He is a human skeleton, Gaza hostage's brother tells BBC

6 hours ago Share Save Jon Donnison BBC News Reporting from Jerusalem Paulin Kola BBC News Reporting from London Share Save

'It's a new kind of cruelty', says Gaza hostage's brother

The brother of an Israeli hostage held in the Gaza Strip has told the BBC that a Hamas video showing him emaciated and weak is a "new form of cruelty" that has left his parents shattered. Hamas released the footage of Evyatar David, 24, on Saturday, drawing strong condemnation from Israel and Western leaders. "He's a human skeleton. He was being starved to the point where he can be dead at any moment, and he suffers a great deal. He barely can't speak, he barely can move," David's brother Ilay said in an interview on Monday. In the video, Evyatar says: "I haven't eaten for days... I barely got drinking water." He is seen digging what he says will be his own grave.

Other A still showing Israeli hostage Evyatar David being held in a Gaza tunnel from the video released by Hamas

Hostages' families have urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prioritise their release as reports suggest he might be planning to expand the military campaign. The footage of Evyatar was released after Palestinian Islamic Jihad published video of another hostage, Rom Braslavski, thin and crying. Both men were abducted from the Nova music festival during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023. They are among 50 hostages still being held in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Ilay David said his father had barely recognised his son Evyatar's voice on the video and had not been able to sleep. He said his mother cried all day. "Seeing those images of my brother as a human skeleton, we understood it's, it's, it's a new kind of cruelty," Mr David said. "It's the lowest you can get." He called on world leaders to unite to save him and other hostages "from the cruel, twisted hands of Hamas". "So we have to be so focused on delivering the message, which is, Evyatar is dying, we need to give him medicine, to give him food, proper food, and you need to get this treatment now, or else will die." Hamas's armed wing has denied it intentionally starves prisoners, saying hostages eat what their fighters and people in Gaza eat.

Ilay David Evyatar David (L) with his brother Ilay shown here in happier times

After the hostages' videos were released, Netanyahu spoke with their families, telling them that efforts to return all the hostages "will continue constantly and relentlessly". But an Israeli official - widely quoted by local media - said Netanyahu was working to free the hostages through "the military defeat of Hamas". The possibility of a new escalation in Gaza may further anger Israel's allies who have been pushing for an immediate ceasefire as reports of Palestinians dying from starvation or malnutrition cause shock around the world. The main group supporting hostages' families condemned the idea of a new military offensive saying: "Netanyahu is leading Israel and the hostages to doom." That view was pointedly made in a letter by some 600 retired Israeli security officials sent to US President Donald Trump urging him to pressure Israel to immediately end the war in Gaza. "Your credibility with the vast majority of Israelis augments your ability to steer Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and his government in the right direction: End the war, return the hostages, stop the suffering," they wrote. The group included former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, Ami Ayalon, former chief of Shin Bet - Israel's domestic secret service agency - former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and former Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon among others. "It is our professional judgement that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel," they said. "At first this war was a just war, a defensive war, but when we achieved all military objectives, this war ceased to be a just war," said Ayalon. The former top leaders head the Commanders for Israel's Security (CIS) group, which has urged the government in the past to focus on securing the return of the hostages. "Stop the Gaza War! On behalf of CIS, Israel's largest group of former IDF generals and Mossad, Shin Bet, Police, and Diplomatic Corps equivalents, we urge you to end the Gaza war. You did it in Lebanon. Time to do it in Gaza as well," they wrote to the US president.

Other A still of a video released by Palestinian Islamic Jihad showing hostage Rom Braslavski

UK-French small boats pilot plan comes into force

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EPA

The UK-French "one-in, one-out" pilot scheme, aimed at reducing the number of small boats crossing the Channel, has come into force with detentions of illegal migrants due to start within days. The deal will see some of those arriving in the UK in small boats detained and returned to France. In exchange the UK will accept from France an equal number of asylum seekers provided they have not already tried to make the crossing and can pass security and eligibility checks. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the plan was a "product of months of grown-up diplomacy" which would "deliver real results". But the Conservatives said it would "make no difference whatsoever".

Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the agreement in July, but it was still subject to legal scrutiny by the European Commission and EU member states. The UK government has now said that the "EU Commission, Germany and other member states have given the green light on this innovative approach" meaning the scheme can go ahead. Under the plan, an adult migrant who tries to get to the UK by crossing the Channel could be returned to France if their claim for asylum is deemed to be inadmissible. Returns could begin to take place within weeks. UK and international law prevents the government from sending asylum seekers back to their country of origin before their claim has been considered and turned down. However, they can be sent to safe countries prepared to consider their claim.

The government has not confirmed how many migrants would be returned and accepted under the plan, but said it would look to "ramp up both the pace and scale of returns over the course of the pilot scheme". There have been reports that 50 people per week could be returned, compared to the weekly average of more than 800 people currently making the crossing. Sir Keir has previously said the pilot is not "a silver bullet" but believes it will deter people from making the dangerous journey following a big increase in the numbers so far this year. As of 30 July, more than 25,000 people had crossed the Channel in small boats in 2025 - around 49% higher than at the same point in 2024.

Storm Floris batters UK with winds over 80mph

11 minutes ago Share Save Rachel Muller-Heyndyk BBC News Elizabeth Rizzini Lead weather presenter Share Save

Damage and disruption as Storm Floris crashes into UK

Travel disruption is expected to continue on Tuesday after Storm Floris battered parts of the country with 80mph winds. Scotland bore the brunt of the bad weather with some 43,500 homes without power on Monday night. Planes, trains and ferries were cancelled amid warnings of a "threat to life". Network Rail Scotland said it was working to remove debris and trees from routes following the "unprecedented" storm. An amber warning was place to 23:00 BST for most of Scotland, as well as a yellow warning that also covers northern England, north Wales and Northern Ireland.

Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024/25 season and the first since January. Wick in the Highlands saw winds of 82mph, the strongest gusts recorded since Storm Floris struck on Monday. Some mountain locations saw wind gusts over 100mph, but meteorologists focus on sites where very strong gusts are less usual and likely to have more impact. There were reports of trees and campervans toppling over in the hardest hit areas. Events including the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and shows at Fringe by the Sea in North Berwick were also cancelled. The yellow warning will remain in place for the Northern Isles off the north coast of Scotland until 08:00 on Tuesday, and 23:59 on Monday for all other areas. On Tuesday the weather will be less windy but still blustery with showers across northern and central areas.

Passengers in Scotland have been warned disruption to the rail network is likely to continue into Tuesday. Ross Moran, Network Rail Scotland's route director, said: "Our teams have been working tirelessly to keep services moving where possible and to clear fallen trees and debris from the tracks. "Our teams will work through the night, but this work will continue into Tuesday morning."

It comes after Lner warned passengers not to travel north of Newcastle on Monday. Customers with tickets can use them until Wednesday. Scottish ferry operator CalMac issued a series of cancellation warnings and warned of disruption across its network. Most of Scotland's major road bridges closed to high-sided vehicles and motorists were urged to slow down in poor weather and avoid exposed Highland and coastal routes. Several shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival were cancelled as a "precautionary" measure, and flights were cancelled in Northern Ireland due to the storm. Meanwhile, postal services were affected by Floris meaning that some students in Scotland will have to wait until Tuesday to receive their SQA exam results.

