Child, 7, dies after tree falls in park

3 hours ago Share Save Louise Parry BBC News, Essex Share Save

Elliot Deady/BBC Police tape cordons off the area where children were injured when a tree fell at Chalkwell Park in Essex

A child has died and another is in critical condition after a tree fell in a park. Essex Police were called to Chalkwell Park in Southend-on-Sea to reports that "a number of children were caught beneath the tree and suffered injuries". Five children were taken to hospital, but the force later confirmed that a seven-year-old girl had died and her family were being supported by officers. It added that another girl, six, suffered serious injuries and was in a critical condition.

Elliot Deady/BBC Southend-on-Sea City Council asked the public to stay away from the area while emergency workers continued on the scene

Three other children sustained minor injuries and were being treated in hospital. Police said investigations were continuing at the park to establish the circumstances around this incident.

Aaron Chesham Two air ambulances attended the incident and five children were taken to hospital by land ambulance

Ch SuptLeighton Hammett said: "Families are facing unimaginable hardship this evening and all of our thoughts are with them at this time. "I cannot begin to put into words how difficult today's events have been, and continue to be, for them. It's also not lost on me how traumatic it must have been for the members of the public who witnessed this awful incident. "Across a matter of moments, many of them went from enjoying the warm summer weather to rushing to the aid of strangers without a second thought." He continued: "They showed the best of Southend today, and I'm sorry this update does not bring them more positive news. "My officers, and our partners with the ambulance and fire service, did all they could to help the two injured children. Today's loss is one they will all take personally." He added that support would be put in place for emergency service responders who went to the incident.

Venice divided as lavish Bezos wedding brings glamour and protests

5 hours ago Share Save Sarah Rainsford Rome Correspondent Reporting from Venice Share Save

EPA/Shutterstock Protesters unfurled a banner aimed at Bezos from Venice's famous Rialto bridge

The lavish wedding party of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and TV presenter Lauren Sanchez concludes on Saturday evening in Venice with the main gala event. But as their celebrity guests were preparing to step into water taxis from their luxury hotels, paparazzi poised, a crowd of some Venetians gathered to protest against the big event. Their causes are varied, from locals opposed to over-tourism in a delicate city, to activists protesting against climate change and capitalism. Hundreds marched through the city on Saturday, hanging a "no space for Bezos" banner from the Rialto bridge and setting off multicoloured flares. But plans to launch themselves into the city's canals with inflatable crocodiles and block the wedding guests' passage were dropped. In pictures: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding

Spotted heading into Harry Bar's for lunch on Saturday, Bezos blew kisses towards the cameras when a local journalist asked what he made of the protests. The city's deputy mayor dismissed the activists as "narcissists" and insisted the wedding was the "high-quality tourism" Venice needs. Simone Venturini, city councillor for economic developments, said he hoped "a lot of people will want to get married in Venice" now and boost the city's wedding sector. "We are not Iran. The city cannot say who can or who cannot get married. We have no moral police going around," he told the BBC on the bank of the Grand Canal, as gondolas loaded with tourists drifted by.

Reuters Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos's extravagant wedding celebrations ended on Saturday

The activists have already claimed one win, though. Tonight's party was moved further from the city centre for security reasons. The new venue, Arsenale, is easier to protect. "I think the main problem is that Venice is becoming like an amusement park," argues Paola, an Italian member of the Extinction Rebellion group. She's especially incensed that wedding guests arrived here on private jets and argues the world's elite are the worst polluters. "Of course, mass tourism is eating the city alive, but the fact that billionaires can come here and use the city as their amusement park is an enormous problem."

Stars descend for 'wedding of the year'

Instagram/Reuters

The Italian media have leapt on the glitz and glamour of what they are dubbing the "wedding of the year." Their pages and posts are full of pictures of the 200 or so A-list celebrities now in town, including Leonardo di Caprio and Kim Kardashian. There's talk of cuttlefish banquets – tonight's spread will feature cod, cooked regional-style – and photos of the bride's white lace Dolce and Gabbana gown, apparently inspired by one worn by Sophia Loren in the 1950s. It seems, however, that talk of this wedding bringing the city to a halt was overblown. Ivanka Trump has been spotted at an art gallery, as has Bill Gates, and the newly married couple have been photographed and filmed in various locations and outfits. But most tourists, or Venetians, are more likely to bump into a Bezos look-a-like, who made the journey from Germany specially to pose for photos, than any of the real-life rich and famous. There are plenty of water taxis and gondolas still free for hire and no crowds of angry tourists, deprived of their magical ride. Some streets were briefly closed around the main events but disruption appears to have been minimal. Most of the posters declaring "No Space for Bezos" have been ripped down and just the odd bit of graffiti can be seen. Attempts to project slogans on buildings were quickly stopped by police. A planned march by protesters on Saturday evening is taking place with official permission.

