Search for survivors after Houthis sink second Red Sea cargo ship in a week

5 hours ago Share Save David Gritten BBC News Share Save

Watch: Houthi footage shows militants blowing up the Magic Seas ship earlier this week

Six crew members have been rescued and at least three others killed after a cargo ship was attacked by Yemen's Houthis and sank in the Red Sea, a European naval mission says. The Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated Eternity C was carrying 25 crew when it sustained significant damage and lost all propulsion after being hit by rocket-propelled grenades fired from small boats on Monday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency. The attack continued on Tuesday and search rescue operations commenced overnight. The Iran-backed Houthis said they attacked the Eternity C because it was heading to Israel, and that they took an unspecified number of crew to a "safe location".

The US embassy in Yemen said the Houthis had "kidnapped many surviving crew members" and called for their immediate release. Authorities in the Philippines said 21 of the crew were citizens. Another of them is a Russian national who was severely wounded in the attack and lost a leg. It is the second vessel the Houthis have sunk in a week, after the group on Sunday launched missiles and drones at another Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated cargo ship, Magic Seas, which they claimed "belong[ed] to a company that violated the entry ban to the ports of occupied Palestine". Video footage released by the Houthis on Tuesday showed armed men boarding the vessel and setting off a series of explosions which caused it to sink. All 22 crew of Magic Seas were safely rescued by a passing merchant vessel.

EPA The Houthis released footage showing the Eternity C sinking after it was hit by rocket-propelled grenades

Since November 2023, the Houthis have targeted around 70 merchant vessels with missiles, drones and small boat attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. They have now sunk four ships, seized a fifth, and killed at least seven crew members. The group has said it is acting in support of the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and have claimed - often falsely - that they are targeting ships only linked to Israel, the US or the UK, which have carried out air strikes on Yemen in response.

On Wednesday the EU's naval mission in the Red Sea, Operation Aspides, said it was participating in the international response to the attack on the Eternity C and that "currently six castaway crew members have been recovered from the sea". An Aspides official told AFP news agency that five were Filipinos and one was Indian, and that 19 others were still missing. The Greece-based maritime security firm Diaplous released a video on Wednesday that showed the rescue of at least five seafarers who it said had spent more then 24 hours in the water, according to Reuters news agency. "We will continue to search for the remaining crew until the last light," Diaplous said. Reuters also cited maritime security firms as saying that the death toll was four.

Diaplous/Handout via Reuters Maritime security firm Diaplous released a photo showing at least five Eternity C crew members being rescued

Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariff and demands Bolsonaro's trial end

28 minutes ago Share Save Natalie Sherman and Nadine Yousif BBC News Share Save

Bloomberg/Getty

US President Donald Trump said he was planning to impose a 50% tax on goods made in Brazil, escalating his fight with the South American country. He announced the plan in his latest tariff letter, shared on social media, accusing Brazil of "attacks" on US tech companies and conducting a "witch hunt" against former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing prosecution over his role trying to overturn the 2022 election. Trump had already sparred with Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over Bolsonaro's trial earlier this week. At the time, President Lula said Brazil would not accept "interference" from anyone and added: "No one is above the law."

He had also said Trump was "irresponsible" for threatening tariffs on social media. Trump has posted 22 letters to countries around the world this week, including trade partners such as Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka, outlining new tariffs on their goods he says will come into force on 1 August. The moves have largely served to revive plans he had put forward in April but that were put on hold after financial markets recoiled at the measures. But the message to Brazil was a far more targeted missive and threatened a significant increase from the 10% tax the White House had previously announced on goods from the country. Trump delays tariffs as the rest of the world plays hardball

US will hike tariffs on copper to 50%, Trump says

EU hopes to agree US tariff deal 'in coming days' Unlike many other countries, the US enjoyed a trade surplus with Brazil last year, selling more goods in the country than it purchased from it. In the letter, Trump called the 50% rate "necessary ... to rectify the grave injustices of the current regime". He said he would order the US Trade Representative to launch a so-called 301 investigation into Brazil's digital trade practices. Such a move would mark a turn to more established legal process that US has used to impose tariffs in the past, toughening the threat. In his first term, Trump took a similar step over the country's consideration of a tax targeting tech firms.

Ex-Tory chairman Jake Berry defects to Reform UK

42 minutes ago Share Save Kate Whannel Politics reporter Chris Mason • @ChrisMasonBBC Political editor Share Save

BBC

Former Conservative MP and party chairman Sir Jake Berry has announced he is defecting to Reform UK. Writing in the Sun, Sir Jake said: "Old Westminster politics has failed. But there's a better way." He said he was backing Reform UK "because I've always believed that change comes with challenging the old order. In shaking up the system when it isn't working". A Conservative Party spokesman said: "We wish Jake well in his new high spend, high tax party."

He added: "Reform support increasing the benefits bill by removing the two-child cap, and nationalising British industry. "By contrast the Conservatives, under new leadership, will keep making the case for sound money, lower taxes and bringing the welfare bill under control." Sir Jake becomes the second former Conservative Cabinet minister to announce his decision to join Nigel Farage's party this week. On Monday, ex-Welsh Secretary Sir David Jones announced he had left the Conservatives for Reform UK earlier this year. Sir Jake is the fourth former Conservative MP to switch to Reform in the last two weeks, after Sir David, Ross Thomson and Anne Marie Morris. Sir Jake represented the Lancashire constituency of Rossendale and Darwen from 2010 until 2024, when he lost his seat to Labour. During his time in Parliament he was a close ally of Boris Johnson and served in several positions including in the Cabinet Office and as Northern Powerhouse minister. He was appointed as the Conservative Party chairman by Liz Truss during her brief tenure as prime minister.

Bullying, anorexia, trauma - how the Post Office scandal hurt children

5 hours ago Share Save Lucy Hooker Business reporter Share Save

Millie Castleton

Millie Castleton was only eight years old when her father lost his job managing the post office in Bridlington, Yorkshire, and her family was branded as "thieves and liars" in the local community. Nearly a decade later, after facing bullying at school, developing an eating disorder and dropping out of university, she is still struggling with the impact. Millie's story was singled out by a report published this week, looking into the scandal around subpostmasters who were wrongly accused of fiddling the books. But hundreds of other children suffered similar experiences, shunned by friends, suffering financial hardship, and watching their parents fall apart under the strain of being accused.

"Part of me will always feel a little broken-up," Millie told the official inquiry into the Post Office scandal, which produced this week's report. "That nagging voice in my head still says ugly things sometimes. It still tells me that my past and my family's struggle will define me, that it will be a branding on my skin forever. Broken, thief or liar." Like many subpostmasters, Millie's father, Lee Castleton, challenged the Post Office's allegations that he had taken funds from the branch he managed. But it took years to win official recognition that people had been wrongly accused and that faulty software on the Post Office system could make it look as though money was missing when it wasn't. In the meantime, Millie told the inquiry "confusion, frustration and anxiety... was leeching into my home". At 17 Millie's mental health began to suffer. She experienced "self-loathing, depression and feeling like a burden to [her] family". Millie managed to take up a place at university but dropped out at the start of her second year after developing anorexia. Even now, at 29, she finds it hard to trust anyone, she says. "I sabotage myself by not asking for help with anything. Asking for equipment, advice or resources feels terrifying. Like I'm unworthy."

Millie Castleton Millie Castleton (r) was eight when her father was prosecuted over missing Post Office money

The report provides glimpses into the impact on other families. Janine Powell's daughter, aged 10, went to live with a friend when Janine, postmistress at a branch near Tiverton in Devon, was convicted and spent five months in prison. The separation from her mother, change of school and deep-seated unhappiness in her new home formed a traumatic experience for the child, the inquiry's report states, leading to mental illness. Robert Thomson, a subpostmaster in a rural community near Alloa in Scotland, said his children, aged 10 and 13 at the time, were teased and bullied at school, while his wife became reclusive and depressed because she was "so embarrassed and ashamed". Mahesh Kumar Kalia said his family was "dysfunctional" and his parents separated after their relationship became "toxic and turbulent" following his father's conviction. Mahesh and his father were estranged for 17 years until he understood his father had been wrongly convicted. "Between the ages of 17 and 35, I did not have a relationship with my dad. We will never get back this time," he told the inquiry. The government has confirmed that it is setting up a scheme, along the lines recommended in the report, to compensate "close family members" if they "suffered serious adverse consequences" from the scandal. So far there are no details of how the scheme will work or how soon they will see any results. "We don't want to wait like our parents for three or four year for claims to be settled," said Rebekah Foot. She established the charity Lost Chances a year and a half ago for the children of wronged subpostmasters and said there was a sense of relief that their situation was now being acknowledged. Many of the 250 people who have joined Lost Chances had their education disrupted, had to take care of parents or siblings, some watching parents become alcoholics, or have other breakdowns, she said. Compensation could help some of them return to education or pay for therapy they might otherwise not be able to afford, she said. "Loss of childhood - we're not sure how that gets put into a claim," she added. That is what happened in her case, she said. She spent her teenage years looking after her five siblings and working in a chip shop at the weekends while her mother became a recluse. Rebekah said Lost Chances would be involved in the process of drawing up the new compensation scheme, meeting with ministers in the Department for Business in the coming weeks.

