PM to announce welfare climbdown in deal with rebels

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Chris Mason • @ChrisMasonBBC Political editor Sam Francis Political Reporter

The government is expected to announce a deal with Labour rebels on its planned benefits changes. Multiple sources tell the BBC existing claimants of the Personal Independence Payment (Pip) will continue to receive what they currently get, as will recipients of the health element of Universal Credit. Instead, planned cuts will only hit future claimants. Ministers are expected to fast-track a £1bn support plan originally scheduled for 2029. The concessions amount to a massive climbdown from the government, which was staring at the prospect of defeat if it failed to accommodate the demands of over 100 of its backbenchers.

It comes after Sir Keir Starmer spent Thursday making calls to shore up support among the 120 Labour MPs who backed an amendment to stop the government's flagship welfare bill ahead of a Commons vote on Tuesday. Speaking in the Commons earlier, Sir Keir said he wanted to "see reform implemented with Labour values and fairness". He said he recognised that MPs of all parties were "eager" to reform the "broken" welfare system. Broadly speaking the rebels have told the BBC their colleagues are happy with the concessions, meaning the bill is now likely to pass. Peter Lamb, Labour MP for Crawley, posted on social media that he would still not support the bill - calling the changes "insufficient" and accusing ministers of ignoring better options.

The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill would change who would qualify for certain disability and sickness benefits. Ministers had said the legislation, which aims to save £5bn a year by 2030, is crucial to slow down the increase in the number of people claiming benefits. Chancellor Rachel Reeves had factored these cuts into her Spring Statement in March - designed to help meet her economic plans. It is unclear how the new reforms will affect the government's spending plans. Working-age health-related benefit spending has increased from £36bn to £52bn in the five years between 2019 and 2024, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), a think tank. It is expected to double to £66bn by 2029, without changes to the system. But Labour MPs have criticised elements of government proposals, including plans to require Pip claimants to prove they need a higher degree of assistance with tasks such as preparing and eating food, communicating, washing and getting dressed.

The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill has its second reading on Tuesday, the first opportunity for MPs to support or reject it. If the legislation clears its first hurdle, it will then face a few hours' examination by all MPs the following week - rather than days or weeks in front of a committee tasked with looking at the Bill.

This is now the third government U-turn in a month, in a major blow to the prime minister's authority. It follows on from the PM reversing cuts to winter fuel payments, and ordering a grooming gangs inquiry he initially resisted. The Tories described the concessions understood to have been offered to Labour rebels as "the latest in a growing list of screeching U-turns" from the government. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: "Under pressure from his own MPs Starmer has made another completely unfunded spending commitment." One of the main co-ordinators behind the welfare amendment, who did not wish to be named, has told the BBC the winter fuel concessions had emboldened many of the rebels this time. They told the BBC, MPs "all voted for winter fuel [cuts] and have taken so much grief in our constituencies, so colleagues think why should I take that on again?". It is understood that plans for the amendment began when Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall offered a partial olive branch to rebels by expanding the transition period for anyone losing Pip from four to 13 weeks.

Misogyny is an epidemic fuelled by social media, Amy Hunt tells BBC in first interview

7 hours ago Share Save Ashitha Nagesh • @ashnagesh BBC News Victoria Derbyshire • vicderbyshire BBC Newsnight Share Save

If this was a women's issue we'd have fixed it already, Amy Hunt tells BBC

Amy Hunt, whose mother and two sisters were murdered in their own home last year, has told the BBC there is an "epidemic" of misogyny in society that has "the most horrific, devastating consequences". In her first interview since the murders of her mum, Carol, and sisters, Hannah and Louise, Amy says the UK "should be very concerned" about sexist, hateful content on social media - calling on media platforms, people in power, schools and "every single one of us" to do something about it. She tells the BBC people are "slowly waking up" to the links between hate posted on social media and violence against women by men in real life. The man who killed her loved ones was Kyle Clifford, her youngest sister's ex-boyfriend. The attacks came two weeks after Louise ended their 18-month relationship.

Amy describes Clifford as a man filled with hatred, self-loathing, and a deep insecurity. "It's very clear he hates women," she says. "But what I often say is, he doesn't hate women as much as he hates himself." She says there is "a serious obligation as a society to change men's behaviour, because this is a man's issue - it is not a woman's issue". Amy has been speaking to the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire alongside her father, racing commentator John Hunt. Watch: John and Amy Hunt's interview with BBC's Victoria Derbyshire The pair describe the legacy of love Carol, Hannah and Louise have left. John says it is this that has helped sustain them through their trauma and grief. The three women remain a constant presence in their lives, he says. Amy adds that her mother and sisters were "the best of us" and says "the world is a much emptier place without them". Clifford fatally stabbed 61-year-old Carol in July last year after he followed her into her home, in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on the pretext of bringing over some of his former partner Louise's belongings. He then lay in wait for Louise, 25, before raping her, and using a crossbow to shoot both her and her sister Hannah, 28. You can watch the full interview, Standing Strong: The John and Amy Hunt interview, with Victoria Derbyshire at 21:00 BST on BBC1 and on iPlayer

Amy Hunt says society 'allows misogyny to fester'

In March this year, he was sentenced to three whole-life orders, meaning he will never be released from prison. John and Amy strongly reject reports in some media that there were clear signs of abuse by Clifford during his relationship with Louise. Prosecutors in the case did, however, say Clifford's actions had been fuelled by the "violent misogyny" promoted by controversial social media personality Andrew Tate, whose videos he had watched in the days before the murders. Clifford had searched for Tate's podcast the day before carrying out the attack. The court was told it was no coincidence that he had turned to such content before carrying out the violence. Amy says she believes there was an "undeniable link". But she also says any suggestion that Clifford was not dangerous, or that he only became capable of murder after watching misogynistic content, is "ridiculous". She says, however, we live in a society that "emboldens misogyny" and "allows misogyny to fester". "It's not just Andrew Tate, there are many subsets of Andrew Tate on social media who are spouting the same misogynistic hate - that is an undeniable fact and we should be very concerned about it."

BBC News/Hunt family Carol, Hannah and Louise leave behind a legacy of love, John and Amy Hunt tell the BBC

She feels misogyny is "the acceptable form of extremism" on social media platforms. "We've got a serious issue on our hands, and we don't give it the attention it deserves until it forces its way into your life, like it has ours," she says. Amy says the minute Clifford left their home on the day of the incident, "my mum, Hannah and Louise became a statistic. They became victims of Kyle Clifford." She wants "to breathe life back into my mum, Hannah and Louise as fully-rounded people". When sentencing Clifford in March, the judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, described him as a "jealous man soaked in self-pity, who holds women in utter contempt". The attacks, the judge added, were "brutal and cowardly". Reflecting on these words, John says: "I know it's difficult to hear, but it's worth remembering that he killed Carol in the most brutal way, and [he] still had choices after that.

Child Q unsure she will 'feel normal again'

2 hours ago Share Save Adina Campbell UK correspondent, BBC News Share Save

Anadolu via Getty Images Child Q was strip-searched by police at her east London school in 2020 - demonstrators highlighted the incident while campaigning against institutional racism outside the BBC's HQ and elsewhere in 2022

A woman who was strip-searched when she was 15 by two Met Police officers has said she does not know if she is "going to feel normal again" after the officers were sacked. A tribunal found the actions of trainee Det Con Kristina Linge and PC Rafal Szmydynski amounted to gross misconduct after the girl - known as Child Q - was searched at her school in Hackney, east London, in December 2020. The black schoolgirl, who was wrongly suspected of possessing cannabis, was on her period and forced to expose her intimate parts while no appropriate adult was present. A third officer, PC Victoria Wray, was found to have committed misconduct for her role in the search and was given a final written warning.

