220 MPs call for Starmer to recognise Palestinian state

4 hours ago Share Save Sam Francis Political reporter Share Save

Reuters

More than a third of MPs have signed a letter to Sir Keir Starmer calling for the UK to recognise a Palestinian state. Some 220 MPs from nine political parties have backed the call - more than half of them Labour - arguing that UK recognition would send a "powerful" message and a vital step toward a two-state solution. The letter piles pressure on the prime minister after France committed to recognising a Palestinian statehood within months. In an earlier statement after an emergency phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Friedrich Merz, Sir Keir said recognising Palestinian statehood would have to be part of a "wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution".

In his statement, Sir Keir said: "Alongside our closest allies, I am working on a pathway to peace in the region, focused on the practical solutions that will make a real difference to the lives of those that are suffering in this war. "That pathway will set out the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire so desperately needed, into a lasting peace. "Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps. I am unequivocal about that. "But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis." On Friday evening, Sir Keir said the government would "pull every lever" to get food and life saving support to Palestinians, and evacuate children "who need urgent medical assistance". "This humanitarian catastrophe must end," he added in a post on X. He also said in a video statement the same day that the UK would play a role in air-dropping aid to Palestinians, following Israel's acceptance of the plan. "We are already working urgently with the Jordanian authorities to get British aid on to planes and into Gaza," he said.

A joint statement from the leaders of UK, France and Germany, following their call does not mention Palestinian statehood. But it said all three countries "stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region". The statement is critical of the Israeli government, demanding an end to aid restrictions and warning the "humanitarian catastrophe that we are witnessing in Gaza must end now". The statement also stresses Hamas must be disarmed and "have no role in the future of Gaza".

The letter comes after the UK and 27 other countries condemned the "drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians" seeking food and water in Gaza. Israel, which controls the entry of all supplies into the Palestinian territory, has repeatedly said that there is no siege and blames Hamas for cases of malnutrition. Israel's foreign ministry rejected the countries' statement, saying it was "disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas". According to the UN human rights office, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while trying to get food aid over the past two months. Israel has said its troops have only fired warning shots and that they do not intentionally shoot civilians.

The letter has been signed by 131 Labour MPs, including senior figures like former minister Liam Byrne and committee chair Ruth Cadbury. Lib Dem Leader Sir Ed Davey, former Tory minister Kit Malthouse and Conservative Sir Edward Leigh - Parliament's longest serving MP - have also signed. SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru, SDLP and independents were among those who signed the letter. The letter argued that a Parliament has held a "cross-party consensus for decades" on recognising Palestinian statehood as part of a "two-state solution". While recognition alone would not end the suffering in Gaza, "British recognition of Palestine would be particularly powerful" given its history in the region, the MPs say. Labour MP Sarah Champion, who chairs the international development select committee and who organised the letter, said a two-state solution "remains the only viable proposal to secure a lasting peace for the region". "Recognition would send a powerful symbolic message that we support the rights of the Palestinian people, that they are not alone and they need to maintain hope that there is a route that leads to lasting peace and security for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people," she added.

Last month, about 60 MPs reportedly signed a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and a motion in Parliament was signed by 110 MPs. In 2014, the House of Commons passed a non-binding motion calling on the government to recognise a Palestinian state alongside Israel, which was backed by an overwhelming majority of MPs. Most countries - about 139 in all - formally recognise a Palestinian state, although many European nations and the United States say they will only do so as part of moves towards a long-term resolution to the conflict. Spain, Ireland and Norway formally took the step last year, hoping to exert diplomatic pressure to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. At the United Nations (UN), Palestinian representatives have limited rights to participate in UN activity, and the territory is also recognised by various international organisations, including the Arab League. Sceptics argue recognition would largely be a symbolic gesture unless questions over the leadership and extent of a Palestinian state are addressed first.

Almost a third of people in Gaza not eating for days, UN food programme warns

3 hours ago Share Save Maia Davies BBC News Share Save

Reuters International concern has risen this week with warnings that starvation has gripped Gaza

Almost one in three people in Gaza are going days without eating, the UN's food aid programme has warned. "Malnutrition is surging with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment," the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement. Warnings of starvation in Gaza have intensified this week. Nine more people died of malnutrition on Friday, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry - bringing the total such deaths since the war began to 122. Israel, which controls the entry of all supplies into Gaza, says there is no restriction on aid getting into the territory and blames Hamas for any malnutrition.

An Israeli security official said on Friday that airdrops of aid into Gaza could be allowed in the coming days - something aid agencies have previously cautioned is an inefficient way to get supplies into Gaza. While local media reported the United Arab Emirates and Jordan would carry out the latest drops, a senior Jordanian official told the BBC that its military was yet to receive permission from Israel to do so. The UN has described the move as a "distraction to inaction" by the Israeli government. The move came amid mounting international concern about humanitarian conditions in Gaza. On Friday, Germany, France and the UK called on Israel to "immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid" into the territory. In a joint statement, they called for an immediate end to the "humanitarian catastrophe that we are witnessing in Gaza," and to the war itself, adding that Israel must "uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law". "Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable," read the statement. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he could not "explain the level of indifference and inaction we see by too many in the international community - the lack of compassion, the lack of truth, the lack of humanity". Addressing the Amnesty International global assembly, he said more than 1,000 Palestinians had been killed while trying to access food since 27 May - when the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began distributing supplies as an alternative to the UN-led system.

