and within two months, while still on licence, was involved in another massive drug conspiracy. Pegg's trial heard he continued contact with prisons in the BADD programme and was also still close to Pegg, who was at the time the regional official co-ordinating drug strategy in six prisons in the North West. Even members of his gang grumbled that their boss was spending too much time with Pegg, neglecting his wife and "work", the court heard.

CPS Pegg was given a £12,000 Mercedes as a gift from Saunderson

Bella Culley writes letter asking to see her family

8 hours ago Share Save Tom Burgess BBC News, North East and Cumbria Rayhan Demytrie Caucasus correspondent Share Save

Watch: Bella Culley appears in Georgia court

A British teenager has written a letter to Georgian authorities asking for the chance to see her family while she is held in prison in Georgia on suspicion of drug offences. Bella Culley, 18, from Billingham on Teesside, who is being held in prison number 5 in Rustavi, faces a five-day wait to find out whether she can see her father. She has been told she will be detained for 55 days before trial while the prosecution investigates where the 12kg (26lbs) of marijuana and 2kg (4.4lbs) of hashish found in a travel bag had come from, and whether she was planning on handing it over to someone else. Her lawyer, Ia Todua, said that she has the "right to demand this short-term visit from her family".

Ms Todua, who has been appointed by the state to represent the British teenager, said Ms Culley should be allowed short visits, and that the authorities legally have to respond to her request within five days. "She has the right to demand this short-term visit from her family, through the decision of the prosecution," said Ms Todua. "She's not cut off from outside contact. She is allowed small meetings." The BBC was told that the meeting could be up to an hour long, that a lawyer does not have to accompany the family, and that there will be no glass partition between the two parties. At the end of her pre-trial hearing on Tuesday, Miss Culley told the court she was pregnant.

Bella Culley Bella Culley's family is being supported by the Foreign Office

The Foreign Office has confirmed that it is "supporting the family of a British woman who is detained in Georgia". Georgian Police said officers had seized marijuana and the narcotic drug hashish in a travel bag at Tbilisi International Airport. The BBC understands that Ms Culley arrived in Tbilisi on a flight from Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, on 10 May . The BBC has been told that the British Embassy has advised the teenager's family not to speak to the press.

Rayhan Demytrie Bella Culley has been sent to prison number 5, in the city of Rustavi, while she awaits trial

Miss Culley was charged by Georgian police with illegally buying, possessing and importing large quantities of narcotics. A spokesperson said the arrest was the result of a joint operation between multiple departments and, if she is found guilty, Miss Culley could face up to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment. Cleveland Police has confirmed an 18-year-old woman from Billingham has been arrested in Georgia "on suspicion of drugs offences" and remains in custody.

Melania Trump statue goes missing in Slovenia

5 hours ago Share Save Guy De Launey Balkans correspondent Share Save

JURE MAKOVEC/AFP via Getty Images The bronze statue was made by US artist Brad Downey and unveiled in September 2020

"Melania" appeared on the banks of the River Sava in July 2020, four months before her human inspiration left the White House. Now, four months after the erstwhile Melanija Knavs resumed residence at Washington's most famous address, her larger-than-life-size avatar has apparently made an undignified exit from her Slovenian hometown, Sevnica. All that remains of the massive bronze statue are the feet – and the two-metre-tall tree stump they were standing on.

The symmetry would probably appeal to the whimsical US director Wes Anderson – who often features bizarre heists in his films. But even in his back catalogue, there has never been anything quite like the case of the cursed First Lady statue. Because this is not the first time a Melania Trump tribute has met a sticky end in Sevnica. The first iteration was unveiled in July 2019. Carved from a single piece of wood by a chainsaw-wielding local artisan called Ales "Maxi" Zupevc, it lasted a year before an unidentified perpetrator decided to turn it into a Fourth of July bonfire. Luckily, US artist Brad Downey – who commissioned Maxi to create the wooden original – had already made a cast of the statue. It duly made a comeback in bronze, at the same site. At its unveiling, Mr Downey said the new version had been designed to be "as solid as possible, out of a durable material which cannot be wantonly destroyed". But, as it turns out, it can be chopped off at the ankles and taken away. Local police say they are treating "Melania's" disappearance as "theft" and have launched an investigation.

JURE MAKOVEC/AFP via Getty Images The first iteration of the statue by local artist Ales "Maxi" Zupevc was set on fire

MPs vote to allow health staff to opt out of assisted dying process

8 hours ago Share Save Becky Morton Political reporter Sam Francis Political reporter Share Save

Status quo is not acceptable, says Kim Leadbeater

No one would be forced to help with the process of assisted dying against their wishes, under changes approved by MPs. A bill which would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, expected to die within six months, to seek help to end their own life is currently being considered by Parliament. The legislation passed its first stage in the House of Commons last November – but since then the details have been pored over and dozens of amendments added by both sides. On Friday MPs debated further potential changes, which also included preventing medical staff from raising the option of assisted dying with a patient first.

However, MPs ran out of time to vote on more changes, so further debate and voting will take place on 13 June. That would be followed by a vote on whether to pass the bill as a whole to its next stage or reject it, either on the same day or a future date. The government is neutral on the bill and MPs have been given a free vote, meaning they can decide based on their conscience rather than having to follow a party line. The original bill stated that no registered medical practitioner or other health professional would be under any obligation to participate in the process of assisted dying and they could not be discriminated by their employer if they did not wish to do so. Under a change proposed by Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP behind the bill, and approved by MPs, this has been expanded say no one would have to take part in the process, giving protections to any staff who might be involved. It specifically mentions social care workers and pharmacists as among those covered.

During an emotionally charged - and at times ill-tempered - debate, supporters of the bill argued it had been strengthened by earlier changes. Opening the proceedings, Leadbeater said many people had "lost loved ones in deeply difficult and traumatic circumstances". The MP for Spen Valley added: "Put simply, if we do not vote to change the law, we are essentially saying that the status quo is acceptable." But opponents said the bill had been rushed through and needed stronger protections for people who could be vulnerable to coercion. Conservative MP Rebecca Paul argued there should be a focus on improving end-of-life care, rather than assisted dying. "[The bill] will harm far more people than it will help," Paul said. "And those people who will be harmed are among the most vulnerable in our communities and I'm not willing to accept this collateral damage."

At points the debate became tetchy, with some criticising how the process had been conducted. Labour MP Jess Asato accused campaigner and broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen of being "distasteful and disrespectful" for accusing the bill's opponents of having "undeclared personal religious beliefs which mean no precautions would satisfy" their concerns. However, Dame Esther's daughter, Rebecca Wilcox, told BBC Breakfast she was worried about the "scaremongering", "blatant lies" and "myths" circulating about the bill. She said that while she appreciated there were concerns over coercion and how the proposed legislation could affect vulnerable or disabled people, the bill was "full of safeguards".

Dame Esther Rantzen assisted dying letter was disrespectful, says MP

Labour former minister Anneliese Dodds was among those to raise fears people could feel under pressure to go through with an assisted death because they do not want to be a "burden". Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier argued doctors should not be allowed to raise the option of assisted dying with patients first. She told the Commons this "presents a serious risk that terminally ill patients already highly vulnerable will feel pressured into ending their lives". But Conservative MP Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, a former surgeon, said "highly trained" medical professionals must be trusted "to have the difficult and complex conversations that they do every day". Several MPs raised concerns people with anorexia could be considered terminally ill and eligible for assisted dying if they refuse to eat or drink. However, Leadbeater argued this risk was "negligible". "Not only would someone with severe anorexia be highly unlikely to be assessed to have capacity to make a decision about assisted dying, the other tragic reality is that if a patient was so ill as a result of not eating and drinking for whatever reason, they would die before the process of assisted dying would be able to take place," she told MPs. A proposal from Labour MP Naz Shah would amend the bill so an individual would not meet the requirements for an assisted death "solely as a result of voluntarily stopping eating or drinking". Leadbeater indicated she would support this but suggested further changes may be needed to make the proposal workable.

