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AI could replace equivalent of 300 million jobs - report - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | ChatGPT-style AI will have a large impact but new jobs could emerge, a Goldman Sachs report says. | Technology | Artificial intelligence (AI) could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs, a report by investment bank Goldman Sachs says.
It could replace a quarter of work tasks in the US and Europe but may also mean new jobs and a productivity boom.
And it could eventually increase the total annual value of goods and services produced globally by 7%.
Generative AI, able to create content indistinguishable from human work, is "a major advancement", the report says.
The government is keen to promote investment in AI in the UK, which it says will "ultimately drive productivity across the economy", and has tried to reassure the public about its impact.
"We want to make sure that AI is complementing the way we work in the UK, not disrupting it - making our jobs better, rather than taking them away," Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan told the Sun.
The report notes AI's impact will vary across different sectors - 46% of tasks in administrative and 44% in legal professions could be automated but only 6% in construction 4% in maintenance, it says.
BBC News has previously reported some artists' concerns AI image generators could harm their employment prospects.
"The only thing I am sure of is that there is no way of knowing how many jobs will be replaced by generative AI," Carl Benedikt Frey, future of-work director at the Oxford Martin School, Oxford University, told BBC News.
"What ChatGPT does, for example, is allow more people with average writing skills to produce essays and articles.
"Journalists will therefore face more competition, which would drive down wages, unless we see a very significant increase in the demand for such work.
"Consider the introduction of GPS technology and platforms like Uber. Suddenly, knowing all the streets in London had much less value - and so incumbent drivers experienced large wage cuts in response, of around 10% according to our research.
"The result was lower wages, not fewer drivers.
"Over the next few years, generative AI is likely to have similar effects on a broader set of creative tasks".
According to research cited by the report, 60% of workers are in occupations that did not exist in 1940.
But other research suggests technological change since the 1980s has displaced workers faster than it has created jobs.
And if generative AI is like previous information-technology advances, the report concludes, it could reduce employment in the near term.
The long-term impact of AI, however, was highly uncertain, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation think tank Torsten Bell told BBC News, "so all firm predictions should be taken with a very large pinch of salt".
"We do not know how the technology will evolve or how firms will integrate it into how they work," he said.
"That's not to say that AI won't disrupt the way we work - but we should focus too on the potential living-standards gains from higher-productivity work and cheaper-to-run services, as well as the risk of falling behind if other firms and economies better adapt to technological change." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65102150 |
NFT: Plans for Royal Mint produced token dropped - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Plans for a government-backed digital token, ordered to be created by Rishi Sunak, have been axed. | UK Politics | Plans for the NFT for Britain were launched when Rishi Sunak was chancellor
Plans for a government backed non-fungible token (NFT) produced by the Royal Mint have been dropped, the Treasury has announced.
Rishi Sunak ordered the creation of a "NFT for Britain" that could be traded online, while chancellor in April 2022.
NFTs are assets in the digital world that can be bought and sold, but which have no physical form of their own.
The Royal Mint announced it was "not proceeding with the launch" following a consultation with the Treasury.
Economic Secretary Andrew Griffiths said the department would keep the proposal "under review".
NFTs have been touted as the digital answer to collectables, but some sceptics fear they could be a bubble waiting to burst. They have been used as speculative assets and some have sold for millions of dollars.
Responding to the announcement, Harriet Baldwin, chair of the Treasury Select Committee, said: "We have not yet seen a lot of evidence that our constituents should be putting their money in these speculative tokens unless they are prepared to lose all their money.
"So perhaps that is why the Royal Mint has made this decision in conjunction with the Treasury."
NFTs are unique units of digital data that use the same "blockchain" technology behind cryptocurrencies - such as Bitcoin. The records cannot be forged because the blockchain ledger is maintained by thousands of computers around the world.
The digital tokens, which emerged in 2014, can be thought of as certificates of ownership for virtual or physical assets, and can be bought using traditional currency or cryptocurrency.
The Treasury is working to regulate some cryptocurrencies and had planned to enter the NFT market as part of a wider bid to make the UK a hub for digital payment companies.
In April 2022, the then-chancellor Mr Sunak said: "We want to see the [cryptocurrency] businesses of tomorrow - and the jobs they create - here in the UK, and by regulating effectively we can give them the confidence they need to think and invest long-term."
Among the best-known NFTs are a series known as the "Bored Ape Yacht Club", which give the bearer ownership over a unique picture of a cartoon ape. Prices of the NFTs plummeted last year after crypto exchange FTX went bankrupt. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65094297 |
Shona Robison to be Scottish deputy first minister - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Dundee East MSP is the first appointment to Humza Yousaf's new Scottish government. | Scotland politics | Scotland's new First Minister Humza Yousaf has announced that Shona Robison will serve as his deputy.
Ms Robison has been an MSP since 1999, and has served as health secretary and social justice secretary.
Mr Yousaf made the announcement moments after MSPs voted to make him Scotland's sixth first minister.
He will be sworn in at the Court of Session on Wednesday morning, and is expected to start appointing his cabinet in the afternoon.
Ms Robison, who is MSP for Dundee City East, is a close friend of Mr Yousaf's predecessor Nicola Sturgeon - who posted congratulations on Twitter.
The former health secretary nominated Mr Yousaf for the post of first minister in advance of the formal vote which made him parliament's nominee for the post.
And after it concluded, he told reporters she would be his deputy first minister.
Mr Yousaf was also nominated by MSP Neil Gray, who played a key role in his campaign and is also expected to land a key role in government.
Further appointments are expected to be announced on Wednesday, before being confirmed in more votes at Holyrood on Thursday.
Ms Robison has held a series of roles in government, dating back to before Mr Yousaf was elected to Holyrood.
She was the minister who oversaw the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, was health secretary under Ms Sturgeon and was later in charge of social justice, housing and local government. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65104651 |
Ukraine war: Germany sends much-awaited Leopard tanks - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The first 18 of the cutting-edge tanks are sent, amid reports UK Challenger 2s have also arrived. | Europe | The first shipment of Leopard 2 tanks from Germany has been sent to Ukraine, the German defence ministry says.
Eighteen cutting-edge main battle tanks were delivered after Ukrainian crews were trained to use them.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said he was sure the tanks could "make a decisive contribution" on the frontlines of the war.
Challenger 2 tanks from the UK have also arrived, according to reports from Ukraine.
Ukraine has been calling for more modern vehicles and weapon systems for months to help fight Russia's invasion.
The Ukrainian government is yet to comment on the arrival of the Leopard 2s, but they have confirmed the arrival of the first UK-made Challenger 2 tanks.
Around 2,000 Leopard 2s, widely regarded as being among the best main battle tanks produced by Nato countries, are in use by European countries.
Germany agreed to supply the tanks to Ukraine in January, after being initially reluctant to do so - or even to permit other countries from sending their own.
Under German law, Berlin must approve Leopard 2s being re-exported by any country.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the tanks "have made it into the hands of our Ukrainian friends as promised and on time".
The German army has trained Ukrainian tank crews to use the advanced A6 variant of the Leopard 2 over the past several weeks.
They have been specifically designed to compete with the Russian T-90 main battle tank and is considered to be easier to maintain and more fuel-efficient than most other Western tanks.
On top of the Leopard 2s, Germany has also sent Ukraine two specialist tank-recovery vehicles and 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles.
Meanwhile, Challenger 2 tanks from the UK "are in Ukraine already", defence ministry spokeswoman Iryna Zolotar told AFP news agency.
Posting a picture of a Challenger 2 alongside other Western-made military vehicles on his Facebook page, Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov described the British vehicle as a work of military art.
The UK Ministry of Defence declined to comment but earlier confirmed Ukrainian tank crews training in Britain had returned home after completing their training with the tanks. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65095126 |
Richard Sharp unsuitable to be BBC chairman, ex-director general John Birt says - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Richard Sharp was an "unsuitable candidate", former BBC director general John Birt tells MPs. | Entertainment & Arts | Richard Sharp is currently awaiting the outcome of a KC-led review into his appointment
An ex-BBC director general has said he does not think chairman Richard Sharp's "appointment should stand" because he was an "unsuitable candidate" and the process was "fatally flawed".
Mr Sharp is facing pressure over his role in facilitating an £800,000 loan for then-prime minister Boris Johnson.
John Birt, who was director general from 1992 to 2000, said the "cosiness" of the arrangement made him unsuitable.
Mr Sharp's appointment is being investigated. He denies any wrongdoing.
"I don't think his appointment should stand," Lord Birt told MPs on the House of Commons' Culture, Media and Sport committee.
"He's a person of obvious weight and consequence, but in one vital respect he was an unsuitable candidate, and the appointment process itself was fatally flawed."
A former Conservative donor, Mr Sharp acted as a "go-between" for his friend Sam Blyth, a distant cousin of Mr Johnson, who said he would be willing to act as guarantor on the loan after learning the then-PM was in financial difficulty.
Lord Birt said: "The unsuitability came from the very process of navigating a loan for the prime minister at exactly the same time as applying for the job at the BBC.
"It's the cosiness of that arrangement that made it unsuitable, and I wish the cabinet secretary had called it out."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. BBC chairman: I regret the distraction this has caused
Mr Sharp has said he met the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, in December 2020 to tell him Mr Blyth wanted to get in contact to offer financial help to the PM.
At that meeting, Mr Sharp also said he would have no more to do with the matter because he was applying to be BBC chairman.
Lord Birt told the committee he thought the cabinet secretary made "a grave error" by letting Mr Sharp proceed with his application.
"When Richard Sharp approached him about the financial arrangement, he [Mr Case] should have advised both Richard Sharp and the prime minister that the cosiness of these arrangements, already at that point discussed with the prime minister, disqualified Richard Sharp as a candidate for the BBC chairmanship.
"The cabinet secretary, in my view, should have advised both him and the prime minister of this at that point, and suggested that Richard Sharp should withdraw from the process."
The BBC chairman is appointed by the government and must be approved by the cross-party committee.
The committee recently criticised Mr Sharp for failing to mention his involvement in events surrounding the loan when he appeared before them when they were considering his suitability for the job.
Lord Birt said it would be premature to call for Mr Sharp to resign before the outcome of a KC-led review (led by a senior lawyer) into his appointment.
"I think we have to wait for the report," Lord Birt said. "Everything I've said is based on the evidence as we have it up to date, in large part because of the evidence he gave to this committee.
"But this investigation has taken quite a long time... and we've got to be just a bit careful that more may come out, which could cast a different light on on what happened."
The BBC is also conducting its own internal review over any potential conflicts of interest Mr Sharp may have in his role.
Chris Patten, a former Conservative Party chairman and former chair of the BBC Trust, said Mr Sharp was in a "difficult" position.
"I think I would find it very difficult to go out and do a news conference defending the BBCs due impartiality just at the moment if I was in his boots, and I think that's unfortunate because I think that's what he should be doing."
Asked whether Mr Sharp should resign, Lord Patten replied: "I've tended in life not to go around telling other people to resign, but I don't think that were he to do so I would write a letter of condolence."
The issue "risks the reputation of the BBC as being a public service broadcaster of spectacular integrity and independence", he added. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65097402 |
Gwyneth Paltrow ski crash trial: Accuser heard 'blood-curdling scream' - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A man suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a ski crash says it sounded "like someone was out of control". | US & Canada | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
A man suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a ski accident heard a "blood-curdling scream" shortly before the collision, a court in Utah has heard.
Terry Sanderson, 76, said it sounded "like someone was out of control" and he had never been hit so hard skiing.
He accuses the actress of being responsible for the 2016 crash and is seeking damages of $300,000 (£245,000)
Ms Paltrow, 50, has denied being responsible and countersued for $1 and her legal costs.
A ski instructor told the jury on Monday that the actress was not a reckless skier.
Testifying on Friday, Ms Paltrow had said the incident in Park City, Utah, left her with a sore knee and she got a massage afterwards.
On Monday, Mr Sanderson described hearing the scream in the moments before the collision, saying: "It was like somebody was out of control and going to hit a tree and was going to die."
He said he had never been struck so hard while skiing, describing the crash as a "serious, serious smack".
Mr Sanderson also told the court he had suffered physical, mental and emotional injuries from the accident, describing himself being a "self-imposed recluse" since.
He said these medical issues had changed his relationships with his children, as well as contributing to his split from his partner and losing friends.
A lawyer for Terry Sanderson told the jury last week that the Hollywood actress's "reckless" actions had caused the collision on the slopes of Deer Valley ski resort.
Describing the aftermath, Mr Sanderson told the court he remembered hearing a "very angry" male voice accusing him of being at fault for the collision, which was later said to be that of Deer Valley ski instructor Eric Christiansen.
Mr Sanderson said the man had been "insistent" he was the "bad guy" in the situation and had been trying to bully him.
In his own testimony, Mr Christiansen said it was "ridiculous" to claim he had been hostile towards Mr Sanderson, given instructors who get into confrontations with guests "don't last" at the ski resort.
He told the jury Ms Paltrow was not a "reckless" or "dangerous" skier and was skilled at "making short radius turns".
Mr Christiansen, who was teaching Ms Paltrow's son Moses on the day, said that neither she nor Mr Sanderson had asked for assistance from a ski patrol after the incident.
He said if anyone had asked for help "that would have changed everything", as when people are hurt ski patrol must be called to take statements and assess the extent of the injuries.
Mr Christiansen also denied there had been a "cover-up" to protect the actress. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65095127 |
Ministers can veto prisoners' parole in Victims and Prisoners Bill - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The government has promised to make it easier for victims of crime in England and Wales to get justice. | UK Politics | Ministers will be able to block the release of some prisoners and stop others getting married under new plans to overhaul the parole system.
The idea is among measures in its Victims and Prisoners Bill, which is aimed at giving greater rights to victims of crime in England and Wales.
Ministers promise to make it easier for crime victims to get justice.
But critics fear efforts to improve life for victims will be lost in a bill which also combines parole reform.
Some victims of crime, especially of rape and sexual assault, feel that the criminal justice system has let them down as investigations are slow, and information scarce. Many do not make it to court. Those that do face further delays.
Now the government is promising new legislation to allow victims to be kept informed, and also to challenge decisions.
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said the plans will "make sure that victims are front and centre of the criminal justice system".
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I want to make sure that the drift away from public protection [in the parole system] is curtailed."
The plan for a ministers' veto on some parole decisions follows the cases of double child-killer Colin Pitchfork, who was recalled to prison within months of being released, and black cab rapist John Worboys, which the government says have shaken public confidence in the system.
It will mean ministers can veto recommendations to release criminals including murderers, rapists and terrorists, the government said. Bids for freedom could be blocked on multiple occasions up until the end of a sentence.
Mr Raab previously told MPs that public protection would be the "exclusive focus" of the Parole Board decision-making process under the reforms.
The changes are in an effort to "stop a balancing exercise taking into account prisoners' rights", the Ministry of Justice said.
Mr Raab said: "Our reforms will improve the experience for victims from the first meeting with a police officer to the support they get in court, and we will refocus the parole system on its overriding duty to protect the public from violent and sexual criminals."
He acknowledged that the Parole Board did not like the changes, but he said he wanted to take the parole process in "a different direction" with the emphasis on public safety.
Those serving whole-life orders will be banned from marrying behind bars. These plans also follow an attempt by serial killer Levi Bellfield to marry in prison, and reportedly making a bid for legal aid to challenge the decision to block his marriage.
The 54-year-old is serving two whole-life orders for killing 13-year-old Milly Dowler, Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange, as well as the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy.
Labour said it had been eight years since the Conservatives first promised this bill, "and now they've had to combine it with parole reform".
"Yet again, the Tories overpromise and underdeliver," said Labour's shadow victims minister Anna McMorrin.
"Victims are now waiting years for a trial because of record court backlogs, with criminals getting off scot-free at a record rate. Rape victims are suffering on average for three years as they wait to hear their case in court."
Diana Fawcett, chief executive at Victim Support, said the charity welcomed many of the measures in the bill "which will make a real and meaningful difference to the experience of victims".
"But we are seriously worried that expanding its scope to include prisoners will be a distraction and delay it even further."
The End Violence Against Women Coalition said women and girls' confidence in justice agencies was at an all-time low because of their "persistent failures towards victims and survivors of rape, sexual violence and domestic abuse", and said it was concerned the bill "will not transform victims' experiences without significant changes".
It said there was a "glaring absence of funding" in the bill and said it was concerned it was "creeping away from its intended aim of improving victims' experiences".
Director Andrea Simon said: "Recovery is an essential part of justice, and we need to ensure every survivor who needs help can access specialist support that is tailored to their needs" - but added matters were a "long way from that being a reality".
A Parole Board spokesman said: "Public protection has always been, and will always be, at the heart of Parole Board decision-making, which is based on the evidence and the law.
"We are committed to working with the ministry and Parliament to ensure this important legislation receives the consideration that it richly deserves." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65105135 |
Russian whose daughter drew anti-war picture flees jail term - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Alexei Moskalev was investigated after his daughter drew an anti-war picture at school. | Europe | Masha's school contacted the police after the 12-year-old drew this picture
A Russian single father whose daughter was reported for drawing an anti-war picture has been given a two-year jail term for discrediting the army.
But Alexei Moskalev, 53, was not in court in Yefremov for the verdict. The court press secretary said he had escaped house arrest.
"I don't know where he is," his lawyer Vladimir Biliyenko told the BBC.
His daughter Masha, 13, was sent to a children's home in early March when the criminal case began.
Moskalev was accused of repeatedly criticising the Russian army on social media and had appeared in court the day before.
He is only the latest Russian to be given a jail term for discrediting the military, but his case 320km (200 miles) south of Moscow has attracted international attention because of the authorities' decision to remove his daughter from their home early in March.
"I'm in shock," Yefremov town councillor Olga Podolskaya said. "A prison sentence for expressing your opinion is a terrible thing. A two-year jail term is a nightmare."
"When I heard that Alexei had gone on the run, that was the second shock. We hope that Alexei is OK and that nothing has happened to him."
The family's problems began last April, she told the BBC, when Masha Moskaleva's school told the police that the girl had drawn a Ukrainian flag with the words "Glory to Ukraine", rockets and a Russian flag bearing the phrase "No to war!"
Alexei Moskalev had contacted Ms Podolskaya last year to tell her about the pressure he and his daughter were coming under. Masha's mother does not live in the area and is estranged from the family.
Moskalev was initially fined for a comment about the war made on a social media network last year. But after his flat was searched in December he was charged under the criminal code because he had already been convicted of a similar offence.
He has been recognised as a political prisoner by human rights group Memorial, which has itself been banned by Russia's authorities.
Moskalev was not allowed to communicate with the BBC during a visit to his building earlier this month. However, his lawyer said Moskalev was very worried that his daughter was not with him.
Alexei Moskalev was being held under house arrest ahead of the verdict in Yefremov
Social services in Yefremov have officially been tasked with looking after the girl. The local Juvenile Affairs Commission had already taken legal action to restrict her father's parental rights. Last week he wasn't allowed to leave his house arrest to attend a preliminary hearing.
Ahead of the verdict on Tuesday Vladimir Biliyenko visited the children's home where Masha has spent most of the month.
The director told him that the girl had gone to a children's cooking festival and passed on two drawings she said Masha had done for her father, as well as a letter she had written him. Mr Biliyenko told Sotavision that Masha had written the words: "Papa you're my hero."
He later spread the drawings on a table in court.
Although Moskalev had turned up the day before, court press secretary Olga Dyachuk said he had escaped house arrest overnight and should have been taken into custody after the verdict.
"To say I'm surprised would be an understatement," Mr Biliyenko told the BBC. "I've never seen anything like it. No client of mine has ever gone missing like this. I don't know when he fled, or if he has." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65102392 |
Afghan refugees to be moved out of hotels under new government plans - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | But campaigners say ministers' plans could risk leave Afghans at risk of homelessness. | UK | A new plan to move Afghan refugees out of hotels and into permanent homes in the UK has been announced.
Afghans in "bridging hotels" will be written to and given at least three months' notice to move, Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer said.
Labour said the government was "serving eviction notices" with no guarantee of suitable housing for families.
Mr Mercer said new people arriving from Afghanistan under government schemes would not be housed in hotels.
Speaking in the Commons, he said the new plan meant Afghan refugees living in hotels who turn down an offer of housing would not receive a second offer.
The new plan applies to Afghans who have arrived in the UK under two resettlement schemes: the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), which focuses on women, children and religious minorities, and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), for Afghans who worked for the British military and UK government.
In August 2021, thousands of people fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took back control of the country. Many refugees have since been living in hotels across the UK.
Mr Mercer said the thousands of people who left Afghanistan were housed in "bridging hotels" which were never meant to be permanent.
He added that of the 24,500 people now living in the UK under the two resettlement schemes, about 8,000 remained in hotels, with about half of those being children - costing £1m a day.
The government says that Afghans make up a fifth of all people living in bridging hotels.
Mr Mercer said the long-term residency in hotels has "prevented some Afghans" from putting down roots, committing to employment and integrating into communities, as well as creating uncertainty.
But campaigners said the new policy would cause anxiety and upheaval for refugees who had already experienced trauma, and could leave Afghans at risk of becoming homeless.
After its withdrawal from Afghanistan, the UK pledged to resettle up to 20,000 more vulnerable Afghans under the ACRS.
The government will begin writing to families and individuals housed in hotels at the end of April, giving them "at least three months' notice" before they are forced out, Mr Mercer told the Commons.
He promised "generous" support, with trained staff based at hotels to provide advice - including Home Office staff and charity workers.
The veterans minister said £35m of funding would help councils provide increased support and the local authority housing fund would be expanded by £250m.
The increased fund for local authorities will help councils to source homes for Afghan refugees currently in hotels, the government says.
Mr Mercer noted there was a "national duty" owed to Afghan refugees who helped British forces during the war.
He added that "in return, we do expect families to help themselves" and where an offer of accommodation was turned down, "another will now not be forthcoming".
He said: "At a time when there are many pressures on the taxpayer and the housing market, it is not right that people can choose to stay in hotels when other perfectly suitable accommodation is available."
Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer announced the plan in the Commons
Enver Solomon from the Refugee Council said the government's plan risked people being left "homeless and destitute on the streets of Britain".
He said: "This is not how those who were promised a warm welcome in the UK should be treated."
Government plans to resettle Afghans who had worked with the UK during the war were initially named Operation Warm Welcome.
Mr Solomon added: "To expect councils to suddenly move them out of hotels by putting pressure on Afghan families risks causing great misery and anxiety for those who have already experienced trauma and upheaval."
Labour called on the government to ensure no Afghans would be left homeless.
Shadow defence secretary John Healey accused the government of "serving eviction notices on 8,000 Afghans - half of whom are children - with no guarantee they will be offered a suitable, settled place to live".
He said: "Never mind 'Operation Warm Welcome', never mind the warm words from the minister today. He has confirmed the government is giving them the cold shoulder."
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael the public would "have no faith in this initiative".
"They have proven time and time again they cannot treat refugees, including women and young children, with the respect they deserve."
Lib Dem MP Munira Wilson said the government's promise of help for those who remained in danger in Afghanistan was "utterly hollow".
She said she had repeatedly raised the case of five British children who were still "living in hiding" in Kabul and had been "abandoned" by the government.
The Local Government Association (LGA) said councils would need extra resources to help find and fund the accommodation or there would be a risk of a further increase in homelessness. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65098829 |
North Korea asserts first evidence of tactical nuclear weapons - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The weapons are shown beside Kim Jong Un in photos and cannot be verified, but have raised concern. | Asia | Kim Jong Un with what North Korean state media says are tactical nuclear weapons
North Korea has revealed small nuclear warheads, which it says can be fitted on to short-range missiles.
The North has long claimed it has tactical nuclear weapons, capable of hitting targets in South Korea.
But the photos published in its state newspaper on Tuesday are the first time it has provided evidence.
However, it is impossible to verify whether they are the real deal. Until North Korea tests one of these devices, we are left guessing.
Pyongyang has spent the past fortnight firing a barrage of what it says are nuclear-capable weapons, while simulating nuclear attacks on Seoul.
Admittedly it is hard to keep track of North Korea's missile launches these days. The tests in isolation no longer generate the headlines they used to, but if we look at them all together there is much we can learn.
North Korea says it is punishing the US and South Korea for holding their largest military drills in years. The allies have been practising how to defeat the North in the event of an attack. This is not a scenario its leader Kim Jong Un relishes.
Only this is not a typical North Korean protest. In the past it has responded to such drills by firing off a mix of short, medium, and long-range missiles, and perhaps some artillery shells.
This time, over the course of two weeks, Pyongyang has launched its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile, which can reach anywhere on the US mainland, in theory.
It has fired missiles from a submarine, and from what appears to be an underground silo. Its military has simulated a nuclear attack on a South Korean airfield.
And Kim Jong Un has unveiled a new underwater drone, which he claims can fire nuclear weapons under the sea to unleash a "super-scale radioactive tsunami" and destroy enemy warships.
On top of this, it has now unveiled nuclear warheads it claims can be fitted to these weapons.
This is an eclectic and troubling line-up.
Analyst Ellen Kim, from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, described it to me as "the North Korean equivalent of a fashion show" - a nod to the Dior-style jacket Mr Kim's daughter was spotted wearing to one of the launches.
Analysts, including Ms Kim, are concerned by the diversity of the collection that has been paraded this season. Pyongyang has unveiled new and more sophisticated, weapons, which can be fired from sea and land to target the US, South Korea, and Japan.
"Before, we did not know they were able to fire cruise missiles from submarines, or missiles from under the ground. Its weapons are becoming much more difficult to track and intercept," Ms Kim said.
Take the cruise missiles fired from a submarine as an example. These missiles are the most concerning to Yang Uk, a weapons expert from the Asan Institute in Seoul. As he explains, firing a missile from under the water makes it harder to detect ahead of launch. After launch, cruise missiles fly low, and can be manoeuvred mid-flight, to outsmart missile defences.
Kim Jong Un has always feared the US will attack his country first, and wipe out its weapons before he has the chance to use them. The message he appears to be sending with this array of tests, is that the North now has the ability to strike back, or even strike first. It is difficult to destroy weapons concealed underground or underwater.
In other words he is saying "don't think about attacking us".
However, we should exercise caution. Mr Kim has a tendency to exaggerate his military's abilities.
The lingering question has always been whether North Korea actually has the nuclear warheads to attach to these missiles. Most of the weapons displayed recently would only be able to carry a very small, lightweight warhead. Until now, we have seen no proof Pyongyang has managed to develop them.
On Tuesday, it provided the first piece of evidence. Photos published in the main state newspaper show Kim Jong Un inspecting a row of what it said were small nuclear warheads.
There is no way to verify the warheads are what they say. This is why the intelligence community has been holding its breath for so long, waiting for said nuclear test.
The moment North Korea is able to build miniaturised warheads on a mass scale, it the moment its simulated threats become real, and it can strike South Korea and Japan with nuclear weapons.
There are some who argue the US and the international community should be doing more to get the North back to the negotiating table, to prevent this nuclear test. Talks between the two sides have but stalled for more than four years. But Pyongyang has shown no sign it wants to talk. It tends to pick the moment when it thinks it has the most to gain.
Kim Jong Un is often accused of exaggerating North Korea's military capacity
With China and Russia refusing to punish North Korea at the UN Security Council, it can continue developing its weapons without consequence. Why stop now? The better its weapons, the stronger its hand, and it still has more to prove.
In addition to miniaturised warheads, it is yet to demonstrate that its regular warheads can survive a full intercontinental flight. Currently, the North tests long-range missiles by firing them high into space. It also wants to develop a more sophisticated ICBM, that does not need to be fuelled before launch, and so can be fired with less warning.
Yang Uk believes Kim Jong Un is also being driven by a desperate situation at home. With a flailing economy, and his people going hungry, his advancing nuclear weapons programme is "the only card he has left to play", Yang says.
North Korea therefore looks set to forge ahead, developing an ever more diverse and deadlier range of weapons.
For Ellen Kim, only one thing is certain: "More tests will come." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-65085542 |
Mexico migrants: Deadly fire at Juárez migrant centre kills at least 38 - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Mexico's president says the blaze started during a protest by migrants fearing deportation. | Latin America & Caribbean | Firefighters were at the scene trying to rescue people from the burning building
At least 38 people people have died at a migrant processing centre in Mexico in a fire that officials say started during a protest against deportations.
Many of the victims had travelled from Central and South America trying to get to the US.
The blaze at the facility in Ciudad Juárez broke out shortly before 22:00 local time (04:00 GMT) on Monday.
The city, located across the Rio Grande river from El Paso, Texas, has seen an influx of people in recent weeks.
Many have been heading to the US border in expectation of an end to Title 42, a pandemic-era policy which gives the US government the power to quickly expel migrants trying to cross its border.
"It was related to a protest they started, we think, when they learned that they'd be deported," the president said.
"They didn't think that would cause this terrible tragedy," he added.
Photos from the scene show body bags lined up on the pavement outside.
Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM) lowered the death toll to 38 from 40, saying a visit to hospitals where victims were being treated had confirmed the lower number.
Local media say the migrants inside the building where the blaze happened had been picked up by the authorities on Monday and taken to the centre. The facility is located near the Stanton-Lerdo Bridge, which links Mexico and the US.
Twenty-nine people were also injured in the blaze. Some 68 men from Central and South America were inside the centre - which is run by the INM - when the fire happened.
A statement from US Customs and Border Protection said they were "prepared to receive and process those who were injured in the fire and are being transported via ambulance from Mexican to US medical facilities for treatment".
Mexican authorities said the dead and injured included people from Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela, El Salvador, Colombia and Ecuador.
Twenty-eight Guatemalan citizens were killed in the fire, the country's foreign minister Mario Bucaro told reporters.
A spokesman said Mr Guterres would "continue working with the authorities of countries where mixed movements of people occur to establish safer, more regulated, and organised migration pathways".
The US ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, said the tragedy was "a reminder to the governments of the region of the importance of fixing a broken migration system and the risks of irregular migration".
Title 42, which allows US border officials to deny individuals entry to the US "to prevent the spread of communicable disease", was first implemented at the start of the Covid pandemic.
The Biden administration has announced its intention to end the use of the Trump-era policy, but for now it remains in place.
Since the announcement, the number of migrants in Ciudad Juárez awaiting the possible lifting of the restrictions has swelled.
Recently hundreds of frustrated migrants, mostly Venezuelan, tried to force their way over an international bridge into El Paso from the Mexican city.
US officials imposed physical barricades saying the group had posed "a potential threat to make a mass entry".