'I'm so tired': Mother of starving Gazan baby speaks to BBC

A US security contractor who worked for the GHF in May and June 2025 told the BBC on Friday that he had "without question… witnessed war crimes" during that time. Anthony Aguilar said he saw the IDF and US contractors using live ammunition, artillery, mortar rounds, and tank fire on civilians at food distribution sites. The retired soldier said: "In my entire career, I have never witnessed the level of brutality and use of indiscriminate and unnecessary force against a civilian population until I was in Gaza at the hands of the IDF and US contractors." In its response, the GHF said the claims - which came from "a disgruntled former contractor who was terminated for misconduct a month ago" - were "categorically false".

Meanwhile, the future of talks to secure a new ceasefire and hostage-release deal remains uncertain, after the US and Israel withdrew their negotiating teams from Qatar. US President Donald Trump said Hamas "didn't really want to make a deal". "I think they want to die," he said. Hamas has expressed surprise about the US remarks. A senior Hamas official also told the BBC's Gaza correspondent that mediators had informed the group negotiations had not collapsed, and said the Israeli delegation was expected to return to Doha next week.

Hedaya al-Muta'wi's 18-month-old son Mohammed suffers from malnutrition due to famine and weighs just 6kg.

He suffers from fatigue and can no longer stand or sit up. She told the BBC "my husband was killed in the war and I don't have a breadwinner, except God".

She said she works hard and labours to provide her son with baby formula milk, but can't provide for him properly because she is alone.

Top Boy actor Micheal Ward charged with rape

7 hours ago Share Save Ian Youngs Culture reporter Share Save

Reuters

Bafta-winning actor Micheal Ward, known for roles in shows and films including Top Boy, Small Axe and Blue Story, has been charged with rape. Mr Ward, 27, of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, is charged with two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault, the Metropolitan Police said. He said: "I deny the charges against me entirely," and added that he had co-operated with police fully throughout their investigation and had full faith it would lead to his name being cleared. The alleged offences relate to one woman and are reported to have taken place in January 2023, according to the police force.

The actor made his name as one of the stars of cult hit Blue Story in 2019, and won the Rising Star prize at the Bafta Film Awards the following year. He played Jamie in Netflix hit Top Boy from 2019 to 22, and was nominated for best supporting actor at the Bafta TV Awards for Small Axe in 2021. The Jamaican-born actor also starred in acclaimed 2022 drama Empire of Light, and will be seen in forthcoming US pandemic-era Western movie Eddington, which is due to be released in the UK on 22 August.

Trump says 'great to be in Scotland', as he lands for four-day trip

1 hour ago Share Save Catherine Lyst and Paul O'Hare BBC Scotland News Share Save

Getty Images President Trump waved at the crowds at Prestwick Airport

US president Donald Trump said "it's great to be in Scotland" as he landed for a four-day private visit. After Air Force One touched down at Prestwick Airport, just before 20:30, the US president was met by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray and Warren Stephens, US Ambassador to the UK. Trump spoke to journalists before the presidential motorcade left for his Turnberry resort, in South Ayrshire, where he is expected to play golf on Saturday. Speaking about Sir Keir Starmer, who he is due to meet on Monday, he said: "I like your prime minister. He's slightly more liberal than I am - as you probably heard - but he's a good man. He got a trade deal done."

Trump added: "You know, they've been working on this deal for 12 years, he got it done - that's a good deal, it's a good deal for the UK." The president earlier also described Scotland's First Minister John Swinney as "a good man" and said he was looking forward to meeting him. Swinney has pledged to "essentially speak out for Scotland".

The moment Air Force One lands at Glasgow Prestwick Airport

The motorcade - which contained more than two dozen vehicles - entered Trump's Turnberry golf resort at about 21:30, flanked by Police Scotland vehicles and ambulance crews. As he arrived at the luxury hotel, the president's vehicle - known as The Beast - passed a small group of protesters. Trump will stay at Turnberry over the weekend before heading to his second property in Aberdeenshire, where he will open a new 18-hole course at Menie. He told reporters a late James Bond star played a crucial role in the project. Trump said: "Sean Connery helped get me the permits - if it weren't for Sean Connery we wouldn't have those great courses."

Trump is expected to meet Starmer and Swinney on Monday while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed on X that she will meet the president on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade relations. Trump will travel back to the US on Tuesday and is due to return to the UK for an official state visit in September. A number of protests are expected to be held to coincide with the visit, including demonstrations in Edinburgh and Aberdeen on Saturday. A major security operation has been under way in South Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire this week, ahead of the president's trip. Dozens of officers have also been drafted in to support Police Scotland, under mutual aid arrangements, from other UK forces. Road closures and diversions have been put in place in Turnberry, while a security checkpoint outside the resort and a large fence has been erected around the course. A number of police vans have also been seen at the Menie site.

Getty Images Plane spotters and Trump supporters gathered at Prestwick Airport to watch Air Force One coming into land

PA Media The motorcade makes its way along the A77 to Trump's Turnberry resort

Speaking to journalists at Prestwick, Trump said European countries need to "get your act together" on migration, and "stop the windmills", referring to wind farms. He said: "I say two things to Europe: Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries. I really mean it, it's so sad. "You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds, and if they're stuck in the ocean, ruining your oceans. "Stop the windmills, and also, I mean, there's a couple of things I could say, but on immigration, you'd better get your act together or you're not going to have Europe anymore." In 2019, his company Trump International lost a long-running court battle to stop a major wind power development being built in the North Sea off Aberdeen. Trump argued that the project, which included 11 wind turbines, would spoil the view from his golf course at Menie.

Trump also claimed that illegal migration was an "invasion" which was "killing Europe". He said: "Last month, we (the United States) had nobody entering our country. Nobody. Shut it down. And we took out a lot of bad people that got there with (former US president Joe) Biden. "Biden was a total stiff, and what he allowed to happen.... but you're allowing it to happen to your countries, and you've got to stop this horrible invasion that's happening to Europe; many countries in Europe. "Some people, some leaders, have not let it happen, and they're not getting the proper credit they should. "I could name them to you right now, but I'm not going to embarrass the other ones. "But stop: this immigration is killing Europe."

