UK to recognise Palestinian state unless Israel meets conditions

2 hours ago Share Save Becky Morton Political reporter Share Save

PM: UK will recognise Palestinian state unless conditions met

The UK will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes "substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza", Sir Keir Starmer has said. The PM said Israel must also meet other conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire, committing to a long-term sustainable peace that delivers a two-state solution, and allowing the United Nations to restart the supply of aid, or the UK would take the step at September's UN General Assembly. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move "rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism". The UK government has previously said recognition should come at a point when it can have maximum impact, as part of a peace process.

However, the PM has been under growing pressure - including from his own MPs - to act more quickly. Last week France also announced it would officially recognise a Palestinian state in September - the first of the G7 group of the world's richest countries to do so. Giving a news conference after holding an emergency cabinet meeting, Sir Keir said he was announcing the plan now because of the "intolerable situation" in Gaza and concern that "the very possibility of a two-state solution is reducing". He told reporters that the UK's goal of "a safe secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state" was "under pressure like never before". The PM added that his "primary aim" was to improve the situation on the ground in Gaza, including ensuring that aid gets in.

In outlining the steps UK wanted the Israeli government to take, Sir Keir also said it should make clear there will be no annexations in the West Bank. The current Israeli government is opposed to progress towards a two-state solution so it is highly unlikely to agree to the conditions. Meanwhile, Sir Keir said Hamas must immediately release all hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza. In response to the announcement Netanyahu wrote on social media: "A jihadist state on Israel's border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW. "Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen."

Asked if he knew the PM's statement was coming, Donald Trump said the pair "never discussed it" during their meeting on Monday, when the US president was in Scotland. He told reporters: "You could make the case... that you are rewarding Hamas if you do that. And I don't think they should be rewarded." The US - along with many European nations - has said it would only recognise a Palestinian state as part of moves towards a long-term resolution to the conflict. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey welcomed the government's announcement as "a crucial step" but urged the PM to recognise a Palestinian state immediately, and pursue "far greater action to stop the humanitarian disaster in Gaza". He added: "Rather than use recognition, which should have taken place many months ago, as a bargaining chip, the prime minister should be applying pressure on Israel by fully ceasing arms sales, and implementing sanctions against the Israeli cabinet." Some 255 MPs have signed a letter calling for the government to immediately recognise a Palestinian state - including more than half of Labour MPs. Labour MP Sarah Champion, who coordinated the letter, said she was "delighted and relieved" at the announcement. "This will put political pressure on Israel and make clear what's happening in Gaza and the West Bank is totally unacceptable," she said. "However, I'm troubled our recognition appears conditional on Israel's actions. "Israel is the occupier, and recognition is about the self-determination of the Palestinian people. The two should be separate." The Conservatives and Reform UK have said now is not the right time to take the step, arguing this would reward Hamas for their attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said recognising a Palestinian state "won't bring the hostages home, won't end the war and won't get aid into Gaza". "This is political posturing at its very worst," she added.

The announcement comes after a call between Sir Keir and the leaders of France and Germany over the weekend, when Downing Street said plans for a sustainable route to a two-state solution were discussed. However, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said his government had no plans to recognise a Palestinian state in the near future, suggesting this may be "one of the last steps on a path to realising a two-state solution". Most countries - about 139 in all - formally recognise a Palestinian state. Spain, Ireland and Norway took the step last year, hoping to exert diplomatic pressure to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. Palestinian representatives currently 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 is largely be a symbolic gesture unless questions over the leadership and extent of a Palestinian state are addressed first.

Watch: BBC presses UK foreign secretary on timing of recognising Palestinian state

As Sir Keir made his announcement, Foreign Secretary David Lammy addressed a UN conference in New York, aimed at advancing a two-state solution to the conflict. Lammy told reporters the UK had worked with Jordan to air-drop 20 tonnes of aid to Gaza in recent days, as he also called for aid trucks to be allowed to enter by land. UN agencies have described the situation in Gaza as "man-made mass starvation", blaming the humanitarian crisis on Israel, which controls the entry of all supplies to the territory. Israel has insisted there are no restrictions on aid deliveries and that there is "no starvation".

Before Hamas's 7 October attack, around 650 lorries a day brought aid into Gaza.

But now, more than 100 international aid organisations and human rights groups have warned of mass starvation in Gaza.

Israel has insisted there are no restrictions on aid deliveries and that there is "no starvation".

However, it has announced in recent days measures aimed at helping the UN and its partners collect aid from crossings and distribute it within Gaza, including daily "tactical pauses" in military operations in three areas and designated corridors.

The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams explains how the people of Gaza have reached a point of starvation.

Crowds gathered to watch Sarina Wiegman and her triumphant players celebrate their dramatic win against Spain in the Euros final on Sunday.

They travelled through central London as part of an open-top bus parade, before gathering in front of Buckingham Palace for a party.

Sarina Wiegman performed on stage with Burna Boy, before the Lionesses lifted their trophy.

This video is only available for viewers in the UK.

The ordinary rush-hour that became two hours of terror in a New York skyscraper

2 hours ago Share Save Madeline Halpert BBC News, New York Share Save

Getty Images Witnesses could hear and see the gunfire from outside the New York skyscraper after the shooting began

For hundreds of employees at 345 Park Avenue, an iconic 44-story skyscraper in the heart of Midtown Manhattan - a neighbourhood packed with offices of major corporations - Monday evening suddenly became like no other. As commuters made their way home on the sweltering July evening, workers at the Park Avenue tower ran for their lives, barricading conference rooms with tables and sending loved ones pre-emptive goodbye messages. "I texted my parents, 'I love them,'" Jessica Chen, who works on the second floor, told US media. "Nothing can describe that feeling." Ms Chen and others in the skyscraper were spurred to action by the unexpected sound of gunshots coming from the lobby. The gunfire would kill four people, including a New York police officer, as well as others in the lobby and on the 33rd floor. One man remains in critical condition in hospital.

A man 'sprays' gunfire in a busy Manhattan neighbourhood

Just moments before the chaos, at around 18:30 EST (23:30 BST), a 27-year-old drove into one of the busiest areas in Manhattan, completing a cross-country car ride through the states of Colorado, Nebraska and Iowa. Officials say Shane Tamura, of Las Vegas, double-parked his black BMW on Park Avenue - just blocks from tourist destinations Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral. Wearing a jacket, a button-down shirt and sunglasses, he wielded an assault-style rifle with his right arm, marching with determination toward the skyscraper where he knew the National Football League (NFL) was headquartered. But he would never make it to that office. Instead, as he reached the doors of 345 Park, which stretches an entire New York City block, he began "spraying" the lobby with gunfire, according to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. At first, Tamura walked right past a stationed officer. But then he turned to the right, saw him and fired, killing 36-year-old New York police officer Didarul Islam, who leaves behind two children and a pregnant wife, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. "He was slain in the entryway to the right as soon as he entered the building," Adams said. Tamura wasted little time before firing at another woman taking cover behind a pillar, making his way through the lobby and continuing to shoot, authorities say. Wesley LePatner, who worked upstairs at financial firm Blackstone, was killed. "Our prayers are with her husband, children and family," the company said. An NFL employee was "seriously injured" in the attack, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote to staff. Craig Clementi, who worked in the finance department, was on his way home when he was shot, his father-in-law Robert Hunter told the New York Daily News. He is now recovering from surgery.

Mayor: New York gunman left note blaming NFL for brain injury

A mistaken elevator ride

As the gunfire continued to ring out, another security guard tried in vain to activate an alarm system to disable the elevators, potentially preventing more carnage. But the guard, Aland Etienne, was "assassinated" as he took cover behind the counter, Adams said. After that, the gunman headed to an elevator. As he waited for the lift, a woman emerged and somehow was allowed to exit unscathed, police said. But the lift he boarded would not take him where he intended. He had gone to the wrong elevator bank and arrived, not at the NFL offices, but at the 33rd floor offices of the real-estate company that owned the building, Rudin Management.