EPA While MPs debated the bill, campaigners on both sides of the debate gathered outside Parliament

PA Media Protesters opposing the bill criticised the previous removal of the role of a High Court judge in signing off an assisted death

Leadbeater's Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill cleared its first parliamentary hurdle by 330 to 275 votes back in November. Since then, the bill has gone through six months of intense scrutiny by a parliamentary committee and several changes, including removing the need for a High Court judge to sign off each request for an assisted death. Instead, a panel of experts - including a legal professional, psychiatrist and social worker - would oversee the process. The issue has split Parliament, with strong opinions on both sides. Those opposed to assisted dying say the mood has altered among MPs, but so far only a handful have said they have changed their minds since November and it would take dozens to block the bill. Labour MP Jonathan Hinder is the latest to reveal he will no longer support the bill, saying his concerns have "deepened" as it has progressed. He gave the example of removing the role of a High Court judge as one reason he had changed his mind, adding that more work was needed to make the bill "practicable and safe".

If assisted dying does become legal in England and Wales, it would be a historic change for society. Current laws prevent medics from helping any patient to carry out their wish to die. On Tuesday, a separate bill to legalise assisted dying in Scotland passed an initial vote.

Moody's downgrades US credit rating citing rising debt

Moody's warned in 2023 that the US' triple-A rating was at risk

The US has lost its last triple-A credit score from a major ratings firm after being downgraded by Moody's, which cited growing federal debt over the past decade.

In lowering the US rating to 'Aa1', Moody's noted that successive US administrations had failed to reverse ballooning deficits and interest costs.

A triple-A rating signifies a country's highest possible credit reliability, and indicates it is considered to be in very good financial health with a strong capacity to repay its debts.

Moody's warned in 2023 the US triple-A rating was at risk. Fitch Ratings downgraded the US in 2023 and S&P Global Ratings did so in 2011.

Chris Brown remanded in custody over alleged club attack

10 hours ago Share Save Catherine Murphy BBC News, Manchester Share Save

Reuters The American singer was arrested at a Salford hotel following an incident in 2023

R&B singer Chris Brown has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged over an alleged bottle attack at a London nightclub. The American singer was arrested at Salford's Lowry Hotel on Thursday and later charged over the alleged assault, which is said to have happened at the Tape club in London's Mayfair in 2023. Brown, 36, is alleged to have used a bottle to cause grievous bodily harm to music producer Abe Diaw. The singer was in Manchester ahead of his planned tour of the UK in June and July, with dates at the city's Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester and the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

During the hearing, Brown, who was wearing black tracksuit bottoms and a plain t-shirt, spoke to confirm his full name as Christopher Maurice Brown and date of birth.

Fans outside court

When asked to confirm his address he said The Lowry Hotel. District Judge Joanne Hirst told Brown the case will be moved to Southwark Crown Court in London with the next hearing to be held on 13 June. She said the nature of the offence of grievous bodily harm was too serious to to be dealt with by a magistrates' court. Brown was scheduled to perform in Amsterdam on 8 June, before heading to Germany then embarking on the UK dates. Fans gathered outside Manchester Magistrates' Court ahead of the hearing. One fan, who lives in Manchester, told the BBC she had cancelled her plans so she could spend the day outside court. Candy, 35, said she has followed the star since she was 14 and when she heard the news of his arrest she could not sleep. "I'm just here to support him," she said. "I love his music, his voice. Even my children are fans now."

Rock band Sleep Token score first UK number one with new album

5 hours ago Share Save Jared Evitts BBC Newsbeat Share Save

Getty Images Members of Sleep Token perform in masks and have never revealed their identities

Rock band Sleep Token have scored their first ever UK number one album. The British group's fourth full-length release, Even In Arcadia, shot to the top of the chart after three top 40 singles in as many months. Formed in 2016, the group have never revealed their identities, wearing masks at all times and rarely speaking in public, with posts speculating about who they are regularly going viral. Critics have accused the band of using gimmicks to boost their popularity, while fans say Sleep Token's distinctive sound, which blends heavy metal with poppy, R&B elements, sets them apart.

Building off their 2023 release, Take Me to Eden, which reached number three, the band now has 9.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. The streamer said earlier this week that Even in Arcadia was its top new album, outranking releases from Kali Uchis and Pink Pantheress. Announcing the UK chart on BBC Radio 1's Official Chart Show, host Jack Saunders said it was a "a groundbreaking rock record". "It's accessible enough but also loveable enough for those who do really love the genre to really keep it close," he said. "I think it's brilliant." But not everyone is convinced. Music website Pitchfork - known for its sometimes-scathing takes - described the band as "schmaltzy and dull". Reviewer Eli Enis said Even in Arcadia "feels means-tested to maximize cross-market potential". Music critic Anthony Fantano, of The Needle Drop YouTube channel, describing it as "boring, uninspired, and uninteresting" and "metal for Disney adults".

Sleep Token's previous record also had a lukewarm response from professional critics, but that didn't prevent it from being a success. The group are due to headline Download Festival in Leicestershire next month, along with Green Day and Korn. It's the first time any of the bands have topped the bill at the rock gathering. Other acts due to perform include McFly, Bullet For My Valentine, Don Broco, Alien Ant Farm, Spiritbox, Poppy and CKY.

'My children go to sleep hungry,' Gazans tell the BBC

6 hours ago Share Save Alice Cuddy BBC News Reporting from Jerusalem Share Save

"Give me some," 6-year-old Ismail said while waiting for food in Gaza

As crowds gathered at a food distribution point in northern Gaza, six-year-old Ismail Abu Odeh fought his way to the front. "Give me some," he called out. His bowl was filled with lentils, but as he made his way back, it was knocked out of his hands. He returned to his family's tent crying. An uncle who had managed to get some food later shared some with Ismail. The following day, no deliveries of water or food arrived at the displacement camp where he lives, located in a school in Gaza City, and the people gathered there were left with empty bottles and bowls. Ismail cried again. The BBC has spent the past two days speaking to people across Gaza, as Israel ramps up its military action and continues a more than 10-week total blockade on food, medical supplies and other aid. There are mounting warnings from the United Nations and others that the enclave is on the brink of famine.

Ismail cried after no food or water was delivered to the camp where he lives

The Israeli government insists there is "no shortage" of food in Gaza and that the "real crisis is Hamas looting and selling aid". Government ministers have described the stoppage of aid as a "main pressure lever" to secure victory over Hamas and get all the hostages out. There are still 58 hostages in Gaza, up to 23 of whom are believed to be alive. Israel does not allow international journalists free access to Gaza, so our communication has been over phone calls and WhatsApp messages, and through trusted Palestinian freelancers who live in the territory. Those who spoke to the BBC described their struggle to find even one meal a day, with food kitchens shutting down because of the shortages and few items in the markets. Items that are still available are at highly inflated prices that they cannot afford, they said. A man running one of the remaining food kitchens in Gaza said he was operating "day by day" to find food and oil. Another man we spoke to said the kitchen he volunteered at had closed 10 days ago when supplies ran out, describing it as a "disastrous feeling".