Getty Images Trump teeing off during a round of golf at his Turnberry course in May 2023

Quizzed on the latest developments with the Epstein files and Ghislaine Maxwell's interview with the Department of Justice, Trump said he had "really nothing to say about it". "A lot of people are asking me about pardons obviously - this is no time to be talking about pardons." He said the media was "making a very big thing out of something that's not a big thing". Earlier, Chancellor Rachel Reeves told reporters the US president's visit to Scotland was in the "national interest". Speaking during a visit to the Rolls-Royce factory, near Glasgow Airport, she said: "The work that our Prime Minister Keir Starmer has done in building that relationship with President Trump has meant that we were the first country in the world to secure a trade deal." Reeves added that it had a "tangible benefit" for people in Scotland, from the Scotch whisky industry to the defence sector." Swinney said his meeting with Trump would present an opportunity to "essentially speak out for Scotland" on issues such as trade and the increase of business from the United States in Scotland. The first minister said he would also raise "significant international issues" including "the awfulness of the situation in Gaza". And he urged those set to protest against the president's visit to do so "peacefully and to do so within the law".

PA Media A number of roads have been closed in preparation for Trump's visit

PA Media Security has been stepped up at the two Trump resorts

Visits to Scotland by sitting US presidents are rare. Queen Elizabeth hosted Dwight D Eisenhower at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire in 1957. George W Bush travelled to Gleneagles in Perthshire for a G8 summit in 2005 and Joe Biden attended a climate conference in Glasgow in 2021. The only other serving president to visit this century is Trump himself in 2018 when he was met by protesters including one flying a paraglider low over Turnberry, breaching the air exclusion zone around the resort. He returned in 2023, two-and-a-half years after he was defeated by Biden.

PA Media Police have been drafted in from a number of forces and are using a variety of vehicles

Taiwan holds controversial vote targeting 'pro-China' lawmakers

41 minutes ago Share Save Tessa Wong BBC News, Asia Digital Reporter Share Save

BBC / Tessa Wong Several of the Kuomintang lawmakers facing the recall vote appeared at an anti-recall rally last weekend

Thousands of Taiwanese are heading to the polls in an unprecedented and controversial vote aimed at ousting lawmakers accused of being too close to China. More than 30 lawmakers have been targeted in the "dabamian", or Great Recall vote, initiated by a civic movement. The vote has the potential to alter the balance of power in Taiwan, which has seen months of political deadlock between the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government and the legislature dominated by the opposition Kuomintang and its allies. The issue has deeply divided Taiwanese society, which has seen large rallies and fierce debate. Both pro-recall and anti-recall activists claim to be fighting for Taiwan's democracy.

The movement around the recall vote began with elections in January 2024, when voters chose the DPP's William Lai as their president but gave the opposition the dominant presence in the parliamentary Legislative Yuan. In the following months, the main opposition party Kuomintang worked together with the smaller Taiwan People's Party and independents to block DPP bills and pass controversial pieces of legislation. These moves angered some Taiwanese, who saw these as attempts to stymie the DPP government while strengthening the opposition's parliamentary power.

In May 2024, thousands began holding protests in what became known as the Bluebird movement, partially named after the Taipei street where many had gathered. Many in the movement believe the opposition, led by the Kuomintang which is known for its relatively friendlier position on China, is being influenced by Beijing and secretly pushing China's agenda in Taiwan's legislature. The party has denied this, but suspicion grew when a group of Kuomintang lawmakers visited China last year and were welcomed by top-ranking Chinese Communist Party official Wang Huning. Civic groups in the Bluebird movement launched petitions to oust various Kuomintang lawmakers, while Kuomintang supporters retaliated by doing the same to some DPP lawmakers. So far, petitions for 31 lawmakers' seats have received enough preliminary support to proceed with a final recall vote. All these seats are held by the Kuomintang - and if enough are successfully recalled, it could mean the DPP eventually gains the majority in the legislature. While Taiwan has held recall votes before, it has never seen so many within such a short space of time.

Getty Images Many protesters in the Bluebird movement believe the Kuomintang lawmakers are pushing China's agenda in Taiwan's legislature

Police commissioner apologises for bodies claim

4 hours ago Share Save Share Save

BBC Alison Hernandez has apologised for comments she made about an ongoing murder investigation in Cornwall

A police and crime commissioner has apologised for claiming the remains of multiple people had been found in woodland at the centre of a murder probe. Devon and Cornwall Police said the body of one man had been recovered from woods at Sticker, near St Austell, and no other remains had been found. The region's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Alison Hernandez, who represents the Conservative Party, told a streamed meeting on Friday that multiple bodies had been found. She has since apologised "for any alarm this may have caused". She said: "The police have operational primacy over these matters. Any investigation will unfold rapidly and I was not in possession of all the facts at that time."

Det Supt Jon Bancroft said: "I can categorically state that we have recovered remains believed to be those of Daniel Coleman only from an area of woodland in Sticker." "No other remains have been located at this scene to date," he added. Police and forensic experts have been carrying out extensive inquiries in woodland since the discovery of the body of Daniel Coleman, 43, was made. James Desborough, 39, is accused of murdering Mr Coleman, from St Austell, on a date between June 2 and July 7. He is due back before Truro Crown Court next month. Hernandez was answering questions at the Police and Crime Panel meeting when she said: "We have got a huge forensics tent down there and lots of forensics officers, obviously we've found dead bodies in that wood. "We're just trying to establish how many there may be at this point in time and whether we are aware of who they are or what might have happened to them. "So we also don't know how long they may have been there, some of them." Police and crime commissioners are elected officials whose role is to help ensure that police forces function effectively. They do not run those forces themselves.