Watch: People seen evacuating NYC building with their hands raised

Frantic emails and a run for help

As chaos unfolded in the lobby, employees in the building sent frantic messages over email and Microsoft Teams that there was a shooter downstairs, a Blackstone worker told the Wall Street Journal. Ms Chen told ABC News that she was watching a presentation on the second floor of the skyscraper with about 150 other people when they heard the first shots. "Some went out in the back door, out onto the street," she said. "Other people, including me, we ran into the conference room." A photo circulating on social media appears to show Blackstone employees piling couches, desks and other furniture in front of a door in a panic. Those in the NFL offices, meanwhile, received messages from the league warning them of gunfire, according to ESPN. Told to switch their phones to silent and hide until law enforcement arrived, they waited for a shooter who would never make it to his target. On the plaza outside the Park Avenue tower, law enforcement flooded the scene. Nekeisha Lewis could hear the sounds of rapid gunfire from inside the skyscraper, while seated nearby with a friend. She could see the gunman through the glass, she told NBC News. Before she knew it, someone ran from the building "really hard" toward them and began crying out for help, saying he'd been shot, Ms Lewis said. "Because of how strongly he was running, I couldn't believe it. He had what looked like … an exit wound in the back." She joined others, taking cover behind a wall. As they waited, dozens of workers gradually rushed from the building holding their hands above their heads as they evacuated.

'Study my brain please'

Scotland gives Trump three things he likes - and one thing he doesn't

7 hours ago Share Save Sarah Smith North America editor in Scotland Share Save

Getty Images

A list of Donald Trump's favourite things would be very unlikely to include raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens (as Julie Andrews famously sang in The Sound of Music). Instead, the president's list would surely have on it playing golf, a way to brazenly promote his commercial interests and, thirdly, trade deals that generate billions of dollars for the United States. No wonder he looks so pleased with himself - his working holiday in Scotland has delivered on all three of these passions.

On what was billed as a "private visit" he got a lot of work done. He is taking home with him a trade deal with the EU which is not only the largest in history, it is also extremely favourable to the US. The EU will spend hundreds of billions of dollars buying American energy and military equipment as well as investing billions more in the US economy. In return European goods will be subject to a 15% tariff when they are exported to the US rather than the 30% Trump had threatened. The deal is an important achievement for Trump to be able to boast about, even if he has failed to conclude the "90 deals in 90 days" he had promised. He also seemed to relish hosting Sir Keir and Lady Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort on Monday. In pictures - Trump's trip to Scotland

Winners and losers in US-EU deal

It was a peculiar spectacle, the British prime minister being welcomed as guest in his own country. But the PM was prepared to overlook the protocol when he was being treated to an unusual and valuable amount of face time with the US president. Trump is, after all, a man whose foreign policy is abnormally influenced by his personal relations with other world leaders. Their talks were dominated by the crisis in Gaza. Starmer appeared to make some headway as he pressed Trump to use his influence to get more food into the Palestinian territory.

Getty Images Starmer and wife Victoria were hosted by Trump at Turnberry

Trump said afterwards that the US would work with the UK and other European partners to set up food centres, adding that he will tell Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure that food gets to people who need it. "I want to make sure they get the food, every ounce of food." He also seemed to give the green light to Starmer to officially recognise the state of Palestine even though that is not something the US will do. "I'm not going to take a position, I don't mind him taking a position," he said. Trump also made a significant change to his position on the conflict in Ukraine. He revealed that he is now giving Russian President Vladimir Putin only 10-12 days to agree to a ceasefire, not the 50 days he had previously given him. "There's is no reason in waiting… I want to be generous but we just don't see any progress being made." How Trump uses golf for political advantage

All of these major announcements were made during an exceptionally long, wide-ranging and free-wheeling press conference, during which the US president appeared extremely relaxed. He was prepared to talk at length about anything from wind power to immigration, including his views on King Charles and the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

Watch: Trump says he turned down an invitation to Epstein's island

There was one issue he could not escape, much as he perhaps wanted to. He was inevitably asked about Jeffrey Epstein, as the long running controversy about why he is refusing to release all the files held by the US government on the deceased sex offender followed him across the Atlantic. A van displaying an old photograph of Trump at a party with Epstein was driving around Aberdeenshire to make sure the president could not escape the furore. He told us for the first time why he fell out with the disgraced financier many years ago, saying that Epstein had poached staff from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and he refused to talk to him after that. And he denied ever having sent a lewd drawing to Epstein (as reported by the Wall St Journal), claiming that he only ever draws very basic pictures of buildings. The intrusion of the Epstein scandal into Trump's Scottish trip was a reminder of what inevitably awaits him on his return to Washington but it did not seem to dent his buoyant mood. How Epstein case is tearing apart MAGA

What do we know about the Epstein files?

A few anti-Trump protests were staged. But they were largely kept away from the president himself and were remarkably muted compared with previous visits. The most determined demonstrators were Trump fans who turned out to greet him as he landed in Prestwick and at both golf resorts, holding large signs welcoming him to Scotland. The president also took every opportunity to use this trip to proudly promote his two Scottish golf resorts. He hosted the press conferences with Starmer and Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU's executive, in the newly renovated ballroom at Turnberry, boasting of the opulent new ceiling and brand new windows at the same time as discussing famine in Gaza.

Getty Images Starmer and Trump arrive by helicopter at Trump MacLeod House

Theft of royal items prompts £3m insurance payout

7 hours ago Share Save Sean Coughlan Royal correspondent Share Save

ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST The Fabrique Royale snuff box was on loan to a Paris museum when it was stolen

A dramatic daylight robbery at a museum in Paris last year has resulted in an insurance payment of over £3m to the Royal Collection Trust, after two royal items were stolen while on loan to an exhibition. The figure has been revealed in the Royal Collection Trust's annual accounts, showing the scale of the loss from the raid on the Cognacq-Jay Museum in Paris last November. Robbers smashed display cases and took items from an exhibition of 18th Century luxury miniature items. The haul included two historic, richly-decorated snuff boxes on loan from the UK's Royal Collection.

ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST The snuff box with a cameo of the Birth of Venus belonged to the Royal Collection

Media reports at the time of the robbery last year claimed there had been losses of around a million euros - but a figure of £3,020,000 is shown in the annual report of the Royal Collection Trust as an insurance receipt, outlining this is "in respect of snuff boxes stolen whilst on loan to the Musée Cognacq-Jay". The trust, a charity that looks after the paintings, sculptures, furniture and jewellery in the Royal Collection, says in the report published on Tuesday that the money "will be placed into a designated fund to be used for the enhancement of the collection". The two stolen items from the Royal Collection are believed to be a snuff box with a cameo of the Birth of Venus, thought to have been made in Germany in the 18th Century, and a Fabrique Royale snuff box, made in Germany in the 18th Century, and encrusted with nearly 3,000 diamonds. The Fabrique Royale box had belonged to the Russian royal family before being seized by the Soviet authorities in 1917. It was later bought in 1932 by Queen Mary, wife of George V. The French newspaper Le Monde reported that the robbery had been perpetrated by four masked raiders who pulled up on scooters and then used an axe to break into display cases, in front of shocked visitors at the museum. As well as the stolen items on loan from the Royal Collection there were also exhibits from the Louvre museum and the Palace of Versailles in France.

There were record numbers of summer visitors to the Palace last year

Father and son killed in London stabbing named

4 hours ago Share Save Harry Low BBC News Share Save

BBC Police officers remained at the scene of the stabbings on Tuesday

Two men killed in a stabbing at a business in south-east London have been named as a father and son. Terry McMillan, 58, from Chislehurst, was pronounced dead at the scene and his son Brendan McMillan, 27, died in hospital following the stabbing on Long Lane in Bermondsey at 13:00 BST on Monday. A 31-year old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in hospital, although his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. A fourth man, who is in his 30s, is in a life-threatening condition in hospital, the Metropolitan Police said.

'Forever smiling'

The victims' families are being supported by specialist officers, the force added. The stabbing took place near housing provider Trademark Homes. Terry McMillan set up a company in 1998, now known as the Trademark Group, specialising in property development and investment, according to the McMillan Family Trust, a charity which aims to transform the lives of young people in different communities. Scotland Yard said that "a crime scene is in place at a nearby hotel where the arrested man went into", adding that he was not staying there.