Rebekah Foot Rebekah Foot (r) had to support her mother (l) by looking after her five siblings and earning money at weekends

Rebekah Foot Rebekah Foot says she lost her childhood after her mother was accused of taking funds from the post office where she worked

Wiegman knows what it means to be under the spotlight, having led England to back-to-back major tournament finals.

When you have set that standard, anything less is a disappointment.

England's level dropped dramatically against France which increased scrutiny on Wiegman, who suffered her first defeat at a Euros after winning 12 games in a row over the previous two tournaments.

It was also the first time the reigning women's European champions had lost the first match of their defence at the following finals.

Wiegman admitted the scrutiny was "hard" but she focused on the task in hand.

"I always knew ahead of this tournament that it was a very hard group. It can happen but then you need to win the other games," she said.

"So yes, I was excited, but at the same time I felt a little tense too. I think that's completely normal as you really want to stay in the tournament and you want to win.

"I just had to focus on my job, review well and think about how we could bring people together."

Wiegman has often delivered in the big moments and no manager has won more Euros matches than the Dutchwoman (13 - level with Germany's former manager Tina Theune).

She also boasts the best goals-per-game rate in the competition among managers to take charge of four or more matches, with her sides scoring 40 in 14 games.

Having come under criticism for her decision to start Lauren James in the number 10 role against France - which left England vulnerable defensively - Wiegman made all the right choices against the Netherlands.

James started on the right wing, with Manchester United's Ella Toone starting in the number 10 role. They scored three of the four goals on the night.

Jess Carter, who struggled against France at left-back, was moved into central defence, swapping with Alex Greenwood, and England kept a clean sheet.

"The priority was that we wanted to skip and exploit space. The Netherlands pushed up so we wanted to go over them. That worked really well," said Wiegman.

"When you're in their half of the pitch, you can start playing. We had some nice crosses and we spoke about that too.

"[James] came in good positions but she can also do that in midfield. In midfield today we wanted Ella [Toone] because she can make good runs in behind."

The plan worked.

Netherlands striker Vivianne Miedema had just eight touches in the first half and the Dutch conceded more than two goals in a single match at a major women's tournament for the first time.

They also managed just four shots against England - their fewest on record (since 2011) at a major tournament.

Raynor Winn hits back at claims she misled readers

4 hours ago Share Save Steven McIntosh Entertainment reporter Share Save

Getty Images Raynor Winn released a 2,300-word statement responding to the Observer's allegations

Author Raynor Winn has hit back at a newspaper investigation that claimed she gave misleading information about her life story in her 2018 book The Salt Path. The Observer reported she had misrepresented the events that led to she and her husband losing their house and setting off on a 630-mile walk. The investigation also cast doubt over the nature of her husband's illness. Winn denied the allegations and said she was taking legal advice. In a lengthy statement posted on her website on Wednesday, Winn responded in detail to the claims made in the Observer. She provided documents that appeared to confirm her husband Moth had previously been diagnosed with corticobasal degeneration (CBD).

She also stood by her description of how the couple came to lose their house and denied the couple had any outstanding debts. However, Winn acknowledged making "mistakes" earlier in her career, after the Observer said she had defrauded her previous employer of £64,000. She said it had been a pressured time. "Any mistakes I made during the years in that office, I deeply regret, and I am truly sorry," she said, but added the case had been settled between her and her ex-employer on a "non-admissions basis" and although she was questioned by the police, she was not charged. BBC News has contacted the journalist who wrote the Observer article for a response.

How has Raynor Winn responded to the allegations?

The Observer said it had spoken to several medical experts who were sceptical about Moth having CBD, also known as CBS, given his long survival after diagnosis, lack of acute symptoms and his apparent ability to reverse them. Winn shared photographs of documents that appeared to show medical experts acknowledging or referring to Moth's condition or symptoms. One letter appears to show that Moth had previously been considered as having an "atypical form of corticobasal degeneration", but further examination suggested he may have "an even more unusual disorder, perhaps monogenetic". Winn said a CBS diagnosis does not come from a simple test, "but rather from a long and complex route of observation, where sufferers may have symptoms for many years before they finally reach a diagnosis". She added: "We will always be grateful that Moth's version of CBS is indolent, its slow progression has allowed us time to discover how walking helps him." Winn said she had documented Moth's illness "with such a level of honesty, that this is the most unbearable of the allegations", adding: "My books have become a record of his health." The Salt Path described how Moth's condition appeared to improve during and after the walk. But in her statement, Winn said: "I have never sought to offer medical advice in my books or suggest that walking might be some sort of miracle cure for CBS, I am simply charting Moth's own personal journey and battle with his illness, and what has helped him."

The Observer said the couple had not lost their home in a bad business deal as Winn originally suggested, but after they were unable to repay £100,000 they had borrowed to repay money she had been accused of stealing from a previous employer Winn acknowledged a dispute with her previous employer but said that was separate to the court case described in The Salt Path involving their friend, whom she had referred to as Cooper, which ultimately lost the couple their home. Reiterating the events described in the book, Winn said Moth made an investment in Cooper's property portfolio, and when the investment was due to mature, Cooper said it had failed due to low occupancy. Winn said Cooper promised to eventually pay the money back, and the couple asked for it to be returned in 2008. Instead, she said, Cooper offered them a loan through his company, assured against their home, with 18% interest, which he said he would cover. But Winn said his company later went into liquidation without the charge on their home having been removed. As a result, the author said, their house was repossessed. Penguin says it did 'all necessary due diligence' with The Salt Path

What are the allegations against The Salt Path author Raynor Winn?

Getty Images Left to right: Raynor and Moth Winn with actors Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, who portrayed them in a film adaptation

The Observer alleged Winn had stolen £64,000 from her previous employer while she was working there. Winn acknowledged working for the employer before the economic crash of 2008, saying it was a "pressured time". "It was also a time when mistakes were being made in the business. Any mistakes I made during the years in that office, I deeply regret, and I am truly sorry," she said. Winn said her employer had gone to the police, accusing her of taking money from the company. "I was questioned, I was not charged, nor did I face criminal sanctions," she said. "I reached a settlement... because I did not have the evidence required to support what happened. The terms of the settlement were willingly agreed by both parties." She said her employer was equally keen to reach a private resolution as she was, and the money she paid was on a "non-admissions basis".

The Observer said the couple owned property in the south-west of France, but added it was not in a habitable state and reported locals saying the couple only camped on the land when they visited Winn said: "What we own in France is an uninhabitable ruin in a bramble patch, on the boundary of a family member's property. "It has missing walls, a collapsed roof, no running water, drainage, or electricity... We have never lived there, that would be impossible, and we haven't been there since 2007." She said the insinuation that the pair were not homeless, the central premise of the book, was "utterly unfounded". Winn said the couple did try to sell the land in 2013, around the same time as events depicted in the book, "but the local agent said it was virtually worthless and saw no point in marketing it".

Mortgage lending rules change could help first-time buyers

3 hours ago Share Save Faisal Islam • @faisalislam Economics editor Tom Espiner BBC business reporter Share Save

Getty Images

First-time buyers could get more access to mortgages after the Bank of England recommended a looser cap on riskier lending. In its latest Financial Stability Report, the Bank concluded that lenders could be given more flexibility over lending to people with a higher loan to income ratio. At present just under 10% of new mortgages issued exceed 4.5 times a borrower's income. The Bank is happy for that percentage to rise, recommending allowing individual banks and building societies to issue more than 15% of their new mortgages at higher than 4.5 times loan-to-income.

However, the Bank still wants to make sure that no more than 15% of new mortgage lending across the industry is above 4.5 times loan-to-income. Nationwide, one of the country's biggest lenders, welcomed the move, saying it would boost housebuilding and the wider economy. "It will help people who struggle to get on the property ladder because high rents and living costs have made saving for a deposit and meeting mortgage affordability tests extremely challenging," said Dame Debbie Crosbie, Nationwide's chief executive. The Bank of England's recommendation comes after a call by the UK government for regulators to look for ways to encourage economic growth. The Bank reckons the change could lead to up to 36,000 new higher loan-to-income mortgages a year.