EPA/Shutterstock A host of A-list celebrities, including Kim and Khloe Kardashian, have been spotted in Venice over the three days

Venetians divided

But fears of Venice becoming a tourist playground, forcing locals out of town, are no exaggeration. Just down from the main railway station, police check visitors at random for mandatory day passes. It is a new measure to try to control the crowds. All around, cafes are packed with people shiny-faced from the humidity and pink from the brutally fierce sun. A short walk away is the pretty piazza where Roberto Zanon has spent all his life but which he now has to leave. His landlord has sold his home to out-of-town developers and the 77-year old is being evicted soon together with his two dogs. Finding anything else in his home city is impossible, Roberto says. He can't compete with higher-paying tourists. "One, two, three doors - those are locals, but the rest is all for tourism now," Roberto says, pointing to the wooden doors around his square. "There are fewer and fewer Venetians here," he says quietly, deeply upset at the loss of his home. "There is no purpose any more. You lose your friends. You lose piece of your heart. But sadly this situation is unstoppable." That doesn't mean Roberto is fretting about a billionaire choosing Venice for his wedding, mind you. He worked in tourism himself for many years and calls it "an honour" to have such famous guests in the city he himself loves so much. "I find it positive." He's not alone.

Roberto, 77, is being evicted from his Venice home but still finds the wedding 'positive' for the city

Budapest Pride draws huge crowds in defiance of Orban legal threats

5 hours ago Share Save Nick Thorpe BBC Budapest Correspondent Stuart Lau BBC News Share Save

Reuters People cross Elisabeth Bridge during the Pride March in Budapest

Tens of thousands have gathered for the Budapest Pride march, defying Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's legal threats against LGBTQ rights activists. Organisers estimated that a record 200,000 people may have taken part despite mounting pressure from nationalist conservative politicians and police to stop any display of pro-LGBTQ material. The police issued a ban in line with a new "child protection" law restricting gatherings considered to be promoting homosexuality. Orban downplayed the possibility of violent clashes between police and participants, but warned of potential legal repercussions for attendees.

Reuters

"Of course, the police could break up such events, because they have the authority to do so, but Hungary is a civilised country, a civic society. We don't hurt each other," he told state radio on Friday. "There will be legal consequences, but it cannot reach the level of physical abuse." Attendees risk a fine of up to €500 (£427; $586), with police empowered to use facial recognition technology to identify them. Organisers could face a one-year prison sentence. Luca, 34, who is planning to attend with her mother Enikö, said they want a country of "diversity" which she said they don't currently have. "We have a law that bans people who are different from others to gather. This is why we are here. Because it's hurting our rights. That's why we came." She told the BBC she is worried about her four-year-old daughter's future living "in a country where she can't love anyone she wants to". Barnabás said he was attending to "express my solidarity with the LGBTQ community... because I know what it feels like not being seen and to be treated like an outcast, which obviously everyone here is not". Not part of the community himself, the 22-year-old said he comes from the countryside, where people "are more likely to be xenophobic and homophobic". EU equalities commissioner Hadja Lahbib, a former Belgian foreign minister, is in Budapest and expected to join the march. On Friday, she posted a picture showing her standing with the liberal Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony in front of a rainbow flag symbolising gay rights. The Pride march "will be a powerful symbol of the strength of the civil society", she wrote on X.

Reuters A pro-LGBT placard depicting Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban

Dozens of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were also expected to be in attendance. Finnish MEP Li Andersson said it was important for her and her European colleagues to be there to show solidarity with both Hungary's LGBTQI community and civil society. "It's important to emphasise that the reason why we are here is not only Pride - this is about the fundamental rights of all of us." She added that she thinks Orban is using arguments on family values as a pretext to ban the march. "[It's] a march that is fundamentally about equality and about equal rights for anyone - for everybody, about the right to love and live with whoever you choose. "And I think that's a core value that any free and democratic society should respect."

Reuters People gathered to march from across the country - and Europe - in solidarity with Hungary's Pride

Netanyahu hopes for boost from Iran conflict - but do Israelis still trust him?

10 hours ago Share Save Wyre Davies BBC News Reporting from Jerusalem Share Save

Reuters Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits a site in Israel hit by Iranian missiles

Back in March, as he turned his back on a ceasefire process that was delivering results, the Israeli prime minister took a decision described by some commentators as akin to "political suicide". The Gaza ceasefire deal, brokered by Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff even before the US president was inaugurated to his second term, had led to the release of dozens of hostages from Hamas captivity, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. The next stage was due to see more hostages return home and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, before a negotiated end to the war. Tired of conflict, Israelis and Palestinians contemplated the end of the most destructive war in a common history too frequently punctuated by fighting. But Benjamin Netanyahu didn't want the war to end. As he ordered the resumption of attacks across Gaza, the prime minister declared that fighting would continue until Hamas had been "completely destroyed".

