Who were the Iranian commanders killed in Israel's attack?

7 hours ago Share Save Kasra Naji, BBC Persian & Alys Davies, BBC News Share Save

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Israel struck dozens of targets, including nuclear facilities, military sites and private residences, across Iran on Friday, killing a number of senior military commanders in what it called "Operation Rising Lion". The Israeli attacks also targeted a number of other influential figures linked to Iran's nuclear programmes, including six nuclear scientists, IRGC-affiliated news agency Tasnim reported. Dozens of civilians, including children, have also been reported killed. Here's what we know so far about the high-profile individuals among the dead.

Mohammad Bagheri

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Bagheri was the highest ranking military officer in Iran, being the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces - which includes both the Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and the Iranian army. Bagheri joined the IRGC in 1980 aged 20 and, alongside his brother, helped establish the IRGC's intelligence unit during the Iran-Iraq war. He was considered less hardline than other commanders. He had come under criticism recently for a speech he made in April in front of the ancient ruins of Persepolis in which he called for peace and urged for the avoidance of war. Abdolrahim Mousavi has been appointed the new chief of staff of the armed forces, Iranian state news agency Irna said. He does not come from within the ranks of the IRGC, being an army general.

Hossein Salami

Reuters

Hossein Salami was the commander-in-chief of the IRGC. Salami joined the IRGC in 1980 during the Iran-Iraq war, and went on to become a deputy commander in 2009, before progressing to commander in 2019. Known for his ability as an orator, he took a hard-line stance towards Israel and as recently as last month said Tehran would "open the gates of hell" if attacked by either Israel or the US. Mohammad Pakpour has been appointed as the new commander of the IRGC, Iranian state media report.

Gholamali Rashid

AFP

Gholamali Rashid was the head of the IRGC's Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, which coordinates joint Iranian military operations. Rashid fought in the 1980s war with Iraq and was formerly the deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces. Since Rashid's death, Ali Shadmani has been appointed the emergency command's new leader, according to Iranian state media.

Amir Ali Hajizadeh

AFP

The commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Force, Hajizadeh was a prominent figure in charge of the country's missiles programme. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Hajizadeh had gathered in an underground command centre along with the majority of the IRGC's air force commanders to prepare for an attack on Israel. The IDF said the group was then killed in a strike targeting the building. It said Hajizadeh commanded Iran's missile attacks on Israel in October and April last year. Hajizadeh was regarded less favourably by members of Iran's general public after he took responsibility for downing a Ukrainian passenger plane flying out of Tehran in 2020, which killed all 176 people on board.

Fereydoon Abbasi

AFP

Abbasi, a nuclear scientist, served as the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation between 2011 and 2013. He went on to be a member of parliament from 2020 to 2024. He promoted hardline positions to do with Iran's nuclear activities. In May, he spoke on Iranian TV channel SNN.ir about potentially building a nuclear weapon, and said he would willingly carry out orders to do so if he received them.

Nuclear scientists

Israel's overnight strike on Iran in maps and images

6 hours ago Share Save the Visual Journalism team Share Save

BBC

Israel has hit Iran with its biggest wave of air strikes in years, targeting the country's nuclear programme, and is promising to continue its attacks. Senior military figures and nuclear scientists were killed in the overnight strikes and there are unconfirmed reports that civilians, including children, were also among the victims. In response, Iran launched about 100 drones towards Israel, most of which were intercepted, according to the Israeli military. Israel said it had launched a another wave of strikes on Friday evening, with reports of more explosions in Iran, but the scale of that attack and the damage caused is not yet clear. Video analysed by the BBC shows multiple strikes overnight in the capital Tehran as well near three reported military sites and Iran's main nuclear facility in Natanz.

What has Israel targeted?

Israel's military said it had struck "dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran". It later released a map of the sites it said it had hit which included nuclear facilities, missile facilities and radar defences, as well as scientists and military commanders.

Multiple strikes in Tehran

Explosions were first reported in Tehran at about 03:30 local time (01:00 BST), with Iranian state TV saying residential areas were among those hit. Blasts were heard in the north-east of the capital and explosions reported at the airport, according to analysis by the US-based Institute for the Study of War. The BBC has confirmed one of the locations as the site where Iranian media reported that former head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation Fereydoon Abbasi and nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were killed. Iran has confirmed that at least six of its nuclear scientists were killed.

Iranian state media showed footage of fires burning in buildings and plumes of smoke rising from the city's skyline.

Moment strikes hit Iranian capital Tehran

Getty

EPA

Key Iranian commanders have also been killed, including the chief of staff of the armed forces, and the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Nuclear facilities targeted

Among the other sites hit is Iran's main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, in the centre of the country. Iranian state TV said it was struck several times, with pictures showing black smoke billowing from the site.

Iranian state TV airs video said to show nuclear facility strike

Israel's military said the strikes had caused significant damage. The facility, about 225km (140 miles) south of Tehran, has enrichment plants above and below ground. Uranium can be used to produce fuel for commercial nuclear power plants, research reactors or weapons depending on the level of enrichment. The Institute for Science and International Security said satellite images show damage and destruction to several buildings around the complex, including the pilot fuel enrichment plant, which holds centrifuges and research facilities, as well as the on site electrical substation that provides power to the facility.

The global nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said it was informed by Iranian authorities that there has been no increase in radiation levels at the Natanz plant. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only. It has several facilities around Iran, at least some of which have been targeted in the Israeli strikes. But many countries - as well as the IAEA - are not convinced Iran's programme is for civilian purposes alone. It has nuclear facilities spread across much of the country.

Iran is reeling from Israel's unprecedented attack - and it is only the start

7 hours ago Share Save Frank Gardner Security correspondent Share Save

BBC

Israel's "Operation Rising Lion", as it calls its attack on Iran, is unprecedented. It is vastly more extensive and ambitious than anything that has come before, including the two missile and drone exchanges it had with Iran last year. For Iran, this is the biggest assault on its territory since the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988. In the darkest hours before dawn the Israeli Air Force targeted not just sites linked to Iran's nuclear programme but also the country's air defences and ballistic missile bases, thereby reducing Iran's ability to retaliate. On the ground and in the shadows, the network of operatives working for Mossad, Israel's overseas intelligence agency, reportedly helped to pinpoint the exact location of key figures in both the military command and nuclear scientists. Those killed overnight include the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the guardians of the Islamic Revolution that overthrew the Shah's regime in 1979, as well as the head of the mainstream armed forces and the head of the IRGC air force. Iran says at least six of its scientists have been killed. Once again, Israel's spy agency is shown to have successfully penetrated the very heart of Iran's security establishment, proving that no one there is safe.

Getty Images There will be many more potential targets on Israel's hitlist, although some may be beyond its reach

Iran's state TV reported that 78 people were killed and said that civilians, including children, were among the dead. (This is an unofficial figure and has not been independently verified.) Mossad was reportedly able to launch drones from inside Iran as part of this attack. The primary targets of this whole operation have been the nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz and bases belonging to the IRGC. For Israeli military planners, this has been a long time coming. Iran is reeling and this may be only the first wave. There will be many more potential targets on Israel's hitlist, although some may be beyond its reach, buried deep underground in reinforced bases beneath solid rock. So what has led to this attack by Israel and why now?

Curbing Iran's nuclear programme

Israel, and several Western countries, suspect that Iran has been secretly working towards what is called "breakout capability", meaning the point of no return in developing a viable nuclear weapon. Iran denies this and has always insisted that its civil nuclear programme – which has received help from Russia – is for entirely peaceful purposes. For more than a decade Israel has been trying, with varying degrees of success, to slow down and set back Iran's nuclear progress. Iranian scientists have been mysteriously assassinated by unknown assailants, the military head of the nuclear programme, Brig-Gen Fakhrizadeh was killed by a remote-controlled machine-gun on a lonely road near Tehran in 2020. Before that, US and Israeli cyber sleuths were able to insert a devastating computer virus, codenamed Stuxnet, into Iran's centrifuges, which caused them to spin out of control.

Getty Images Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the country's armed forces (pictured left) was among those killed

This week the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), found Iran to be in breach of its non-proliferation obligations and threatened to refer it to the UN Security Council. Many of the concerns over Iran's nuclear programme arise from its stockpiling of highly enriched uranium (HEU) that has been enriched up to 60 per cent, far beyond the level needed to generate civil nuclear power and a relatively short hop to the level needed to start building a bomb. There was a deal to curb Iran's nuclear programme. It was concluded in 2015 during the Obama presidency, but Donald Trump called it "the worst deal in the world" and when he got into the White House he pulled the US out of it. The following year Iran stopped complying with it. Nobody outside Iran wants the Islamic Republic to possess the nuclear bomb. Israel, a small country with much of its 9.5 million-strong population concentrated in urban areas, views a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat. It points to the numerous statements by senior Iranian figures calling for the destruction of the State of Israel. Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the Gulf Arab states don't much care for Iran's revolutionary Islamic Republic regime but they have learned to live with it as a neighbour.

Getty Images Mossad was reportedly able to launch drones from inside Iran as part of the attack

They will now be extremely nervous about the risks of this conflict spreading to their own shores. For Israel, the timing was crucial. Iran has already been weakened by the effective defeat or elimination of its proxies and allies in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza. Its air defences were heavily compromised after last October's attacks by Israel. There is a sympathetic president in the White House and lastly, Israel reportedly feared that some of Iran's key uranium enrichment equipment was about to be moved deep underground.

Where does this go from here?

It is clear what Israel wants by this operation: it is aiming to, at the very least, set back Iran's nuclear programme by years. Preferably it would like to halt it altogether. There will also be many in Israel's military, political and intelligence circles who will be hoping that this operation could even so weaken Iran's leadership that it collapses altogether, ushering in a more benign regime that no longer poses a threat in the region. That may be wishful thinking on their part. President Trump said on Friday that Iran had "a second chance" to agree to a deal. A sixth round of US-Iran negotiations was due to take place in Muscat on Sunday but Israel does not set much store by these talks.

Getty Images For Israel the timing was crucial, says Frank Gardner. Among other things, there is a sympathetic president in the White House

Just as Russia is accused of stringing along Trump over peace talks with Ukraine, Israel believes Iran is doing the same here. Israel believes this is its best and possibly last chance to kill off Iran's suspected nuclear weapons programme. "Israel's unprecedented strikes across Iran overnight were designed to kill President Trump's chances of striking a deal to contain the Iranian nuclear programme," says Ellie Geranmayeh, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). "It is clear their [the attacks] timing and large-scale nature was intended to completely derail talks."

Washington has gone to some lengths to relay to Iran that it was not involved in this attack. But if Iran decides to retaliate against any of the many US bases in the region, either directly or via its proxies, then there is a risk the US could get dragged into yet another Middle East conflict. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed "harsh punishment" for Israel but Iran is in a much weaker position today than it was two years ago and its options for retaliation are limited.