Reuters

One 23-year-old woman living in north Gaza said "dizziness has become a constant feeling" as well as "general weakness and fatigue from the lack of food and medicine". Adham al-Batrawi, 31, who used to live in the affluent city of al-Zahra but is now displaced in central Gaza, said hunger was "one of the most difficult parts of daily life". He said people had to get "creative just to survive", describing through WhatsApp messages how he would over-cook pasta and knead it into a dough before cooking it over a fire to create an imitation of bread - a staple in the Palestinian diet. "We've invented ways to cook and eat that we never imagined we'd need," he said. He added that the one meal a day he had been eating recently was "just enough to get us through the day, but it's far from enough to meet our energy needs".

Half of Adham al-Batrawi's family home in al-Zahra was destroyed, he told the BBC

Elsewhere in central Gaza, in the city of Deir al-Balah, nurse Rewaa Mohsen said it was a struggle to provide for her two young daughters, aged three and 19 months. She said she had stockpiled nappies during the ceasefire earlier this year but that these would run out in a month. Speaking over WhatsApp on Thursday, she said her daughters had grown used to the sounds of bombing that would ring through the apartment. "Sometimes I feel more afraid than them," she wrote, adding that she would distract her children with colouring books and toys. The next day, over voice note she said evacuation orders had been issued for her area before an Israeli strike hit a nearby building. When she returned to her home to "clean the mess", she found that the doors and windows had been blown off. "Thank God that I am still alive with my girls," she said. When asked if she would stay in the apartment, she responded: "Where else will I go?" Across Gaza, medics described the impact of the blockade on medical supplies and said they no longer felt safe at work following Israeli strikes targeting hospitals. Nurse Randa Saied said she was working at the European Hospital in Khan Younis when it was hit in an Israeli strike this week, describing it as a moment of "pure terror and helplessness". Israel has long accused Hamas of using hospitals as covert bases and for weapons storage, which the group denies. The European Hospital is no longer operating, but Randa said staff and patients had moved to the nearby Nasser Hospital. "Our patients are mothers, sons, daughters and siblings - just like us. We know deep in our hearts that our duty must not end, especially now when they need us the most," she said.

Reuters Images from the European Hospital in Khan Younis show piles of rubble on the floor

We had to be on last run of UK's longest train route

2 hours ago Share Save Ken Banks and Ben Philip BBC Scotland News, Aberdeen Share Save

BBC Aimee Smith wanted to be part of rail history

It is a route which has operated for more than 100 years, but for the UK's longest direct train service linking Aberdeen and Penzance it is finally the end of the line. The connection - first established back in 1921 - is 775 miles (1,247km) long. However, the packed train from the north east of Scotland on Friday morning was the last to run the route, and arrived in Cornwall more than 13 hours later at 21:40. Operator CrossCountry said the decision to end the service was aimed at a "more efficient timetable". One passenger, Aimee Smith, 40, had made the journey to Aberdeen specifically so as she could join the final trip south and be part of rail history. "All good things do come to an end," she told BBC Scotland News.

It is believed the end of the service means the connection between Aberdeen and Plymouth is now the longest direct route, at 695 miles (1,118km).

Dairy Herald Archive/Getty Images Train workers are pictured next to the Aberdeen to Penzance train in 1939

Aimee, who lives in Derby, has loved trains since she was a child. "When I was young, my granddad lived in Wigginton near Tamworth. I am one of 21 cousins and we used to meet up and obviously when you've got a load of under-12s hanging around they used to try and burn off some energy," she recalled. "So we would go over to a train bridge and wave at the train drivers as they went on the line down to Tamworth. That was quite fun." When she heard about the end of the Aberdeen to Penzance service, she knew she had to be involved. "I saw it come up on my phone, because I get lots of rail-related stuff," Aimee said. "I thought 'oh my gosh, that's amazing'."

The route links Aberdeen and Penzance

Aimee travelled the reverse route to get to Aberdeen for the final journey. "I am travelling up on the train and down on the train so I'll have seen a lot of the train line," she said. Aimee added that her hope was to "meet some really nice people", have a nice chat, and "generally just enjoy it", while armed with a litre of orange juice. She explained: "I've got my book, for when it's a bit quieter, hopefully some like-minded souls, talk trains and talk philosophy. "I'm very excited about just being there and being part of the whole experience really. It is going to be sad. I'm sure I'll look out for other long train journeys."

Friends Danny, Kieran and Liam described the trip as a "bucket list" moment

Friends Danny, 24, Kieran, 22, and 18-year-old Liam could hardly contain their excitement before heading off. Danny, from Edinburgh, said: "It's quite a cool journey to do within the rail enthusiast community as it's the longest." Liam, from Elgin in Moray, added: "It's always been a bucket list thing for me, I am really excited. "I have wanted to do this my whole life."

The train left from platform three in Aberdeen

Including Aberdeen and Penzance, there are 41 stops on the route, featuring cities such as Edinburgh, Newcastle and Leeds.

John Labrow got a special new top printed

John Labrow, 66, from Manchester, got a special T-shirt printed to mark the special occasion. "It's probably the longest journey I've ever done by train, it's the last of a great era, " he said. "It's a privilege." He decided to get the T-shirt printed to tell the story of the journey from Aberdeen to Penzance, and have a memento of the day.

Chris Playfair The route passes spots such as Berwick-upon-Tweed

The service was also removed from the timetable during the pandemic, terminating at Plymouth during 2020, and was not reinstated as the full Aberdeen to Penzance route until May 2023.

Luke Iden was also among the enthusiastic passengers

Luke Iden said he learned about a "buzz" about the route online and decided to book the journey. The 20-year-old from Bournemouth works in rail maintenance and has always been into trains. "I am just happy that I'm here in the moment and can always say I've done it now," he said. The amateur film-maker said he would be shooting footage out the window to pass much of the time.

Martin Wallace said it was exciting to be the driver for the last full journey

Train driver Martin Wallace was only assigned to the route in August last year. He said he was delighted to be involved in the historic trip on Friday. "It's very exciting, isn't it," he said, just before departing. "The last voyage."

A CrossCountry spokesperson said: "Amending our Aberdeen to Penzance service from May will mean a more efficient timetable for our train crews and a more convenient service for our customers, making a day trip from Bristol and the west of England to Penzance more viable. "The new timetable will also deliver an additional service in each direction between Glasgow and the north east of England towards Birmingham."

'Quite a surprise' to spot 4ft shark swimming in river

2 hours ago Share Save Claire Quinn BBC News NI Share Save

Thomas Davidson The starry smooth-hound shark was spotted swimming in the Connswater River at Victoria Park

A man has said he "couldn't believe" what he was seeing when he came across a shark swimming in an east Belfast river. Thomas Davidson was cycling through Victoria Park on Tuesday evening when he spotted a 4ft-long starry smooth-hound shark in the Connswater River, where the waterway meets Belfast Lough. The species of shark has been seen in other urban areas such as the River Thames and the River Mersey estuary. Dr Patrick Collins, a marine biologist at Queen's University, said while "it's not something you see everyday, it's not something super unusual either".

Thomas Davidson Thomas Davidson said when he saw a dorsal fin breaking out of the water he knew it was a shark

"In the past I would occasionally have seen several 2-3lb mullet follow the tide in, but on this occasion I saw a much larger shape in the water adjacent to Airport Road," Mr Davidson told BBC News NI. He said this shape was "too big to be a mullet", so he stopped to take a closer look. "A dorsal fin slowly broke the surface revealing that familiar profile that looked like a shark," he said. "I quickly took out my phone and started to video this slow-moving fish as it meandered left and right up and downstream, getting mobbed by a few gulls. "I couldn't believe what I was watching." The shark continued swimming in this section of river for about 30 minutes before moving upstream into a shadow area and Mr Davidson lost sight of it.