Meanwhile, millions of existing mortgage-holders are facing an average £107 rise in their monthly payments as their current deals expire, according to the Bank. It has said that 3.6 million home loans are coming up for renewal over the next three years, equating to 41% of all outstanding mortgages. But the number of mortgages facing expiry is less than the Bank of England had initially expected and the monthly hike is below the £146 increase it had first anticipated. While some bills will rise, a fall in interest rates is slowly feeding its way into typical monthly mortgage payments following four cuts by the Bank of England since last August. Around 2.5 million households, or 28% of mortgage holders, will see their bills fall in the next three years.

US sanctions UN expert Francesca Albanese, critic of Israel's Gaza offensive

The sanctions are likely to prevent Albanese from travelling to the US and would block any assets she has in the country.

Rubio said the US was sanctioning Albanese for directly engaging with the ICC in its efforts to prosecute American or Israeli nationals, accusing her of being unfit for service as a UN Special Rapporteur.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio linked the move to her support for the International Criminal Court (ICC), some of whose judges have already been sanctioned by the US.

The Trump administration is imposing sanctions on the UN Human Rights Council special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, an outspoken critic of Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

It is the latest escalation by the Trump administration as it wages a campaign against the ICC, having already sanctioned four of its judges.

The US took the action after the court last year issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his then-Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza, accusations they reject.

Rubio also accused Albanese of having "spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism, and open contempt for the United States, Israel, and the West".

The move is likely to provoke a fierce backlash from those who argue for accountability over the civilian death toll from Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

The special rapporteur has long argued that Western governments are not doing enough to support the rights of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Her outspoken stance has attracted significant support among those who accuse Israeli and US leaders of weaponising accusations of antisemitism in order to silence scrutiny of their policies.

Her critics have pointed to language used in the past by Albanese, including a 2014 comment when she suggested the "Jewish lobby" was influencing US government decisions when it came to Israel and the Palestinians.

She is since reported to have said she regretted the remark, but rejected claims it was antisemitic.

The head of Amnesty International and former UN Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard said she was dismayed by the decision to sanction Albanese.

"Governments around the world and all actors who believe in the rule-based order and international law must do everything in their power to mitigate and block the effect of the sanctions against Francesca Albanese," she said.

Rubio said Albanese had shown contempt for the US by writing "threatening letters" to several US companies, making what he called unfounded accusations and recommending the ICC pursue prosecutions of the companies and their executives.

"We will not tolerate these campaigns of political and economic warfare, which threaten our national interests and sovereignty," Rubio said.

Earlier this month Albanese called on dozens of multinational companies to stop doing business with Israel, warning them they risked being complicit in war crimes in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

She said the companies "profited from the Israeli economy of illegal occupation, apartheid, and now genocide" in the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel rejected her report as "groundless", saying it would "join the dustbin of history".

Albanese has criticised Donald Trump's plan, announced in February, to take over the Gaza Strip and displace its residents elsewhere.

"It's unlawful, immoral and... completely irresponsible because it will make the regional crisis even worse," she said in February.

The timing of the sanctions announcement is notable with Netanyahu currently in Washington, where he received an extended honour cordon at the Pentagon on Wednesday.

Albanese has previously rejected similar claims against her, telling the BBC in October: "I don't take these remarks and the defamation they carry lightly, but at the same time, I know this is not about me, as my predecessors knew that it was not about them.

"I also know these member states [making accusations of antisemitism] have done absolutely nothing to abide by international law."

Her office has been approached for comment.

Government's watered-down benefits bill clears Commons

3 hours ago Share Save Kate Whannel Politics reporter Share Save

HoC

MPs have approved the government's benefits bill, which was heavily watered-down last week following a rebellion by Labour backbenchers. The Universal Credit Bill is expected to be classed as a money bill, meaning it could become law after one month, with or without the approval of the House of Lords. The measures implement cuts to the health-related element of universal credit for some claimants, while ensuring other parts of the benefit rise above inflation. The bill had originally proposed making it harder for people to claim the personal independence payment however, following objections from Labour MPs, this has been scrapped for existing claimants and put on hold for future ones.

Personal independence payment (Pip) is paid to people with long-term physical or mental health conditions and is not linked to the recipient's savings or income. In contrast, universal credit (UC) is means-tested and designed to help support the unemployed or low-paid people. Urging MPs to back the bill, Disabilities Minister Sir Stephen Timms said: "If you can work, you should, if you need help into work, the government should provide it, and those who can't work must be able to live with dignity. "Those are the principles underpinning what we're doing." The government said nearly four million households would see their income boosted by £725 over the next five years, as a result of increasing the universal credit standard allowance. Despite the government's climbdown last week, 47 Labour MPs still voted against the legislation and backed a rebel amendment tabled by York MP Rachael Maskell. During a debate ahead of the final votes, Maskell called the bill an "omnishambles" which would result in different levels of UC to people depending on whether they had claimed before or after April 2026. She asked if someone who came off universal credit as their illness subsided but then had a relapse and needed the benefit would be awarded a lower rate compared to what they had previously received. Sir Stephen said the bill already protected people in the situation she had described. However, Maskell pushed her amendment to a vote which would see those with fluctuating medical conditions receive the existing rate of UC, rather than the lower rate applied to new claimants. It was defeated by 334 votes to 149. The Conservatives also tabled an amendment which would have made further changes including reducing payments for those with less severe mental health conditions and excluding some foreign nationals from certain benefits. It was defeated by 416 votes to 103. In the final vote, MPs approve the bill by 336 votes votes to 242. The changes to universal credit will apply across the UK while any measures relating to Pip apply in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Last week - in order to ensure the bill could pass - ministers were forced to make last-minute concessions including announcing that stricter eligibility rules for new Pip claimants would not be introduced until a review into Pip assessments had been completed. The review - which aims to conclude in autumn 2026 - will be led by Disabilities Minister Sir Stephen Timms and would be co-produced with disabled people and the organisations that represent them. During Wednesday's debate, several Labour MPs urged the government to strengthen the role of disabled people in the review. Labour MP Marie Tidball said their involvement in the Timms review should be "meaningful and not performative". Another Labour MP, Stella Creasy, said disabled organisations should have veto power over any recommendations made by the review. Before MPs had begun their debate, a United Nations panel raised concerns about the impact the government's proposals would have on disabled people. In a letter to the Department for Work and Pensions, the UN's high commissioner asked about measures to "address the foreseeable risk of increasing poverty rates amongst persons with disabilities if cuts are approved". The government had estimated the bill would save £5bn a year by 2030, however the concessions it made to ensure the bill could pass mean those savings have been virtually wiped out. Last week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves was asked if the changes would lead to tax rises. She said she would not "speculate" but added: "Of course there is a cost to the welfare changes that Parliament voted through this week and that will be reflected in the Budget."

Russia's summer push in Ukraine targets three fronts but faces stern resistance

6 hours ago Share Save Abdujalil Abdurasulov BBC News in Kyiv BBC Visual Journalism Team Share Save

Russian defence ministry Russia has tried to open up a third front in eastern Ukraine

While Russia's overnight drone and missile attacks on Ukraine have hit record levels, on the ground its military is claiming territorial gains. Last month Russian forces seized 556 sq km (215 sq miles), its biggest land grab this year, according to the open-source DeepState monitoring website in Ukraine. That is an area four times the size of Liverpool and nearly the same size as the city of Chicago. Russia's goal is to cut off supply routes used by Ukrainian troops in the east, and create a buffer zone inside Ukraine's northern borders. But its advance remains relatively slow. At this pace it would take more than 70 years to capture the entire country.

Most Russian attacks have been concentrated on three areas: The Sumy region that borders Russia in the north-east

The two eastern cities of Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka

A third front, west of Pokrovsk Russian troops managed to push about 10-12km (6-7.5 miles) deep inside the Sumy region, but that advance has come to a stop in the face of fierce resistance.

Vladimir Putin says he wants to create a buffer zone to protect Russian territory, after Ukrainian forces captured a swathe of Kursk territory last summer. Russian forces eventually drove them out, with the help of North Korean troops and ammunition. The Russians then crossed into Ukraine but quickly became bogged down in fighting over small border villages, which keep changing hands even today. Without major reinforcements, it is unlikely Russian troops will be able to push much further here. Another northern region where Russia's army has reportedly crossed the state border is Kharkiv. Last week they claimed the capture of a border village, but without committing substantial resources they are unlikely to make further gains.

Military observers believe these operations are aimed at forcing Ukraine to spread its forces too thin along the entire 1,200-km long front line, so that they divert troops from key areas. One of those frontline areas is Pokrovsk, a strategic hub in eastern Ukraine, which Moscow has been trying to capture for more than two years. According to the head of Ukraine's army Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, Russia has concentrated some 111,000 troops in that area.