• None US and Mexico make deal to ease Venezuela migration | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-65088389 |
Inside Britain's biggest sewer under London's River Thames - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | null | The new tunnel under the River Thames in London is 25km long was built at a cost of almost £5bn. | null | For decades London’s Victorian-era sewers have discharged raw sewage into the River Thames after heavy rain.
But that could be about to change, thanks to a vast tunnel that’s been built underneath the river.
Seven metres wide, 25km long and costing nearly £5bn it’s designed to divert sewage to a treatment plant in east London.
Our environment correspondent Jonah Fisher was given a rare opportunity to ride a bike along the tunnel before it fills up with sewage. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65091803 |
Space scientists reveal brightest gamma explosion ever - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Nasa satellites detected an explosion two billion light years away that lit up the galaxy. | Leicester | Satellites captured images of how the gamma blast lit up dust rings in space
Scientists have revealed how Nasa satellites detected the brightest gamma ray explosion in space.
The gamma-ray burst (GRB) occurred two billion light-years from Earth and illuminated much of the galaxy.
Images of the rare and powerful cosmic phenomenon show a halo and "bullseye" like shapes.
Experts, including academics from the University of Leicester, say the GRB was 10 times brighter than any other previously detected.
They have released detailed analysis of the powerful explosion that was spotted on 9 October, 2022.
The blast was officially named GRB 221009A but has been nicknamed the BOAT - Brightest Of All Time - by those working on a mission Nasa calls Swift.
The images captured have shown unprecedented details of GRBs
X-ray astronomer Dr Phil Evans, who leads the University of Leicester's involvement in Swift, said: "We were really lucky to see something like this. We estimate that events this bright occur roughly once every thousand years.
"By studying the evolution of this astonishingly bright GRB in great detail, we can learn a lot about the physics of a blast wave.
"Just like slow-mo cameras reveal details about movement, breaking our data into small time pieces allows us to see how the GRB changes and learn more."
The Swift team said its Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a satellite telescope designed to study GRBs from space, was initially unable to observe the burst because the Earth was obstructing its view.
However, 55 minutes later, when the satellite's orbit allowed it to have a clear view of the GRB, its systems successfully detected it and created images of it.
Dr Andy Beadmore, who is also part of the Swift team at the University of Leicester, said: "These patterns are not just beautiful but are also useful scientifically.
"We're seeing a significant amount of dust in our galaxy being lit up by the intense burst of light from the GRB - two billion light years away - like a torch shining through a cloud.
"This lets us study its nature and composition, which was found to extend to large distances from the Sun.
"The brightness of this GRB means that we can collect much better data than normal, and so move beyond simple models of the GRB physics that we normally use - they just can't explain these data."
Dr Evans adds: "Even after 18 years of operation, Swift can still surprise us with something unexpected, awesome, and scientifically powerful, and it can still challenge us.
"Those dust rings may look pretty but they gave us some headaches, they really complicated the data analysis.
"Even with those complications, though, this event gives us an opportunity to study a GRB in unprecedented detail.
"Then there's the beautiful dust halo that Andy discovered.
"This is caused by massive clouds of dust in our galaxy - but it's the light from the GRB, around two billion light years away - that's actually revealed those clouds to us.
"Now, we can measure their distance and their composition using this GRB 'backlight'.
"This discovery is a testament to the power of careful observation and the potential of serendipitous discoveries.
"I'm thrilled that our team was able to contribute to our understanding of the Universe in such a meaningful way."
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-65104115 |
Police probe after Rangers coach reportedly headbutts Celtic boss - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Rangers coach Craig McPherson approached Fran Alonso after the Celtic women's team scored a late equaliser. | Glasgow & West Scotland | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Emotions ran high after Celtic scored a late equaliser against Rangers in the Scottish Women's Premier League
A Rangers coach is being investigated by police over an alleged headbutt on Celtic Women manager Fran Alonso.
Craig McPherson approached Alonso at the end of a dramatic Scottish Women's Premier League clash, which was televised on Sky Sports.
The incident happened at the full-time whistle after Celtic equalised in the 99th minute.
Police Scotland confirmed it had received a report about the match at Broadwood Stadium on Monday.
A force spokesperson said: "Inquiries to establish any criminality are at an early stage."
The Scottish Football Association's compliance officer will also look at the incident after reading the match delegate's report.
Speaking after the game, Alonso told Sky Sports: "Someone pushed me from behind. I never talked to him the whole game.
"I was called a little rat, but I don't know why."
When asked about the incident, Rangers manager Malky Thomson said: "Without me seeing it I wouldn't comment.
"If that is the case there will be an investigation and we will look at it."
Away side Celtic earned a point in the match thanks to a late equaliser by Caitlin Hayes.
Fran Alonso said he was verbally abused during an altercation at the Old Firm game
After a video of the apparent headbutt circulated on social media, a spokesperson for the club said: "Clearly this is a hugely concerning incident, falling well below any acceptable standard.
"We understand the matter is now being investigated and it will be up to all relevant authorities to take any appropriate action."
The SWPL said: "This incident is currently being investigated by Police Scotland and the Scottish FA. The SWPL will not make any further comment at this time, whilst these investigations are ongoing."
Rangers have been approached for comment. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-65099526 |
Dramatic scenes from school shooting in Tennessee - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | null | Six people, three of them children, have been killed in a primary school shooting in Nashville. | null | Six people, three of them children, have been killed in a primary school shooting in Nashville. The shooter was a 28-year-old female who was killed by police, officers said. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65094530 |
Bullying and toxic culture at one of England's largest NHS trusts - report - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The review comes after a BBC investigation into claims of a climate of fear at Birmingham hospitals. | Birmingham & Black Country | Repeated cases of bullying and a toxic environment at one of England's largest NHS trusts have been found in a review.
The Bewick report was ordered after a BBC Newsnight investigation heard from staff at University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) saying a climate of fear had put patients at risk.
It cites anger that senior staff did not attend the funeral of Vaish Kumar, a junior doctor who killed herself.
The West Midlands trust said it fully accepted the report's recommendations.
The trust is responsible for Queen Elizabeth (QE), Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull hospitals.
A first phase of the rapid review, headed by independent consultants IQ4U and led by Prof Mike Bewick, was published at 11:30 BST.
It is one of three major reviews into the trust, commissioned following a series of reports by Newsnight and BBC West Midlands in which current and former staff raised concerns.
Some clinical safety concerns at the trust, which runs the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, were found by the review
Summarising the findings, Prof Bewick, a former NHS England deputy medical director, said: "Our overall view is that the trust is a safe place to receive care.
"But any continuance of a culture that is corrosively affecting morale and in particular threatens long-term staff recruitment and retention will put at risk the care of patients across the organisation - particularly in the current nationwide NHS staffing crisis.
"Because these concerns cover such a wide range of issues, from management organisation through to leadership and confidence, we believe there is much more work to be done in the next phases of review to assist the trust on its journey to recovery."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Dr Ravi Kumar says the Bewick review is inadequate as he was not contacted to offer evidence
Prof Bewick's report examines how leadership reacted to the death of Dr Kumar, 35, a junior doctor at the QE Hospital who left a suicide note blaming her death entirely on the place where she worked.
Dr Ravi Kumar, her father, said he strongly believed the QE had "destroyed" his daughter.
The report says while the funeral service was live-streamed for staff, there was "disappointment and anger" it was not attended by senior colleagues.
It said "many felt that the trust had kept itself at arm's length from the Kumar family".
The report also says a senior member of staff was not aware of Dr Kumar's death and emailed her personally 26 days later to ask why she was removed from her post and if she was still being paid.
While steps have been taken to reach out to her family and "develop learning going forward", the report adds: "The response to an event like this can only partly be met by updated guidelines and policies... but more significantly [the trust] needs a fundamental shift in the way an organisation demonstrably cares about its staff as people."
The junior doctor's father said: "[The trust] should come out openly and accept this has happened, they should find out who the people are who are responsible for this and take appropriate action.
"Otherwise people will not have confidence in any of these inquiry panels and committees if there is no visible action."
University Hospitals Birmingham's chief executive said concerns had already started to be addressed
It makes four overall recommendations to improve clinical safety, governance and leadership, staff welfare and culture.
Jonathan Brotherton, the trust's current chief executive, said he was pleased Prof Bewick's overall view was "that the trust is a safe place to receive care".
Jonathan Brotherton has been in his post at the trust for three months
"We fully accept his recommendations and welcome the additional assurance that has been asked for through further independent oversight," he said.
"There are a number of significant concerns that we need to, and have started to, address; we will continue to learn from the past, as we move forward.
"We want to develop a positive, inclusive work environment where people want to come to work, in a place that they are proud to work in, to do their very best for our patients.
"While we will not be able to fix things as quickly as I would like, we do need to do it as quickly as possible, for the benefit of patients and staff. I am committed to ensuring this happens."
On the day of the report's publication, it was announced Mr Brotherton's predecessor, Prof David Rosser, would be retiring.
Former chief executive, Prof David Rosser, left his position in December
He ran UHB from September 2018 until December 2022, when he left to become the region's strategic director for digital health and care.
The report says following his appointment, the culture of the trust seemed to "evolve further" to one that lacked "kindness and empathy".
"We received substantial evidence of how these behaviours affected significant numbers of staff included in the review and how certain specialties deteriorated as a result," it said.
A spokesperson for the NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (ICB) said: "Dave Rosser has taken the decision to retire and will therefore no longer be continuing in his role as director for digital health and care."
Ever since the inquiry into the deaths of hundreds of patients at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, in conditions of the most shameful neglect, the NHS is supposed to embrace openness and candour.
But instead of that openness, Prof Bewick suggests a corrosive culture of bullying at UHB prevented staff coming forward to raise concerns.
Although the trust says it will change, some doubt how far that change will go.
In his report, Prof Bewick suggests it hasn't happened yet, and that in fact he "found an organisation that is culturally very reluctant to accept criticism or to acknowledge the adverse views expressed by us".
David Melbourne, chief executive at the ICB, said the review made for "difficult reading" and confirmed a cross-party reference group which supported the review, led by Edgbaston Labour MP Preet Gill, would be involved in the second and third reports.
Ms Gill said: "What isn't clear at this stage is who is going to commission [the report's] recommendations, when they will take place and who will hold accountability and responsibility for those, because I don't believe some of those can wait."
Dr Tristan Reuser was referred to the GMC after raising concerns about a lack of nurses to support operations at the Heart of England NHS Trust, which merged with UHB in 2018
Richard Burden, who chairs Healthwatch Birmingham and Solihull, said the report "paints a disturbing picture of serious failings" adding patients needed greater reassurance UHB was safe.
"This interim report and the upcoming reviews into culture and governance must not be the end but the beginning of an urgent process of learning and transformative change at UHB," he said.
"Everyone with a degree of influence in the local health sector owes it to patients, the dedicated staff who care for them and the memory of Dr Kumar to work together to ensure the deep-seated problems at UHB are tackled quickly and effectively."
Dr Tristan Reuser, an eye specialist who won an employment tribunal for wrongful dismissal after whistleblowing at the trust, added: "All the people who have been participating in this culture of fear... they need to go because these people have been a part of this and the perception of how this trust is governed will not change unless these people go, in my view."
The second and third reviews, covering governance and culture at the trust, are expected to be published by June.
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-65098307 |
Nicola Sturgeon formally resigns as first minister - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Ms Sturgeon leaves her Bute House residence for the final time after 3,051 days as Scotland's first minister. | Scotland politics | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Ms Sturgeon formally tendered her resignation in a letter to the King
Nicola Sturgeon has officially tendered her resignation as Scotland's first minister in a letter to the King.
Ms Sturgeon announced last month that she would stand down once a successor was appointed.
Humza Yousaf was elected to replace her as SNP leader on Monday - and will be confirmed as the new first minister in a Holyrood vote on Tuesday afternoon.
After writing her resignation letter, Ms Sturgeon left her Bute House residence for the final time.
She was Scotland's longest-serving first minister, having spent 3,051 days - more than eight years - in the role.
Ms Sturgeon was seen embracing the household staff who work at Bute House and posed for photographs with her team as she prepared to leave the Edinburgh residence.
As she walked down the stairs of the building, which are adorned with pictures of the first ministers, a nail could be seen protruding from the wall ready for the picture of her successor.
A spokesman for the Scottish government said: "She formally tendered her resignation in writing this morning to His Majesty King Charles III. This has been accepted and the Scottish Parliament has been notified."
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original tweet on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Nicola Sturgeon This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Mr Yousaf will be formally elected as Ms Sturgeon's successor and Scotland's sixth first minister in a vote of MSPs.
The new SNP leader is virtually certain to become the first ethnic minority leader of a devolved government by winning a majority of the votes.
The leaders of the three opposition parties - the Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems - are expected to stand against him, but have no prospect of winning the contest.
The Scottish Greens - who have a power-sharing agreement with the SNP - have already said they will back Mr Yousaf, which should ensure he wins a majority in the first round of voting.
All of the candidates will make a brief speech before the vote, with Mr Yousaf expected to be formally sworn in as first minister in a brief ceremony at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Wednesday.
He will start forming his new cabinet team later this week, and will face opposition leaders for the first time at the weekly First Minister's Questions on Thursday.
Mr Yousaf won the SNP leadership on Monday after narrowly defeating Kate Forbes by 26,032 votes to 23,890 once the second preference votes of Ash Regan - who finished a distant third - were reallocated.
Mr Yousaf had been serving as health secretary and was seen as being Ms Sturgeon's preferred successor - with some pundits surprised at how close the final result was.
Despite the turmoil of the campaign, which saw Ms Forbes launch a highly personal attack on Mr Yousaf's competence in a live TV debate, both of the defeated candidates congratulated the new leader on his success and urged the party to unite behind him.
Ms Sturgeon thanked staff as she left her Bute House residence for the final time after 3,051 days as first minister
Ms Sturgeon paid tribute to all three candidates for "rising to the challenge" during the leadership contest, adding: "Most of all I congratulate Humza Yousaf and wish him every success.
"He will be an outstanding leader and first minister and I could not be prouder to have him succeed me."
Neil Gray, the culture minister who managed Mr Yousaf's leadership campaign, has said that the new first minister would have conversations with both Ms Forbes and Ms Regan about bringing them into government.
Speaking to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Gray also rejected calls by Scottish Labour for an election to be held.
He said: "Humza has a very clear mandate, I think that will be earned by his election today and he absolutely has the power to govern going forward."
The SNP repeatedly called for a general election during last year's Conservative leadership campaign, arguing that whoever took over from Boris Johnson would have no mandate because they had been picked by Tory party members rather than the country as a whole.
It is not yet known what Ms Sturgeon will do after leaving office - although she will remain as a backbench MSP for now
But Mr Gray said: "The democratically elected MSPs who choose the first minister through a ballot in the Scottish Parliament have that opportunity to do so today.
"This is a different situation than what we faced when Gordon Brown took over from Tony Blair, for instance, where there wasn't an election or, indeed, the various Conservative leaders who have been elected by the party over the last few years."
Mr Yousaf described himself as the "luckiest man in the world" after being confirmed as the new SNP leader and pledged to be a "first minister for all of Scotland."
He told voters he would "work every minute of every day to earn and re-earn your respect and your trust" and said he would "kickstart" a grassroots campaign that would "ensure our drive for independence is in fifth gear".
He added: "The people of Scotland need independence now more than ever before, and we will be the generation that delivers independence for Scotland."
Mr Yousaf will be confirmed as Scotland's new first minister on Tuesday afternoon
Speaking to ITV News after his victory, Mr Yousaf said he would ask the UK government to grant formal consent to hold another referendum "right away" despite saying during the campaign that the party must "make sure that we're not obsessing about Section 30s and de facto referendums because people just don't get inspired by that".
Downing Street has already said it will not change its stance in opposing a referendum, with the prime minister's spokesman saying he would instead be focused on the "issues that matter" to people like reducing inflation and tackling the cost of living crisis.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said it was "obvious that Humza Yousaf has the wrong priorities for Scotland" as he confirmed he would stand against him in the first minister vote.
Mr Ross added: "During the leadership election he focused on independence above everything else and therefore I think it's right that the people of Scotland hear voices within parliament".
Labour's health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie claimed that Mr Yousaf had a "woeful record" in government.
She added: "As transport minister the trains never ran on time, as justice secretary he trashed the justice system, he has been the worst health secretary in the history of devolution and I am worried he has simply failed upwards, is out of his depth and is incompetent and I worry for the country."
Right now, Scotland doesn't have a first minister.
King Charles has accepted Nicola Sturgeon's resignation, and it will be tomorrow morning before Humza Yousaf is sworn in as her replacement at the Court of Session, having been nominated by a majority of MSPs.
Ms Sturgeon is clearly happy to be moving on - she posted an Instagram clip of her morning walk featuring the song "Feeling Good".
Mr Yousaf too may be on a high after his narrow victory in the leadership race.
But the burdens of office will weigh on him very quickly. He will face first minister's questions on Thursday in the shadow of a towering in-tray of issues.
His government must wrestle with economic turbulence, the cost of living crisis and a creaking health service, all while he strives to reunite his party.
Mr Yousaf won't need long to discover why Ms Sturgeon is "feeling good" about leaving it all behind.
After being voted leader of the Scottish National Party, we ask - who is Humza Yousaf?
Available now on BBC iPlayer (UK only). | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-65093281 |
Two mothers react to Nashville school shooting - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | null | Two mothers react after a woman opened fire inside a Nashville school and killing six people. | null | Six people, three of them children, have been killed in a primary school shooting in Nashville. The shooter was killed by police, officers said. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65093794 |
Jeremy Corbyn banned from standing as candidate for Labour party - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The former leader was ejected from the parliamentary Labour party due to a row over antisemitism. | UK Politics | Labour's governing body has voted to block Jeremy Corbyn from standing as a Labour candidate at the next election.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) voted 22 to 12 to approve a motion from Sir Keir Starmer to prevent Labour endorsing Mr Corbyn. There is no right of appeal.
Mr Corbyn is suspended from being a Labour MP and sits as an independent following a row over antisemitism.
The former Labour leader called it a "shameful attack on party democracy".
In a statement, he said the decision to block him showed "contempt" for the voters who had supported the party at the 2017 and 2019 elections.
And in a hint he could run as an independent candidate in the constituency he has represented since 1983, he said he had "no intention" to stop "fighting for a fairer society on behalf of the people of Islington North".
Mr Corbyn criticised the Labour leader, claiming Sir Keir "has instead launched an assault on the rights of his own Labour members, breaking his pledge to build a united and democratic party".
Last month, Sir Keir announced that Mr Corbyn would not be a Labour candidate, confirming months of speculation.
The motion approved by the NEC states that allowing Mr Corbyn to stand would "significantly diminish" Labour's chances of "winning the next general election".
"It is is not in the best interests of the Labour Party for it to endorse Mr Corbyn as a Labour Party candidate at the next general election," the text of the motion says.
The NEC has the power to endorse, or not endorse, a candidate selected for election.
From 2016, Sir Keir was a key member of Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet, speaking for the party on Brexit.
Mr Corbyn led Labour to defeat in the 2017 and 2019 general elections but remains a popular figure with many on the left of the party.
But Sir Keir suspended him as a Labour MP in 2020 after he said the scale of antisemitism within Labour had been "dramatically overstated" by his opponents, in response to a highly critical report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into the party's handling of complaints under his leadership.
The NEC readmitted Mr Corbyn to the Labour Party as a member in November 2020 - but he is blocked from representing the party in Parliament.
The Islington North Constituency Labour Party said it "rejects the NEC's undue interference" in who it chooses as an MP.
The NEC vote "undermines our goal of defeating the Conservatives and working with our communities for social justice," the group said in a statement.
"We believe in the democratic right of all constituency parties to choose their prospective parliamentary candidate."
While running for leader of the Labour party, Sir Keir had said Labour "should end NEC impositions of candidates" on local associations, tweeting that local party members should select their candidates for every election.
Jon Lansman, the co-founder of the Corbyn-backing Momentum campaign group, accused Sir Keir of acting like an "authoritarian".
"Keir Starmer unfortunately is behaving as if he was some kind of Putin of the Labour Party. That is not the way we do politics," he told Times Radio.
However Labour's national campaign coordinator Shabana Mahmood defended the decision, saying it had "always been the case" that the NEC endorses candidates.
She said Mr Corbyn had failed to take "responsibility" for the EHRC report in 2020, and Sir Keir had made the "changes that are needed".
The EHRC launched its inquiry in May 2019, after receiving complaints about antisemitism within the party.
It found Labour had breached the Equality Act by failing to provide adequate training for staff dealing with allegations, and because of "political interference" from Mr Corbyn's office in the handling of those complaints.
Labour was ordered to draw up a plan to improve its complaints process, which it did in December 2020.
This committed the party to setting up an independent process to handle complaints, putting together a handbook for staff handling complaints, and improving training.
In February, EHRC chief executive Marcial Boo said the watchdog was now "content with the actions taken" by the party after winding up a two-year monitoring process at the end of January. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-65102128 |
Thomas Cashman: Olivia murder-accused hated but not guilty - trial - BBC News | 2023-03-28T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Thomas Cashman, who is accused of shooting Olivia Pratt-Korbel at her home, denies being the gunman. | Liverpool | Olivia was shot when a gunman burst into her house and opened fire
The man accused of killing Olivia Pratt-Korbel is "probably one of the most hated people in the country" but he is not guilty, his barrister said.
Thomas Cashman is accused of murdering Olivia, 9, and injuring her mother Cheryl after chasing a man into their home in Liverpool on 22 August.
John Cooper KC, defending, accused prosecutors of having "temerity" to suggest Mr Cashman, 34, was trying to pull the wool over the jury's eyes.
Manchester Crown Court has heard the defendant shot convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee, 36, in the street, before his victim fled into Ms Korbel's home as she tried to block his entry.
The jury has heard Mr Cashman fired again, with the bullet travelling through Ms Korbel's hand before hitting and killing her daughter behind her.
In his closing speech, Mr Cooper said: "The suggestions are easy to make because the defendant is sitting in the dock, the only person there, probably one of the most hated people in the country."
During his evidence, Mr Cashman told the jury he was a "high-level" cannabis dealer in the Dovecot area.
Mr Cooper said: "I'm not putting Cashman to you as an angel, far from it.
"I don't necessarily even have to like the guy, neither do you. We'll never talk again after this trial, we're not mates.
"It's a matter of doing my job and you doing your job."
Thomas Cashman says he was not the gunman who fatally shot Olivia Pratt-Korbel
Mr Cooper said the family of Mr Nee, the intended target of the shooting, "had their enemies" and there were other people who wanted him dead.
He said: "When Tommy Cashman says to you, 'It wasn't me', it therefore must have been someone else - that's not pie in the sky, we submit, it's based on fact."
He said a woman who claimed that after the shooting Mr Cashman came to her house, where she heard him say he had "done Joey" was telling "downright lies".
Mr Cooper said the defendant had had a "sordid relationship" with the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, but was "never ever" going to leave his fiancée for her.
He said: "He was never going to play any meaningful part in her life - that obviously was not what she wanted to hear."
In his closing remarks, Mr Cooper said: "The defence have done their best now to show you the evidence for what it is.
"We ask you to carefully look at it and to conclude that on all counts this defendant is not guilty."
Mr Cashman, of Grenadier Drive, West Derby, Liverpool, denies murdering Olivia, the attempted murder of Mr Nee, wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Ms Korbel, and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-65097488 |
UK tourism: Visitor attractions still suffering from pandemic effects - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Visitor figures are 23% down on pre-pandemic levels, despite millions returning in 2022. | UK | Indoor attractions like the Natural History Museum saw a strong recovery in 2022
UK visitor attractions are suffering from the effects of the pandemic due to fewer tourists travelling from abroad, an industry body has warned.
Millions returned to museums and galleries in 2022 as Covid restrictions ended, the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) said.
But fewer international tourists meant visitor levels were still almost a quarter lower than before the pandemic.
The Crown Estate, Windsor Great Park, remained the most popular attraction.
Indoor sites saw a 176% increase in the number of people visiting compared to the previous year, ALVA said.
For much of 2021 facemasks and social distancing had been required at inside venues to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Big London attractions with no entry fee like the Natural History Museum, British Museum and Tate Modern saw their numbers recover by around 200%.
Overall visits to British attractions increased 69% compared to 2021, but they saw 37.8 million fewer people walk through their doors than in 2019.
ALVA, which represents more than 2,200 sites, puts the 23% shortfall down to lower levels of tourism, especially from China and east Asia.
The Crown Estate, Windsor Great Park, was the most visited UK attraction in 2022 - the year of Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee and death
The top 10 list was dominated by London attractions, including the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square
The Tower of London was the most visited major attraction with an entry fee in 2022
Despite a very busy Christmas period, Bernard Donoghue, director of ALVA, warned the industry was "still experiencing the tourism equivalent of 'long Covid'" because of fewer holidaymakers coming to the UK.
He later apologised for making the 'inappropriate' comparison after receiving complaints from long Covid advocacy campaigners.
Although there are ongoing challenges, he said he was "confident that [tourists] will return this year and we will see a continuing healthy recovery".
The figures also reveal people are opting for attractions which are free amid the cost-of-living crisis: places which charged an entry fee saw a recovery of 101% - but free sites had a 183% increase.
Mr Donoghue also said rail strikes had impacted people visiting theatres - particularly over Christmas.
He added he was confident the Chinese market would come back in 2023, driving "really strong growth".
London dominated the top ten list but popular spots around the UK saw growth.
In Scotland, the most popular attraction was the National Museum in Edinburgh. In Northern Ireland, it was Titanic Belfast and in Wales it was Bodnant Garden in Conwy.
The BBC changed the headline of this article after Mr Donoghue retracted his comparison between the state of the industry and long Covid. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64976013 |
Your pictures of Scotland: 10-17 March - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A selection of your pictures of Scotland sent in between 10 and 17 March. | Scotland | A selection of your pictures of Scotland sent in between 10 and 17 March.
Send your photos to [email protected]. Please ensure you adhere to the BBC's rules regarding photographs that can be found here.
Please also ensure you take your pictures safely and responsibly.
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Hazel Thomson took this picture of oystercatchers avoiding the crashing waves at Burghead, Moray.
Ian Burnside said he felt lucky to catch this scene of a black-headed gull waiting patiently to be fed at Linlithgow Loch in West Lothian.
Andrew Whettam took this photo of the Ledmore river, near Elphin in the Scottish Highlands. In the background are Cam Loch and the mountains, Suilven and Canisp.
Sally Neill set up this scene of four small bears in a baguette boat with a cheese sail and three swimming ducks in an East Kilbride puddle.
Paul Millen said he had amazing weather climbing Beinn Alligin in Torridon, the Highlands.
Mark Reynolds took this picture of a busy but very chilly day on the Corpach Basin in the Highlands, with Carn Mor Dearg and Aonach Mor in the background.
Adrian Goodall took this picture at the beach on Reef, Isle of Lewis.
Mrinmoy Sonowal captured a different angle of the Pentland Hills from Appleton Tower at Edinburgh University.
Sylvia Beaumont said she took this picture of "The Class of '23" - a flock of Scottish Blackface sheep who posed very nicely for her at North Berwick Law, East Lothian.
Caitlin Douglas took this stunning picture of Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms.
Tom Kelly took this fantastic picture of a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the Water of Leith, in Edinburgh.
Alasdair Roderick Ross Leonard captured the beauty at Finsbay on the Isle of Harris.
Alan James Doyle took this photograph of the Union Canal at Fountainbridge, Edinburgh
Ronnie Dukes took this dramatic photo of Ben Lomond.
David Brookens took this shot in Brodick on the Isle of Arran.
Morag Cordiner took this picture of waves hitting the breakwater at high tide at the Golden Horn in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire.
Arthur Allan saw these swans becoming involved in a territorial disagreement at Dunfermline loch, Fife.
Francesca Wheeler took this picture of The Guide Me and Guide Us in the snow at Largs pier in North Ayrshire.
Dougie Law took this picture of the Cuillin Hills in snow from the summit of Bealach na Ba in Wester Ross.
On a recent trip to the fishing cottages at Fittie in Aberdeen, Janina Dolny came across this gate adorned with horseshoes.
Bryan Wark had a nice sunny but cold walk around the farm roads above Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire
Victor Tregubov took this stunning shot on the beautiful Isle of Barra.
Richard Marsh took this picture during a walk beside the River Tay at Dunkeld in Perthshire.
Paul Chambers captured this pine marten in the snow at Blairgowrie, Perth and Kinross.
Alex Orr had this great view of Edinburgh Castle and St Cuthbert's Church.
Rebecca McLennan captured this incredible mid-air shot of the red kites that live in Doune, Perthshire.
Graeme Skinner captured this evening storm at the Kessock Bridge, which crosses the Beauly Firth at Inverness.
David Kenny photographed this hedgehog while walking in Stirling.
Steven Murray took this shot in Glencoe from Beinn A'Chrulaiste.
William Warnock took this shot while snowboarding at Cairngorm.
Doreen Wilson took this shot of a Red Grouse on moorland approaching the munro, Meall Chuaich, while walking in the Drumochter hills with Linlithgow Ramblers.
Lana Wiles took this photo in the grounds of Castle Fraser in Aberdeenshire in the snow.
Fran Lockhart took this picture of her croft track in Rogart in Sutherland.
Raymond Carstairs took this picture in Gifford in East Lothian.
John Welsh took this picture of Glasgow's Spitfire in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Jayne McKie captured dawn at Lochan na h-Achlaise and Black Mount in Rannoch Moor.
Mary Ann Macleod took this picture of Gress, Isle of Lewis.
Gary Doyle took this picture of cormorants on sugar boat in the Firth of Clyde.
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Video shows moment Russian fighter jet hits US drone over Black Sea - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | US footage shows the jet apparently dumping fuel as it makes two close passes with the drone. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: US releases footage from its drone of the encounter with a Russian jet
The US military has released footage of a Russian jet crashing into one of its drones over the Black Sea.
The US said the damage to the large drone meant it had to be brought down into the water near Crimea on Tuesday.
Russia denied its Su-27 fighter jet clipped the propeller of the drone, but the video appears to back up the American version of events.
It was in the Pentagon's interest to release this video - not least to verify its version of events.
The BBC has not seen the events before or after the collision. The US initially said the confrontation lasted around 30-40 minutes, but the released footage lasts for less than a minute.
On Wednesday night, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said: "We remain confident in the facts we've conveyed so far."
He said then the Pentagon was looking at what video could be released. It is not unusual for militaries to take some time to declassify video footage before making it public.
Mr Austin previously described Russia's actions as dangerous and reckless - and the edited video released appears to back that up.