Det Supt Bancroft said: "We currently have three separate murder investigations being conducted in the Cornwall area. "I have oversight of all of these investigations at this time, and can confirm they are being carried out independently of each other and are not believed to be linked. He added: "It is imperative that we continue to respect the integrity of the formal court process and ensure the administration of justice is not compromised in any way. "We hope members of the public understand that, for this reason, we cannot comment further on the defendant or the investigation. "I would also urge people not to speculate on this case, particularly on social media, and risk prejudicing these proceedings. "Publication of material which does so could lead to a criminal offence under the Contempt of Court Act."

'Apologise for any alarm'

In a later statement, Hernandez said: "In trying to be helpful I responded to an operational question at the Police and Crime Panel today, however, I was not fully up to date with the facts of the investigation. "I apologise for any alarm this may have caused." Police are also investigating the discovery of the body of Lee Hockey, 50, who was found in woodland between Truro and Probus on July 1. A third murder inquiry is under way following a fatal fire at a residential property in Newquay on July 22. The body of a man in his 30s was found in the property and a 33-year-old man from Bolton was arrested on suspicion of murder. Hernandez made headlines in 2017 when she suggested on BBC Radio that armed members of the public could be a "solution" if there was a terrorist attack in Cornwall. "I'm just saying... let's officially have a look at that and see what would be the implications of it," she said.

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.

Thousands of retained firefighters owed pensions, union says

2 hours ago Share Save Dan Whitworth • @bbcdanw Money Box reporter Reporting from Buckinghamshire, Devon and Cornwall Share Save

Peter Duncombe Peter Duncombe spent 35 years serving as a retained firefighter

More than 10,000 former retained firefighters across the UK are missing out on pension payments, according to a union. The payments, which became available following recent legal rulings, could be worth anything from several thousand to more than £100,000. The Fire and Rescue Services Association (FRSA) has urged anyone who might qualify to contact their old employers to ask if they are eligible and to get help about how to claim. Retained, or on-call, firefighters are usually based in more rural locations and answer emergency calls alongside working a normal job.

They never used to get a pension. However, two legal rulings in the past few years have changed that, meaning they are now entitled to one. Now anyone who served as a retained firefighter between two dates connected to those rulings - April 2000 and April 2006 - could qualify, and not just for a pension covering those six years, but for their entire career. They must "buy back" (pay for) the pension contributions they would have made toward any pension scheme, but that bill can be taken off any final payment they're owed. How much money that is depends on factors such as the amount of time served, how busy their fire station was and what rank they attained.

Paul Jarvis Retained firefighters are usually based in more rural areas and answer emergency calls alongside working a regular job

'Great bonus to the household'

Peter Duncombe spent 35 years serving as a retained firefighter in Buckinghamshire and qualified for a lump sum of about £10,000 plus ongoing monthly payments of around £180. "This extra pension... is a great bonus toward the household," he said. "Especially with the current issues with the cost of living increases, fuel rises and electricity going up. It's just excellent really. "The lump sum, which was a great bonus, we're actually going to use some of that for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday... and the remainder will go back into the kitty for maybe another holiday in another year."

So far the FRSA estimates about 16,000 people have come forward to make a claim. Many of them have received lump sum payments of tens of thousands of pounds, plus monthly payments going forward. But the union estimates at least 10,000 more are eligible but haven't yet put in a claim. It's urging them to contact their former employer to find out how to put in a claim or message the union via its website to get help and advice. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government said: "It's essential our firefighters get the pensions they have earned as quickly as possible. "Fire and rescue authorities are responsible for the administration of the pensions, and the government is supporting them to address issues raised by firefighters." A Local Government Association spokesperson said: "Some individuals have service that goes back as far as the 1960s and Fire and Rescue Authorities have been working tirelessly in trying to trace some individuals, to ensure that they do not miss out on this opportunity."

Paul Jarvis Paul Jarvis was presented with this ceremonial fire axe to mark his retirement

World's thirst for matcha dries up global supplies

20 minutes ago Share Save Osmond Chia Business reporter, BBC News Reporting from Singapore Share Save

Getty Images

Matcha mania is sweeping the world. The bright green Japanese tea can be found in everything from Starbucks' lattes in the UK to Krispy Kreme doughnuts in Singapore. The global matcha craze is being driven by social media, with influencers sharing brewing tips, reviews and recipes. The "Matcha Tok" hashtag has clocked up tens of millions of views. Matcha's growing popularity is also linked to Japan's post-pandemic tourism boom, with the country's weak currency making it an attractive destination as well as boosting demand for Japanese goods. In the midst of the hype, demand for the powder is soaring. US-based tea importer Lauren Purvis tells the BBC her customers are seeing what was once a month's supply of matcha running out in days. "Some cafes are even asking for a kilo a day. They're desperate to keep up," says Ms Purvis, who runs Mizuba Tea Co. But that surging demand, combined with smaller tea crops due to heatwaves and US tariffs on Japan, is also pushing up matcha prices.