PA Media The investigation "continues at pace", police said

Old Colfeians Rugby Club, in Lee, south-east London, paid tribute to Brendan McMillan as "a member of our family" and his father as a "long-time supporter and sponsor of the club". In a post on Instagram, it wrote: "Yesterday, Old Colfeians lost a member of our family, one of the kindest, funniest, most genuine people you could ever meet. "Brendan lit up every room he walked into, forever smiling, always cracking a joke and always full of life. "His absence will be deeply felt for a long time to come. We will miss him more than words can say and we'll always carry his memory with us. "Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends during this incredibly difficult time."

PA Media Police forensics officers have been at the scene

Russian strikes kill 25 in Ukraine, as Trump confirms deadline for talks

More than 50 people were injured in a Russian air strike on a prison in the Zaporizhzhia region, local officials say

Later on Tuesday, Donald Trump confirmed a deadline of 8 August for Russia to agree a ceasefire, or else face sweeping sanctions.

A separate Russian strike on people queuing for humanitarian aid killed five in the north-eastern Kharkiv region. Three people were killed in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, including a pregnant woman. Another casualty was reported elsewhere in the region.

They say the deadliest attack was on the Bilenke penitentiary in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, where 16 inmates were killed and more than 50 injured.

At least 25 people have been killed across Ukraine in overnight and early morning Russian air strikes that hit a prison and a hospital, local officials say.

The US president had issued an ultimatum to Moscow on Monday during a visit to the UK, saying he would reduce the 50-day deadline previously issued to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month.

In response to the overnight strikes on Ukraine, Zelensky said Russia "must be forced to stop the killings and make peace" via "tough" sanctions.

In a statement on Tuesday morning, Ukraine's justice ministry said four glide bombs hit the Bilenke penitentiary shortly before midnight, destroying the dining hall, administrative headquarters and quarantine area.

It said that more than 50 people were injured, and 44 of them had to be taken to hospital.

The ministry had earlier reported 17 inmates were killed but later amended the death toll.

Ukraine's human rights commissioner said attacking a prison was a gross violation of humanitarian law as people in detention did not lose their right to life and protection.

Russian forces have frequently targeted the front-line region of Zaporizhzhia since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

It is one of four south-eastern regions in Ukraine that Russia claims to have annexed since 2022, although Moscow does not fully control any of them.

In a separate Russian rocket attack on Tuesday morning, five people were killed in the village of Novoplatonivka, Kharkiv region, the local authorities said.

The villagers had gathered near a local shop to get humanitarian aid, regional police chief Petro Tokar told Ukraine's Suspilne TV channel.

Ukraine's officials later released photos showing bodies lying near a destroyed shop.

Another Russian rocket strike hit a hospital in Kamianske, Dnipropetrovsk region, killing three people.

A 23-year-old pregnant woman named Diana was among the casualties there, President Zelensky said.

In a statement, he accused Russia of killing Ukrainians when a ceasefire "could have long been in place".

Earlier in July, Trump set a 50-day deadline for the Kremlin to reach a truce with Kyiv or risk economic penalties, but the warning has not halted Russia's barrage of strikes.

The wave of attacks came as Russia said its troops were pushing deeper into Ukrainian territory.

At the weekend, Moscow said its forces had seized the village of Maliivka, weeks after claiming control over their first village in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine has rejected Russia's claims.

Meanwhile, in Russia, officials said Ukraine had launched dozens of drones overnight in the southern Rostov region, killing one person in their car in the town of Salsk and setting fire to a goods train.

Another person was reported killed in their car in the border region of Belgorod and his wife was wounded.

Police seek to question Tommy Robinson in connection with station assault

Video shows Tommy Robinson near man on floor at St Pancras railway station

Robinson, 42, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was contacted by a female BBC reporter for comment, but Robinson responded with a message that said "slag".

The British Transport Police (BTP) said officers had found a man on Monday evening with "serious but non-life-threatening injuries". It added that a 42-year-old male suspect had boarded a flight out of the country in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Video footage emerged on social media showing Robinson walking back and forth near a motionless man lying on the floor at the station. The clip does not show how the man ended up on the floor.

Police want to question far-right activist Tommy Robinson after an alleged assault at St Pancras railway station in London.

The BTP said its suspect was from Bedfordshire, but did not name him. It added that detectives were continuing to investigate the incident with the aim of bringing the suspect into custody for questioning.

In the footage, Robinson walks next to the person lying face-down on the floor, near the stairs down to the northbound Thameslink line. A commuter looks to be trying to stop him from moving around and calls for help.

Two station staff members then approach the person on the floor, while Robinson walks away down some stairs and shouts: "He's come at me, bruv."

Robinson then starts coming back up the stairs, appearing to try to talk to the passing commuter who called for help. The video then ends.

Other videos posted on Robinson's personal X account on Monday show him in the same station, wearing the same blue shirt and bag that he looks to be wearing in the St Pancras video.

The BTP made no direct reference to the video in its statements.

Robinson retweeted a few supportive posts on his X account in the hours after the BTP statement was released, but did not make any comment himself.

Anyone with information about the incident has been urged to text 61016 quoting reference number 655 of 28 July.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said it received a call concerning reports of an assault at St Pancras at 20:40 on Monday.

They added: "We sent an ambulance crew to the scene and treated a man before taking him to a major trauma centre."

Dali painting bought for £150 could fetch £30k

7 hours ago Share Save Share Save

PA Images The painting - which has been certified as authentic by a Dali expert - was found at a house clearance in Cambridge

A painting by Spanish Surrealist artist Salvador Dali found in a house clearance is expected to fetch up to £30,000 - after being bought for just £150. It was found in a house in Cambridge and has since been authenticated as an original. An anonymous art dealer purchased it and the mixed media piece will be up for sale at an auction in October. Gabrielle Downie, an associate at auctioneers Cheffins, said: "To handle a genuine rediscovery of a work by who is easily one of the most famous artists in the world, and the godfather of Surrealism, is a real honour."

Getty Images Salvador Dali is one of the most famous proponents of Surrealist art

The art dealer who purchased the piece discovered it had previously been offered for sale at Sotheby's in the 1990s, fully attributed to Dali. "The loss of an attribution is quite rare in the modern artworld making this a significant rediscovery for Dali scholars," said Ms Downie. "It has been an exciting process researching and having this painting authenticated and it is a testament to the seller's significant art knowledge that he was able to spot this picture at a house clearance sale. "While Dali's work is often some of the most recognisable, this is an unusual piece which shows a different side to his practice when working in watercolour."

PA Media The artwork will be up for auction in Cambridge in October

The artwork, titled Vecchio Sultano, was discovered in a Cambridge house clearance sale in 2023. The image, made with watercolour paint and felt tip is an illustration of a scene from The Arabian Nights, a series of 500 pieces which Dali intended to create of Middle Eastern folktales, commissioned by wealthy Italian couple Giuseppe and Mara Albaretto. Ms Downie said the couple intended to commission Dali to illustrate a bible in 1963, but upon the artist's insistence, he instead ended up illustrating scenes from 1,001 Nights - a collection of Middle Eastern folktales. It is thought Dali only completed 100 of the intended 500 works before the project was abandoned. "Of these 100, half remained with the publishing house Rizzoli and were either damaged or lost - the other 50 stayed with the Albarettos and were later inherited by their daughter, Christina, who was also Dali's goddaughter," said Ms Downie. "It is most likely that the work in question came from the batch of 50 which were retained and later lost by the publishers." It has been certified as authentic by Dali expert Nicolas Descharnes and has a pre-sale estimate of £20,000 to £30,000. The painting will be offered for sale by Cheffins on 23 October.

Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty announce separation

"We will continue to be united as loving parents to our children and would therefore kindly ask for our family privacy to be respected. There will be no further comment."

"We have taken the decision to end our marriage and are now separated. There is no other party involved," the pair said in a joint statement.

Deeley, 48, who has hosted ITV's This Morning since early last year, and Keilty, 54, the host of RTÉ's The Late Late Show and a BBC Radio 5 Live presenter share two children together.

TV presenters Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty have announced they are separating after being married for more than a decade.

Belfast to LA for lunch

The pair married in September 2012 in a ceremony in Rome.

Deeley became a star in the UK while presenting SM:TV Live with alongside Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly from 1998 to 2002.

In 2002 she co-hosted the BBC talent show Fame Academy with Kielty, but it was not until 12 years later that they became a couple when Kielty flew from Belfast to Los Angeles for a lunch with Deeley.