Strong winds hit the coastal town of Largs in North Ayrshire

Angela Constance, the Scottish secretary for home affairs, encouraged people to check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours during the storm, and warned those travelling on Monday to view it as "a winter journey" and take warm clothes. Jim Dale, a meteorologist and founder of independent forecaster British Weather Services, warned those in areas affected by the warnings: "If you are venturing out, keep away from the forest, keep away from the woods, keep off the coastal plain."

Named storms in August are not that rare, with five taking place since 2020. Last year, Storm Lilian struck the UK on 23 August just before the bank holiday weekend, closing stages at the Leeds Festival and cancelling Heathrow flights. Storms Antoni and Betty brought disruption in 2023, while storms Ellen and Francis in 2020 were described as "two of the most notable August storms in the last 50 years" by the Met Office. These two storms brought wind gusts of 79mph and 81mph respectively with transport disruption, coastal flooding and power cuts.

Disfigured, shamed and forgotten: The BBC visits the Korean survivors of the Hiroshima bomb

56 minutes ago Share Save Hyojung Kim BBC Korean in Hapcheon Share Save

BBC/Hyojung Kim Lee Jung-soon, 88, is one of many nuclear bomb survivors who now lives in Hapcheon, South Korea

At 08:15 on August 6, 1945, as a nuclear bomb was falling like a stone through the skies over Hiroshima, Lee Jung-soon was on her way to elementary school. The now-88-year-old waves her hands as if trying to push the memory away. "My father was about to leave for work, but he suddenly came running back and told us to evacuate immediately," she recalls. "They say the streets were filled with the dead – but I was so shocked all I remember is crying. I just cried and cried." Victims' bodies "melted away so only their eyes were visible", Ms Lee says, as a blast equivalent to 15,000 tons of TNT enveloped a city of 420,000 people. What remained in the aftermath were corpses too mangled to be identified. "The atomic bomb… it's such a terrifying weapon." It's been 80 years since the United States detonated 'Little Boy', humanity's first-ever atomic bomb, over the centre of Hiroshima, instantly killing some 70,000 people. Tens of thousands more would die in the coming months from radiation sickness, burns and dehydration. The devastation wrought by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – which brought a decisive end to both World War Two and Japanese imperial rule across large swaths of Asia – has been well-documented over the past eight decades. Less well-known is the fact that about 20% of the immediate victims were Koreans. Korea had been a Japanese colony for 35 years when the bomb was dropped. An estimated 140,000 Koreans were living in Hiroshima at the time - many having moved there due to forced labour mobilisation, or to survive under colonial exploitation. Those who survived the atom bomb, along with their descendants, continue to live in the long shadow of that day – wrestling with disfigurement, pain, and a decades-long fight for justice that remains unresolved.

Getty Images Hapcheon has been dubbed "Korea's Hiroshima" due to the number of nuclear bomb survivors who lived there after the war

"No-one takes responsibility," says Shim Jin-tae, an 83-year-old survivor. "Not the country that dropped the bomb. Not the country that failed to protect us. America never apologised. Japan pretends not to know. Korea is no better. They just pass the blame - and we're left alone." Mr Shim now lives in Hapcheon, South Korea: a small county which, having become the home of dozens of survivors like he and Ms Lee, has been dubbed "Korea's Hiroshima". For Ms Lee, the shock of that day has not faded - it etched itself into her body as illness. She now lives with skin cancer, Parkinson's disease, and angina, a condition stemming from poor blood flow to the heart, which typically manifests as chest pain. But what weighs more heavily is that the pain didn't stop with her. Her son Ho-chang, who supports her, was diagnosed with kidney failure and is undergoing dialysis while awaiting a transplant. "I believe it's due to radiation exposure, but who can prove it?" Ho-chang Lee says. "It's hard to verify scientifically - you'd need genetic testing, which is exhausting and expensive. The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) told the BBC that it had gathered genetic data between 2020 and 2024 and would continue further studies until 2029. It would "consider expanding the definition of victims" to second- and- third-generation survivors only "if the results are statistically significant", it said.

The Korean toll

Of the 140,000 Koreans in Hiroshima at the time of the bombing, many were from Hapcheon. Surrounded by mountains with little farmland, it was a difficult place to live. Crops were seized by the Japanese occupiers, droughts ravaged the land, and thousands of people left the rural country for Japan during the war. Some were forcibly conscripted; others were lured by the promise that "you could eat three meals a day and send your kids to school." But in Japan, Koreans were second-class citizens – often given the hardest, dirtiest and most dangerous jobs. Mr Shim says his father worked in a munitions factory as a forced labourer, while his mother hammered nails into wooden ammunition crates. In the aftermath of the bomb, this distribution of labour translated into dangerous and often fatal work for Koreans in Hiroshima.

BBC/Hyojung Kim For Shim Jin-tae, it's not just about being compensated – it's about being acknowledged

"Korean workers had to clean up the dead," Mr Shim, who is the director of the Hapcheon branch of the Korean Atomic Bomb Victims Association, tells BBC Korean. "At first they used stretchers, but there were too many bodies. Eventually, they used dustpans to gather corpses and burned them in schoolyards." "It was mostly Koreans who did this. Most of the post-war clean-up and munitions work was done by us." According to a study by the Gyeonggi Welfare Foundation, some survivors were forced to clear rubble and recover bodies. While Japanese evacuees fled to relatives, Koreans without local ties remained in the city, exposed to the radioactive fallout – and with limited access to medical care. A combination of these conditions - poor treatment, hazardous work and structural discrimination - all contributed to a disproportionately high death toll among Koreans. According to the Korean Atomic Bomb Victims Association, the Korean fatality rate was 57.1%, compared to the overall rate of about 33.7%. About 70,000 Koreans were exposed to the bomb. By year's end, some 40,000 had died.

Outcasts at home

After the bombings, which led to Japan's surrender and Korea's subsequent liberation, about 23,000 Korean survivors returned home. But they were not welcomed. Branded as disfigured or cursed, they faced prejudice even in their homeland. "Hapcheon already had a leper colony," Mr Shim explains. "And because of that image, people thought the bomb survivors had skin diseases too." Such stigma made survivors stay silent about their plight, he adds, suggesting that "survival came before pride". Ms Lee says she saw this "with her own eyes". "People who were badly burned or extremely poor were treated terribly," she recalls. "In our village, some people had their backs and faces so badly scarred that only their eyes were visible. They were rejected from marriage and shunned." With stigma came poverty, and hardship. Then came illnesses with no clear cause: skin diseases, heart conditions, kidney failure, cancer. The symptoms were everywhere - but no-one could explain them. Over time, the focus shifted to the second and third generations.

BBC/Hyojung Kim Second-generation survivor Han Jeong-sun can't walk without dragging herself, and has faced stigma from her own family

Han Jeong-sun, a second-generation survivor, suffers from avascular necrosis in her hips, and can't walk without dragging herself. Her first son was born with cerebral palsy. "My son has never walked a single step in his life," she says. "And my in-laws treated me horribly. They said, 'You gave birth to a crippled child and you're crippled too—are you here to ruin our family?' "That time was absolute hell." For decades, not even the Korean government took active interest in its own victims, as a war with the North and economic struggles were treated as higher priorities. It wasn't until 2019 - more than 70 years after the bombing - that MOHW released its first fact-finding report. That survey was mostly based on questionnaires. In response to BBC inquiries, the ministry explained that prior to 2019, "There was no legal basis for funding or official investigations". But two separate studies had found that second-generation victims were more vulnerable to illness. One, from 2005, showed that second-generation victims were far more likely than the general population to suffer depression, heart disease and anaemia, while another from 2013 found their disability registration rate was nearly double the national average. Against this backdrop, Ms Han is incredulous that authorities keep asking for proof to recognise her and her son as victims of Hiroshima. "My illness is the proof. My son's disability is the proof. This pain passes down generations, and it's visible," she says. "But they won't recognise it. So what are we supposed to do - just die without ever being acknowledged?"