The safe return of the remaining hostages in Gaza seemed to be a secondary consideration. (The civilian consequences in Gaza itself didn't merit a mention.) Many Israelis, especially the hostage families, were outraged. They accused Netanyahu of putting his own political survival ahead of their relatives' safety and the greater good of the nation. "Bibi's" popularity in the polls plummeted and he struggled to keep together a disjointed government, propped up by hardline ministers from the far right and orthodox religious parties. Three months on, Netanyahu is basking in the glory of a spectacular military victory over his nemesis, Iran. He is now said to be contemplating early elections and yet another term as prime minister. At a press conference earlier this week, the 75-year-old, who is already Israel's longest-serving leader, said he still had "many missions" to complete and would seek to do so for as long as "the people" of Israel want him to. Later in the week, and presenting the presumed destruction of Iran's nuclear programme as a "window of opportunity" that "must not be missed", Netanyahu suggested only he could secure the "freeing of hostages and defeat of Hamas" after which he would strike wider regional agreements. But calling early elections would be a big risk and, according to the latest polls, Netanyahu hasn't enjoyed as big a "bounce" from the 12-day conflict with Iran as he might have hoped for.

'Trust'

In a fractured political system where coalition building is key in the 120-seat Knesset, Netanyahu's Likud Party would fall well short of a majority by itself and could struggle to pull together support from smaller parties on the right, suggests latest polling in the Ma'ariv newspaper. The same polling suggested a significant majority, 59% of Israelis, want the fighting in Gaza to stop now, in exchange for the hostages. Almost half of those asked, some 49%, also thought the only reason Netanyahu is continuing the war is for his own political considerations. "The guy is a very skilful political actor," says Professor Tamar Hermann, a senior Research Fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute. "There is no more skilled politician in Israel." But, he says, "trust" is a big problem for Netanyahu. A political leader who has changed his spots so many times to cling to the reins of power is simply no longer believed by a majority of Israelis. According to new polling, soon to be released by Prof Hermann's Israel Democracy Institute, Netanyahu "doesn't cross the 50% line in terms of Israelis expressing full or even partial trust in him". In some ways, says Prof Hermann, deciding to call early elections "is an even greater risk [for Netanyahu] than attacking Iran because in the Middle East you really don't know where you will be in six months". That's because, despite his military gamble in Iran seemingly paying off, there's an elephant in the corner of Benjamin Netanyahu's living room. Indeed, you could say a small herd of elephants is threatening to disrupt the prime minister's hopes of yet another term in office.

Corruption charges

Reuters US President Donald Trump has defended his Israeli counterpart

Government condemns Glastonbury chants aired live on BBC

56 minutes ago Share Save Zahra Fatima BBC News Share Save

Getty Images The act performed on the West Holts Stage just ahead of a performance by Kneecap

The government has "strongly condemned" chants at Glastonbury Festival from rap punk duo Bob Vylan calling for "death" to the Israeli military and broadcast live on the BBC. Rapper Bobby Vylan led chants of "free, free Palestine" and "death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]" during their set, which came just before Belfast rap trio Kneecap. A BBC spokesperson said some of the comments were "deeply offensive", adding it had issued a warning on screen about "very strong and discriminatory language". The set will not be available to rewatch on BBC iPlayer. Police said they were reviewing videos of comments made by Bob Vylan and Kneecap to decide whether any offences had been committed.

Glastonbury's mystery band Patchwork were Pulp, after all

4 hours ago Share Save Mark Savage Music Correspondent, at Glastonbury Share Save

Getty Images "Hi, my name is Jarvis," said Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker, greeting the crowd

Glastonbury's worst-kept secret is out. The mystery band billed as Patchwork were, in fact, Pulp. Still, no-one was prepared to believe it until it happened. "If Robbie Williams comes out? No, I'm leaving," said a woman next to me in the audience, as the stage filled with random people - common people - dressed in plastic raincoats. Then Jarvis Cocker strode onto the Pyramid Stage, receiving a hero's welcome as he launched into Sorted for E's & Wizz, from Pulp's career-making 1995 album Different Class. "Sorry to the people who were expecting Patchwork," he drawled after the song ended. "Did you know it was us?"

The crowd responded "yes", with what I can only describe as a collective eye-roll. "But how?" Cocker deadpanned. In the run-up to the festival, the Sheffield band had tried in vain to keep their identity secret. Cocker said they'd only attend if it was a "life or death situation", while keyboard player Candida Doyle told BBC 6 Music that organisers "weren't interested" in booking them. Of course, it was all an elaborate double bluff. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the band's historic 1995 headline set on the Pyramid Stage - and they're currently enjoying a renaissance, with a new album called More! topping the charts. With Glastonbury taking a fallow year in 2026, it was now or never.

EPA The star threw a paper cup full of tea bags into the audience, for reasons known only to himself

Their set featured several new songs, including the celebratory Spike Island and a gospel-flavoured Got To Have Love. But everyone was really waiting for the big hits: Babies, Misfits and Common People. As the crowd bounced, Cocker flapped across the stage like a washing line in a stiff breeze, his arms flailing and pointing at random. And during Acrylic Afternoons - a hymn to the mundane realities of suburban sex - he walked along the front of the stage, tossing tea bags to fans. His idiosyncrasy remains intact.