In a statement released via Bhatt Murphy Solicitors after the hearing, Child Q said: "Someone walked into the school, where I was supposed to feel safe, took me away from the people who were supposed to protect me and stripped me naked, while on my period. "I can't go a single day without wanting to scream, shout, cry or just give up. I don't know if I'm going to feel normal again. But I do know this can't happen to anyone, ever again."

'She's a changed person'

The panel had heard that black schoolchildren were more likely to be treated as older and less vulnerable than their white peers. However, neither age nor race was found to be a factor in the way 15-year-old Child Q was treated. At the end of May, new rules were due to come into effect that would mean any police officer proven to have committed gross misconduct would be sacked.

Cdr Kevin Southworth said in a statement: "The experience of Child Q should never have happened and was truly regrettable. "We have sincerely apologised to Child Q since this incident happened. Again, I am deeply sorry to Child Q and her family for the trauma that we caused her, and the damage this incident caused to the trust and confidence black communities across London have in our officers."

Child Q's mother said in a statement: "Professionals wrongly treated my daughter as an adult and as a criminal and she is a changed person as a result. Was it because of her skin? Her hair? Why her? "After waiting more than four years I have come every day to the gross misconduct hearing for answers and although I am relieved that two of the officers have been fired I believe that the Metropolitan Police still has a huge amount of work to do if they are to win back the confidence of Black Londoners."

Getty Images The Met Police acknowledged organisational failings in the search of the girl

During the hearing, held in south-east London, the search was described as unjustified, inappropriate, disproportionate, humiliating and degrading. It was instigated after the deputy safeguarding manager at the school called the police and said the child "smelt strongly of cannabis". Panel chair Cdr Jason Prins said the search "was improper and conducted without an appropriate adult". He added that Child Q's position as a "vulnerable or a potentially exploited child was not adequately considered". "The potential effect of a 15-year-old going through puberty had not been considered," he said. Child Q - whose mother was not told about the search - felt "demeaned" and "physically violated" and did not give evidence at the four-week hearing because of the psychological effects the strip-search had on her, the panel heard.

'There's a level of fear'

The panel was told that the officers failed to get authorisation at sergeant level or higher before they took action, which went against police policy. It was also alleged that no adequate concern was given to Child Q's age and sex, especially after she removed her sanitary towel. The Independent Office for Police Conduct said the decision to strip-search Child Q on suspicion of possessing a small amount of cannabis was "completely disproportionate".

The panel heard that black people were disproportionately more likely to be stopped and searched by police. However, the panel did not accept an "inference" that the girl's race caused "less favourable treatment". Details of Child Q's case were released in a safeguarding report in 2022, which said the search was unjustified and that racism was likely to have been a factor. There were widespread protests about the girl's ordeal and calls for urgent action from the government.

Tanya Obeng said for many black people there was a "level of fear" surrounding the police

Tanya Obeng, who works as a therapist, took part in one of the demonstrations in Hackney about the strip-search. She said many black people did not trust the police. "There's a level of fear and I think for Caucasians, there's a level of safety. That is the disparity," she said. Reacting to the panel's findings, Prof Louise Owusu-Kwarteng, who teaches applied sociology at the University of Greenwich, said black children were often unfairly labelled at school. "It was almost like this escalation, automatically assuming that she had done something wrong without doing the due process," she said. Sharon Adams, from Hackney, has a young daughter and still feels deeply upset by the way Child Q was treated. "They already had that perception of her and no matter what she would have said it just went out the window. She didn't have a voice in that moment," Ms Adams said.

'Catalyst for change'

Cdr Southworth said in his statement that the force acknowledged there were organisational failings in the search of the girl. "Training to our officers around strip-search and the type of search carried out on Child Q was inadequate, and our oversight of the power was also severely lacking," he said. "This left officers, often young in service or junior in rank, making difficult decisions in complex situations with little information, support or clear resources to help their decision-making." He said the search of Child Q had been a "catalyst for change" for the force and policing nationally. "While we should not have needed an incident such as Child Q to check our approach, it has absolutely led us to improving our processes and significantly reducing the number of these types of searches carried out."

Children's commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza described the case as "shocking and profoundly disturbing". "Child Q's case has to be a line in the sand," she said. "The strip-searching of children should never form part of routine policing. It must only be used as a last resort if there is an immediate risk of harm to the child or others, with proper safeguards in place – children should never be put through such traumatic experiences without rigorous standards."

US gained nothing from strikes, Iran's supreme leader says

2 hours ago Share Save Jacqueline Howard & Adam Durbin BBC News Share Save

Watch: Iran dealt "heavy blow" to US, says Khamenei

Iran's supreme leader has insisted the US "gained no achievements" from strikes on its nuclear facilities, in his first public address since a ceasefire with Israel was agreed on Tuesday. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the strikes did not "accomplish anything significant" to disrupt Iran's nuclear programme, and described the retaliation against an American air base in Qatar as dealing a "heavy blow". It came as Washington doubled down on its assessment that the strikes had severely undermined Iran's nuclear ambitions. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said intelligence gathered by the US and Israel indicated the operation "significantly damaged the nuclear programme, setting it back by years".

Previously, US President Donald Trump said the strikes against three key nuclear sites inside Iran "totally obliterated" them, and has responded furiously to reports citing unnamed American officials suggesting the damage may have been less extensive than anticipated. Speaking alongside senior general Dan Caine at a Pentagon press conference on Thursday morning, Hegseth said the mission was a "historic success" that had "rendered [Iranian] enrichment facilities inoperable". During an at times combative exchange with reporters, Hegseth also said the US was "not aware of any intelligence" which indicated the enriched uranium had moved out of Fordo - the deeply buried facility which the US targeted with powerful so-called bunker buster bombs - prior to the strikes.

Watch: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine shows test footage of "bunker busters" used in Iran

Khamenei, who had been largely out of public view since direct conflict with Israel broke out on 13 June, released a televised address on Thursday morning, ending a week-long public silence. The supreme leader has reportedly been sheltering in a bunker and limiting communications, which has sparked speculation about his whereabouts. Iranian authorities did not disclose where he was speaking from on Thursday, though a senior official acknowledged he was in a safe place earlier this week. Khamenei used Thursday's video address to threaten to carry out more strikes on US bases in the Middle East if Iran was attacked again, and declared victory over both Israel and the US. Khamenei said Trump had "exaggerated" the impact of the nuclear site strikes, adding: "They couldn't accomplish anything and did not achieve their objective." Referencing the attack on the US air base in Qatar, Khamenei said: "This incident is also repeatable in the future, and should any attack take place, the cost for the enemy and the aggressor will undoubtedly be very high."

Hegseth cites foreign Iran attack assessments, pushes back against press

No one was killed during that attack, which Trump said had been flagged before it was launched. The US says the base was not damaged. CBS News, the BBC's US partner, reports that the White House is considering a range of options to entice Iran back to the negotiating table, including facilitating funding for a civilian, non-enrichment nuclear program. However, Iran's foreign minister told Iranian state TV on Thursday that there no talks with the US are planned. Direct confrontation broke out between Iran and Israel on 13 June, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "if not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time". A day earlier the global nuclear watchdog's board of governors declared Iran was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years.

Hegseth talks up US strikes on Iran in push for public approval

Hegseth cites foreign Iran attack assessments, pushes back against press

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth took the lectern at the Pentagon briefing room on Thursday morning with two goals.