Russians rarely launch massive assaults, says Lt Artem Pribylnov from Ukraine's 155th brigade, stationed near Pokrovsk. Any large movement of troops and armoured vehicles will be quickly detected and destroyed by drones. Instead, Lt Pribylnov says, the Russians rely on small groups of infantry troops who relentlessly attack Ukrainian positions, sometimes on motor bikes but more often on foot. This kind of "creeping offensive", as some call it, is aimed at exhausting Kyiv's resources until endless waves of Russian soldiers eventually push the Ukrainians out of their positions. But the price they pay is frighteningly high. Ukraine's general staff puts Russia's casualties at more than 1,000 soldiers a day. The BBC cannot verify these figures independently, but they do indicate the heavy losses Russia is suffering. Russia's aim in eastern Ukraine appears to be to create "a cauldron", semi-encircling the Ukrainians around Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka and then forcing them to retreat.

UAF 93rd Brigade Ukraine's armed forces are fighting to keep control of the eastern city of Kostyantynivka

Russian troops are now trying to wedge into the area between these two cities to create "a bridgehead from where they can attack Pokrovsk or Kostyantynivka", says Maj Viktor Trehubov, a spokesman for the Khortytsya operational-strategic group, which co-ordinates forces in eastern Ukraine. A breakthrough here is not considered likely. Russia's advance between Kostyantynivka and Pokrovsk is already slowing down and earlier attempts to push from other sides have stalled.

The biggest Russian gain in recent weeks was further west from Pokrovsk, in an area referred to by the Ukrainian military as the Novopavlivske direction, named after the village of Novopavlivka which became a defence hub following the westward retreat of Ukrainian troops. Military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets says Moscow's operation there was most threatening for Ukraine as its defence measures "collapsed", allowing the Russians to advance up to 10km a day. Their move was so rapid that Russian military bloggers even claimed that their troops had reached the neighbouring Dnipropetrovsk region for the first time since the start of the invasion. Ukrainian military officials deny these claims, saying that a small group of Russian soldiers entered a village in the Dnipropetrovsk region to take photos with a Russian flag but were quickly "eliminated". The Institute for the Study of War, however, indicates that Russian troops are still operating there. Maj Trehubov argues this area offers little strategic advantage for Russian troops and their assault was instead motivated by political goals. Advancing further into Dnipropetrovsk region may work well for propaganda messages, but would require greater resources that are currently tied up in Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka.

UAF 93rd Brigade Supplies for Ukraine's troops on the front line are often delivered by robots because of the risk of drone strikes

Lauren James scores two goals for defending champions England against Netherlands to revive their hopes of qualifying for the Euro 2025 quarter-finals.

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"There's no ceiling on her talent - we're looking at a potential global star."

The plaudits were many for Lauren James following England's brilliant 4-0 Group D win over the Netherlands, but the words of Brighton striker Nikita Parris summed up how highly she is rated.

When the defending European champions had their backs against the wall at Euro 2025, the Chelsea forward stepped up to deliver.

James dazzled against the Dutch, scoring the Lionesses' first and third goals as they went from a potential early exit to the cusp of the quarter-finals.

Following criticism in their opening-game defeat by France, she provided much-needed inspiration for England to claim a vital first victory in the tournament.

Her first strike was superb as she finished off a sweet counter-attack with three tight touches to get the ball out of her feet and finish with a dreamy drive into the top corner from the edge of the box.

The second on the hour mark was effectively the moment that sealed the success at 3-0 - a calm sweeping first-time finish into the bottom corner from 10 yards out after Ella Toone's effort had been saved.

James' nonchalant celebration of pretending to put her hands in her pockets and staring down the camera almost does her performance a disservice.

The goals were far from routine and in a pressured environment with so much at stake for her team.

They were special strikes by a special player to kickstart England's Euros defence into life.

Remaining fixtures (all times BST): England v Wales & Netherlands v France (both 13 July, 20:00)

England, who won the tournament in 2022, will advance if they beat tournament debutants Wales no matter the result in the Netherlands' match with France.

If the Lionesses fail to beat Wales, they may still reach the quarter-finals if other results go their way.

Wales are on the brink of elimination after defeat to France on Wednesday night.

They would need to beat England by at least four goals because of their unfavourable head-to-head goal difference in matches involving themselves, the defending champions and the Netherlands.

France booked their spot in the quarter-finals after picking up three points against Wales. A point against the Netherlands will secure top spot.

The Netherlands will advance if they beat France on Sunday and England don't beat Wales. A draw will take the Dutch through if England lose.

If England, France and the Netherlands all finish on six points, the Netherlands are likely to be the side that misses out on head-to-head results because of their heavy defeat by England.

At this tournament, teams level on points are separated by head-to-head record. And if three teams are level on points, their head-to-head record is calculated as if they were in a mini-league.

How an act of kindness put passer-by in path of killer driver at family dispute

8 hours ago Share Save Victoria Scheer, Oli Constable, Mark Ansell and Liz Roberts BBC News, Yorkshire Share Save

Family Handout/PA Wire Chris Marriott, pictured here with his wife Bryony, died while helping a stranger in need in Sheffield

It was just two days after Christmas 2023 when Chris Marriott selflessly stepped in to help a stranger in need - a decision which led to him being fatally struck by a car used by its driver, Hassan Jhangur, as a weapon. What turned out to be the 46-year-old's final act of kindness came as no surprise to those who knew the father-of-two from Sheffield, who has since been described as a "modern day Good Samaritan". Mr Marriott's life was tragically cut short on 27 December, a wet and gloomy Wednesday, after a sudden break in the weather had prompted him, as well as Bryony - his wife of 16 years - and their two children, to head out for a stroll in Burngreave. Midwife Alison Norris and her family had similarly taken the opportunity to get some fresh air and walk their dog. Both their routes took them past College Close, and it was there they all came across Nafeesa Jhangur, who was lying motionless in the road amongst a crowd of people. Mr Marriott and Ms Norris rushed over to help - an instinctive act of public spirit that unwittingly placed them in the middle of a volatile family dispute between Hassan Jhangur's family and his sister's husband's family, the Khans. "I later found out his name was Chris," Ms Norris told the BBC. "I didn’t know him, but I remember he was very sensible."

Handout Chris Marriott was a devout Christian who worked with ChristCentral Churches and Jubilee+ in Sheffield

Recollecting the scene, Ms Norris said Mr Marriott "checked she was breathing, checked there was a pulse, called the ambulance". "I was calming down thinking, 'right, we just need to keep her stable until the ambulance comes'," she said. However, Ms Norris said that as she and Mr Marriott tended to Ms Jhangur, she saw a "brightly lit" car heading straight towards them. The car, driven by Hassan Jhangur, first struck the father of the rival Khan family, Riasat Khan, before then ploughing into the group of people who had gathered around Jhangur's sister. "Chris’s back was to the car and I was facing it," Ms Norris said. "I think if we’d been the other way round it would have been me. "I couldn’t see him because of the way the car came between us and I remember thinking, 'I hope he’s all right, I hope he’s all right, I hope he’s all right'." Mr Marriott died at the scene, while Mr Khan, Jhangur's sister Nafeesa, their mother Ambreen and Ms Norris all suffered serious injuries.

Midwife Alison Norris recalls rushing over to help Nafeesa Jhangur who had collapsed in the road

A lengthy trial at Sheffield Crown Court, which has just concluded, heard that the horrific scenes then continued. The jury was told that Jhangur, who is now 25, got out of the car and stabbed Hasan Khan, his new brother-in-law, several times in the head and chest. The court heard that Mr Khan had married Amaani Jhangur just that morning, amid serious tensions between the families over its timing and location. Following the lengthy trial Hassan Jhangur was found guilty of murder, as well as three counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and two of wounding with intent. His father Mohammed Jhangur, 57, was convicted of perverting the course of justice.

Oli Constable/BBC Flowers left at the scene after Chris Marriott's death on 27 December 2023

Reflecting on what happened, Ms Norris said the tragedy was a stark reminder of how anger and the desire for revenge could lead to devastating consequences. "We all have times when we are bitter, angry and fearful," she said. "We don't have to act on that. We can check ourselves, then act from our best thinking, our kindness and our mutual respect." In the aftermath of the attack, Ms Norris said it was the support from her community that carried her and her family through "the dark times". "When I was shocked and injured, friends from all communities turned up and walked the dog, and brought food. "They sat with me and offered to go with us when it was hard to walk by the scene," she said. Ms Norris recalled a small but powerful moment of recovery: riding her bicycle again for the first time after overcoming her fear of traffic which had emerged following the events in Burngreave. She explained that one of the local taxi drivers spotted her, stopped and clapped, genuinely delighted at her progress. "People's kindness was humbling," she said.