Zoe Ball takes a photo of Pulp, as they play Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage

Among the fans singing along (and taking videos) in the audience were Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis, Sunday night headliner Olivia Rodrigo, and former Radio 2 DJ Zoe Ball, who said she was experiencing "total euphoric recall". "Hearing all those songs again, with my old mates, jumping up and down... I love being here with all these people who love them as well," she said. "It was a real high."

A poem from Robbie Williams

Pulp's set at Glastonbury 1995 has gone down as one of the most beloved headline performances of all time.

Pulp's 1995 headline slot has gone down in history as one of Glastonbury's most memorable and triumphant sets - but it was actually a last-minute booking, after Stone Roses guitarist John Squire broke his collar bone. Cocker later revealed "it was the most nervous I've ever been in my life". "But then Robbie from Take That came and wished us luck," he told Vox magazine. "Robbie read us some of his poetry. I was dubious at first, because sometimes poetry can be embarrassing, but it was really good." The performance came just a couple of weeks after the release of what would become their signature song, Common People. With the anthem lodged at number two in the charts, the band held it to the very end of their set for maximum impact. As he introduced the track, Cocker gave a heartfelt speech about the band's slow-burn career. "If you want something to happen enough, then it actually will happen – and I believe that," he said. "In fact, that's why we're stood on this stage today after 15 years, because we wanted it to happen, do you know what I mean? "So if a lanky git like me can do it, you can do it too." And with that, they launched into a celebratory, communal, 7-minute singalong that confirmed Pulp's status as the poet laureates of Britpop. "That was the event that made the success a concrete fact," Cocker later told Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.

EPA The band drew one of the biggest crowds of the festival so far

Kneecap hit back at Starmer in highly-charged Glastonbury set

4 hours ago Share Save Mark Savage Music correspondent, at Glastonbury Share Save

Getty Images Kneecap rapper Mo Chara and Móglai Bap drew one of the biggest crowds of this year's festival to the West Holts stage

Belfast rap group Kneecap filled Glastonbury's West Holts stage for a highly-charged performance that hit back at Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with expletive-laden chants. The Irish-language band have been in the headlines after rapper Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying the flag of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah at a gig last year. He has denied the charge. Last week, Sir Keir said Kneecap's appearance at the festival was "not appropriate". On stage, the band thanked Glastonbury for keeping them on the bill and told the crowd the "prime minister of your country, not mine, said he didn't want us to play".

Mr Ó hAnnaidh is on bail after a court hearing in London two weeks ago. Towards the start of their set, the rapper - who was wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh - held his arms out to the crowd and announced, "Glastonbury, I am a free man!" His bandmate Naoise Ó Cairealláin, who performs under the name Móglaí Bap, called the case "a trumped up terrorism charge", adding that it was "not the first time there was a miscarriage of justice for an Irish person in the British justice system".

EPA Left to right: Kneecap's Mo Chara, DJ Provai, and Moglai Bap

Glastonbury organisers had to fence off the West Holts field 45 minutes before the band's appearance, as thousands turned up to show their support - or see what all the fuss was about. They were treated to a set of raucous, rabble-rousing electro-rap, and responded by setting off smoke flares and moshing in giant rippling circles of bodies. The hedonism of the music, rooted in club and drug culture, was often at odds with the band's pronouncements between songs. The trio, who are vocal critics of Israel's military action in Gaza, addressed that topic again during their Glastonbury set.

"We understand colonialism and we understand how important it is to support each other internationally," Mr Ó hAnnaidh said. Accusing Israel of genocide, he then led the crowd in a chant of "free, free Palestine". Israel has strongly denied allegations of genocide relating to the ongoing war in Gaza. Kneecap also voiced support for Palestine Action, a protest group that the UK government intends to proscribe under anti-terror laws, after some of its activists broke into an RAF base and spray-painted two military planes red. This led to a further chant against Sir Keir, as the band criticised the UK's sale of arms to Israel.

Reuters Palestinian flags intermingled with Glastonbury's more traditional novelty flags during the set

Formed in 2017, Kneecap rose to fame after starring a semi-autobiographical film alongside Oscar-nominated actor Michael Fassbender last year. Their vocal support for Palestinians put them under an intense media and political spotlight earlier this year, after an appearance at Coachella Festival in California. Shortly after, video footage emerged of Mr Ó hAnnaidh allegedly holding a Hezbollah flag at a gig in November 2024. The video was investigated by anti-terrorism police which resulted in Mr Ó hAnnaidh being charged, under the name Liam O'Hanna. Amid the row, Sir Keir and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy were among those who said Kneecap's appearance at Glastonbury was "not appropriate". However, the band's set was backed by Glastonbury founder Sir Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily, who runs the festival. She told the BBC: "There have been a lot of really heated topics this year, but we remain a platform for many, many artists from all over the world and, you know, everyone is welcome here." Sir Michael added that "people that don't agree with the politics of the event can go somewhere else", in an interview with Glastonbury's on-site newspaper. On stage, Kneecap thanked the festival for their support. "The pressure that that family was under and they stood strong," said Mr Ó hAnnaidh. "Fair play to them."