A feed from a camera fitted under the fuselage of the surveillance drone shows a Russian Su-27 making two extremely close passes while releasing what appears to be fuel as it approaches.
In the first pass it seems to mire the lens of the camera. The second pass is even closer - disrupting the video feed from the remotely piloted aircraft.
When the picture returns, a blade of the drone's propeller at the back of the aircraft can be seen bent out of shape.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told the BBC's US broadcast partner CBS that it was not clear whether the Russian action was deliberate or accidental.
But he said this did not matter because the moves were "completely inappropriate, unsafe and unprofessional".
Surveillance flights would continue over the Black Sea, he said, but there was no need for military escorts, which he said were unnecessary and would put pilots at risk.
Russia has claimed the drone was approaching its territory, but all we can see from the video is sea, sky and cloud.
Moscow appeared to suggest on Tuesday that it had imposed a unilateral no-fly zone over the region as part of its invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said the drone had "violated boundaries of the temporary airspace regime established for the special military operation".
But Mr Kirby said the airspace was international and not restricted.
In a statement released hours after the crash, the US said Russian jets dumped fuel on the drone several times before the collision.
Pentagon spokesman Brig Gen Pat Ryder told reporters the drone was "unflyable and uncontrollable", adding the collision also likely damaged the Russian aircraft.
Russia's defence ministry said the drone crashed after a "sharp manoeuvre", and that it was flying with its transponders (communication devices) turned off.
The Kremlin has not yet responded to the release of the US video. On Wednesday Russia's security council secretary Nikolai Patrushev said attempts were being made to find and retrieve the remnants of the drone.
On Thursday, Russian ships were seen at the site of the downed drone on the Black Sea, US media reported.
Mr Kirby said the US was also searching for the aircraft, but stressed that if Russia beat them to it, "their ability to exploit useful intelligence will be highly minimised".
That message was reiterated by General Mark Milley, America's top military general, who said the US has taken "mitigating measures" to ensure there was nothing of value on the downed drone. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64975766 |
Putin arrest warrant: ICC accuses Russian leader of war crimes - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | He is accused of forcibly deporting Ukrainian children to Russia - but Moscow says the warrant is meaningless. | Europe | ICC uses very specific offence to directly accuse Putin
The ICC has the power to charge political leaders with "waging aggressive war" - meaning an unjustified invasion not undertaken in self-defence. But Russia is not a signatory to the court so that's not a route open to its prosecutors. Russia would also use its veto, as it has already done in relation to Ukraine , to stop any attempts at the UN Security Council to grant the ICC new powers in relation to that offence. So some war crime experts had been calling for world leaders to launch an Ukraine war crimes tribunal as another means of charging Russia's leaders. They argued that no other crime but waging aggressive war could be pinned on Putin - meaning the only people who could ever theoretically face court would be his generals and foot soldiers. But the ICC appears to have found a way around this justice gap by dusting off the very specific offence of deporting children. The fact that Russia is not a party to the ICC still means Putin won't be extradited anytime soon but the arrest warrant could leave the president marooned in his own country - unless he wants to voluntarily surrender to The Hague. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-64994087 |
SNP says its membership has fallen to 72,000 - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The party reveals its membership numbers amid a row over the conduct of its leadership race. | Scotland | Leadership candidates Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf had pushed for the membership figures to be published
The SNP's membership has fallen to just over 72,000, the party has confirmed amid a row over the integrity of its leadership race.
Candidates Ash Regan and Kate Forbes had demanded to know how many members were eligible to vote in the contest to succeed Nicola Sturgeon.
The party initially refused to do so - but has now told the candidates that it has 72,186 members.
It means it has lost 32,000 members from the 104,000 it had two years ago.
The SNP's membership hit a peak of 125,000 in 2019 as support for the party surged in the wake of the independence referendum but had dropped to 85,000 by the end of last year.
Its Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, told BBC Scotland earlier this week he had "no idea" how many members the party had, but that "I think the last time I heard it was about 100,000".
Ms Forbes' campaign manager, Michelle Thomson MSP, said she was pleased that "common sense has prevailed" and the membership numbers had been published - but that the "alarming drop in members shows that the party needs a change in direction".
Ms Regan issued a statement that said only: "I get things done", with her campaign questioning on Twitter whether the big drop in membership - which it linked to the government's controversial gender reforms - was a reason for Ms Sturgeon's resignation.
She later told BBC Scotland's Drivetime programme that it had been several weeks since she first asked for the membership figures to be released, but that she was pleased it had been as "we want to show that the SNP is fair, transparent and accountable".
Ms Regan also repeated her call for an independent observer to be appointed to oversee the leadership election.
The SNP's national secretary, Lorna Finn, wrote to the candidates earlier on Thursday in an attempt to address their concerns about transparency.
A spokesperson for the party said: "All three candidates were successful in parliamentary selection contests using exactly the same voting system and independent ballot services firm.
"The national secretary has again confirmed all necessary safeguards are in place to protect the integrity of the ballot."
The third candidate in the contest, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, said his two rivals had produced no tangible evidence that would throw the integrity of the election process into question.
But he added that it had been "a bit of an own goal" for the party not to have published the figure at the start of the process, adding: "I don't know why they didn't - they should have done and certainly if I'm the leader of the party I'll make sure they are published annually."
This is a massive drop in the SNP's membership in a relatively short period of time and it seems to have been particularly acute over the last few months.
The party has lost more than 10,000 members since the end of last year when the row over reform of the process for legally changing gender was raging.
It is not possible to measure the extent to which that controversy may be responsible for members leaving.
The party's president Mike Russell has suggested cost of living pressures could offer an alternative explanation.
Falling membership also places Nicola Sturgeon's decision to stand down in a new context, albeit that she insisted it was not a response to short term pressures.
The SNP remains the largest political party in Scotland but it is considerably smaller now compared to its post referendum peak of around 125,000.
Mr Yousaf is widely seen as being the favoured candidate of Ms Sturgeon and the SNP hierarchy as a whole, with Ms Regan previously claiming that the party HQ was "bussing in" his supporters to hustings events.
Ms Regan has also questioned the role of SNP chief executive Peter Murrell - Ms Sturgeon's husband - in the leadership contest, saying it was a "clear conflict of interest".
Her campaign had also said it had concerns about votes from deceased party members or those who have allowed their membership to expire.
An open letter sent on behalf of Ms Regan and Ms Forbes to Mr Murrell had called on him to clarify how many "paid-up" members the party has, and the number of digital and postal voting papers that have been released.
Ms Regan and Ms Forbes had urged Peter Murrell to clarify how many members the party currently has
Ms Sturgeon denied her party was in crisis and said she had "100% confidence" in the process as she left her penultimate First Minister's Questions on Thursday.
She added: "My party is having a democratic leadership election - growing pains for any organisation can be painful, but they are important.
"I think it's incumbent for the three candidates standing to succeed me that they remember the task is to retain the trust of the Scottish people that we have won consistently over, not just the eight years of my leadership, but consistently since 2007."
SNP president Mike Russell told BBC Scotland the highest standards were being observed but accepted that the membership figures should have been published earlier.
"The party has to unite after this," he said. "We have an important job to do for Scotland and I'm quite sure the three candidates are capable of that."
Scottish Conservatives chairman Craig Hoy said the SNP "had to be dragged kicking and screaming into even releasing these numbers".
He added: "The SNP government are out-of-touch with the real priorities of Scotland and it seems tens of thousands of now former members have also come to that conclusion and decided enough is enough."
The leadership ballot is being managed by Southampton-based polling firm Mi-Voice, which the SNP has used for internal contests since 2013. The result is due to be announced on 27 March. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64976104 |
NHS and ambulance staff in Scotland accept latest pay offer - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | GMB Scotland said its members accepted the improved pay offer by a majority of 59.7%. | Scotland | A new pay offer was made to staff including ambulance workers
The union representing NHS and ambulance staff in Scotland have accepted the latest pay offer from the Scottish government.
GMB Scotland said 59.7% of balloted members had accepted the new offer.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has been locked in negotiations with health unions in recent months amid the threat of industrial action.
Strikes were suspended earlier this year while members of three unions considered the improved deal.
Both the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) are also balloting their members, with the recommendation to accept the deal.
The result of the RCN vote is expected next week.
The pay offer made to 160,000 NHS staff, including nurses, midwives and paramedics, equates to an average 6.5% increase in 2023/24.
It also includes the commitment to modernising Agenda for Change, which is nearly 20 years old, to support workforce recruitment, sustainability and retention.
The offer is on top of the imposed pay rise already allocated for 2022/23, meaning many staff could receive a consolidated 13 to 14% pay increase over a two-year period.
Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser for public services, welcomed the acceptance but urged ministers to heed the warnings of the proportion of the union membership that voted to reject the pay offer.
He said: "We would warn that no-one in government circles should be naïve enough to think this puts the issue of worker value back in the box.
"The sizeable minority of members who voted to reject the offer illustrate the point and this sends a loud and clear message on future pay offers.
"If ministers want to seriously tackle the understaffing crisis in our health service and recruit and retain the people needed to build a recovery of our broken NHS, then the bar must continue to rise for the pay and conditions of staff in the years to come."
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said he was "delighted" that GMB members had accepted the pay offer.
He said: "This will ensure that Scotland's NHS Agenda for Change staff are, by far and away, the best paid anywhere in the UK. We are also committed to delivering the most progressive package of terms and conditions reform in decades.
"We await the outcome of the remaining union ballots." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64980613 |
Comic Relief raises over £34m with The Traitors and Eurovision sketches - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | This year's event will support people struggling with the cost of living crisis and food poverty. | Entertainment & Arts | Dawn French brought a twist to The Traitors during the fundraiser
The annual Comic Relief fundraiser, which featured sketches based on the show The Traitors and Eurovision, has raised over £34m.
Dame Mary Berry, Danny Dyer and Jamie Dornan made appearances on the show.
The money raised during the event was announced live by hosts Paddy McGuiness, David Tennant and Zoe Ball.
This year's fundraising effort will support people struggling with the cost of living crisis, food poverty, mental health problems and homelessness.
Comic Relief was founded by Sir Lenny Henry and Richard Curtis in 1985 with the aim to put an end to child poverty in the UK and around the world.
For the first time since the programme was first launched, Sir Lenny was not there but he appeared in a pre-recorded appeal to help starving communities in the African continent.
Following a montage of clips from his past visits to the continent with the charity, Sir Lenny said: "But I think what I said then, still rings true to me now. Forget geography. These are your neighbours".
During the opening credits, the co-founder regenerated into Doctor Who star Tennant who said: "For the first time in Comic Relief's history, we are flying without our captain, Sir Lenny Henry."
Singer Zara Larsson performing during the Red Nose Day night of TV for Comic Relief
The 2023 show, hosted at Salford's Media City, also included AJ Odudu, Joel Dommett and Paddy McGuinness as presenters.
Performances from Zara Larsson and Tom Grennan came live from Salford.
Celebrities began fundraising ahead of Friday night's live show, with Radio 1's Arielle Free taking part in a cycling challenge and BBC Morning Live's Gethin Jones dancing for 24 hours.
Arielle Free joined by Jordan North and Vick Hope at the finish line
The live TV event also included a video appeal from the Prince of Wales, in which he met homeless people helped by Comic Relief.
Prince William said his mother would be "disappointed" to see that the UK is still no further along the line in terms of tackling homelessness, and preventing it from happening.
There was also a parody sketch of The Traitors, featuring real contestants Maddy and Wilf, alongside Dame Mary Berry and Danny Dyer.
Comedians Jennifer Saunders, Stephen Merchant and Rosie Jones featured in the sketch, with a twist as Dawn French took on Claudia Winkleman's host role.
Elsewhere on the show there was an appearance from Kylie Minogue, whilst Blackadder star Sir Tony Robinson read a bedtime story as the character Baldrick.
Sir Tony Robinson returned as the character of Baldrick to read a bedtime story
Graham Norton, Lulu and last year's UK Eurovision entrant Sam Ryder paid homage to the European music contest, by playing a mock judging panel looking for the next UK star to enter the competition.
Auditions came from Jamie Dornan who had "lost his voice" and held up big cards with the words to Adele's Someone Like You and comedian Miranda Hart who sang and danced to Hero by Mariah Carey.
David Walliams also auditioned by singing Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and hit his own "golden buzzer", while TV chef Gordan Ramsey tried to impress the judging panel by playing the recorder.
Eurovision fans got another treat though as during the fundraiser, two tickets for the Liverpool final were given away on the show by Eurovision presenters Scott Mills and Rylan Clark.
The cast of Mrs Doubtfire The Musical also delivered their first UK performance of Make Me A Woman from the new stage show.
A sketch which saw the UK's 'most serious people' telling jokes also saw appearances from news broadcasters Clive Myrie, Kay Burley, Huw Edwards and Naga Munchetty as well as Susanna Reid, Piers Morgan and Richard Madeley.
This year's Red Nose was designed by Sir Jony Ive, who is best known for being a designer for Apple.
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Sir Jony said: 'We've grown up with Comic Relief and are proud to support their remarkable work.
'This new and seemingly simple Red Nose has been a fabulously complex little object to design and make and has involved our entire team. We hope it brings a little moment of joy to everyone who wears one.'
It is made from plant-based materials and is available to buy from the Comic Relief website or Amazon.
At the end of the broadcast on Friday night, the hosts announced the show had raised £31,952,141 and that total was updated overnight to £34.1m.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original tweet on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post 2 by BBC Radio 1 This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64989732 |
Hunter Biden sues repairman over release of personal data from laptop - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The US president's embattled son is under renewed scrutiny from Republicans in Congress. | US & Canada | The US president's embattled son is under renewed scrutiny from Republicans in Congress.
Hunter Biden, the US president's embattled son, is suing a Delaware computer repair shop owner over the handling of his private laptop.
Mr Biden and his attorneys allege John Paul Mac Isaac illegally copied and distributed private information from the laptop's hard drive.
That personal data was used by Republicans to attack Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential election.
Mr Isaac argues the laptop became his property when it was abandoned.
In a suit he filed last year, Mr Isaac accused Hunter Biden, the Biden 2020 campaign, a Democratic congressman and two US media outlets of defaming him by claiming he illegally accessed the data.
Hunter Biden's counterclaim, filed on Friday in a Delaware district court, claims Mr Isaac gave away his data to "political enemies" because he opposed his father's candidacy.
The document alleges that the repairman sent copies of the hard drive to his father in New Mexico and to a lawyer who worked with Mr Trump's then-personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani.
Mr Giuliani and other allies of Mr Trump, including Steve Bannon, would later gain access to some of the data.
"Mac Isaac intended and knew, or clearly should have known, that people to whom he provided the data that he believed to belong to Mr Biden would use it against then-candidate Joseph Biden and to assist then-President Trump," the filing reads.
It adds that disseminating private data in this manner "is offensive and objectionable to Mr Biden, and would be highly offensive and objectionable to any reasonable person".
The laptop's existence was first brought to the public's attention by the conservative-leaning New York Post less than one month before the 2020 election.
The Post alleged that emails found on its hard drive suggested Mr Biden's business dealings abroad were influencing US foreign policy while his father was vice-president.
The president and his family have denied any wrongdoing in overseas business dealings.
Donald Trump and Republican Party operatives seized on it as a campaign issue, saying it was evidence of alleged nepotism and corruption in the Biden family.
The Biden campaign said at the time that the leaked data might have been linked to a Russian disinformation campaign to influence the election, but it provided no evidence for the claim.
More material from the laptop has since been released, painting a sordid picture of the younger Biden. They include texts and financial records related to his overseas business dealings in China and Ukraine, as well as provocative photos and videos of him having sex and doing drugs.
Often referenced in conservative US media as the "laptop from hell", the computer itself is now in the FBI's possession.
The agency has been investigating the president's son since 2018 over his tax payments related to foreign business dealings. Federal officials are also probing whether he lied about his prior drug use on a gun application form in 2018.
Hunter Biden, 53, and his attorneys have shifted their strategy in recent weeks as a new Republican majority in the US House of Representatives vows to step up scrutiny of the Biden family.
On Thursday, House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer alleged that Hunter Biden and at least two relatives received more than $1m in funds from a Chinese energy company. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64991918 |
Dominic Raab plans new law to stop whole life term prisoners marrying - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The justice secretary says he will block murderers like Levi Bellfield getting married in prison. | UK Politics | Levi Bellfield is reported to be seeking permission to get married
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has said he will change the law to stop prisoners serving whole life sentences getting married in jail.
There was "no question" of taxpayers footing the bill for murderer Levi Bellfield's bid to marry, he told LBC.
Bellfield, whose victims include 13-year-old Milly Dowler, is reported to be seeking legal aid to challenge a ruling blocking him from marrying his girlfriend behind bars.
The justice secretary wants the measure included in a new Victims Bill.
Downing Street said details of the planned legislation would be announced "in due course", calling it "deeply inappropriate" for those serving whole life terms to get married.
"Let me be crystal clear... I don't think it is appropriate and I'm going to change the law. We are committed to that," Mr Raab said.
He said passing a law was never about an individual case, but this was "wrong" and many people would find it "an affront to the basic system of criminal justice".
There was also a question around the risk of a "vulnerable" person marrying an offender as "egregious" as Bellfield, Mr Raab added.
"So on both factors, I'm committed to doing what we can to prevent that taking place."
Any such legislation could face a legal challenge, with the European Convention on Human Rights containing an explicit right to marriage under Article 12.
Mr Raab, who is also deputy prime minister, has previously criticised the Human Rights Act for putting "all sorts of obstacles" in the way of blocking Bellfield's marriage.
The Sun has reported that Bellfield has told fellow inmates his legal battle is costing him nothing.
Bellfield, 54, is serving a whole life term for the murder of Milly Dowler who was abducted while walking home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in 2002.
He had previously been sentenced to a whole life term for the murders of students Marsha McDonnell in 2003 and Amelie Delagrange in 2004, and the attempted murder of another woman.
He is an inmate at HMP Frankland in County Durham.
When it emerged last year that Bellfield had applied to marry an unnamed woman, Downing Street said then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson was "sickened and appalled" by the request, and his thoughts were with the victims' families.
Anyone convicted of murder will be given a life sentence. But the judge will specify the minimum term an offender must spend in jail before becoming eligible to apply for parole.
A whole life order means an offender will never be released from prison, except in exceptional compassionate circumstances.
More than 60 prisoners are thought to be currently subject to such orders. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64987928 |
Metropolitan Police expected to be heavily criticised for being racist, sexist and homophobic in report - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The BBC understands the report will criticise the Met's tolerance of wrongdoing within its ranks. | UK | The Metropolitan Police is expected to be heavily criticised for being racist, sexist and homophobic in a report.
Baroness Casey's review will be published on Tuesday.
She was appointed to review the force's culture and standards after the murder of Sarah Everard by serving officer Wayne Couzens.
The BBC has not seen a draft of Baroness Casey's report but understands that it will heavily criticise the Met's tolerance of wrongdoing.
The report is also expected to criticise how the Met protects its own people ahead of the public.
A government source told the BBC the findings of the draft report were "very serious" and would make for "bad reading".
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been in talks with the Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, this week about the findings after it is understood the final draft of the report was sent to them.
Sir Mark was appointed commissioner in September and even after the critical report is published next week, the Home Office will back his leadership to reform the Met and bring about change, and wants to give him the time to do so.
The force is already facing a separate independent inquiry into how Couzens and the serial rapist officer David Carrick were able to become policemen and were not identified as threats to women.
The interim Casey review which was published in October found hundreds of Met officers had been getting away with breaking the law and misconduct.
It found many claims of sexual misconduct, misogyny, racism and homophobia had been badly mishandled.
Sir Mark apologised and admitted there were officers still serving who should have been sacked.
While the interim report focused on the failures of the force's internal misconduct system, this final report is expected to be much wider.
It has examined, and will criticise the culture, recruitment, training and leadership of the force.
One source told the BBC the final report contained a lot of findings that were extremely bad for the Met.
The BBC has spoken to two women whose ex-partners are serving Met officers. Both women raised concerns that the force is unable to deal with abusive officers within its ranks.
Sally, not her real name, was living with a Met officer who she met when he investigated a crime she had been a victim of. Last year, she told the Met that he had domestically abused her and had misused police powers. He is now going through the Met's misconduct system and is on restricted duties.
She told the BBC she felt as though the force had not dealt with her complaints.
"I think it's easier to let these police officers stay than to get rid of them," she said. "He's still working, he's still getting paid, he's still going to get his full pension.
"I don't trust the police at all and I do not understand why we report allegations against the police to other police officers. There is no place in the police service for an officer like him, absolutely not."
A woman the BBC has called Natalie to protect her identity claims her ex-husband, a Met officer, coercively controlled her. She said she struggled to find the right avenues to complain to the force to get them to take action.
"You're brought up to believe the police are there to protect. The police should be there to protect, that's what we pay taxes for but they just seem to protect themselves."
"I've been in police stations, I've spoken to policewomen who squeezed my arm and looked compassionate, and told me this time it would be sorted. (That) it was unacceptable" she said. "You hear nothing and it then makes him worse. He's bolstered by this isn't he? He's enabled and protected."
Cdr James Harman from the Met's directorate of professional standards acknowledged that the force needs to do more, saying: "I recognise that we are in a bad place but we are committed and absolutely determined to turn that around and we are going to do so.
"I completely understand that people will often feel nervous or hesitant to report a crime committed by the police."
The Met Police said in a statement "the report will play an important role in informing and shaping our work to deliver 'More Trust, Less Crime and High Standards'.
"It will be published next week which will be the appropriate point for us to respond in further detail."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "The Home Secretary has been clear that culture and standards in policing must be raised in order to regain the trust and confidence of the public. We await the publication of Baroness Casey's full report."
A statement from a spokesperson for the Casey Review has said the review will "not be commenting on its contents ahead of publication". They have also asked other parties not to comment either.
"The review into the culture and standards of the Metropolitan Police was commissioned in light of the appalling facts relating to the murderer of Sarah Everard" the statement read.
"This must be remembered if at all possible as we move towards its publication".
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Plymouth trees: Call for independent inquiry into felling - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The felling of 110 city centre trees is a "shameful and shocking act", Plymouth Green Party says. | Devon | Contractors felled 110 trees to make way for a £12.7m regeneration of the city centre
Plymouth City Council is facing calls for an independent inquiry into the decisions behind the night-time felling of 110 trees in the city centre.
Plymouth Green Party said the felling was "a shameful and shocking act".
The council had paused the project in February for a public consultation but an executive order to fell the trees was signed by council leader Richard Bingley on Tuesday.
Plymouth City Council has been approached for comment.
Contractors fenced off public areas and felled the trees on Tuesday night as part of a £12.7m regeneration project before an injunction stopped work.
Plymouth City Council said the felling was carried out at night for the safety of people
The Green Party said councillors were given no time to scrutinise the executive decision ordered by Mr Bingley, the Conservative leader.
The Greens called for "an independent inquiry into the decision-making behind the felling of the trees".
Green Party group leader Ian Poyser, councillor for Plympton Chaddlewood, said: "This kind of ecological vandalism must not be repeated."
How Armada Way looked in June 2022
Campaign group Save the Trees of Armada Way (Straw) said it had applied for a judicial review into the decision to fell the trees.
Ali White, from Straw, said: "We need to understand what's gone wrong, it should not be so easy for councils to do this."
The felling on Tuesday night is part of a regeneration plan for the city centre which will mean the planting of 169 new trees, according to the local authority.
Assistant chief executive at the council, Giles Perritt, previously said although the council knew "some people will not be happy", it needed to "get on with this scheme".
The council said the felling, which started at about 20:30 GMT on Tuesday, took place at night "for reasons of public safety and impact on the city centre".
Plymouth City Council said 169 new trees would be planted in the new scheme
Adam Cormack, head of campaigning at the Woodland Trust, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme, it was "not always easy" to retain trees in a redevelopment.
"But there are some really good examples around the country of where mature trees are retained and they can have a very transformative impact on the look and experience," he said.
"What we are seeing here in Plymouth is what happens when the value of urban trees is under-estimated."
He said research by the University of Washington in the US had connected people's shopping habits and spending with the presence of trees.
"That shows that people like spending time in places where there are big mature trees and as a result they spend more money," he said.
"So the two things are totally connected and in Plymouth what we want to see is preservation of as many mature trees as possible because once a tree gets to that mature point in its life it's a very valuable asset to a city."
Phone repair shop owner Ali Arshad said overall, the felling of trees could benefit the views in the town.
He said: "It is a sad feeling you know when you see all the trees are cut down, and the city was looking so beautiful and now it's not looking good.
"It's hard for the people to see the trees being cut down, but maybe in future it's going to be a beautiful view."
Shop owner Caroline Sardu said although it was "quite sad all the trees coming down", it was "the right thing to do to move Plymouth city centre forward".
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-64974072 |
Welsh football: FAW members suspended for inappropriate behaviour - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The allegations include misogyny and sexism, breaching confidence and mocking political correctness. | Wales | Former FAW President Phil Pritchard is one of the members currently serving a suspension
Three male members of the Football Association of Wales (FAW) have been suspended in the past 10 months after allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
They were suspended from the FAW council, which is made up of 36 members representing local clubs, leagues and area associations across Wales.
The allegations include misogyny and sexism, breaching confidence and mocking political correctness publicly.
The FAW said it took a "robust approach" to sanctions.
The findings by the Newyddion S4C programme come at a time when sport in Wales is under scrutiny after allegations of sexism and misogyny within the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) were revealed by the BBC Wales investigates programme.
The FAW referred two of the disciplinary cases to independent arbitrators Sport Resolutions, with the other matter dealt with internally by the FAW as it was considered less serious in nature.
Former FAW President Phil Pritchard is one of the men currently serving a suspension for comments made at a pre-match dinner deemed misogynistic and sexist.
Mr Pritchard says he admitted fault due to the cost of legal fees
When asked for a response to the allegation, he lashed out at his suspension.
He denied making any sexist remarks, but claimed he pleaded guilty because paying for representation at the independent tribunal "would have cost £12,000 in legal costs".
Mr Pritchard added: "There is always a happy atmosphere at pre-match events, with plenty of banter."
He explained "the last thing he wanted to do" was upset anybody, adding he was "having a laugh and a joke when this young lady walked in and must have mistaken something".
"There were witnesses within 1ft [of me] on my table who said it didn't happen," he said.
"The only reason I said I did it was because it would have cost me a lot otherwise."
Life councillor Ron Bridges is also currently serving a long suspension for a breach of confidence. His case was also referred to Sport Resolutions.
When contacted, Mr Bridges admitted his transgression and said he had passed on embargoed team information to his son, who posted it on a popular Facebook group.
"I can't complain about the suspension or the way it was handled," said Mr Bridges.
"I broke the rules and pleaded guilty and so I'm suspended as an FAW council member, but still active in the game."
South Wales representative Huw Jones has served his suspension and now resumed his role.
Newyddion S4C has learned that his suspension, which was deemed less serious and therefore dealt with internally by the association, related to a social media post referencing a chant about former Wales international Nathan Blake.
Mr Jones was found to have used pronouns inappropriately in an attempted joke about political correctness, which was deemed unacceptable.
Mr Jones has also been asked to respond.
An FAW statement added: "Whilst we cannot comment on individual cases, the Football Association of Wales takes all disciplinary matters extremely seriously in relation to council members.
"We have processes and procedures set out within our rules and regulations, which govern how such matters must be dealt with.
"Depending on the nature of the alleged offence, it is either dealt with by an internal disciplinary procedure, or for more serious matters by an independent arbitration panel."
Last year, FAW chief executive Noel Mooney had said: "Ensuring that football in Wales is equal, diverse and inclusive for everyone is a priority for us at the Football Association of Wales."
Elections to the FAW council are due to take place this summer. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-64970096 |
China's Xi to meet Putin in Moscow next week - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Beijing said China would uphold "an objective and fair position" on the war in Ukraine. | Europe | China's President Xi Jinping will travel to Moscow next week to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, officials say.
The Kremlin said they would discuss a "comprehensive partnership and strategic co-operation".
The visit comes as Beijing, an ally of Russia, has offered proposals to end the war in Ukraine, to which the West has given a lukewarm reception.
Western countries have warned Beijing against supplying Moscow with weapons.
This will be President Xi's first visit to Russia since Russian troops invaded Ukraine. He is due to have lunch with Mr Putin on Monday followed by talks on Tuesday.
A foreign ministry spokeswoman said China would uphold "an objective and fair position" on the war in Ukraine and "play a constructive role in promoting talks for peace".
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said that China playing a genuine role in restoring sovereignty to Ukraine would be welcomed.
The fact the Chinese leader is going to Russia signals Beijing's strong support for Moscow. There's no surprise about that: Mr Putin and Mr Xi share a similar world view, both embrace the idea of a multi-polar world.
Last year the two men declared their partnership has no limits. That's not strictly true.
Up until now China has not supplied Russia with lethal aid to help it win the war in Ukraine, though the US claims China is considering doing so.
As for the declared partnership between Moscow and Beijing, Russia - with an economy a 10th the size of China's - finds itself increasingly in the role of junior partner.
So the Chinese government definitely has some sway over Russia. Other elements driving interest in this visit are Beijing's claim to be neutral and that it has not opposed speculation that it could act as an honest broker between Moscow and Kyiv.
It may not be a coincidence that Monday's meeting takes place on the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq, which was opposed by both Russia and China.
Crucially, China is coming off the back of a major diplomatic coup, having facilitated a deal for Middle East rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia to resume diplomatic relations.
However some argue that its stated neutrality is a sham and it is in Beijing's geopolitical interests for the war to continue because Russia is doing its dirty work - taking on the West and eating up Western resources and money.
China's proposals called for peace negotiations and respect for national sovereignty. But the 12-point document did not specifically say that Russia must withdraw its troops from Ukraine.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: One year of war in Ukraine in 87 seconds
In February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he wanted to meet Mr Xi - "I really want to believe that China will not supply weapons to Russia," he said.
Some US media have reported that Mr Xi and Mr Zelensky will speak by phone after the Chinese leader's visit to Moscow, but this is yet to be confirmed.
Kyiv has been pushing hard for some kind of engagement. Ukraine believes President Xi is making the visit to send a signal to the world that Russia has at least some allies.
In an interview with the BBC before President Xi's visit was announced, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said: "I don't think China has reached the moment now when it wants to, when it's ready to arm Russia. Nor do I think that this visit will result in peace… The visit to Moscow in itself is a message but I don't think it will have any immediate consequences."
The message, Mr Kuleba said, was "that China and Russia are very close, close enough for the Chinese leader to visit his Russian counterpart, who is not doing very well.