Peace without apology

It was only last month, on July 12, that Hiroshima officials visited Hapcheon for the first time to lay flowers at a memorial. While former PM Hatoyama Yukio and other private figures had come before, this was the first official visit by current Japanese officials. "Now in 2025 Japan talks about peace. But peace without apology is meaningless," says Junko Ichiba, a long-time Japanese peace activist who has spent most of her life advocating for Korean Hiroshima victims. She points out, the visiting officials gave no mention or apology for how Japan treated Korean people before and during World War Two.

BBC/Hyojung Kim A memorial hall in Hapcheon holds 1,160 wooden tablets - each one bearing the name of a Korean killed by the nuclear bomb

Tommy Robinson arrested in connection with assault

3 hours ago Share Save Lucy Manning Special correspondent Rachel Muller-Heyndyk BBC News Share Save

PA Media Tommy Robinson has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm

Far-right activist Tommy Robinson has been arrested in connection with an assault at St Pancras railway station. British Transport Police did not name Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, but confirmed a 42-year-old man, from Bedfordshire, was arrested over an assault in London on 28 July. The force said the arrest took place at Luton Airport shortly after 18:30 BST on Monday, following a notification that the man had boarded an incoming flight from Faro. The man was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and will be taken to custody for questioning, police said.

Video appears to show Tommy Robinson near man on floor at London station

The statement added he had been wanted for questioning after leaving for Tenerife in the early hours of 29 July following the incident. Last week, British Transport Police said that a man had "serious but non-life-threatening injuries" following the incident at the railway station in King's Cross. The force confirmed later that week that the man had been discharged from hospital. Video footage on social media emerged shortly after the alleged assault showing Robinson walking back and forth near a motionless man lying on the floor, near the stairs down to the northbound Thameslink line. The clip did not show how the man ended up on the floor. Robinson then starts coming back up the stairs, appearing to try to talk to the passing commuter who called for help. Robinson can be heard saying: "He's come at me bruv." Robinson was contacted by a female BBC reporter for comment after the incident, but Robinson responded with a message that said "slag".

Girl, 4, dies after incident at water park

2 hours ago Share Save Maisie Olah & Chloe Hughes BBC News, West Midlands Share Save

BBC Police remained outside the water park on Monday evening

A four-year-old girl has died following an incident at a swimming pool at a leisure attraction, police have said. Police were called to Waterworld, Festival Park, in Stoke-on-Trent, at about 16:20 BST to reports of a girl in a critical condition. Staffordshire Police said members of staff there and paramedics treated the girl at the scene before she was taken to hospital, where she died a short time later. Her next of kin have been informed. Det Ch Insp Lucy Maskew said: "We are now making inquiries and looking to establish the circumstances of the incident." She asked the public not to speculate in these early stages of the investigation.

The girl's next of kin are being supported by specially-trained officers, police added. Waterworld said the incident happened in the Lagoon area of its Aqua Park. The girl was found unconscious and treated at the side of the pool by its lifeguard and management teams, it said in a statement on social media. "They immediately provided CPR and called the emergency services, who arrived around 4:20pm," it said. All other visitors were asked to quietly leave the pool. "It is with great sadness that we learned of this little girl's passing this evening," a Waterworld spokesperson added. "All our thoughts are with her family and loved ones during these extremely difficult times. "Waterworld is working closely with the authorities at this sad time." Staffordshire Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident or had knowledge of it to call 101.

The girl, aged four, was found unconscious and treated by lifeguard and management teams, Waterworld said

Waterworld added it would remain closed on Tuesday "out of respect for the young girl's family". Bookings for Tuesday would be automatically refunded, which could take up to five days. The company asked that the public refrain from contacting the site during that time, and said it would be supporting its team members and the police investigation.

Trump threatens India with 'substantial' tariff hike for buying Russian oil

Trump did not specify what the new tariff would be, but it comes just days after he unveiled a hefty 25% levy on India.

India is currently among the largest buyers of Russian oil. It has become an important export market for Moscow after several European countries cut trade when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

"They [India] don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine," the US president wrote on his online platform, Truth Social, on Monday.

Donald Trump has threatened to "substantially" raise tariffs against India over its purchase of oil from Russia.

In a statement, a spokesman for India's foreign ministry, Randhir Jaiswal, said the US had encouraged India to import Russian gas at the start of the conflict, "for strengthening global energy markets stability".

He said India "began importing from Russia because traditional supplies were diverted to Europe after the outbreak of the conflict".

India also criticised the US - its largest trading partner - for introducing the tariffs, when the US itself is still doing trade with Russia. Last year, the US traded goods worth an estimated $3.5bn (£2.6bn) with Russia, despite tough sanctions and tariffs.

"Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security," the foreign ministry statement said.

Last week, Trump had described India as a "friend" but said its tariffs on US products "are far too high" and he warned of an unspecified "penalty" over its trade with Russia.

His latest Truth Social post again struck a critical tone.

"India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits," he wrote.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not ordered India's oil refineries to stop buying Russian oil, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

Ajay Srivastava, a former Indian trade official and head of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a Delhi-based think tank, said Trump's claims about India's oil trade with Russia are misleading for several reasons.

He told the BBC that the trade has been transparent and broadly understood by the US.

Mr Srivastava said India ramped up purchases of oil to help stabilise global markets after Western sanctions disrupted supplies - helping to stop a global oil price shock.

He also said that India's oil refineries - both public and private - decide where to buy crude oil based on factors like price, supply security, and export rules. They operate independently of the government and do not need its approval to buy from Russia or other countries.

Though relations between the US and Russia warmed after Trump returned to the White house in January, the US president has more recently toughened his rhetoric against the Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump has questioned whether Putin is truly committed to peace with Ukraine. In Monday's Truth Social post he used stern language, describing the Russian military as the "Russian War Machine".

Russia's leader has repeatedly said he is ready for peace but only if Kyiv meets certain conditions, such as recognising Ukrainian territories that Russia has occupied.

Trump has threatened Moscow with severe tariffs targeting its oil and other exports if a ceasefire with Ukraine is not agreed by 8 August.

US envoy Steve Witkoff is due to visit Russia later this week, where he is expected to meet Putin.

Additional reporting by Soutik Biswas

Love Island 2025 winners revealed after drama-filled series

Yasmin Pettet and Jamie Rhodes finished in third place, while Angel Swift and Ty Isherwood finished in fourth.

The pair won the public vote and £50,000 prize money, ahead of second-placed finalists Shakira Khan and Harry Cooksley.

Toni Laites and Cach Mercer were announced as winners by presenter Maya Jama during Monday's live final.

The winners of ITV2's latest season of Love Island have been crowned.

This article contains spoilers for the Love Island final.

Toni Laites became Love Island UK's first American contestant when she entered the Villa this summer.

"Thank you to the UK," she screamed after winning with partner Cach Mercer.

As soon as the episode finished, we spoke to to self-confessed Love Island "super-fans" Harriet and Georgia.

"I'm absolutely thrilled. I'm not gonna lie, it's like Christmas Day," says Harriet.

"They so deserved it. It feels like the international Love Island family coming together to celebrate our Toni."