Getty Images The group's set was a fast and furious parade of high octane dance-rap

Two more arrests after break-in at RAF base

A military plane was sprayed by paint during a break-in claimed by Palestine Action

Two more people have been arrested on suspicion of a terror offence after military planes were sprayed with paint during a break-in at RAF Brize Norton.

Footage posted online last Friday by Palestine Action showed two people inside the Oxfordshire airbase in darkness, with one riding on a scooter up to an Airbus Voyager and spraying paint into its jet engine.

South East counter-terrorism police said on Saturday two men aged 22 and 24, both from London, had been arrested, bringing the total number of arrests in connection with the incident to six.

The government has said it will proscribe Palestine Action following the Brize Norton incident, making it illegal to be a member or support the group.

Senate Republican holdouts leave Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' hanging in balance

Senate Majority Leader John Thune pushed for a vote on the latest text of the bill on Saturday.

The sprawling tax and spending measure passed the House of Representatives by a single vote last month.

Rank-and-file Republicans have been divided over how much to cut from welfare programmes in order to cover the cost of extending some $3.8tn (£2.8tn) in Trump tax breaks.

Party leadership have been twisting arms for an initial vote on the "Big Beautiful Bill" on Saturday, following the release of its latest version - all 940 pages - shortly after midnight.

Senate Republicans are racing to pass a budget bill that is pivotal to President Donald Trump's second-term agenda ahead of a self-imposed 4 July deadline.

In a memo sent on Saturday to Senate offices, the White House endorsed the latest revisions to the bill and called for its passage.

The memo reportedly warned that failure to approve the budget "would be the ultimate betrayal".

But Senate Majority Leader John Thune called plans for a Saturday vote "aspirational".

A Republican senator from Wisconsin, Ron Johnson, told the Fox & Friends programme on Saturday he will be voting "no", saying he still needed time to read it.

"We just got the bill," Johnson said. "I got my first copy at about 01:23 in the morning."

Two other Republican senators are holding out.

Thom Tillis of North Carolina raised objections to the legislation on Saturday, a day after Rand Paul of Kentucky said no.

All eyes are now on centrist Republican senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.

Collins has indicated she may support a vote to advance the bill to the debate stage, but that she remains undecided on whether she will vote "yes" to passing it.

The bill needs a simple majority to clear the Senate. With Republicans holding 53 seats out of 100, plus a tiebreaker from Vice-President JD Vance, the party can only afford three defections.

The latest version was designed to appease some backbench Republican holdouts.

Other amendments incorporate input from the Senate parliamentarian, an official who reviews bills to ensure they comply with the chamber's procedures.

It includes an increase in funding for rural hospitals, after some party moderates argued the original proposal would harm their constituents.

Another tweak was made to State and Local Taxes (Salt) - a bone of contention for representatives from high-tax states such as New York.

There is currently a $10,000 cap on how much taxpayers can deduct from the amount they owe in federal taxes.

In the new bill, Senate Republicans have raised the Salt limit to $40,000 for married couples with incomes up to $500,000 - in line with what the House of Representatives approved.

But the latest Senate version ends the $40,000 cap after five years - when it would drop back to $10,000.

There are also changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), which provides food benefits to low-income Americans.

Under the latest bill, Alaska and Hawaii would be temporarily exempt from a proposed requirement for some states to start footing the bill for the programme, which is currently fully funded by the federal government.

The revision comes after Alaska's two Republican senators pushed for an exemption.

The legislation still contains some of its core components, including extending tax cuts passed by Republicans in 2017, as well as the addition of new cuts that Trump campaigned on, such as a tax deduction on Social Security benefits and the elimination of taxes on overtime work and tips.

More contentious measures are also still in place, including restrictions and requirements on Medicaid - a healthcare programme used by millions of elderly, disabled and low-income Americans.

Democrats have heavily criticised this piece of the bill, saying it will limit access to affordable healthcare for millions of Americans.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 7.8 million people would become uninsured due to such Medicaid cuts.

Senator Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat, took to social media on Saturday to argue the bill contains "the largest healthcare cuts in history".

Another critic of the bill is Elon Musk, who wrote on X on Saturday that the latest iteration of the bill "will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harms to our country".

Musk took issue with taxes the bill proposes on solar and wind energy projects.

Senate Republicans are pushing a procedural vote for the latest version of the bill on Saturday. If the vote is successful, the bill can move to the Senate floor to be debated, where it can be revised further.

If it successfully passes a final vote in the Senate, it will then make its way back to the House of Representatives, which will consider all the changes made and vote again before sending it to Trump's desk for final approval.