"And I think this is the message to the entire world, to the West but also most importantly, to the non-West, that Russia is not alone, that China is talking to them."
The US is keen for Mr Xi and Mr Zelensky to be in contact. The US National Security Council's spokesman said it would be "a very good thing if the two of them talk".
On Thursday, China's foreign minister urged Kyiv and Moscow to restart peace talks as soon as possible during a phone call with Mr Kuleba, who in turn said the two had discussed the "significance of the principle of territorial integrity". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64986486 |
Lance Reddick, star of The Wire and John Wick, dies aged 60 - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Reddick, who played Charon in the John Wick action-thriller movies, died of natural causes. | US & Canada | Actor and musician Lance Reddick was known for starring in the John Wick movie franchise and the HBO series The Wire
Lance Reddick, an actor in the popular HBO series The Wire, has died aged 60, according to US media outlets.
Reddick was also known for starring as Charon in the John Wick action-thriller movie franchise.
The musician and actor died suddenly of natural causes on Friday in his Los Angeles home, his publicist said.
Police were called to the actor's house around 09:30 local time (16:30 GMT), the publicist told US media.
"Lance will be greatly missed," his publicist, Mia Hansen, said in a statement. "Please respect his family's privacy at this time."
Reddick had been in the middle of a press tour for the fourth instalment of the John Wick movies, which is slated to be released on 24 March.
He is also set to appear in the upcoming John Wick spinoff, Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas.
Reddick, a native of Baltimore, appeared in more than a dozen films and shows during his 25-year acting career.
He was Charon, the hotel concierge at a New York criminal underground hub called The Continental Hotel in the John Wick movies. He appeared in the original movie, its two sequels and is set to appear in the fourth instalment.
The actor was also known for his breakout role as Baltimore police lieutenant Cedric Daniels in The Wire, a series that ran from 2002 to 2008 and examined the narcotics scene in Baltimore from the perspective of law enforcement as well as drug dealers and users.
Reddick told the Guardian in 2010 that he thought the show would be a "hit" but did not anticipate it "would become this phenomenon".
The actor was in the Resident Evil Netflix series and the science fiction-action movie Godzilla vs. Kong.
He was known for his voice acting work as well, including for the TV series Rick and Morty.
Reddick studied classical music at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in New York, where he received a bachelor's degree before attending the Yale School of Drama.
He earned a SAG Award nomination in 2021 along with fellow cast members for his role in the film One Night in Miami.
The actor is survived by his wife, Stephanie, as well as a daughter, Yvonne Nicole Reddick, and a son, Christopher Reddick.
Reddick told the Los Angeles Times in 2009 that he felt like an "artist at heart".
"When I went to drama school, I knew I was at least as talented as other students, but because I was a black man and I wasn't pretty, I knew I would have to work my butt off to be the best that I would be," he said at the time.
His death comes two years after Reddick's co-star Michael K Williams, who played Omar in The Wire, died of an overdose. Last year, four people were charged for allegedly selling the drugs that Williams took before his death.
• None Four charged in drug death of The Wire actor | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64959805 |
Kyle Walker indecent exposure allegation dealt with, police say - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The England and Man City star will not face charges over indecent exposure allegations, police say. | Manchester | England and Manchester City footballer Kyle Walker will not face criminal charges over newspaper allegations that he indecently exposed himself in a bar.
Cheshire Police began investigating after The Sun reported an alleged incident in Wilmslow on 5 March.
It said a 32-year-old man attended a police station voluntarily for questioning on Thursday and was "dealt with by an out of court disposal".
The force said the matter was "now closed".
The Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner's website states that out of court disposals are used by the police to deal with low-level crime and anti-social behaviour instead of taking an offender to court
Manchester City and Mr Walker's agent declined to comment at the time of the report, while City manager Pep Guardiola later said the allegations were a "private issue".
On Thursday, the right-back was included in England's squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine.
England manager Gareth Southgate said he had "spoken at length" with Walker before selecting him.
"He is back playing with his club, there is no conclusive evidence to leave him out at this stage," he said.
"I have to be careful on being the moral judge on things."
Walker has played for Manchester City since July 2017, when he joined from Tottenham in a £45m transfer, and holds 70 England caps.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-64993973 |
Justin Bieber: Boy with Ramsay Hunt syndrome thanks star - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Ethan, 8, and Justin Bieber both have Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS), which can cause facial paralysis. | Wales | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Ethan has had the condition since he was six years old
An eight-year-old boy with the same rare condition as Justin Bieber has said the star's diagnosis would help raise awareness.
Ethan, from Newport, and Bieber both have Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS), which, among other things, can cause facial paralysis.
Ethan said he wished Bieber well, and that him going public had made it "easier to talk about" the condition.
A big Bieber fan, Ethan has had the condition since he was six years old.
RHS is when a shingles outbreak affects the facial nerve near someone's ears, resulting in paralysis of parts of the face as well as blisters in the ears and on the roof of the mouth.
Justin Bieber had to cancel his world tour this month due to ongoing issues with the condition.
Justin revealed his health issues on social media last year
Ethan said he was "really shocked" to find out the musician was suffering with the same illness when he announced it last year.
He said: "I knew what he was going to have to go through and some of what he had to go through was going to be scary."
Ethan has offered Bieber some words of advice: "have a lot of rest" and "do exercises on your face".
Although a full recovery is possible, Ethan said Bieber should be aware of the long lasting impact.
"You'll still see a little bit of it, even if nobody else can ever see it," he said.
Ethan's mum Kirsty say she worries other people may be misdiagnosed due to a lack of awareness
Ethan's mother Kirsty said she understood how "heartbreaking" it must be for Justin and his fans to have to cancel the tour, but that she and her son "probably understood that more than a lot of people".
"Ramsay Hunt syndrome can affect people in many different ways," she said.
"It causes a lot of tiredness and a lot of pain. So I can completely understand him cancelling his tour."
Kirsty added she had "felt really sorry for him" when he had to cancel his tour but it had "helped with making other people aware of the condition".
"I'd just like there to be more support out there - the hospitals don't have much information and it's really hard to get any information or any treatment plan. So the more awareness that's brought to the condition the better," she added.
Facial paralysis is one of the symptoms of Ramsay Hunt syndrome
In a survey of 206 RHS patients in the UK, Facial Palsy UK found that over 50% of those with RHS had been initially misdiagnosed as having Bell's palsy.
This was the case for Ethan when Kirsty took him to the Grange Hospital in Cwmbran in January 2021.
Initially she thought the symptoms were due to a cold, but she noticed his face had started to drop on one side, a symptom common to both Bell's palsy and RHS.
Ethan was diagnosed with Bell's palsy, given steroids and sent home.
It was only after Kirsty did her own research that she started to believe it was in fact RHS. She approached doctors, who agreed.
Ethan has given Justin Bieber some tips on to how to cope with the condition
"Its really hard - because it is so rare you've got nowhere to turn," said Kirsty.
"I didn't know of anybody who had the same condition - I couldn't talk to anybody who could just give me life experience and things that I should do and things that I shouldn't do. I didn't have any of that."
Kirsty went on to pay for facial therapy for Ethan in 2021 and 2022, which helped him make a strong recovery, but she still worries.
"I think the future's slightly uncertain," she said.
"There's underlying aspects to the condition that are still very apparent to him."
A spokesman for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board apologised that Kirsty was unhappy with her care and encouraged her to contact them directly.
Charity Facial Palsy UK said Wales needed more funding for the condition.
A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We recognise the distress that Ramsay Hunt syndrome and other facial paralysis can cause.
"Our Quality Statement for Neurological Conditions sets the outcomes and standards we expect health boards to achieve in delivering support and treatment for people living with any kind of neurological condition.
"We want all those living with a neurological condition to live their best lives and will continue to work with health boards and the Neurological Conditions Implementation Group to raise awareness of all neurological conditions and to develop and deliver effective services." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-64978860 |
St Patrick's Day: Thousands gather for events in NI - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | People have attended in festivities across NI, including parades, concerts and family events. | Northern Ireland | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. St Patrick's Day events took place in towns and cities across Northern Ireland
Thousands of people have taken part in St Patrick's Day festivities in Northern Ireland.
Among the big events taking place was the parade in Belfast city centre, staged by arts organisation Beat Carnival.
It used the spectacle to mark the 25th anniversary of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Celebrations kicked off in County Fermanagh on Thursday night with the inaugural St Patrick's Eve flotilla.
Colourful characters made their way up Slemish Mountain on Friday
People of all backgrounds joined the parade in Newry, County Down
Hundreds lined the streets of Belfast for this year's parade
Friday's music-themed parade in Belfast started at 13:30 with hundreds gathered around City Hall to enjoy musicians and Irish dancers.
David Boyd, director of Beat Carnival - who produced the Belfast parade - said 800 people from across the community were participating this year.
"We decided to have a music theme, Belfast being a Unesco city of music," he said.
The procession included ancient horns of Ireland, traditional folk, disco, punk and a dance rave.
Pipers joined the Belfast parade, which had a music theme this year
The inaugural St Patrick's Eve flotilla on the River Erne, with Enniskillen Castle lit up in green in the background
The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Sinn Féin's Tina Black, was among those enjoying the festvities
Celebrations started early in County Fermanagh with several dozen vessels lit up for the occasion on Thursday evening.
The boats sailed through Enniskillen, past the illuminated castle, and people gathered along the banks of the River Erne to watch them.
Londonderry's streets were packed on Friday, with thousands having come to the city centre to witness a lively parade and colourful performances.
The theme around this year's festivities in Derry was Recycle and Renewal, with some of the participants costumes created from leftover T-shirts from last year's Waterside half marathon.
Irish dancers, drummers and mummers marched through the streets of a rainy Armagh to entertain the thousands who turned out in Ireland's ecclesiastical capital.
The water spectacle continued in Enniskillen, with leprechauns and superheroes among those braving the cold of River Erne with a hydrofoil display.
And on land, parade attendees were brought Back to the Future when St Patrick arrived in a DeLorean.
The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the 1st Battalion Irish Guards at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, England
Actor Patrick Duffy, who played Bobby Ewing in the hit 1980s TV series Dallas, attended the parade in Dublin
Seamus O'Hara returned from a week in Los Angeles for the Oscars to take part in the parade in Newry
Seamus O'Hara, star of Oscar-winning Northern Ireland film An Irish Goodbye, took part in the Newry parade with his GAA club.
Originally from Glens of Antrim, he now lives in Killeavy in County Armagh.
After last week's Oscar success he was hoping to sing happy birthday to his son who turned seven on Friday.
Throughout Friday morning people visited what is believed to be St Patrick's grave in Downpatrick, County Down.
Among them were Sophie and Lucy, who said: "We're going to the parade later, our friend's mum is painting our faces and daddy is going to buy us treats."
Sophie and Lucy were among the first visitors to what is believed to be St Patrick's grave this morning
An early-morning service was held at St Patrick's first church in Saul, County Down, and some of those who attended went on to climb nearby Slieve Patrick.
Stephen Moore and his son Phillip Moore travelled to the church in Saul from Banbridge in County Down.
"We've come a few times because we enjoy the fellowship and to celebrate St Patrick," said Stephen.
Events were also held in Armagh, Broughshane and Derry by the Orange Order and the Apprentice Boys of Derry to celebrate St Patrick's Day.
Orange Order Grand Secretary, Rev Mervyn Gibson, said it was becoming an increasingly special day for the organisation.
"St Patrick is there for everybody on the island of Ireland to celebrate and we celebrate it from an Ulster-British perspective and that's what we'll seek to do in the institution," he told BBC Radio's Evening Extra programme.
He said people might be surprised by the Orange Order's involvement in St Patrick's Day events but he hoped attitudes would shift.
"People tended to think that the 12 July was just for the orange and St Patrick's Day was just for the green, but certainly I don't feel that way," he said.
The leaders of Ireland's main Churches, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh John McDowell (centre), and Catholic Archbishop Eamon Martin (right), were among those celebrating in Armagh
In the Republic of Ireland, up to half a million people descended on Dublin for a parade led by the women's national football team, Irish state broadcaster RTÉ reported.
The parade, the biggest on the island of Ireland, began at Parnell Square at 12:00 local time, with marchers making their way through the city.
Crowds gathered early in Dublin for the Parade through the city centre
About half a million people celebrating in Dublin city centre this year | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64983006 |
Boris Johnson reselected as candidate for Uxbridge and South Ruislip - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | There had been speculation the former PM might try to find a safer seat before the next election. | London | Boris Johnson is still thought to harbour hopes of one day returning to No 10
Boris Johnson has been reselected as the Conservative candidate for the Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.
It follows speculation the former prime minister might seek a safer seat ahead of the next general election in 2025.
Allies of Mr Johnson have always rejected this idea.
While Mr Johnson holds a 7,000-vote majority, his west London seat is seen as a realistic target for Labour at the next election.
Since leaving office in September, he has declared more than £1m in speaking fees.
Earlier this month, he criticised the deal with the EU that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak agreed to replace elements of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
In a statement on Thursday, the Uxbridge and South Ruislip Conservative Association said: "Tonight the Uxbridge and South Ruislip selection committee adopted Boris Johnson as our parliamentary candidate.
"We look forward to continuing to work alongside him to deliver for the residents and communities within the constituency, where he has strong connections and involvement.
"His commitment to deliver a new Hillingdon Hospital for Uxbridge and South Ruislip residents remains at the forefront of his work as our local MP."
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PC who hit ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson guilty of gross misconduct - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A panel finds Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith used excessive force, but rules she can keep her job. | Shropshire | PC Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith used excessive force against the former Aston Villa striker
A PC who repeatedly struck ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson on the night he was killed by her colleague has been found guilty of gross misconduct.
Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith hit the former Aston Villa striker six times with her baton as he lay on the ground in 2016.
A disciplinary panel decided the West Mercia Police officer used excessive force, but ruled she could keep her job and gave her a final written warning.
Mr Atkinson's sister said she was "very disappointed" with the outcome.
The Atkinson family's lawyer said the fact PC Bettley-Smith remained in her job was "an insult to them".
PC Benjamin Monk was jailed for manslaughter in 2021, having tasered the 48-year-old and kicked him in the head outside his father's house in Telford, Shropshire.
His colleague and partner, PC Bettley-Smith was acquitted of actual bodily harm at a retrial last year, however, the police watchdog called for a gross misconduct hearing.
The panel could have sacked the 33-year-old, but was instructed to also consider a final written warning by the force's deputy chief constable.
Dalian Atkinson had a successful career at clubs including Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town
It previously heard how the officers, who were in a relationship at the time, had responded to a 999 call and arrived to find Mr Atkinson appearing "in the grip of a psychotic episode".
PC Bettley-Smith initially struck him three times, which the panel agreed were lawful.
But it found a further three strikes were "unnecessary, disproportionate and unreasonable in all the circumstances and therefore unlawful".
Mr Atkinson died after being tasered and kicked at least twice in the head by Monk, who was a more experienced officer.
The panel was told PC Bettley-Smith used her baton on the former player, claiming she "perceived" he was trying to get up.
However, several civilian witnesses recalled Mr Atkinson "was not moving" and "was not resistant".
PC Benjamin Monk's trial heard the two officers were in a relationship at the time of the 999 call
The independent tribunal decided she had acted wrongly when she struck him again after police back-up arrived.
Earlier in the week the panel had been told Mr Atkinson had been "beset by health problems" before his death, including end-stage kidney failure needing dialysis and significant heart problems.
The ex-footballer, who started his career at Ipswich Town before moving to Sheffield Wednesday, Real Sociedad, Aston Villa and Fenerbahçe in the 1990s, died about an hour after the assault.
Monk's criminal trial heard police had been called to Meadow Close at about 01:30 BST on 15 August 2016, where Mr Atkinson was in the midst of a mental breakdown and had been claiming to be the Messiah.
Judge Inman said he had "suddenly lost touch with reality" and was "unrecognisable" to those who knew him.
When the officers arrived they claimed to be "terrified" of the sportsman.
Meadow Close in Trench was sealed off after the incident
Prosecutor Dijen Basu KC earlier told the disciplinary panel PC Bettley-Smith's second set of strikes were "wholly unreasonable, wholly unjustified and above all, to use normal language, it was outrageous to do that in the circumstances".
The officer, who denied using excessive force, said in evidence: "I just remember what I perceived to be a really aggressive, hostile, growling and just thought we had antagonised him even more by tasering him."
But three different residents watching from their windows described how Mr Atkinson lay still on the ground after being tasered, with one adding, "when he fell - he never moved".
Delivering the panel's findings, chairman Karimulla Khan said: "In those circumstances, the panel finds the first three baton strikes were lawful.
"There was then the intervening kick, by PC Monk, at which point, PC Bettley-Smith then applied a second set of three baton strikes.
"And the panel finds that the second set of three baton strikes were unnecessary, disproportionate and unreasonable in all the circumstances and were therefore unlawful."
Following the decision, Mr Basu said PC Bettley-Smith's conduct had been serious but the circumstances had also been complex and fast-moving, and the panel had looked at her actions in context.
"She was plainly on the periphery of the actions taken by PC Monk, which were entirely different, several stages of magnitude different."
Patrick Gibbs KC, acting for PC Bettley-Smith, said the past six and a half years had been "significant punishment in itself".
He said her conduct until that moment had "been admirable, certainly unimpeachable" and that her unlawful baton strikes had occurred in the space of a 27-second period, following which she had again presented "admirable conduct".
"This involves a miscalculation in the heat of moment in the degree of force which still now needed to be used," he added.
Mr Atkinson's older sister, Elaine, said the family had been "shattered" by his death and she thought PC Bettley-Smith's action were serious enough that she should be sacked.
"I am disappointed really with the outcome. At the end of the day, Dalian's gone and it's down to those officers... it shouldn't have happened."
Asked if she felt PC Bettley-Smith was an officer who should still be in the job protecting the public, she replied: "I, personally, don't think so."
Elaine Atkinson said the family had been shattered by her brother Dalian's death
The family's solicitor, Kate Maynard, said they welcomed the gross misconduct ruling but "the fact that she remains in her job is an insult to [them]".
"It's been seven years and they've found themselves involved in various complex legal proceedings, and it's taken a massive toll on them," she explained.
"It is disappointing that the last word on this matter is that PC Bettley-Smith keeps her job. You have to ask what it takes to remove an officer from their duties."
In a statement, West Mercia Police's deputy chief constable Alex Murray said the force extended its "sincerest condolences" to the family.
"We know there is no end to the grief they have to live with, and our thoughts are with them," he said.
Mr Murray added the panel had been overseen by an independent chairman and was made up of people from outside the force.
"At the hearing... PC Bettley-Smith was given the opportunity to explain her actions. This follows the national procedure.
"On the night Dalian died, police were called to protect him, his family and the public but that did not happen. As a result, PC Ben Monk is in prison.
"PC Bettley-Smith, who was a student officer at the time, was acquitted at court of criminal wrongdoing."
The Independent Office for Police Conduct, which found the officer had a case to answer after its investigation in 2018, said it was satisfied with the outcome.
Its regional director Derrick Campbell added: "The vast majority of police officers do a very difficult job, in often very difficult circumstances, and are given huge powers to protect us and we expect them, when they use those powers, to use them in a reasonable and proportionate way."
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-64989418 |
Teachers' strikes in England paused for talks - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Talks between the government and unions will focus on teacher pay, conditions and workload reduction. | Family & Education | Teachers' unions and the government are holding "intensive" talks to try to end a dispute over pay in England.
The National Education Union said it would not announce any further strike dates for the next two weeks, while the talks are ongoing.
The most recent strike was on Thursday, which disrupted more than half of England's schools.
The Department for Education said the talks would focus on teacher pay, conditions and workload reduction.
"In order for talks to begin and, we hope, reach a successful conclusion, the NEU has confirmed it will create a period of calm for two weeks during which time they have said no further strike dates will be announced," a statement said.
Four teachers' unions - the Association of School and College Leaders, National Association of Head Teachers, NASUWT and the NEU - are all involved in the talks with the Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan.
The negotiations will continue over the weekend.
More than half of schools in England closed or restricted attendance on 15 and 16 March.
Data released by the Department for Education showed 47% of all schools in England were open but restricting attendance, and 6% were fully closed on both strike days this week.
The National Education Union, which represents 300,000 teachers are asking for an above inflation pay increase - that does not come from existing budgets in schools.
It says it is about investing in this generation of children who have been hit so hard by Covid.
Most state school teachers in England had a 5% rise in 2022. The government offered most teachers a 3% rise in 2023-24 - which the NEU says is not enough. Inflation is currently running at about 10% in the UK.
Strike action in Wales has already been paused and in Scotland the dispute has been settled.
In Wales, the NEU is consulting members on a increased pay offer of 8% for 2022-23 (6.5% plus a one off payment of 1.5%) and a 5% increase for 2023/24.
And in Scotland, unions have accepted an increased pay offer of 7% for 2022-23, which would be backdated to April. They have also been offered a 5% rise in April 2023, and a 2% one in January 2024. It was formally agreed on Tuesday.
In England, no new strike dates have been scheduled, but the NEU ballot lasts until mid-July which means they can announce new strikes dates until then.
Education Secretary Ms Keegan previously said she has been extremely disappointed by the strike action.
The news that talks between teachers and the government will resume comes after a breakthrough in the NHS strike action on Thursday, with a new pay offer.
Union leaders representing nurses and ambulance workers have suspended strike action while members vote on the deal, which includes a 5% pay rise from April as well as a one-off payment of at least £1,655 to top up the past year's pay award.
Are you a teacher or parent impacted by the industrial action? Do you think the talks will bring a resolution? Please email us: [email protected].
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-64987854 |
Widower's plea for answers over wife's grave mix-up - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Thomas Duncan accuses a council of treating his wife as if she does not matter after the grave mix-up. | Liverpool | Thomas Duncan says he feels he has let down his late wife Janet
The grieving husband of a woman who was buried in the wrong grave has accused a council of treating his late wife as if she does not matter.
Thomas Duncan said he was still waiting for answers from Cheshire West and Chester Council over the mix-up.
His wife Janet Duncan, 73, was buried in the wrong plot at Neston Cemetery on 26 January.
A council spokesman said it was a "delicate issue" and investigations into what happened were continuing.
Mrs Duncan, who worked as a foster carer for 35 years and cared for 85 boys during this time, was due to be buried in a pre-paid plot following her death on 30 December.
But Mr Duncan, 65 said he realised there was a problem when the stonemason, who was creating his wife's headstone, had applied to the council for permission to install a memorial.
Thomas Duncan says he feels "angry" by the lack of answers over the mix-up
He told BBC North West Tonight: "They phoned me back a few days later and said the council refused permission for a stone to be put on the grave because your name is not on the deeds.
"I phoned the local authority up. I just couldn't take it in.
"They just said my name wasn't on the deeds and they would investigate it."
Mr Duncan said since reporting the issue he had received little contact from the council and was still waiting for a call back two weeks later.
"The council won't talk to me," he said.
"They treat me without any courtesy, any respect, and, more importantly, they treat my good wife as if she doesn't matter and she does."
Mr Duncan said he had been left feeling "angry".
"I think you go through every emotion. All I want to know is what's going on?," he said.
"When can it be sorted? They're not interested."
Mr Duncan said: "I just need an answer. People say to me you've done nothing, you shouldn't feel guilty, you haven't done anything wrong, but I do. I feel as if I've let her down."
A council spokesman said: "This is a very delicate issue and investigations are ongoing.
"The council is in contact with those involved and understands the emotional impact it has had on all concerned."
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-64990899 |
Morton's Rolls restart production after rescue - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | More than 100 jobs are saved after the company is bought by a consortium of investors. | Scotland business | Production has restarted at Scottish bakery Morton's Rolls on Sunday after the firm was bought out of administration by a consortium.
About 110 workers - nearly half of the previous workforce - were recalled to work immediately after being made redundant earlier this week.
Morton's was bought by investors PVL after talks with HMRC, administrators and the Scottish government.
PVL said it was confident it could turn the company's fortunes around.
It added that it planned to take on further jobs "in the short, medium to long term if the right support is available".
It is understood that the new owners will initially focus on core products, including its traditional crispy rolls.
They plan to crank up production to its previous level of one million rolls a week.
Drumchapel-based Morton's ceased production on 3 March after suffering financial difficulties.
Redundancy notices were later sent out by a provisional liquidator from FRP Advisory, who was appointed following Morton's Rolls' collapse.
The company attributed its problems to the Covid pandemic and the rise in energy prices "exacerbated by contractual obligations to large supermarkets".
PVL representative John McIlvogue said: "This is a bittersweet moment for me, for the people who work here and for the wider community that relies on the jobs this factory provides.
"None of us wanted the past couple of weeks to unfold in the way that they have, but it has been entirely outwith our control.
"The important thing now is that Morton's is back in action, we've got the workforce back on the production line, and we're ready to start producing our famous rolls that the good people of Glasgow have been crying out for."
Mr McIlvogue said that while the business was "undoubtedly viable", its factory was "antiquated and in need of a serious overhaul".
He added: "That's where we need the help of the Scottish government and its agencies, something we are hopeful we can iron out in the coming weeks."
Glasgow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, who helped to support the takeover negotiations, welcomed the latest developments.
He said: "It is with a sense of relief that after almost two weeks of intense, detailed discussions, production will now restart at Morton's Rolls and over 100 jobs have been saved.
He added: "These circumstances are by no means perfect, and there is still work to be done to make sure Morton's is a sustainable business that can thrive for generations to come.
"There is a commitment from the government to make sure they do everything in their power to make sure that is the case, and I will do everything in my power to hold them to that commitment."
The Scottish government welcomed the re-employment of some of the staff made redundant after the company ceased to trade, and said it would support those still affected.
A spokesman added: "Business Minister Ivan McKee and Scottish Enterprise have both spoken with the investor and have asked for detailed information on proposals for the future of the Morton's Rolls site. We await those details.
"Those employees who are still affected by the closure of Morton's Rolls remain our immediate priority.
"The Scottish government's initiative for responding to redundancy situations, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (Pace), will continue to offer support to affected employees."
Morton's Rolls was originally founded by Bob Morton and Jim Clarke in 1965 at their bakery near Drumchapel, in the west of Glasgow.
Over the years, Morton's expanded its product range to include savoury products such as pies and bridies, and sweet offerings including apple turnovers and doughnuts. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-64976398 |
Calls for talks to end junior doctors' strikes - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Unions and ministers are being urged to start talks after a pay breakthrough with other NHS workers. | Health | Doctors' leaders and ministers are being urged to start formal pay talks after a breakthrough on a deal with other NHS staff in England.
Unions for NHS staff, including nurses and ambulance workers, recommended on Thursday their members back a fresh offer of a 5% pay rise from April.
But the British Medical Association (BMA) and government are not yet in talks to resolve the doctors' dispute.
Junior doctors in England took part in a three-day walkout earlier this week.
The strike, which affected planned and emergency care, caused major disruption, NHS bosses said.
Thursday's fresh pay offer to NHS staff, including nurses, ambulance workers and physiotherapists, has the backing of most unions, and has brought hope the strikes that have blighted the NHS over the winter are a thing of the past.
This offer, which is not yet a done deal, includes a one-off payment of at least £1,655 to recognise working through the pandemic.
The 14 unions involved will now put it to their members to vote on, with the biggest three - the Royal College of Nursing, Unison and the GMB - all backing the deal.
But the Unite union has said it cannot recommend the offer but will put it to a vote and support the decision they make.
The junior doctors' pay dispute is far from resolved with the BMA calling for a 35% pay rise, which it argues will reverse 15 years of cuts.
But the breakthrough in the separate NHS staff dispute has raised hopes that the stand-off between the government and junior doctors could be resolved.
Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chair of the junior doctors committee at the BMA, said the organisation was in touch with the health secretary and negotiators could meet "in the near future".
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's disappointing that it's taken strike action to have meaningful discussion but it's promising that they're able to move forward and I only hope we're able to do that in our own dispute."
The government made a last-minute offer of formal pay talks last Friday - three days before the walkout.
However, the BMA rejected it, saying the pre-conditions were not acceptable.
The government was only prepared to discuss pay for junior doctors for the next financial year along with the option of a one-off payment for the past year in return for calling off the strike action.
This was the same offer made to the unions acting on behalf of other NHS staff, according to sources.
Following Thursday's breakthrough, Health Secretary Steve Barclay called for the junior doctors to call off industrial action and enter into talks, saying the request for a 35% pay rise was "not affordable".
"We have offered the same terms to the junior doctors that were accepted by the other trade unions and that is what I hope the junior doctors will respond to," he said.
Thursday's pay offer now puts the onus on both sides in the doctors' dispute to show willingness to get round the table.
Letters have been exchanged in the past 24 hours between Mr Barclay and the BMA but as yet no agreement has been reached on starting talks.
Privately many observers are saying the biggest pressure is on the doctors. If other frontline NHS staff who are overall lower paid than junior doctors are willing to accept a 5% rise and a one-off payment of between £1,600 to £2,500 why should doctors hold out for 35% more, they are asking.
Matthew Taylor, of the NHS Confederation, said: "Health leaders will be urging junior doctors and the government to use this deal as a way of entering talks to address that dispute."
And Sir Julian Hartley, the head of NHS Providers, added there must be "urgent movement on talks" and said both sides needed to "redouble" the efforts.
Louise Ansari, head of the patient watchdog Healthwatch England, said: "We now urge a swift resolution of pay disputes between doctors and government to avoid any further delays to patient care."
The question over how any pay deal will be paid for remains. Ministers said they could guarantee there would be no impact on frontline services as the result of Thursday's pay offer to NHS staff.
Mr Barclay said there would be discussions with the Treasury over how it would be funded and the Department of Health would look at areas of underspend and administrative savings to help fund the pay deal.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the pay deal "affordable for the taxpayer", saying it continued to deliver on his promise to halve inflation.
Strike action has also been paused in Wales and Scotland by most unions while new offers are considered. The GMB in Scotland has accepted the Scottish offer, worth 14% over two years. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64983764 |
Junior doctor strike led to 175,000 cancellations - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The walkout was the most disruptive NHS strike yet this winter - but pay talks have now been agreed. | Health | More than 175,000 patient appointments and procedures had to be cancelled in England when junior doctors went on strike this week, figures reveal.
That makes it the most disruptive NHS strike yet this winter.
Tens of thousands of medics took part in the 72-hour strike, with more senior hospital colleagues asked to cover.
Junior doctors' representatives at the British Medical Association (BMA) have now accepted an offer to enter pay talks with the government.
The BMA said it would not announce new strike action while the negotiations were taking place.