"100% the right couple won," Georgia added.

"I feel like it was a close call but they definitely deserved it."

Toni and Cach's Love Island journey was not without its difficulties. Earlier in the series, Toni chose to couple with one of the other boys, Harrison, rather than Cach.

After the re-coupling, Cach cried and was consoled by friend and fellow Islander Ty, something Georgia says was a key moment in the series.

"I think where the season was going, almost questioning how genuine a lot of the couples were, it was really nice to see raw emotion coming from someone who was feeling real feelings," she says.

"Especially it coming from a man, because I think we just don't see that enough. We don't see men showing their raw emotion.

"I think it's one of those things that should be celebrated."

Harriet agreed, adding: "It was really moving to see someone so in touch with their emotions and really let it out.

"It's actually really powerful to see him own it, and encourage other men to be in touch with their emotions."

Couple Dejon Noel-Williams and Meg Moore narrowly missed out on the final after they were dramatically dumped during Sunday's Episode.

Former Islanders returned to the villa and voted them the least compatible remaining couple.

Love Island's popularity has risen this year, thanks to the success of the US version of the show and a jump in social media interest.

ITV said this series was on track to be the biggest since Series 9 in January 2023.

It said streams on subscription service ITVX were up 9% year on year, and figures from TikTok show 1 million people have followed Love Island's official account this year.

Earlier on Monday, ITV bosses announced Love Island All Stars - where previous fan-favourite islanders return to the villa - would get a third series.

They said it would air early next year and take place over six weeks in South Africa.

Danish zoo asks for unwanted pets to feed its predators

The Eurasian lynx is among the predators that are expected to benefit from the scheme, the zoo says

Posting on Instagram , the zoo explains it has a "responsibility to imitate the natural food chain of the animals" and smaller livestock "make up an important part of the diet of our predators".

The zoo also accepts donations of live horses - with owners able to benefit from a potential tax break.

Aalborg Zoo has asked for donations of live chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs, which it says are "gently euthanised" by trained staff.

A zoo in Denmark has appealed to the public to donate their healthy unwanted pets as part of a unique effort to provide food for its predators.

The zoo says the food provided in this way is "reminiscent of what it would naturally hunt in the wild" - and that this is especially true for the Eurasian lynx.

Other predators being kept at the zoo include lions and tigers.

The small animals can be donated on weekdays, with no more than four at a time without an appointment.

On its website, underneath a picture of a tiger devouring a piece of meat, Aalborg Zoo lays out the conditions for donating horses.

To be eligible they need to have a horse passport and cannot have been treated for an illness within the previous 30 days.

If they are successful in handing over their animals, horse donors can then receive a tax deduction.

In a statement, the zoo's deputy director, Pia Nielsen, said the zoo's carnivores had been fed smaller livestock "for many years".

"When keeping carnivores, it is necessary to provide them with meat, preferably with fur, bones etc to give them as natural a diet as possible," she explained.

"Therefore, it makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanised for various reasons to be of use in this way. In Denmark, this practice is common, and many of our guests and partners appreciate the opportunity to contribute. The livestock we receive as donations are chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and horses."

Eurostar passengers face delays and cancellations due to French rail issue

Disruptions to Eurostar trains are expected to continue until the end of Monday

French track network operator SNCF said that it had identified the issue and work to repair it would continue overnight, while Eurostar said it expected normal services to resume on Tuesday.

The problem started at about 08:30 local time (06:30 GMT) on Monday and continued through much of the day.

According to the Eurostar website, nine services between London and Paris were cancelled, while most other services were delayed.

Passengers on several Eurostar trains faced delays and cancellations on Monday after a power supply issue on a rail line in northern France led to its closure.

Some services between Brussels and Paris and between Amsterdam and Paris were also cancelled, delayed or faced other disruptions due to the rail closure, which happened on the high-speed line between Moussy and Longueil in the Hauts-de-France region.

Trains between London-Amsterdam, Brussels-Amsterdam, Brussels-London and Brussels-Cologne were not impacted.

SNCF said on its website that the "severely disrupted" services were due to a power supply issue which required "major repairs".

It predicted delays of between one and five hours on the Eurostar, as well as its other services TGV inOui and Ouigo.

Later, on Monday evening, SNCF announced that the closed section of the line had reopened on a single track in both directions. Normal services were not expected to resume until the end of the day.

August is a peak period for cross-Channel travel due to school holidays, meaning services are often busier than normal.

Monday's disruptions came nearly a month after a Eurostar train travelling between Brussels and London had to be evacuated in northern France due to a power failure.

And in June, there were two days of major disruptions after separate fatal incidents on France's LGV Nord line, which was followed by cable theft.

Dame Stella Rimington, former MI5 director general, dies at 90

"She died surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath," her family said in a statement.

She joined MI5 full time in 1969, and served as deputy director general in 1991 before being promoted to director general a year later.

Dame Stella, who headed the security service from 1992 to 1996, was widely credited as being the model for Dame Judi Dench's M in the James Bond films.

Dame Stella Rimington, MI5's first female director general, has died at the age of 90, her family has said.

Paying tribute to Dame Stella, current MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum said his predecessor, as the first publicly stated female head of any intelligence agency in the world, "broke through long-standing barriers and was a visible example of the importance of diversity in leadership".

"Her leadership ushered in a new era of openness and transparency about the work MI5 does to keep this country safe, a legacy that continues to this day," he said.

Sir Richard Moore, head of MI6, said Dame Stella was a "true trailblazer".

In a statement on its website, MI5 said she had a varied career in the service "including roles in counter-subversion, counter-espionage and counter-terrorism".

"MI5 underwent far-reaching transformation under Dame Stella's leadership," it said.

"She oversaw MI5 taking lead responsibility for countering Irish republican terrorism in Great Britain, the move of MI5's headquarters to Thames House, and instituted a policy of greater public openness to demystify the work of MI5 including beginning a programme of releasing MI5 files to The National Archives."

Born in 1935 in South Norwood, south London, Dame Stella got her first role at MI5 as a part-time clerk typist in India, where she had accompanied her husband on a diplomatic posting four years earlier.

The Cold War and threats posed by the Soviet Union dominated much of her early career.

She was the first director general to be publicly identified when appointed - and when a newspaper published a photo of her house, she and her family had to move to a covert location for their own protection.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour in 1999, Dame Stella said she had "thoroughly approved" of the decision to make her name public when she became director general, but added that she hadn't "really guessed quite how much interest there was going to be and the great level of press attention" there was.

She said "very rapidly" her and her family had to move from their "ordinary London street" and "effectively go underground, which was a rather strange reverse when one had been trying to be more open".

During her time as director general and following the end of the Cold War, threats from Russia continued to take up her time.

Delivering the annual Richard Dimbleby lecture in 1994 at Whitehall, she spoke about how the number of Russian intelligence officers in the UK had "begun to creep up again", and warned that "we must therefore remain on our guard".

She also argued for the establishment of "the same sort of professional liaison with the Russian services" that she said had been "successfully established elsewhere, including in the former Eastern bloc".

She added, however, that there was "still a considerable way to go" to make that happen.

She was head of the service in 1996, when the IRA bombed Canary Wharf, killing two people.

She retired from the service the same year, and went on to publish her autobiography, Open Secret, in 2001. A number of spy novels followed.

While guest editing the Today programme in 2007, she said spy writers had created "a totally glamorous world around the profession of spying" that "bears very little relation to reality".