At least 81 people killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza, Hamas-run health ministry says

4 hours ago Share Save Dan Johnson Correspondent Reporting from Jerusalem Share Save

Reuters

At least 81 Palestinians have been killed and more than 400 injured in Israeli strikes across Gaza in the 24 hours until midday on Saturday, the Hamas-run health ministry said. In one incident, at least 11 people, including children, were killed after a strike near a stadium in Gaza City, Al-Shifa hospital staff and witnesses told news agencies. The stadium was being used to house displaced people, living in tents. Footage verified by the BBC shows people digging through the sand with their bare hands and spades to find bodies. The BBC has contacted the Israeli military for comment. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he was hopeful a ceasefire could be agreed in the next week.

Qatari mediators said they hoped US pressure could achieve a deal, following a truce between Israel and Iran that ended the 12-day conflict between the countries. In March, a two-month ceasefire collapsed when Israel launched fresh strikes on Gaza. The ceasefire deal - which started on 19 January - was set up to have three stages, but did not make it past the first stage. Stage two included establishing a permanent ceasefire, the return of remaining living hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. On Thursday, a senior Hamas official told the BBC mediators have intensified their efforts to broker a new ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, but that negotiations with Israel remain stalled. A rally was organised on Saturday evening in Tel Aviv calling for a deal to free the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Organisers said "the time has come to end the fighting and bring everyone home in one phase". Meanwhile, Israeli attacks in Gaza continue. Friday evening's strike near the Palestine Stadium in Gaza City killed at least 11 people, hospital staff and witnesses said. One witness said they were sitting when they "suddenly heard a huge explosion" after a road was hit. "This area was packed with tents - now the tents are under the sand. We spent hours digging with our bare hands," Ahmed Qishawi told the Reuters news agency. He said there are "no wanted people here, nor any terrorists as they [Israelis] claim... [there are] only civilian residents, children, who were targeted with no mercy," he said. The BBC has verified footage showing civilians and emergency services digging through the sandy ground with their hands and spades to find bodies.

Fourteen more people were reported killed, some of them children, in strikes on an apartment block and a tent in the al-Mawasi area. The strike in al-Mawasi killed three children and their parents, who died while they were asleep, relatives told the Associated Press. "What did these children do to them? What is their fault?" the children's grandmother, Suad Abu Teima, told the news agency. More people were reported killed on Saturday afternoon after an air strike on the Tuffah neighbourhood near Jaffa School, where hundreds of displaced Gazans were sheltering. The strike killed at least eight people, including five children, the Palestinian health ministry said. One witness Mohammed Haboub told Reuters that his nephews, father and the children of his neighbours were killed in the strike. "We didn't do anything to them, why do they harm us? Did we harm them? We are civilians," he told the news agency. The health ministry said ambulance and civil defence crews were facing difficulties in reaching a number of victims trapped under the rubble and on the roads, due to the impossibility of movement in some of the affected areas.

Reuters Tents and people were buried after an Israeli strike on Friday

Police helicopter in near miss with US fighter jet

18 hours ago Share Save Matt Precey BBC News, Suffolk Share Save

Roger Wasley A police helicopter had been sent to the area following a spate of drone sightings

A police helicopter reported a near miss with a drone that was in fact a US jet fighter, a report said. The helicopter had been sent to the area around RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, last November following reports of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the area. The UK Airprox Board, which investigates near misses, concluded the pilot had misidentified red flashing lights belonging to an F-15 Eagle. The National Police Air Service (NPAS), which operated the helicopter, said there had been no risk of collision.

The helicopter crew spotted the lights as they entered Lakenheath's airspace and then headed towards Bury St Edmunds. "Once they started heading in a westerly direction one of the 'drones' appeared to converge with them and fly above and in front of them," the report said. At one point the object appeared to overtake the helicopter. The pilot assessed the risk of collision as "medium". The two aircraft at one point came within 1,900ft (579m) of each other.

US Air Force The F-15 Eagle pilot could see the police helicopter, the report said

Investigators highlighted how the crew on board the helicopter had not been told by RAF Lakenheath of the F-15's presence. The fighter pilot knew where the helicopter was but "it may have been particularly beneficial for the situational awareness of the EC135 pilot if the Lakenheath Approach Controller had passed reciprocal traffic information to them".

EC135 is a reference to the helicopter flown by NPAS, also known as the Eurocopter, though this model is now called the H135. The USAF said the controller's response was compliant with UK law and the F-15 pilot was in visual contact with the helicopter.

UK Airprox Board Radar images show the position of the F-15 aircraft in relation to the helicopter in the skies near RAF Lakenheath

At the time of the incident, on the evening of 22 November, the airbase had been at the centre of multiple reports of drone sightings. A police incident log from that day recorded how the helicopter had withdrawn from the area "due to a drone coming close to them". The helicopter's traffic collision avoidance system had also not detected the presence of the F-15s, the report noted.