While emergency care was provided by consultants during the strike, many planned, non-urgent treatments were rescheduled.
NHS England medical director Prof Sir Stephen Powis said: "Despite the huge efforts that NHS staff made to keep patients safe and minimise disruption, this strike was on an unprecedented scale and had a greater impact than all the other industrial action we have seen so far this winter combined.
"Over 175,000 appointments and procedures were rescheduled to protect emergency, critical and urgent care for patients, which will inevitably impact on efforts to tackle the Covid backlog."
Some of the delayed appointments and procedures will include hip and knee operations, as well routine checks for patients with conditions such as diabetes and even cancer.
The NHS has been trying to tackle a backlog made worse by Covid - there are still 7.2 million people on waiting lists for treatment in England.
Nurses, ambulance workers and physios have also staged strikes this winter, but have now paused action while they consider a pay offer from government.
The Department of Health and Social Care said it deeply regretted the cancellation of appointments but was "pleased" the BMA had agreed to enter talks, on the same terms as unions representing the other NHS workers.
It added the government was seeking a "fair settlement which recognises the crucial role of junior doctors and the wider economic pressures facing the UK".
The BMA said it sent a letter to Health Secretary Steve Barclay on Friday after the government's new pay offer to other NHS workers, proposing to meet next week.
In a Twitter post, the BMA said its aim was to achieve full pay restoration, adding it would enter the negotiations in "good faith".
The BMA is calling for a 35% pay rise for junior doctors, arguing this would reverse 15 years of cuts.
Junior doctors represent nearly half of the medical workforce in England and include those who have just graduated from university, through to some with 10 years of experience.
Two-thirds of junior doctors are members of the BMA.
The latest figures suggest at least 86,000 were involved in the industrial action this week.
Dr Vivek Trivedi and Dr Rob Laurenson, the co-chairs of the BMA junior doctors committee, said: "Every day junior doctors despair as they see operations cancelled and treatment postponed for the millions on the waiting lists because our health services are in crisis.
"But rescheduling appointments as a result of the strike action could have been avoided if the health secretary had come to the table and negotiated an agreed settlement with us before any strike action was taken.
"The NHS had more than two months' notice that we would strike for 72 hours if the ballot was successful; the government has been in no doubt about our campaign for full pay restoration for over six months and this has been borne out by the number of junior doctors in England who have taken part in the industrial action."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64995025 |
Sam Neill diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Jurassic Park star opens up about living with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in his new memoir. | Entertainment & Arts | Sam Neill played palaeontologist Dr Alan Grant in the 1993 film Jurassic Park, and later reprised the role
The actor Sam Neill has revealed he has had "a ferocious type of aggressive" non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The Jurassic Park star, 75, was diagnosed with Stage three cancer in March 2022 and thought: "I'm crook, I'm dying."
Unable to work, he started writing as a distraction and to "give me a reason to get through the day," he tells the BBC.
In his new memoir, Did I Ever Tell you This?, he discusses his illness and his near 50-year career on screen.
Neill first noticed he had lumpy glands in his neck on a publicity tour for Jurassic World Dominion last year.
When doctors told him what was wrong, he said his reaction was "pretty phlegmatic", but it made him "take stock of things."
"I thought I need to do something, and I thought, 'Shall I start writing?'" he says.
"I didn't think I had a book in me, I just thought I'd write some stories. And I found it increasingly engrossing.
"A year later, not only have I written the book - I didn't have a ghost writer - but it's come out in record time.
"I suspect my publishers, they're delightful people, but I think they wanted to get it out in a hurry just in case I kicked the bucket before it was time to release the thing."
Indeed at one point he thinks the subtitle for the book might have been Notes from a Dying Man.
There are, he says, "dark days." He lost his hair after the first round of chemotherapy and writes in the memoir that when he looks in the mirror, "there's a bald, wizened old man there."
"More than anything I want my beard back. I don't like the look of my face one bit."
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a less common cancer that develops in the lymphatic system - the vast network of vessels and glands in the body.
But the star of films including The Piano, and TV's Peaky Blinders, is now in remission and remains positive.
"I'm not afraid of dying," he says. "What I don't want to do is to stop living, because I really enjoy living."
He continues: "I've regarded it as an adventure, quite a dark adventure, but an adventure nevertheless. And the good days are just fantastic and when you get some good news it's absolutely exhilarating."
The book, he is at pains to stress, is not about cancer. "I can't stand cancer books."
Instead it is mostly about what he calls his "fun" and "unlikely" life and long career. He's appeared in more than 70 films, working alongside actors including Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett and Jeff Goldblum.
He doesn't think screen acting has changed much over the decades but he does have a grumble about "mumbling" - actors who fail to enunciate their lines.
"I think it's a thing that a lot of young actors have that it's kind of sexy to have a whispering kind of thing that no one else can hear."
He blames neck microphones, which he says enable actors to "get away with whispering and mumbling because the neck microphone is going to record everything."
"It's ridiculous. We speak so we can be understood. We don't go around mumbling because someone has hung a microphone around our necks."
In the book Neill travels "through the past and the alleyways of my life." It was "a pleasure", he says, before mischievously adding: "Mostly." And at times he is refreshingly uncensored.
He describes his co-star in The Piano, the American actor Harvey Keitel, as "truculent and difficult and a bit graceless".
There is also clearly no love lost between Neill and the Australian actress Judy Davis. They appeared together in three films including My Brilliant Career and he says she's the only actress who "made it clear I wasn't in her league."
"Look," he adds, "I should've probably called this book, Spilling the Beans, because some beans I probably shouldn't have spilled and one of them was meeting Barbra Streisand."
He was flown to meet her in a hotel suite in New York in the early 1980s, to discuss a role in her film Yentl.
While he says he has always admired her, he admits: "I've never enjoyed her singing."
So when she sang not one, but two, songs from the film, at full volume from a distance of about five feet away from him, he was, he says, "in a state of shock and dismay."
Neill's new memoir is full of family photos and also sees him "spill the beans" on other famous faces
He is currently starring in the TV series The Twelve
Neill is also the man who didn't want to be James Bond. He auditioned for the part in the 1980s, on the say-so of his "assertive" agent and against his better judgment.
"I really didn't want to be the Bond that everyone didn't like.
"I didn't really want that gig at all because you're stuck with it for the rest of your life... I have never wanted to be a celebrity."
The book ends with good news. While Neill still has to undergo chemotherapy treatments, the tumours have gone.
Indeed he is about to start work on a new film in Australia with the star of American Beauty, Annette Bening. He is currently starring in the ITVX legal drama series The Twelve.
"The last thing I want is for people to obsess about the cancer thing," says Neill, "because I'm not really interested in cancer.
"I'm not really interested in anything other than living."
Did I Ever Tell You This? by Sam Neill is out on 23 March. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64969344 |
St Patrick's Day: Biden meeting Irish and NI political leaders in Washington - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | US president has been meeting taoiseach and Stormont leaders in Washington on St Patrick's Day. | Northern Ireland | Taoiseach (Irish PM) Leo Varadkar presents US President Joe Biden with the traditional bowl of shamrock to mark St Patrick's Day at the White House
President Biden has said he will make a visit to the island of Ireland "soon".
He was hosting Taoiseach (Irish PM) Leo Varadkar at the White House as part of events to mark St Patrick's Day.
The president is also meeting the leaders of the five main Stormont parties on Friday.
However, he has yet to confirm if he will visit Northern Ireland to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement next month.
He ignored most questions from reporters during a press conference in the Oval Office but when asked about a visit to Ireland he said it would happen "soon".
He said that he reaffirmed his administration's support for the Good Friday Agreement.
The president has also used Friday's engagements to voice strong support for the new Windsor Framework.
"It's a vital, vital step and it's going to help to ensure that all the people in Northern Ireland have an opportunity to realise their full potential," he told Northern Ireland's political leaders during a lunch event on Capitol Hill.
On Sunday PM Rishi Sunak said he had extended an invite to the president to visit Northern Ireland to take part in events relating to the peace deal.
Political leaders from the island of Ireland are in Washington for St Patrick's Day
Mr Varadkar said he appreciated the "support and understanding" from the US over Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol in recent years.
Both leaders also thanked each other for co-operation in relation to the war in Ukraine.
Traditionally US presidents make a visit to Ireland halfway through a presidential term.
Mr Biden has made much of his Irish roots and it is expected he will make a trip covering Northern Ireland, Dublin and County Mayo, where his ancestors are from.
It all followed a familiar script.
Warm words about a warm friendship complete with log fire and shamrock bowl.
Then a barrage of questions from 50-plus reporters but not one answer.
As we were being rushed out the Oval Office door I tried again.
When are you coming to Ireland Mr President? He smiled and said "soon".
Both leaders were well warned to give nothing away.
Details of the presidential trip may emerge later or maybe not.
The president told leaders the Windsor Framework was a "vital step" for the people of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland political leaders, business figures and PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne were among those to join President Biden at the House Speaker's lunch on Capitol Hill.
Mr Biden praised the leaders for presenting a united front following the shooting of a senior detective in Omagh, County Tyrone, last month.
"Let me say how important it was to see you standing shoulder to shoulder with Chief Constable Byrne confirming your commitment to the future following the attempted murder of Detective Chief Inspector Caldwell," said Mr Biden.
"We all have to continue to work to protect peace and stability," he added.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says he isn't feeling pressure from President Biden
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has been boycotting power-sharing at Stormont over its opposition to the trade arrangements that resulted from the original Brexit deal.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has yet to voice an opinion on the newly proposed Windsor Framework.
Speaking after Friday's lunch, Sir Jeffrey said he was "not at all" pressured by President Biden to support the deal.
"We will see the president a little later at the White House and I expect there might be some further discussion there around the politics of all of this but we'll take our time to get the right decision - I think that's fundamentally important," he told BBC News NI in Washington.
NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, seated beside the new US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, Joe Kennedy III, at the Capitol Hill lunch on Friday
Mr Varadkar performed the traditional handing over of a bowl of shamrock to the US president earlier in the Oval Office.
On Thursday night the taoiseach apologised for an "ill-judged" remark that was seen as a reference to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, which he had made during a speech in the city.
Monica Lewinsky was a young White House intern when she and the then-US President Bill Clinton embarked on an affair in the 1990s.
Leo Varadkar regrets the "intern" remark he made during his speech, says his spokesman
The taoiseach was making an address to the Washington Ireland Programme, which helps young people develop career skills.
He took part in the programme in 2000 and in his speech on Thursday he made reference to possible concern about being an intern at the time in the White House.
After the event a spokesperson for Mr Varadkar said "the taoiseach was reminiscing about his time in Washington DC as an intern 23 years ago.
"He made an ill-judged off the cuff remark which he regrets," said the spokesman.
"He apologises for any offence caused to anyone concerned."
There has been speculation for some time that Mr Biden will make a visit to Northern Ireland next month to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement.
Former Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has she hoped that devolved government at Stormont would be up and running again by then.
She was speaking after receiving an honorary doctorate from Ulster University at a ceremony in Washington.
Last year Ms Pelosi warned the UK government against undermining the Good Friday Agreement through its actions against the post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.
She had warned that if that happened there would be no US-UK trade deal.
There is music and celebration during the traditional St Patrick's Day in the White House
But last month a deal was struck between the UK and the EU on trading arrangements for Northern Ireland.
Ms Pelosi said she "fully supports" that agreement - known as the Windsor Framework - and that it opened up the possibility of a trade deal between the US and the UK. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64986566 |
Christian Atsu: Ghana funeral for footballer killed by Turkey earthquake - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Mourners pay their last respects to Christian Atsu, seen by many in Ghana as a national hero. | Europe | The 31-year-old footballer will be buried later on Friday in his home village
Hundreds of people including Ghana's president have paid their last respects to Christian Atsu, who died in last month's earthquake in Turkey.
He was honoured with a state funeral in the capital, Accra.
"In life I love you darling, in death I'll do the same," read the tearful tribute from the footballer's widow, Marie-Claire Rupio.
She was overcome with emotion and handed her speech to Atsu's sister to finish reading.
"You did not go alone, for part of me went with you," it continued. "Your smile, your love I see in our children's smiles."
Representatives of Ghana's national team and Atsu's Turkish club Hatayspor were also at the ceremony for a man seen by many as a national hero.
"Even at the peak of his career, Astu remained himself and was never overtaken by pride, arrogance or indiscipline," Sport Minister Mustapha Ussif told mourners. "His legacy will remain as an inspiration."
Atsu's body was recovered a fortnight after the quake from the rubble of his apartment building.
It was returned to Ghana almost a month ago. He will be buried later in his home village in south-eastern Ghana.
Atsu, 31, spent most of his career playing in the English Premier League for clubs including Chelsea, Newcastle and Everton.
He also made 65 appearances for Ghana, and helped the national side reach the finals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea - where he was awarded goal and player of the tournament.
Many Ghanaians have told the BBC that Atsu will be remembered for his love for humanity, and for supporting the underprivileged in the country.
Hundreds of mourners and well-wishers filed past Atsu's body on Tuesday to say their farewells.
Drumming and brass bands have been part of the colourful cultural display at an otherwise solemn event.
Well-wishers turned out in their hundreds
Respects were paid in many different ways | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64953495 |
Barrister hits out at government response to report into domestic killers - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The government should take on more of my suggestions, says the head of a review into domestic abuse murders. | UK | Poppy Devey Waterhouse and Ellie Gould were murdered by their ex-boyfriends
A barrister who led a review into how domestic killers are sentenced said she is "disappointed" her report has not been adopted in full.
Clare Wade recommended 17 reforms she said were needed to ensure justice for victims of abuse in serious cases.
The government is proceeding with some of them initially, including longer sentences for killers with a history of coercive control or extreme violence.
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said other proposals are being considered.
Ms Wade's report - published on Friday - recognised that the majority of people killed in domestic cases where there is a background of abuse are women attacked by men.
It was commissioned following the deaths of Ellie Gould 17, and Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24, who were both stabbed to death in their homes by male partners.
Under the government's plans, judges will be required by law to consider a history of coercive or controlling behaviour as an aggravating factor when deciding on a jail term, meaning those offenders will serve longer behind bars.
Changes will also ensure judges hand down longer sentences where "overkill" - or excessive violence - has been used.
Mr Raab told the BBC he is committed to cracking down on violence against women - but the head of the review warned the proposals "won't achieve the justice they are intended to achieve if they are all only implemented in part".
Ms Wade was asked by the government in September 2021 to review sentencing guidelines after ministers were warned about "systemic misogyny within the criminal justice system" by the victims' commissioner and domestic abuse commissioner.
She said she was concerned the government is pressing ahead with making a history of controlling or coercive behaviour an aggravating factor - but without enshrining it in law as a mitigating factor for when victims who kill their abusers.
Ms Wade, who was the defence barrister for Sally Challen when she became the first woman to have her murder conviction quashed under coercive control laws, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the government's approach "will make matters much worse for women who kill their abusive partners".
Mr Raab told the BBC he was "very sympathetic" to the mitigation argument but insisted he would take time between now and the summer to look at the remaining measures "carefully and not in a knee-jerk way".
Ms Wade found that under the current rules women who kill a dangerous and abusive partner with a weapon can be jailed for longer than men who use their physical strength to murder.
That is because of guidelines mandating a higher starting sentence for crimes where a weapon is used - a rule which was introduced to tackle street knife violence - which Ms Wade wants to be discounted in domestic cases.
Campaigners have previously said that the law inadvertently leads to higher sentences for women who use a weapon to defend themselves from a violent partner or ex, but the government has not adopted this recommendation.
The barrister said "two or three" of her recommendations had been adopted - but she had been told by the government that today's announcement is "interim".
Mr Raab told BBC Breakfast he was "looking at the wider recommendations" and had announced measures that can be introduced swiftly.
Other recommendations in the report which have not yet been adopted include:
Mr Raab said he wasn't able to provide a timetable for when the changes would be implemented.
The government is expected to set out a full response to the review in the summer and legislation "will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows", a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said.
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said he was committed to making sentences tougher for domestic killers
As well as ensuring that judges take coercive control and extreme violence into account, the government will also:
Carole Gould and Julie Devey, whose daughters' murders by ex-partners led to the review, welcomed the changes but told the BBC they would wait to see what weight the aggravating factors were actually given in court.
Ms Gould told the BBC she would like to see a 25-year starting point for jail sentences where extreme violence was a factor, which she said would have doubled her daughter's killer's sentence.
Ellie Gould, from Wiltshire, was stabbed to death by Thomas Griffiths, then 17, in 2019. He was jailed for 12-and-a-half years, with his age a factor in his sentence.
"In Ellie's case she was strangled and then she was stabbed 13 times. So these murders are particularly violent and brutal and I think we need to push to make sure that's recognised in the sentencing," she said.
Ms Devey, whose daughter Poppy Devey Waterhouse was stabbed 49 times in 2018, said the problem would be how much extra time was added on for the new aggravating factors.
Ms Wade said she did not advocate introducing a 25-year starting point, adding the "system is not designed to be applied mechanistically", and called for emphasis to be put on the history of abuse rather than relying on an automatic sentence requirement. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64986345 |
Attack heroes on Queen's final bravery awards list - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Five of the civilian commendations go to men who confronted the London Bridge attacker in 2019. | UK | Darryn Frost had fought the attacker with a narwhal tusk on display at Fishmongers' Hall
Members of the public who tackled the man behind the London Bridge attack in 2019 are among the recipients of the final civilian gallantry awards approved by the late Queen.
The list includes a Queen's Gallantry Medal for Darryn Frost who used a narwhal tusk to fend off Usman Khan outside the Fishmongers' Hall event.
The same award goes to two ex-offenders - John Crilly, who used a fire extinguisher on the attacker, and Steven Gallant, who helped confront him until police arrived.
Mr Gallant, who had been convicted of murder but has since been freed, has since spoken of wanting to inspire prisoners wanting to turn their lives around.
He was commended for standing his ground against Khan, who was carrying two knives and wearing what turned out to be an imitation belt of explosives.
The bravery award winners are among 15 people praised for their heroic actions in the last list approved by the Queen, who died last September.
Such awards in future will be known as the King's Gallantry Medal or the King's Commendation for Bravery.
In November 2019 Khan fatally stabbed Cambridge University graduates Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, and injured three other people at the conference held by an organisation involved in the rehabilitation of offenders in the City of London. He then ran on to London Bridge, and was later shot dead by armed officers.
A porter at the hall, Lukasz Koczocik, also received a Queen's Gallantry Medal for forcing Khan out of the venue, using an ornamental spear, despite him having sustained serious injuries from three stab wounds.
And prison officer Adam Roberts was commended for providing emergency first aid, while the attack was going on around him.
The bravery awards include those caught up in the terror attack beside London Bridge that claimed two lives
The five men brought together by the event were commended for the courage of their response - using improvised weapons and facing great danger themselves, as they chased the attacker on to the bridge.
Mr Frost used a narwhal tusk that had been on display at Fishmongers' Hall and pinned Khan down, despite the risk from what had seemed to be the suicide belt.
The final Queen's awards also include a posthumous Queen's Gallantry Medal for John Rees, who at the age of 88, died when he intervened in a knife attack at a shop in Penygraig, Rhondda in south Wales in May 2020.
There are also awards for Lisa Way and Ayette Bounouri who came to his assistance. Mrs Bounouri used a shopping basket to try to deflect the attacker.
The recipients, announced by the Cabinet Office, are nominated by the public in recognition of "exemplary bravery in saving the lives of others".
They are approved by the monarch, on the advice of the George Cross Committee which considers such awards, with these latest civilian honours the first for two years.
Oliver Dowden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said the latest recipients were "extremely worthy winners" of the Queen's last such awards.
"We all hope we'd react with courage in the face of danger. These people have lived through that test, and responded in the most admirable way," said Mr Dowden.
• None Honour for man, 88, who died trying to stop killer | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64991962 |
Passport delay warning as five-week strike called - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The five-week walkout will have a "significant impact" in the run-up to the summer travel season, unions say | UK | More than 1,000 Passport Office workers will go on strike for five weeks over a dispute about jobs, pay and conditions, unions say.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union working across England, Scotland and Wales will take part in the action from 3 April to 5 May.
Those working in Belfast will strike from 7 April to 5 May.
The union warned of delays to applications and the delivery of passports in the run-up to summer.
The Home Office said it was "disappointed" with the PCS's decision.
A spokesperson added: "We are working to manage the impact of strike action whilst ensuring we can continue to deliver vital services to the public, with comprehensive contingency plans in place."
More than 4,000 people are employed by the Passport Office across the UK, meaning that according to the union figures around one in four workers will be walking out.
The union says strike action is being targeted to cause mass disruption and involves members working in departments which examine passports - more than 1,300 people.
The offices affected in England, Scotland and Wales will include Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough and Southport.
At peak times - including the month of April when the strike will take place - the Passport Office can receive 250,000 applications per week, according to travel expert Simon Calder.
It means that more than one million applications could be sent during the strike period, he said.
The Home Office says the strike does not affect its guidance which is still to allow up to 10 weeks to get a passport, with preparations under way to meet demand.
Current waiting times for first adult passports are just over 18 days while renewals are just over 14 days, according to an independent crowd sourcing website which relies on people inputting their own application wait times.
But news of the strike has given rise to fears passports will not be processed in time for some people's holidays this summer.
Mark Smith, from Buckinghamshire, has terminal cancer and says his trip to Australia later this year is his last opportunity to visit his daughter and be there for the birth of his granddaughter. He believes whether he is able to go is now a "total lottery" because his wife's passport will need to be renewed.
"My wife told me her passport expires in November and I thought 'Well we still have time'. Now it's a total lottery.
"We will do the application and send the photos but it may disappear for months."
Another worried holidaymaker is Simon Fulton, from Newcastle, who sent off four passports for renewal on Thursday ahead of a family holiday to Croatia this June.
"If they're on strike for a month there's likely to be a massive backlog to get through," he said.
"I don't want to be waiting until the last week to find out if we can go - it's a £5,000 holiday.
"I sympathise with them [the workers] in the cost of living crisis [and] I know it's designed to make the government sit up and do something, but it feels like it's been constructed to cause a big delay which doesn't help a lot of people."
A UK adult passport is valid for 10 years, but if it is due to expire you may be refused entry into some countries.
Most countries require the passport you are travelling with to be valid for the duration of your planned stay, but other countries - mainly ones where you need visas for entry - require a passport with a certain period of time left until the expiry date. Guidance for each country can be found on the government's foreign travel advice website.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said the dispute was over a proposed 2% pay rise which he said was not being increased any further by the government.
He added the strike action had come about because "ministers have failed to hold any meaningful talks".
He added: "They've had six months to resolve this dispute but for six months have refused to improve their 2% imposed pay rise, and failed to address our members' other issues of concern."
A strike fund worth millions, funded by a levy from PCS members, has been built up to pay staff in full during the course of the five-week walkout, the union says.
The fund is growing by nearly £1m every month, Mr Serwotka told BBC News.
"All our members in the passport office will get financial support from the colleagues in the union and that means we can sustain not just this strike but many more like it for months to come", he said.
Last year, hundreds of thousands of people were affected by passport processing delays as coronavirus travel restrictions were lifted.
Are you worried about the potential delays to passport processing? Share your experiences by emailing [email protected].
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64981979 |
Fire at security building in Russia's Rostov-on-Don - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | One person dies in the blaze in a federal security service building in the southern Russian city. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
At least one person has been killed and two injured in a fire at a building used by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, Russian media say.
Dramatic footage on social media shows a large blaze, with smoke visible all over the city.
Rostov's regional governor said a short circuit appeared to have caused the fire, which ignited fuel tanks.
The street where the building is located has been cordoned off.
The blaze occurred at a building belonging to the FSB's regional border patrol section in a built-up area of the city.
The FSB is Russia's internal security service and is responsible for counter-intelligence, border security and counter-terrorism.
Rostov Governor Vassily Golubev said the fire had spread over 800 sq m, causing two walls to collapse.
In a statement, the FSB's public relations office said the blaze started at around 12:30 local time (09:30 GMT). It also confirmed there had been fatalities, but offered no further details.
Authorities managed put out the blaze by 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT), Russian media reported.
The city is the capital of the southern Rostov region bordering on the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, currently the scene of intense fighting in the war.
There have been a spate of arson attacks on government buildings in Russia, such as enlistment and conscription offices, since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said on Twitter that the incident was a "manifestation of panic" in Russia. "Ukraine doesn't interfere, but watches with pleasure," he said. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64975202 |
Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse says she can't understand northern accents - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Motsi Mabuse says she needs fellow Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood's help with northern accents. | Entertainment & Arts | Motsi Mabuse admitted she asks fellow Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood for help understanding some northern people
Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse has said she struggles to understand the accents of people from the north of England.
Mabuse, who speaks five languages, admitted she has to "really concentrate" when making conversation in the UK.
She added that fellow Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood helps translate when an accent is "too strong".
Mabuse grew up in South Africa but now lives in Germany.
Speaking to comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster on their Off Menu podcast, the 41-year-old said: "The thing is, you [Britons] all speak differently.
"Every time I'm in the country I really have to concentrate.
"Some people I just don't know … I'm just like, 'Are we speaking the same language?'
"There's a lot of accents here."
Mabuse was then asked if she struggled with contestant AJ Odudu's Blackburn dialect during series 19 of the dance reality show back in 2021.
"Yes! Yes, yes, yes. But there have been quite a few people from the north, so I'm always asking Craig. I'm just trying to understand … but it's not easy."
She added fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood sometimes acts as a translator for her when they interact with some people from the north of England.
"I really struggle with people that come from the north.
"I'm like, can you please translate at this point? It's so strong, I just don't understand, really. I'm being honest."
Mabuse can speak five languages: English, German and three South African languages including Afrikaans and Setswana.
She said that she often accidentally slips into German during broadcasts: "It's happened quite a few times.
"Plus I have that South African accent, so it's a mess. It's a complete mess."
Mabuse lives in Germany and has appeared on their version of Strictly called Let's Dance.
When the dance competition airs on BBC One every autumn and winter, she commutes to the UK every week for the live shows.
She joined Strictly in 2019 as a judge alongside Head Judge Shirley Ballas, Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64980687 |
Mounted police ride after driver holding his phone - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | null | Two mounted police officers ride after a man holding his phone while driving through a town centre. | null | Two mounted police officers rode after a man spotted holding his mobile phone while driving.
They saw him driving through East Reach in Taunton, Somerset last Tuesday and quickly turned their horses around and caught up with him.
It is illegal to hold and use a phone, tablet, or any device that can send or receive data, while driving or riding a motorcycle.
Avon and Somerset Police said the man had been issued with a traffic offence report and would be issued with a £200 fine plus six points on his licence, or he could choose to take the matter to court. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-64982398 |
Heathrow security to strike for 10 days including Easter - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The airport says contingency plans will be in place when 1,400 guards walk out in a pay dispute. | UK | Security guards at Heathrow Airport's Terminal Five are to strike for 10 days from 31 March in a dispute over pay.
The Unite union says more than 1,400 of its members employed by Heathrow will walk out in a period which covers the school Easter holidays.
Workers at T5, used by British Airways and those who check cargo entering the airport, will take part in the action, ending on Easter Sunday.
Heathrow says contingency plans will be put in place to keep the airport open.
In a statement, Heathrow said passengers can be assured the airport will be "open and operational despite unnecessary threats of strike action by Unite".
The company said it had proposed "an inflation-beating 10% increase in pay".
But Unite says the offer does not make up for years of pay freezes and cuts.
Unite union secretary general Sharon Graham says workers at Heathrow Airport are on "poverty wages" while "the chief executive and senior managers enjoy huge salaries".
She said Unite members are "simply unable to make ends meet due to the low wages" and they are striking "due to need not greed".
"It is the airport's workers who are fundamental to its success and they deserve a fair pay increase," the Unite boss said.
It comes as more than 1,000 Passport Office workers announced they would go on strike for five weeks over a dispute about jobs, pay and conditions.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union working across England, Scotland and Wales will walk out from 3 April to 5 May.
Meanwhile, those working in Belfast will strike from 7 April to 5 May.
The union warned of delays to applications and the delivery of passports in the run-up to summer, adding that the strike action was being targeted to cause mass disruption.
According to travel expert Simon Calder, at peak times - which includes April - the Passport Office can receive 250,000 applications per week. It means that more than one million applications could be sent during the strike period.
News of the strike has given rise to fears passports will not be processed in time for some people's holidays this summer.
The Home Office said it was disappointed with PCS's decision to walk out, adding that the strike does not affect its guidance which is still to allow up to 10 weeks to get a passport, with preparations under way to meet demand.
When the strike takes place at Heathrow T5 from 31 March, the airport will likely need to move resources from other areas.
The airport says the wage proposal on offer is fair, and "threatening to ruin people's hard-earned holidays with strike action will not improve the deal".
It said staff at Heathrow are paid at least the London Living Wage, while the starting salary for a security officer would be £27,754, plus shift pay and allowances, if its 10% offer is accepted. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64994967 |
More than half of England's schools disrupted by strikes - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Teachers walked out for two days this week in their long-running dispute over a fully-funded pay rise. | Family & Education | Families joined teachers on a protest march in London on Wednesday
More than 50% of schools in England closed or restricted attendance because of this week's teachers' strikes, according to government data.
Teachers belonging to the National Education Union (NEU) walked out on 15 and 16 March.
On 15 March, junior doctors, civil servants, London Underground train drivers and some BBC staff also took strike action.
It was one of the biggest days of action since the wave of unrest began.
Data released by the Department for Education showed 47% of all schools in England were open but restricting attendance, and 6% were fully closed on both strike days this week.
Secondary schools were worst affected, with 79% restricting attendance and 5% fully closed on 15 March. On 16 March, 80% restricted attendance and 6% were shut.
London had the highest proportion of affected schools, with only 18% able to fully open on both strike days.
In Manchester, mum Alison Dickinson had to juggle work and childcare again this week, with daughter Liv's school closed because of the strikes.
It was Liv's fourth day of school missed since the first national teachers' strike on 1 February.
Single mum Alison was working from home on the strike days while looking after daughter Liv
Alison's dad Pete travelled down from Preston to their home in Sale and stayed overnight to help with childcare.
But Alison said eight-year-old Liv has been struggling with the disruption.
"I think I understand the bigger picture - but it's just super-frustrating," said Alison, who runs after-school singing and drama classes for children.
"Liv's year especially, they've only had one normal year of school with no disruption, which was last year, but now every couple of weeks there's a random day off and it's so disruptive."