He wanted to present evidence of the success of the American attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, pushing back against a preliminary defence intelligence assessment that suggested the strikes were less effective.

And he wanted to berate the American media and paint their coverage of that preliminary report as unpatriotic and disrespectful to the "brave men and women" in the US military.

It was a briefing aimed at winning over divided public opinion on the attacks – and to satisfy an audience of one in the White House, who has been railing against the media coverage for days.

The former goal is still in question, but the latter seems to have been a mission accomplished.

"One of the greatest, most professional, and most 'confirming' News Conferences I have ever seen!" Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social after Hegseth concluded.

During his half-hour briefing, Hegseth ticked through a range of intelligence information, although little of it was new.

He read from a Wednesday letter penned by CIA Director John Ratcliffe that claimed there was "intelligence from a historically reliable and accurate source/method that several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years".

He cited an earlier Israeli intelligence finding, detailed a recent statement by Iranian leaders and reviewed initial findings of "very significant damage" by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

After General Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided information about the development and power of the "bunker buster bombs" used in the attack – including how they were used to repeatedly hit the ventilation shafts at Iran's Fordo facility - Hegseth told Americans to use their common sense when deciding whether the strikes were successful.

"Anyone with two eyes, ears and a brain can recognise that kind of firepower, with that specificity at that location and others is going to have a devastating effect," he said.

"You want to call it destroyed, you want to call it defeated, you want to call it obliterated, choose your words," he said. "This was a historically successful attack."

Anna Wintour stepping back as US Vogue's editor-in-chief

She was made a dame by the late Queen Elizabeth II for services to fashion and journalism in 2017, and was made Companion of Honour by King Charles earlier this year.

Dame Anna will continue as Vogue's global editorial director, as well as chief content officer for its parent company Conde Nast.

The British-born fashion magnate, 75, is leaving the role she has held longer than any other editor, but will retain senior positions at its publisher.

Dame Anna announced to staff on Thursday that a new role, head of editorial content, would be introduced at American Vogue.

According to an account published by the company, Dame Anna told staff she wanted to help "the next generation of impassioned editors storm the field with their own ideas" as she announced her departure from the editor-in-chief role.

She said she would continue with many of her responsibilities, and that "it goes without saying that I plan to remain Vogue's tennis and theatre editor in perpetuity".

Raised in London, Dame Anna was the editor of British Vogue before she took the helm at its US sister publication in 1988.

She is credited with giving American Vogue a new lease of life, turning it into one of the world's top fashion publications and was credited with overhauling its output, including featuring less well-known models and mixing inexpensive clothes with couture.

Over her long career, Dame Anna has become one of the most recognisable and influential figures in the fashion industry.

Outside of her work with Vogue, she has also organised the Met Gala, a New York fundraiser which attracts high-profile celebrities, since 1995.

She is known for her trademark bob and dark glasses. Last December, she told the BBC's culture editor Katie Razzall the signature shades were a "prop", and "they help me see and they help me not see".

Dame Anna's tenure as editor-in-chief of US Vogue is also widely rumoured to have inspired the tyrannical but revered character of Miranda Priestly in the Devil Wears Prada - a novel by a former assistant of Wintour, Lauren Weisberger.

Earlier this year, King Charles asked Dame Anna whether she would stop working - to which she said she replied "firmly no".

Pound hits near 4-year high as Trump rattles dollar

8 hours ago Share Save Dearbail Jordan Business reporter, BBC News Share Save

Getty Images

The pound briefly hit its highest level against the dollar for almost four years after markets were unnerved by a report that US President Donald Trump could bring forward the naming of the new head of the US central bank. Sterling rose above $1.37, which is the strongest since October 2021. The dollar weakened after the Wall Street Journal reported Trump had considered naming Jerome Powell's replacement as head of the Federal Reserve by September or October. The US Fed is independent from the government and Mr Powell chairs a committee that decides on interest rates which have remained unchanged this year, prompting a series of angry outbursts from Trump.

On Wednesday, Trump called Mr Powell "terrible" and said he was looking at "three or four people" who could replace him. Mr Powell's term is due to end in May 2026. There are concerns the US president could install someone who is sympathetic to his demands. Earlier this week, Mr Powell told US lawmakers the Fed would wait and see how the American economy reacts if Trump's so-called retaliatory tariffs against a range of countries come into force next month, after being paused until 9 July. The Fed is concerned that the levies, which are paid by the businesses importing the goods, might push up inflation. The US economy shrank in the first three months of this year - the first decline for three years - as government spending fell and imports rose as firms raced to get products into the country before the tariffs went live. JP Morgan, the investment bank, has lowered the chance of the US economy falling into recession this year but at 40% the probability of a slowdown remains comparatively high. Kaspar Hense, a senior portfolio manager at RBC BlueBay Asset Management, said traders were betting the dollar would fall "in this environment, where there is an erosion of institutions". While Kit Juckes, chief FX strategist at Societe Generale, said: "I think the market is pricing in President Trump appointing someone who at least at first sight appears more sympathetic to his cause." Academics have said that confidence in the Fed's independence is key to maintaining financial markets' faith that inflation will be controlled. If this confidence is shaken, it could lead to higher borrowing costs for everyone if investors demand higher interest rates for holding debt.

Two seriously injured as bus 'careers into river'

7 hours ago Share Save Jamie Morris BBC News Reporting from Eastleigh, Hampshire Curtis Lancaster BBC News Share Save

PA Media The bus crashed through railings and landed upright in the River Itchen

Two people have been seriously injured after a double-decker bus carrying college students "careered" into a river. The 607 for Barton Peveril Sixth Form College left the carriageway and plunged into the water off Bishopstoke Road in Eastleigh, Hampshire, shortly before 10:00 BST. Police said two people suffered serious injuries - the driver and one passenger. Their injuries were not considered to be life-threatening. Fifteen others were also hurt. A witness described helping to rescue students and said she had been told by the bus driver the brakes were not working.

Damian Down The 607 for Barton Peveril Sixth Form College was carrying students when it plunged into the Itchen River

Student Freddie Sampson was one of 19 passengers on board. The 18-year-old was sitting at the front of the bus on the top deck and described the moment it went over the kerb. "We ran into a lamp-post and the whole windscreen shattered," he said. "It was like we couldn't stop and had to weave through traffic trying not to hit any cars and then the bus driver lost control - we went flying into the river. "It was all a bit manic. No-one really knew what was going on. I looked out the front to see people moving out of the way, like cars out the front… I looked round... they were all confused and scared."

Student Freddie Sampson said the bus was "weaving through traffic"

Insp Andy Tester described it as a "terrifying experience" for those involved. He said several people including the driver had been trapped on board when emergency services arrived, while others had managed to leave the bus. "There were a large number of specialist resources helping to get people out of the bus," he said "It was obviously important to us to triage the injured people, to assess the people who were still stuck in the bus, and to make sure we had accounted for everyone." He praised the bravery of members of the public and emergency services who helped at the scene. "There was a lot of bravery shown by many people who were first on scene, who didn't have training to work in water and weren't equipped, but quickly backed up by our fire and ambulance colleagues," he said.

Parents respond to college bus crash

One of those who rushed to help people on the bus was Kelly West, who was working from home near the scene. She said she had looked out of the window when she heard a screeching sound and saw the bus "come careering into the river". "We ran outside, we ran around the front of the bus, spoke to the driver," she said. Ms West said the driver had told her the accelerator "jammed", with his brakes "not working". She said the man had told her he had been "doing the best he could to avoid cars as he was coming down the road".