Talk of a nuclear arms race

There is, however, an even bigger risk here. Israel's operation could still backfire, triggering a nuclear arms race. Hardline hawks inside Iran's security establishment have long argued that the best deterrence against future attacks by Israel or the US would be for it to acquire the nuclear bomb. They will have taken note of the differing fates of leaders in Libya and North Korea. Libya's Colonel Gaddafi gave up his Weapons of Mass Destruction programme in 2003; eight years later he was dead in a ditch, overthrown by the Arab Spring protests that were backed by Western air power. By contrast, North Korea has defied all international sanctions to build up a formidable arsenal of nuclear warheads and intercontinental ballistic missiles, enough to make any potential attacker think twice. Whatever the final damage amounts to from Israel's Operation Rising Lion, if Iran's regime survives – and it has defied the odds before – then there is a risk it will now accelerate its race towards building and even testing a nuclear bomb. If that happens then it will almost inevitably trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and possibly Egypt all deciding they need one too.

Israel's wave of strikes against Iran, which began on Thursday night, has continued throughout Friday on sites across the country.

The Iranian foreign minister has called the attacks a "declaration of war".

BBC Verify's Merlyn Thomas has been examining video footage and satellite imagery of the strikes and the damage they've caused.

Produced by Aisha Sembhi. Verification by Shayan Sardarizadeh and Paul Brown. Graphics by Sally Nicholls.

Trump struggles with Iran message as Republicans diverge over attack

7 hours ago Share Save Anthony Zurcher North America correspondent Share Save

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As the massive size and scope of Israel's overnight attacks on Iran have come into view on Friday, Donald Trump is presented with a major new foreign policy crisis - as well as a diplomatic dilemma. How does the American president who promised to be a peacemaker handle a dramatic military escalation in the Middle East? In the hours after the strike, Trump appears to be struggling to find a consistent message in the face of a grave blow to his diplomatic efforts. Last night, US diplomats reacted coolly to the first reports of the Israeli strikes. While it was clear that American forces had advance notice of what was coming, a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasised the US was not involved in the logistics or planning of the attack. By Friday morning, the president himself was commenting on his Truth Social account, with a sombre message directed at the Iranian leadership - more "I told you so" than a clear plan to stop the warfare. "Certain Iranian hardliners spoke bravely, but they didn't know what was about to happen," Trump wrote. "They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse!" He followed that up with a shorter post, noting that the 60-day deadline he had given the Iranians for a deal had expired - but still holding out hope. "Now they have, perhaps, a second chance!" he wrote.

In comments to American media outlets, though, Trump's message was more muddled. He told CNN that the US "of course" supports Israel "and supported it like nobody has ever supported it". "I think it's been excellent," he said of Israel's strikes in an ABC interview. He added that the US gave Iran a chance, but they didn't take it. "They got hit about as hard as you're going to get hit. And there's more to come - a lot more." In another twist, to the Wall Street Journal he said the US received more than just a heads-up from Israel: "We know what's going on." He also called Israel's move "a very successful attack, to put it mildly."

Watch: Israel strikes targets across Iran as leaders vow to fight

According to Daniel Byman, from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, Israel's move represents a new willingness to go against American preferences in the region. For a more traditional American administration, such open defiance would be a significant affront. But for Trump, his grab-bag of comments after Israel's attack illustrates how different rules apply - and that while Israel is clearly operating according to its own schedule and agenda, that may not lead to a clear break between the two longtime allies. "He doesn't feel bound by any of his past statements," Byman said. As Iran assesses the damage – including more than 90 dead, explosions in its capital city Tehran, and what the Israel Defense Force described as significant damage to the Natanz nuclear facility - Israel is activating tens of thousands of its soldiers and continuing what its officials say will be a two-week military campaign. The prospects for peace seem dimmer by the hour. Trump's strategy, at the moment, appears to be hoping that the military action jolts Iran into making new concessions – a delicate dance of distancing the US from Israel's actions while still trying to use them to gain advantage at the negotiating table. Iran's Revolutionary Guards chief killed by Israel

How attack on Iran could hit oil prices By his own acknowledgement, however, key Iranian leaders have been killed in the strikes - and Iran is currently focusing its diplomatic efforts on appeals to the United Nations Security Council, where it has labelled Israel's action an "act of war". "I think that Netanyahu just torpedoed the nuclear talks for the time being," said Sina Azodi, assistant professor of Middle East Politics in George Washington University's School of International Affairs. "You cannot beat up a guy and then say come and negotiate with me." The US still plans to hold scheduled talks with Iranian officials in Oman on Sunday. Will Todman, a senior fellow in the Middle East programme at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, said a US-Iranian deal, if it were to happen, would have a "dramatic impact" on Israel's strategy going forward. "Israel would be much more constrained in the approach that it can take to its efforts to downgrade Iran's nuclear programme, but also its military capabilities," he said, adding that any kind of deal was unlikely to happen at this point.

The BBC's Hugo Bachega on why Israel chose to strike now

Gary Oldman and Strictly hosts join Beckham in honours

2 hours ago Share Save Grace Dean & Alex Kleiderman BBC News Share Save

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Actor Gary Oldman has been knighted alongside David Beckham on a King's Birthday Honours list that also recognises Strictly Come Dancing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. The Oscar winner and the former football England captain are among 19 new sirs, while 21 damehoods have been announced, including singer and actress Elaine Paige and Regeneration novelist Pat Barker. There are MBEs for teenage world darts champion Luke Littler and Love Island star Georgia Harrison for her work on online privacy and cyber crime. Overall, 1,200 people are on the main honours listed issued by the Cabinet Office, of which 48% are women. The youngest person being honoured is 11 while the oldest is 106.

The list features a range of well-known names, including from the arts, politics and sports, but it is primarily made up of people being recognised for their work in the community, including campaigners and fundraisers. Actor Sir Gary has enjoyed an illustrious career on screen and stage since the early 1980s and in 2018, won best actor at the Academy Awards for playing wartime prime minister Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. More recently, he won acclaim for his portrayal of an MI5 agent in Apple TV's Slow Horses. How does the UK honours system work? Daly and Winkleman are made Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to broadcasting. Both have had a long association with Strictly, which has aired 22 series. Daly started as a co-presenter with Sir Bruce Forsyth in the first season in 2004, while Winkleman originally hosted a spin-off programme. They have hosted the main show as a duo since 2014. "I am ridiculously lucky and will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso doble," Winkleman said. Daly said she almost missed out on accepting the honour after the letter was sent to the wrong address - and added that she cried when she opened the envelope. Sir David's knighthood for services to sport and charity has been confirmed, having been widely reported earlier this month. The 50-year-old ex-footballer said he was "immensely proud". He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003, and became an ambassador for Unicef in 2005 and for The King's Foundation last year, supporting King Charles' education programme and efforts to promote nature. "I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment," Beckham said. Evita star Dame Elaine also received her honour for services to music and charity. "I've been very lucky in my life and my career, I'm in a very privileged position," she told the BBC. "When you are in a position to help others, that is something I wanted to do."

Getty Images Dame Elaine says she has been "very lucky" in her life and career

Sir Roger Daltrey, frontman of 1960s-formed rock group The Who and a patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust - known for its annual fundraising concerts at the Royal Albert Hall - has been knighted for services to charity and music. Sir Roger said he was accepting the knighthood "on behalf of all those unsung people who had worked to make the charity the success it had become". Georgia Harrison, 30, made her name on reality TV shows like Love Island and The Only Way is Essex. More recently, after her ex-partner was jailed in 2023 for posting intimate footage of her online, she has campaigned for sexual assault victims to be prioritised in the justice system and partnered with Thames Valley Police to encourage conversations about consent.

PA Media Love Island star Georgia Harrison has been made an MBE for her work campaigning on online privacy and cyber crime

"Speaking out after what happened wasn't easy, but I knew it was important," Harrison said. "I didn't want anyone else to feel as alone or powerless as I did. I've tried to turn something painful into something positive, and this honour is a reminder that we can make change when we use our voices." Darts player Luke Littler, 18 - the youngest winner of the PDC World Darts Championship - appears on the list with one of his main rivals - Premier League Darts champion Luke Humphries, 30, who also became an MBE. There is an OBE for veteran star of the sport Deta Hedman, 65, who is recognised for her contribution to sport and charity.

Getty Images Darts rivals Luke Littler and Luke Humphries both became MBEs

The honours system

Commonly-awarded ranks Companion of Honour - Limited to 65 people. Recipients wear the initials CH after their name

Knight or Dame

CBE - Commander of the Order of the British Empire

OBE - Officer of the Order of the British Empire

MBE - Member of the Order of the British Empire

BEM - British Empire Medal

The Birthday Honours are awarded by the King following recommendations by the prime minister, senior government ministers and members of the public. From the political world, there are damehoods for former Conservative cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt, who had a memorable role holding a ceremonial sword at the King's coronation in 2023, and Labour's Chi Onwurah, the MP for Newcastle Upon Tyne Central and West. There is also a knighthood for Labour's Mark Tami, the Alyn and Deeside MP. Labour Glasgow MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy, the first permanent wheelchair user to be elected to Holyrood, has become an MBE for her public and political service.

Yui Mok/PA Wire; Ken Jack/Getty Images Penny Mordaunt, who held a ceremonial sword at the King's coronation in 2023, is being made a dame, while Labour Glasgow MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy has been made an MBE

Sir Philip Barton, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, who has previously received multiple royal honours, has become a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to British foreign policy, while former Conservative health minister and MP for Lewes Maria Caulfield has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for political and public service. The Foreign Office has announced an additional honours recognising the work of overseas residents or service abroad, and there are separate lists covering gallantry awards and for service personnel in the military. Business leaders on the list include Nationwide chief executive Debbie Crosbie, who has been made a dame. Greggs chief executive Roisin Currie and Specsavers co-founder and chairman Douglas Perkins have both become CBEs. Three trade union leaders are being recognised, with Dave Ward, general secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU), and Dr Patrick Roach, the general secretary of the NASUWT teachers' union, being made CBEs, while Sue Ferns, deputy general secretary of the civil service union Prospect, is made an OBE. Musicians Steve Winwood and 10cc's Graham Gouldman are both made MBEs, while there are OBEs for Stuart Worden, head of the BRIT School since 2021, and BBC Proms director David Pickard. BBC radio presenter Martha Kearney, who hosted her final episode of the Today Programme in summer 2024, has been made a CBE for services to journalism and broadcasting.