Ian Hudson, a drone commentator and analyst, said "This incident underlines serious concerns about lights in the night sky, planets, Starlink and navigation lights being misidentified as drones. "This incident would have officially remained as a drone were it not for the fact UK Airprox Board have collated the facts." The sightings of alleged drones over three airbases in the area at around the time of the incident are still being investigated by the Ministry of Defence Police.

Ian Hudson Ian Hudson said lights in the sky could often be misinterpreted as drones

NPAS said its crew had been tasked by Suffolk police "to assist in the search for suspected drone activity in the Newmarket area". Ch Supt Vicki White said: "As noted in the report, and in the absence of any contradictory information, the crew acted on the belief that they were observing drone operations. "The crew demonstrated professionalism and sound judgement in identifying a potential hazard." A US Air Force spokesman said: "The USAF complied with UK air traffic control regulations and remained well clear while maintaining normal vertical separation distances. As noted in the report, the air traffic controllers provided the agreed services to pilots of both aircraft to ensure safety of flight operations."

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Smriti Mandhana scored a stunning century as India inflicted England's heaviest T20 defeat by runs with a comprehensive 97-run triumph at Trent Bridge.

The opener blitzed 112 from 62 balls for her maiden T20 international hundred as India posted 210-5 on a flat surface in the series opener.

It was the second-highest total England have conceded in the format and they had no answer to the class of Mandhana, who struck 15 fours and three sixes in a remarkable innings.

The 28-year-old left-hander put England under pressure from the off and, with number three Harleen Deol contributing a rapid 43 from 23 balls, helped India post their second-highest T20I total.

It was a stark reminder of the work England still have to do following the encouraging T20 and one-day international series sweeps of the West Indies to kick-off the new era under coach Charlotte Edwards.

That feeling was only amplified as the home side lost four wickets in the first seven overs of the chase, captain Nat Sciver-Brunt providing the only resistance.

The game was long gone by the time Sciver-Brunt was eventually dismissed for 66 off 42 balls as England slumped to 113 all out with India left-arm spinner Shree Charani taking 4-12 on debut.

A five-match series gives England plenty of time to try and put things right but there is plenty to be addressed before Tuesday's second T20 at Bristol.

Lando Norris said he felt like he was back to the form he had missing for much of this season after taking a stunning pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver's season has been hampered by repeated mistakes in qualifying, but he headed the field by more than half a second on one of the shortest laps of the year at the Red Bull Ring.

Briton Norris said his pole lap was "as close to perfection as I would probably ask for".

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc will start alongside Norris with McLaren team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri in third.

"It's nice to see the old me back every now and then," Norris said.

"It's more just the feeling I had today was a feeling I've missed for quite a long time, the feeling I have behind the wheel with the car, the understanding where the grip is and how to exploit it.

"That showed in performance and then lap time is a very good combination to have. That when you feel like you can go quicker here and you go out and do it, that's the best feeling a driver can ask for, really."

Welsh scrum-half Tomos Williams was good off the bench in the defeat by Argentina a week ago and he was building wonderfully on that performance against the Force, scoring twice, before he came off with what is being called a "tight hamstring".

How tight? Head coach Andy Farrell tried to play a straight bat in the aftermath. "You don't know until you know, and we'll only know in the morning anyway," said Farrell about the severity of the injury.

Might he fly out Scotland's Ben White, who is nearby in Auckland with Gregor Townsend's team on their three-match tour of the South Pacific? Jack van Poortvliet is another contender but he's a long way away with England in Argentina.

"You have to let these things settle down and see what the outcome is, giving it a little bit of space, added Farrell. "I've not got a clue. There's a little bit of concern there, but you can only deal with what you can deal with in the here and now, so fingers crossed."

Jamison Gibson-Park is fit and should start in Brisbane on Wednesday. Alex Mitchell makes it two fully fit scrum-halves. The question here is whether Williams is going to need some time to recover but can stay on tour or is completely out. Either scenario surely means a call to Auckland.

Having only two fit scrum-halves for a period of time is not sensible, especially when one of them, Ireland's Gibson-Park, is only just recovering from injury himself.

One game down in Australia and the spectre of injury has already hit. Hopefully, Williams, one of only two Welsh players, is fine. He's a man in rich form, clearly capable of putting the heat on Gibson-Park, the frontrunner for the nine jersey in the Test series.