Kelly West rushed to help those on the bus

She explained that she had helped the "shocked" students who could leave the bus to get out of the water and into her garden nearby. Speaking near the cordon, a parent whose daughter was on the bus, said her daughter had called her crying and told her the bus had crashed into a river. She said she had not seen her daughter but that she was "a bit banged up, shocked", having suffered cuts and bruises. Another parent told the BBC: "I'm nervous. I felt panicked. I rushed straight here as quick as I could, but I couldn't get to my daughter. "I'm panicking until I get to see her." Dr David Pogson, a parent at the incident centre, said: "I got a message on the family chat at work about the accident, which sounded quite serious. "Thankfully it doesn't sound that [my son] is seriously hurt - his friends are all fine."

Damian Down A damaged traffic light can be seen close to the scene of the crash

The B3037 was closed in both directions and traffic queued between Chickenhall Lane to Riverside. Police said they anticipated it to be much later in the night before the road reopened due to the investigation and recovery work continuing. The 607 bus route runs from Knowle, through Wickham, Shedfield, Swanmore and Bishops Waltham to Barton Peveril College in Eastleigh. The force said an incident centre had been set up at The Hub at Bishopstoke for concerned parents. An officer and college staff will be available to provide updates and address questions. The college said: "Staff are working closely with the police to ensure the safety and well-being of all students". "We ask that people do not attend the actual scene," it added. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service is at the scene and also asked people to avoid the area.

The bus could be seen in the River Itchen

Richard Tyldsley, Bluestar general manager, confirmed it was one of his firm's buses involved and that 19 passengers were on board at the time. "Reports suggest the bus left the highway and came to rest in a shallow river," he said. He said the bus driver was one of those injured. "Our thoughts are with everybody involved, and we wish those who were injured a full and speedy recovery," he added. Eastleigh MP Liz Jarvis said she was "very, very shocked" and worried about the students involved. "My thoughts are with those who were injured and the emergency services who were on the scene who have done a fantastic job and responded really quickly," she said.

More on this story Two seriously injured in Eastleigh bus crash as witness says vehicle 'careered into river'

Israeli strike at Gaza market kills 18 Palestinians, doctor and witnesses say

4 hours ago Share Save Rushdi Abualouf Gaza Correspondent Share Save

Reuters People mourn Palestinians who were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah

At least 18 Palestinians have been killed after an Israeli drone strike targeted a Hamas police unit attempting to assert control over a market in the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, a doctor and eyewitnesses told the BBC. Eyewitnesses said Israeli drones fired at members of a Hamas police force, dressed in civilian clothing and wearing masks, who were confronting vendors they accused of price gouging and selling goods looted from aid trucks. The Hamas-run Ministry of Interior condemned the strike, accusing Israel of committing "a new crime against a police unit tasked with maintaining public order". The BBC has contacted the Israeli military for comment.

One eyewitness told the BBC clashes broke out on Thursday after police confronted the vendors, with the unit commander shouting: "Either sell at a fair price or we will confiscate the goods." Some of the vendors then "pulled out handguns and one man had a Kalashnikov", the eyewitness said. Israeli drones then fired two missiles, local residents said. Video footage from the aftermath shows bodies strewn on the ground and panicked shoppers screaming, as ambulances rush to attend to those injured. A doctor at Deir al-Balah's Al-Aqsa Hospital told the BBC 18 bodies were brought to the morgue there. It was not immediately clear how many of those killed were police officers.

Reuters A person is brought to Al-Aqsa hospital following an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah

The incident came as civilians in Gaza continued to struggle to access food, with near daily shootings reported at and around US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution sites in south and central Gaza, and the limited goods available in markets selling for highly inflated prices. The GHF - which has been accused of violating humanitarian principles by international aid groups - received a further $30m in funding on Thursday from the US, which has supported Israeli efforts to see it become the largest aid organisation in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused Hamas of "once again taking control of humanitarian aid… and stealing it from civilians" in northern Gaza, as he gave the military two days to devise an "action plan" to prevent this. It came after video footage was filmed on Wednesday of a truck convoy carrying aid into northern Gaza, after entering through the Zikim gate, with armed and masked men on top. Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir shared the video on social media, saying Hamas was "taking control of the food and goods" and calling on Netanyahu to halt the entry of aid into Gaza. Hamas has denied stealing or profiting from aid, and Gaza's higher committee for tribal affairs - a non-Hamas affiliated committee created during the war - also dismissed Israel's "false claims" in a statement on Thursday. "The securing of aid has been carried out purely through tribal efforts," it said. At a warehouse in Gaza City on Thursday, thousands of aid parcels were distributed. Hamas political officials were present but said their role was "supervisory", with an NGO in charge of distributing some 6,000 food parcels. "This morning, when I woke up to the message telling me to go get aid, all my children, young and old, started singing and dancing with joy. I pray to God that this blessing remains with us," one woman waiting for food there said.

Shoots of hope for Britain's cherished ash trees

5 hours ago Share Save Helen Briggs • @hbriggs Environment correspondent, BBC News Share Save

Getty Images Ash dieback is a disease of ash trees, caused by a fungus

Ash trees are fighting back against a disease that has ravaged the British countryside, new scientific evidence shows. When ash dieback arrived in 2012, predictions suggested up to 85% of ash trees could be lost. But now scientists have discovered that ash woodlands are naturally evolving greater resistance to the infection. The discovery offers renewed hope that the much-loved trees will survive in the British landscape.

Getty Images Ash dieback has spread rapidly in Britain

"It is hope born out of the death of a lot of trees," said Prof Richard Buggs of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and Queen Mary University of London. But he said other interventions would be needed to give ash trees a helping hand, such as protecting trees from grazing deer and breeding the most resilient trees for future planting schemes. "We have fresh motivation to look after our ash populations, to protect them from other problems like deer browsing, and to let nature take its course and evolve trees with more resistance," he told BBC News. The Ash dieback fungus originated in Asia and was introduced to Europe about 30 years ago. The study of ash trees at a woodland in Surrey revealed subtle shifts over time in different genes, which should help new saplings fight back against it. The trees are evolving greater resistance to the disease than their predecessors - an example of Charles Darwin's natural selection theory in action. Richard Nichols, professor of evolutionary genetics at Queen Mary University of London, said a "tragedy for the trees has been a revelation for scientists: allowing us to show that thousands of genes are contributing to the ash trees' fightback against the fungus".

Paul Figg © RBG Kew The study was carried out in Marden Park wood in Surrey

Ash dieback demonstrates how devastating introduced pathogens can be for our trees and the species which rely upon them, said Rebecca Gosling of the Woodland Trust. "The findings highlight how vital it is to support natural regeneration in woodlands, furthering our understanding of how to best manage our ash woodlands," she said. Scientists had feared the ash would go the way of the elm, which has been almost wiped out by Dutch elm disease. The loss of the native tree would have a devastating effect on biodiversity as well as changing the face of the landscape.

Ukrainian forces halt Russian advance in Sumy region, says army chief

9 hours ago Share Save Laura Gozzi and Zhanna Bezpiatchuk BBC News, London and Kyiv Share Save

Getty Images A soldier prepares to fire artillery in the Sumy region of Ukraine, bordering Russia

The head of Ukraine's army, Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, has said his troops have stopped Russian advances in the northeastern border region of Sumy. During a visit to the front on Thursday, Syrskyi said the line of combat had been "stabilised" and that the Russian summer offensive in the area had been "choked off". However, Syrskyi also added that he had personally gone to check on fortifications in the region and that more were urgently needed. Syrskyi's comments on the successes of the Ukrainian troops in Sumy back recent statements by Ukrainian officials that Russia's pressure on the region was declining.