In 2014 she revealed on BBC Breakfast that her novels had to be submitted to the security service for clearance, and that she had occasionally been asked to change names and places by MI5.

Calvin Harris shares placenta photos after birth of son

6 hours ago Share Save Shaun Dacosta BBC Newsbeat Share Save

Calvin Harris/Instagram Calvin Harris said son Micah was born on 20 July

DJ Calvin Harris has divided fans with a post announcing the birth of his baby boy. The Scottish DJ, who is married to Radio 1 host Vick Hope, praised his "superhero" wife on Instagram in a series of photos, taken in Ibiza, showing the moments after son Micah's home birth. He also uploaded a shot of Vick's placenta, alongside images appearing to show the organ being de-hydrated and turned into pills. While many rushed to congratulate the couple, others said they were taken aback by the graphic photo - which has since been hit with an age restriction by the social media site.

Calvin told his 11 million followers that his son was born on 20 July - adding he was "so grateful" for the new arrival. Singer Example and Scotland footballer Andy Robertson were among the celebrities to congratulate the couple, alongside Radio 1 presenter Arielle Free, who wrote: "Welcome to the world wee Micah". Singer Becky Hill was among those who praised the decision to share pictures of the placenta. "Amazing we grow a whole new organ to provide life!" she wrote. "Good job not wasting it either, that's some goddess magic right there!" Others also praised the post for "normalising" the aftermath of childbirth. But some questioned whether it was necessary to include the photo without warning, while others expressed surprise. "I was NOT prepared for the placenta pic," wrote one, and another replied: "Placenta and placenta pills were not on my bingo card for today but OK."

Getty Images Vick Hope and Calvin Harris have been married since 2023

The placenta is an organ made in the womb during pregnancy that gives oxygen and nutrients to a foetus. It also acts as a filter to protect it from toxins and pollutants. Some people claim that eating the placenta after a baby is born has a range of health benefits for new mothers. Various preparation methods are used, including consuming the organ raw or cooking it. Some parents will get the placenta dehydrated and turned into vitamin-style tablets through a process called encapsulation. A review of 10 scientific studies carried out in 2015 found no data to support the claim that eating the placenta carried any health benefits. Organisations such as America's Centre for Disease Control (CDC) have warned of potential contamination risks if the organ is not properly stored and prepared.

Farage calls on police to share immigration status of charged suspects

3 hours ago Share Save Alys Davies BBC News Share Save

EPA/Shutterstock

Nigel Farage has called on the police to release the immigration status of suspects charged with crimes following the arrest of two men in connection with the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Warwickshire. The Reform UK party leader said he "absolutely" thinks such details should be released when asked about the matter at a news conference on Monday. It has been reported that the two men charged in connection with the alleged rape in Nuneaton last month are Afghan nationals but the police have not confirmed this. Warwickshire Police said once someone is charged with an offence, the force follows national guidance that does not include sharing ethnicity or immigration status.

The authorised professional practice followed by forces across the country, and cited by the College of Policing, says the same. Asked by a reporter at the news conference in Westminster whether police should release the names, addresses and immigration statuses of suspects after they have been charged with a crime, Farage said: "What caused unrest on our streets after Southport last year was us not being told the status of the attacker. "That led to crazy conspiracy theories spreading online." Last year's deadly attack in Southport, in which three young girls were murdered, led to the spreading of a false claim online that the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker. Linking a perceived lack of information from police about Nuneaton to what happened in Southport last July, Farage continued: "To have masses of speculation as to what might have happened makes things I think far worse than they otherwise would be". Asked to clarify his thoughts further on whether he thought police forces should be obliged to publish such details, he said: "Yes, I absolutely think that they should." Later in the news conference, Farage called the police's decision not to release details about the alleged Nuneaton attackers a "cover-up that in many ways is reminiscent of what happened after the Southport killings last year." "It is not... in any way at all a contempt of court for the British public to know the identity of those who allegedly have committed serious crimes," he added. "I felt that in the wake of the Southport attacks, and I feel that ever more strongly today."

Brazil judge orders house arrest of former president Jair Bolsonaro

The judge in charge of investigating Mr Bolsonaro, Alexandre de Moraes, said the decision was because Mr Bolsonaro hadn't complied with restraining orders put on him last month.

President Donald Trump has used Mr Bolsonaro's trial, which he calls a "witch-hunt", as a justification for imposing 50% tariffs on some Brazilian goods despite the US having a trade surplus with Brazil.

He is standing trial over allegations he plotted a coup, which he denies .

Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered that the former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro be put under house arrest.

Mr Moraes, who the US has also sanctioned, said Mr Bolsonaro had used the social networks of his allies including his sons to spread messages that encouraged attacks on the Supreme Court and foreign intervention in the Brazilian judiciary.

On Sunday, pro-Bolsonaro rallies were held in various Brazilian cities. One of his sons, Flávio, who is a senator, briefly put his father on speakerphone to the crowd in Rio de Janeiro.

Flávio also reportedly later published a video, which he deleted afterwards, of his father on the other side of the call sending a message to supporters.

Mr Moraes also banned him from receiving visits, except from lawyers or people authorised by the Supreme Court, and from using a mobile phone directly or through third parties.

He had already, previously, been ordered to wear an ankle tag, to adhere to a curfew, to not use social media, and to not contact his son Eduardo Bolsonaro who has lobbied US officials on his behalf in the US.

These restrictions were imposed because of allegations he was encouraging Donald Trump to interfere in the case.

Parents held in Iran's 'worst prisons', says son

7 hours ago Share Save Share Save

Family handout The East Sussex couple were arrested in Iran at the start of the year

The son of a British couple detained in Iran has learnt about their whereabouts after seven months of "silence and uncertainty". Joe Bennett said the UK government had confirmed Lindsay and Craig Foreman, from East Sussex, had been separated and were being held in "Iran's worst prisons". The couple, who were on a once-in-a-lifetime trip around the world, were detained by Iranian authorities in January and later charged with espionage – something the family denies. A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said they were continuing to raise their case directly with Iran's government.

"We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members," they added.

'Leverage'

Mr Bennett said his mum has been transferred to Qarchak Prison, a female-only facility that Iran Human Rights says "disregards the most basic principles of human dignity". Violence, abuse, severe overcrowding, unsanitary drinking water, a lack of basic facilities or adequate healthcare services and degrading, gender-based treatment have been documented by the non-governmental organisation at the prison. Mr Bennett said his dad was being held in Fashafouyeh Prison, where inmates reportedly suffer inhumane, overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, including severely limited water resources.

Joe Bennett Mr and Ms Foreman have been held in solitary confinement

Mr Bennett, from Folkestone in Kent, added the family "feared" for his parents' mental and physical welfare, though they were trying to be strong for them. "We haven't really got proof of life," he said. Mr Bennett said his understanding was they had been held in solitary confinement for 30 days. "I could not imagine what that was like," he told BBC Radio Kent. He said that visits by British officials had found his dad was "dishevelled and had lost a lot of weight", while his mum was not walking very well due to prison conditions.

Mr Bennett added he believed the couple were being held as political "leverage". Iran's government previously held Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian national, for six years in what was widely seen as an attempt to pressure the UK to pay a long-standing, multi-million-pound debt. Mr Bennett called on the FCDO to "do everything they can" to secure their release.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.

Help needed to keep weight off after obesity jabs

Patients may need extra support and a plan for how to stay at their new weight, such as eating healthily and hitting the gym or going for walks, it says.