Speaking on Wednesday, Alison added: "She'll be all over the place tomorrow - day two - and although they think it's a novelty and fun being off school, I think she'll be bored stiff tomorrow, missing her friends, missing school, because that's her world.
"They spend so much time there, so to have that routine broken - it's a lot."
Teachers' salaries fell by an average of 11% in real terms between 2010 and 2022, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Unions claim teacher pay has fallen by as much as 23% in that time.
In England, most teachers had a 5% rise last year.
Unions argue these are pay cuts because of inflation, but the government says it has already agreed to an extra £2bn in school funding in England.
The NEU is calling for a fully-funded pay rise, so that any rise does not have to be paid out of schools' existing budgets.
In Wales, strike action was called off this week while the NEU consults with members on a recent offer.
In Scotland, strikes have also been suspended after the Educational Institute of Scotland and the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association accepted a new pay deal. The NASUWT is still consulting its members. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-64983812 |
Eyedrops recalled in US following blindness and injuries - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Patients lose vision and have eyes surgically removed after using eyedrops now recalled in the US. | US & Canada | US health officials say that eyedrops may have killed one person and severely injured several others due to drug-resistant bacterial contamination.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified 68 patients across 16 states with a rare strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The strain had never been found in the US before this latest outbreak.
In addition to the one death, eight patients have suffered vision loss, and four have had eyes surgically removed.
Most of the patients diagnosed with the infection reported using eyedrops and artificial tears, according to the CDC.
Ten different brands were initially identified as possibly linked to the outbreak, the CDC said. Eyedrops that are made in India and imported to the US under two brands were subsequently pulled from shelves in January and February.
In January, the CDC warned people to stop using EzriCare Artificial Tears and Delsam Pharma's Artificial Tears. The next month, the company that owns the brands - Global Pharma - issued a voluntary recall following a formal recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Opened bottles taken from patients were found through testing to contain the bacteria, the CDC said. Unopened bottles are currently being tested to determine whether contamination occurred during the manufacturing process.
Last week, a woman in Florida sued the drug company, claiming that an infection she suffered after using their product forced doctors to remove one of her eyes.
A lawyer for the woman blamed the contamination on a lack of preservatives in the eyedrops.
"There's likely many more people who have suffered infections who are unaware," lawyer Natasha Cortes told NBC News.
A representative for EzriCare has said that testing so far has not definitively linked the outbreak to their products.
"To the greatest extent possible, we have been contacting customers to advise them against continued use of the product," a spokesperson said.
"We also immediately reached out to both CDC and FDA and indicated our willingness to cooperate with any requests they have of us."
The CDC said that anyone who has used the recalled products and are now experiencing symptoms should contact a doctor.
Symptoms include yellow, green, or clear discharge from the eye, discomfort or pain, redness, blurry vision and increase sensitivity to light.
Last week, the FDA published separate recall notices for some eyedrop products distributed by Pharmedica and Apotex after the companies said they voluntarily pulled them from shelves.
Eyedrops and eyewash products were used by approximately 117 million Americans in 2020, according to Statista, a market research firm.
• None Global Pharma Healthcare Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops Due to Possible Contamina The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64985191 |
Jacqueline Gold: the woman who brought sex to the High Street - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Jacqueline Gold, whose death was announced on Friday, changed the lives of women at home and at work. | Business | Jacqueline Gold famously brought the vibrator into the front rooms of middle England, helping to spark a social revolution for the prudish British.
But as the tributes that poured in after her death, at the age of 62, have highlighted, she also launched an overhaul in attitudes more broadly, inspiring a generation of women entrepreneurs and bringing sex onto the High Street.
Her insight was one shared by half of the population already - that women had sexual appetites too - and that that represented a huge untapped market. She arrived at Ann Summers, the family business, crashing through social taboos, and refashioned it after her own purpose.
"She absolutely paved the way for women to feel empowered in the bedroom and the boardroom and really brought female sexuality into the mainstream," says Lucy Litwack, chief executive of Coco de Mer, another British sex toy and lingerie retailer, that followed in Ann Summers' wake.
"[But] it was her vision and championing of women, that I found so inspiring, that I think will be her legacy," she says.
Jacqueline Gold often spoke about the initial scepticism she faced at Ann Summers, then a small chain oriented towards male customers. She suggested they reach out to women, inviting them to host Tupperware-style parties to sell lingerie and sex toys in their homes. The board took some convincing.
But she had other stories to tell too, that illustrated the hurdles she faced, as she took charge at the family firm.
Charlotte Hardie, Editor of Retail Week, where Jacqueline Gold was a guest contributor, recalls the controversial launch of an Ann Summers store in Dublin in 1999.
"It came up against a lot of criticism from religious groups," says Ms Hardie. "They did not want her to open this store and there was lots of bad PR."
There were petitions and protests. Jacqueline was even sent a bullet through the post.
But says Ms Hardie: "She hated the idea that she was going to be bullied into not opening a store, so she ploughed on regardless.
"She was hugely resilient, hugely determined, and she always did what she set out to do."
Another example: when the government said Ann Summers couldn't advertise for staff in Jobcentres, she took them to court and won.
But although she was determined, friends say she never tried to prove she was more ruthless than the men around her, or change her behaviour in an effort to fit their mould.
"She was always kind, welcoming, empathetic, she displayed all those leadership qualities that are so admired today," says Ms Hardie.
She even accepted in good humour the time at a Retail Week conference when she was waiting backstage to join a panel and a well-known chief executive from another firm assumed she was a member of staff.
"He said: 'Dear, would you mind just just getting me a glass of water?'," says Ms Hardie.
While Jacqueline was incensed at the time, she did fetch him a drink, and was able to laugh about it afterwards.
Jacqueline Gold also had huge hurdles to overcome in her private life, which she shared in her autobiography. She was sexually abused by her step-father and suffered from depression.
As an adult, she struggled to conceive, went through IVF treatment but lost her infant son Alfie at the age of eight months. Later the nanny to her daughter attempted to poison Jacqueline with screenwash.
Yet, despite these challenges, she always seemed to have a twinkle in her eye, according to her friend Jacqueline Hurst, a life coach.
"She just had this lust for life," says Ms Hurst.
She loved breaking taboos, especially the idea of the little woman at home, cooking, without much more to their lives, she recalls.
She was a "powerhouse of determination" when it came to supporting other women, says Ms Hurst, organising breakfasts and other get togethers so women could talk, taking part in groups that supported women in business. She launched her own scheme on social media to provide mentoring for women entrepreneurs.
And she was always perfectly turned out, dressed elegantly, in heels, says Ms Hurst, because underneath it all her philosophy was as much about enjoying life as making money.
"I think that's the biggest thing I'd take away from her, is to always remember to have fun," she says. That, and: "Don't let anyone tell you you can't". | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64994801 |
The NHS pay dispute could soon be over but we are not there yet - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Union members are yet to back the deal, and the government still needs to pay for it, says Chris Mason. | UK Politics | The reality of any negotiation is that the potential sweet spot for agreement lies in the place where both sides can claim a victory and argue that their course of action all along was pragmatic, sensible and justifiable.
After months of argument and weeks of serious talks, that is where many of the health unions and the government each find themselves in many of the disputes in the NHS in England.
For ages, the government said it wouldn't reopen pay discussions for this financial year, which runs until the end of the month.
And now, to all intents and purposes, it has, offering a one-off lump sum payment.
For ages, trades unions made various pay demands, often well in excess of 5%, which the leaderships of many unions are now saying is acceptable for the next financial year.
Both sides have budged, both sides have compromised.
This has been in the offing for a while: both the potential for compromise, and even the figure arrived at.
Just before Christmas I reported that one-off payments were being discussed within government and within trades unions.
In early January there was a marked change in tone in the talks between the government and many of the health unions in England.
The mood did then appear to sour before Downing Street decided it was time to attempt to bring disputes to a close, if unions were willing to suspend strikes during talks.
Just over a month ago, a path to potential settlement became clear, as did the likelihood that an offer around 5% might be where agreement could be found.
So how will this be paid for?
The Treasury have said for some time that 3.5% in the next financial year was affordable and accounted for. Which leaves a 1.5 percentage point gap and the cost of that lump sum.
Across government, there is an ongoing review looking for efficiencies and savings. It is expected that part of the gap will be filled by finding areas of underspend or savings from administration costs.
Government sources insist there won't be any impact on "front line services".
But precisely what is a "front line service" and how much can be saved from other functions without having an impact on the sort of thing we might notice as patients?
And the other part of the gap will be additional money from the Treasury.
The weight each of these factors bears will depend on the outcome of the review and a discussion prior to the Autumn Statement - the mini-Budget before Christmas - between the Department of Health and the Treasury.
Crucially, the money will be found: the government has committed to that.
This isn't the end of the matter, though, for two reasons.
There is the ongoing dispute involving junior doctors in England, who are demanding a 35% pay rise.
The government is exasperated by this, with some senior figures initially assuming the demand was a typo, that there was a decimal point missing and it should read 3.5%.
But no, their demand is much, much higher, because they argue they have been underpaid for years and years and years.
And, remember, while most union leaderships have recommended their members back this agreement, it is up to those members to decide whether they will.
So while the prevailing wind points towards the potential for sorting these disputes out, we are not there yet. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64984833 |
New delay to CalMac ferry for Arran a 'catastrophe', says island group - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Campaigners say islanders are anxious about the impact on business and visitor numbers. | Scotland politics | Glen Sannox, returning to Ferguson shipyard after work in dry dock earlier this month.
Further construction delays to two CalMac ferries have been branded a "catastrophe" by islanders on Arran.
The Glen Sannox, which will serve the island, will now not be finished at Ferguson Marine shipyard until the autumn, rather than May of this year.
A second ferry, known as Hull 802, had been due for hand over in March 2024 but will be delayed to later that year.
Sally Campbell, of the Arran Ferry Action Group, said anxiety over lost business and visitor numbers was high.
Most islanders were "dumbfounded" at the latest setback, she told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme.
"It's an absolute disgrace," she said.
"We're really no nearer knowing when Glen Sannox, the new ferry for Arran, will be delivered or the final cost to the taxpayer.
"In the words of the [Scottish government's] RECC (Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee) some time ago, this is undeniably a catastrophe."
On Thursday, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said "persistent design gaps and build errors" meant progress had been "slower than planned" for the Glen Sannox.
He also announced an additional £6m would be allocated to help complete the two ferries.
That was on top of the £15m of extra funding for the Ferguson Marine shipyard already provided by the Scottish government this financial year.
The ferries are already five years behind schedule, with the cost of the project three times more than the original £97m budget.
Ms Campbell also expressed her anger that £87,000 in bonuses had been paid to six senior managers at the nationalised shipyard between 2019 and 2022, despite a failure to hand over the vessels.
CalMac's existing ferry fleet is ageing and the need for regular maintenance and repairs has caused disruption for travel to and from the mainland.
"We have a near 40-year-old boat, half the size of our usual vessel operating on the route, placing extreme limits on what comes and goes to Arran," Ms Campbell added.
"There is a lot of anxiety, a lot of lost business, visitors are uncertain [about coming]."
The Glen Sannox is scheduled to service the main route from Arran to the mainland
Ms Campbell said she was "very sceptical" whether the latest timetable outlined by Mr Swinney for delivering the Glen Sannox would be met.
"I personally feel the chance of it arriving in the autumn is slim," she added.
"Will it be here? We could place bets on 2024 for Glen Sannox rather than late '23.
"We're facing a real crisis on the island. Uncertainty, fear, anxiety."
In his statement to MSPs, Mr Swinney said he had expressed the government's "great disappointment" to the shipyard's chief executive, David Tydeman, about the latest delay.
He said the "challenges and legacy issues" faced by Fergusons could not be underestimated but that "substantial progress" had been made since Mr Tydeman's appointment last February.
Mr Tydeman had insisted that the Glen Sannox was "coming to life" following a successful spell in dry dock, with its main engines, propellers, generators and radar working, Mr Swinney said.
It was due to have a "sustained testing and sea trials period to help ensure a smooth entry into service later this year," he added, with the yard aiming to deliver both vessels sooner than the dates outlined.
The Ferguson shipyard in Inverclyde has been in public hands since 2019. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-64988304 |
Royal Mail referred to Ofcom over late letter deliveries - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The firm is systematically falling down on its obligation to deliver letters, MPs say. | Business | Royal Mail is falling down on its letter delivery obligations, a group of MPs has said.
The firm has been prioritising parcel deliveries over letters, they said, and called on Ofcom to investigate.
The regulator said Royal Mail's recent performance was "clearly well short of where it should be" and said it would consider the MPs' report.
Royal Mail said it had clear policies that parcels and letters "should be treated with equal importance".
Royal Mail must, by law, deliver letters to all parts of the UK, six days per week, as part of its "universal service obligation".
If it fails to do this, it can be fined by communications regulator Ofcom.
There was widespread evidence that Royal Mail "systemically failed to deliver" on this obligation, telling postal workers to make sure they delivered parcels before letters, MPs on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committee said.
They referred the matter to Ofcom, calling on it to open an enforcement investigation, talk to postal workers, and report back to the committee.
The MPs also said Royal Mail's chief executive Simon Thompson had not been "wholly accurate" in answers he gave to MPs on the use of technology by managers to track and discipline workers.
Royal Mail said it rejected the suggestion that Royal Mail "may have misled" the committee in answering its questions.
It said evidence that technology had been used to monitor workers in the way suggested, was due to some managers contravening Royal Mail policy.
But the MPs said they did not believe that could have happened "without direct or indirect approval of management". The committee said if senior management had not known, then they should be investigated by the board for negligence.
The MPs also called on the Information Commissioner to check whether this data collection was legal.
The Information Commissioner's Office said it would respond to the report.
Ofcom said it was carefully considering the MPs' report into late letter deliveries.
"We're very concerned about this and have asked the company to explain what it's doing to bring service levels back up as a matter of urgency," the regulator said.
It said it would look at Royal Mail's performance from April to March and wouldn't hesitate to take enforcement action if required.
Royal Mail said it would review how its delivery policies were being used and feed that back to MPs and Ofcom.
"The commercial reality of providing the universal service has changed" Royal Mail said.
The company has faced a series of challenges in recent months, including an ongoing industrial dispute over working conditions.
Royal Mail was then hit by a cyber attack that disrupted overseas mail services in January and February.
In 2020 Ofcom fined the firm £1.5m for missing delivery targets. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64972913 |
Leila Borrington: Woman jailed for killing three-year-old stepson - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Harvey Borrington was non-verbally autistic and therefore could not tell of Leila Borrington's abuse. | Nottingham | Harvey Borrington died from head injuries, including a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain
A woman who killed her disabled three-year-old stepson and filmed him as he lay dying has been given a 15-year prison sentence.
Harvey Borrington died from head injuries including a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Harvey was non-verbally autistic and could not tell his mother he was being abused.
His stepmother Leila Borrington was convicted of his manslaughter following a trial but acquitted of murder.
The prosecution said the 23-year-old struck Harvey several times to the head at her home in Nottinghamshire in August 2021.
She then filmed him lying unconscious on the floor and sent the video to Harvey's father, with a text saying: "Why does this happen to me?"
She did so before she called 999 for an ambulance, and then lied to paramedics when they arrived, claiming Harvey had fallen and hit his head.
Harvey's biological mother, Katie Holroyd, cried as she told the court: "To this day I can't bear to think of him lying on that floor with him dying and her filming him, delaying getting medical help for him."
The video, shot on Borrington's phone, showed her taking Harvey's left arm, lifting it up and letting it drop loosely to the floor.
She then continued to film as he lay not moving on the living room floor.
Leila Borrington was convicted of manslaughter by a jury
Borrington assaulted Harvey at her home in Main Road, Jacksdale, which she shared with Harvey's father.
She inflicted the fatal injuries on 7 August 2021 and he died in hospital two days later.
The court heard Harvey was killed following a history of abuse by Borrington.
Jonas Hankin KC, prosecuting, said Harvey's age and disability made him vulnerable, which were aggravating features.
"He was severely non-verbally autistic," Mr Hankin said.
"His challenging behaviour demanded greater empathy and kindness from his carers. It cannot justify the defendant's offending in any way."
Borrington told the trial she had never harmed Harvey, maintaining he had fallen off a sofa and banged his head.
However, an expert witness called by the prosecution said she believed Harvey had died as a result of "direct blunt force trauma", sustained after Borrington assaulted the youngster.
Sentencing Borrington, Mr Justice Nicklin told her: "Precisely what happened to Harvey only you know, but by their verdict the jury were sure that your account of Harvey having fallen, hitting his head on the floor, was not the truth or at least not the full truth.
"The jury's verdict shows they were sure you had assaulted Harvey, causing the very serious head injuries that led to his death."
Borrington was also convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm for previously breaking Harvey's arm, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm for an incident in which she squeezed his cheeks.
She was given a two-year prison sentence and a six-month term for these offences, to be served concurrently with her manslaughter sentence.
The judge also said she would serve two-thirds of the 15-year sentence in prison before being released on licence.
Harvey's mother described him as "my world" and a "treasured grandson" to her parents.
"To have it confirmed that Harvey before his death had been assaulted by Leila Borrington will be a life-long trauma for me, a recurring nightmare which I will never be able to wake from," she told the court.
She cried as she explained that her son's disability meant he could not tell her about the abuse being inflicted by his stepmother.
"He couldn't tell me he didn't want to go [to stay with Borrington]," she said.
An NSPCC spokesperson said the case "highlighted the vulnerability of young children and those with disabilities, who are entirely dependent on those who care for them and are at increased risk of abuse".
Dona Parry-Jones, a senior crown prosecutor at CPS East Midlands, said Harvey had "died at the hands of someone who should have been there to care for him and nurture him".
Det Insp Simon Harrison, of Nottinghamshire Police, said the case had been "disturbing and upsetting" to work on.
"The death of any child is a tragedy, but there is something especially awful about cases of this nature," he said.
"As a police officer I am pleased that justice has now been done, but I am aware that no custodial sentence can adequately reflect the pain and anguish felt by Harvey's family.
"My thoughts, and the thoughts of my colleagues, remain with them today."
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-64975538 |
Covid tests for China travellers to England ending - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The pre-departure and voluntary arrival checks began in January after a spike in cases in China. | Business | Travellers flying into England from mainland China will no longer have to provide proof of a negative pre-departure test from next month.
The change will come into effect on 5 April - exactly three months after the measures started.
Ministers brought in controls after a spike in cases following Beijing's relaxation of its zero-Covid policy.
Their removal comes after greater transparency from China, the government said.
In a statement, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that there has been increased information on "testing, vaccination and genomic sequencing results" on China's domestic disease levels.
The data indicates that Covid variants seen in China "continue to be the same as those already circulating in the UK", it added.
The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention also reported that all regions had passed their infection peak, the statement reported.
The DHSC also announced that the UK Health Security Agency's (UKHSA) voluntary on-arrival testing programme of travellers from China to Heathrow airport has come to an end.
The temporary testing programme was implemented in January. The government said its aim was to improve Covid surveillance of travellers arriving at London's main airport from China by helping to detect potential new variants.
The government said an average of 99 people per flight had been tested, totalling 3,374 passengers.
During that period, 14 positive cases were identified, but none was deemed to be a variant of concern.
The DHSC said from Friday, 17 March "passengers aged 18 or over travelling from mainland China and arriving at Heathrow Airport will no longer be invited to take a voluntary test on arrival".
"The ending of this enhanced surveillance is in line with international partners such as the EU who are reducing border measures to monitor new variants from China" .
Officials said the government would maintain a range of contingency measures to "enable detection, and swift and proportionate action, for potential new harmful variants" should the need arise.
Last December, ministers confirmed that passengers arriving to England from China would have to provide a negative Covid test before they boarded their flights.
The Chinese government was reporting about 5,000 cases a day at the time, but analysts said the numbers were vastly undercounted - and that the daily caseload could have been closer to one million.
Other countries around the world such as the US, France India also implemented testing.
While the decision only affected English airports, the government said that despite their being no direct flights from China to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, that it was working with the devolved administrations to ensure the policy was applied UK-wide.
In January, China reopened its borders to international visitors for the first time since it imposed travel restrictions in March 2020 while officials declared later that month that the country's current wave of Covid-19 infections was "coming to an end".
China's National Health Commission stopped publishing data on Covid cases and deaths on 25 December after the relaxation of its zero-Covid policy and in February declared a "decisive victory" over the pandemic. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64993197 |
Killers with history of coercive behaviour face tougher sentences - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The government says the changes will mean more jail time for "those who kill women in the home". | UK | Campaigners Julie Devey and Carole Gould welcomed the new laws but want the government to go further
Murderers with a history of coercive behaviour towards their victims or who use extreme violence could face tougher sentences under new government plans.
As part of the proposals, judges would have to consider these as aggravating factors when jailing killers.
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said this would mean "longer jail sentences for those who kill women in the home".
Campaigners called for the government to go further by introducing a 25-year sentencing starting point.
Carole Gould and Julie Devey, whose daughters were both murdered by ex-partners, welcomed the changes but told the BBC they would wait to see what weight the aggravating factors were actually given in court.
The proposals come after recommendations made in a review into domestic homicide sentencing by barrister Clare Wade.
Full details of the new laws are yet to be revealed but Mr Raab said tougher sentences would be given by taking into account specific factors involved including "controlling and coercive behaviour or cases involving particular savagery known as 'overkill'".
It is unclear when the changes will come into force. The government is due to set out a full response to the review "in the summer" and legislation "will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows".
Ms Wade, who was the defence barrister for Sally Challen - the first woman to have her murder conviction quashed under coercive control laws - found the current sentencing framework did not reflect that many domestic killings are preceded by years of abuse.
As well as ensuring that judges take coercive control and extreme violence into account, the government will also:
Controlling or coercive behaviour became an offence under the Serious Crime Act 2015 and includes economic, emotional or psychological abuse and threats alongside physical or sexual violence.
More than half of the murder cases looked at in the Wade Review involved controlling or coercive behaviour.
Ms Gould told the BBC she would like to see a 25-year starting point for jail sentences where overkill - cases where massive injuries are inflicted on the victim, more than would be needed to kill them - was a factor, which she said would have doubled her daughter's killer's sentence.
Ellie Gould, from Wiltshire, was stabbed to death by Thomas Griffiths, then 17, in 2019. He was jailed for 12-and-a-half years, with his age a factor in his sentence.
"In Ellie's case she was strangled and then she was stabbed 13 times. So these murders are particularly violent and brutal and I think we need to push to make sure that's recognised in the sentencing," she said.
Poppy Devey Waterhouse and Ellie Gould were murdered by their ex-boyfriends
Ms Devey, whose daughter Poppy Devey Waterhouse was stabbed 49 times in 2018, said the problem would be how much extra time was added on for the new aggravating factors.
"It's our view that these are very dangerous people and they are as dangerous as people who take a weapon to the scene of the crime and are given 25 years," she said.
The government will launch a public consultation to determine if a 25-year minimum sentence should be applied to murder cases with a history of coercive or controlling behaviour.
Patrick Ryan, chief executive of domestic abuse support service Hestia, said he welcomed the recognition of other forms of violence including coercive control.
"Survivors often tell us that they have endured years of abuse before physical violence escalates and it's right that we take this into account when sentencing," he said.
The Sentencing Council has also been asked to review the manslaughter guidelines to explain to judges that there should be longer jail terms in cases where deaths occur during rough sex.
Conservative MP Laura Farris, who had called for ministers to introduce a minimum 12-year sentence for sexually motivated manslaughter, said she was "delighted" by the news.
"The last few years have seen some appalling cases where men have received derisory sentences for brutal killings including strangulation. The announcement recognises the gendered nature of these crimes, and the fact they are often part of wider patterns of domestic abuse," she said.
The announcement comes two days after the High Court ruled Mr Raab unlawfully issued a policy banning prison and probation staff from recommending whether prisoners were suitable for release to the Parole Board, which may have led to people being wrongly freed.
On Wednesday, senior judges upheld a legal challenge brought by two serving prisoners who were awaiting parole hearings over whether they could be released on licence.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the result was "disappointing" and the department was considering its legal options. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64983762 |
Ann Summers boss Jacqueline Gold dies aged 62 - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Ms Gold transformed the company into a multi-million pound business and championed women in business. | Business | Jacqueline Gold, who transformed the lingerie and sex toy chain Ann Summers and was a champion of women in business, has died aged 62.
Her family said she died on Thursday evening after seven years of treatment for breast cancer.
Ms Gold expanded Ann Summers from a firm with four backstreet shops into a multi-million pound business.
She was made a CBE in 2016 for services to entrepreneurship, women in business and social enterprise.
Ms Gold's family said: "It is with unspeakable sadness that Ann Summers confirm our amazing executive chair Jacqueline Gold CBE passed away yesterday evening with her husband Dan, daughter Scarlett, sister Vanessa, and brother-in-law Nick, by her side.
"She was... an activist for women in business, and championed female entrepreneurs with the ambition to better the working environment for women," the statement added.
Her death comes just two months after her father, David Gold, who was joint-chairman of West Ham United, died at the age of 86.
Her sister Vanessa, who is chief executive at Ann Summers, said: "She was a trailblazer, a visionary, and the most incredible woman, all of which makes this news that much harder to bear."
The first Ann Summers shop opened in 1971, and the business was bought by Ms Gold's father and his brother Ralph the following year.
Ms Gold first joined her family's firm as an intern, but transformed the Ann Summers brand by making it more female-friendly.
But she told the BBC in 2015 that when she first proposed this approach to the company's all-male directors it wasn't well received.
"One board member threw down his pen and said 'this isn't going to work, women aren't interested in sex'," she said.
She set up a new Tupperware-style party service solely for women, which proved an immediate hit.
The increase in sales that her approach generated led to expansion of Ann Summers' High Street stores. It currently has 88 across the UK and Ireland.
The revamped stores were brightly lit and again targeted at women, with the aim of distinguishing them from the traditional image of backstreet sex shops.
She told the BBC: "When I joined Ann Summers its customer profile was only 10% women, today it remains 100% women going to our parties, and 80% women to our stores.
"I always say that I have taken the company from the raincoat brigade to a female institution."
As well as running the business, Ms Gold mentored other female entrepreneurs and lobbied the government to help improve gender equality in business.
Speaking to the Sunday Times in 2018, she said there were very few female role models, adding that she found it "disappointing" that the situation had not changed.
"I am frustrated that we are still having the same conversation around female empowerment and equality," she told the paper. "We live in a fast-paced society and yet progress is painfully slow." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64986528 |
Russia threatens to destroy Ukraine jets after Poland and Slovakia pledges - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Slovakia becomes the second Nato country after Poland to offer fighter jets to Ukraine. | Europe | Russia has threatened to destroy any fighter jets given to Ukraine by its allies, after two countries promised planes.
Slovakia became the second Nato country to pledge Kyiv some MiG-29 aircraft on Friday, a day after Poland.
Slovakia's fleet was grounded last year and it no longer uses the jets.
Ukraine has asked Western countries for modern jets, but because of long training times, these are seen only as long-term options.
It sees extra aircraft as important for its defences and possible counter-attacks, a year into Russia's invasion.
Other Nato countries are considering sending planes such as the MiG-29 - a model which dates from the time of the Soviet Union - which Ukrainian pilots are trained to fly.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the plans, saying that the aircraft would not affect the outcome of Moscow's "special military operation", as it calls the war.
He said they would only "bring additional woes for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people".
"Of course, during the special military operation, all this equipment will be subject to destruction," the spokesman added.
The Polish and Slovak pledges are a positive move for Ukraine - which has more pilots than planes - but will not make a decisive difference.
The Ukrainians say what they really need is US-made F-16 fighters.
Yuri Sak, a senior Ukrainian defence adviser, says the fourth-generation fighters have better capabilities.
It still seems unlikely that Ukraine would get them - at least for now, as it would take time to train Ukrainian pilots on Western jets.
Western military officers remain sceptical about modern fighters. Their focus is on helping Ukraine win the battle on the ground.
The front lines are swamped with air defence systems on both sides. The Russian air force is much bigger than Ukraine's and it hasn't been able to gain control of the skies.
At the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine was believed to have about 120 combat capable aircraft - mainly ageing MiG-29s and Su-27s.
On Friday, Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger tweeted that his government had approved sending the country's 13 MiG-29s to Ukraine.
He said "promises must be kept" and that he was glad others were answering Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's call for more weapons.
It is not clear how many of the Slovakian planes are operational.
Mr Heger said Slovakia would also send Ukraine part of its Kub air defence system.
On Thursday, Poland pledged four MiG-29s, to be sent in the coming days, but more are expected to follow.
As with its pledge of Leopard tanks, Poland has broken a barrier. This was a step no-one was prepared to take a year ago.
News of the pledges came amid Russian media reports that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had decorated pilots involved in an incident earlier this week .
Washington has condemned the Russian actions, in which it says one of the Su-27 jets clipped the drone, as reckless, but Moscow says the drone failed on its own.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: US releases footage from its drone of the encounter with a Russian jet | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64988504 |
Emily Lewis: Speedboat skipper sentenced after teenager's death in crash - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Emily Lewis, 15, suffered fatal injuries when she was crushed against a metal handrail in the crash. | Hampshire & Isle of Wight | Emily Lewis was on a day out with her family when the crash happened
A speedboat skipper who was going too fast before a crash that fatally injured a teenage passenger has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Michael Lawrence, 55, was convicted of failing to maintain a proper lookout and a safe speed before the crash that killed 15-year-old Emily Lewis in Southampton Water on 22 August 2020.
After a trial at Winchester Crown Court, he was cleared of manslaughter.
He and boat owner Michael Howley were both given 18-week suspended sentences.
Michael Lawrence was convicted of failing to maintain a proper lookout and a safe speed before the crash
Howley was previously found guilty by majority verdict of failing to operate the vessel safely.
Emily Lewis, from Park Gate, Hampshire, was on a "high thrills" ride with her parents and sister when the RIB, carrying 12 people, hit the buoy at nearly 37 knots (43mph), the court heard.
She suffered "unsurvivable" crush injuries while a number of other passengers were seriously injured, the jury was told.
Her sister Amy tearfully described how she did not think she could carry on living after losing Emily.
In a victim statement, she said: "My poor parents had to hear their only daughter tell them that I wanted to die."
Emily's father Simon said he was a "truly broken man" as he recalled making the decision to switch his daughter's life support machine off.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The trial heard the boat was driven straight at the buoy for 14 seconds before the crash
Reading her victim impact statement to the court, Emily's mother Nicola said looking at Lawrence: "I couldn't help her and this haunts me daily. I cannot get the image out of my head.
"That is why I survive and not live because of what you did to me and my family on that day."