Kielty previously told the Daily Mail: "Unless someone was stupid enough to get on a plane, nothing would have happened.

"Cat was in LA and I was in Northern Ireland, so I texted her to wish her a happy birthday.

"When she said she was having a birthday lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel, I said I'd be there. She told me to go to sleep as I was drunk.

"That was 2am. I got up at 5am, went to Belfast airport for 6am, got the 7.15am flight to Heathrow, landed at 8.30am, took off again at 9.40am and arrived in LA at 1.15pm."

The couple lived in California for more than 14 years while Deeley became a star in America, presenting the primetime talent show So You Think You Can Dance.

After moving back to London in 2020, Deeley took on presenting duties of This Morning alongside Ben Shephard last year.

Northern Irish presenter and comedian Kielty began his stand-up career as host of Northern Ireland's first comedy club, The Empire Laughs Back, before presenting programmes such as Channel 4's Last Chance Lottery and BBC One chat show Patrick Kielty Almost Live.

He took over hosting RTÉ One's The Late Late Show from Ryan Tubridy in 2023.

He has presented a number of documentaries about The Troubles, including the BBC programme My Dad, The Peace Deal And Me, about his father's death at the hands of paramilitary gunmen.

Famine 'currently playing out' in Gaza, UN-backed experts warn

7 hours ago Share Save David Gritten BBC News, Jerusalem Share Save

Anadolu via Getty Images The IPC report says two famine thresholds have been reached in parts of Gaza

The "worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out" in the Gaza Strip, UN-backed global food security experts warn. An alert issued by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) says there is mounting evidence that widespread starvation, malnutrition and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths among the 2.1 million Palestinians there. "Latest data indicates that famine thresholds have been reached for food consumption in most of the Gaza Strip and for acute malnutrition in Gaza City," it adds. UN agencies have already warned there is man-made, mass starvation in Gaza, and reported at least 63 malnutrition-related deaths this month. They have blamed the crisis on Israel, which controls the entry of all supplies to the territory. "The facts are in - and they are undeniable. Palestinians in Gaza are enduring a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions,” UN Secretary General António Guterres said. "This is not a warning. It is a reality unfolding before our eyes. The trickle of aid must become an ocean. Food, water, medicine, and fuel must flow in waves and without obstruction." Israel imposed a total blockade on aid and commercial deliveries to Gaza at the start of March and resumed its military offensive against Hamas two weeks later, collapsing a two-month ceasefire. It said it wanted to put pressure on the armed group to release its Israeli hostages. The blockade was partially eased after 11 weeks, after the Israeli government came under pressure from its allies, but the shortages of food, medicine and fuel have worsened.

Israel has insisted there are no restrictions on aid deliveries and that there is "no starvation". However, it has announced in recent days measures aimed at helping the UN and its partners collect aid from crossings and distribute it within Gaza, including daily "tactical pauses" in military operations in three areas and designated corridors. The IPC says immediate action must be taken to end the hostilities and allow for an unimpeded, large-scale, life-saving humanitarian response. The report does not formally classify Gaza as being in a famine, saying that can only be made through analysis that will be conducted "without delay". The IPC - a global initiative by UN agencies, aid groups and governments - is the primary mechanism the international community uses to conclude whether a famine is happening. Households are classified as IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) if they experience an extreme lack of food, starvation and exhaustion of coping strategies. For a famine to be officially declared in a specific area, there must be evidence that: At least 20% of households are in Phase 5

At least 30% of children are suffering from acute malnutrition

There are two deaths for every 10,000 inhabitants per day, or four child deaths out of 10,000 children, "due to outright starvation or to the interaction of malnutrition and disease" In May, the IPC warned the entire population of Gaza was facing high levels of acute food insecurity and that 470,000 people (22%) were facing "catastrophic" levels, or Phase 5. The IPC alert issued on Tuesday says the intensification of the Israeli military's bombardment and expansion of its ground operations over the past two months have had a "devastating impact" on civilians and critical infrastructure. People's access to food across Gaza has also become "alarmingly erratic and extremely perilous" during the same period, it adds, noting the UN has recorded the killing of more than 1,000 people seeking aid by Israeli forces. The IPC says malnutrition has been rising rapidly in the first half of July and has reached the famine threshold in Gaza City. It cites the Gaza Nutrition Cluster - which is made up of UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations - as saying more than 20,000 children have been admitted to clinics for acute malnutrition between April and mid-July, with more than 3,000 severely malnourished. It says hospitals have also reported a rapid increase in hunger-related deaths of children under five years of age, with at least 16 reported deaths since 17 July. The IPC alert calls for immediate action to be taken to "alleviate the catastrophic suffering". "This includes scaling up the flow of goods, restoring basic services, and ensuring safe, unimpeded access to sufficient life-saving assistance," it says. "None of this is possible unless there is a ceasefire."

Can Starmer's Palestinian pledge be more than symbolic gesture?

3 hours ago Share Save Harry Farley Political correspondent Share Save

Getty Images

As Sir Keir Starmer made his address inside Number 10, I was standing outside in a noisy – deafening even – Downing Street. Gaza protesters were making themselves more than heard with drums, sirens and whistles. It was a visible, visceral demonstration of the public pressure the prime minister has come under to toughen his stance on Israel. Public pressure, but also political pressure. More than half of Labour backbench MPs signed a letter demanding the government recognises a Palestinian state. Several ministers in the cabinet have been joining the lobbying behind the scenes. In recent weeks there has been a hardening of the government's language. Today a hardening of the government's position. And make no mistake. This is a big change in British foreign policy.

It has long been a Labour position to recognise a Palestinian state as part of a peace process and at a time of maximum impact. Sir Keir has decided that time is now. There are important caveats. The prime minister said the UK will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless the Israeli government takes "substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza". There were three particular demands. That Israel: Reaches a ceasefire Makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank Commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a two-state solution There were also demands on Hamas. The government said they must: Immediately release all of the hostages Sign up to a ceasefire Disarm and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza There is a question over how realistic the conditions are. Given the makeup of the Israeli government, which relies on support from far-right ministers opposed to a two-state solution, it seems highly unlikely Israel will agree. I am told Sir Keir spoke to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the cabinet meeting this afternoon. Whether Hamas would accept disarming and having no part in the government in Gaza is also highly questionable. The conditions have already been criticised, including by some Labour MPs like Sarah Champion who led the lobbying for the government to make this move. Champion says she is "troubled our recognition appears conditional on Israel's actions". "Israel is the occupier, and recognition is about the self-determination of the Palestinian people," she adds. The Conservatives say this is just "designed to appease his backbenchers" and "will not secure lasting peace".

PM: UK will recognise Palestinian state unless conditions met

So will the government go ahead with recognising a Palestinian state if only some of those conditions are met? What if, for example, there is a ceasefire but not much progress to a two-state solution? I'm told by senior figures in government that decision will be made in September. But now that the prospect of British recognition of a Palestinian state is a realistic prospect, it will be difficult for the government to row back from that, particularly given the fact so many Labour MPs will demand it goes ahead. So why now? And will it make any difference to the situation in Gaza? Sir Keir says this is the right moment partly because the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is so dire. And, partly because he said he was "particularly concerned that the idea of a two-state solution is reducing and feels further away today than it has for many years". The key question is: will this end up being anything more than a symbolic gesture? The prime minister wants to avoid that. The conditions are designed to put pressure on Israel to change course. However, the US has far greater influence over Israel - and the country's long-standing position is to only recognise a Palestinian state as part of moves towards a long-term resolution to the conflict. Donald Trump has suggested doing so now would "reward Hamas". Sir Keir wants to show he is a serious leader who can have a real impact on the global stage. Whether that aim is realised is now, largely, in the hands of Netanyahu and Trump.

The doctor strike is ending - what comes next?

Dr Shivam Sharma, right, feels let down by the health secretary

The five-day doctor strike in England may be ending, but it is clear this dispute - 12 walkouts and counting - is far from over.

"We've been let down by Wes Streeting," says Dr Shivam Sharma, who joined one of the last picket lines of the walkout before it finishes at 07:00 on Wednesday.

When Labour came to power they quickly managed to make a deal with the British Medical Association, handing them extra money and promises of improvements to working conditions.