Jeff Overs/BBC Martha Kearney hosted her final episode of the Today Programme in summer 2024

Others from the world of stage and screen on the list include veteran theatrical star Jane Lapotaire, who is made a CBE. Bridgerton actor Adjoa Andoh and Bafta winner Samantha Morton are among the new MBEs, while former EastEnders star Anita Dobson's OBE recognises her work in charitable fundraising and philanthropy. Another former EastEnders actress, Tracy-Ann Oberman, is made an MBE for services to Holocaust education and combating antisemitism. The sport stars recognised include former Wimbledon champion Virginia Wade - a CBE for services to tennis and charity - and double Olympic triathlon gold medallist Alistair Brownlee and former cricketer Devon Malcolm, who both become OBEs. Rugby League legend Billy Boston is also named on the list, making him the first person from the sport to receive a knighthood in its 130-year history. The 90-year-old trailblazer for black sports stars, who played for Wigan and Great Britain in the 1950s and 1960s, received his knighthood earlier this week because of concerns over his health.

Aaron Chown/PA Wire Rugby League legend Billy Boston received his knighthood from the King earlier this week

Meanwhile, Angel of the North sculptor Sir Antony Gormley and physicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell have joined the elite Companions of Honour, an exclusive group limited to only 65 recipients at any one time. But most people on the Birthday Honours list are being recognised for their work in the community. After Samantha Madgin was murdered in Tyne and Wear in 2007, her sister Carly Barrett and mother Alison Magdin set up Samantha's Legacy to educate young people about the dangers of carrying knives. The pair are now MBEs. Zahrah Mahmood, the president of Ramblers Scotland who is known on social media as the Hillwalking Hijabi, has been made an MBE for her contribution to voluntary service in Scotland. She is using her position as president to focus on diversity and inclusion within the outdoor community. "If this recognition helps a little to show that the outdoors is for everyone, that would mean the world to me," Mrs Mahmood says. "But I'm also aware that visibility is often the first step. I would love to play a small part in continuing to move things in the right direction.

Zahrah Mahmood/PA Wire Zahrah Mahmood is known on social media as the Hillwalking Hijabi

John and Lorna Norgrove have been made OBEs for services to women and children abroad and in Scotland after they set up a charity in memory of their daughter Linda, an aid worker who was kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan in September 2010 and died in an attempted rescue the following month. "We dedicate this honour to all those brave women who remain in Afghanistan, or who have made the decision to leave their homes and families behind to move abroad and continue their studies and careers," the couple said. "Their struggle continues and they are the real heroes of this story." And Duncan and Caroline Speirs and their daughter Jenna Speirs from the Isle of Bute all receive British Empire Medals for their work through Calum's Cabin, which provides holiday homes for children facing cancer, after their son Calum died in 2007. The oldest person to be honoured on the list is 106-year-old World War Two veteran Norman Irwin, who served in North Africa and is being given a British Empire Medal (BEM). After returning to Northern Ireland, he formed the Coleraine Winemakers Club in the early 1960s, and also went on to become one of the founders of the town's Rotary Club and the Agivey Anglers Association.

Family handout/PA; Lucy Chillery-Watson/PA Norman Irwin, a106-year-old World War Two veteran, is the oldest person to be featured on the birthday honours list, while muscular dystrophy fundraiser Carmela Chillery-Watson is the youngest, at 11

Love Island’s Georgia Harrison: 'I re-read my MBE letter three times'

1 hour ago Share Save Annabel Rackham Culture reporter Share Save

Georgia Harrison Georgia Harrison has been awarded an MBE for her efforts to tackle violence against women and girls

The sexual abuse campaigner and former reality star Georgia Harrison has told the BBC she is "honoured" to be receiving an MBE. Harrison, 30, will be awarded for her efforts to tackle violence against women and girls, which includes working with the government on the Online Safety Act in 2023. She says she feels "a responsibility to help" the many women who are victims of crimes such as intimate image abuse and deepfaking. Her ex-partner Stephen Bear was jailed for 21 months in 2023 after uploading sexual footage of himself and Harrison to OnlyFans filmed without her consent.

Georgia Harrison Harrison has visited 10 Downing Street to discuss her views on image-based abuse legislation

Harrison, who is being awarded her MBE as part of the King's Birthday Honours, said she had to re-read the letter she received from King Charles "three times" as she "just couldn't believe it". "It's definitely not something I anticipated and it feels nice to have my work recognised because with campaigning sometimes you feel like a lot goes unnoticed," she told the BBC. The former reality star appeared on ITV shows such as The Only Way is Essex in 2017 and Love Island in 2018, where she entered the villa as a bombshell and gained nationwide fame. It was during 2019 that she entered MTV's The Challenge, where she met fellow reality star Bear. The pair dated on and off for a few months, with Harrison discovering in December 2020 that the now 35-year-old Bear had uploaded intimate CCTV footage of them to streaming service OnlyFans without her consent. She subsequently reported the crime and Bear was sentenced after being found guilty of voyeurism and discussing private, sexual photographs and films. Harrison was then awarded compensation in a damages claim and said she would donate some of the £207,900 to charity. She says she often feels a "responsibility to help" as she worries about the increase of social media influencers fuelling misogyny and sexism. Harrison, who is currently expecting her first child, said: "I'd be scared to have a teenager right now, being completely honest, I really would be terrified". "We've seen with the rise of Andrew Tate and some men thinking the thing to do with women is to mistreat them and think they can do what they want with them," she said. She added she feels the need to let women know, "they deserve to be treated fairly, they deserve consent and the right to their own bodies". A recent poll of teachers in the UK found three in five believe social media use has had a negative effect on behaviour in schools - with Tate being named as a reason by a number of teachers in the poll. Harrison says she has been into some schools recently to watch consent workshops with primary school age children, describing them as "brilliant". She hopes that these type of lessons will have an impact for the next generation. "I'd like to think by the time my child gets to the age where consent becomes an issue, things are going to be a lot better, because we are doing something to educate around consent and that's something that's never really been done before in this generation," she added.

'It should be a lot easier for women'

Royals to honour air crash victims at Trooping the Colour

The King has said he was "desperately shocked" by the Air India crash

The King, who is receiving cancer treatment, is expected to travel in a carriage as he did last year, rather than riding on horseback.

The Trooping the Colour ceremony in London marks the King's birthday, with 1,350 troops involved in the annual parade.

The King requested a minute's silence, which will come after his inspection of the parade on Saturday, in recognition of "the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy", a Palace spokesman said.

King Charles has asked the Royal Family taking part in the Trooping the Colour parade to wear black armbands, as a mark of respect to the victims of the Air India plane crash, Buckingham Palace said.

The King had sent a message of support soon after the news broke of the air crash, which claimed the lives of all but one of the 242 passengers and crew.

Flags have been at half-mast at royal residences and the black armbands will add another sign of respect, with the King having said he was "desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad".

Coachmen and women on carriages in the parade are also likely to wear black armbands, along with those senior royals in military uniform in the parade, including the King and the Prince of Wales.

Those royals at the ceremony but not in uniform will probably not wear armbands.

The Trooping the Colour ceremony includes an inspection of troops on Horse Guards and the parade along the Mall.

It culminates traditionally in a Red Arrows flypast over Buckingham Palace, watched from the balcony by the Royal Family.

King Charles's actual birthday is in November, but in an effort to hold the event in better weather, monarchs have traditionally held public celebrations in the summer.

The ceremony dates back to the 17th Century and sees regimental colours being displayed in front of the monarch - with the colours of the Coldstream Guards to be presented this year.

At last year's event there had been huge interest in the return of the Princess of Wales after her cancer diagnosis, for what was her first public appearance of the year. The princess is now in remission from her cancer.

The King is still receiving ongoing cancer treatment, but has seemed well enough for a busy round of engagements and is recently back from a well-received visit to Canada.

Black box found at Air India crash site as families wait for answers

6 hours ago Share Save Lucy Clarke-Billings BBC News Share Save

EPA

A black box has been found at the site of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, India's civil aviation minister said on Friday. The flight data recorder was recovered within 28 hours by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed. All but one of the 242 people on the London-bound flight died when it crashed into a residential area less than 60 seconds after take-off on Thursday. An official told the BBC that at least eight people on the ground were also killed. "The [recovery of the black box] marks an important step forward in the investigation" and will "significantly aid the inquiry" into the disaster, Mr Kinjarapu said.

Planes usually carry two black boxes - small but tough electronic data recorders. One records flight data, such as altitude and speed. The other records sound from the cockpit, so investigators can hear what the pilots are saying and listen for any unusual noises. AAIB is leading the inquiry into the cause of the crash, helped by teams from the US and UK. Boeing's chief executive, Kelly Ortberg, said the company was supporting the investigation. Air India said there were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft when it crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 13:39 local time (08:09 GMT). Flight AI171 was scheduled to land at London's Gatwick Airport at 18:25 BST.

On Friday, the wreckage was still scattered across the crash site, including the blackened wing of the plane, with large pieces of the aircraft stuck in buildings. Investigators arrived at the scene and crowds were moved further away from the wreckage. A doctor told the BBC that they are relying on DNA from relatives to identify the victims. A police official at the post-mortem room told the BBC that the remains of six people had been released to families so far, as their relatives were able to identify them based on facial features. The sole survivor of the crash, British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, who was in seat 11A on the flight, is still recovering in hospital. "I still cannot believe how I made it out alive," he told India's state broadcaster DD News on Thursday. "At first, I thought I was going to die. I managed to open my eyes, unfastened my seat belt and tried to exit the plane." Mr Ramesh, 40, who sustained burn injuries on his left hand, said he saw the aircraft crew and its passengers die in front of his eyes. Meanwhile, desperate families are still waiting for news of their relatives. Imtiaz Ali, whose brother Javed and his family were on the flight, said that until he sees his brother's body, he will not believe he has died. "If I get sad and start crying, then I'll be uncontrollable," he told the BBC. "No-one will be able to stop me... my heart might burst."

'I don't believe it yet': Passengers' families wait for answers

The plane crashed in a residential area called Meghani Nagar and, even though it had just taken off, the impact was severe. Wreckage spread over 200m (656ft), according to responders. It is still unclear exactly how many were killed on the ground, but the BBC has been told that at least eight people, who were not on the aircraft, have died. Dr Minakshi Parikh, the dean of the BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital, said four of their students died as the plane crashed into buildings on the campus. "There were also four relatives of our doctors who were on the campus when the aircraft crashed - they too were killed," Dr Parikh said. "We are relying only on DNA matching to identify them and it is something where we simply cannot rush or afford mistakes. "We are working with sincerity. We want relatives to understand, and be a bit patient. We want to hand over [the bodies] as soon as possible." On Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent around 20 minutes at the site of the plane crash. He did not speak to reporters afterwards but a video posted on his YouTube channel showed him walking around the site and inspecting the debris. Modi also visited the location of a now-viral image that shows the tail of the crashed plane lodged in a building.

EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Pictures of the plane's tail lying in a building have become some of the defining images of this disaster

Amber thunderstorm warning in force after UK's hottest day

58 minutes ago Share Save Simon King Lead weather presenter Jemma Crew BBC News Share Save

EPA A woman enjoys the sunshine at the US Embassy Park in London

An amber weather warning for thunderstorms came into force for parts of eastern and south-eastern England on Friday night, as the UK had its warmest day of the year so far. Thunderstorms are also expected to lash across other parts of the country, with a yellow warning issued for most parts over the weekend. The Met Office has warned flooding of homes and power cuts are likely, as are cancellations to train and bus services and difficult road conditions. The rain and lightening rolled in after the highest temperature was recorded in village Santon Downham in West Suffolk with 29.4C, according to Met Office provisional figures.

BBC Weather Watchers/ Peter and Leah Sun-kissed beaches in Eastbourne, Sussex, on Friday

Friday exceeded the 29.3C recorded in Kew, London, on 1 May. Scotland also had its warmest day of the year so far with 25.7C recorded at Lossiemouth in Moray. "Today has been very warm for much of the UK, and hot in the South East where temperatures were comfortably 9C or 10C higher than the average expected for this time of year," a spokesperson for the Met Office said. It comes as an amber warning for thunderstorms was issued for an area in the east and south-east from Eastbourne, Sussex, in the south up to Cromer in north Norfolk from 20:00 BST on Friday till 05:00 on Saturday. The Met Office said some places within the area covered by its amber warning could see 30-50mm of rain and winds in excess of 40-50mph.

BBC Weather Watchers/ Paul SG A swan in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, photographed on the warmest day of the year so far

Frequent lightning and intense downpours will lead to flash flooding. It warned fast flowing or deep floodwater is likely, causing danger to life. How to stay safe during a storm and what to do in a power cut

How do UK weather warnings work? The Met Office said people in the affected areas should prepare to avoid travelling by road during potentially dangerous road conditions, drive cautiously if they must travel, and avoid floodwater where possible. They should stay indoors as much as possible and consider checking on people they know who are vulnerable and may need support with food or medical supplies, it said.

RAC breakdown spokeswoman Alice Simpson said that "amber weather warnings must be taken seriously." "Strong winds increase the chance of trees and powerlines falling and this combined with torrential rain over a short period can make driving much more challenging," she said. "Anyone not confident driving in the conditions may wish to postpone their journeys until the stormy weather passes."

Yellow weather warnings are also in force more generally across eastern and southern England and Wales where the thunderstorms could be just as severe but more localised. Into Saturday there will be more showers and thunderstorms across western parts of England, Wales and into Scotland where there is a further yellow severe weather warning. The yellow warnings for thunderstorms are in place in: South-west England and Wales from 14:00 to 23:59 on Friday Eastern and south-eastern England from 19:00 on Friday to 06:00 on Saturday Wales, western and northern England and Scotland from 00:00 to 18:00 on Saturday The heat and humidity has been building gradually, especially across northern and eastern parts of England. The high temperatures on Friday were around 7 to 10C above average for the time of year. With the rising humidity and heat, thunderstorms will bring the end to the hot spell. Temperatures will be lower on Saturday with highs like low to mid-twenties across eastern England and high teens elsewhere.

Police under attack in fifth night of unrest in Northern Ireland

43 minutes ago Share Save Catherine Doyle & Claire Graham BBC News NI Share Save

BBC Police are coming under attack in disturbances in Portadown for the second night

There was disorder in Portadown for the second night in a row but at a lower level than seen earlier this week. Fireworks, bricks and bottles have been thrown at police in the West Street area. This follows four nights of unrest, which started on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena but that has spread to other areas. Earlier on Friday, police release photos of four suspects they want the public to help identify in connection to the disorder.

Dozens of officers in riot gear are involved in the operation, and have formed lines in Portadown on Friday night

Dozens of officers in riot gear are involved in the operation, and have formed lines in Portadown on Friday night. Police said 63 of their officers have been injured in the previous four nights of violence after coming under "sustained attack" Speaking at a press conference earlier, ACC Ryan Henderson said: "It is in all of our interests and in the interests of justice that those responsible are dealt with." "In releasing these images, I am asking the wider community to step forward and help us to identify these people," ACC Henderson told a press conference on Friday.

PSNI Pictures of suspects release by police

Police have made a total of 17 arrests following disorder in various parts of Northern Ireland. His message to those involved was: "We're actively taking steps to find you and we will bring you to justice." "Our public order inquiry team has been working night and day to identify those involved," he added. He also said police are investigating "those posting hate on social media".

Reuters Police had to extinguish fires in Portadown on Thursday night

ACC Henderson said earlier in the week police had "no intelligence" about the coordination from loyalist paramilitary groups in the disorder, but now he is "absolutely sure" that "we have seen people associated with those groupings at protests and particularly at disorder and in the vicinity of it". "I want to say that we will prosecute anyone without fear or favour who has committed crime and committed disorder regardless what their involvement or what group they might be involved with," he added. The constable said police saw some coordination in Thursday's disorder. "We did absolutely see in Portadown last night people who were directing young people and directing others back and forwards to try and get around police lines, find weak points, throw weaponry," he said. "So we certainly saw more coordination in the activity last night than we had seen in previous days, as to who was dong that coordinating I'm not in a position to say yet."

ACC Henderson says the police have been "working night and day to identify those involved"

The first protest was organised hours after two teenage boys appeared before Coleraine Magistrates' Court. They spoke through an interpreter in Romanian to confirm their names and ages. Their solicitor said they would be denying the charges. The worst of the disorder was in Ballymena, but unrest also spread to other towns. In Portadown, County Armagh, on Thursday a crowd pulled bricks and masonry from a derelict building which they threw at police. ACC Henderson said: "police came under significant and sustained attack from rioters. It was clear that those involved were intent on destroying homes and businesses within the town and on attacking police." "The police lines came under attack from heavy masonry, fireworks, petrol bombs and beer kegs," he added. In Larne, masked youths attacked a leisure centre and set it on fire on Wednesday. The centre had been providing emergency shelter for families following the clashes earlier this week. The home of a family with three children was set on fire in Coleraine on Thursday night, in what ACC Henderson called: "An awful, hate-motivated attack".

Alliance MLA Connie Egan says graffiti that was sprayed on a house in Bangor is "racist and intimidating"

Britain's Emma Raducanu was outclassed by world number five Zheng Qinwen in the quarter-finals at Queen's.

Raducanu showed flashes of her quality but ultimately fell 6-2 6-4 to the Olympic champion in front of a packed crowd.

The 22-year-old took a medical timeout after the first set, having struggled with back spasms over the past few months.

She started the better in the second set and led by a double break but could not keep the big-hitting Zheng at bay.

"I've played five matches in a pretty short amount of time," Raducanu, who also played two doubles matches alongside Katie Boulter at Queen's, told BBC Sport.

"I'm probably feeling that, so I need to let the back rest and see how it goes from there.

"I'm not overly concerned that it's something serious, but I know it's something that's very annoying and needs proper and careful management."

Pulp celebrates first number one album in 27 years

6 hours ago Share Save Danny Fullbrook Culture reporter Share Save

Official Charts The Jarvis Cocker fronted band is celebrating its first number one album in 27 years

Rock band Pulp have achieved their first official number one album in 27 years with their new release More. The Sheffield band have not topped the album chart since they released This Is Hardcore in 1998. Their eighth studio album was also the best selling vinyl album this week, according to Official Charts. It was one of three new entries in the top five this week alongside Addison Rae's self-titled debut Addison which reached number two.

Little Simz' sixth album Lotus has reached number three, the highest charting position of the Mercury Prize winner's career so far.

Released on 6 June, the new Pulp album was produced by James Ford, who has worked with bands such as Arctic Monkeys, Florence and the Machine and Kylie Minogue. More was their first studio album since the release of We Love Life in 2001 which made it to number six in the chart. Their only other number one album was 1995's Different Class which featured the hit single Common People.

Sabrina Carpenter returns

'Glimmer of hope' for marine life at UN Ocean conference

7 hours ago Share Save Esme Stallard Climate and science correspondent Reporting from UN Oceans Conference, Nice, France Share Save

Federico Cabello/Getty Images

The UN Ocean conference has been heralded a success, with more countries ratifying a key treaty to protect marine life and more progress on curbing plastics and illegal fishing in our seas. Nearly 200 countries came together in Nice, France to discuss how to tackle the most pressing issues facing the oceans. The world's seas are facing threats on multiple fronts from plastic pollution to climate change. Sir David Attenborough said ahead of the conference that he was "appalled" by the damage from certain fishing methods and hoped leaders attending would "realise how much the oceans matter to all of us".

The key aim was to get the High Seas Treaty ratified by 60 countries to bring it into force. The agreement was signed two years ago to put 30% of the ocean into protected areas. Fifty countries had ratified by Friday, but dozens more promised to ratify by the end of the year. This and other progress on plastics and illegal fishing appears to have restored faith in the ability of governments to work together. "UNOC has given us a glimmer of hope that the challenges facing our ocean are being seen and will be tackled," said Tony Long, chief executive officer of Global Fishing Watch. "As we edge closer to the High Seas Treaty coming into force, governments need to double down - using both transparency and new technologies - to safeguard the ocean," he added. Prior to the UN Oceans Conference confidence in the multilateral process for solving the world's most pressing issues was low. In 2024, key negotiations on biodiversity, plastics and climate collapsed or concluded with limited progress. The aim of the meeting was not to sign a new legally-binding agreement but make progress on previous treaties. Three years ago, countries agreed to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030 to support biodiversity. For international waters this is hard to achieve as there is no clear controlling nation. So, in 2023 countries signed the High Seas Treaty agreeing to put 30% of these waters into marine protected areas. What is the UN High Seas Treaty and why is it needed? Prior to the conference only 27 out of the 60 states needed to bring it into force had ratified. Over just a few days that figure jumped to 50, and a dozen more agreed to would ratify by the end of the year. The UK said it would begin the process before 2026. This is record time for a UN agreement, explained Elizabeth Wilson, senior director for environmental policy at environmental NGO The Pews Trust. "We have worked on many different treaties over the years and ratification often takes five years, seven years. "So the fact the High Seas Treaty is on the cusp of it entering into force really shows the global momentum behind working to protect more of the high seas," she said. Major nations including the US and China have not ratified the treaty although they are signatories, indicating their intention to do so in the future. And Russia, which has never supported it because of concerns over its impact on fisheries, said on Friday it would continue with that stance. But US diplomats experienced in UN negotiations praised the progress. "From progress on the High Seas Treaty to French Polynesia's marine protected area, UNOC provided the latest proof that when we work together, real accomplishment is possible," said John Kerry, former US Secretary of State and Climate Envoy.

Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images Rising ocean temperatures have brought the fourth global mass coral bleaching event risking the ecosystem's survival

More countries also came forward with promises to put their own national waters into marine protected areas (MPAs) and restrict the most harmful fishing practices. During the week the UK announced it would seek to ban bottom trawling in nearly a third of English MPAs. This has been long been a demand of environmental charities, and more recently Sir David Attenborough, who argue that without such bans the protection just exists on paper. The largest ever marine protected area was also launched by French Polynesia in its own waters, and 900,000 sq km of that will ban extractive fishing and mining - four times the size of the UK. With this commitment and others made during the conference, 10% of the oceans are now in protection. "This is sending a message to the world that multilateralism is important," Astrid Puentes told R4's Today programme on the final day. "We need this leadership. The ocean is a single biome in the planet, it is all connected so we absolutely need to strengthen international law," she continued. However, progress on limiting destructive fishing practices globally has been difficult without the participation of China - which operates the largest fleet in the world. But at the conference its government announced it had now ratified the Port State Measures Agreement - a legal commitment to eliminate illegal and unregulated fishing.

Getty Images Bottom trawling - when a weighted net is dragged across the seafloor - can increase the deaths of larger marine mammals

Despite French President Macron opening the conference with a stark warning on the threats from deep sea mining, countries remained split on the issue. Last week 2,000 scientists recommended to governments that all deep sea exploration be paused whilst further research is carried out; just 0.001% of the seabed has been mapped. Despite this only 37 countries heeded the advice and have called for a moratorium on deep sea mining. "More and more states need to call for a moratorium on seabed mining so that we have this regulatory framework in place before any mining activities can happen," said Pradeep Singh, an environmental lawyer and marine expert with the Oceano Azul Foundation. President Trump abandoned the idea of a global approach in April when he declared that the US administration would start issuing permits for the activity. But Mr Singh thinks even without calling for a ban most countries do not support the US approach. At the final meeting of the conference countries passed the Nice Ocean Action Plan summarising their commitments.

Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images It is estimated there are more than 171 trillion pieces of plastic in the seas, with debris found in every corner of the ocean

The issue of plastic pollution is one that is particularly profound for the oceans, but in December talks on reducing the levels of production broke down. There are nearly 200 trillion pieces in the ocean and this is expected to triple by 2040 if no action is taken. Both the physical plastic and the chemicals within them is life-threatening to marine animals, said Bethany Carney Almroth, Professor of Ecotoxicology at the University of Gothenburg. "There are more than 16,000 chemicals that are present in plastics, and we know that more than 4,000 of those have hazardous properties, so they might be carcinogenic, or mutagenic, or reproductively toxic," she said. At the conference ministers from 97 countries, including the UK, signed a joint political statement saying they wanted an ambitious treaty to be signed on the issue. But this only included one of the top ten oil-producing nations - Canada. Plastic is made from oil, so any commitment to reduce production could harm their income, the countries claim. Reducing oil production is also crucial if countries want to see a drop in planet-warming emissions and limit the worst impacts of climate change. The oceans are at the forefront of this - 90% of the additional heat put into the atmosphere by humans has been absorbed by the oceans, leading to increasingly destructive marine heatwaves. This conference did not see any new commitments on reducing emissions, but poorer nations did push their richer counterparts to release previously promised money for climate action more quickly. "I share the frustration of many small island developing nations in terms of the non responsiveness of international financial facilities," said Feleti Teo, prime minister of Tuvalu. "We don't have influence to change their policies but we need to sustain the pressure, meetings of this sort give us the opportunity to continue to tell the story."

The sound of jet engines was deafening - then it was chaos

59 minutes ago Share Save Vikas Pandey, Antriksha Pathania and Zoya Mateen BBC News, Ahmedabad Share Save

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It was a balmy Thursday afternoon at the residential hostel of the BJ Medical College and the canteen was teeming with students getting lunch. The room buzzed with the sound of jokes, banter between friends, and the odd bit of academic discussion. By 13:39 local time, there were at least 35 people in the cafeteria. Some had already collected their food and were lounging around, while others were in the queue waiting for their turn. The students mixed with doctors and family members. Then, everything changed. The general hum of the canteen was pierced by the sound of approaching jet engines - and then the room exploded.

Hindustan Times via Getty Images Rescuers searched through the wreckage and debris in the mess hall on Thursday night

Less than a minute earlier, Flight AI171 had taken off from the runway at Ahmedabad's airport, just 1.5km (4,800ft) away. The Air India 787 Dreamliner was bound for London, carrying 242 people. But something had gone catastrophically wrong, and mere seconds after its wheels left the ground, the plane was in trouble. A mayday call was sent before it came crashing down into a busy residential area - on top of the doctors' hostel - sending a massive fireball into the sky and killing all but one person on board. The BBC has spoken to eyewitnesses, including students who were in the hostel, along with friends of the trainee doctors who died and their teachers, to piece together what happened in those terrifying few seconds - and the aftermath that followed.

People on the ground nearby couldn't immediately work out what had happened. A doctor, who works with the college's kidney sciences department, says he and his colleagues were in their building, about 500 metres away, when they heard a "deafening sound" outside. "At first, we thought it was lightening. But then we wondered, could that be possible in 40C dry heat?" The doctors ran outside. That's when they heard a few people screaming: "Look, come here, a plane has crashed into our building." The next few minutes were a blur. Scenes of chaos descended on the campus as people ran around trying to escape - or find out what had happened. Brothers Prince and Krish Patni were on their bikes just a few metres from the hostel when they heard the noise. "Within seconds we could see something that resembled a wing of a plane," Prince, 18, told the BBC. "We rushed to the scene, but the heat from the explosion was intense and we couldn't enter the hostel. There was a lot of debris."

AFP via Getty Images Officials are still attempting to identify victims of Thursday's crash

The brothers, along with a few other volunteers from the local area, waited for the heat to subside before attempting to physically enter the building. They worked together with the police to move some of the debris from the entrance. When they finally reached the canteen, they couldn't see anyone. Dark, dense clouds of smoke had engulfed the room. The air smelled of burned metal. The brothers, who just minutes before had been heading to play cricket, began removing cooking gas cylinders to avoid any further explosions, Krish, 20, explained. The brothers and other volunteers then spotted a pile of suitcases and went to move them. What unfolded next, they said, was gut wrenching. Behind them, they began to make out the shapes of people. Most were alive. Some had spoons full of food in their hand, some had plates of food in front of them, and some had glasses in their hand. They were all badly injured. They were also silent, in shock. Just minutes before they were having their usual afternoon. Now, they were surrounded by charred metal pieces of aircraft. "They didn't even get a chance to react," another doctor, who was in a nearby building, said.

A second year student, who lives in the hostel, was among those who managed to escape. He was sitting at his usual spot - a large table at the corner of the mess, next to one of the walls - with nine others when the plane crashed. "There was a huge bang and a horrible screeching sound. Next thing we knew, we were under huge boulders, stuck without anywhere to go," he says. "The fire and smoke of the crashed plane was close to our face and it was hard to breathe." He received severe chest wounds in the accident and is still undergoing treatment at a local hospital. And he doesn't know what happened to his friends. Multiple eyewitnesses told the BBC the massive wing of the plane first pierced through the roof followed by parts of the fuselage. The damage was most severe where the wing fell. In the chaos, students began to jump from as high as the second and third floors to escape. Students later told how one of the only staircases out was blocked by debris. It is not known how many people were killed on the ground. Dr Minakshi Parikh, dean of the BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital, told the BBC that four of their students had died, as well as four students' relatives. But exactly how many and who was killed may take days to establish: investigators need to rely on DNA to formally identify the bodies found in the wreckage. And it was not just people in the canteen at that moment who were killed.

Dr Kevin Prajapati and Dr Bharat Ayar The mess hall seen in an undated photograph before the crash (above) and then after Thursday's incident

Just a few kilometres away was Ravi Thakur, who worked in the hostel kitchen. He had gone out to deliver lunch boxes in other hostels around the city. His wife and their two-year-old daughter stayed behind as usual. When he heard the news, he rushed back but found utter chaos. Around 45 minutes had passed and the place was full of locals, firefighters, ambulance workers and Air India staff. He tried to look for his wife and child but couldn't find them. Back at the main hospital block, teachers are still trying make sense of the chaos. "I used to teach these students and knew them personally. The injured students are still being treated in the hospital, and they are our priority at the moment," one professor at the college told the BBC. Meanwhile, Ravi Thakur is still searching for his loved ones, even as his hopes fade fast.

Mood swings fuelled Heston Blumenthal's genius. But the highs got higher and the lows got darker

33 minutes ago Share Save Chloe Hayward • chloefhayward BBC News Share Save

Shutterstock

"We just wanted a relaxing conversation with our dad and we weren't able to have one," says Jack Blumenthal. "It was horrible. And it was constant." Raw pain is etched on Jack's father's face as he finally realises how his undiagnosed mental illness - and erratic manic behaviour - hurt the ones he loves the most. In a new BBC documentary, celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal is talking to his son for the first time about how he became impossible to live with. "We'd plan it three weeks in advance, getting prepared just to see you for half an hour," says Jack, who now runs a restaurant himself. "And there was nothing I could do to help you." Heston wipes a tear away. "I'm sorry," he says.

Watch: Heston Blumenthal has emotional conversation about his bipolar diagnosis with his son

'Wired differently'

At the height of his fame in the 2000s, Heston Blumenthal was a culinary icon. Known for bacon-and-egg ice cream, snail porridge, and theatrical dining, he was a big brand worth big bucks. But behind the molecular gastronomy and Michelin stars, his mind was increasingly in turmoil. For years, he thought he was simply "wired differently". Heston had long believed his emotional highs and lows were just part of who he was - part of the creative chaos that fuelled his culinary genius. In the early years, his imagination ran riot in a positive way, he says. But gradually, the depression worsened. The highs became higher and the lows much darker. He recalls having to "lie on the floor to cope" during the filming of a cooking programme several years ago. At one point, he felt as though his new ideas were like thousands of sweets falling from the sky - and he could only catch a few. But in late 2023, a manic episode escalated into psychosis. Heston was hallucinating guns and had become obsessed with death. He was admitted to hospital for the first time - and finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder. "How did I get to 57 years-old before I was diagnosed?" he asks.

Peter Dench/Getty Images

I recently sat down with world-renowned psychiatrist Prof John Geddes to watch a new BBC new documentary I'd been collaborating on - "Heston: My Life with Bipolar". In the programme there's a clip of Heston being interviewed by the BBC in 2020 about using robots in the kitchen. He uses surreal, nonsensical metaphors: "I want to put the shadow back into the sunlight, I want to put the inside out back into the outside in… I want to put the being back into the human." Watching the interview, Prof Geddes says it's clear Heston was "in the midst of mania" at the time. "If I'd seen that then I would have immediately thought, 'That is a sick man'," he says. The high-octane celebrity chef's environment allowed his erratic behaviour to thrive. His eccentricity wasn't only accepted, but celebrated. His brand flourished, nurturing the capricious genius, and he was supported by a team that kept him functioning. But at home there was no such infrastructure - no such buffer. Research from Bipolar UK suggests that for every person with bipolar disorder, a further five family members - like Heston's son Jack - are profoundly affected. "Families fall apart because of the mania more than the depression," says Prof Geddes.