Getty Images Smooth-hound shark have been seen in other urban areas such as the River Thames and the River Mersey estuary

"I felt very lucky to witness such a lengthy sighting and was left curious as to how far upstream it might go," he said. The Connswater River rises in the Castlereagh hills and runs northwards through east Belfast, getting wider until it reaches the sea at Belfast Lough. The river route includes the Connswater Greenway walking route and flows past CS Lewis Square and Connswater Shopping Centre. Mr Davidson said it was "quite a surprise" and he will "continue to look out for it and others in the future".

'Probably having its lunch'

This type of shark mainly eat crabs and small crustaceans, marine biologist Dr Patrick Collins said. The section of the river in Victoria Park probably contained crabs, and so this shark spotted by Mr Davidson was "probably just having its lunch", he explained. He said it is "not very common to find smooth-hounds in cities, but they have been recorded in the last few years".

Patrick Collins Dr Patrick Collins is a marine biologist at Queen's University in Belfast

Rushdie attacker sentenced to 25 years in prison

7 hours ago Share Save Ana Faguy BBC News Share Save

Watch: Judge David Foley sentences Hadi Matar to 25 years in prison for the attack

A New Jersey man who stabbed and partially blinded novelist Sir Salman Rushdie on a New York lecture stage was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Friday. Hadi Matar, 27, was convicted of attempted murder and assault earlier this year. Sir Salman was on stage speaking before an audience in August 2022, when he was stabbed multiple times in the face and neck. The attack left him blind in one eye, with damage to his liver and a paralysed hand caused by nerve damage to his arm. The attack came 35 years after Sir Salman's controversial novel The Satanic Verses, which had long made him the target of death threats for its portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad.

Matar received the maximum 25-year sentence for the attempted murder of Sir Salman. He was also found guilty of assault for wounding the person who was interviewing Sir Salman, Henry Reese, and sentenced to seven years plus three years post-release for that assault. The sentences must run concurrently because both victims were injured in the same event, Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said on Friday. Before being sentenced, Matar stood and made a statement about freedom of speech in which he called Rushdie a hypocrite, according to the Associated Press. "Salman Rushdie wants to disrespect other people," said Matar, clad in white-striped jail clothing and wearing handcuffs. "He wants to be a bully, he wants to bully other people. I don't agree with that." Sir Salman was not in the court for his assailant's sentencing on Friday.

Sir Salman Rushdie on the stabbing attack

US proposes dropping Boeing criminal charge

4 hours ago Share Save Theo Leggett & Natalie Sherman BBC News correspondent and reporter Share Save

Bloomberg/Getty Families of people killed in the Boeing crashes have accused prosecutors of letting the firm off too lightly

US prosecutors may drop a criminal charge against the aerospace giant Boeing, linked to two crashes involving its bestselling aircraft, the 737 Max. In an online meeting with relatives of those who died in the two accidents, officials for the Department of Justice (DOJ) said they were considering allowing the company to sign a non-prosecution agreement to settle the case. The move would avoid a trial over the criminal fraud charge that is due to begin in June, after a judge rejected an earlier settlement in which Boeing had agreed to plead guilty. Lawyers representing families of the crash victims said they were "deeply disappointed" by the new plan.

"While DOJ claims no final decision has been made, their scripted presentation made it clear that the outcome has already been decided," said Erin Applebaum, a partner at Kreindler and Kreindler, which represents 34 families of those killed in the Ethiopian crash. "Boeing has never stood trial for the 346 lives lost due to its admitted crimes. Now, DOJ is prepared to let the company walk away, again, with no more than a financial penalty," she added.

Trump's frantic week of peace brokering hints at what he really wants

34 minutes ago Share Save James Landale • @BBCJLandale Diplomatic correspondent Share Save

BBC

"There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen." So supposedly said the Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. The diplomatic whirlwind that has surrounded US President Donald Trump this week suggests the old Bolshevik might have been onto something. For the protectionist president, who promises always to put America First, has in recent days instead been busy bestriding the world stage. He and his team have done business deals in the Gulf; lifted sanctions on Syria; negotiated the release of a US citizen held by Hamas; ended military strikes on Houthi fighters in Yemen; slashed American tariffs on China; ordered Ukraine to hold talks with Russia in Turkey; continued quiet negotiations with Iran over a nuclear deal; and even claimed responsibility for brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan... The pace has been breathless, leaving allies and opponents alike struggling to catch up as the US diplomatic bandwagon hurtled from issue to issue. "Just, wow!" remarked one London-based ambassador. "It is almost impossible to stay on top of everything that's going on." So what is going on? What have we learned in this frantic week about the US president's emerging foreign policy? Is there something approaching a Trump doctrine - or is this just a coincidental confluence of global events?

Pomp and flattery in Saudi

A good place to start, perhaps, is the president's visit to the Gulf where he set out - in word and deed - his vision for a world of interstate relations based on trade, not war. In a speech in Riyadh, Trump said he wanted "commerce not chaos" in the Middle East, a region that "exports technology not terrorism". His was a prospect of a breezy, pragmatic mercantilism where nations did business deals to their mutual benefit, a world where profit can bring peace.

Getty Images In Saudi Arabia, Trump signed deals the White House claimed represented $600bn of investment in the US

As he enjoyed the flattery of his Saudi hosts and the obeisance of visiting dignitaries, the president signed - with his fat felt tip pen - deals that the White House claimed represented $600bn of investment in the US. This was Trump in all his pomp; applauded and rewarded with immediate wins he could sell back home as good for American jobs. Some diplomats privately questioned the value of the various memorandums of understanding. But the show, they said, was more important than the substance.

A 'none of our business' approach

Absent from Trump's speech was any mention of possible collective action by the US and other countries; no talk of multilateral cooperation against the threat of climate change, no concerns about challenges to democratic or human rights in the region. This was a discourse almost entirely without reference to ideology or values except to dismiss their significance. Rather, he used his speech to Saudi leaders to make his clearest argument yet against Western interventionism of the past, attacking what he called "the so-called nation-builders and neo-cons" for "giving you lectures on how to live or how to govern your own affairs". To the applause of his Arab audience, he said these "Western interventionists" had "wrecked more nations than they built", adding: "Far too many American presidents have been afflicted with the notion that it's our job to look into the souls of foreign leaders and use US policy to dispense justice for their sins. "I believe it's God's job to sit in judgement. My job is to defend America."

AFP via Getty Images 'My job is to defend America,' Trump told audiences this week

That reluctance to intervene was on show in recent days when it came to the fighting between India and Pakistan. In the past, the US has often played a key role seeking to end military confrontations in the subcontinent. But the Trump White House was initially cautious about getting involved. Vice-President JD Vance told Fox News the fighting was "fundamentally none of our business… We can't control these countries". In the end, both he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio did make calls, putting pressure on both nuclear powers to de-escalate. So too did other countries. When the ceasefire was agreed, Trump claimed US diplomacy had brokered the deal. But that was flatly dismissed by Indian diplomats who insisted it was a bilateral truce.

Pros of policy in one man's hands

The centrality of Trump to US foreign policy has also become apparent this week. This is more than just a simple truism. On show was the lack of involvement of other parts of the US government that traditionally help shape US decision-making overseas. Take the president's extraordinary decision to meet Syria's new president and former jihadist, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and lift sanctions on Syria. This showed the potential advantage of having foreign policy in one man's hands: it was a decisive and bold step. And it was clearly the president's personal decision, after heavy lobbying by both Turkey and Saudi Arabia. It was seen by some diplomats as the quid pro quo for the diplomatic fawning and investment deals Trump received in Riyadh. Not only did the decision surprise many in the region but it also surprised many in the American government. Diplomats said the State Department was reluctant to lift sanctions, wanting to keep some leverage over the new Syrian government, fearful it was not doing enough to protect minorities and tackle foreign fighters. Diplomats say this pattern of impulsive decision-making without wider internal government discussion is common in the White House. The result, they say, is not always positive.