Doctors took that as a sign that the journey towards restoring pay to 2008 levels was in sight but that still requires another 25% hike in pay, on top of previous rises.

"Since last year he has not delivered," says Dr Sharma, who is six years into his training in child and adolescent psychiatry, when asked why walkouts have returned.

Dr Sharma, who joined other striking doctors outside an east London hospital in Streeting's constituency, says his years as a resident doctor, the new name for junior doctors, have been hard - harder than they should have been.

He faced regular rotations through different jobs across the West Midlands in his early years. "You can be posted anywhere across large geographic areas. You have little control over your rotas, people missing weddings and important family events."

In September, he is sitting an exam which will set him back more than £1,000. "That's just for one exam. It can cost us tens of thousands of pounds over the course of our training."

The BMA's position remains the best way to solve this dispute is to increase pay further. But with the government adamant pay for this year cannot be revisited (resident doctors are getting an average 5.4% rise in 2025-26) attention has turned to non-pay issues.

During five days of talks, which broke down on Tuesday last week, a range of topics were discussed, including exam fees, career progression and the frequency of job rotations, which for some can happen every four months.

The BMA wanted to add writing off student loans (medical students can rack up £100,000 of debts) although the government refused to countenance this.

UK gets first female Astronomer Royal in 350 years

30 minutes ago Share Save Pallab Ghosh • @BBCPallab Science Correspondent Gwyndaf Hughes Science Videographer Share Save

Amanda Clark/Cabinet Office Prof Michele Docherty showed courage and talent to become Astronomer Royal

Astronomer Prof Michele Dougherty did not study science in secondary school – but was instead inspired to learn more about space after using her father's telescope. Now she is the first woman to be appointed the UK's Astronomer Royal in the post's 350-year history, and is part of the team sending probes to Jupiter's icy moons. She told BBC News she hoped her appointment on Wednesday as the official adviser to King Charles III on astronomical matters would inspire more women and girls to study science. The new Astronomer Royal added that she also wanted to use her new role to "open people's eyes" to the wonders of space.

"I want to engage with the public, excite them about what we do in astronomy, but also make it clear how important what we do is to the UK economy," Prof Dougherty said. Prof Docherty is involved in one of the most exciting space missions to date: a European Space Agency probe to the icy moons of Jupiter to assess whether they have the potential to support life. "It would be surprising if there wasn't life in our solar system," she said laughing, with the unbridled enthusiasm she is known for. Her journey to Jupiter began when she was ten at the age of ten and saw the planet through a telescope she, her sister and her father built. "That was when I got my first view of Jupiter and four large moons, never thinking I'd end up sending instruments on a spacecraft there," she said. "I'm having to pinch myself at the thought of it and I'm having to pinch myself at the fact that I'm now Astronomer Royal!" Prof Dougherty's achievement is all the more remarkable as she did not study science at secondary school in South Africa where she grew up. "I had a choice between schools. One of them taught science, but none of my friends were going to it," she said. "So as a young 13 year-old, I thought, I want to go with my friends." But the young Prof Dougherty was so good at maths that she was admitted to a science course at university. "The first couple of years were hard. It was like learning a new language," she said. But she soon caught up and came to the UK to become one of the country's leading space scientists, showing tremendous courage as well as talent. "I said yes to things I didn't know how to do, and I learned as I went," she told me.

Michele Dougherty Michele Dougherty aged 10, pictured standing next to her dad and in front of her sister, Susie. The two girls helped their father build a telescope

The role of Astronomer Royal dates back to the creation of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich in 1675. John Flamsteed from Derby was the first person to fill the role. The job back then was mostly to advise the king on using the stars to improve navigation at sea. The observatory's senior curator, Dr Louise Devoy, explained that the job evolved over the years, to become one of the most important scientific voices in the country. "By the 1800s the Astronomer Royal started to be called upon to act as a government advisor, so that may be to advise on the railways or bridges or telegraphy, a whole range of topics beyond astronomy," she said. "If we fast forward to the 20th Century, it is more about developing international collaborations, which is why you have British astronomers working in telescopes in Chile, the Canary Islands and even the James Webb Space Telescope." Over three and a half centuries,15 men have held the post of the most senior astronomer for all of the UK. But at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh, Prof Catherine Heyman has held an equivalent post as Astronomer Royal for Scotland since 2021. She was delighted to hear of Prof Dougherty's appointment. "For the last 350 years the title of Astronomer Royal has been held by a white male astronomer, and that kind of reflected what the astronomical community has looked like for the last few centuries. But things are changing," she said. "Science is becoming more diverse, which it needs to be if we want to answer these big questions, and I'm absolutely delighted now that the two Astronomers Royal across the UK are female, reflecting the fact that science is for everyone."

Michele Dougherty Prof Dougerty came to the UK to become one of the country's leading planetary scientists, here standing in front of a model of a spacecraft mission she was involved in which was sent to Saturn

More than 60,000 people killed in Gaza during Israel offensive, Hamas-run health ministry says

4 hours ago Share Save Mallory Moench BBC News Share Save

Reuters The war has been going on since 7 October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel

More than 60,000 people have been killed as a result of Israel's military campaign in Gaza since October 2023, the Hamas-run health ministry says. It said on Monday the death toll had reached at least 60,034, including 18,592 children and 9,782 women. At least 112 people were killed in the 24 hours before late Tuesday morning, with 22 people killed while trying to get aid, the ministry said. Women and children were among those killed in overnight and morning strikes on homes, hospital sources and witnesses told the BBC. Israel launched its offensive in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostage.

In the central Nuseirat area, al-Awda Hospital said 30 people, including 14 women and 12 children, were killed in attacks on homes overnight and on Tuesday morning. Many of those killed were related, with 19 named as members of the Abu Ataya, Siyam and Nabhan families. Four members of the al-Agha family were killed and others injured in an Israeli strike on a tent sheltering displaced individuals in the coastal area of Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital. Nine others were killed in Khan Younis, local hospital sources and witnesses say. In Gaza City, two people were killed and several others wounded in an Israeli missile strike on an apartment belonging to the al-Batsh family, Al-Shifa Hospital said. A later strike killed five members of one family. Rescuers have been struggling to reach casualties from another strike.

Al-Awda Hospital also said at least 14 people had been killed and more than 100 injured by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) near an aid distribution point in central Gaza. The IDF said that "contrary to the reports, following a review conducted, the IDF is not aware of casualties as a result of IDF fire adjacent to the distribution site in the central Gaza Strip". The IDF said it had struck "several terror targets" in Nuseirat and had taken steps "to mitigate the risk of harming civilians". The BBC has asked for comment about the other strikes. In a statement on Telegram, the IDF said it had "eliminated several terrorists who posed a threat" and "targeted terrorist infrastructure and multiple weapons storage facilities" over the past day in Khan Younis. It also said it had eliminated "several terrorists" and dismantled "terrorist infrastructure both above and below ground" in northern Gaza, and had "struck dozens of terror targets" across the Strip. The UN says more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while trying to get food since 27 May. Most were near distribution sites run by Israeli- and US-backed organisation Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which started operations in late May, and others near UN and other aid convoys. Tuesday's incident was related to aid convoys and not a GHF site. Israel says its troops have only fired warning shots and that they do not intentionally shoot civilians. The GHF says the UN is using "false" figures from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

A Gazan mother has told the BBC that she struggles to feed her two-month-old daughter and asked that her baby is taken out of Gaza to undertake medical treatment.

Speaking from Nasser Hospital, Yasmeen Abu Sultan said "at birth, she weighed 2.7 kilograms. Now, she weighs just 2.6 kilograms."

Yasmeen also suffered from malnutrition herself whilst pregnant and said that she had no proper way of nourishing her baby.

UN-backed global food security experts warn that the "worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out" in the Gaza Strip,

Israel has denied there is starvation in Gaza and has rejected accusations of being responsible for food shortages.

Starmer 'rewarding Hamas' and 'Labour's low blow'

43 minutes ago Share Save Share Save

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's announcement that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state unless Israel ends the crisis in Gaza dominates Wednesday's papers. The Guardian leads with the PM's September deadline for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to commit to a ceasefire and "accept a two-state solution". The paper says the PM's decision comes as a result of the "increasingly intolerable" situation in Gaza and "now was the right time to finally move".