Lithium lifeline

During six months of filming, Heston's psychiatrists wean him off the cocktail of pills prescribed to him after his hospital visit, and he is moved onto the mood-stabilising medicine, lithium. This isn't an easy process. Changing medications can offer trigger extreme reactions, so to do it on camera is brave. Initially, Heston is subdued. He says the antipsychotics and antidepressants make him feel "zombified" and his memories are clouded. But as time passes his mood lifts, his energy returns, and he regains some of his old swagger. Lithium is working for him - and you start to recognise the Heston of years gone by. Towards the end of filming the documentary, Heston is keen to ask me about my own research into bipolar care in the UK. The man I speak to is definitely still Heston - obsessing over the perfect peppercorn ratio - but now he's calm, focused, and self-aware. Prof Geddes isn't surprised. "Lithium is the gold standard of care, but in the UK we don't use it enough," he says. "It requires careful management from GPs and psychiatrists. In the NHS, the system simply can't keep up - that's probably one of the reasons why lithium use is falling in the UK, when it should be rising." The UK has a stark shortage of psychiatrists and mental health professionals so patients face waits that often stretch over years. On average it takes someone more than nine years to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder from first contact with a GP. During my many interviews about the disorder, I heard psychiatrists describe bipolar patients as "ghosts in the system", "the ones that fell through the cracks" and simply as "forgotten" or "let down". Lithium use, and timely access to psychiatrists are both directly linked to a reduction in suicidal thoughts in people with bipolar disorder. In the UK, death by suicide is rising for people living with the illness. This bucks all other downward trends for suicide.

Learning to live with the fire

Heston's diagnosis came only after he became a danger to himself - hallucinations, paranoia, and eventually a call from his wife to emergency services. Despite weeks spent in a mental health clinic, and a year of medication and rebuilding his mind, given the choice Heston says he wouldn't turn off his bipolar disorder if he could. It is a part of him. This answer captures the essence of his journey - of learning to live with the fire, not extinguish it. "Someone living with bipolar cannot be separated from it - their personality is entirely and intrinsically connected to the condition," says Prof Geddes. "Treatment doesn't erase it, but it does make the mood changes manageable and helps a person function within their ecosystem - with their family, friends and job." Heston's journey mirrors that of many: misunderstood mood swings, delayed diagnosis, and the long road to balance. But it's also a story of identity, resilience, and the power of clarity after chaos. The culinary world once masked his illness. Now, it gives him a platform to speak out - and he's using it.

I'm an NHS leader - but mum still suffered at hands of health service because she was black

28 minutes ago Share Save Nick Triggle • @nicktriggle Health correspondent Share Save

NHS Confederation

A senior NHS leader has criticised the health service, saying his mother received a "black service, not an NHS service" as she died. Lord Victor Adebowale, chair of the NHS Confederation, which represents health managers, described his mother Grace's death as "undignified". The 92-year-old died in January of suspected lung cancer, although it was not detected until after her death. Lord Adebowale said his mother's missed diagnosis, combined with the sub-standard care she received when admitted to hospital for the final time, had left his family upset and searching for answers. The peer, who was also on the board of NHS England for six years, believes his mother's experience illustrates wider problems.

"My mum would have wanted me to tell her story because she is not the only one who will have faced these problems." Lord Adebowale said he would not call the NHS racist, but instead believed it was riven with inequalities, particularly racial inequalities. "It's the inverse care law. The people most in need of health and care are the least likely to get it - if you are black, if you are poor, if you are elderly and poor, there are inequalities in the system and people like my mum suffer." The intervention by such a figure is significant. Lord Adebowale has held senior health roles for more than two decades and also helped establish the NHS Race and Health Observatory in 2021 to try to tackle inequalities experienced by black and minority ethnic patients in healthcare. NHS England said it was working to improve access to services and tackle inequalities, which would form an "important part" of the 10-year health plan, expected to be published next month. A spokesperson added: "Everyone - no matter their background - should receive the best NHS care possible. But we know there is much more to do." A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care echoed those comments, adding: "Our deepest sympathies are with Lord Adebowale for the loss of his mother."

A committed, caring nurse

Lord Adebowale's mother, who had three other children, emigrated to the UK in the 1950s from Nigeria and went on to work as a nurse in hospitals, the community and mental health services. He describes her as a caring, compassionate and intensely committed nurse. "She believed in the health service. It's people like her who help build the NHS, but, when she needed it, it wasn't there as it should have been. "She had dementia and in the final five or six years was in regular contact with the health service. We cannot understand why she did not get a [cancer] diagnosis. She was in discomfort and pain – and had been for some time.

Other Lord Adebowale's mother Grace, who died in January, worked in the health service for many years

"She never got any treatment for cancer – it was only after she died we learnt she had lung cancer." That was found during a post-mortem and subsequent tests have suggested that was the likely cause of her death, he said. Lord Adebowale added that when his mother was taken to hospital the final time it was not easy to find her a bed. "The hospital was under intense pressure. She did not want to die in hospital in that sort of situation."

Symbolic of wider problem

I was Mrs Poundland, but I stopped going when their prices went up

25 minutes ago Share Save Emma Haslett Business reporter Charlotte Edwards BBC business reporter Tom Espiner BBC business reporter Share Save

Sharon Carroll Poundland used to be a big attraction when everything was £1, according to Sharon Carroll

Sharon Carroll once shopped so much at her local Poundland that her friends described her as "Mrs Poundland". "I'd just buy so many things," says Sharon. "I'd spend £40 to £50. "When everything used to be £1 it was a big attraction." But when the company began to change its pricing strategy, increasing the prices of some products from £1, the 45-year-old says she cut down on her purchases. "The quality of the products was also going down and you were paying more for things."

Other shoppers also told the BBC that they were put off when the retailer started putting its prices up. This week, the struggling budget chain was sold for (appropriately) £1 by its owner Pepco to a US investment firm, Gordon Brothers. Up to 100 stores are at risk of closure. The £1 promise was Poundland's "most compelling proposition", says Howard Lake, a retail consultant at Kantar. "Removing this identity alienated its core shopper base." The company clearly agreed. After it raised some prices from £1 in 2017, earlier this year it said it was returning to its roots, increasing the number of products it offered that cost £1 or less from 1,500 to 2,400, almost half its range.

Small towns

Poundland has 825 stores in the UK, with around 16,000 staff. Many of those shops are former Woolworths or Wilko branches, which it hoovered up after the two brands collapsed. Poundland became the biggest occupant of ex-Woolworths stores after the retailer went into administration in 2009, taking on 93 of its stores, more than 10% of the Woolworths estate. In September 2023 it took over the leases of 71 former Wilko stores. Often, these stores were in the kinds of small towns where other large retailers do not have a presence. "They might have had a Woolworths, a bank and a charity shop," says Jonathan de Mello, a retail analyst and the founder of JDM Retail. Elizabeth Gray loves going into her local Poundland in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Recently, she found a pair of small ceramic houses in the store, which were a copy of a design she had seen at Zara. "We don't have a Zara near where I live," she says.

Elizabeth Gray Elizabeth Gray, pictured with the ceramic houses she bought in Poundland, says she's "kind of in love" with the retailer

Poundland's presence in small towns has been crucial to fostering a sense of customer loyalty, says retail psychologist Kate Nightingale. "Simply being present in people's daily rituals is one of the strongest ways to build interdependence. "Presence plus reliance are some of the most important qualities of loyal relationships and it is no different to relationships we build with brands." But de Mello says when Poundland expanded into small towns, not enough people went in, which hit their bottom line. "In the small locations that they've opened multiple stores in, I feel the volumes aren't there in terms of footfall, unfortunately."

Increased competition

In 2016 Poundland expanded into fashion, beginning the roll-out of its Pep&Co clothing range, but this soon faced problems. In a trading update in May 2024, the company admitted that changes to the way it sourced clothing had reduced the number of sizes on offer.

Reuters Poundland's range covers everything from food to clothing to homewares and baby products

While the wide range of products stocked by Poundland may have been handy for consumers, it became a problem for the brand. It stocked so many different products – from food to clothing, to homewares and baby products – that it became, says Kantar's Howard Lake, a "supermarket-general store hybrid". That made it vulnerable to competition from numerous other brands. On the food side, there are Aldi and Lidl, whose UK presence has grown rapidly in recent years. On the homewares side are Home Bargains and B&M. And on the clothing side are Shein and Temu, the cheap Chinese exporters which have enjoyed a surge in popularity among British shoppers. Ultimately, says Lake, consumers found these other offers "far more attractive".

Poundland told the BBC: "Our missteps have been well documented and those include the execution of Pepco-sourced clothing and general merchandise product ranges in a way that didn't fully align with UK & Ireland customers' expectations. "We're looking forward to having the opportunity to put those missteps right as we put our recovery plan in place."

Shoppers like Elinor Martin in Sutton Coldfield hope the company succeeds. She uses Poundland to pick up snacks for her sons' packed lunches, stationery and birthday cards for school, plus shampoo, shower gel and cleaning products. She says she would miss her local branch if it were to close. "I can get things I need at Poundland. I find things cheaper there [than local supermarkets]." Elizabeth Gray in Bangor says she would miss her local store too if it went. "I would be sad if it closed," she says. "I'm kind of in love with Poundland."

Why is my hay fever so bad this year?

8 hours ago Share Save Philippa Roxby and Smitha Mundasad Health reporters Share Save

Getty Images

Pollen levels are forecast to be high or very high in many parts of the UK over the next five days. The fine powder released by certain grasses, trees and plants is causing chaos for the many who're allergic to pollen. Itchy eyes, sneezing, dripping noses, scratchy throats and headaches are a common complaint. So what can you do to feel better?

Why are my eyes streaming?

If you're sneezing hundreds of times day, your eyes are watering and you're sleeping badly then it's probably hay fever. You're not alone - around one in five people are allergic to pollen and the culprit is usually grass, although trees can also trigger symptoms. Early summer is often peak pollen season, when the number of grains of pollen in the air multiplies. This year the warm weather in the UK, plus last year's too, means conditions have been ideal for birch tree pollen - a major hay fever trigger. Recent warm, dry days in some parts of the UK have helped spread pollen through the air, creating what's been dubbed a 'pollen bomb'. Cities often have lower pollen counts than rural areas, but pollution in urban areas can make symptoms worse. In the long term, it's likely that a changing climate will have an impact on hay fever. Changing temperatures and rainfall could make the pollen season longer and increase the concentration of pollen in the air. Why your eyes are so itchy today

What are the best hay fever treatments?