AFP via Getty Images A billboard in Damascus, thanking Saudi Arabia and the US, after sanctions were lifted

This is due, in part, to Trump's lack of consistency (or put simply, changing his mind). Take the decision this week to do a deal with China to cut tariffs on trade with the US. A few weeks ago Trump imposed 145% tariffs on Beijing, with blood thirsty warnings against retaliation. The Chinese retaliated, the markets plunged, American businesses warned of dire consequences. So in Geneva, US officials climbed down and most tariffs against China were cut to 30%, supposedly in return for some increased US access to Chinese markets. This followed a now-familiar pattern: issue maximalist demands, threaten worse, negotiate, climb down and declare victory.

Limitations of his 'art of a deal'

The problem is that this "art of a deal" strategy might work on easily reversible decisions such as tariffs. It is harder to apply to longer term diplomatic conundrums such as war. Take Russia's invasion of Ukraine. On this, Trump's policy has been fluid, to put it mildly. And this week was a case in point. Last Saturday the leaders of the UK, France, Poland and Germany visited Kyiv to put on a show of support for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. And in a group call with Trump on French President Emmanuel Macron's phone, they spelled out their strategy of demanding Russia agree an immediate 30-day ceasefire or face tougher sanctions. This was Trump's policy too. The day before he wrote on social media: "If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions." But then on Sunday, President Vladimir Putin suggested instead there should be direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey on Thursday. Trump immediately went along with this, backtracking on the strategy he had agreed with European leaders a day earlier.

AFP via Getty Images Some diplomats say they are confused by Trump's approach to the war in Ukraine. (Pictured with Putin in 2019)

"Ukraine should agree to (these talks) immediately," he wrote on social media. "I am starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin." Then on Thursday, Trump changed his position again, saying a deal could be done only if he and Putin were to meet in person. This puzzles some diplomats. "Does he genuinely not know what he wants to do about the war in Ukraine?" one remarked to me. "Or does he just grasp at what might offer the quickest resolution possible?"

A snub to Netanyahu?

Into this puzzling mix fell two other decisions this week. First, Trump agreed a ceasefire after a campaign bombing Houthi fighters in Yemen for almost two months. There have been questions about the effectiveness of the hugely expensive air strikes, and the president's appetite for a long military operation. He repeatedly told his Arab hosts how much he disliked war. Second, Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, held his fourth round of talks with Iran over efforts to curb their nuclear ambitions. Both sides are hinting that a deal is possible, although sceptics fear it could be quite modest. Talk of joint US-Israeli military action against Iran seems to have dissipated.

Getty Images Netanyahu appears to have been snubbed by Trump this week, according to some onlookers

What unites both issues is that the United States was acting directly against the wishes of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu may have been the first world leader invited to the Oval Office after Trump's inauguration, but in recent days, he seems to have been snubbed. Trump toured the Middle East without visiting Israel; he lifted sanctions on Syria without Israel's support. His Houthi ceasefire came only days after the group attacked Tel Aviv airport. Diplomats fear Netanyahu's reaction. Could the spurned prime minister respond with a more aggressive military operation in Gaza?

Capitalism to overcome conflict

So after this week of diplomatic hurly burly, how much has changed? Perhaps less than might appear. For all the glitz of Trump's tour through the Middle East, the fighting and humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues unresolved. A fresh Israeli offensive seems imminent. One of Trump's chief aims – the normalisation of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia - remains distant. For all the talks about ending the war in Ukraine, there is no greater likelihood of the guns falling silent. Putin's ambitions seem unchanged. And for all the deals to cut US tariffs, either with the UK or China, there is still huge global market instability.

Getty Images Despite deals to cut US tariffs, there is still huge global market instability

We do have a clearer idea of Trump's global ideology, one that is not isolationist but mercantilist, hoping optimistically that capitalism can overcome conflict. We also have a clearer idea of his haste, his desire to clear his diplomatic decks – in the Middle East, Ukraine and the subcontinent – so he can focus on his primary concern, namely China. But that may prove an elusive ambition. If there are weeks when decades happen, there are also weeks when nothing happens.

Top picture credit: Getty Images

Eurovision final 2025: Catch up with the top five favourites

27 minutes ago Share Save Mark Savage Music Correspondent Share Save

Sarah Louise Bennett / Alma Bengtsson / Getty Images Bookmakers have tipped them for success (L-R): Erika Vikman, Kaj, Louane, JJ and Claude

The Eurovision Song Contest reaches its grand final on Saturday night in Basel, with 27 countries fighting for the coveted glass microphone trophy. This year's contestants are the traditional mix of the spectacular, the silly and the sincere. Australia marks the 69th edition of the contest with the barely-disguised innuendo of Milkshake Man; Ukraine's Bird Of Pray is a message of hope amidst the brutal war with Russia; and Ireland's entrant Emmy dances on a Russian spacecraft, while singing about doomed cosmo dog, Laika. The competition feels less predictable than recent years, when acts like Loreen (Sweden, 2023) and Kalush Orchestra (Ukraine, 2022) were ordained to win before they'd even sung a note. Currently, bookmakers have installed Sweden at the top of the table, with their delightfully bonkers sauna sonnet, Bara Bada Bastu. But here's the thing: A novelty number has never won. Voters typically prefer songs about triumph over adversity, and stonking great pop anthems. Ideally, they want a stonking great pop anthem about triumph over adversity, and there are plenty of those sprinkled through tonight's running order. We spoke to the six contestants with the best odds, to find out what makes their Eurovision entries stand out.

SWEDEN: KAJ – BARA BADA BASTU

Getty Images

Chance of winning: 39%

Language: Swedish

Genre: Epadunk

Spotify streams: 43.9m KAJ are the first Finnish act to represent Sweden at the Eurovision, hailing from the coastal town of Vörå, where Swedish is still the main language. A comedy troupe who met at school, they've been performing together for more than 15 years – and were the surprise winners of Sweden's Melodifestivalen, where the public selects the country's Eurovision entry, earlier this year. Their song, Bara Bada Bastu, is an accordian-led tribute to sauna culture (Finland has more than three million saunas, one for every two people). "It felt like a natural thing to sing about," says Kevin Holmström. "We really like the sauna. It's universal." The first Swedish-language entry since 2012, the song extols the practice's stress-busting virtues. Is that why Finland is consistently ranked as the world's happiest nation, I wonder? "It's a chicken and an egg situation," laughs Jakob Norrgård. "I don't know which came first, the happiness or the sauna, but the sauna definitely brings your pulse down." The trio have brought a mock sauna to the Eurovision stage this year, complete with birch branches, hot coals and dancers in skimpy towels. In the lyrics, they ask, "how long can you last?". "Oh, we can make it last all evening," confirms Jackob. "A sauna party that lasts for hours." "I like to do it with a lot of intervals," says Axel Åhman. "Two to three hours, going in and out, having something to drink, maybe even snack on a sausage outside, and then go back in – just to make it a calm and long session." And how does Finland feel about the fact the trio are representing their neighbour and Eurovision rival? "Finns love a bargain, so this is great," laughs Jackob. "Sweden gets to pay for everything, but it's a Finnish win as well."