However, the situation remained "volatile", Border Guard spokesperson Andriy Demchenko said earlier this week. Sumy borders the Russian region of Kursk, parts of which were seized and occupied last year by Ukrainian forces in a surprise offensive before being almost totally driven out months later. The Kursk incursion was an embarrassment for Russia and in April President Vladimir Putin announced a plan to create "security buffer zones" along the border to provide "additional support" to areas in Russia which border Ukraine's Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv regions. Moscow has been pushing in the Sumy area with renewed effort since then. In late May Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky said 50,000 of Russia's "largest, strongest" troops were concentrated along the border and were planning to create a 10km (6-mile) buffer zone. Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia There has been criticism about the lack of fortifications in some areas of the Sumy region - and in his statement on Thursday Syrskyi tried to quell growing public concerns over delays in their construction. "Additional fortifications, the establishment of 'kill zones', the construction of anti-drone corridors to protect our soldiers and ensure more reliable logistics for our troops are obvious tasks that are being carried out," he said. However, Syrskyi acknowledged that these improvements had to be done better and more efficiently. In the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the lack of fortifications in certain parts of Ukraine allowed Moscow to make advances across the country - from its northern borders and from the illegally annexed Crimean peninsula. The window of opportunity to build fortifications in Sumy safely and quickly was in autumn 2024, when Ukrainian troops were still advancing in the Russia's border Kursk region and Sumy remained relatively unscathed.

Now may be too late, as Russia is undoubtedly well aware of the sections of the front line that lack strong fortifications. In the last several months Moscow has claimed to have captured several villages while pummelling the city of Sumy with heavy missile strikes, killing dozens. A single ballistic missile attack on 13 April killed at least 34 people and injured 117.

DeepState, a group that monitors the latest frontline developments in Ukraine, has quoted sources as confirming that combat is raging in various unfortified areas of Sumy. The delays with erecting "much-needed fortifications" or the "low quality of some of the dugouts" could no longer be ignored, DeepState analysts said. Asked about the summer offensive at a forum in St Petersburg last week, Putin said Russia did not "have the goal of capturing Sumy, but I don't rule it out". He said Russian forces had already established a buffer zone of 8-12km in depth. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, is now well into its fourth year. Large-scale Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian cities are on the rise. In recent weeks the capital Kyiv was targeted with record numbers of drones that overwhelm air defences and cause deadly explosions. Recent rounds of talks between Ukraine and Russia resulted in large prisoner exchanges but have so far failed to produce any tangible progress towards a ceasefire. Earlier this week Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said that European and Canadian allies had pledged €35bn (£30bn; $41bn) to Ukraine. But there remains nervousness in Kyiv over the level of US President Donald Trump's commitment to the Ukrainian cause and his volatile relationship with Zelensky.

'I can see it's very upsetting to you' - Trump asks BBC Ukrainian reporter about her family in discussion over air defences

Child Q: Teenagers ask 'could this happen to me?'

5 hours ago Share Save Sonja Jessup BBC London Home affairs correspondent Share Save

BBC Young people at the Voyage youth charity said the Child Q case had left them feeling unsafe

"I thought, if it could happen to a girl, that is younger than me, imagine what could happen to me?" It's more than four years since a 15-year-old girl, identified only as Child Q, was strip-searched by police officers at her school in Hackney, east London, after teachers wrongly accused her of carrying cannabis. The case led to public protests in east London in March 2022, after details came to light in a safeguarding report, which found the search was unjustified and racism was "likely" to have been a factor. A disciplinary hearing for the officers involved found that race was not a factor in the way Child Q was treated however the Met has acknowledged the incident has affected its relationship with black communities. Adnan, 18, said it made him feel less safe, "especially as a girl should be safer than me as a boy" and to start to worry about how police officers might look at him with suspicion. "Now I have to question how I walk, how I dress," he explains.

On Thursday, two Metropolitan Police officers who conducted the strip-search were sacked after they were found to have committed gross misconduct. Misconduct was proven in the case of a third police officer. Although the Met's disciplinary panel heard black schoolchildren were more likely to be treated as older and less vulnerable than their white peers, neither age or race were found to be a factor in the way Child Q was treated. The panel heard that black people were disproportionately more likely to be stopped and searched by police however, the panel did not accept an "inference" that the girl's race caused "less favourable treatment". Despite this, the Met apologised for "the damage this incident caused to the trust and confidence black communities across London have in our officers". Commander Kevin Southworth said the force recognised there had been organisational failings, and the incident had brought about a series of changes such as ensuring any searches where intimate parts of the body were exposed was authorised by an inspector, and an appropriate adult must be present. The force added that it "continued to listen to communities and partners on what more we need to do around our processes" and that it would "continue to work closely with schools".

'Are the police against us?'

Adnan tells me some of his friends took part in the protests and that it had brought the community together, demanding answers from the Met. "But I feel like we shouldn't have to do all of that, since [officers] are supposed to make us feel protected, instead of threatened." "It just made me think, is the police against us, or with us?" agrees 18-year-old Prince. The teenagers, along with Alyssia, 17, Edem, 17, and Tosin, 20, are all ambassadors for Voyage, which describes itself as a social justice charity tackling racial imbalance in London.

Alyssia said she worried for vulnerable children who may not know what their rights are

"I don't think this would've happened to a white girl from a grammar school," Alyssia tells me. "It made me think, 'how do teachers see me? How do teachers see my friends? Could this happen to me?' And it made me feel really scared." "I feel like her rights were stripped from her when police did that," Edem says, referring to the search. "They're supposed to be an extreme measure," adds Alyssia. "There's so many other things they could've done for that girl, whereas that was their first resort and I just don't understand why." Last year a national report from the children's commissioner on the number of children strip searched raised concerns but found there had been a "sharp reduction" in London which suggested that "some efforts to address the issue are having an impact".

She said the case made her fearful for her own safety and for her younger brother, and that she worried about vulnerable children "who might not know what their rights are". I ask whether she and her friends and family talk about what to do if they are stopped by police. She tells me she does, because she feels she has a "duty to protect" her younger brother. "But I think it's sad that we even have to be having a conversation about this, because it should be the police that's changing, not us."

Prince said he had been left confused over why he was stopped and searched and questioned whether it was because of his appearance

Prince tells me that he was stopped and searched a couple of years ago, on his way home from study club. It left him upset and confused. "My record is clean and I've never done anything bad to be in the books of police or anything, so, like the way they treated me wasn't really right. "It made me feel a type of way about it - is it because I'm black? Is it because of the way I look? Is it because I've got dreads? "I still think about it."

Tosin says he's never been stopped and searched but says he's had police "follow" him and his friends and questions whether he's been racially profiled. "If you look at me right now, I have twists, I have earrings. People might think I come from a bad background, but I actually come from a pretty good background." What does he think the solution is to improving trust between police and young people? "I think as long as the police just communicate with people, and really engage with ethnic minorities, we can have a good relationship." Adnan agrees that police need to be based, long term, in their local community, so they get to know the Londoners they are protecting. Edem adds that it's also important the Met recruits officers from diverse backgrounds who reflect those communities. Through Voyage he's been introduced to a couple of officers in the Met Black Police Association who he "trusts already". "The way they connected with me, the way they were from the same communities that I was from, it showed that they cared about progress and how to keep everyone safe." In recent years, the Met has launched a recruitment drive to try and attract women, black people and ethnic minority communities to increase diversity in its workforce.