In a further victim statement, boat passenger Helen Mann, who suffered five fractured ribs and a punctured lung when she was thrown into the water, said she had suffered lasting trauma, leaving her unable to look at the sea.
Her friend Carolyn Edwards, who suffered a broken rib, broken leg and fractured back, described having sleepless nights and flashbacks.
Alison McKenzie, who was in the boat with her family, told the court her sons' lives had been devastated by the crash, with one missing nearly two years of school due to mental health issues.
Lawrence (left) and Michael Howley were both also ordered to complete 125 hours of community service and pay £1,000 of court costs
Mark Ashley, defending Lawrence, of Blackfield, New Forest, said his client was "a good man who has made a mistake" and was "deeply affected" by what had happened.
"There isn't a day that goes by when he doesn't wish it was he who died."
Keely Harvey, who represented Howley, of Hordle, Hampshire, said the boat owner "cared" about the safety of his passengers and would be "forever affected" by the incident.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The jury was shown a police re-enactment of the speedboat's course
The defendants sat with their heads bowed, avoiding the victims' gaze as the statements were read.
They were both also ordered to complete 125 hours of community service and pay £1,000 of court costs.
Suspending the jail sentences for two years, Mr Justice Butcher told Lawrence he took into account his remorse and years of service with the RNLI.
"It is still unknown why you drove the RIB as you did. It must have been the result of inattention or distraction," the judge said.
He said Howley had immediately shut down his thrill ride firm Seadogz, and the owner's failure to put proper safety procedures in place had not caused the accident.
Emily Lewis's mother Nikki, father Simon and sister Amy said justice had only partly been served
Outside the court, Simon Lewis said he was disappointed that the sentences had been suspended.
Reading a family statement, he said: "After two-and-a-half long years we have managed to get some of the justice that Emily so deserved.
"Neither Mr Lawrence nor Mr Howley have apologised for what happened on that fateful day.
"I do hope that the safety concerns raised by this case can help other people to continue to have fun on the water but with a reduced risk of injury or indeed death."
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NHS 5% pay offer may end bitter dispute in England - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Unions urge nurses, ambulance staff and other members to back deal including a one-off payment. | Health | A 5% pay rise from April has been offered to NHS staff in England, including nurses and ambulance workers.
In addition, staff have been offered a one-off payment of at least £1,655 to top up the past year's pay award.
Unions are recommending members back the deal, after nearly two weeks of talks with ministers, raising hopes the bitter dispute may be coming to an end.
The offer covers all NHS staff except doctors, who are on a different contract.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay said it was a "fair pay rise" that would also protect the government's commitment to halve inflation.
"I hugely admire the incredible work of NHS staff," he said. "I look forward to continuing our work together to make the NHS a better place to work."
Mr Barclay said there had been movement on both sides and praised the "constructive engagement" of the unions.
Fourteen unions were represented at the talks, covering:
The biggest three - the Royal College of Nursing, Unison and the GMB - are all backing the deal, while Unite the Union has said it cannot recommend it to members but will put it to a vote.
Unison head of health Sara Gorton said: "It's a shame it took so long to get here.
"Health workers had to take many days of strike action and thousands more had to threaten to join them to get their unions into the room and proper talks under way."
If her members accepted the deal, it would mean a "significant" boost in pay, Ms Gorton added.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said: "Members took the hardest of decisions to go on strike and I believe they have been vindicated today."
But Unite told BBC News that it is not advising its members on how to vote on the pay offer because "it falls short of what we were asking for".
Speaking to BBC News, Unite official Onay Kasab said members "wanted a consolidated payment... they did not want one-off non-consolidated sums".
The offer, he claims, is "not really going to help recruitment in the NHS" because "only current staff members will get it".
It comes after a winter of industrial action, with nurses, ambulance staff and physios all striking.
The unions put further action on hold, after the two sides agreed to discussions last month.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was "delighted" with the agreement over pay during a visit to a hospital in London on Thursday afternoon.
Despite weeks of criticism from opposition parties and unions about the government's "dither and delay" leading to more strikes, Mr Sunak said: "We have taken a reasonable approach throughout."
He also called the pay "affordable for the taxpayer and continues to deliver on my promise to halve inflation".
Mr Sunak and Mr Barclay visited a hospital in London on Thursday.
A Downing Street spokesperson later added the government does not believe the pay offer will be inflationary.
When asked about the fact it had said, earlier in the dispute, that giving more than a 3.5% pay award could stoke inflation, Mr Sunak's deputy spokesperson said he did not believe that would happen with this deal, adding: "We don't believe so. The two one-off payments for 22/23 we don't believe will create future inflationary pressures."
The spokesperson added the rise for the coming year would also not stoke inflation, since "5% is broadly in line with pay growth in the wider economy so we don't see it having an impact on private sector pay which ultimately leads to inflation".
And when asked whether the money to fund the rise would have to come from the existing NHS/Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) budget the spokesperson insisted frontline service would not suffer and discussions were taking place between the DHSC and the Treasury.
When asked about further money for the NHS to fund the deal, the spokesperson again said discussions would take place with the Treasury.
However, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting criticised the "last minute" nature of the offer, calling the government "incompetent" and saying Mr Barclay "doesn't know how he's going to pay for it".
"Even when they arrive at a solution it's so late that it causes a new wave of problems."
NHS staff have seen pay rise by an average of 4.75% during 2022-23 - with the lowest paid receiving the biggest rises - but unions had been asking for above-inflation rises, which at one point, would have equated to an increase of more than 14%.
The one-off payment to top up that pay award starts at £1,655 for the lowest-paid staff such as cleaners and porters and rises to just over £2,400 for the most senior front-line roles such as nurse consultants.
For staff in management positions, such as directors of nursing and chief finance officers, the one-off payment is worth up to £3,789.
The government had originally offered 3.5% from April, for the 2023-24 financial year - but during the talks, ministers agreed to 5%. The lowest paid will receive more.
Matthew Taylor, of the NHS Confederation, which represents managers, said health leaders would "breathe a sigh of relief". "We now await the decision of union members," he said.
He also urged the British Medical Association to enter talks - junior doctors staged a three-day walkout this week, in their fight for a 35% pay rise.
They say this is needed to make up for below-inflation wages rises over the past 15 years - but ministers say it is unaffordable.
Ministers have offered the BMA talks on the same basis as with the other unions - but it has declined.
Strike action has also been paused in Wales and Scotland by most unions while new offers are considered. The GMB in Scotland has accepted the Scottish offer, worth 14% over two years. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64977269 |
Ticketmaster offers partial refunds to The Cure fans - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The company came under fire after added fees doubled the cost of some tickets to see The Cure. | Entertainment & Arts | The Cure's hits include Friday I'm In Love, Boys Don't Cry and Close To Me
Ticketmaster has offered a partial refund to fans who bought tickets to see The Cure's upcoming US tour.
The company came under fire earlier this week, when it emerged that, in some cases, the fees added up to more than the face value of the ticket.
The Cure's frontman Robert Smith said he was "sickened" by the "debacle" and promised fans answers.
On Thursday night, he said Ticketmaster agreed the fees had been "unduly high" and would return some of the money.
As a "gesture of goodwill", the company will refund $10 (£8) to anyone who bought the lowest-price tickets, which were priced at $20 (£16), he said.
All other fans will received a $5 refund.
"If you already bought a ticket, you will get an automatic refund," Smith tweeted. "All tickets on sale tomorrow will incur lower fees."
The band are due to embark on their Shows of a Lost World North American tour in May, with the 30-date trek kicking off in New Orleans.
Problems with the ticket sale emerged on Wednesday, when fans shared screenshots of Ticketmaster's pricing structure.
One customer who bought four $20 (£16.54) tickets ended up paying $172,10 (£142), after service fees, a facility charge and an order processing fee were added.
Another, who wanted to see the band in Phoenix, Arizona, paid $72.25 (£59.75) for a ticket with the face value of $20 (£16.54).
The fees varied by venue - one fan reported a $16.75 (£13.87) service fee in Massachusetts, while another fan reported $15 (£12.42) in Toronto - and they didn't always exceed the base ticket price. Some of the more expensive seats cost $90 (£74.50) each, for example.
Smith reacted furiously to the news, writing a series of tweets criticising the additional fees.
"To be very clear, the artist has no way to limit them," he wrote.
"I have been asking how they are justified. If I get anything coherent by way of an answer, I will let you know," he promised.
Ticketmaster has not independently confirmed the refund offer. The BBC has contacted the company for comment.
You can read Smith's tweets about the refunds below.
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Ukraine war: Russia has committed crimes against humanity, US says - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Kamala Harris was speaking at a security conference, where leaders called for long-term support of Ukraine. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: US Vice-President Kamala Harris says those involved in atrocities "will be held to account"
The US has "formally determined" that Russia had committed crimes against humanity in Ukraine, US Vice-President Kamala Harris has said.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Ms Harris accused Russia of "gruesome acts of murder, torture, rape and deportation" since its invasion.
Moscow's ambassador to the US rejected the claims and accused Ms Harris of trying to "demonise Russia".
World leaders at the conference called for long-term support of Ukraine.
UK PM Rishi Sunak said now was the time to "double down" on military support.
The prime minister argued that Western allies must start planning for the future security of Ukraine, as well as sending the weapons it needs to defend itself now.
The conference in Germany comes as the one-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches on 24 February.
Ms Harris told delegates that the perpetrators of alleged Russian crimes in Ukraine must be held to account.
"Their actions are an assault on our common values and our common humanity," she said.
The UN defines crimes against humanity as a "widespread or systemic attack" on a particular civilian population.
Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians during its invasion.
Anatoly Antonov, Russia's ambassador to the US, said the vice-president's claims were a cynical attempt to "demonise Russia in the course of a hybrid war".
They were a way of "justifying Washington's own actions to fuel the Ukrainian crisis", he added, referring to the US supply of arms to Kyiv.
But Ms Harris, a former prosecutor, was adamant that "in the case of Russia's actions in Ukraine we have examined the evidence, we know the legal standards, and there is no doubt: these are crimes against humanity".
She cited "barbaric and inhumane" atrocities committed during the war in Ukraine, including the scores of bodies found in Bucha shortly after the invasion and the bombing of a theatre in Mariupol.
"Let us all agree: on behalf of all the victims, both known and unknown, justice must be served," Ms Harris said.
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Crimes against humanity are tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
But the ICC has no powers to arrest suspects and can only exercise jurisdiction within countries which signed up to the agreement that set up the court.
Russia is not a signatory to that agreement, so it is unlikely to extradite any suspects.
The three-day gathering in Munich will provide a key test of Western support for Kyiv as both sides in the war prepare for spring offensives.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Moscow had "waged a genocidal war" because it did not think Ukrainians "deserve to exist as a sovereign nation".
Tens of thousands have lost their lives and millions have been forced from their homes as part of Vladimir Putin's invasion.
This conference has largely been a gathering of American and European leaders. It's a chance for them to reaffirm their support for Ukraine and demonstrate their resolve.
Rishi Sunak called for a new Nato charter to guarantee Ukraine's long-term security. Kamala Harris formally accused Russia of committing crimes against humanity.
But in the margins, there have been voices of doubt.
Take the prime minister of Namibia, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. She opposed sending more arms to Ukraine and called for a peaceful resolution to the war. Her country, she said, had suffered recession, rising prices and disrupted supply chains.
It's opinions like that, widely held cross Africa, Asia and South America, that are concentrating transatlantic minds.
There is realisation among Western policymakers that almost one year after Russia's invasion, they need to remake the case for defending Ukraine.
Russia was also on the agenda during a meeting on Saturday between the Antony Blinken and Wang Yi, the US and China's top foreign policy officials.
During talks at the conference in Munich, Mr Blinken warned of consequences if China were to provide material support to Russia's invasion.
Mr Blinken is expected to suggest China is "at least contemplating providing" lethal assistance to Russia in an interview to be aired on Sunday morning on NBC News. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64691001 |
Give babies peanut butter to cut allergy by 77%, study says - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Research suggests there is a crucial window during weaning to lower the allergy risk. | Health | Giving young babies - between four and six months old - tiny tastes of smooth peanut butter could dramatically cut peanut allergies, say scientists.
Research shows there is a crucial opportunity during weaning to cut allergy cases by 77%.
They say the government's advice on weaning - which says no solids until around six months - needs to change.
Experts warn whole or chopped nuts and peanuts are a choking risk and should not be given to children under five.
The current NHS guidance does say peanut (crushed, ground or butter) can be introduced from around six months old.
A baby is ready for their first solid food if:
Peanut allergy has been rising in the UK with an estimated one-in-50 children now affected.
Food allergies are the result of our immune system mistaking something harmless for a severe threat.
For some, even a small amount of peanut can lead to such an overwhelming immune reaction that it becomes life-threatening.
Peanut allergy has become so common that some schools ban the ingredient.
There had been long-standing advice to avoid foods that can trigger allergies during early childhood. At one point, families were once told to avoid peanut until their child was three years old.
However, evidence over the last 15 years has turned that on its head.
Instead, eating peanut while the immune system is still developing - and learning to recognise friend from foe - can reduce allergic reactions, experts say.
It also means the body's first experience of peanut is in the tummy where it is more likely to be recognised as food rather than on the skin, where it may be more likely to be treated as a threat.
Israel, where peanut snacks are common in early life, has much lower rates of allergy.
Other studies have suggested introducing other foods linked to allergies - such as egg, milk and wheat - early also reduced allergy.
The latest research, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, calculated when is the best time to start introducing foods containing peanut.
The analysis was conducted by the University of Southampton, King's College London and the research arm of the NHS - the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
They found the critical period to start was between four and six months, during which the allergy could be cut by 77%.
That is the equivalent of preventing 10,000 out of the roughly 13,000 cases of peanut allergy each year.
Delaying the introduction of peanut-based foods until the child was one-year-old would only cut allergy cases by 33%, according to the research.
For babies with eczema, which is a risk factor for allergy, the investigators recommend starting at four months - as long as the baby is ready.
They say parents should start by offering small amounts of fruit or vegetables.
Then when the baby is comfortable, around three heaped teaspoons of peanut butter a week should be introduced and maintained for years. Peanut butter, which can be quite dry, can be given with breastmilk.
Prof Graham Roberts, from the University of Southampton, said decades of advice to avoid peanut had "understandably led to parental fear" of giving children peanut and shifting rules led to large amounts of confusion from both within medicine and from parents.
However, he said this was a "simple, low-cost, safe intervention" that would "deliver vast benefits for future generations".
Official advice is to start offering solid foods alongside milk at around six months old, and the government has launched a campaign on the correct time to wean due to parents starting earlier. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64987074 |
Australian shreds record for longest surf session - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Blake Johnston rode more than 700 waves at a Sydney beach over a total of about 40 hours. | Australia | An Australian man has broken the world record for the longest surfing session - clocking more than 40 hours in the process.
At the end, Blake Johnston was carried on the shoulders of friends up Cronulla beach in south Sydney, describing himself as "pretty cooked".
Johnston began surfing early on Thursday morning in aid of mental health awareness.
His effort has raised some A$335,000 (£185,000; $225,000) for charity.
With spotlights to illuminate a section of Cronulla's surf known as "The Alley", Johnston kept going overnight and had ridden over 700 waves by the end.
The previous record of 30 hours and 11 minutes was held by South African Josh Enslin.
The 40-year-old Johnston, a former pro surfer and distance runner, faced the risk of blindness, infected ears and dehydration, as well as sleep deprivation, hypothermia, shark attack and jellyfish stings.
He emerged briefly from the sea at lunchtime on Friday for a medical check-up, and to receive eye-drops.
Johnston left the beach wearing a black cowboy hat while draped in a thermal blanket.
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"I surfed at two in the morning with him, and the lights actually went out so it was pitch black," his brother Ben told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
"There were a whole bunch of jellyfish out there, so it was interesting to say the least."
Speaking ahead of his challenge, Johnston said: "I thought, I could just do it. I can run for 40 hours,"
"But, this way, I can surf with people, bring in the community and make a difference for the future."
Johnston is fundraising for the Chumpy Pullin Foundation, set up in the memory of Australian Olympic snowboarder Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin who drowned off the Gold Coast while spearfishing in 2020.
He is also supporting mental health charities, partly in tribute to his father who took his own life a decade ago.
Three of his friends have also died from mental health conditions, according to media reports. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-64984949 |
Miley Cyrus achieves UK chart double - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | She tops both the album and singles chart, while UK Eurovision entrant Mae Muller makes the top 40. | Entertainment & Arts | Endless Summer Vacation is the star's second number one album in the UK
Miley Cyrus has achieved a relatively rare chart feat in the UK - topping both the singles and album chart in the same week.
Her eighth studio album Endless Summer Vacation enters the chart in pole position, while her single Flowers spends a ninth week at number one.
It's the star's first number one album since 2013's Bangerz.
That record also scored the chart double, alongside the multi-platinum-selling single, Wrecking Ball.
Flowers, which is said to be about the end of her marriage to actor Liam Hemsworth, is now tied with Olivia Rodrigo's Drivers License as the longest-running number one single by a female solo artist this decade.
Last Friday's release of Endless Summer Vacation (which includes two versions of Flowers) ensured that the song reclaims its title as the most-streamed song of the last seven days, overtaking the viral smash Boy's A Liar Pt. 2 by PinkPantheress and Ice Spice.
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Reviews for the album have been broadly positive, praising Cyrus's vulnerability and songcraft, while lamenting that some of her rougher edges have been sanded off.
"The current of honesty that runs through Endless Summer Vacation encourages the listener to press play on the record again, and the stories here get even better on a second or third listen," wrote Consequence Of Sound. "It's cohesive without feeling repetitive."
The album "holds your full attention even if it isn't Cyrus's boldest or most visionary," said the NME, calling the songs a "remarkably intriguing" insight into her post-divorce state of mind.
Pitchfork noted that the record is divided into "AM" and "PM" sections, with the former, written alongside Harry Styles' collaborator Kid Harpoon, outshining the "maddening" and "grating" second half.
Two of the album's stand-out tracks, River and Jaded, also make this week's Top 40.
Elsewhere, Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding claimed this week's highest new entry, with their trancey new collaboration Miracle.
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The song enters the chart at number three, marking becoming Calvin's 29th and Ellie's 12th top 10 hit. It's also their third as a duo, following 2012's I Need Your Love and 2014's Outside.
Miracle is a strong contender for next week's number one... but it only gets one shot at the top. Ed Sheeran's comeback single, Eye's Closed, is out the following week.
Meanwhile, UK Eurovision entrant Mae Muller gets her campaign off to a strong start, as her single I Wrote A Song enters the chart at number 30.
That's already an improvement on last year's contestant, Sam Ryder, who only cracked the top 40 after taking second place in Turin.
In fact, Muller is the first UK act to enter the chart in advance of Eurovision since Blue in 2011.
I Wrote A Song is her first Top 40 single as a solo artist. She previously reached number 32 in 2021, as the vocalist on Better Days, a collaboration with producer Neiked and US rapper Polo G.
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Muller was revealed as the UK's hopeful last week but, speaking to the BBC's Eurovisioncast podcast, she said she'd been sitting on the secret for a couple of months.
"It was hard because I'm a bit of a chatterbox and I'm quite open," she said.
"But I did tell my parents because I thought I can't give them that much of a shock." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64993564 |
George Floyd killer Derek Chauvin convicted of tax fraud - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The disgraced former policeman and his now-ex-wife lied about their taxable income between 2014 and 2019. | US & Canada | Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin and his now-ex-wife underreported their taxable income from 2014 to 2019
Ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is serving a 22-year sentence for killing George Floyd, has pleaded guilty to tax fraud.
He admitted to two counts of aiding and abetting tax fraud, after he and his now ex-wife underreported their taxable income between 2014-19.
Chauvin was sentenced to 13 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution.
The May 2020 killing of Floyd, an unarmed black man, led to mass protests around the United States.
Chauvin and his ex-wife, Kellie May Chauvin, were charged with tax crimes shortly after Floyd's killing.
She pleaded guilty to the same charges last month, and is expected to be sentenced to community service at a hearing in May.
The disgraced ex-officer entered his plea on Friday in a virtual hearing from a federal prison in Tucson, Arizona.
Chauvin worked part-time security jobs that were separate from his work as a police officer, and failed to report to tax officials over $95,000 (£78,000) in cash payments that he received for the work.
Kellie Chauvin, who filed for divorce after murder charges were announced, worked as a real estate agent and ran a photo business.
The charges cover a time period when they were married and filing taxes jointly.
According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper, officials began to suspect tax fraud after interviews with Chauvin's father, an accountant who prepared his 2014-15 taxes.
One day after tax documents were taken from Chauvin's home by detectives, Kellie Chauvin called her husband in jail to say that investigators were looking into their tax returns.
Chauvin suggested they get help from the person "who we have used to handle for many years", the newspaper reports.
She responded: "Yeah, well we don't want to get your dad involved because he will just be mad at me, I mean us for not doing them for years."
The probe uncovered that the Chauvins did not report their entire income in 2014 and 2015, and did not file tax returns at all in 2016, 2017, or 2018.
The couple ultimately failed to pay more than $20,000 and have been ordered to pay state tax officials nearly $38,000 in restitution.
Friday's sentence will run concurrently with the murder conviction, as well as Chauvin's later 20-year sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights during the murder. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64996161 |
PC's blows against Dalian Atkinson 'outrageous' - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | PC Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith hit the ex-footballer in two sets of three baton strikes, a hearing is told. | Shropshire | PC Bettley-Smith's lawyer said of the events: "There's a huge difference between reading about it, and being there"
A PC's second set of blows to ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson on the night he was killed by her colleague was "wholly unjustified" and "outrageous", a disciplinary panel has heard.
Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith beat Mr Atkinson multiple times with her baton as he lay on the ground in 2016.
A criminal retrial last year acquitted her of actual bodily harm.
In a separate police hearing, she denies excessive force amounting to gross misconduct.
Mr Atkinson died after being tasered and kicked in the head by PC Bettley-Smith's West Mercia Police colleague, and romantic partner, PC Benjamin Monk, who was jailed for Mr Atkinson's manslaughter in 2021.
The panel, sitting in Telford on Thursday, heard how the PCs had responded to a 999 call, arriving to find Mr Atkinson outside his father's Telford home, appearing "in the grip of a psychotic episode".
The hearing was told how PC Bettley-Smith, 33, had initially hit Mr Atkinson three times with her baton.
With Mr Atkinson tasered and kicked by Monk, she struck the former Aston Villa, Ipswich Town and Sheffield Wednesday striker a further three times, telling the panel she was "looking over her right shoulder" to see back-up arriving.
Outlining the case against her, Dijen Basu KC said: "The second set [of blows] were wholly unnecessary, wholly unreasonable, wholly unjustified and above all, to use normal language, it was outrageous to do that in the circumstances.
"The man had just been kicked in the head, having been tasered, and dropped to the floor, and with other officers arriving."
PC Benjamin Monk was found guilty of the manslaughter of Dalian Atkinson but cleared of his murder
PC Bettley-Smith told the panel during her evidence on Wednesday: "I just remember what I perceived to be a really aggressive, hostile, growling [person] and just thought we had antagonised him even more by tasering him.
"I perceived him to be trying to propel himself to get up and proceeded to strike Mr Atkinson to the fleshy areas of his body to try and get him down and under control."
But the hearing previously heard that at least three different residents, watching from their windows, described how Mr Atkinson did not move once felled by the taser.
A joint medical report summary recorded Mr Atkinson probably hit his head on the road as he was grounded by a 33-second-long taser burst, and this was "likely to have caused concussion, exacerbated by any kick or kicks to the head" which would possibly have "deepened any loss of consciousness".
The report concluded it was "possible... he was too exhausted to move once the taser was turned off".
Dalian Atkinson died after being tasered by PC Bettley-Smith's partner, Benjamin Monk
In his closing arguments, Patrick Gibbs, Bettley-Smith's barrister, said: "To state the very obvious, this is a short incident, takes place in the dark, it was unexpected, violent.
"Although we examine it in calm and peaceful circumstances, unless you have ever been threatened with violence and had to face it, it may be it is hard to appreciate fully what it's like.
"There's a huge difference between reading about it, and being there."
The panel is set to deliver its finding on Friday, with PC Bettley-Smith facing the sack if the hearing finds against her.
Mr Atkinson started his football career at Ipswich Town, before moving to Sheffield Wednesday, Real Sociedad, Aston Villa and Fenerbahçe in the 1990s.
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected] | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-64980220 |
Ukraine war: Putin should face trial this year, says top lawyer - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Russia's leader is a "guilty man", says the barrister who led the case against Serbia's ex-leader Milosevic. | Europe | Russian President Vladimir Putin should go on trial in Ukraine this year for war crimes committed there, says the man who led the prosecution of former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic.
Sir Geoffrey Nice told the BBC Mr Putin was a "guilty man" for attacks on civilian targets during the war.
The British barrister expressed his surprise that prosecutors and politicians were not "spelling this out much more freely and openly".
But, speaking to Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme, Sir Geoffrey described Moscow's actions during the invasion as "crimes against humanity" - as civilian targets were being attacked.
Crimes against humanity are considered to be among the most serious offences under the so-called "rules" of war.
These laws ban attacks on civilians - or infrastructure vital to their survival - and are set out in international treaties such as the Geneva Conventions.
For example, Russia's repeat attacks on the Ukrainian energy grid over the winter have been described as war crimes because of the harm done to civilians. Russia insists it is hitting military targets only.
Moscow's troops have been accused by the international community of thousands of abuses since their full-scale invasion of the neighbouring country last February.
The prosecutor-general in Kyiv says more than 62,000 war crimes have so far been recorded, including the deaths of more than 450 children. The BBC has not been able to verify these figures.
Sir Geoffrey worked with International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) between 1998 and 2006.
He led the case against former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, who went on trial in The Hague in 2002 for war crimes committed in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo.
Mr Milosevic - once known as the "butcher of the Balkans" - died in prison before the trial concluded.
Commenting on the war in Ukraine, Sir Geoffrey said the case "couldn't be clearer" against Mr Putin, and there was "no doubt" of a chain of command leading to the man in the Kremlin.
This meant the "most important thing" was to try the Russian leader himself, rather than low-ranking soldiers, he told Broadcasting House.
He added that any trial "could be tomorrow morning, as far as I'm concerned" and should be held by Ukrainians in the Ukrainian language. Mr Putin himself would not need to be present, he said.
Sir Geoffrey speculated over a possible reason why the Russian leader had not faced tougher action so far - suggesting there could be a move to exempt him from prosecution as part of a peace deal.
He said the International Criminal Court (ICC) - which has jurisdiction over Ukraine - "has still not made a pronouncement about Putin's responsibility for this crime".
Sir Geoffrey said this "reluctance" raised the question of whether there was some sort of "political advantage" to not indicting the president.
But he said the idea of any peace settlement that prevented a trial of Mr Putin was an "appalling prospect" which would be "a complete denial of justice to the people of Ukraine".
In response, the ICC rejected any assertion of "pressure or influence" on the prosecutor, Karim Khan, to delay any investigations.
Mr Khan had "gone on record repeatedly... to demonstrate that accountability is an imperative that must be achieved", an ICC statement said.
It added that the prosecutor had been working on the ground in Ukraine to collect evidence of war crimes - and arrest warrants would be issued when enough proof had been gathered.
Slobodan Milosevic - the "butcher of the Balkans" - died in 2006 before his trial concluded | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64138851 |
Government signs £2.9m Moon base nuclear power deal with Rolls-Royce - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Research will look at how to provide energy allowing humans live and work on the Moon. | Derby | Rolls-Royce wants to send a nuclear reactor to the Moon by 2029
Rolls-Royce scientists and engineers are to research how nuclear power could be used to support a future Moon base.
The UK Space Agency has given the Derby-based firm £2.9m to look at ways of powering future lunar settlements.
The company has been asked to demonstrate how nuclear micro-reactors could extend the duration of future missions to the Moon.
The government said the deal would boost the UK's space industry and create skilled jobs.
The UK Space Agency said it wanted to establish a new power source to support systems for communications, life-support and scientific experiments on the Moon.
The agency's chief executive Dr Paul Bate said: "We are backing technology and capabilities to support ambitious space exploration missions and boost sector growth across the UK.
"Developing space nuclear power offers a unique chance to support innovative technologies and grow our nuclear, science and space engineering skills base.
"This innovative research by Rolls-Royce could lay the groundwork for powering continuous human presence on the Moon, while enhancing the wider UK space sector, creating jobs and generating further investment."
A visualisation of one of the firm's proposed mini-reactors
Rolls-Royce said it wanted to have a reactor ready to send to the Moon by 2029.
The company will work with the University of Oxford, University of Bangor, University of Brighton, University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Nuclear AMRC on the project.
The Minister of State at the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, George Freeman, said: "Space exploration is the ultimate laboratory for so many of the transformational technologies we need on Earth, from materials to robotics, nutrition, cleantech and much more.
"As we prepare to see humans return to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, we are backing exciting research like this lunar modular reactor with Rolls-Royce to pioneer new power sources for a lunar base."
Director of future programmes for Rolls-Royce Abi Clayton said: "The new tranche of funding from the UK Space Agency means so much for the Rolls-Royce Micro-Reactor Programme.
"It will bring us further down the road in making the micro-reactor a reality, with the technology bringing immense benefits for both space and Earth."
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-64982477 |
Credit Suisse shares hit as investor fears reignite - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Investors are selling shares despite an overnight rescue deal for America's First Republic. | Business | Share markets are continuing to buckle under concerns about a crisis in the banking sector, despite efforts by authorities to restore confidence.
Indexes across Europe and the US fell on Friday as a sell-off in troubled Swiss lending giant Credit Suisse gathered pace.
In the US, shares in First Republic dropped 33%, a day after it received an injection of funds from the country's biggest banks.
The FTSE 100 ended down more than 1%.
Exchanges in France and Germany also closed lower, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average index fell 1.2%. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 indexes were also down.
Credit Suisse had rattled investors earlier this week when it admitted that it had found "material weakness" in its financial reporting, while its biggest shareholder - the Saudi National Bank - said it could not inject further funds into the Swiss lender.
The firm, which has been troubled for a long time and continues to be loss-making, received an emergency £45bn lifeline from the Swiss National Bank, but fears about the bank's health remain.
Roughly $466m has left Credit Suisse's European and US managed funds in recent days, according to data from financial services firm Morningstar.
Morningstar analysts Niklas Kammer and Johann Scholtz said they believed the problems at Credit Suisse were "idiosyncratic in nature and we believe containable for now even in a worst-case scenario".