Ben Gibbins met Mr Marriott at university and said he was like a brother to him

A memorial service for Mr Marriott reflected the deep love and respect he had inspired in both the congregation at City Church Sheffield, of which he was a member, and also among those closest to him. He was a steady presence, described as someone on whom people could rely, and a natural bridge-builder who brought people together. Friends remembered him as the kind of person who would take a day off work just to support someone feeling unwell - a man whose quiet acts of care spoke volumes about his character. Ben Gibbins, Mr Marriott's friend of nearly 30 years, said: "Chris was just a great guy to be around. "From your interactions with him, you always came away feeling loved and cared for, and you always had a laugh, always had a joke." Mr Gibbins said that while Mr Marriott's death had left an immense hole in his life, he would remain inspired by his friend's decision to help someone in need. "I can’t think of anything else I should be doing, or could be doing, but doing the same thing and being a Good Samaritan and hopefully, in some small way, making a difference in other people’s lives," he said.

Handout Chris Marriott worked at Jubilee+ and Community Money Advice

Meanwhile, at Jubilee+, a Christian anti-poverty organisation where Mr Marriott worked as a conference administrator for several years, his loss has also been felt deeply. Chief executive Natalie Williams said: "When I heard how Chris died, my first thought was that it was so in keeping with who he was. "It was no surprise to me at all that he died helping someone else. "Chris was a man of very, very strong faith, and his faith in Jesus motivated him to want to be a Good Samaritan in all areas of his life. "It wasn't just a one-off thing for him. It was a day-by-day decision to do good for other people." Graham Pyman, director of ChristCentral Churches, who had worked with Mr Marriott for more than a decade, compared his actions to the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, who helped an injured stranger. Mr Pyman described Mr Marriott as the "modern day version of that". "I think we can all learn something from Chris’s life," he explained. "Whether you are a person of faith or not, just the attitude of putting other people before yourself is certainly something he demonstrated in the way he lived and, indeed, sadly in the way he died."

Why do Channel migrants want to come to the UK?

5 hours ago Share Save Ben Chu, Tom Edgington & Lucy Gilder Share Save

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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed that "new and innovative solutions" are needed to tackle small boat crossings. The UK is paying France hundreds of millions of pounds to stop the boats leaving the French coast but, so far this year, the numbers of migrants arriving in the UK this way - most of whom go on to claim asylum - have reached record levels. France has claimed that one factor attracting them is the ability to "work without papers" in the UK economy. BBC Verify looks at the evidence for this and other "pull factors" cited as reasons for asylum seekers to choose the UK as a destination.

The informal economy?

The French government has argued that asylum seekers come to the UK because they believe they will be able to work in its informal economy - where tax is not paid and people are employed without legal status and proper documentation. Estimating the size of the informal economy is not simple for obvious reasons. Nevertheless, one recent study from researchers at the European Parliament, suggests the size of the UK's was about 11% of the total economy in 2022. This was actually lower than their estimate for France's at 14% and lower than the average of 31 European countries at 17%.

By its nature the UK's informal economy provides potential opportunities for asylum seekers - and other irregular migrants - to work illegally - and the UK government has accepted the need for more enforcement in this area. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described this as a potential "pull factor" earlier this week. The Home Office has increased the number of visits to employers suspected of hiring unauthorised workers. There were 10,031 visits and 7,130 arrests in the year since the July election, compared with 6,797 visits and 4,734 arrests in the same period last year.

Getty Images French President Emmanuel Macron has said the UK and France "will deliver" on stopping small boat crossings

The volume and value of fines issued has also increased. In the year to March 2025, 2,171 fines were issued to employers worth a total of £111m. In the same period last year, there were 1,676 fines worth £31m. There is no data on the type of businesses targeted but recent Home Office press releases have mentioned restaurants, nail bars and construction sites. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair - and a number of Labour MPs - have called for the introduction of UK-wide digital identification to help the government tackle "illegal 'off-the-books' employment". Digital ID, which exists in many EU countries, could be used as a tool to check an individual's right to work and to clamp down on illegal working. But given some of these countries also appear to have sizeable informal economies, it is unclear about how much impact digital IDs have in this area.

The legal economy?

Access to the legal labour market for asylum seekers, while they wait for their claims to be processed, is more restrictive in the UK than in many major European countries. In the UK, they can apply for permission to work if they have been waiting for more than a year for an initial decision on their claim.

Madeleine Sumption from Oxford University's Migration Observatory think tank said: "I'm a bit sceptical of the narrative you often hear from French politicians about the UK being a soft touch on right-to-work issues because we have broadly the same set of policies as they do and some of the same challenges on unauthorised workers." She added that research suggests that the ability of asylum seekers to speak English over other European languages and existing family links with the UK are significant pull factors. Another factor cited is the "general impression that the UK is a good place to live" - a message promoted by people smugglers trying to sell Channel crossings.

State support?

The majority of asylum seekers cannot access welfare benefits in the UK, but they do gain legal protections while awaiting a decision - including accommodation if they cannot support themselves financially. They can get £49.18 per person per week loaded onto a pre-paid debit card if they are in self-catered accommodation. People receiving support in catered accommodation can get £9.95 per person per week. Asylum seekers are generally entitled to free access to the NHS and can get some free childcare. Children of asylum seekers are also entitled to state education and in some circumstances can qualify for free school meals. This is in contrast to many of the migrants in Calais - hoping to cross into the UK - who have not applied for asylum in France and are not entitled to state support there, but do get limited help from charities. Research suggests that benefits are not a significant pull factor for asylum seekers. A 2021 paper by Aalborg University in Denmark, found that other factors, such as which countries are most likely to recognise refugee status as well as the ability to reunite with family are more influential. Another paper, written by University of Essex professor Timothy Hatton in 2020, said border controls and processing policies have significant deterrent effects while welfare policies do not. Ms Sumption says the findings indicate that "technical tweaks to your [benefit] system don't tend to have a big impact, [although] they may have some impact at the margins".

What about push factors?

When it comes to the overall numbers of asylum seekers, researchers also stress the importance of "push factors", such as conflict and repression in their home countries. Some relevant context is that asylum applications have risen sharply in recent years not just in the UK, but across Europe.

Claims are up in countries like France, Germany, Spain and Italy since 2020 - and in 2024 they were higher in absolute numbers in those countries than the number of claims submitted in the UK.

Holidays to Spain, Cyprus and Turkey soar in price

32 minutes ago Share Save Abi Smitton, Colletta Smith & Tommy Lumby BBC News Share Save

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All-inclusive family package holidays from the UK have jumped in price for some of the most popular destinations, including Spain, Cyprus and Turkey. The average price for a week in Cyprus in August has gone up by 23%, from £950 per person to £1,166, figures compiled for the BBC by TravelSupermarket show. Of the top 10 most-searched countries, Italy and Tunisia are the only ones to see prices drop by 11% and 4% respectively compared with 2024. Travel agents say holidaymakers are booking shorter stays or travelling mid-week to cut costs.

The top five destinations in order of most searched are: Spain, Greece, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Portugal. They have all seen price rises. Trips to the UAE have seen the biggest jump, up 26% from £1,210 in August 2024 to £1,525 this year. Cyprus had the next biggest rise and came in at number nine in terms of search popularity. The figures are based on online searches, made on TravelSupermarket from 18 April to 17 June, for all-inclusive, seven-night family holidays in August 2024 and 2025. While this snapshot of data reveals a general trend, costs will vary depending on exactly where a family goes and when they book.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of travel agent industry group Advantage Travel Partnership, said the price rises were down to a number of factors. "These increases simply keep pace with the broader cost of doing business and reflect the reality of higher operational costs, from increased energy bills affecting hotels, to elevated food costs impacting restaurants and rising wages across the hospitality sector," she said. But she added the group had seen evidence that some holidaymakers still had money to spend. Some customers were upgrading to more premium all-inclusive packages and booking more expensive cabin seats on long-haul flights to locations such as Dubai, she said.

Abi Smitton / BBC News Ellie Mooney said she's spent the last year saving up for her holiday to Turkey

Holiday destinations are a frequent topic of conversation at the hairdressers. At Voodou in Liverpool, Ellie Mooney talked to us as she got a last-minute trim before jetting off to Turkey. "We've been going for the past 20 years or so. We normally book a year ahead then save up in dribs and drabs," she said. Hope Curran, 21, was getting her highlights done and she and her partner had just got back from holiday in Rhodes in Greece. "We did an all-inclusive trip because it was a bit more manageable, but it's not cheap," she said.