AUSTRIA: JJ - WASTED LOVE

Getty Images

Chance of winning: 22%

Language: English

Genre: Pop-opera

Spotify streams: 6m Austria has the best opening couplet of the year: "I'm an ocean of love / And you're scared of water." "It's about my personal experience with unreciprocated love," says singer Johannes Pietsch, who performs under the name JJ. "It felt like I was walking a one-way street." The 24-year-old is moonlighting at Eurovision from his day job at the Vienna State Opera, where he's had roles in The Magic Flute and Von der Liebe Tod. "A sold-out show at the opera holds 1,600 people, so that's nothing compared to the Eurovision audience," he says (last year's TV broadcast was seen by 163 million people). Pietsch's song, Wasted Love, is a turbulent ballad that makes spectacular use of his counter-tenor, with an EDM twist. On stage, he performs in a ramshackle sailing boat, clinging to the mast as the ocean threatens to consume him. It's one of the night's most arresting performances, and it requires a lot of preparation. "That's the opera singer in me, I practice every day." he says. "I have to do vocal warm-ups to keep the voice active and before I go on stage, I always do ten push-ups and one-minute planks." Reaching the Eurovision final has been a dream since he watched Conchita Wurst win for Austria in 2014. Could he replicate that success in Switzerland? "That would be great for Austria. I would love to do that. I would call Conchita my mother, so I'd love to make her proud."

FRANCE: LOUANE - MAMAN

Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU

Chance of winning: 8%

Language: French

Genre: Torch song

Spotify streams: 6.9m "I'm surrounded by a sand storm, a sand tornado, and I'll be wearing a custom Rabanne dress." French singer Louane is describing the simple, but stunning, staging for her ballad, Maman. The sand is real (how she avoids inhaling it, I'll never know) but it serves a purpose: The song, which was inspired by her mother's death from cancer, is all about the passage of time. "It's a song that says that, even through sadness and deep pain, you can finally feel fine," she says. Maman is technically a sequel to a 2015 song of the same name, written in the depths of Louane's despair. "I've lost my taste for fun / I can't find meaning," she sang. The 2025 version includes several callbacks to the first song. For example, the original opened with the lyric: "Lovers move from bed to bed", but the update finds her singing, "No more lovers, no more beds." Having a child of her own helped Louane lift the veil of grief. In the song, she talks about how holding her daughter's hand brought back memories of the times her mum had done the same - only this time, the pain of remembering was gone. In Maman's closing bars, we briefly hear her daughter's voice. "She won't be here in Basel," says Louane. "She's going to be watching on TV, because she's only five." "But she's super proud. She keeps on telling me, 'Maman, you have to bring the trophy home. "She's just adorable'."

NETHERLANDS: CLAUDE - C'EST LA VIE

Getty Images

Chance of winning: 6%

Language: French and English

Genre: Chanson

Spotify streams: 17.2m The Netherlands originally asked last year's entrant, Joost Klein – who was barred from the final after an alleged altercation with a camera operator — the chance to come back for 2025. Although he'd already written a song for the contest, he declined, saying his disqualification still "stings". Instead, the honour went to 21-year-old Claude Kiambe, who moved to the Netherlands from the Democratic Republic of Congo when he was nine years old. "It wasn't always safe in Congo," he says. "I couldn't afford to go to school… and I love school." His mum eventually managed to smuggle the family out of the country, and it's to her that his Eurovision song is dedicated. Titled C'est La Vie, it's a joyous blend of Afropop and French chanson that repeats the advice she used to give Claude and his siblings in the asylum centre in Alkmaar. "She used to tell me, 'C'est la vie. Life is beautiful, even if it is hard sometimes.' "So when I heard about Eurovision, I was like, 'Wait, if I go there, I want to bring that message to the world'. "I have a lot of respect for her. She fought through life, and we're still here." Claude comes into the contest with a little advantage, as he's known throughout Europe for his massive 2022 hit Ladada. But he's had to pick up a new skill for Eurovision: Choreography. "I'd only ever done one dance move before, but when I was writing the song, I was like, 'It's time for me to step out of my comfort zone and dance around'." Learning the choreography took three days, he reckons. "We started at 11 and ended at nine. I wanted to know it so well that I could do it in my dreams."

FINLAND: ERIKA VIKMAN - ICH KOMME

Getty Images

Chance of winning: 4%

Language: Finnish, German

Genre: Eurodance

Spotify streams: 11.8m Ask Erika Vikman to describe her song, and she doesn't pull any punches. "It's about orgasm." Full of pummelling techno beats and what appears to be a Welsh male voice choir, it's one of those tracks that's guaranteed to become part of Eurovision folklore, no matter where it comes in the final. Vikman was once hailed as the queen of Finland's tango scene but gave it up for pop, "because I can't be very wild with that type of music." Citing artists like Madonna, Cher and Lady Gaga as inspiration, she's one of the few artists to take to the stage without dancers. "Why? Because I'm selfish!" she laughs. "I want attention." "No, it's because when I go the stage, I feel like a rock star, and when I feel like a rock star, I really don't need dancers, because it's owning my power and myself." She certainly owns the stage – ending her song atop a giant gold microphone that spurts fire as she's hoisted into the sky. Eagle-eyed viewers might notice, however, that her costume is a little less revealing than the one she wore for Finland's selection show, Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu. "They said that it won't pass if we don't tone down something," she says, "and one of the suggestions was my outfit." "So I was like, 'Okay, if that, that's price to pay, we cover my butt'." That doesn't mean she's happy about it. "The song is about owning your sexuality, and then someone comes and controls me, saying, 'you will ruin every child who is watching this show'. It's a double standard." Censorship or not, Vikman's odds of winning shortened dramatically after a barnstorming performance in the semi-finals. "I have a feeling about it," she smiles. "I can be the dark horse."

WHAT ABOUT THE UK?

Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU

Chance of winning: 1%

Language: English

Genre: Musical theatre

Spotify streams: 3.1m After Thursday's semi-final, UK act Remember Monday shot up the odds... well, kind of. Formerly predicted to come 17th, they're now gunning for 11th place. But the trio - who are the first girlband to represent the UK since the 1999 - are determined to have fun, no matter what the outcome. "This is all so surreal, beyond anything we could have imagined," says singer Lauren Byrne. "It sounds so cheesy, but it is genuinely everything we've ever wanted," says her bandmate Charlotte Steele. "Who gets to stand up and perform their music, with their two best friends, to millions of people? It's mental." "And listen," adds Lauren. "If we do really badly, we're just gonna keep coming back until we win." In their favour, Remember Monday's performance is chirpy and fun, drawing on their background in musical theatre. There's a dress-ripping nod to former UK winners Bucks Fizz, and their live harmonies are exquisite.

Ace Bowerman talks about Remember Monday's Eurovision staging

Rugby star Jamie Roberts 'excited' to become junior doctor

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Jamie Roberts says it’s a “privilege” to join the NHS as a junior doctor

Former Wales rugby international Jamie Roberts says he is "ready" and "excited" to become a junior doctor and complete his medical training in the NHS. Twelve years after graduating from Cardiff University's school of medicine, the former British and Irish Lion will begin two years of foundation training in hospitals in south Wales. Roberts won 94 caps for Wales and was the British and Irish Lions' Player of the Series following their tour of South Africa in 2009, before being selected again for the Australia tour in 2013. The 38-year-old said rugby had given him "some of the best experiences" of his life and he was "looking forward to the same in a medical career".

Roberts made his debut for Wales against Scotland in 2008, while he was a medical student. "I always wanted to play rugby. It was a passion of mine," Roberts told BBC News. "I loved the sport, I still do and it will stay with me forever. But I was a problem-solver at school. "I love maths and I love science and I love people, I guess. And medicine was the perfect fit and ticked a lot of boxes for me." In the UK, medical training involves an undergraduate degree which usually takes five years to complete, followed by a two-year foundation programme when trainees become junior doctors and are paid a salary.