The Daily Telegraph follows with reaction from the US and Israel on Sir Keir's plan to recognise a Palestinian state. The paper says a US state department spokesperson is calling the PM's decision a "slap in the face" for victims of the 7 October attack on Israel. The paper also quotes Netanyahu saying Sir Keir's announcement "rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism".

The PM's "reward for Hamas" is echoed in the Daily Mail, with the paper saying the move is a "major diplomatic shift" for the UK. It also teases an exclusive on the "mystery" of the Prince and Princess of Wales' summer holiday on an "enchanting Greek Island".

"Israel blasts Starmer" is the Times' take. The paper quotes Netanyahu saying the PM's ultimatum is "appeasement towards jihadist terrorists" and will "always fail". Sharing the top spot is the Lionesses' "royal welcome" during their victory parade in London on Tuesday. The paper spotlights a photograph of thousands of football fans celebrating the England team as they took the stage in a special ceremony in front of Buckingham Palace.

The Daily Mirror emblazons the PM's "ultimatum" on its front page, highlighting his warning to Israel: "The suffering must end."

The Financial Times features Sir Keir's statement that Hamas must play "no part in the governance of Gaza", calling for them to disarm and release the remaining hostages. Also prominent is the paper's report on a "clash" between Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey over Revolut becoming a fully authorised bank.

"Labour's low blow" headlines the Metro as it reports on Nigel Farage's demand for an apology from Technology Secretary Peter Kyle. The Labour minister suggested the Reform UK sided with "sex abusers such as Jimmy Saville" by opposing online protections for children.

The Sun is also still riding high with the Lionesses' "monster raving party". The paper's front page is splashed with a photograph of a sea of red and white-kitted fans cheering as the team parades down The Mall in a "European Champions" adorned bus. Sharing the top spot is the paper's exclusive on TV couple Cat Deely and Patrick Kielty's split after 13 years of marriage.

"You wait years for a trophy... then two come along" sums up the Daily Star in its feature on the Lionesses' victory parade.

Finally, bank chiefs are insisting interest rates should be cut twice more this year to help the UK's sluggish economy, reports the Daily Express. The paper says the International Monetary Fund is calling for lower borrowing costs as the country "reels" from the chancellor's "tax raid".

How Trump's loathing for wind turbines started with a Scottish court battle

11 hours ago Share Save Share Save

Getty Images The wind turbines were visible in the background when Trump visited the Menie course during his latest visit

Kevin Keane BBC Scotland's environment correspondent Aimee Stanton BBC Scotland data journalist

"I am the evidence," was the eyebrow-raising comment made by Donald Trump when he appeared before the Scottish Parliament in 2012. He was speaking as an "expert" witness on green energy targets, describing how he believed wind turbines were damaging tourism in Scotland. Five years before he first became US president, it was one of his earliest interventions on renewable energy - but since then his opposition to them has grown to become government policy in the world's biggest economy. He was objecting to 11 turbines which were planned - and ultimately constructed - alongside his Aberdeenshire golf course. On his latest visit to Scotland, he described those turbines as "some of the ugliest you've ever seen".

PA Media President Trump teeing off on the new course on his Aberdeenshire golf resort

When Trump bought the Menie estate, about eight miles north of Aberdeen, in 2006, he promised to create the "world's greatest" golf course. But he soon became infuriated at plans to construct an offshore wind farm nearby, arguing that the "windmills" - as he prefers to call the structures - would ruin the view. The Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm contained the world's most powerful turbines when they were built in 2018. They generate enough electricity to supply up to 80,000 homes but the wind farm was also built as a test and demonstration facility for new technology. Trump battled the plans through the Scottish courts, then appealed to the UK's Supreme Court - but he was unable to stop the "monsters" from going ahead. It clearly left him smarting and he's not had a good word to say about wind power since. Before making the transatlantic crossing for his Scottish summer jaunt, the US president urged the UK to "get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil". He repeated his animosity on the tarmac of Glasgow Prestwick Airport, saying they were "ruining" Europe's fields and valleys.

Reuters The president's helicopter Marine One passed close to the turbines when he arrived at his golf resort on Monday

For clarity, there are no windmills in the North Sea. Windmills mill grain into flour. What he's seeing are wind turbines. But making them sound like centuries old technology is a way to deride their worth. Getting rid of them - or even stopping more being built - would be at a huge cost to the economy. An initiative to lease the seabed around Scotland's coasts, called ScotWind, gave initial backing to 17 new wind farms - which has now been expanded to 20. Between them, they're expected to bring in about £30bn of investment over the next decade. Currently onshore projects produce about four times as much power as offshore ones, but it's the latter which are expected to grow most rapidly in the coming decades.

The Scottish government is currently consulting on plans to increase offshore generation capacity by 40GW by 2040, enough to power 45 million homes. The growing renewables sector already supports about 42,000 jobs in Scotland while oil and gas supports 84,000, according to the their respective industry bodies. But while the renewables jobs are going up, the workforce built on fossil fuels has long been falling. The North Sea oil boom peaked in 1999 which means output has been in decline for a quarter of a century. That's not because of any government policy; that decline has been witnessed by three Labour prime ministers and five from the Conservatives. It's because of geology. Put simply, the oil is running out.

The mature nature of the North Sea basin has not put off the president from talking up its future. From his Aberdeenshire course, he posted on Truth Social (with his trademark capital letters) that the UK should "incentivize the drillers, FAST", and that there was a "VAST FORTUNE TO BE MADE" for the UK from the "treasure chest" of oil. Trump has criticised the UK's taxes on oil and gas production which sees a headline rate of 78% when you include the temporary "windfall" tax, in force until 2030. But that's the same rate levied by Norway, which shares the North Sea with the UK - although the industry here argues other Norwegian allowances are more generous. Tax rates for oil and gas production in the US are much lower – with a 21% federal tax and generous tax breaks, although some state or local taxes are also levied. Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill", meanwhile, removes incentives for renewable energy projects.

Is Trump right when he says wind farms are killing birds?

Six golf balls, a shot clock with music blaring, and a WWE-style belt for a prize.

No, it's not a scene from the new Happy Gilmore film, but the professional sport of Long Drive golf.

As the sport's name would suggest, it is all about hitting the longest drive possible - and Northern Ireland's Aaron Lennie is one of the best in Europe.

No putts, no wedges and no water hazards. Driving distance off the tee is all that matters.

Just how far are those drives? Well, at the recent Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Bryson DeChambeau topped the driving distance category with an average of 327.5 yards - a full football pitch less than Lennie's personal best of 437 yards.

At more than 185mph, Rory McIlroy is one of the top players in professional golf for ball speed, but Lennie can surpass 200mph. That's as quick as a Formula 1 car.

Players have two and a half minutes to hit six balls down a long grid, with an out of bounds area either side.

They go head-to-head in group or knockout stages, and there's plenty of drama, a party in the stands and some showboating alongside it all.

"It's like a party atmosphere, a totally different scene to golf," said Lennie, who recently won his first professional event in Austria.

"I don't know if people will like this, but it kind of has a LIV feel to it. There's music blasting, there's a lot of noise, a lot of energy. It's fast-paced, which for some people is something that's missing from golf.

"It's a breath of fresh air that way. It's a game within a game. None of us claim to be good golfers but we can hit a ball far and we can do it well."

Three-minute silence for Southport victims

4 hours ago Share Save Angela Ferguson BBC News, Liverpool Share Save

PA Media People across Merseyside stood in solidarity with the victims and their families

Hundreds have gathered in Southport to observe a three-minute silence one year on from the knife attack that left three young girls dead. Bebe King, six, Alice Aguiar, nine, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were murdered in the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop on 29 July 2024. Ahead of the tribute at 15:00 BST on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the country would come together to "show sorrow and solidarity". Sefton Council said no large-scale gatherings or vigils were planned, with local churches and community centres opening their doors to allow people to pay their respects, as well as time for quiet reflection.

Sefton Council asked "everyone to join with us, wherever you may be". All across the Liverpool City Region flags flew at half mast with the silence observed throughout the area, including members of the emergency services. The families of the victims asked people not to leave flowers. Eight more children and two adults were seriously injured in the attack in Hart Street in Southport last year. In a post on X, the prime minister said: "The nation wants to put its arms around you all. "We will come together today to show our sorrow and solidarity. "But also to show our determination to uphold the true legacy of Bebe, Alice and Elsie – one of joy, kindness and love."