Courtesy of Mizuba Tea Co. Lauren Purvis runs a matcha firm called Mizuba Tea Co

Traditionally, Matcha - which is sought for its health benefits, caffeine and flavour - is the product of a centuries-old and highly-specialised process. It is made from green tea leaves called tencha, which are kept under shade for weeks while they're still growing. This step is crucial for developing the tea's signature "umami" flavour - a savoury taste that complements its natural sweetness. The leaves are harvested, dried and ground into powder using stone mills, which can produce just 40g (1.4oz) of matcha an hour. But in recent months growers have struggled, as record-breaking heatwaves have hit crops. In the Kyoto region, where about a quarter of Japan's tencha comes from, hot weather has led to poor harvests even as demand soars. The country also faces a shortage of farmers as its population ages and not enough younger people go into the industry. Shops in Uji, a city in Kyoto famous for matcha, often see their shelves emptied by tourists as soon as their doors open. As a result, many retailers have set limits on how much customers can buy. Kyoto-based Camellia Tea Ceremony allows customers to purchase only one tin of matcha each as visitor numbers doubled over the last year, says director Atsuko Mori. Tea master Rie Takeda says she also has to closely monitor her stocks of matcha, as orders that would previously arrive in just days can now take more than a week. She works for Chazen, a tea ceremony chain based in Tokyo, which hosts traditional rituals serving matcha to guests. Shortages mean tea prices at Chazen's outlets have risen by around 30% this year. "[The demand] is good," Ms Takeda said through a translator. "It's a gateway for more people to know about Japanese culture." It has also attracted more growers. Matcha production nearly tripled between 2010 and 2023, according to Japan's agricultural ministry. It also says green tea exports, including matcha, also rose 25% last year to 36.4bn yen (£180m; $250m).

Savour, not hoard

The matcha craze has sparked a movement to promote more mindful consumption. Advocates call out people they see as hoarding matcha or profiteering from its popularity. Others urge tea drinkers to be careful about how much they use, and to savour matcha in its purest form rather than as an ingredient in recipes. It's "a bit sad" to see high-grade matcha used in cooking - where its delicate flavour is often lost - or stockpiled for resale, said Ms Mori. "Matcha is the highest grade of tea and it's so special to us. So there's a bit of a contradiction when I hear stories about how it's resold or used in food."

Courtesy of Camellia Tea Ceremony Matcha is used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies

Asylum seekers refusing to leave hotels risk homelessness

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PA Media In the past week, there have been demonstrations outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, where asylum seekers have been housed

Single adult male asylum seekers who refuse to move out of hotels into "suitable alternative accommodation" will risk becoming homeless, the Home Office has said. The government - which is legally obligated to house destitute asylum seekers - says its new "Failure to Travel" guidance would establish "clear consequences for those who game the system". According to Home Office sources, hundreds of migrants are refusing to be transferred from hotels to other forms of accomodation every week. It comes as the government is coming under pressure to reduce the number of hotels being used for asylum accommodation.

The past week has seen a series of demonstrations in Epping close to a hotel housing asylum seekers. Ministers have said the government wants to end the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers by 2029 and has been trying to move people into cheaper types of accommodation. The numbers in hotels had been increasing since 2020, and reached a peak of more than 50,000 in 2023. In March 2025, the asylum hotel population stood at 32,345.

New guidance issued on Friday to Home Office caseworkers and asylum accommodation providers stated that some asylum seekers' "failure to travel to appropriate accommodation" was undermining "the overall efficiency of the asylum support system". Under the rules, individuals being moved from hotels would be given at least five days' notice in writing. People who persistently fail to move would be evicted from their accommodation and could see their financial support withdrawn. In general, asylum seekers are not allowed to work while they are waiting for the government to process their application to stay in the UK. To help with costs for food, clothing and toiletries, they are usually given around £49.18 per week per person. The previous Conservative government took a similar approach when it threatened to take away support from those who refused to board the Bibby Stockholm, a barge that had been used for accommodation.

French pledge to recognise Palestine is a gamble - so will Starmer follow suit?

Crucially, France is not recognising a Palestinian state now - it will do so, says Macron, at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

They were planning to make an announcement some weeks ago but were forced to delay after Israel and the US attacked Iran's nuclear facilities.

The French have been itching to take this step for some time.

The announcement by President Emmanuel Macron of his intention to recognise Palestinian statehood puts huge pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to follow suit.

What the French hope is that their announcement will in the meantime generate diplomatic momentum and encourage other nations to join them.

The French president likes to make bold, dramatic plays on the international stage. But it is a gamble.

In particular, he is relying on the UK to follow his lead. When Macron visited Parliament a few weeks ago, he told MPs and peers that "working together to recognise the state of Palestine and to initiate this political moment is the only path to peace".

One senior French diplomat told me a few days ago that if the UK acted together with France it would convince other countries to join "because two parent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) shows we mean business". The US, China and Russia are the other permanent members on the UNSC, with ten other countries elected for two-year terms.

They added: "The best contribution that France and the UK can bring is to restart the process by bringing all stakeholders around the table, making commitments to the state of Palestine and the security of Israel. We have this power, this opportunity together to restart this process."

The problem is that the British prime minister has thus far been reluctant to take this step in recognising a Palestinian state.

That, in part, reflects traditional British policy. The UK has long argued that the act of recognising a Palestinian state should not be wasted on what some see as gesture politics. One senior source questioned what impact the French decision would have apart from making Macron feel better.

Instead, officials argue this diplomatic card should be used productively to drive momentum in a long-term political settlement; a lever with which to get a deal over the line.

In other words, recognition was part of the end game. Such is the sensitivity about this issue that David Cameron, as foreign secretary, ruffled feathers last year when he even suggested recognition could be brought forward as part of a process and not the final move.

But the French decision suggests they now believe recognition should not be even a stage in a diplomatic sequence but a trigger to open it all up, a shock to the status quo demanded by continued Israeli intransigence and the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The UK has also been cautious traditionally about recognising a Palestinian state for fear of upsetting its allies, the US and Israel, which are firmly opposed to such an idea, believing it to be, in their view, a reward for terrorism. The UK has also been reluctant to invest too much support in an unreformed Palestinian Authority.

So for now the UK has been stalling for time. On Thursday night, the prime minister issued a statement saying: "We are clear that statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people. A ceasefire will put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis."