Getty Images

There's no cure for hay fever, but there are medicines you can take to feel a bit better. Allergy expert Professor Stephen Till, from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in London, recommends "a cocktail approach". That means taking: antihistamine tablets or drops that don't tend to make you feel sleepy and are long acting

plus a steroid nasal spray

and eye drops "They all work in different ways and are all very safe for most people - just go to a pharmacy for advice," Prof Till says. These products can all be bought over the counter in your local chemist. Some types work better for some people than others, and prices vary, so it's important to find the one that's best for you. Antihistamine medicines help dampen down your body's allergic reaction to pollen. You can start taking them three or four days before pollen counts start to rise. One idea is to keep a diary of symptoms and medicines, so you can tell the pharmacist what you've already tested out. What works to help with the symptoms of hay fever?

What else can I do to reduce symptoms?

Avoiding hay fever triggers is essential too, says pharmacist Ashley Cohen from Leeds. "I always say it's about good hygiene - pollen sits on your face and arms when you go outside, so have a shower and change your clothes when you come in." And he warns that pets are "brilliant vehicles" for bringing pollen into your house. Other things the NHS says you can do include: putting nasal balms or jelly around you nostrils to trap pollen

wearing sunglasses, mask or a cricket hat to stop pollen getting into your nose and eyes

vacuuming and dusting your home regularly

trying out a pollen filter in the air vents of your car Also, try to avoid: cut grass or walking on grass

keeping fresh flowers in the house

smoking or being around smokers

drying clothes outside

Getty Images

What if my hay fever gets really bad?

"Ninety percent of people with hay fever can be managed with over-the-counter medication," says pharmacist Ashley Cohen. If your hay fever becomes really debilitating, then you'll need to see your GP who can refer you to specialist - but that will mean waiting for a while. Immunotherapy treatment might be available for the worst affected. That's when tiny amounts of pollen are injected into the body over time to get it used to the substance, so that it no longer overreacts. The NHS stopped offering the steroid injection Kenalog years ago for hay fever because of the risk of serious side-effects. The charity Allergy UK does not recommend anyone use it either, and private clinics are no longer allowed to advertise the drug.

Does local honey help hay fever?

Aukus: Could Trump sink Australia's submarine plans?

1 hour ago Share Save Tiffanie Turnbull and Katy Watson BBC News, Sydney Share Save

PA Media The Aukus submarine deal is pivotal for Australia's security in the region

Australia's defence minister woke up to a nightmare earlier this week - and it's one that has been looming ever since the United States re-elected Donald Trump as president in November. A landmark trilateral agreement between the US, UK and Australia - which would give the latter cutting-edge nuclear submarine technology in exchange for more help policing China in the Asia-Pacific - was under review. The White House said on Thursday it wanted to make sure the so-called Aukus pact was "aligned with the president's America First agenda". It's the latest move from Washington that challenges its long-standing friendship with Canberra, sparking fears Down Under that, as conflict heats up around the globe, Australia may be left standing without its greatest ally. "I don't think any Australian should feel that our ally is fully committed to our security at this moment," says Sam Roggeveen, who leads the security programme at Australia's Lowy Institute think tank.

A pivotal deal for Australia

On paper, Australia is the clear beneficiary of the Aukus agreement, worth £176bn ($239bn; A$368bn). The technology underpinning the pact belongs to the US, and the UK already has it, along with their own nuclear-powered subs. But those that are being jointly designed and built by the three countries will be an improvement. For Australia, this represents a pivotal upgrade to military capabilities. The new submarine model will be able to operate further and faster than the country's existing diesel-engine fleet, and allow it to carry out long-range strikes against enemies for the first time. It is a big deal for the US to share what has been described as the "crown jewel" of its defence technology, and no small thing for the UK to hand over engine blueprints either. But arming Australia has historically been viewed by Washington and Downing Street as essential to preserving peace in the Asia-Pacific region, which is far from their own. It's about putting their technology and hardware in the right place, experts say. But when the Aukus agreement was signed in 2021, all three countries had very different leaders - Joe Biden in the US, Boris Johnson in the UK and Scott Morrison in Australia.

Getty Images The deal was announced at a virtual press conference in 2021

Today, when viewed through the increasingly isolationist lens Trump is using to examine his country's global ties, some argue the US has far less to gain from the pact. Under Secretary of Defence Policy Elbridge Colby, a previous critic of Aukus, will lead the White House review into the agreement, with a Pentagon official telling the BBC the process was to ensure it meets "common sense, America First criteria". Two of the criteria they cite are telling. One is a demand that allies "step up fully to do their part for collective defence". The other is a purported need to ensure that the US arms industry is adequately meeting the country's own needs first. The Trump administration has consistently expressed frustration at allies, including Australia, who they believe aren't pulling their weight with defence spending. They also say America is struggling to produce enough nuclear-powered submarines for its own forces. "Why are we giving away this crown jewel asset when we most need it?" Colby himself had said last year.

A chill in Canberra

The Australian government, however, is presenting a calm front. It's only natural for a new administration to reassess the decisions of its predecessor, officials say, noting that the new UK Labor government had a review of Aukus last year too. "I'm very confident this is going to happen," Defence Minister Richard Marles said of the pact, in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). But there's little doubt the review would be causing some early jolts of panic in Canberra. "I think angst has been inseparable from Aukus since its beginning… The review itself is not alarming. It's just everything else," Euan Graham, from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, tells the BBC.

Getty Images Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles has said he is "confident" the deal will survive the review

There is growing concern across Australia that America cannot be relied upon. "[President Donald Trump's] behaviour, over these first months of this term, I don't think should fill any observer with confidence about America's commitment to its allies," Mr Roggeveen says. "Trump has said, for instance, that Ukraine is mainly Europe's problem because they are separated by a big, beautiful ocean. Well of course, there's a big, beautiful ocean separating America from Asia too." Washington's decision to slap large tariffs on Australian goods earlier this year did not inspire confidence either, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying it was clearly "not the act of a friend". Albanese has stayed quiet on the Aukus review so far, likely holding his breath for a face-to-face meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada next week. This is a chat he's still desperately trying to get the US president to agree to. But several former prime ministers have rushed to give their two cents. Scott Morrison, the conservative leader who negotiated the Aukus pact in 2021, said the review should not be "over-interpreted" and scoffed at the suggestion another country could meet Australia's security needs. "The notion… is honestly delusional," he told ABC radio.

Getty Images Malcolm Turnbull and Emmanuel Macron inked a submarine deal in 2016

Malcolm Turnbull, who was behind the French submarine contract that Morrison dramatically tore up in favour of Aukus, said Australia needs to "wake up", realise it's a "bad deal" which the US could renege on at any point, and make other plans before it is too late. Meanwhile, Paul Keating, a famously sharp-tongued advocate for closer ties with China, said this "might very well be the moment Washington saves Australia from itself". "Aukus will be shown for what it always has been: a deal hurriedly scribbled on the back of an envelope by Scott Morrison, along with the vacuous British blowhard Boris Johnson and the confused President Joe Biden." The whiff of US indecision over Aukus feeds into long-term criticism in some quarters that Australia is becoming too reliant on the country. Calling for Australia's own inquiry, the Greens, the country's third-largest political party, said: "We need an independent defence and foreign policy, that does not require us to bend our will and shovel wealth to an increasingly erratic and reckless Trump USA."

What could happen next?

There's every chance the US turns around in a few weeks and recommits to the pact. At the end of the day, Australia is buying up to five nuclear-powered submarines at a huge expense, helping keep Americans employed. And the US has plenty of time - just under a decade - to sort out their supply issues and provide them. "[The US] also benefit from the wider aspects of Aukus - all three parties get to lift their boat jointly by having a more interoperable defence technology and ecosystem," Mr Graham adds. Even so, the anxiety the review has injected into the relationship is going to be hard to erase completely – and has only inflamed disagreements over Aukus in Australia. But there's also a possibility Trump does want to rewrite the deal. "I can easily see a future in which we don't get the Virginia class boats," Mr Roggeveen says, referring to the interim submarines. That would potentially leave Australia with its increasingly outdated fleet for another two decades, vulnerable while the new models are being designed and built. What happens in the event the US does leave the Aukus alliance completely? At this juncture, few are sounding that alarm. The broad view is that, for the US, countering China and keeping the Pacific in their sphere of influence is still crucial.

Getty Images Elbridge Colby, a previous critic of Aukus, will lead the White House review into the deal

Two men jailed for £4.8m gold toilet heist

6 hours ago Share Save Clodagh Stenson BBC South Investigations Share Save

Blenheim Palace The solid gold toilet weighed 98kg (216lbs) and was insured for $6m (£4.8m)

Two men have been jailed for stealing a £4.8m gold toilet from from an art exhibition at Blenheim Palace. Thieves smashed their way in and ripped out the functional 18-carat, solid gold toilet hours after a glamorous launch party at the Oxfordshire stately home in September 2019. James 'Jimmy' Sheen, 40, pleaded guilty to burglary, transferring criminal property and conspiracy to do the same in 2024, while Michael Jones, 39, was found guilty of burglary in March. The men, from Oxford, were sentenced to four years and two years and three months in prison respectively.

Thames Valley Police James Sheen (left) and Michael Jones were both part of the audacious heist

During sentencing at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, Judge Ian Pringle KC described it a "bold and brazen" heist that took "no more than five-and-a-half minutes to complete". It happened just days after the artwork, entitled America and that was part of an exhibition by the Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, went on show. Sheen was a key player - a career criminal and the only man convicted of both burglary and selling the gold. He pleaded guilty last year after police found his DNA at the scene and gold fragments in his clothing. Police also recovered his phone that contained a wealth of incriminating messages. Shan Saunders, the senior crown prosecutor on the case, said it was "unusual to have a phone that when downloaded contains so much information".

Thames Valley Police Sheen sent this picture of a bag of bank notes with the message: "520,000 ha ha ha"

During the trial, jurors heard voice messages sent by Sheen to Fred Doe, a Berkshire businessman who was convicted for conspiring to sell the gold in March. Saunders said interpreting the messages was "a long and complicated process", due to the blend of coded language, Romany slang and Cockney rhyming slang used. In one message, Sheen confirmed he was in possession of some of the gold toilet. It read: "I think you know what I've got... I've just been a bit quiet with it." He also used the word "car" as code for gold. " The car is what it is mate, innit? The car is as good as money," he said.

'Truly shocking'

Within two weeks of the heist Sheen had sold 20kg (44lb) of gold - about one fifth of the toilet's weight - to an unknown buyer in Birmingham for £520,000. A BBC investigation in March revealed Sheen's criminal history. It found he had been jailed at least six times since 2005 and led organised crime groups that had made more than £5m from fraud and theft - money that authorities had largely failed to recover. There was no reaction from either of the men when their sentences were read out. Sentencing Sheen, Judge Pringle said he had a "truly shocking list of previous convictions". Speaking directly to Sheen, he said: "You were almost certainly the figure who carried the sledgehammer on which your DNA was found and which was used to sever the functioning toilet from its connecting pipes." Sheen was already serving a 19-year sentence for previous crimes, and he will serve the four-year sentence for the heist consecutively.