Tosin and Adnan agreed police needed to do more to get to know their local community

Former Met Det Supt Shabnam Chaudhri told me what happened to Child Q was "unacceptable on every level." "Young people do need to be stopped and searched. They get used regularly as carriers of firearms, drugs, cash, all sorts of things, but [police] need to manage it in a better way." Earlier this year, the Met introduced a new set of commitments on stop and search, following consultation with communities across London, including young people. The force has previously said it's changed its policy on strip searches on children to balance the need for them against the impact they can have, recognising some may be a victim of exploitation by those involved in gangs. It says as well as requiring an appropriate adult to be present, an inspector must now give authority before this type of search takes place. Last year, the Met launched a Race Action Plan to try and rebuild trust with London's black communities.

But when I put this to Adnan, who says he has been involved in some of the consultations, he is not convinced. "Some sessions I went to, it felt like the police officers didn't even want to be there, and it felt like another chore they didn't want to do." Paul Anderson, CEO of Voyage, tells me there is "no shortage of people" wanting to question their young members about their views to inform policy, but he's yet to see meaningful action. "We can talk till the cows come home, but actually we want to see change happen, and we're just not seeing that happen."

Paul Anderson, CEO of Voyage, called on police to be more open and transparent with community groups

He says it was partly his own "brutal" experience of being searched by police when growing up in the 1980s which led him to create the group and share his story with younger generations. But he's frustrated that years later, they're still having the same conversations. He said police need to practice openness and transparency, including talking to groups like theirs when a young person is stabbed in the area, and when extra stop and search powers, known as section 60, are being put in place. "Information like that is a bolt of lightening to us," he tells me. "So we can inform the young people to 'be on your Ps and Qs, dress smart, walk well, stay in safe spaces, stay seen." But he says that doesn't happen. "It's that sort of catching out of the community, more than us seeing that support to bridge that gap between young people and the police."

He also tells me about how he's tried to gain clarity on whether officers will have a role in local schools. Last September, an overhaul of Safer Schools Officers (SSOs) was announced in Hackney, meaning they would now advise on policy, but avoid involvement in non-criminal or minor issues affecting young people in school. Earlier this year, the Met said they would cut officers from schools across London and move them into neighbourhood policing in a bid to save money, which led some teachers to express concern it would make children less safe. Although the officers involved in the search of Child Q were not SSOs, Ngozi Fulani, CEO of the Hackney domestic violence charity Sistah Space, says the case illustrated why police should not be in the classroom. "I would take a guess that those who want police officers in their schools know that there's a very low likelihood of their children ever being discriminated against."

Tosin thinks that having more officers in schools could be a helpful move if they are from ethnic minority backgrounds, but Alyssia believes those roles should be filled by youth workers instead. She says the voices of young people are often missing in decision making by authorities. Prince tells me he's not reassured by the Met's promises of reform. "They'll say something, 'oh yeah, I'm sorry, blah blah blah' but the next couple of months you're hearing something happening with the police doing something bad. "Come on. You can't keep apologising if you're going to keep doing it."

Who is Lauren Sanchez? Journalist, pilot and Jeff Bezos' fiancee

7 hours ago Share Save Yasmin Rufo BBC News Share Save

Getty Images Bezos and Sanchez have been in a relationship since 2019

It's the wedding that everyone is talking about - US tech billionaire Jeff Bezos is set to marry TV presenter Lauren Sanchez, and the million-dollar party in Venice has caused quite a stir. Activists have been protesting against the event, with "No Space for Bezos" posters and banners plastered across the city. But the three-day event is set to go ahead and the guest list is rumoured to include hundreds of A-listers, including Kim Kardashian, Mick Jagger and Leonardo DiCaprio. While Bezos' name is synonymous with e-commerce empires, space technology companies and extreme wealth, his wife-to-be is perhaps lesser known but is no stranger to the spotlight.

Early life

Sanchez is a third-generation Mexican-American and was born in New Mexico in 1969 and raised in California. In 2017, she told The Hollywood Reporter that she didn't have much growing up. "We came from nothing. I used to sleep in the back of my grandmother's car when she would go clean houses," she said. As a young adult, she applied to be an air stewardess but was told she weighed too much - "back then, they weighed you, and I weighed 121 pounds. They said, 'You need to be 115'", she told The Wall Street Journal. She chose instead to study journalism at the University of Southern California, leaving in 1994 to pursue a career in broadcast journalism.

Getty Images Sanchez was the original host of dancing competition So You Think You Can Dance

Journalism career

Sanchez worked in various local newsrooms before landing roles as a reporter and anchor at outlets like Fox Sports Net, Extra, and Good Day LA. She was a familiar face on American television in the late 1990s and earned an Emmy nomination for her show on Fox Sports Net, Going Deep and won an Emmy Award in 1999 as the anchor on KCOP-TV's UPN News 13. Sanchez went on to work as the co-host of KTTV Fox 11's Good Day LA, an anchor on the Fox 11 News at Ten and was the original host of dancing competition So You Think You Can Dance. According to The Times, in 2003 Sanchez appeared on the cover of lads' magazine Open Your Eyes with the headline: America's hottest news anchor.

Helicopter pilot

At the age of 40, Sanchez pivoted from news desks to cockpits and became a licensed helicopter pilot which she says was inspired by her father who was a flight instructor. In 2016, she launched Black Ops Aviation, becoming the first woman to own an aerial film production company. The company has provided cinematography to clients such as Netflix and Amazon and served as a consultant on Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk. Her interest in aviation saw her join the all-female crew of Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket earlier this year alongside Gayle King and Katy Perry. Sanchez said that the 10-minute suborbital spaceflight mission funded by Jeff Bezos' aerospace venture, made her come back with an open heart. "Protect this planet we're on, this is the only one we've got," she said. She also released a children's book in 2024 - The Fly Who Flew to Space - which drew on her own childhood struggles with undiagnosed dyslexia.

Personal life

Getty Images Sanchez has two children with her ex-husband, Patrick Whitesell

'I've been fighting for so long': More than half of special needs plans delayed

7 hours ago Share Save Kate McGough Education reporter, BBC News Share Save

Family handout Sue's daughter Matilda (centre) waited 72 weeks for her education, health and care plan

Children and young people with special educational needs are facing longer waits for support plans with fewer than half issued on time last year, according to new government data. Only 46% of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) were issued by local authorities within the 20 week deadline in 2024, the Department for Education (DfE) said on Thursday morning. It said local authorities are "overwhelmed" and it will set out "wide-ranging reform" in the autumn. The new data comes as parents and charities expressed concerns that the changes could involve replacing EHCPs altogether.

Sue lives on the Wirral, in Merseyside, with her two daughters - Matilda, 11, and seven-year-old Isadora. The family has just secured an EHCP for Matilda after a process lasting 72 weeks - nearly a year longer than the 20 week deadline. "I now fully appreciate that parents [of children with SEND] are stuck in fight or flight mode. I've been fighting so long," Sue said. Matilda is in her last year of primary school and has been getting extra support for suspected autism as well as ADHD. Sue says her daughter "really struggles with change" and is worried that the delay means she has missed the chance of a managed transition into secondary school. Wirral Council said it is processing more than twice the number of requests for EHCP needs assessments than before the Covid pandemic. It said it had recently invested an extra £2.8m per year into improving its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services and had doubled the number of caseworkers. However, Sue is worried that after a long fight to get a plan in place, the government might decide to scrap or change EHCPs during promised reforms in the autumn. She says this would be "devastating" for parents like her. "For Matilda, it would have to be a complete rethink of mainstream education works," Sue said. "She wouldn't cope with the class sizes. She's got a lot of sensory issues, she can't wear school uniform. "Behaviour policies in mainstream schools aren't flexible enough for students who display complex and challenging distress behaviours. "Without an EHCP to tell people what to do there's no guarantee that child will get the support to help them progress."