In other words, there has to be at the very least a ceasefire before recognition becomes possible.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy told MPs on the International Development committee last week that recognition had to be part of a process towards secure a two-state solution - a political settlement based on two separate states that protect the rights of Palestinians and the security of Israelis.

"No country has a veto on our decisions," he said. "When and how to recognise is our decision. I am simply making the point that the act of recognition does not get you two states; it is a symbolic act."

The problem is that, according to UK officials, this decision has moved from the diplomatic sphere to the political. In other words, the government is now under huge pressure from its MPs to act.

Whenever ministers defend the status quo in the House of Commons, they are assailed on all sides by MPs calling for recognition. Joint letters to Downing Street are being written by retired diplomats and coalitions of MPs. The Foreign Affairs Committee has also issued a report backing recognition.

Even Cabinet ministers are joining in. Earlier this week, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told MPs he hoped that the international community would "recognise the state of Palestine while there is a state of Palestine left to recognise". That raised eyebrows in Whitehall because the formulation strayed firmly outside the official Cabinet position that recognition should come only "at the point of maximum impact".

So all eyes are now on what the British government decides. If it fails to follow the French lead, it may well risk votes and rebellions in Parliament. One official suggested to me this could well follow welfare reform as the next big issue to trigger a Labour backbench revolt.

The risk is that, alternately, Britain follows France begrudgingly and is dragged into recognition without any significant diplomatic gain. It will have played a one-time card to little avail.

More than 140 countries around the world have already recognised Palestine as a state. Last year, Ireland, Spain, Norway and Slovenia joined them, with minimal impact.

Future political declarations about Palestinian statehood may well be significant. But how much they change the reality in the short term for people on the ground in Gaza is an open question.

Trump says Hamas 'didn't want deal' as US and Israel leave Gaza talks

7 hours ago Share Save David Gritten & Jaroslav Lukiv BBC News, in Jerusalem and London Share Save

AFP via Getty Images A Palestinian woman walks past damaged buildings after an Israeli strike on the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip

US President Donald Trump has said Hamas "didn't really want to make a deal" on a new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, after the US and Israel withdrew their negotiating teams from Qatar. US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday night that the response by the Palestinian armed group to the latest proposal showed "a lack of desire". He added "alternative options" to bring home the hostages still held by Hamas would be considered - something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed. There was no immediate Hamas response to Trump's comments, but the group earlier expressed surprise about what it called Witkoff's "negative" remarks, and an official said the group had been told Israeli negotiators would return to Doha next week.

All sides involved in the talks - including the mediators from the US, Qatar and Egypt - acknowledge that wide gaps remain on key issues, including Israeli troop withdrawals, aid distribution, and a permanent cessation of hostilities.

In his statement announcing the withdrawal of the US team from Doha, Witkoff said: "While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be co-ordinated or acting in good faith. "We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza. "It is a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way. We are resolute in seeking an end to this conflict and a permanent peace in Gaza." Netanyahu's office had earlier said in a statement that Israeli negotiators would leave Qatar for additional consultations "in light of the response conveyed by Hamas", but it did not give any more details. A senior Israeli official in Doha - speaking on the condition of anonymity - later briefed Israeli journalists that there was "no explosion, no collapse" in the talks, the Times of Israel reported. But the official did criticise what they called Hamas's "rejectionist and unfortunate approach", saying its latest response did "not allow progress without a shift" in the group's positions. On Friday afternoon, Netanyahu wrote on X: "Witkoff got it right. Hamas is the obstacle to a hostage release deal." "Together with our US allies, we are now considering alternative options to bring our hostages home, end Hamas's terror rule, and secure lasting peace for Israel and our region." At around the same time, Trump told reporters outside the White House: "It was too bad. Hamas didn't really want to make a deal. I think they want to die." He added: "Now we're down to the final hostages, and they know what happens after you get the final hostages. And basically because of that, they really didn't want to make a deal." There was no immediate response from Hamas, but the group said in a statement early on Friday that it was "surprised by the negative statements" from Witkoff on its position. "The movement affirms its keenness to continue negotiations and engage in them in a manner that helps overcome obstacles and leads to a permanent ceasefire agreement," it added. A senior Hamas official later told the BBC that the mediators had informed the group that the negotiations had not collapsed. They said the mediators had also conveyed that the Israeli delegation was expected to return to Doha next week, though no specific date had been set. The two sides have been unable to reach agreement on a US proposal for a 60-day ceasefire that would see the staggered release of 10 living Israeli hostages by Hamas and the bodies of 18 other hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Fifty hostages are still being held in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. A senior Palestinian official told the BBC on Wednesday that their latest response focused primarily on three key issues: the mechanism for the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid into Gaza, maps detailing the withdrawal of Israeli troops from territory they have captured, and a guarantee that the ceasefire would lead to a permanent end to the war.

Watch: Protesters pack Tel Aviv square to demand Gaza ceasefire

'I'm utterly lost': Patients' anger over doctors strike cancellations

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

PA

The resident doctors strike in England has begun after a dispute over pay between the government and the British Medical Association (BMA). Thousands of doctors are walking out over five days, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting insisting that disruption will be kept to a minimum. But several NHS patients have told the BBC they fear their conditions could become worse after delays to scheduled procedures, while some have also expressed sympathy over the concerns the doctors are raising.

Peter Plant, 58, of Tamworth, who has kidney cancer, said his surgery to remove the organ on Friday was cancelled on Thursday morning. The operation has been rescheduled for 20 August, but he fears the delay could be a "death sentence". "Resident doctors do not care that delaying operations like mine are very likely a death sentence," he said. "I'm absolutely angry and frustrated. It is not just about me, it's about our whole family. "You try and gear yourself up for it and then it's utter deflation." Mr Plant said he and his family had been living in "limbo" and that he felt "utterly lost". "Wes Streeting says he has told hospitals to carry on as normal and they're clearly not," he added. Official figures have not yet been released on the impact of the strike. Some hospitals are reporting more than 80% of their non-urgent work is still being carried out. Previous walkouts have led to mass cancellations of operations, appointments and treatments: more than one million were cancelled during resident doctor strikes in March 2023 and routine care was cut by half at some hospitals.