Francesca Ramsden Nurse Francesca Ramsden says she spends thousands of hours hunting for the best deals

End of life care nurse Francesca Ramsden, 35, from Rossendale, has made it her mission to cut the cost of holidays, saving where she can and hunting for a bargain at every turn. "My husband is sick of me, he'll ask 'have you found anything yet' and I'll say no, rocking in the corner after looking for 10,000 hours. "The longest I've booked a holiday in advance is two to three months and I find that the closer you get, the cheaper it is." She said she spent hours trying to save as much as possible on a May half-term break to Fuerte Ventura for her family of four which came in at £1,600. She now shares her budgeting tips on social media. "I've mastered the art of packing a week's worth of clothes into a backpack. I always book the earliest or latest flight I can, and midweek when it's cheaper."

Abi Smitton / BBC News Travel consultant Luke says people are getting creative to save money

Luke Fitzpatrick, a travel consultant at Perfect Getaways in Liverpool, said people were cutting the length of their holidays to save money. "Last year we did a lot for 10 nights and this year we've got a lot of people dropping to four or seven nights, just a short little weekend vacation, just getting away in the sun," he said. He has also seen more people choosing to wait until the last minute to book a trip away. "People are coming in with their suitcases asking if they can go away today or tomorrow," he added. "Yesterday we had a couple come in with their passports and we got them on a flight last night from Liverpool to Turkey."

How to save money on your holiday

Joe Locke set for West End after shooting Heartstopper movie

26 minutes ago Share Save Steven McIntosh Entertainment reporter Share Save

BBC Locke said he enjoyed playing characters who had "a bit of a bite, a bit of a grey area"

Heartstopper star Joe Locke is to make his West End debut this autumn, in a play about two young men who bond while working night shifts at a warehouse in a rural US town. Locke is currently filming the forthcoming Heartstopper movie after appearing in three series of the hit Netflix show about two classmates who fall in love, but will take on his new stage role later this year. The 21-year-old will star in Clarkston, which follows two men in their twenties from opposite ends of the US who meet while working at Costco. Locke told BBC News he was "so excited" for his West End debut, adding that his new role matched his desire to play "flawed characters... who have a bit of bite".

Clarkston is written by Samuel D Hunter, who is best known for his 2012 play The Whale, which later won Brendan Fraser an Oscar when made into a film. Producers have not yet announced the venue or run dates for the British production, but told the BBC it would open in a West End theatre in the autumn. Set in Clarkston, Washington, the play opens with a Costco employee named Chris working night shifts when he meets new hire Jake, a young gay man originally from Connecticut. Jake has Huntington's disease, a degenerative neurological condition that causes involuntary movements. He ended up in Clarkston by accident after finding himself no longer able to drive during a road trip west. "He's this city boy in a small place," explained Locke. "Jake has got so many layers to him that really unravel in the play. A lot of the themes are to do with class and the different experiences of the characters." Chris, meanwhile, struggles with the strained relationship he has with his mother, who is a drug addict.

Locke, who is used to portraying young men grappling with their identity, explained: "I really enjoy characters that have something to them, a bit of bite, a bit of a grey area. "Everyone is flawed in some ways. And I've been lucky enough in my career so far to play a few flawed characters, and Jake is no different to that. And that's the fun bit, the meaty bit, getting to know these characters - they're good and they're bad." Hunter noted the play "is fundamentally about friendship and platonic male love, which is something that I feel like we don't see a lot of on stage and screen". Locke agreed: "Yeah, one of my favourite things about this play is there's a scene where these characters almost build on their platonic relationship and get to a romantic level, and they realise that no, the platonic relationship is what's important, and I think that's really beautiful."

Getty Images Samuel D Hunter (right) also wrote The Whale, the film adaptation of which won Brendan Fraser an Oscar

Clarkston, which has previously been performed alongside another of Hunter's plays, Lewiston, received positive reviews from critics when it was staged in the US. "You feel like you're eavesdropping on intensely private moments of people you don't always like but come to deeply understand," said The Hollywood Reporter's Frank Scheck of a 2018 production. "Toward the end, there's an encounter between Chris and his mother that is as shattering and gut-wrenching a scene as you'll ever see on stage. But the play ends on a sweet, hopeful note that sends you out of the theatre smiling." Writing about a different production in 2024, Charles McNulty of the LA Times said: "Clarkston hints that some of our most instructive relationships may be the most transitory. That's one of the beautiful discoveries in Hunter's small, absorbing and ultimately uplifting play."

Anybody who has worked night shifts may relate to the idea that the early hours are a time when people often open up to each other and have have their deepest conversations. Hunter suggests such an atmosphere results in a "more delicate, more intimate" backdrop. "I had an experience working in a Walmart when I was a teenager," he recalled, "and I found that places like the break room were so intimate and vulnerable, you're in this very sterilised space so I think the need for human connection is made all the greater."

Netflix Locke, pictured with Heartstopper co-star Kit Connor, said the forthcoming film will be "a really nice closing chapter"

Hunter had the idea of writing the play when visiting his home town of Moscow Idaho, about 30 miles from Clarkson, and became interested in "the idea that the American West is still kind of young", following the Louisiana Purchase in the early 19th Century. "The markers of that history are still there," noted Hunter, "but they are right next to things like Costcos and gas stations and mini-malls. "So it just got me interested in the experiment of the American West and the colonial past, and what that means in 2025." The new production will be directed by Jack Serio, who has previously directed another of Hunter's plays, Grangeville, with Ruaridh Mollica and Sophie Melville cast in the other two lead roles as Chris and his mother.

Red Bull's removal of Christian Horner may appear sudden, given only three days have passed since he oversaw Max Verstappen's fifth-placed finish at the British Grand Prix.

But this was a decision at least 18 months in the making.

Horner, in charge for two decades, will go down in F1 history as one of the sport's greatest team bosses.

Yet his long-standing grip on Red Bull Racing had been slipping for some time.

Horner's future was first called into question when it emerged in February last year that a female employee had accused him of sexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour. He has twice been cleared of the allegations by internal Red Bull investigations.

There is a whole lot more to Horner's demise than that episode, the ultimate conclusion of which remains unknown. But it added extra momentum to the mix that led to Red Bull's decision.

Looking at the state of Red Bull right now, it's almost hard to believe that Verstappen is the reigning world champion.

Verstappen - regarded by almost everyone in F1 as the best driver in the world - is third in the championship, 69 points off the leader, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, at the halfway point of the season.

The Dutchman has won only two races this season. He has won just four out of 24 races in the past year. Red Bull are fourth in the constructors' championship - or to put it another way, last of the top four teams - with no obvious way of improving on that position.

At the same time, Verstappen's future is in doubt. Horner has been emphasising that the driver has a contract until 2028. But that has not stopped Mercedes courting him.

If Verstappen left, with Red Bull in their current plight in terms of performance, it would be potential armageddon for the team. He has scored 165 points this season. Their second driver has scored just seven.

So what do we know about what happened and the events that led to his departure? Well, while Red Bull were keeping their own counsel on Wednesday, plenty is known about the machinations behind the scenes, with power struggles, disagreements and concern over both car and driver decisions.

Heathrow to pipe 'sounds of an airport' around airport

The airport says "Music for Heathrow" is designed to help kickstart passenger holidays by reflecting "excitement and anticipation".

In what may be a bid to overhaul its image after a disastrous offsite fire in March, or just a marketing spin for summer holiday flying, Heathrow says it has commissioned a new "mood-matching" sound mix, which will be looped seamlessly and played throughout the airport's terminals this summer.

The UK's biggest flight hub plans to make your experience at the airport sound, well, even more like an airport.

The hum of an escalator, the rumble of a baggage belt and hurried footsteps are all interspersed with snippets of the lady on the tannoy: "Boarding at Gate 18".

"Nothing compares to the excitement of stepping foot in the airport for the start of a summer holiday, and this new soundtrack perfectly captures those feelings," claims Lee Boyle, who heads up the airport's terminals.

Whatever the aim, it will raise questions over what additional background noises passengers require, when they already have the sounds of an airport - fussing children, people doing their last farewells into their mobile phone, last calls for late-comers - all around them.

The airport invited Grammy nominee "musician, multi-instrumentalist and producer" Jordan Rakei to create the soundtrack, which it says is the first ever created entirely with the sounds of an airport. However, Heathrow said the track also featured sounds from famous movie scenes, including passengers tapping their feet in Bend It Like Beckham and the beeps of a security scanner from Love Actually.