Thames Valley Police Jurors were shown selfies that Jones took with the toilet

The judge said Jones, who worked for Sheen as a roofer, also had a "long and unenviable list of previous convictions". In the week leading up to the heist he paid two visits to Blenheim. Just a day prior to the raid, on Sheen's instructions, he booked a timeslot on Blenheim's website to use the gold toilet. While inside the cubicle, Jones snapped pictures of the golden toilet and a lock on the door. In one of the trial's lighter moments he confirmed he did use toilet, calling the experience "splendid". "Your role was to carry out a reconnaissance of the museum, to know exactly where the golden toilet was situated and to work out the quickest route in and out of the palace, I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever," Judge Pringle told Jones. Speaking after sentencing, Det Supt Bruce Riddell, of Thames Valley Police (TVP), described Sheen as the "driving force behind the burglary, with his motive to make money by any means necessary". "Jones also played a key part in the burglary, as he carried out two recces at Blenheim Palace in the days leading up to the burglary, and it is our belief that he also was there on the night," he continued. Shan Saunders, for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), described it as an "extraordinary case" and "audacious theft". "However, given the level of planning... it was unusual that the offenders left such a trail of evidence in their wake," she added. "From phone messages to DNA traces found in a stolen car and on the sledgehammer used in the burglary, this wealth of evidence ultimately enabled us to secure their convictions." She said the CPS had reviewed 30,000 pages of evidence.

CCTV of the daring raid was shown in court

In October 2019, just one month after the heist, police arrested Sheen and Jones but they were subsequently released. They were not charged for another four years. Det Supt Riddell said: "We arrested 12 people in total in the investigation, and that brings with it a huge amount of digital devices to examine." He also said it took months for key forensic evidence to be identified and that the investigation was slowed by the pandemic. The BBC asked the probation service why Sheen was not recalled to prison in October 2019. The Ministry of Justice said an arrest did not necessarily mean the offender had breached their licence conditions, and that Sheen was recalled to prison in May 2020 as soon as there was evidence he had done so. Sheen has remained in prison since May 2020.

Who are the other burglars?

Corbyn and McDonnell to face no action after rally

6 hours ago Share Save Paul Seddon Political reporter Share Save

PA Media Jeremy Corbyn (far right in the picture) and John McDonnell (far left) attended the rally in January

MPs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell will face no further action after being interviewed by police following a pro-Palestinian rally. McDonnell said the pair had been questioned by officers after taking part in the demonstration in central London in January. He told MPs: "It was alleged that we failed to follow police restrictions on the protest. This is untrue, and at all times we followed police instructions". Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the Metropolitan Police of "picking on us two as members of Parliament".

A rally involving several thousand people took place in Whitehall in January after police blocked plans to hold a march from Portland Place, near the headquarters of the BBC. Police had imposed a condition on the organisers of the rally under the Public Order Act that prevented them gathering outside the corporation's headquarters because of its close proximity to a synagogue and a risk there could be "serious disruption" as congregants attended services. A further condition required the rally to be confined to Whitehall. Speaking in the Commons on Friday, McDonnell said: "We can now report that the police have dropped the case against us, and there will be no charges". He added that in correspondence with their solicitor, the Met had "informed us that our case was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service because as MPs we were to be held to have, and I quote, a 'greater culpability'". "This is an unacceptable practice that flies in the face of the principle that we are all equal before the law," he added. "I wish to place on record my concern about this behaviour by the Metropolitan Police". Speaking after him, Corbyn said: "I saw this whole effort as being a means to try and silence the democratic rights of everyone in our society by picking on us two as members of Parliament". Former Labour leader Corbyn was re-elected as an independent MP for Islington North after losing the Labour whip in 2020. Hayes and Harlington MP McDonnell currently sits as an independent, after Labour suspended the whip from him for in July 2024 for voting against the government over child benefit rules.

Ex-Tory MP among 15 in court to face betting charges

Craig Williams is the former Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire

Fifteen people, including former Tory MP Craig Williams, have appeared in court charged with betting offences linked to the timing of last year's general election.

It follows an investigation by the Gambling Commission into alleged betting on the date of the election.

Appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on Friday, Williams was among three defendants who gave no indication of a plea at this stage.

Twelve others, including Russell George, a former Conservative now independent member of the Welsh Senedd, indicated they would deny the charges.

The defendants will appear again at Southwark Crown Court on July 11.

Beckham, 50, was appointed an OBE in 2003 and receives further recognition for both his football career and charity work.

He played 115 times for his country as well as for Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, Paris St-Germain and AC Milan, retiring in 2013.

"Growing up in east London with parents and grandparents who were so patriotic and proud to be British, I never could have imagined I would receive such a truly humbling honour," said Beckham.

"It will take a little while for the news to sink in but I'm immensely proud and it's such an emotional moment for me to share with my family."

Beckham was reportedly first nominated for a knighthood in 2011.

In 2017 several British newspapers printed details of leaked emails in which Beckham allegedly criticised the honours system and the honours committee.

A spokesperson for Beckham said at the time the emails were "hacked", "doctored" and "private".

Beckham played a key role in helping London secure the 2012 Olympics, and has been an ambassador for children's charity Unicef since 2005.

He also became an ambassador for The King's Foundation in 2024 - supporting King Charles' education programme and efforts to ensure young people have a greater understanding of nature.

"I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to represent Britain around the world and work with incredible organisations that are supporting communities in need and inspiring the next generation," Beckham added.

"I'm so lucky to be able to do the work that I do and I'm grateful to be recognised for work that gives me so much fulfilment."

Boston received his honour from King Charles at Buckingham Palace, making him the sport's first knight in its 130-year history.

The 90-year-old was awarded his knighthood early - before the birthday honours list was officially announced - because of concerns over his health.

Cardiff-born, he was one of the greatest stars of rugby league and a trailblazer for black sports stars when he played for Wigan and Great Britain in the 1950s and 1960s.

Boston, who has been living with dementia, was accompanied at the Palace by his family and representatives of his former club.

Russell said: "It might be my first time top of the leaderboard all year. Very positive day.

"We had higher expectations coming to this weekend because cooler conditions, the track's quite smooth so the tyres naturally run quite cold and we know our weakness.

"When it's hot, we struggle and when it's cold, the tyres run cold, we're pretty competitive. The was definitely validation today.

"The lap was really strong today, probably optimised, nothing more in the tank, we had it all on the table full beans, power and everything."

Russell set his fastest time on the medium tyre, while Norris used the soft.

This reflects a potential repeat of the phenomenon experienced at last month's Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, when some teams felt the medium compound was a better qualifying tyre than the soft.

The tyre selection is the same as at Imola, with Pirelli's softest compound, the C6, as the soft. This is a fragile tyre that can be hard to make work over one lap.

Russell said: "A number of teams are thinking about the medium tyre. Come qualifying, do you go on the soft or the medium? That's one of the challenges when we have the C6 compound."

Williams' Alex Albon and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso were fourth and fifth, ahead of Piastri, Williams' Carlos Sainz, Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Belying his one-lap pace, the Dutchman, the closest challenger to the leading McLaren drivers in the championship, was the fastest on the race-simulation runs late in the session, although closely matched with Russell, Norris and Piastri.

Verstappen said: "Day was all right. I felt quite happy with the car. P2 was a bit more difficult. We lost something with the car, balance-wise and ride, which we need to investigate, but overall it was quite a positive day for us."

Hamilton's team-mate Charles Leclerc missed the second session after a crash midway through the first.

Leclerc's impact with the barriers after locking his brakes at Turn Three and misjudging whether he could make the corner damaged his car's chassis and it needed to be replaced before Saturday's running.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll crashed early in the second session, hitting the barrier a glancing blow on the exit of Turn Six and breaking his left front suspension.

His car suffered understeer on the exit of the corner and the front washed out into the wall. Stroll had experienced the situation earlier in the lap but it was exacerbated in the incident by 'dirty air' from the traffic ahead.

A number of other drivers misjudged their braking points and skipped over the grass at one of the chicanes with no damage.

And Alpine's Franco Colapinto had his second spin of the day at Turn Two, after an earlier one in the first session. The Argentine ended the second session slowest of the drivers who set a time.

The Premiership - the top flight of English rugby union - will become the 'Gallagher Prem' next season as it rebrands to emphasise the physicality and intensity of the league.

The makeover will include a new orange logo which will be shown to fans, both at Allianz Stadium and watching on television, before Saturday's final between Bath and Leicester Tigers.

It is hoped that shortening the league's name will help it "talk how fans talk" and give it a less corporate, more informal feel.

Officials also believe showcasing the confrontational nature of the sport, alongside players' athleticism and skill, will draw in new, younger fans.

Victory for South Africa in the World Test Championship final would be "massive for the country" as they bid to shed their tag as professional sport's serial bottlers, according to batting coach Ashwell Prince.

They head into day four of the match at Lord's with 69 runs needed to beat Australia and with eight wickets still in hand.

South Africa opener Aiden Markram will resume unbeaten on 102 alongside skipper Temba Bavuma, who is 65 not out, after the pair spearheaded a dominant batting display on Friday.

Should the Proteas wrap up the win it would go a long way towards banishing a nickname they have come to despise: chokers.

In 18 previous one-day international and T20 World Cups, South Africa's men's team have reached a solitary final, having lost 10 of their 12 knockout matches across both competitions.

That final appearance was in last year's T20 World Cup in the Caribbean where they lost to India when victory seemed to be within their grasp.

Prince acknowledged he was "not sure how I'm going to sleep" with the tantalising prospect of winning the third iteration of the WTC title so real.

"This would be massive for our country," Prince told BBC Test Match Special, "both in terms of what we want to do in Test match cricket and what we want to achieve going forward.

"We've fallen short in some white-ball competitions with teams that have had very good chances of getting over the line, possibly favourites at times.

"But at the moment, history says we haven't done it yet, so we have got to knuckle down."

Prince, who played 66 Tests for South Africa between 2002 and 2011, said the players will not do anything differently to prepare for the fourth day as he called Markram "someone for the big occasion".

"The coaches will make sure the guys stick to our processes, stay focused, get the job done," Prince added.

"It's a big day, but you don't want to do anything different just because.

"The most important thing is to remain in the moment, stay in the moment and obviously from a batting point of view, that means play one ball at a time."

Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma propel South Africa to within touching distance of victory in the ICC World Test Championship with impressive performances on day three of the final against Australia.

MATCH REPORT: Markram helps South Africa close in on World Test Championship win

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