I buy my children vapes to try to control their addiction

14 minutes ago Share Save Ruth Clegg Health and wellbeing reporter, BBC News Share Save

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Emma is doing something she swore she would never do. In an attempt to have some control over her children's vaping habits, she's resorted to buying them the vapes herself. She's not proud of it, but says it feels like the only way to keep her two teenagers safe and reduce the high levels of nicotine they were consuming. "It went against every bone in my body to do that, but they're addicted," Emma says. "It's not a simple case of telling them to stop – it is so much harder than that." Emma believes her son, who she has asked the BBC not to name, began vaping in primary school. He managed to keep it from her for a while, but by the time he got to high school, his protests of "that vape's not mine" had started to wear thin. By the time Emma's son was 15, he was becoming breathless, contracted tonsillitis, and, at one point, was in so much pain, Emma called an ambulance. "The paramedics said the incessant vaping could be causing this," she says. "They told him to try and stop, or at the very least cut down." It was then Emma decided something had to change – she was going to take control and buy the vapes - trying to reduce their nicotine intake from 20mg to 10mg. "I warned them – if I see them with a device that has more nicotine in – then I'll stop buying them any, full stop." Emma says she felt she could then be confident the vapes would be from a reputable supplier, they wouldn't be illegal and contain other harmful products, and she could control the level of nicotine.

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Not only is it illegal to sell vapes to anyone under the age of 18, it is also illegal to buy them for anyone underage. Emma knows what she is doing isn't legal, but feels this was her only choice. She believes she has managed to reduce her son's nicotine intake, in part by buying the vapes, but also by having such an open conversation with him. But Emma says the disposable vape ban, which came into effect on 1 June, has had little impact on her children's nicotine consumption. It was introduced due to environmental concerns and to reduce the rising number of children and young people vaping. While vapes provide a far healthier alternative to cigarettes, there are concerns that vaping provides a gateway into nicotine addiction - with disposable vapes enticing children and young people with their fruity flavours and cheap prices. Health experts agree anyone who does not smoke should not start vaping, as it may cause long-term damage to the lungs, heart and brain. But weeks after the ban came into force, Kate Pike from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, says she fears it won't make any difference - and she says some rechargeable vapes, which are still legal to buy, are being marketed directly at children. "We are finding compliant products – vapes that are refillable and rechargeable – with packs of stickers in them," she says. "What adult is going to want to decorate their vape with stickers?" She also says it is very difficult to tell the difference between the now-illegal disposables and the legal refillable vapes. And due to some being fitted with pre-filled pods, they are still being used "like disposable vapes and discarded."

A disposable vape (left), which is no longer legal to buy, and a prefilled vape (right), which is still available in shops

At Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, home to the UK's first NHS vaping clinic for children, Professor Rachel Isba says parents should not be hard on themselves – they are fighting a battle against the might of a huge vaping industry. "The important thing is not to judge your child; the world our young people live in is a difficult place to grow up in," she says. "There are so many competing pressures." Her clinic supports 11-15-year-olds who have been referred by other NHS healthcare professionals. It has been open since January and already has a six-week waiting list. "The children that come to see me have to want to see me and understand why they are here," Prof Isba says. "It could be that they are noticing a change with their bodies – they struggle to play sport without being out of breath for instance, or they're coughing up blood, or they just know they're addicted and they want to stop or cut down."

Professor Rachel Isba works at the UK's first NHS vaping clinic for children

She says some young people are sleeping with vapes under their pillows so they can get a nicotine hit in the middle of the night, and their addiction can be so strong they experience "micro withdrawals" in school. "They are consuming nicotine so frequently that they begin to feel anxious if they don't have it – even for the length of a double maths lesson, for example." They then think they need the vape to reduce the anxiety, she explains, but it is nicotine withdrawal that is causing those feelings in the first place. Prof Isba offers nicotine replacement therapy – such as gums and patches – and talks to them about how vaping affects their lives. "We might discuss ways they might be able to cut down, what triggers them to vape and even how much money they might save simply by not vaping." She says the government's Tobacco and Vapes bill is a good step forward but would like to see more paediatric addiction services across the NHS. The problem is "far greater" than her clinic, she says, and she is concerned vaping could become a gateway drug into smoking and other dependences. Dan from Twickenham, a father of three boys, agrees. He says the conversation about youth vaping is redundant because, he says, that "horse has bolted". His 17-year-old got expelled from school in February because he was caught with cannabis in his vape, and his 14-year-old was close to losing his school place recently because of a similar issue. "Vaping is a gateway drug," Dan says. "They become addicted to nicotine and then harder stuff follows.

Dan's son's stash of nicotine paraphernalia

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes the Club World Cup is "the worst idea ever implemented in football" because of "serious fears" over player welfare.

The German is now Red Bull's head of global soccer and one of their teams, Red Bull Salzburg, qualified for this summer's tournament in the United States.

Klopp has often complained about players' workload and fixture congestion, and days before the Club World Cup, global players' union Fifpro released a report saying players should be allowed at least a four-week off-season break.

This year's Club World Cup is the first to feature 32 teams and 48 games, and saw Salzburg knocked out in the group stage.

During an exclusive interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Klopp talked about the expanded format and player development.

"It's all about the game and not the surrounding events - and that's why the Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football in this regard," he said.

"People who have never had or do not have anything to do with day-to-day business anymore are coming up with something.

"There is insane money for participating, but it's also not for every club.

"Last year it was the Copa [America] and the European Championship, this year it's the Club World Cup, and next year the World Cup. That means no real recovery for the players involved, neither physically nor mentally."

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