It's not uncommon for people to regain most of what they shed once they stop treatment, experience shows .

People coming off obesity jabs like Wegovy and Mounjaro should have check-ups for at least a year to make sure they don't pile weight back on, new advice for the NHS says.

'I feel blessed to get weight-loss jab' - but can the NHS afford it for all?

In England alone, obesity affects around one in four adults.

An estimated 1.5 million people are on weight loss jabs in the UK, but the vast majority are paying for them privately so will not be eligible for NHS support as they come off the treatment.

Wegovy (semaglutide) is already available on the NHS on prescription, but only to those most in need (with health problems due to their weight and a high BMI) for a period of two years.

Around 240,000 people are expected to be offered Mounjaro (tirzepatide) over the next three years. There's currently no specified time limit for being prescribed the drug.

Both drugs help reduce appetite and can lead to life-changing weight loss. They are prescribed alongside programmes that support healthy weight loss through changes to diet and physical activity.

In a Wegovy drug trial, patients regained around two-thirds of their original weight once they came off the injections. It's a similar story for those on Mounjaro.

New advice from NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, encourages patients to build long-term behavioural habits, use self-monitoring tools, and draw on wider support "from online communities to family-led interventions and local activities."

Prof Jonathan Benger from NICE said: "Successful weight management doesn't end when medication stops or when someone completes a behavioural programme.

"We know that the transition period after treatment is crucial, and people need structured support to maintain the positive changes they've made."

Prof Kamila Hawthorn from the Royal College of GPs said: "There is no one-size fits all approach to tackling obesity - what works for one patient will likely not work for another.

"We also need to see a greater focus on prevention, stopping people becoming overweight in the first place so they don't require a medical intervention later."

Obesity can cause people difficulties in their daily lives, and put them at more risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.

Hemsworth on facing fears, ageing and return of Thor

26 minutes ago Share Save Yasmin Rufo BBC News Share Save

Getty Images

Chris Hemsworth is best known as the hammer-wielding Norse god Thor in Marvel's cinematic universe. But now the Australian actor is trading superpowers for science, introspection and a new set of personal challenges, many of which are far scarier than battling fictional villains. The 41-year-old is back for a second season of Limitless which sees him confront some of his deepest fears as he explores how to live longer, healthier and better. "The first season almost killed me," Hemsworth tells the BBC. "And I thought, 'never again.'" In season one, Hemsworth tackled physical and mental challenges designed to delay aging including free diving, fasting, stress training and walking along a crane 900 feet above the ground. The actor says he chose to "torture" himself again as he had a burning curiosity to "ask bigger and deeper questions" about aging and the meaning of life. "It was exhausting but also profoundly rewarding," he says. "But now I do have more questions rather than answers!" Season two takes a different path as Hemsworth continues to test himself, but not just physically. With the help of Ed Sheeran, he learns to play a musical instrument for the first time and inspired by his children's carefree risk-taking, he climbs a 600-foot Alpine dam.

National Geographic Hemsworth joined Ed Sheeran on stage in Romania last year after learning to play the drums

"Being thrust into unfamiliar environments where you're facing adversity or risk helps you understand how fragile life is and how quickly it can change," he says. Hemsworth, whose brothers, Liam and Luke, are also famous actors, says he now takes nothing for granted and has learnt to not "settle for the easy route as the greatest lessons come from the more challenging times". One of the biggest challenges for the actor was in the first season of the National Geographic series when a genetic test revealed he carries two copies of the gene ApoE4, one from his mother and one from his father, making him between eight and 10 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's than those without both copies of the gene. "That warning sign was further motivation to take care of myself," Hemsworth explains. "It also felt like a great opportunity to offer up education and a better understanding for people navigating it as Alzheimer's is something a lot of people face."

Watch: Chris Hemsworth on Limitless' return and his increased risk of Alzheimer's

While Hemsworth has become increasingly interested in how to live better, he says there's a fine line between healthy aging and extreme biohacking. Biohackers want to make their bodies and brains function better by "hacking" their biology. "You want to live a longer and better life but at what cost? You could have your exact routine but there's no point doing all of that if you're isolated and lonely at home," says Hemsworth. "I'm going to put energy into health and wellness but I also want to enjoy life." This mindset puts him at odds with more extreme elements of the biohacking movement, which has gained attention through figures like tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson.

Getty Images Bryan Johnson's Project Blueprint is a controversial plan to reverse ageing and live forever

Johnson, 47, has spent millions of dollars in a bid to slow down aging - his regime, Project Blueprint, has seen him take numerous supplements a day, follow a strict diet and sleep routine and undergo a plasma exchange. It's an approach that Hemsworth finds intriguing but admits he has "no interest to explore". "I like dancing in and out of those spaces," Hemsworth explains. "Sometimes I try one thing, then another, and different pieces of science resonate at different times in your life. "If you're too boxed in with one way of thinking, you close the doors to other opportunities." As well as reversing his biological age, Johnson also wants to crack the code on how to live forever. But the Marvel star says no one has figured out how to cheat death yet and he doesn't think anyone will so "we have to embrace death". "Suffering comes from denial of our inevitability of death - we all have an expiration death."

Getty Images Hemsworth lives in Australia with his three children

He adds: "If you were told you had 200 years guaranteed you'd become more complacent and reckless. The idea that life can be taken away at any second is a beautiful reminder to appreciate every moment." He also explains that if humans could live forever then relationships with other people wouldn't be as important, and for Hemsworth, family appears to really matter. The Thor actor lives in Byron Bay with his wife, actress Elsa Pataky, and their three children. Limitless touches on how his choices affect not just his own life, but those around him. Part of what spurred him on to film a second series was "the great feedback from young kids, parents and grandparents" and realising that he was able to inspire others to challenge themselves.

Getty Images Hemsworth has played the role of Thor in the MCU since 2011

Radio personality James Whale dies aged 74

9 hours ago Share Save Share Save

Getty Images James Whale appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2016

Broadcaster and radio personality James Whale has died aged 74 following a cancer diagnosis, his agent confirmed on Monday. His career spanned six decades, including stints on the BBC airwaves as well as stations such as LBC and TalkSport. His wife Nadine Lamont-Brown said in a statement: "It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my darling husband, James Whale, who died peacefully this morning with a smile on his face, holding my hand." Known for being outspoken and often controversial, more recently Whale went on to front his own podcast and night-time weekly radio show on TalkRadio.

Whale's TalkTV colleague and friend Mike Graham read an obituary on air and paid tribute to Whale, who had stage four kidney cancer. Graham also posted on X: "What a remarkable man. What an extraordinary talent. What an incredible voice. The world is a lesser place today…RIP James." TalkTV's official X account described Whale as "a broadcasting legend for over 50 years", who would "be missed by so many" at the network. On the same platform, fellow broadcaster Piers Morgan called him "one of Britain's all-time great radio talk show hosts and a fantastic bloke."

Fame - and infamy

Whale was first diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2000 and then, in 2020, he revealed it had returned. In recent months, he had documented his deteriorating health on social media, his Talk TV programme and his podcast Tales of the Whales.