Anna Jameson/BBC Hundreds gathered in Southport to observe the three-minute silence

Father John Heneghan, parish priest of St Marie's Roman Catholic Church, said: "The last 12 months have been incredibly difficult for so many people but most of all for the families of our three little darlings who died." Fr Heneghan, who officiated at the funeral of Alice Aguiar, added: "We also remember in the same breath the children who were also so badly hurt, the adults who were injured trying to defend them and the first responders who were so badly shocked at what they saw. "Today is a day of togetherness, silent reflection and profound love." Ahead of the three-minute silence, Sefton Council leader Marion Atkinson said it was "a very difficult day for everybody, but more so the families who are going through what must be just dreadful today". She said: "My thoughts are with the families of Alice, Bebe and Elsie, but also the families whose children were injured and the adults who were injured." She said the council had been guided by the wishes of the victims' families over the past 12 months, including planning how to mark the event one year on.

PA Media People told how the community had rallied together

Atkinson said the families were "inspirational and so selfless", wanting to give back to the town through projects such as revamping Southport Town Hall's gardens, despite all the challenges they continue to face. "The words will stay with me forever - what they said - which was that, at a time when they really needed it, the town and Sefton put their arms around them as families, and they just wanted to say thank you," she said. "I have been astonished at the way the community has rallied round the families, and then how the families put their arms around the people of Southport by wanting to create something positive ou of this situation," said Andrew Brown, who founded Stand Up for Southport to provide a "positive voice" for the town in the aftermath of the tragedy. He also paid tribute to people from the Liverpool City Region who rallied round the town: "We've needed that support over the past year."

'Emotional day'

Southport MP Patrick Hurley told BBC Radio Merseyside on Tuesday morning that "today is an emotional day commemorating the loss of life of those three lovely little girls". He said what happened on Hart Street 12 months ago would not define the future of the town, adding local charities had been set up in memory of Bebe, Alice and Elsie. "The town's community spirit, and that level of solidarity and togetherness, was really evident, especially in the hours and days and weeks after the attack," said Hurley.

PA Media A book of condolence from last year was on display

Lauren Jones, from Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), is leading a project to further support recovery work in the town. "Over the last 12 months the community has really pulled together," she said. "You can see a lot of good community spirit, and I think that people have been encouraged to talk about their feelings and to go and get help if they need it. "It's really important that, if you are feeling anxious or you're feeling depressed, you need to go and speak to somebody about it - whether that be your GP, or you come through us and we can refer you. "Just talk about it. It's going to help."

This is the moment a Spanish fighter jet was forced to perform an evasive manoeuvre during an air show in Gijon.

Video footage shows the Spanish F-18 fighter flying at a low altitude, when it suddenly turns upside down - avoiding a flock of birds and hurtling towards the sea, before flying away.

In a statement, the Spanish air force said "one of our F-18 fighter jets carried out an evasive manoeuvre upon detecting a flock of birds in its trajectory".

"This action is part of routine protocols to preserve the integrity of the pilot and the safety of the audience," the statement added.

Israeli settler accused of killing Palestinian involved in Oscar-winning West Bank film

4 hours ago Share Save Mallory Moench BBC News Share Save

@Kivsa_shchora/Masafering Odeh Hathaleen was shot in Umm Al-Khair village in the occupied West Bank

An Israeli settler shot dead a Palestinian teacher who helped film Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, according to the Palestinian education ministry and an Israeli-American activist who was at the scene of the shooting. No Other Land co-director Yuval Abraham said on X that a settler shot Odeh Hathaleen in the lungs in Umm Al-Khair village in the occupied West Bank. Residents allege the shooter was Yinon Levy, who is sanctioned by the UK. Attorney Avichai Hajbi said he was representing a resident "who felt his life was in danger, was forced to fire his weapon into the air" after residents were "attacked by an Arab mob, along with foreign activists, with stones and violence".

Mattan Berner-Kadish, an Israeli-American activist at the scene, told the BBC that at about 17:20 local time (15:20 BST) on Monday, a bulldozer from a nearby Israeli settlement was driven through private Palestinian land, crushing a sewage pipe, multiple olive trees and two fences. Berner-Kadish and other activists, including Hathaleen's cousin Ahmad, ran to block the bulldozer. The activist said the driver hit Ahmad in the neck and shoulder with a drill that extended from the bulldozer, with his footage capturing Ahmad falling to the ground. Berner-Kadish did not believe Levy was driving. While attending to Ahmad's injuries, Berner-Kadish heard a pop. Running back to the village to get water, he saw Hathaleen lying bleeding from a gunshot wound and Levy, the only settler he saw, holding a gun. In a video believed to be filmed by a relative of Hathaleen and posted on social media, a man identified as Levy is seen holding a pistol with a bulldozer behind him, as men yell at him. Levy pushes at one man, who pushes back. Levy then raises his pistol and shoots ahead of him, then again into the air. The clip cuts off when the person filming turns around to run away as women are heard screaming. The footage does not show what or who the shots hit, if anything, and whether anyone else was shooting. There are no other settlers visible. Israeli police said it was investigating the incident in the area of Carmel, an Israeli settlement near Umm Al-Khair. "As a result of the incident, a Palestinian man was pronounced deceased. His exact involvement is under investigation," police told the BBC. Police said on Tuesday morning they had detained an Israeli citizen for questioning. Israeli media later reported Levy was released on house arrest. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also detained five Palestinians on suspicion of involvement in the incident, along with two foreign tourists who were present. Berner-Kadish said on Tuesday evening they were still detained. The activist, who began visiting the village in 2021, said Hathaleen was "one of my best friends in the world" and the two were days away from constructing a football field in the village. He added that Hathaleen was a "warm and loving" father of three young children. The Palestinian education ministry said Hathaleen was a teacher at a local secondary school. US congresswoman Lateefah Simon, a Democrat from California, said she was "heartbroken" over the killing of Hathaleen. He and his cousin, "both holding valid visas", were detained and deported from San Francisco airport last month while travelling for a multicultural faith dialogue, she said. Abraham said Hathaleen had helped film No Other Land, the 2025 Oscar winner for best documentary feature that follows the legal fight between the Israeli government and Palestinians over Masafer Yatta, a West Bank community of about 20 villages.

Royal Albert Hall seat holders lose damages bid

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Getty Images The complainants say they have been excluded from more performances at the Royal Albert Hall than the rules allow

Three seat holders at the Royal Albert Hall who accused its operator of "unlawfully" depriving them of their rights to seats have lost a High Court bid for damages. Arthur George and William and Alexander Stockler, who were seeking £500,000, claim they have been excluded from more performances than the rules allow by the Corporation of the Hall of Arts and Sciences, known as the Royal Albert Hall (RAH). Their lawyers had asked a judge to declare that the practice of excluding them from other performances was unlawful and to grant an injunction to stop RAH from restricting their access beyond the terms of the law. Judge Sir Anthony Mann dismissed the bid and ruled the dispute should go to trial.

Mr George owns 12 seats in two separate boxes, and the Stocklers together own four seats in one box. They asked the judge to rule in their favour without a trial and award an interim payment of £500,000 in damages, ahead of the full amount being decided, which was opposed by lawyers for the RAH. In a written judgement on Tuesday, the judge dismissed the bid and said: "It would seem to me to be potentially unhelpful to have the declaration sought. "Whether any declaration at all is justified at a trial, when all the relevant issues and defences have been canvassed and ruled on, will be a matter for the trial judge." Rules for seat holders is governed by the Royal Albert Hall Act as well as internal governance.

Getty Images The seat holders claimed they were excluded from more shows than the rules allow

Sir Anthony added: "The history of the matter and its effect needs to be gone into with a degree of thoroughness which only a trial can provide, and a trial is necessary in order to determine the validity of this defence. "That being the case, I do not need to consider the question of the measure of damages and whether an interim award is justified." At the hearing earlier this month, David Sawtell, representing Mr George and the Stocklers said the case was not a "breach of contract case", but instead concerned the "wrongful" use of someone's property.