EPA

'My three-year-old needs surgery now'

Hassnain Shahid, from Bradford, said his three-year-old daughter urgently needed lung surgery but it had been indefinitely postponed - despite medical warnings about the risks of delay. "It's been an emotional rollercoaster and it's very frustrating for us," Mr Shahid said. Mr Shahid's daughter has Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation (CPAM), a rare lung condition. He said consultants told him surgery was urgent and that it was important it took place in the summer when there was less chance his daughter could catch a cold. "Now we've been told the surgery has been cancelled and they have no availability - not even in September," he said. "They were the ones that said she needed to have it done. "I understand why the doctors are striking, but when you take this path and you go to university you know how much you're going to earn - if you're not happy with the pay, look at an alternative career."

Repeated delays to surgery

Sarah, a patient from the north-west of England, said she was due to have a hysterectomy - an operation to remove her uterus - on Monday but it had been cancelled for a second time. "They don't have a rescheduled date for me at this time," she said. "It's very hard when you have been mentally preparing yourself for major surgery, especially as I was first told that I needed one in November 2024." Andrew Mundy, 58, from Lincoln, expressed fears that repeated delays to his tendon surgery could leave him permanently injured. He injured his knee in early February and was given an initial date for surgery at the end of May, which he said was cancelled because the consultant was on holiday. The surgery was rearranged for Friday but was cancelled because of the strike, he said. "I am furious and aware that every delay in surgery will make the chances of a successful repair even less likely," he said. "It is not fair that I may never recover from this injury due to delays in treatment. "It's frustrating because [the NHS] say that they are not cancelling stuff and things are running as normal, but they are cancelling stuff." Claudia, 44, from Maidstone, said she had been waiting for more than a year to have her gallbladder removed. Her operation has also been cancelled. "Now I've been told I need another assessment, and the next appointment isn't until next month," she said. "Meanwhile, I'm still on daily medication to manage constant pain and symptoms. "I've had to stick to a strict diet just to avoid flare-ups and have lost 15kg because of it. "This is beyond frustrating. How can something marked as urgent be delayed for so long? I feel completely ignored. "People shouldn't be left to suffer like this while stuck in the system."

Lorien Overson Michael Overson has been waiting three years for a knee operation

Could Jeremy Corbyn's new party shake up politics?

7 hours ago Share Save Becky Morton & Sam Francis Political reporter Share Save

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Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed he is launching a new political party, promising to "build a democratic movement that can take on the rich and powerful". It doesn't have a name yet but the MP for Islington North says the plan is for the group to fight May's local elections ahead of the next general election, which is likely to take place in four years' time. The new venture has the potential to shake-up the political landscape, with Labour and the Greens appearing to be the most at risk of losing votes.

Polling of around 2,000 Britons by More In Common last month - on whether they would vote for a hypothetical Corbyn-led party - suggested it could pick up 10% of the vote. This would potentially take three points off Labour's vote share and extend Reform UK's lead in the polls by the same margin. The pollster's UK director, Luke Tryl, says that if this plays out at a general election Labour risks losing seats outright to Corbyn's party, while a splintering of the left-wing vote could also allow Reform UK or the Conservatives to make gains. "In an era of very fragmented politics, small shares could make the difference across the board, and it is totally conceivable that the performance of this left-wing party could be the difference between a Labour-led government and a Nigel Farage Reform-led government on current polling," adds Mr Tryl. Corbyn's party could gain support in parts of the country where pro-Gaza independents have performed strongly such as Birmingham, parts of east and north London and north-west England. More In Common's research suggests a Corbyn-led party would be most popular with those aged under 26 so inner-city student areas could also be key targets. Many of these urban areas are holding local elections in May, which will mark the first real test for the new party.

However, polling suggests the Green Party - where many disgruntled former Labour voters have already turned - stands to lose the most support from a Corbyn-led party. The Greens were second to Labour in 40 constituencies at last year's general election but an insurgent left-wing party could eat into their support. Much depends on whether the Greens form electoral pacts with the new party, with both sides agreeing to stand down in seats where the other has a stronger chance of winning. The four pro-Gaza MPs who formed an independent alliance with Corbyn after the general election are expected to make up the core of the new party, along with former Labour MP Zarah Sultana. But will they work with the Greens? Corbyn has suggested he will cooperate with the party but whether they will agree a formal deal remains to be seen. James Schneider, a close ally of Corbyn who is involved in the new group, tells the BBC it would make "perfect sense for our new party to have some form of pact with the Greens". Green Party leadership candidate Zack Polanski has also said he will "work with anyone who wants to take on Reform and this government". However, his rival, Green MP Adrian Ramsay, warned his party must not become "a Jeremy Corbyn support act" and maintain its "distinct" identity and broad appeal beyond the traditional left. Rob Ford, a professor of political science at the University of Manchester, says a Corbyn-led party is a big threat to the Greens. "Corbyn has a level of name recognition, a level of celebrity, that no one in the Green Party can possibly match," he tells BBC Radio 4's PM programme. "They have one big advantage which is that they have a core issue, the environment, which is one that Corbyn doesn't necessarily seem particularly interested in. "So there is a world in which they could divide up the pie, so to speak, but they're going to need to think hard about that or they risk being pushed aside."