It is conceived as a tribute to Brian Eno's album Music for Airports, released in 1979, which is seen as a defining moment in the growth of ambient music, a genre which is supposed to provide a calming influence on listeners, while also being easy to ignore.

"I spent time in every part of the airport, recording so many sounds from baggage belts to boarding calls, and used them to create something that reflects that whole pre-flight vibe," said Rakei.

The recording also features passports being stamped, planes taking off and landing, chatter, the ding of a lift and the sound of a water fountain, which some people may appreciate as a source of ASMR or autonomous sensory meridian response. Fans of ASMR say certain sounds give them a pleasant tingling sensation.

Linda Yaccarino departs as boss of Musk's X

4 hours ago Share Save Graham Fraser, Zoe Kleinman, and Lily Jamali BBC News Share Save

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Linda Yaccarino, the boss of Elon Musk's social media site X, has announced she is stepping down after two years. Her departure comes at a time of tumult for the platform, which was taken over by Musk's artificial intelligence (AI) venture, xAI, in March, and has been in the spotlight for antisemitic posts churned out by its AI chatbot, Grok. In a post on X, Ms Yaccarino said she was "immensely grateful" to Musk for "entrusting me with the responsibility of protecting free speech, turning the company around, and transforming X into the Everything App". Musk posted a brief reply, saying only: "Thank you for your contributions."

The BBC has approached X for comment. It is not clear what sparked the decision, or whether there has been any break down in the relationship between the two leaders. Ms Yaccarino was previously head of advertising at NBCUniversal, where she was credited with helping to steer it through the upheaval caused by technology firms. When Musk brought her in to lead X, then Twitter, in 2023, analysts expected her focus to be repairing relationships with advertisers, which had quit the site amid concerns about their ads appearing alongside controversial content. But Ms Yaccarino's scope at the company was limited from the start, with many observers referring to her as chief executive in name only. "Her background and actual authority positioned her more as the company's chief advertising officer, rather than its CEO. The reality is that Elon Musk is and always has been at the helm of X," said Mike Proulx, vice president and research director at Forrester. "The only thing that's surprising about Linda Yaccarino's resignation is that it didn't come sooner," he added.

Advertising turnaround?

Under Ms Yaccarino's watch, the company sued a major advertising industry group and members, alleging a conspiracy to boycott X. The industry group shuttered shortly after the lawsuit was filed. The platform's tone changed significantly during the course of Yaccarino's tenure. Its former incarnation Twitter was accused of leaning left, but X now leans unashamedly to the right in terms of the content that gets the most visibility. Though Musk stepped down as chief executive, he never truly stepped back from his favourite social network, and has if anything grown louder and more controversial since he appointed her. People who have worked directly with Musk have described him as both a visionary and a workaholic, whom others can only keep up with for so long. "Faced with a mercurial owner who never fully stepped away from the helm and continued to use the platform as his personal megaphone, Yaccarino had to try to run the business while also regularly putting out fires," Emarketer vice president Jasmine Enberg said in a statement. She said her firm expected X's ad business to return to growth this year, after more than halving after Musk's takeover. But she added: "The reasons for X's ad recovery are complicated, and Yaccarino was unable to restore the platform's reputation among advertisers."

Parties condemn bonfire effigy of refugees in small boat

7 hours ago Share Save Share Save

BBC The bonfire in Moygashel is due to be lit on Thursday night

The placing of an effigy of refugees in a boat on top of a bonfire in County Tyrone "should not take place", the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has said. The bonfire in Moygashel is due to be lit on Thursday night. The model of a small boat with several figures inside is on top of a banner saying "stop the boats" and "veterans before refugees". Politicians from other parties have also condemned the effigy. Moygashel Bonfire Committee has said that the bonfire "topper" should not be seen as "racist, threatening or offensive" and it is "expressing our disgust at the ongoing crisis that is illegal immigration".

PA Media Police say they are "aware of an item placed on a bonfire at the Moygashel area"

Sinn Féin Fermanagh and South Tyrone assembly member Colm Gildernew said it was a "vile and a deplorable act and "clearly a hate crime". He said the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) now needs to urgently remove the effigy and "our political leaders in this area need to step up and condemn this absolutely unacceptable behaviour". The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said bonfires on 11 July are "a historic and cultural tradition stretching back to the fires lit to welcome the arrival of King William lll" and "should be positive cultural celebrations". It said it supported "those within our community that wish to celebrate their culture by continuing with that tradition in a peaceful, positive and safe way", but that the "placing of flags, effigies or other items on bonfires is not part of that tradition and should not take place". Gildernew and the UUP's Mike Nesbitt both described the act as "deplorable". UUP leader Nesbitt posted on social media that it was "sickening" and "entirely out of step with what is supposed to be a cultural celebration". "I condemn it without reservation and urge those responsible to remove it forthwith," he added. Gildernew said it was "an absolutely disgusting act, fuelled by sickening racist and far-right attitudes". "This is a clear incitement to hatred and must be removed immediately," he added. "Those who come to our island to make it their home are not the enemy." SDLP councillor Malachy Quinn said he had reported the display to the police. "Those responsible for this hateful display claim to be celebrating British culture," he said. "Let's be clear, racism and intimidation are not culture. This isn't pride, it's poison." Alliance councillor Eddie Roofe said the placing of the model of a small boat of refugees on the bonfire was "despicable". "Those responsible only seek to incite fear and spread far-right beliefs and do not represent the community as a whole," he said.

North West Migrants' Forum integration and welfare officer Gaelle Gormley said the effigy was "outrageous"

Amnesty International's Patrick Corrigan also called for the removal of the effigy and said it was a "vile, dehumanising act that fuels hatred and racism". "It cruelly mocks the suffering of people who risk everything to flee war, persecution, and hardship in search of safety," he said. North West Migrants' Forum integration and welfare officer Gaelle Gormley said it was "outrageous" and "really disgraceful". "We even had goosebumps of fear," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme. "It is a call for hate. "Our service users are mostly asylum seekers and refugees and they are very scared and they are really disappointed." She called on the PSNI to "take it down" and said people needed to be educated on what it is to be an asylum seeker.

Sinn Féin Fermanagh and South Tyrone assembly member Colm Gildernew called for the removal of the effigy from the bonfire and said it was a "clear incitement to hatred"

South Korea's ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol rearrested

Yoon, who was the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested, faces trial on charges of leading an insurrection over his attempt to impose martial law.

A senior judge at Seoul's Central District Court issued an arrest warrant for Yoon on Wednesday, citing fears he could destroy evidence.

Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached in April over the order, which saw military rule introduced for six-hours in December.

South Korea's former president has been rearrested over last year's failed martial law bid that plunged the country into political turmoil.

During Wednesday's seven-hour hearing, a special counsel team argued for the arrest warrant on five key charges, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

The charges include Yoon's alleged violation of the rights of cabinet members by not inviting some of them to a meeting before he declared martial law.

Yoon initially attended the hearing alongside his lawyers to deny the charges, before being taken to Seoul Detention Center to await a decision on an arrest warrant.

He was first arrested in January following a lengthy stand-off, with investigators scaling barricades and cutting through barbed wire to take him into custody from his residence in central Seoul.

Yoon was released two months later after a court overturned his arrest on technical grounds, but still faces trial.

If found guilty, he could face life in prison or the death penalty.

Prosecutors have reportedly found evidence that Yoon ordered military drones to be flown over North Korea to provoke a reaction that would justify his martial law declaration, according to reports.

Other senior officials also face charges including insurrection and abuse of authority over the martial law declaration.

Insurrection is one of a small number of criminal charges from which South Korean presidents do not have immunity, but now Yoon is no longer president he is open to other criminal charges.

South Korea's new president, Lee Jae-myung, was elected in June following a snap election after Yoon's impeachment.

Lee campaigned on the promise to strengthen the country's democracy following the crisis and appointed a special counsel team to investigate Yoon over the imposition of martial-law, as well as other criminal allegations surrounding his administration.

Met 'truly sorry' for distress to Al Fayed victims

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George M Horn Pelham Spong applied for a job as a personal assistant to Al Fayed in 2008 while she was living in Paris

The Metropolitan Police has written to alleged victims of the late businessman Mohamed Al Fayed apologising for the distress they have suffered because he will never face justice. And in an unusual move, Scotland Yard also plans to send the women a video statement later this week to provide an update on its ongoing investigation. The force has promised to answer questions about the investigation into what it has said are 40 allegations, including rape and sexual assault. These relate to the former Harrods boss - who died in 2023, aged 94 - as well as others who may have enabled his abuse.