He added: "We say, if you take someone else's property and use it, you are liable to compensate the property owner for that use." In written submissions for the corporation, Simon Taube KC said the men who have been members of the corporation since before 2008, had not voted against the practice until the annual general meeting in 2023. He added: "The background to the claim is that in recent years the claimants' relations with the corporation have deteriorated because of the claimants' complaints about various financial matters."

What are the rules for seat holders?

Seat and box holders have been part of the Royal Albert Hall since they helped fund the construction of the Grade I listed venue which was opened by Queen Victoria in 1871. These investors were granted rights to use or access their seats for the term of the hall's 999-year lease, according to the venue's website. Some 1,268 seats, out of the hall's total possible capacity of 5,272, remain in the private ownership of 316 people. Some seats have been passed down within the families of the original investors. The seat holders, who are known as members, are entitled to attend two thirds of the performances in the hall in any 12-month period, according to Harrods Estates, which manages the sale of the seats and stalls. A row of four stall seats listed as sold had a guide price of £650,000. Seat holders are "free to do as they please with the tickets allocated to them for their seats", the RAH's website said, meaning members can earn an income from selling on their tickets.

"Rejoining City is such a special and proud moment both for me and my family," Trafford said, adding that he was returning to the club "a hundred times better" than the player who left in 2023.

"I always dreamed that one day I would be able to come back to Manchester City.

"This is the place I call home - it's a truly special football club.

"I am still very young and hungry to keep learning and improving - and I know there is no better environment than Manchester City to help make me become the best goalkeeper I can be."

Director of football Hugo Viana added: "James is already one of the most accomplished young goalkeepers in the English game, and we are delighted to welcome him back to Manchester City.

"He has all the attributes a top-class goalkeeper requires.

"We fully believe he will be really successful and a top goalkeeper for Manchester City and the [England] national team."

Trafford is the fourth goalkeeper at manager Pep Guardiola's disposal, with Ederson, Stefan Ortega and Marcus Bettinelli already at the club.

Trafford will challenge Brazil's Ederson, who has been first choice for eight years, for the number one spot.

Ederson is in the final year of his contract and has been linked with a move to Galatasaray, but last month described rumours of a departure as "99% fake news".

City have not received any bids for the 31-year-old, but there are doubts about the future of German Ortega given the increased competition for game time Trafford's arrival will bring.

Trafford signed for City's academy in 2015 but did not make a first-team appearance and spent time on loan at Accrington Stanley and Bolton Wanderers.

He made 73 appearances for Burnley, including 28 in the Premier League in the 2023-24 season.

Trafford has represented England from under-17 to under-21 level, and was part of the winning European Championship squad of 2023, during which he did not concede a goal.

He received his first senior international call-up in 2024 but has yet to make his debut at that level.

Trafford is City's sixth signing of the window after midfielders Tijjani Reijnders (initial fee of £46.5m), Rayan Cherki (initial fee of £30.5m) and Sverre Nypan (£12.5m); left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri (£31m) and Bettinelli (nominal fee).

They also spent £200m in the January transfer window to boost their squad following significant injuries.

Just a week after turning professional, Lottie Woad is favourite for the final major of the year - the AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl.

It is a startling rise for British golf's most exciting prospect. She arrived in Wales having been crowned Scottish Open champion on Sunday.

This, in the same month she ended her amateur career by winning the Irish Open and finished third at the Evian Championship, the most recent women's major.

The bookmakers have taken notice. Odds as stingy as 6-1 to win a golf tournament are usually reserved for the likes of Tiger Woods in his pomp and most recently Scottie Scheffler - not a rookie only days into her professional career.

But the 21-year-old from Surrey is performing like a seasoned champion, demonstrating a golfing maturity way beyond her years.

Can she win this week? "Yes, absolutely," former Women's Open champion and NBC commentator Karen Stupples told BBC Sport.

"I mean, she came 10th last year as an amateur and she almost won at Evian."

The player herself seems unfazed by the attention she is generating but concedes her stunning start to life in the paid ranks has come as a bit of a surprise.

"I don't think you can predict that," she told BBC Sport. "I obviously was playing pretty well. But you can never expect to win an event, especially your first one.

"I was just looking to have a good experience that we could learn from and just try to play good golf, and that's how it happened. And then I guess I got the win."

Woad, who played her first two rounds at Dundonald with world number one Nelly Korda and the current top Briton Charley Hull, added: "I think I've had so many experiences as an amateur playing in professional events.

"Playing with those players and being in the big groups, that didn't really feel too different."

The next challenge is to maintain the momentum of this remarkable transition from world number one amateur to the most talked about current star in the professional game.

"I know what I need to do to perform well and there are always areas you need to tie up on and maintain," Woad said.

"So just having good prep and, I mean, knowing that you can't expect to play well all the time - especially on a tough course out here."

Such perspective is another sign of Woad's maturity and is a striking element to her game.

"Lottie Woad is the most matter-of-fact golfer that I've ever really come across," Stupples said.

"If you tell her she needs to make three birdies to win, she'll say: 'Oh, OK, I'll just make three birdies then.'

"And if she does it, great; if she doesn't, it's not going to affect her one way or the other. It's as basic as that to her.

"She has intangibles that other players don't have," added the 2004 Women's Open winner.

"She's not afraid to look at her goals and say: 'OK, what do I have to do to achieve them?' And she accepts everything about achieving them.

"And that's where she differs from most people, because most players are a little scared of looking at a leaderboard. They're a little scared of what their reaction is going to be.

"She's not scared of that in any way, shape or form. And it's amazing."

Which was precisely the word Korda used to describe the newcomer after playing the opening 36 holes with her on the Ayrshire coast last week. "Absolutely amazing," said the world number one.

"I was very impressed with her composure, her process. When it comes to her shot routine, especially under pressure and in the heat of the moment, sometimes people seem to fidget and kind of doubt themselves, but she stuck to it.

"She stuck to her process every single time, and I think that's one of the main things that I noticed is how mature she is for her age and how comfortable she was in the heat of the moment.

"You can see that she's put a tonne of hours in," Korda added. "Her putting is very solid, her game's solid, she hits it pretty far off the tee."

Woad has been given another plumb draw this week, alongside the last two champions Lilia Vu and Lydia Ko, who triumphed at St Andrews last year after winning gold at the Paris Olympics.

It is the stuff of golfing dreams for the English player. "I definitely love golf," she said.

"There's so many elements to it and you can practise so many things and improve in so many different ways. I just love practising and just love being very competitive."

Woad listened on the car radio to the penalty shootout that brought more glory to England's Lionesses as she journeyed with her first professional trophy from Dundonald last Sunday night.

Here now in Wales she might be on the threshold of prolonging the success story for English women's sport. The bookies certainly think so - and they are not alone.

Liverpool's summer window was already the most curious we've ever seen from a Premier League champion.

Signing Bundesliga stars en masse and swapping out both full-backs implies a major tactical shift that will emphatically end the Jurgen Klopp era and herald the dawn of a new one.

But bringing in Newcastle's Alexander Isak would push Liverpool's transfer business into unprecedented territory, having already also signed Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Not since the age of good old-fashioned 4-4-2s - when little-and-large strike partnerships were borderline mandatory - have we seen a top club sign two elite number nines in the same window.

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Germany's double Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has been "seriously injured" in a severe mountaineering accident in Pakistan.

The incident occurred in the Karakorum mountains on Monday when the 31-year-old was caught in a rockfall.

Bad weather and the remoteness of the area prevented a rescue helicopter from reaching her until Tuesday morning.

Faizullah Faraq, a provincial government spokesperson, said the rescue operation is still under way with the co-operation of the Pakistan army.

In a statement to German broadcaster ZDF, Dahlmeier's management said: "Laura Dahlmeier was climbing with her mountaineering partner on 28 July when she was caught in the rockfall. The accident took place around noon local time at an altitude of approximately 5,700 metres.

"Her partner immediately called emergency services and a rescue operation began immediately.

"Due to the remoteness of the area, a helicopter was only able to reach the site of the accident on the morning of 29 July."

Dahlmeier has represented Germany at two Winter Olympics, winning two golds and one bronze medal in Pyeongchang in 2018.

She was the first woman to win both the sprint and pursuit event at the same Olympics, and won a further 15 medals, including seven golds, across five World Championships before retiring from competition in May 2019 aged 25.