The number of children and young people in England with an EHCP has increased to 638,745, the highest number since they were introduced a decade ago and a nearly 11% rise on last year. An EHCP is a legal document outlining the support for special educational needs that a child or young person is entitled to. It could outline the need for one-to-one assistance, specialist equipment or other tailored support, and it is issued by local authorities after an assessment of the child's needs. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has previously said she would like to see more children supported in mainstream schools, and has put aside £740m to help schools adapt. At the moment, 43% of young people with EHCPs are already in mainstream schools. There are nearly 1.3 million pupils currently getting support for special educational needs in schools in England without an EHCP, but many parents value the legal rights to support that the plans set out and fight hard to get them put in place.

Britain's world number 719 Oliver Tarvet has reached the Wimbledon singles main draw - which will contain the highest number of home players for 41 years.

Tarvet upset Belgian world number 144 Alexander Blockx 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-1 in the final round of qualifying on Thursday.

It was the 21-year-old's first time playing a best-of-five match.

Tarvet's victory means there will be 23 British players - 13 men and 10 women - in the singles draw when Wimbledon begins on 30 June.

That is the most since 1984, when there were nine men and 14 women.

How is your hospital doing as NHS battles to bring down waiting times?

26 minutes ago Share Save Daniel Wainwright Data journalist, BBC Verify Share Save

Getty Images

Share Save Nick Triggle • @nicktriggle Health correspondent Share Save

Doctors and patient groups warn that the NHS in England is facing an uphill struggle on the government's number one NHS priority – improving hospital waiting times. They are concerned about the lack of progress towards hitting the 18-week waiting time target, one of Labour's key election pledges. It has not been met since 2015. Since the election, the proportion of patients waiting less than 18 weeks has improved, but by less than a percentage point. And an analysis of hospital trusts by BBC Verify found over a third are seeing a smaller share of patients within 18 weeks since the NHS improvement plan was announced in January. But the government said it was premature to suggest progress was too slow as the NHS had only started to push forward with the government's improvement plan in April. Before that, it had focussed on other priorities, including tackling the very longest waits.

It said the fact waiting times had continued to improve even during winter - the first time this had happened for 10 years - was encouraging. And in an interview with the BBC, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said progress would go "further and faster" in the coming years, helped by the extra money being invested and the 10-year NHS plan, due to be published next week. He said lots had been achieved so far, including millions more appointments being carried out and the total number of patients on the waiting list dropping to below 7.4 million, its lowest level for two years. On the 18-week target, he acknowledged there was "much more to do", before adding: "There's a big challenge here. Are we going to meet it? Absolutely. We are not going to let people down." The government has promised to hit the target by March 2029, which requires 92% of patients to be seen within 18 weeks. In January, every hospital trust was given their own individual performance targets to meet by March 2026 as the first step in achieving that pledge. BBC Verify is launching an interactive tool, which we will update when there is new data, so you can find out how well your local NHS services are doing. We have included NHS trusts in England that had at least 5,000 cases waiting in November.

'I've forgotten what it is like to not be in pain'

John Winnik John Winnik, pictured with partner Lyn Williams, has been on a waiting list for nine months

John Winnik does not know when he will get treatment for a problem with his back. The grandfather from West Yorkshire, who has arthritis, has been on an NHS waiting list for nine months so far - much longer than the 18 weeks the health service says should be the limit. The 73-year-old paid privately to go to Lithuania for a right hip replacement last year, having spent more than a year on the NHS waiting list. He's also having injections in his left hip, which will eventually need replacing. "I'm living in constant pain," said Mr Winnik, a self-employed consultant in the glass lamination industry. "I've forgotten what it is like to not be in pain, to be honest. I haven't played golf for two years and if I do five minutes of gardening, I'm shattered."

Royal College of Surgeons of England president Tim Mitchell said: "The NHS is changing course, but the sails still lack wind. "Progress is being made in some parts of the country, but it's too slow to meet the government's ambition of hitting the 18-week target by the end of this parliament. "Delayed operations mean patients left waiting in pain, with their condition potentially deteriorating." He said the extra money being put into the NHS in the coming years would help, but "serious underinvestment" in infrastructure like operating theatres over the years is hampering efforts. Deborah Alsina, chief executive of the patient group Versus Arthritis, also has doubts, saying there was scepticism about whether the rapid progress needed could be achieved. And she added: "It is impossible to overstate the personal, physical and mental toll of being stuck on a waiting list in daily pain, sometimes for years. "There's also a wider impact on society, with many people on waiting lists having to drop out of work, despite wanting to stay in employment, and becoming increasingly reliant on others." The interim targets for March 2026 mean trusts either have to be seeing 60% of patients within 18 weeks of referral or improve on their November 2024 position by five percentage points - whichever is the greater. The NHS overall in England is expected to ensure 65% of patients do not wait longer than 18 weeks - currently less than 60% are. The majority of trusts have already started making progress, however a BBC Verify analysis shows 50 - more than one third - are now further away from the target since November 2024. Once the trusts that have improved are taken into account the overall trend though is positive.

A handful of trusts have already got to where they need to be by next March - as long as they can keep their waiting lists down. Mersey and West Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust had more than 48,000 patients waiting less than 18 weeks so far for treatment, 64.2% of the total, in April. That is up from 58.7% in November. East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust also reached 60.1% in April, up from 54.9% in November. The biggest target for improvement was set for The Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust in Harlow, according to our analysis. In November, 41.8% of its patients were waiting less than 18 weeks. By April, that had risen to about 48.8% - one of the biggest improvements in England so far. But it needs to rise further by more than 11 percentage points by next March. PAHT chief executive Thom Lafferty said they were "delighted" with their progress. "We recognise the impact for patients who are waiting for care and we are enhancing integration and collaboration with our partners to ensure that patients can access the right care, in the right place, at the right time." Some trusts have a higher mountain to climb because their figures have dipped since November. Mid and South Essex NHS Trust started out with 52.8% of patients waiting less than 18 weeks in November. But when the clock started in April, it had fallen to 47%. Two of its theatres at Basildon Hospital have been closed for work along with some of the trust's procedure rooms and it has had an increase in referrals. Chief executive Matthew Hopkins said it was putting on extra clinics and had a new orthopaedic procedure room opening soon, adding: "We are confident we will improve our waiting times and improve patient experience." Others that have fallen despite requiring large improvements include the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) in Shropshire (down from 48.3% to 44.9%) and Countess of Chester, down from 49.6% to 47.1%. Cathy Chadwick, chief operating officer for Countess of Chester, said more clinics and investment in new technology would bring down waiting lists and the trust was confident of meeting the target by next March. A spokesman for RJAH said: "We have a clear ambition to hit the target of 60% by March 2026, and are confident that the plans we have put in place will enable us to do so."

Targets in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are different and the interim targets for next March set by the UK government do not apply. However, the NHS is not meeting the waiting time targets in any nation. While Scotland aims for 90% of patients to be treated within 18 weeks of referral, in Wales the target is for 95% of patients to wait less than 26 weeks. In Northern Ireland, 55% of patients should wait no longer than 13 weeks for day case or inpatient treatment.

Drug for rare disease brings 'joy and hope'

33 minutes ago Share Save Fergus Walsh Medical Editor Share Save

BBC Mary Catchpole is the first person to benefit from a new treatment for a rare condition affecting her family

A teenager from Norfolk has become the first patient in Europe to be given a newly licensed treatment which could potentially cure her life-threatening, inherited disorder. Mary Catchpole, 19, lost her mother, grandmother and several other relatives to the rare condition which affects the immune system, reducing her ability to fight infections. "This treatment has brought me hope and joy," Mary told BBC News: "I feel like I can do anything, but it is bittersweet because my family members passed away before they could benefit." The newly licensed drug, leniolisib, is the first targeted treatment for her condition, Activated PI3-kinase Delta Syndrome or APDS.