In the letter, Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Craggs, now leading the investigation, said she was "acutely aware the case is especially distressing to all those who have suffered". "Not least due to the fact that the main suspect will now never directly face justice for his crimes, and for this I am truly sorry," she wrote. But some of Al Fayed's accusers have suggested the Met needs to do more. Speaking on behalf of a group of survivors, Pelham Spong, who says she was sexually assaulted by Al Fayed in her 20s, questioned whether Met is giving the case the "gravitas and attention" it deserves. She told the BBC it was "difficult to place a huge amount of trust" in the police investigation. Some 21 women accused the tycoon between 2005 and 2023, but he was never charged. One focus of the Met's inquiry is assessing whether anybody still alive enabled his activities, but there have been no charges.

Reuters Mohamed Al Fayed was never charged during his lifetime

Scotland Yard plans to send alleged victims a video statement on Friday, saying it wanted to ensure that potential victims were "at the heart" of the Met's response. The force hasn't provided a substantial update about the investigation since late last year. The Met decided against holding a meeting, online or in-person, to update the women because of concerns about anonymity and the potential to harm testimony for any future trial. DCS Craggs' letter describes the inquiry as a "large-scale investigation into the allegations made against Al Fayed and those who may be involved in his offending", which is being run by complex investigations team at the Met. She wrote: "Some of you may have heard, and perhaps experienced dissatisfaction in previous investigations into Al Fayed by the Met and hence may have little confidence in us." To address that she has asked for questions from the alleged victims, which will be answered in Friday's video statement.

PC denies losing control in Manchester Airport brawl

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Footage of Manchester Airport brawl was shown to the jury

A police officer has denied he "lost control" in the aftermath of being allegedly assaulted by two brothers at Manchester Airport. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammad Amaad, 26, are said to have struck out after police were called to a reported assault at the Starbucks cafe in Terminal 2 arrivals on July 23 last year, when Mr Amaaz is said to have headbutted a customer. Jurors at Liverpool Crown Court were shown a photograph of injuries to the face of the defendants' mother, said to have been caused as PC Zachary Marsden attempted to arrest Mr Amaaz at the terminal car park. PC Marsden said it was "unclear" if his actions caused her injuries.

PA Media Liverpool Crown Court were shown a photograph of injuries to the face of the defendants' mother

The Greater Manchester Police officer said: "I believe I was not the only person who made contact with Mrs Akhtar." CCTV footage played to the jury showed Mrs Akhtar knelt near to her son on the floor after a Taser discharge knocked him down. Cross-examining PC Marsden, Imran Khan KC, defending Mr Amaaz suggested that the officer caused Mrs Akhtar's injuries by hitting her with a Taser. PC Marsden said: "I firmly believe that you can't wholly attribute my actions to those injuries." Mr Khan said: "Did you push the Taser you were holding into Mrs Akhtar at the time she was tending to Mr Amaaz?" PC Marsden said he did, and that he felt it was justified "in the circumstances". He said the mother grabbed his left leg, and when he tried to remove her grip she "clamped" onto his left hand pulling him forward. "I was being pulled over Mr Amaaz and at risk of falling on top of him and being vulnerable," he said. Mr Khan said: "She was concerned for Mr Amaaz. She was not a threat. She was not interfering with anything you were doing and this was conduct, I suggest, where you have lost control." PC Marsden said: "I would deny that."

'Beyond reasoning'

Mobile phone footage was also played to the jury of PC Marsden later using Pava spray on a bystander who he said was effectively "shielding" another man who officers wanted to detain for obstructing their duties. PC Marsden told the court he did this because events were "beyond verbal reasoning". The officer was then seen to grab the man around the neck and pull him to the floor, Mr Khan said. Mr Khan said: "How do you justify putting your hands around a man's neck?" PC Marsden said: "Immediately prior, I had been subjected to the most violent assault of my life. "I was now terrified that we are on the tipping point of another volatile situation. They were complicit in watching us being violently assaulted. "I used pre-emptive force. I was in pain, exhausted and wanted to try the best I could to effect an arrest." When Mr Khan asked if the bystander was doing anything that required Pava spray in the face, PC Marsden said he was concerned that he would be "combative" which could lead to another "hostile fight". Mr Amaaz is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden and PC Lydia Ward, causing them actual bodily harm. He is also accused of the assault of PC Ellie Cook and the earlier Starbucks assault of Abdulkareem Ismaeil. Mr Amaad is alleged to have assaulted PC Marsden, causing actual bodily harm. Both men, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, deny the allegations.

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During the recording of (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, the Gallagher brothers had one of their bigger rows. Noel swung a cricket bat at Liam.

Paul McGuigan was the Oasis bassist at the time. He's a huge cricket fan.

The biggest comebacks of the summer are happening all at once. Last week it was Oasis in Cardiff, this week Jofra Archer at Lord's, scene of his champagne super over in the 2019 World Cup final and felling of Steve Smith on Test debut. He was electric.

Archer's return to play in the third Test against India on Thursday is remarkable. More than four years away, his career threatened by back and elbow injuries. The last time he played a Test in this country was in the Covid bubble. The last time he played a Test in front of a home crowd was that debut summer six years ago.

The fans have not forgotten. When Archer was 12th man during the second Test at Edgbaston, an appearance to run the drinks brought one of the loudest cheers of the week from the Hollies Stand.

"He absolutely loved it," said England captain Ben Stokes. "He had no idea what to do. He went around once, and went back round again."

For Archer, one of the most complete fast bowlers to play for England in decades, perhaps expectations should be managed. He has bowled only 18 competitive overs with a red ball in the run-up to this.

But what is the point of sport if excitement is not allowed? Hopes, dreams and heroes get us believing a Briton can reach the second week of Wimbledon or Stoke City might avoid a relegation battle this season. It will be the same with Archer, believing he can be the same exhilarating bowler of 2019.

A further frisson came from the sight of Mark Wood training with England at Lord's on Wednesday, stepping up his comeback from a knee injury. There was an embrace between Archer and Wood, a glimpse to a partnership that could reunite for the final Test at The Oval, or this winter in Australia.

Paris St-Germain look like a team building a dynasty after Luis Enrique's side dismantled yet another European giant - this time Real Madrid 4-0 - to reach the Club World Cup final.

The French side bashed Inter Milan 5-0 five and a half weeks ago in the Champions League final - and they are showing few signs of letting up.

While critics have dismissed the Club World Cup as almost like a friendly tournament, that is not how it has been played. It is being taken as seriously as any competition by the players.

PSG had a blip against Brazilian side Botafogo, but have beaten both Atletico and Real Madrid 4-0 in the United States tournament, plus German champions Bayern Munich 2-0 despite ending the game with nine men.

Teams just cannot cope with their pace, passing and pressing - and they continue to tear apart any team in their way.

They led 3-0 within 24 minutes, thanks to a Fabian Ruiz double and Ousmane Dembele strike, before Goncalo Ramos netted with three minutes left.

Next up are Chelsea in Sunday's final in New Jersey.

"Luis Enrique has created a monster," said Dazn pundit Andros Townsend.

And former Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale added: "They look like a team who are going to be around for a long time.

"They are very young, relentless and want to embarrass teams."

World number one Jannik Sinner says he will be "100%" for Friday's Wimbledon semi-final against Novak Djokovic after injuring his elbow earlier in the week.

The 23-year-old Italian fell during the first game of his fourth-round tie with Grigor Dimitrov on Monday and took a medical time-out to receive treatment.

He was two sets down against Dimitrov but ultimately progressed after his opponent retired through injury.

Sinner only had a light 20-minute hit with his coaches on Tuesday and wore strapping and a protective sleeve on his racquet arm during Wednesday's quarter-final victory over Shelton.

The only sign of discomfort he showed was when he grimaced and shook out his arm after returning one of Shelton's huge serves in the second set.

"The pain is getting better," Sinner told BBC Sport. "I played today with some painkillers which helped me to get through.

"Returning fast serves is not easy. But yes, it's not something crazy serious because if not I would be much more concerned.

"Time will always help and [Thursday] is one day off, which is going to be good for me, and Friday I'm going to be 100%."

Belinda Bencic knew what she would be thinking about before she went to sleep on Wednesday night.

The Swiss player uses the time before she drifts off to visualise her gameplan for her next match and her next opponent.

That next match is the small matter of a first Wimbledon semi-final, and against five-time major winner Iga Swiatek.

"She is a big challenge and I'm really excited to play her. We've had some close matches. I will come up with a plan," the 28-year-old former Olympic champion said.

Explaining her method of preparation, she said: "I'm not so much of a writer. For me it's more like imagining some plays.

"It's important for me to do it before I go to sleep. While I'm falling asleep, I go through it unconsciously.

"It's something that happens naturally and then I'm able to kind of memorise it a little bit."