He first gained prominence in the 1980s as the host of The James Whale Radio Show on Radio Aire in Leeds, before hosting a night-time radio show on TalkSport in the late mid-late 90s. When TV stations first started airing programmes after midnight in the late 1980s, one presenter seized the opportunity to gain fame - and infamy - with a type of live late-night show that hadn't been seen on British screens before. On the James Whale Radio Show, the presenter was a cross between a shock jock, talk show host, gonzo roving reporter and working men's club MC. Launched in 1988, Whale's live, often chaotic programme was like a daytime TV format gone rogue: one which had lost its inhibitions and any qualms about upholding the usual standards of taste and decency. Some said it had completely lost its morals. But many viewers loved it. Whale took calls from - and unceremoniously cut off - callers. He sparred with celebrities and expert guests, dallied with scantily-clad "bimbos", and offered combative, sardonic or flippant takes on topical issues, from immigration to teenage gambling to sex therapy. In short, it entertained and offended in equal measure. The James Whale Radio Show had "Radio" in its title because it went out live from Leeds on both Radio Aire and ITV simultaneously at 1am on a Friday night, as people sat at home after coming back from the pub.

ITV/Shutterstock The James Whale Radio Show ran on ITV (and on the radio) from 1988-92

'Mighty Mouth'

At first, it only went out in Yorkshire and the north-west, but was soon picked up elsewhere as ratings went up and other ITV regional counterparts floundered. When it arrived on London Weekend Television in April 1989, the press started to take notice. A review in The Stage newspaper noted how "Mighty Mouth" Whale had taken a "critical hammering" since transferring across the ITV network. But it added that, because it was broadcast so long after any family audience had gone to bed, it was pointless to complain about the show's "crudities, ruderies, or the occasional swear word". In fact, the reviewer found Whale "the liveliest natural new personality to turn up on TV for ages", saying he possessed "a surfeit of punch and charisma".

Getty Images Whale on Metro Radio in Newcastle in the 1970s

The smooth-voiced Whale, from Surrey, had been presenting on Radio Aire since 1982, after cutting his teeth on stations in Middlesbrough, Derby and Newcastle. On Newcastle's Metro Radio from 1973-80, he set the template for phone-ins that gave callers short shrift. Before that, Whale's first proper job in broadcasting had been to found a radio station inside Top Shop at London's Oxford Circus in 1970 - the country's first in-store station. The 70s and 80s were the ages of larger-than-life radio DJs, and Whale's stint at Radio Aire saw him named local DJ of the year at the Sony Radio Awards in 1988. Moving to the small screen that year, he gained a national reputation, for better or for worse.

'Filth and degradation'

As one sketch duo who appeared on The James Whale Radio Show half-joked, the programme was known for its "controversy, filth and degradation - and that's just behind the scenes". It featured regular appearances from comics like Bernard Manning, Steve Coogan and Charlie Chuck, while Whale threw singers Wayne Hussey and Lemmy off for turning up drunk. The host even stormed off his own show once, frustrated with things going wrong behind the scenes. But he also revelled in the chaos, and (usually) steered the show through it with some aplomb. The James Whale Radio Show lasted until 1992, with the host keeping much of its flavour for another late-night format, Whale On, from 1993 to 1995. But it was up against other, hipper shows like The Word, and a balding, middle-aged, middle-class man being risqué suddenly seemed less cutting-edge.

Getty Images Whale entering the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2016

In 1995, Whale went back to radio with an opinionated late-night phone-in on Talk Radio. He hit the headlines two years later when it was revealed that a female listener who appeared on air to invite him to "pop round for a coffee" was in fact his lover. Whale's wife of almost 30 years, Melinda, stuck with him. The presenter was one of the few non-sport presenters to survive when the station rebranded as TalkSport in 2000, but was sacked eight years later after calling on his listeners to vote for Boris Johnson in the London mayoral election. Regulator Ofcom ruled it was a serious breach of impartiality rules, and fined the station £20,000. Whale pitched for a job with Johnson, saying: "Ken Livingstone had 70 media advisers. Boris Johnson only needs me. I'm ideal. I know what the ordinary man or woman on the street thinks." The future prime minister didn't take him up on the offer. Having hosted an afternoon weekend show at LBC in the 90s, Whale returned to the station as drivetime host the same year (despite having called the station's programme director a "pillock prize-prat and a half" not long before).

'Hedonistic years'

Also in 2000, Whale was first diagnosed with cancer when a large tumour (he said it was "the size of a football") was found in his kidney. The kidney and tumour were successfully removed. For the next few years, he and Melinda decided to live life to the full. "Those were my hedonistic years - I ate as much steak as I wanted and drank copious amounts of wine," he said. "Every weekend, we flew off to a destination we'd never seen. We ran up huge bills. I didn't care." He also wanted to raise awareness about the disease, so set up the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer in 2006. It merged with Kidney Cancer UK nine years later.

Whale stayed at LBC for five years before hosting the BBC Essex breakfast show for three and launching an online version of The James Whale Radio Show. In 2016, he took part in the 18th series of Celebrity Big Brother - becoming the sixth housemate to be voted out. Three months later, he went back to TalkRadio, but was suspended in 2018 after an interview with author and journalist Nichi Hodgson about her being raped. In a video clip, the presenter could be seen mouthing the words "orally raped", shaking his head and laughing when Ms Hodgson gave details about what had happened to her.

Getty Images James Whale photographed in 2023

Inside the JM Finn Stand at The Oval, opposite the pavilion, is a staircase that leads up to the Test Match Special commentary box. It is used by media and spectators alike.

In the hours after the sensational fifth Test between England and India ended, with the ground emptying, on that staircase was found a left shoe, then some underwear, then a right shoe.

Because of their size, they presumably belonged to a man. Quite how the owners misplaced them, or when they realised their loss, is unclear. However, it raises the prospect that someone left this famous old ground both shoeless and pantless.

It would have been entirely in keeping with the mayhem that had already played out on Monday morning.

There had been 57 minutes of the most intense, dramatic and emotional sport you could ever wish to see.

Twenty-five days of gripping Test cricket came down to a one-armed man painfully scampering 22 yards of south London turf. One wonders how the productivity of the UK was affected at the beginning of the working week, or how many offices in Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru closed early.

There had been an element of farce to the previous evening. Players went to the dressing rooms because of rain and bad light when the game was on a knife-edge, then stayed there as the gloom turned to evening sunshine.

Any frustration over the events of Sunday turned into anticipation of what might be possible on Monday. Thirty-five runs or four wickets. The Oval was sold out, but would anyone bother to turn up?

Turn up they did, filling this historic venue with constant noise and nervous energy. There were echoes of the 2005 Ashes classic in Birmingham, when Edgbaston was full for what might have only been two deliveries of action. Just like then, there was a rich reward for turning up. India's six-run win here is the narrowest of its kind in this country since England beat Australia by two runs 20 years ago.

Teenagers detained for cats' torture and killing

6 hours ago Share Save Anna O'Neill BBC News Share Save

Met Police This black animal carrier was used to transport the kittens

A teenage boy and girl have been detained for the torture and killing of two kittens that were found cut open in a wooded area in west London. District Judge Hina Rai said that the killings near Ruislip Golf Course were "without a doubt the most awful offences against animals I have seen in this court". The boy, 17, had also dreamed of killing a human and "getting away with murder". He was given a 12-month detention and training order and the girl, 17, was given a nine-month detention order at Highbury Corner Youth Court.

Warning: The following report contains graphic content and descriptions of animal cruelty.

Both teenagers, who cannot be named because of their age, were also given a lifetime ban on keeping or owning animals. They pleaded guilty on 21 May to causing unnecessary suffering to the animals by mutilating and killing them.