Not only is Mary the first patient to benefit from the drug but her family played a key role in research leading to the discovery of the ultra-rare condition. APDS was identified in 2013 by researchers at the University of Cambridge and clinicians at Addenbrooke's hospital who found a faulty gene carried by several members of Mary's family. Dr Anita Chandra, consultant immunologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital and Affiliated Assistant Professor at the University of Cambridge said: "It is incredible to go from the discovery of a new disease in Cambridge to a treatment being approved and offered on the NHS, within the space of 12 years."

Mary's dad Jimmy (L) says the drug is something he has dreamt of since Mary was first diagnosed

Mary's father Jimmy said: "We just wanted to help, not just for our own sakes, but we'd heard there were other rare cases. "My wife volunteered for trials and, when Mary got old enough, she did too." Mary's mother Sarah died aged 43, her aunt aged 12, her uncle aged 39 and her grandmother at 48. One of Mary's cousins was successfully treated as a child with a bone marrow transplant, but these carry significant risks. Mary, who was 12 when her mother died, told us: "It was always a fear that I would die young too but with this medication, I know I can have a longer life, which is what she wanted." In APDS, an enzyme produced in the body is "switched on" all the time, disrupting the development of white blood cells and causing the immune system to be disregulated. People with the condition are vulnerable to repeated lung infections which can lead to irreversible damage. It can cause organs and lymph nodes to swell, and the body's immune system to attack healthy tissue. Patients are also at risk of lymphoma, a cancer which affects a type of white blood cell. The drug, branded Joenja, is taken twice daily as tablets, and works by blocking the enzyme, allowing the immune system to work normally. Jimmy told the BBC: "This is something I have dreamt about since Mary was first diagnosed; it is giving her the chance to live a normal life." Mary suffered regular chest infections as a child and has been repeatedly treated with intravenous antibiotics, nebulisers and immunoglobulin replacement therapy. She has been taking the leniolisib tablets for less than a month but has already stopped some other medication. Dr Chandra, who is Mary's consultant and has treated several other family members, said the drug was a "potential cure".

Open-air 'living museum' scoops prestigious £120k prize

5 hours ago Share Save Steven McIntosh Entertainment reporter Share Save

Getty Images The recent Remaking Beamish project added areas including a 1950s town and farm

An open-air museum in County Durham that features faithful recreations of old homes, shops, farms and a colliery has won the annual award for the UK's museum of the year. Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, brings the history of the region from the 1820s to the 1950s to life through a series of immersive exhibits. The museum, which opened in 1972 and aims to preserve local heritage, will receive £120,000 prize money. Art Fund director Jenny Waldman, the chair of the judges, described Beamish as "a joyous, immersive and unique place" that had been "a jewel in the crown of the North East for 55 years".

David Levene Milk bars and electrical shops are among the immersive exhibits in the recreated town

The museum allows visitors to travel back in time to look around replica towns, villages and working landscapes from bygone days, meeting costumed staff and volunteers to experience stories of everyday life. In the past year, the museum has completed its Remaking Beamish project, which saw the opening of a 1950s town, developed with input from local people who had first-hand knowledge of that era. The recreated town includes a milk bar, pub, a photographer's studio, transport such as trams and old cars, and shops including a confectioner's.

David Levene The interiors of the shops give a feel for the decoration and products that would have been on sale at the time

The project saw 32,000 local residents and 14,000 schoolchildren contribute to 31 new exhibits. The past 12 months have also seen the museum open a string of miners' cottages, which tell the story of the pioneering welfare provision for retired workers in County Durham. Beamish had more than 830,000 visitors last year. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the award "recognises the extraordinary contribution that Beamish has made to celebrate the heritage of the North East".

David Levene

Waldman added: "The judges were blown away by the remarkable attention to detail of its exhibits across a 350-acre site and by the passion of its staff and volunteers. "With three quarters of adults in the North East of England saying museums make them proud of where they live, Beamish is a shining example of how museums enrich and celebrate local communities." Fellow judge and comedian Phil Wang said the panel's visit to the venue "was one of the most fun days I've had in years". Beamish chief executive Rhiannon Hiles was presented with the £120,000 prize at a ceremony at the Museum of Liverpool on Thursday.

David Levene

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The Club World Cup may have had a lukewarm reception in some parts during the group stages, but Manchester City did their best to kindle interest with a statement victory over Juventus on Thursday.

City's sizzling performance in the sweltering heat of Orlando ensured the 5-2 hammering of their Italian opponents made it a flawless record in Group G, allowing them to finish top of the standings.

Pep Guardiola's men dominated the contest from start to finish, brushing off a downpour during the first half to lay down a marker in this tournament.

The Spaniard has maintained this competition is the start of the new season rather than the continuation of the previous disappointing one and was suitably impressed by what he saw from his players.

"I liked the way we did it," Guardiola told Dazn. "It has been a long, long time since we had a performance like this on and off the ball. The players were committed and we are happy to beat a top side.

"This is just one game, but I think the players felt again what it was like to be a good team. The belief always comes from your performances, not your past."

Alexander-Arnold and Robertson played together on 279 occasions - an average of 35 games a season in all competitions in their eight seasons together.

And each of them only played more games with Mohamed Salah.

Robertson joined from Hull City for £8m in 2017-18 with Alexander-Arnold, an academy product, having made his debut the season before.

They won 185 of those 279 games, losing 43 times.

The two full-backs played attacking roles in former boss Jurgen Klopp's high-energy football - and had a hand in nearly unprecedented numbers of goals.

In isolation their assist hauls would be remarkable but the fact they were both doing it at the same time is even more amazing.

In March 2019 Alexander-Arnold told the BBC: "We both thrive off each other's performances.

"We have got a competition between ourselves this season to see who gets more goals and assists. It's a healthy competition."

Only on 10 occasions in Premier League history has a defender created 10 or more goals in a Premier League season - and Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have each done it three times.

In 2019-20 they assisted 25 goals between them.

It was that record performance in Monaco which made Kipyegon believe sub-four - once considered physiologically impossible for a woman - was within reach.

But the three-time Olympic 1500m champion still had a chasm to bridge, being required to run two seconds per lap faster than she had before.

Kipyegon was kitted out in an aerodynamic skinsuit and specially designed spikes as she targeted sub-60 second laps - an average speed of about 15 miles or 24 kilometres, per hour.

She was aided by 13 pacemakers, including Britain's Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell and Jemma Reekie, as she chased the Wavelights tracking her progress on the inside curb of the track.

Kipyegon completed the third lap in 3:01.84, but her hopes of achieving the target gradually faded in the final 400m.

She still ran through the finish tape in the fastest time in history by a woman before collapsing to the ground.

The tape was held by her friend and training partner Eliud Kipchoge, who in 2019 became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours.

"I have proven that it is possible, it is only a matter of time. If it is not me, it will be somebody else," Kipyegon said.

"I will not lose hope, I will still go for it. I hope I will get it one day."

Sending a message to her daughter and young girls watching the record attempt, she said: "I will tell them we are not limited. We can limit ourselves with thoughts, but it is possible to try everything and prove to the world that we are strong. Keep pushing."

'End point to my life is much sooner than it should be' Video, 00:02:31'End point to my life is much sooner than it should be'