Getty Images Former Labour MP Zarah Sultana is a key figure in the new party

Another poll of more than 2,500 Britons by YouGov earlier this month found that while 18% say they are open to voting for a new left-wing party led by Corbyn, just 9% of these would not consider voting for any of the five existing significant national parties. Illustrating the fractious and unpredictable state of politics, 11% of this group were also open to voting for Reform UK. A lot could change in the four years there is likely to be before the next general election. Luke Tryl argues that if Labour presents that election as a choice between Sir Keir Starmer and Reform UK's Nigel Farage as prime minister, many on the left may choose to vote tactically. In this scenario, voters who are sympathetic to Corbyn's party could hold their nose and back Labour to stop a Reform candidate winning in their area. It has also been a chaotic start for the party, with confusion over the name and who will lead it, after Sultana appeared to jump the gun by announcing her intention to form a new party with Corbyn earlier this month. Labour sources have dismissed their former leader's latest venture, saying "the electorate has twice given their verdict on a Jeremy Corbyn-led party" at the 2017 and 2019 elections. And cabinet minister Peter Kyle went on the attack on Times Radio, accusing Corbyn of "posturing" and of not being "a serious politician". Mr Schneider argues the impact of the new party will not be limited by how many MPs it manages to secure. It claims more than 300,000 people have already signed up to get involved in 24 hours. There's no guarantee all of them will go on to join the party but it suggests some enthusiasm for the idea amongst sections of the public. "We're going to be having a huge outside influence on the political debate in this country," Mr Schneider says. "Of course the long-term goal is to win elections and enter office and be really in power. "But in order to have real sustainable power you need to have people coming with you and have your foundations in the society you want to be building up."

Childminder said she loved murdered brother and sister 'like they were her own'

3 hours ago Share Save Hayley Halpin BBC News NI Share Save

Jenny Bowles Childminder Jenny Bowles looked after Sara and James Rutledge since they were very young babies and said she is "completely devastated" by their deaths

A childminder who looked after the two teenagers killed in a shooting in County Fermanagh has said she loved them like they were her own. Vanessa Whyte and her children, James and Sara Rutledge, were killed in a suspected triple murder and attempted suicide in Maguiresbridge on Wednesday. Ms Whyte, who was 45, was a veterinary surgeon while James and Sara were 14 and 13 respectively. Jenny Bowles, who minded the children since they were babies, said James and Sara were "very much part of our family and always will be".

"We have very fond memories of them and they will last a lifetime," she told BBC News NI. She said she was "completely devastated" by their deaths and "just can't take it in yet". Ms Bowles worked as the family's childminder from when the children were both about three months old until they were eight years of age. She described James and Sara as lovely children who had "a great relationship" as brother and sister and were "very close to each other".

Childminder Jenny Bowles said she loved James and Sara like they were members of her own family

The childminder also built up a friendship with their mother, who often relied on her support, as her own family were based in her native County Clare. "Vanessa was a lovely person, a very strong person," Ms Bowles said, adding the vet's children were the love of her life. "She told me: 'My kids come first, anything else comes after that'. James and Sara were her first and everything." Ms Bowles said both children loved the outdoors and James took a keen interest in farm machinery and Arsenal Football Club while Sara loved animals. Mourners have been leaving flowers and gifts for the family close to the scene of the shooting at the family's house on Drummeer Road. The childminder left a toy rabbit in memory Sara, recalling how, when she was a very young girl, Sara often carried one around with her. "That wee bunny was maybe hidden in her school bag an odd day, so that she could have it when she got to our house later on," Ms Bowles said. "She just loved her wee bunny, so I thought I'll have to leave a bunny for Sara."

A toy rabbit and an Arsenal FC top were among the gifts and tributes left for the murdered children near the scene of Wednesday's gun attack

A man - who is a member of the same household - is being treated for serious gunshot injuries at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. A book of condolences opened on Friday morning at Maguiresbridge Primary School, where James and Sara previously attended. A vigil was held in the grounds of the village primary school on Friday evening, during which a minute's silence was held as a mark of respect for the family. A number of religious representatives made speeches during the event and those gathered were told that hearts are heavy and burdened.

James and Sara were 'just wonderful children'

Earlier, the school's principal Honor Irvine said Sara and James were "just wonderful children" who were not only academically gifted, but also "really good on the sports fields". "When the news broke on Wednesday morning we just didn't know how to react, we were shocked," she said. The principal described Ms Whyte as a "wonderful, devoted mother" who was "absolutely part of our school community". "She was in our parent support group for many years, loved to roll up her sleeves, loved to get involved in things," she said. "She was loved by our parent community and was very much part of the local community through her hurling and her GAA."

Honor Irvine, from Maguiresbridge Primary School, says the local community is in shock

The family's passion for gaelic games "ran deep", according to St Mary's Maguiresbridge Ladies Gaelic Football Club, where Sara was a "special member". "Her coaches remember her as quiet yet full of life, exceptionally well-mannered, and always dedicated," the club said. Always supporting James and Sara from the sidelines was their "devoted mother" whose enthusiasm for the game was "matched only by the immense pride she took in her children". James was the under-14 captain of Maguiresbridge St Mary's Gaelic Football Club this year. He was the "heartbeat of our team", the club said. "During games, his enthusiasm and strength of character was only echoed by that of Vanessa and Sara, who would inevitably be cheering him on from the sideline," the club said.

Mourners have begun signing the book of condolences at Maguiresbridge Primary School

Speaking to BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme, First Minister Michelle O'Neill urged anyone who does not feel safe in their home to "please reach out and seek support and advice". "We need to mobilise the whole of society and the whole of government to work together to ensure that we do everything that we can to try to minimise what is violence against women and girls," she said.

'A highly respected vet'

PSNI Vanessa Whyte and her daughter Sara and son James were killed at a house in Maguiresbridge on Wednesday