Getty Images Roberts in 2008, as a medical student making his debut for Wales against Scotland

It took Roberts seven years to complete his undergraduate degree because of his commitments with Wales, the Lions and Cardiff Blues. "I reflect on it now and I wonder how on earth I did that. You know, the enthusiasm of youth helps. I was very busy. I was very driven," he said. He sat his final undergraduate exams in 2013 - the same week that he was part of a Wales side which won the Six Nations after defeating England by 30-3 - and graduated a few months later. "You know, we won the tournament here [in Cardiff], and then a month or two later - having sat my medical finals in that Wales v England week - I got my exam results," he recalled. "I guess it was the culmination of a lot of hard work over both disciplines."

Cardiff University Roberts graduated from Cardiff University's School of Medicine in 2013

After graduating, Roberts spent the next decade focused on his rugby career, playing at centre for several clubs including Racing Metro, Harlequins, Bath, Dragons and Waratahs. But academia continued to give the aspiring doctor the escape from rugby he said he "craved", and he completed postgraduate degrees at both Loughborough University and Cambridge University.

Jamie Roberts Roberts, his wife Nicole and their son Tomos outside Cambridge University, where Roberts earned a Masters degree in medical science

He became a father in 2021, before retiring from rugby the following year. "When you finish playing rugby, you know, when people ask you what you're doing it's sometimes challenging when you can't really answer that question and you're doing random bits and bobs," he said. In November 2023, Roberts passed a "return to medicine" exam which allowed him to resume his medical training. So, in which field does he hope to specialise? "I was obviously very interested in my own injuries. I had quite a few big ones," he said. "Reconstructive surgery to quite a few of my joints, a fractured skull as well. "Whether I can foresee a future in sports medicine, or orthopaedics, that's what I'm naturally leaning towards."

Stu Forster/Getty Images Roberts suffered a fractured skull after colliding with Australia's Stirling Mortlock in 2008

Roberts follows in the footsteps of several other Wales internationals who turned their hands to medicine, including Dr Jack Matthews, orthopaedic surgeon JPR Williams, former captain Dr Gwyn Jones and, more recently, Hallam Amos. "I've a massive amount of respect for everyone who works for the NHS," said Roberts. "I've no doubt it's challenging at times and I've no doubt I'm going to feel that, but again that's the challenge isn't it. It rewards you in many different ways, so I'm looking forward to it."

John Downing/Getty Images JPR Williams, who had just received his first cap for Wales, as a 19-year-old medical student in February 1969

Two teens arrested after kittens found 'mutilated'

This black duffel bag is thought to have been used to transport the kittens

A 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl have been arrested after the "mutilated" remains of two kittens were found in a field in west London, police said.

The Metropolitan Police said the pair were arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty in connection with the incident in Ruislip on 3 May. They remain in custody.

Police had released CCTV footage and an image of a duffel bag thought to have been used to carry the kittens as part of their investigation.

"This incident caused great distress in the area and we thank the community for their willingness to share information that aided our investigation," a force spokesperson said.

JSO activists spared jail after Heathrow glue plot

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Just Stop Oil The activists caused no "actual harm" or disruption during their protest, a judge said

Nine Just Stop Oil (JSO) activists who were convicted of plotting to cause "unprecedented disruption" by gluing themselves to a runway at Heathrow Airport have been spared jail terms. The group, said to have been participating as part of a wider international campaign, were found with angle grinders and glue before being arrested at the airport on 24 July. The defendants had either already served the time they were sentenced to or they were handed suspended sentences. At Isleworth Crown Court, Judge Hannah Duncan said the defendants had not breached the perimeter fence and they caused no disruption or "actual harm" but added they had shown "no remorse".

The court heard that seven people in two separate groups were stopped by police close to the perimeter fence at the airport at about 09:00 BST. They had arrived at the airport carrying rucksacks containing angle grinders, safety glasses, high-visibility orange vests, superglue, cable ties and earplugs, prosecutor Emma Fielding told the court. "The Crown's case in relation to those defendants is that they were intending to cut their way through the perimeter fence in the two separate groups, so to make two separate cut points in the fence, and to enter the airport," Ms Fielding said. She added that the defendants "entered into a plan to cause unprecedented disruption to Heathrow Airport". Ms Fielding said the group were planning to go on to a taxiway if they had the opportunity to do so and to use the glue or cable ties to attach themselves to one another or to objects on the ground - actions that would have caused Heathrow Airport to "come to a standstill".

The nine defendant appearing in court were Sally Davidson, 37, of Portland, Adam Beard, 55, of Stroud, Luke Elson, 32, of Stratford, east London, Luke Watson, 35, of Tottenham Marshes, Sean O'Callaghan, 30 of Dorking, Hannah Schafer, 61, of Ceredigion, Rory Wilson, 26, of Limehouse, and organisers Rosa Hicks, 29, of Winchester, and William Goldring, 27, of Rye Lane in Peckham. All of the defendants, except Schafer and Wilson, were ordered to pay £2,000 each towards the costs of the trial.

Activists 'dragged out trial for publicity'

It was clear that airports were going to be the target for climate protesters in 2024, Judge Duncan said in her sentencing remarks. Meetings and recruitment drives took place and the phrase "unprecedented disruption" featured in the promotion for this campaign, Judge Duncan said. She told the defendants they treated their trial as an "extension of the protest", adding: "A courtroom is not a street or a town square, and it is run at considerable cost. It's where allegations of crimes are tried, where often the most vulnerable people in society find themselves as defendants or as witnesses. "There are women and children who have been abused, sexually assaulted or raped who are waiting for courtrooms. "You used one for seven weeks, some of you dragging it out as much as you could at every opportunity, lying about your actions and intentions that day all to get more publicity. "It does not add a single day to your sentence but it demonstrates your lack of remorse until now and it exposes the lie of accountability."

All eyes will be on Bilbao now as Manchester United and Tottenham switch focus from their disappointing domestic campaigns and try to win the Europa League.

With both sides languishing in the bottom half of the table, securing a European trophy - and a place in next season's Champions League - would ensure they finish the campaign on a high.

Having lost their penultimate Premier League fixtures on Friday, there was no winning send-off before their meeting in Spain.

Manchester United suffered an 18th loss of the campaign with a 1-0 defeat at Chelsea, while it was 21 for Tottenham after they were beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa.

But with everything now riding on Europa League success, just how are both sides shaping up ahead of the final?

Chelsea have Champions League qualification in their own hands and Aston Villa moved into the top five as both teams won in the Premier League on Friday.

The Blues looked as if they were going to drop to sixth before Marc Cucurella's 71st-minute header earned a 1-0 win over Manchester United.

Aston Villa, who would have had their fate in their hands had Cucurella not scored, beat Tottenham 2-0.

Unai Emery's side are up to fifth, but sixth-placed Manchester City, one point below them, play Bournemouth on Tuesday (20:00 BST) in their game in hand.

Chelsea know a win at Nottingham Forest on the final day would seal a Champions League spot, but seventh-placed Forest are still in the hunt themselves.

Cucurella said: "Step by step we are creating something special and now only two games left to achieve something special.

"The most important thing is it depends on us, so we have to play the game on Sunday [25 May] and then we are thinking about the [Conference League] final [against Real Betis]."

Aston Villa will probably have to beat Manchester United at Old Trafford and hope rivals drop points.

"We can get Champions League, fantastic," said Villa boss Emery.

"We are wishing to continue in the season we are doing. We are now in a good moment."

England will have six teams in next season's Champions League - the top five in the Premier League and the winners of the Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham.

The bonus fifth spot through the league came as a result of English teams' good performances in Europe this season - with Spain also gaining one.