On 3 May, a member of the public who found the kittens warned another passerby not to go down the footpath because "there is something horrific down there". The black kittens were found with ropes attached to them and had been cut open. Also discovered at the scene were blowtorches, three knives and a pair of scissors. One kitten was found hanging from a rope and was completely ripped open, with its eyes bulging, the court heard. Alongside the tools, a significant amount of blood and fur were found. The teenagers also admitted one count of unlawful possession of a knife.

Met Police The pair were seen running away from the scene at the time - the Met Police originally issued this image which has been edited to protect the teenagers' identity

Sentencing the boy, Judge Rai told him his actions had been "extensively planned" and were "clearly premeditated". She told him: "You said sorry in your [police] interview but reports also show that you struggle to show empathy and realise that the kittens would suffer." She added: "It seems you chose the kittens because they have emotion and you would have power over them." Notes on the boy's phone detailed his desire to kill another person. They read: "I really wanted to murder someone. "Every day I was researching how to get away with murder. I have come close. I have killed cats to reduce my urges. I have skinned, strangled and stabbed cats." The boy, who may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism which has yet to be diagnosed, had no previous convictions.

Alamy The kittens were found near Ruislip Golf Course

Judge Rai told the girl, who also had no previous convictions: "It is not clear who took the lead but from what I have read you were both equally responsible." The court heard there were sinister items on the girl's mobile phone of mutilated pets and she had a fascination with dead human bodies. The judge told the girl she had "the potential for a bright future which makes this case shocking and extremely concerning". The girl had accepted she had been "cold and cruel" in her actions but this came after she had "distanced" herself from the offences. The judge added: "It was clearly premediated and there was evidence you may have been the instigator and more willing to cause the kittens suffering for attention from the mental health agencies." The girl had placed messages on Gumtree to buy three kittens because "she did not want them to be lonely", the court heard. The court also ordered that the girl's pet rabbit be taken away from her. Det Con Rebecca Rickhuss, who led the investigation, said: "This was a deeply distressing case and as we continued to gather evidence, we grew concerned that torturing and killing cats would be a catalyst onto further violent offending. "I urge parents and carers to take an active interest in what their children are accessing online. "On Defendant A's phone, we found graphic videos of animal cruelty, disturbing notes, and posts glorifying violence." Additional reporting by PA Media

Americanswers… on 5 Live! Why has Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad sparked a race debate? Americanswers… on 5 Live! Why has Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad sparked a race debate?

The Saudi Pro League is emerging as a possible destination for Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez this summer.

BBC Sport understands that a potential move to the Middle East for the Uruguay international has been explored this summer with intermediaries actively working on trying to broker a deal.

Al-Hilal, who are controlled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and coached by former Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi, are interested in Nunez.

And offloading Nunez would financially aid Liverpool's efforts to land striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle - another club owned by PIF - this summer.

So, would PIF be allowing one of their clubs to benefit at the expense of another if Al-Hilal sign Nunez?

It was a series for the ages. The best in the UK since 2005? It's hard to argue.

For the first time since 2004 the game went into the fifth day in all five Tests in the series, leaving players on both the England and India sides to summon energy from their depths.

From England there was so much good before they ultimately fell short of winning a five-Test series for the first time since 2018.

The result is a squad that will remain largely settled going forward to the Ashes in Australia in November. There will not, and should not, be wholesale changes.

Some have pushed their case but there remains a feeling that others could have done more.

Here's how we rated the 16 players England used across the series. You can share your verdict in the comments below.

Ngumoha, who turns 17 later this month, shone again in pre-season to get fans wondering if he could be part of the first team this year.

The second youngest Liverpool player in a competitive game ever started this friendly on the left wing - and he caught the eye as he has done all summer.

The teenager scored in just the second minute as he ran onto a loose ball in his own half before racing forward and curling a fine effort in from 20 yards out.

Just three minutes later he nodded a Doak cross down for Darwin Nunez to convert from close range.

Liverpool fans were singing his name as Curtis Jones urged them to show their appreciation.

And he caused the La Liga side all kinds of problems with his dribbling and trickery.

The 16-year-old left to a standing ovation midway through the second half.

"He is such an excellent prospect," said ex-Reds defender Gary Gillespie on LFC TV.

"The difficult is managing expectations but it's hard to put a lid on it."

Slot said: "Rio is showing things every time in pre-season."

Ngumoha's performance came on the back of an assist against AC Milan and goal against Yokohama F. Marinos in Asian friendlies.

He looks a fine talent, if raw, and will be hoping more first-team competitive games are on the way.

In January, Ngumoha became the youngest player to start a match for Liverpool - aged 16 years and 135 days old - in the 4-0 win over Accrington in the FA Cup.

But that was his only first-team appearance and he never made the bench for a Premier League game.

That could well change this season, especially with so many changes in the Liverpool front line.

The sad death of centre forward Diogo Jota in a car crash has been the main focus of Liverpool's pre-season. There were tributes to him before and during the game at Anfield.

Winger Luis Diaz was sold to Bayern Munich and Nunez is a target for Saudi Pro League clubs.

An exit for Nunez would mean the Reds' only really strong frontline options would be Salah, new signing Ekitike and Gakpo - giving a chance for somebody like Ngumoha to break through.

That is unless they managed to sign Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. An initial bid of £110m has been rejected.

"I'm not trying to rush because I'm still only young," said Ngumoha last week.

"But at the same time, I just want to show the manager what I can do and not get too complacent. I just want to do bigger and better things for me and the club."

Ngumoha is not actually a Liverpool academy product, having only joined Liverpool from Chelsea's youth set-up last summer.

At the time Blues legend John Terry wrote "this boy is and will be a top player".

He's not looking wrong.

In its post-war heyday, the town of Morecambe was one of the UK's foremost seaside holiday destinations, with a thriving local economy and prestigious reputation.

Since the decline of the domestic tourism industry which underpinned Morecambe's boon, its 105-year-old football club has filled the gap - providing jobs, powering local businesses, and offering a sense of community, identity, and spirit.

But now, Morecambe FC faces the imminent prospect of shutting down due to a deepening financial crisis, with owner Jason Whittingham's failure to sell the club leading to suspension from the National League.

For proud local people, the impact is enormous.

"It's absolutely horrible", says Alison Williamson, a Morecambe resident who began supporting the club in 1974. "The football club gives so much to the town. It's just so sad that Whittingham is down in Essex and allowed to take it all away from us.

"It's kind of a grieving process. It's like losing a member of your family that has always been there. Even if you don't see them all the time, when they're not there anymore, you suffer and you feel the loss."

The club's players were sent home a week ago and are unable to train because of a lack of insurance cover. The academy has now also stopped functioning.

For some, the slow, painful deterioration of their football club threatens the cohesion of the community and mimics the previous era's erosion of the local economy.

Liverpool paid tribute to Diogo Jota in their first match at Anfield since the late forward's death.

The 28-year-old Portugal international died in a car crash in Spain along with his brother Andre Silva, 25, in July.

The Reds played Athletic Bilbao in a double header of pre-season friendlies on Monday, with games at 17:00 and 20:00 BST.

Liverpool legend Phil Thomson and Athletic president Jon Uriarte brought wreaths out on to the pitch and laid them on the edge of the six-yard box before the opening game.

The billboards around Anfield read 'Rest in Peace Diogo Jota and Andre Silva - You'll Never Walk Alone', while fans sang about Jota.

Reds supporters also held up flags and banners remembering their number 20 - a number that has been retired by the club this summer.

Both sets of players, coaches and fans applauded as both games were stopped in the 20th minute.