Arsenal host Newcastle on Sunday (16:30 BST) in a game that could go a long way to deciding another place or two.

The Gunners would seal their spot with a win, while a draw would practically make it safe because of their superior goal difference.

Newcastle would go up to second with a win and take them close to sealing a Champions League place.

If Arsenal lose that game, they could yet finish outside the Champions League places, despite having seemingly had second place sewn up for months.

However, they do play rock bottom Southampton on the final day.

FA Cup finalists Manchester City have to get at least a point on Tuesday against Bournemouth to go back into the top five.

While six sides wrestle over the remaining up-for-grab spots, Liverpool have long been guaranteed Champions League football and have already won the Premier League.

Forest's chances are now quite slim and they visit West Ham this Sunday (14:15) knowing a defeat would end their hopes. They sit four points off the top five.

The prize of a place in the Champions League has added spice to Wednesday's Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham in Bilbao.

Both have endured wretched Premier League seasons and sit 16th and 17th respectively in the competition, but a highly lucrative crack at Europe's elite is nonetheless within touching distance.

Britain's Molly Caudery began her 2025 outdoor season with victory in the pole vault at the Diamond League meeting in Doha.

The 25-year-old cleared 4.75m in warm and windy conditions at the Suheim bin Hamad Stadium in Qatar to finish top of the standings.

Neither Roberta Bruni of Italy nor USA's Katie Moon could clear the height as they finished second and third with vaults of 4.63m.

"I absolutely have a lot of fire in me and that's a good thing ahead of the new season," said Caudery.

She won the World Indoor title last year to become Britain's first world champion in the discipline.

However, Caudery failed to make the final of the event at last summer's Olympic Games in Paris.

World number one Jannik Sinner set up a blockbuster Italian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz by fighting back to beat American Tommy Paul.

Playing on home clay in his first tournament since a three-month doping ban, Sinner overcame an off-key start before overcoming the 11th seed 1-6 6-0 6-3.

In front of a packed and partisan centre court in Rome, the 23-year-old stretched his unbeaten run to 26 matches and moved one win away from being the first Italian men's singles winner at the tournament since Adriano Panatta in 1976.

In a topsy-turvy match, Paul raced to a 5-0 lead en route to a stunning first-set success, during which Sinner made 13 unforced errors and just two winners.

But the match flipped from the start of the second set as the home favourite steamrollered past Paul to win nine successive games, and the American could not recover.

Earlier on Friday, Alcaraz dashed home hopes of an all-Italian final by beating Lorenzo Musetti 6-3 7-6 (7-4).

Lewis Hamilton, on the occasion of his first race for Ferrari in Italy, was 11th fastest in the second Ferrari after being fifth, and just 0.096secs from Piastri, in the first session.

The seven-time champion said he had been happy with the car early on but between the sessions he "changed two tiny things that shouldn't have had any effect at all, the smallest change we've probably done this year and we had some brake issues that made a massive difference, so that was then a fight with that."

Hamilton was vague on what specifically the problem was.

Asked whether it was to do with the change to a different brake manufacturer at Ferrari from the one he was used to with Mercedes for 12 years, he said: "It's not the transition. It's the performance of…" and then his voice trailed off.

In the pool interview, which is the only driver access provided to the media on Friday, he was not pressed for an explanation.

He added: "It's a lottery. We will roll the dice. We put on one and it works, put another one on and it doesn't and we'll see. I hope tomorrow we figure something out. We're working on it for sure."

Russell, who has had strong qualifying form this season, said that the decision to bring the softest three tyre compounds to this race could have an influence.

Pirelli has widened its range to six compounds this season, introducing a softest tyre that was originally intended only for street circuits, where tyre degradation is usually low.

However, it has been decided to use it in Imola to try to add an extra dimension to the grand prix, hoping the softer range of compounds might shift the race away from from the standard one-stop strategy at the track.

Russell said: "There is a lot of tyre degradation. We have the softest tyres here for the first time this season and that spices things up a bit.

"But we know McLaren generally seem to extend their advantage in those conditions.

"I had Oscar in my sights and then I didn't. He passed Max and then went off. That's just where we are at the minute as a team. We know our fight is with Max and the Ferraris."

Williams driver Alex Albon said he did not expect strategy to change, saying the medium tyre had proved "really good" with "pretty low deg".

The race runs were interrupted when Isack Hadjar, seventh fastest overall for Racing Bulls, lost his car on the exit of the Tamburello chicane and spun into the barriers.

The car appeared to have escaped largely undamaged, but Hadjar became stuck in the gravel as he attempted to return to the track and the session was red-flagged.

It did restart, but only in time for some drivers to do a single flying lap.

Behind Hadjar in the list of fastest times, Yuki Tsunoda was eighth fastest in the second Red Bull, ahead of Albon and team-mate Carlos Sainz.

Lance Stroll, given the responsibility to test Aston Martin's major upgrades, which included a new floor, was down in 17th.

Team-mate Fernando Alonso, in the previous-specification car for a back-to-back comparison, was three places higher and 0.121secs quicker.

Stroll said the car felt "the same". And although it features a new floor and engine cover, the Canadian described the upgrade as "small changes".

The first practice session had been brought to a premature end when Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto crashed at the second Rivazza corner, flicking into the barriers pretty much front-on and damaging his front wing and nose.

Early exits from the Champions League and EFL Cup mean City will play a total of 57 games in all competitions this season.

Last season they played 59, while in the 2022-23 Treble-winning campaign they had 61 games.

With 60, Tottenham and United will both play more matches than any other Premier League club this season following their runs in the Europa League.

City are preparing for their third straight FA Cup final, and they have also travelled to Wembley for seven consecutive semi-finals in the competition, which Guardiola called a "huge achievement".

This season was the first time during that sequence in which City have played their FA Cup semi-final on a Sunday.

In the previous six campaigns, they always had a Champions League or Premier League fixture on the preceding Wednesday.

2023-24: Wednesday (Champions League), Saturday (FA Cup semi-final), Thursday (Premier League)

2022-23: Wednesday (Champions League), Saturday (FA Cup semi-final), Wednesday (Premier League)

2021-22: Wednesday (Champions League), Saturday (FA Cup semi-final), Wednesday (Premier League)

2020-21: Wednesday (Champions League), Saturday (FA Cup semi-final), Wednesday (Premier League)

2019-20: Wednesday (Premier League), Saturday (FA Cup semi-final), Tuesday (Premier League)

2018-19: Wednesday (Premier League), Saturday (FA Cup semi-final), Tuesday (Champions League)

Guardiola said: "We play all the time quarter-finals and semi-finals, quarter-finals and semi-finals on a Wednesday away. We play [FA Cup] semi-finals on a Saturday but this time on a Sunday and we didn't need that extra day."

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss suggested his side have been chosen to play FA Cup semi-finals on a Saturday so often because broadcasters feel there are "more followers" for the Sunday game, with Guardiola saying: "They are tired to see us."

The next few days will define City's season in terms of whether they pick up any major silverware and where they lie in their battle to qualify for the Champions League next season.

It is why Guardiola thinks there should have been a greater willingness to nudge back City's game after the demands of a cup final.

Guardiola added: "We have been fighting against this situation for nine years - every single season. Nothing [happens]. [We are told] 'That is the deal, go'.

"We are going to play Tuesday night against an intense, physical, direct and powerful team in the Premier League like Bournemouth who are playing to qualify for the Europa Conference League. We have to deal with that.

"What I am saying, they are playing Aston Villa v Tottenham on a Friday night, this is what they should do when it is possible. It doesn't change much for us playing a Tuesday or Wednesday, but they decide and we will play here on Tuesday with our people."