However, they added that "developments are currently happening at a rapid pace and views we form today may be stale tomorrow".
The issues at Credit Suisse - which employs about 50,000 people worldwide, with around 5,000 in London - have coincided with the failure of two lenders in the US - Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank - raising fears over the health of the banking system.
US regulators stepped in at the weekend to ensure that customers at SVB and Signature Bank had full access to their money - in an effort to head off further panic.
But concerns remain that other banks, including San Francisco-based First Republic, could be vulnerable to a rush of customers withdrawing their deposits.
It shares had sunk by nearly 70% over the last week.
The 11 US banks who announced support for First Republic on Thursday said the action reflected their "confidence in the country's banking system".
US financial officials said the move was "most welcome, and demonstrates the resilience of the banking system".
Central banks around the world have sharply raised borrowing costs over the past year to try to curb the pace of overall price rises, or inflation.
The moves have hurt the values of the large portfolios of bonds bought by banks when rates were lower, a change that contributed to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, and has raised questions about whether other firms are facing similar situation.
On Friday, SVB Financial Group - the parent group for Silicon Valley Bank - filed for bankruptcy protection to enable it to sell off its remaining assets.
Jeffrey Cleveland, chief economist at US asset manager Payden and Regal, said other banks could be caught up in the problem.
"There could be other vulnerabilities... if central banks are intent on continuing to raise interest rates," he told the BBC's Today programme.
"Historically when that happens we do see fragility, we do see problems in the financial system."
Before the turbulence in the banking sector erupted, both the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England had been expected to raise interest rates further at meetings next week. However, due to recent events, some have speculated these rate rises might be scaled back or even scrapped.
On Thursday, the ECB announced a further increase to interest rates from 2.5% to 3%. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64986520 |
Chris Kaba family concerned about watchdog resignations - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Chris Kaba was shot dead by a Met Police officer and the police watchdog is investigating. | London | Chris Kaba, who was due to become a father, was shot through a car windscreen by a Met Police officer
The family of an unarmed black man who was killed by police have voiced concerns over the resignations of two watchdog staff members overseeing an investigation into what happened.
Chris Kaba, 24, was shot by a Met Police officer in Streatham Hill.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the shooting as a potential homicide and considering whether race was a factor.
An IOPC spokesman said: "We can confirm our investigation has concluded."
He added: "We are now deciding whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision.
"We will also make our decision on whether the officer involved should face disciplinary action. We will confirm our decisions once all the parties involved have been informed."
Mr Kaba's family has accused the Met of racism and said it took too long for the force to suspend the police marksman. They have called for criminal charges to be brought.
An inquest has been opened and adjourned into the construction worker's death.
The family released a statement reading: "We have concerns that two of the senior people at the IOPC who have been overseeing the homicide investigation in this case — Michael Lockwood and Sal Naseem — have resigned during the investigation."
The family said they found it "unsettling" and they were "concerned" about any potential impact on the inquiry and its timeframe.
"We have already waited too long to know if the IOPC is seeking advice on criminal charges from the CPS," they said.
Mr Lockwood resigned in December after becoming the subject of a police investigation, Home Secretary Suella Braverman previously revealed.
The reason for Mr Naseem's resignation has not been disclosed.
The IOPC said that the recent departure of Mr Naseem "will have no impact on the progress of this investigation".
It said a "decision-maker" role had been reallocated to the director of operations, Amanda Rowe.
The inquiry was due to last between six and nine months.
Mr Kaba's family speaking outside his inquest hearing in October
At the opening of Mr Kaba's inquest, Inner South London Coroner's Court heard he had been driving an Audi that had been linked by police to a firearms incident the previous day, although his name was not included in a briefing given to officers.
At 21:52 BST on 5 September, about 15 minutes before the shooting, a pursuit began by officers in an unmarked police car with no lights or sirens.
After driving the Audi down Kirkstall Gardens, Mr Kaba was blocked by a marked police car and there was contact between the Audi and police vehicles, the hearing was told.
An officer standing to the front of the Audi then fired a single shot through the windscreen, which hit Mr Kaba in the head.
He was taken to hospital but died soon after midnight.
The IOPC previously said it was waiting on an external report it required in order to conclude its investigation and finalise its report.
It could then decide whether to refer a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision.
Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-64982978 |
Aldi raises pay as supermarkets battle for staff - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The supermarket group has raised its national hourly wage to £11.40 and £12.85 for Greater London. | Business | Aldi has given its store employees the third pay rise in 12 months, joining other companies who have boosted wages because of a labour shortage.
The supermarket group will lift starting pay to £11.40 an hour nationally and to £12.85 in Greater London.
Depending on length of service, some staff could secure rates of up to £13.15 an hour. Retailers including Tesco have made similar moves recently as firms try to retain staff struggling with high living costs.
Earlier this month, Pret a Manger gave staff their third pay rise in a year.
The pay rise comes after recent data revealed there are more than one million job vacancies in the UK. This is below the peak of 1.2 million but still far higher than the number recorded before the start of the pandemic.
A spokesman for Aldi said the latest pay increase was in recognition of cost of living pressures as well as labour shortages.
It said the new starting rates, which were increasing by 40p, were higher than the Real Living Wage of £10.90 per hour nationally and £11.95 in Greater London.
The German discounter said 28,000 store employees will benefit from the pay rise while its 7,000 warehouse workers received pay increases earlier this year.
The supermarket is set to create more than 6,000 new jobs this year as it expands its network of stores. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64987428 |
TikTok: MSPs urged to remove Chinese-owned app from phones - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Holyrood officials say the recommendation is "proportionate and necessary" on security grounds. | Scotland politics | MSPs and staff working at the Scottish parliament have been "strongly advised" to remove Chinese-owned social media app TikTok from their phones.
It follows a similar decision taken by the UK government earlier on Friday, banning ministers from using the app.
Holyrood officials said it was a precautionary approach after talks with the national cyber security centre.
In a statement they said the recommendation was "proportionate and necessary" on security grounds.
But they added that the advice would be "kept under review".
The UK government fears sensitive data held on official phones could be accessed by the Chinese government.
But TikTok has strongly denied allegations that it hands over users' data to Beijing.
Theo Bertram, the app's vice-president of government relations and public policy in Europe, told the BBC it believed fears were based "more on geopolitics than anything else".
"We asked to be judged not on the fears that people have, but on the facts," he added.
Ross Greer of the Scottish Greens is one MSP who uses the social media platform
All MSPs, their staff, parliament staff and contractors' staff have been advised to remove the app from any device currently used to access Holyrood's IT systems.
This includes personal devices and devices issued by the parliament.
"We are giving this advice based on a precautionary approach and the best information available to us at this moment given the concerns around the information the Tik Tok application can collect from devices," said a statement from the parliament's security team.
"We consider this advice to be proportionate and necessary given the situation as we currently understand it.
"We will continue to liaise with cyber security partners including the National Cyber Security Centre and this advice will be kept under review."
The Welsh government has also banned TikTok from the work phones of ministers and civil servants.
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The United States barred TikTok from official devices in December, and the European Commission followed suit last month.
The US government has also threatened to ban the app in the country amid reports it has requested a change in ownership.
But the company said a forced sale would not change its data flows or access.
Use of TikTok has exploded in recent years, with 3.5 billion downloads worldwide.
Its algorithm serves up videos which appeal to individual users.
The app gathers a lot of information on users - including their age, location, device and even their typing rhythms - while its cookies track their activity elsewhere on the internet.
TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance has faced claims of being influenced by Beijing.
A handful of Western journalists were found to have been tracked by ByteDance employees. ByteDance says they were sacked.
The Chinese state demands loyalty from all businesses based in the country, with intelligence laws requiring firms to help the Communist Party when requested.
TikTok insists it does not share data with Chinese officials.
China has accused the US of spreading disinformation and suppressing TikTok.
Western social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are blocked in China. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-64996003 |
Passport delays: Watchdog warns against repeat of 2022's problems - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Passport services dealt with an "unprecedented demand" as coronavirus travel rules were lifted. | UK Politics | Hundreds of thousands of people were affected by passport processing delays and many experienced travel disruptions this year, a watchdog has found.
As coronavirus pandemic travel restrictions were lifted, the Passport Office struggled to keep up with an "unprecedented demand", said the National Audit Office (NAO).
Some 360,000 customers waited more than 10 weeks to receive their passports in the first nine months of 2022.
Whitehall's spending watchdog has urged the Home Office agency to prepare, with up to 10 million applications potentially submitted next year.
Despite preparations, the NAO said there were problems with recruitment, system limitations and unsuccessful efforts to deal with the levels of demand this year.
This contributed to "longer than expected waits", according to findings published on Friday.
In July, mounting delays forced would-be holidaymakers to queue for hours in London during a heatwave.
Queues outside the Passport Office in London last July
Gareth Davies, the head of NAO, said the Passport Office processed a "record number of applications" but dealing with a higher-than-average demand led to "delays for hundreds of thousands of people".
This created "anxiety" for people with travel plans and hampered people using passports as forms of identity, he said.
"HMPO [His Majesty's Passport Office] must now learn the lessons from this year and prepare for similar levels of demand that are expected in 2023."
This year, between January and September, more than seven million people applied and 6.9m passports were processed by the Passport Office. This was a 21% increase compared to the same period in 2019.
In May, more than 1.2m applications were received - with the busiest week seeing 340,000 requests submitted.
However, the NAO acknowledged that in the first nine months of 2022, 95% of customers received their passports within 10 weeks.
The report said about three million passport applications are still anticipated from people who did not renew or apply during the pandemic - meaning a further 9.8m applications could be made in 2023.
During the coronavirus pandemic, significantly fewer people renewed or applied for passports, leading officials to plan for an "expected surge" in applications when travel rules were lifted this year.
HMPO prepared for 9.5m applications - 36% more than an average year. This was based on the number of applications missing from the previous two years.
The Home Office said the impact to passport services is "not unique to the UK" and said it has worked to rectify this. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63912743 |
Ban on imports of animal hunting trophies set to become law - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Plans to stop hunters bringing body parts of endangered species to Great Britain are approved by MPs. | UK Politics | Lions are among the species which would be covered by the ban
Plans to ban imports of animal hunting trophies to Great Britain are set to become law.
The government has backed legislation which would stop hunters bringing back body parts of thousands of species, including lions, rhinos, elephants and polar bears, killed abroad.
Tory MP Henry Smith, who proposed the bill, said it would help conserve the world's most endangered species.
It was approved by MPs and will now face further scrutiny in the Lords.
As it has the support of the government, the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill is likely to become law.
Every year, hunters from the UK travel abroad, often to southern Africa, and pay thousands of pounds to legally shoot animals, such as lions and elephants.
Under current rules, with the right paperwork, they can then bring trophies, such as stuffed heads or horns, back to the UK.
Campaigners backing the bill had feared it could be blocked after more than 30 amendments were tabled by two Conservative MPs, Sir Christopher Chope and Sir Bill Wiggin.
However, after the government accepted two of their proposals - to establish an advisory board on hunting trophies and to limit the power of the secretary of state to add new species to the list the ban would apply to - the pair dropped their other demands for further changes to the bill.
Critics of the plans have argued that profits from hunting are used to pay for conservation projects in African countries and can ultimately help to protect endangered species.
Sir Bill, the Tory MP for North Herefordshire, told the Commons there were concerns that removing the revenue supplied by trophy hunters could "open the floodgate to poachers, who will cause far more cruelty and pain to the animals and will pose a far greater threat to endangered species".
However, animal welfare charities have rejected this, arguing that hardly any of the revenues from trophy hunting ever reach local communities.
Environment Minister Trudy Harrison told MPs: "I do recognise that some of the income from trophy hunting has contributed towards the protection of habitat and the prevention of poaching.
"But to bring [back] the body parts of endangered species… is not the way forward."
Singer Ed Sheeran is among the celebrities who have backed the bill
Sir Bill also suggested the legislation was a "a neo-colonial attempt to control conservation management programmes of African democratic countries".
This was denied by Mr Smith, who insisted: "This is about the values that we in Britain have, that we do not want to be part of a trade in endangered species' body parts.
"We are not telling other countries how to run their trade, or their conservation or hunting policies."
Some MPs, including the Democratic Unionist Party's Sammy Wilson, also raised concerns Northern Ireland could become a "back door" for hunting imports as the law would not apply there.
Ms Harrison said the government would do "everything we possibly can" to ensure Northern Ireland was not a "stepping stone for imports to Great Britain".
Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, singer Ed Sheeran and actress Dame Judi Dench are among the celebrities who have backed the proposed legislation.
Animal charities welcomed the progress of the bill, with Born Free saying it sent "a clear signal that, with wildlife in crisis, allowing rich people to kill wild animals for kicks has no place in the modern world".
Humane Society International said it was "relieved" only two amendments to the bill were accepted, although the charity added that it was disappointed one removed the power of the environment secretary to add other species in need of protection to the legislation. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64988108 |
YouTube reinstates Donald Trump's channel - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | It is the latest social media channel to restore his account following Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. | Technology | YouTube has reinstated Donald Trump's account following a two-year suspension from the video-sharing platform.
The move follows similar decisions taken by Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, and Elon Musk-owned Twitter.
The former US president was banned from posting YouTube videos in January 2021, with YouTube saying at the time that his channel had broken its rules over the incitement of violence.
But his account is now back online, according to YouTube's press account.
"Starting today, the Donald J. Trump channel is no longer restricted and can upload new content," Google-owned YouTube wrote on Twitter.
"We carefully evaluated the continued risk of real-world violence, while balancing the chance for voters to hear equally from major national candidates in the run-up to an election.
"This channel will continue to be subject to our policies, just like any other channel on YouTube."
YouTube previously banned Mr Trump from posting videos on its platform days after his supporters stormed the US Capitol in Washington DC, on 6 January 2021.
Hundreds of rioters entered the complex as the US Congress attempted to certify Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election.
After the riots, Mr Trump's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts were also suspended.
Several months later, he launched his own social media platform, Truth Social.
But in 2022, Mr Trump announced he would run for the US presidency in 2024, and since then his accounts on all of these platforms have returned.
He has more than 2.6 million subscribers on YouTube, to go along with his 87 million followers on Twitter, 34 million on Facebook and 23 million on Instagram.
But despite his following, there is no guarantee that Mr Trump will return to posting videos on YouTube.
On Friday, however, he posted on Facebook for the first time in more than two years, with a short video clip of his 2016 victory speech and a message simply saying: "I'M BACK!" | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-64993603 |
PC's baton blows on Dalian Atkinson were 'excessive force' - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Eyewitnesses tell Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith's disciplinary hearing about the day the ex-footballer died. | Shropshire | PC Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith is accused of gross misconduct over her baton use against ex-footballer Dalian Atkinson on the day he died
A PC who repeatedly struck an ex-footballer with a baton on the night he was killed by her colleague used "excessive and unnecessary" force, a disciplinary panel has heard.
Mary Ellen Bettley-Smith denies gross misconduct over the manner in which she detained Dalian Atkinson in 2016.
The hearing was convened following her acquitted of a related charge at trial.
On day two of the separate disciplinary process, an eyewitness said the PC "seemed reluctant" in her actions.
But others said they could not understand why PC Bettley-Smith, of the West Mercia force, had brought down blows upon an already fallen Mr Atkinson, and suggested the actions were "violent and aggressive".
The officer was last year acquitted of actual bodily harm at retrial, during which it emerged she had struck Mr Atkinson - an Aston Villa striker in the early 1990s - three times by baton while he lay on the ground, having been tasered.
Mr Atkinson was said, following health issues, to have been in distress outside his father's house in Telford in August 2016 when police attended the scene.
There he was kicked to the head and tasered by PC Bettley-Smith's colleague and partner Benjamin Monk.
Mr Atkinson died about an hour later, with Monk jailed in 2021 for manslaughter.
The disciplinary panel heard from an eyewitness that Monk was "stomping on Dalian's head".
Neighbour Jean Jeffrey-Shaw explained: "The female officer then took out her baton and began striking the fleshy part of his body, his thigh and buttock.
"I could not understand why because Dalian did not move after he went to the ground."
Mrs Jeffrey-Shaw added the female PC appeared to be "panicky and frightened, while the male officer looked calm, like he'd done this kind of thing before".
She also described how later Ms Bettley-Smith had tried to put handcuffs on Mr Atkinson, but his "hands were limp, floppy and lifeless".
Dalian Atkinson died after being tasered by PC Bettley-Smith's partner, Benjamin Monk
Another neighbour, Julia Shilton, told the hearing she had seen the officer "whacking the top of Dalian's legs".
She described the strikes as "like a jerking motion - she seemed reluctant to do it".
But a third eyewitness, Janet Lewis, said she saw PC Bettley-Smith strike Mr Atkinson "with substantial force".
"She appeared to be angry and this was clear from the strikes," she told the hearing.
"Even with my window closed I could hear the impact of the strikes on the clothing of Dalian's body.
"The officers still went on to strike him multiple times in a violent and aggressive manner, which made me feel sick.
"It was in my opinion excessive and unnecessary."
She added: "He was not resisting the officers and did not appear to have done so physically at any point."
PC Bettley-Smith could face immediate dismissal from the police if the panel rules against her in the hearing, brought at the recommendation of the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
Mr Atkinson started his career at Ipswich Town, before moving to Sheffield Wednesday, Real Sociedad, Aston Villa and Fenerbahçe in the 1990s.
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Deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia is war crime - UN - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | A report by the UN says over 16,000 children have been transferred to areas under Russian control. | Europe | Over 16,000 children are thought to have been transferred to Russia or Russia-controlled areas.
Russia's forced deportation of Ukrainian children to areas under its control amounts to a war crime, UN investigators have said.
The UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine said there was evidence of the illegal transfer of hundreds of Ukrainian children to Russia.
The Commission's report is categorical that Russia also committed other war crimes in Ukraine.
They include attacks on hospitals, torture, rape and wilful killings.
Ukraine government figures put the number of children forcibly taken to Russia at 16,221.
Russia has introduced policies such as the granting of Russian citizenship and the placement of children in foster families to "create a framework in which some of the children may end up remaining permanently" in Russia, the report notes.
While the transfers were supposed to be temporary "most became prolonged", with both parents and children facing "an array of obstacles in establishing contact", UN investigators wrote.
In some cases, parents or children told the Commission that once in Russia-controlled areas, transferred children were made to wear "dirty clothes, were screamed at, and called names." They also said that "some children with disabilities did not receive adequate care and medication."
The burden of contacting their parents fell primarily to the transferred children as the adults faced "considerable logistical, financial, and security challenges" in finding or retrieving their children, the report says.
It also quotes witnesses as saying that the smaller children transferred may have not been able to establish contact with their families and might, as a consequence, "lose contact with them indefinitely".
The forced deportations of Ukrainian children "violate international humanitarian law, and amount to a war crime", concludes the report.
The UN said that in addition to the rapes, killings and "widespread" torture, Moscow could be responsible for the even more serious "crimes against humanity" - notably the wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure that began last October.
The commission is also trying to determine whether the bombing and siege of the city of Mariupol last May might constitute a crime against humanity.
The investigators said they had also documented "a small number" of violations committed by Ukrainian armed forces. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64985009 |
France pension protests: Clashes after Macron orders rise in pension age without vote - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | France's president has sidelined MPs and forced through plans to raise the pension age from 62 to 64. | Europe | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch: Uproar on the streets of Paris and jeers in parliament over retirement age increase
Police in Paris have clashed with protesters after the French government decided to force through pension reforms without a vote in parliament.
Crowds converged on Place de la Concorde in response to raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.
The plans had sparked two months of heated political debate and strikes.
Finally, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne invoked article 49:3 of the constitution - allowing the government to avoid a vote in the Assembly.
The decision was taken minutes before MPs were scheduled to vote on the controversial bill, because there was no guarantee of winning a majority.
The move caused fury among opposition politicians. Many jeered the prime minister, sang La Marseillaise and held up signs of protest in parliament.
A no-confidence motion was filed against President Emmanuel Macron's government on Friday by a group of opposition parties.
Leader of left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI), Mathilde Panot, tweeted that Mr Macron had plunged the country into a government crisis, without parliamentary or popular legitimacy.
Thousands of people came out on the streets of Paris and other French cities to reject the move, singing the national anthem and waving trade union flags.
Some protesters clashed with police as evening fell. A fire was lit in the middle of the Place de la Concorde and police with shields and batons fired tear gas and moved to clear the square.
By nightfall, 120 people had been arrested, Paris police told AFP news agency.
But unions vowed to maintain their opposition to the pension changes, with the Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) saying another day of strikes and demonstrations was being planned for Thursday 23 March.
The constitutional procedure that has prompted all this anger may sound obscure, but it is very much part of the political vocabulary in France.
Even though Mr Macron was re-elected last year on a platform of retirement reforms, his ruling coalition has no majority in the Assembly and would have needed support from the Republicans party to pass the pension changes.
Officials from Mr Macron's Renaissance party spent the morning desperately whipping members into line in a bid to pass their bill.
They knew some of their MPs could vote against or abstain, faced with the evident unpopularity of the bill, so they resorted to special constitutional powers.
But whenever a government invokes the 49:3, it can be sure it will be accused straight away of riding roughshod over the will of the people.
In fact, it has been used precisely 100 times in the more than 60 years of the Fifth Republic, and by governments of all shades.
Obviously, it tends to be used more frequently by governments that do not have an in-built majority in parliament, such as the socialist Michel Rocard's in the 1980s and Élisabeth Borne's today.
She has in fact already used it several times, but those occasions were for public finance bills which were less controversial.
Use of the procedure is a way to bypass a vote which might be lost, but the down side for the government is that the opposition parties can immediately table a vote of no-confidence.
If these are voted through, the government falls. That is a theoretical possibility now, but unlikely, because it would mean the far-right, the left and much of the conservative opposition all coming together.
The dispute once again makes France look unreformable. By comparison with other countries in Europe, the change to the pension age is far from dramatic.
But the bill is regularly described by opponents as "brutal", "inhuman" and "degrading".
Morale in France is low and getting lower, and people see retirement as a bright spot in the future. But many feel that this is a rich man's government taking even that away.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64984374 |
Putin arrest warrant issued over war crime allegations - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Russian president is wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes during his Ukraine invasion. | Europe | Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's commissioner for children's rights, during a meeting last month
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The court alleges he is responsible for war crimes, and has focused its claims on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.
It says the crimes were committed in Ukraine from 24 February 2022 - when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Moscow has denied the allegations and labelled the warrants as "outrageous".
It is highly unlikely that much will come of the move - the ICC has no powers to arrest suspects, and can only exercise jurisdiction within its member countries - and Russia is not one of them.
However it could affect the president in other ways, such as being unable to travel internationally.
In a statement, the ICC said it had reasonable grounds to believe Mr Putin committed the criminal acts directly, as well as working with others. It also accused him of failing to use his presidential powers to stop children being deported.
When asked about the ICC's move, US President Joe Biden said "well, I think it's justified". He noted that the US is not signed up to the ICC, "but I think it makes a very strong point". Mr Putin "clearly committed war crimes", he said.
Russia's commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, is also wanted by the ICC for the same crimes.
In the past, she has spoken openly of efforts to indoctrinate Ukrainian children taken to Russia.
Last September, Ms Lvova-Belova complained that some children removed from the city of Mariupol "spoke badly about the [Russian President], said awful things and sang the Ukrainian anthem."
She has also claimed to have adopted a 15-year-old boy from Mariupol.
The ICC said it initially considered keeping the arrest warrants a secret, but decided to make them public in the event that it stopped further crimes from being committed.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan told the BBC: "children can't be treated as the spoils of war, they can't be deported".
"This type of crime doesn't need one to be a lawyer, one needs to be human being to know how egregious it is," he said.
Reactions to the warrants came within minutes of the announcement, with Kremlin officials instantly dismissing them.
Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said any of the court's decisions were "null and void" and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev compared the warrant to toilet paper.
"No need to explain WHERE this paper should be used," he wrote on Twitter, with a toilet paper emoji.
However Russian opposition leaders welcomed the announcement. Ivan Zhdanov, a close ally of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, tweeted that it was "a symbolic step" but an important one.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was grateful to Mr Khan and the criminal court for their decision to press charges against "state evil".
Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said the decision was "historic for Ukraine", while the country's presidential chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, lauded the decision as "only the beginning".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. WATCH: Can Vladimir Putin actually be arrested?
But because Russia is not a signed member of the ICC, there is very little chance that Vladimir Putin or Maria Lvova-Belova will appear in the dock at The Hague.
The ICC relies on the cooperation of governments to arrest people, and Russia is "obviously not going to cooperate in this respect", Jonathan Leader Maynard, a lecturer in international politics at King's College London, told the BBC.
However Mr Khan pointed out that no-one thought Slobodan Milosevic, the Serbian leader who went on trial for war crimes in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo, would end up in The Hague.
"Those that feel that you can commit a crime in the daytime, and sleep well at night, should perhaps look at history," he said.
Legally, however, this does present Mr Putin with a problem.
While he is the head of a G20 state, and about to shake hands with China's Xi Jinping in an historic meeting, Mr Putin is now also a wanted man, and this will inevitably place restrictions on which countries he can visit.
There is also a level of embarrassment for the Kremlin, which has always denied allegations of Russian war crimes, that such an influential, pan-national body as the ICC simply does not believe its denials. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64992727 |
Driving licence delays caused 'lost jobs and money' - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | People with medical conditions waited months for driving licences during the pandemic, MPs say. | Business | Three million people who applied for a driving licence during the worst of the pandemic experienced major delays, a report has found.
Some applicants lost jobs or income, and suffered social isolation and mental health problems, parliament's Public Accounts Committee said.
The delays affected people who applied by post or had medical conditions.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) said it had prioritised its online services during the pandemic.
That was because most applications were made online, it told the committee.
It had also focused on services where it believed processing delays would cause greater problems, it told MPs.
Complaints to the DVLA rose sharply in the two years after April 2020, the Public Accounts Committee report said.
Around 17 million applications submitted online, that did not involve notifiable medical conditions, were processed within three days, the report said.
But three million applications on paper, or which required a decision from the DVLA over fitness to drive, had long delays.
The committee heard from applicants who became isolated and depressed, and people who had lost income as a result, sometimes lasting months.
The committee said it was aware of a bus driver who was threatened with losing his job, and a shift worker in a rural community who could not work.
Others had difficulty arranging motor insurance, driving abroad or hiring vehicles, it said.
The committee said despite changes to the law allowing licence renewals to be postponed, and the DVLA taking on additional staff, the problems at the DVLA had persisted for two years.
Customers' poor experiences were exacerbated by "huge difficulty" contacting the DVLA during the pandemic, it said.
It found between April 2020 and March 2022 around 60 million calls went unanswered, 94% of the total the DVLA received.
The committee was also critical of the Department for Transport (DfT) saying it had taken a "hands-off" approach to problems at the DVLA, and failed to ensure the organisation was adopting modern working practices. Committee chair Dame Meg Hillier MP described the DVLA's operations as "antiquated".
"The pandemic inevitably made operations more difficult, but the DVLA and DfT were not prepared for the challenge of keeping essential driving licence services running and especially not for those who needed it most," she said. In a raft of recommendations the committee said the DVLA needed better systems to identify and fast-track driving licence applications where the customer would be badly affected by a delay.
The DVLA said it had recently modernised its telephony systems, so it should be able to cope better with any future surges in demand.
"We are back to normal processing times across our services," it said. "All standard paper applications were back to normal turnaround times by May 2022."
It added that "online services worked well throughout the pandemic and for the vast majority of our customers, their dealings with DVLA would have been trouble free".
During the pandemic the DVLA issued more than 24 million driving licences, "the vast majority of which were issued within 3 working days", it added. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64977864 |
SNP media chief Murray Foote resigns over membership dispute - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Murray Foote denied SNP membership had dropped, before the party confirmed a decline of 32,000. | Scotland | Murray Foote said he had issued agreed party responses to the media
An SNP media chief has resigned in a row over the party's membership numbers - after it denied the figure had dropped by 30,000.
Murray Foote had described press reports about the numbers last month as "inaccurate" and "drivel".
The SNP confirmed yesterday that membership had fallen to 72,186 from the 104,000 it had two years ago.
Mr Foote said he issued agreed party responses to the media which "created a serious impediment" to his role.
SNP leadership candidates Ash Regan and Kate Forbes this week demanded to know how many members were eligible to vote in a row over the integrity of the contest.
They issued a joint letter to Peter Murrell - the SNP's chief executive and husband of Nicola Sturgeon.
The party initially refused to reveal the numbers, then confirmed there was a drop of 32,000 since December 2021.
Last month the Sunday Mail - where Mr Foote was formerly editor in chief - reported the SNP had lost 30,000 members, which the party said was "not just wrong, it's wrong by about 30,000".
Mr Foote tweeted: "Acting in good faith and as a courtesy to colleagues at party HQ, I issued agreed party responses to media inquiries regarding membership.
"It has subsequently become apparent there are serious issues with these responses.
"Consequently, I concluded this created a serous impediment to my role and I resigned my position with the SNP group at Holyrood."
The SNP said Mr Foote had been an outstanding head of press for the Holyrood group, adding: "He has acted entirely in good faith throughout."
In a statement it said: "The party was asked a specific question about loss of members as a direct result of the GRR [gender recognition reform] Bill and Indyref2. The answer given was intended to make clear that these two reasons had not been the cause of significant numbers of members leaving.
"The membership figure is normally produced annually and is not produced in response to individual media queries, including in this instance.
"In retrospect, however, we should not have relied on an understanding of people's reasons for leaving as the basis of the information given to Murray and, thereafter, the media.
"A new, modernised membership system is currently being developed for the party."
Mr Foote became editor of the Daily Record and Sunday Mail newspapers in 2014.
He was responsible for "The Vow" front page which was seen as being highly influential in the outcome of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.
It was written by the Better Together campaign in which they promised more powers for Holyrood.
In an article written for the first anniversary of the vote, Mr Foote wrote that he and colleagues did not believe Alex Salmond was "offering true independence" at the time.
He was appointed the SNP's media chief in 2019.
Scottish Conservative MSP Russell Findlay, a former journalist, defended Mr Foote - saying he had been given false information.
"He didn't lie. The SNP lied," Mr Findlay said. "The problem is not a press officer. The problem is the rotten SNP leadership who deliberately lied to the press and public.
"We wish our best to Mr Foote, who was clearly told false information and is the fall guy for the SNP hierarchy."
Alex Salmond, former first minister and leader of the Alba party, also accused the SNP of "blatant lies".
Speaking to BBC Scotland's Drivetime programme - prior to Mr Foote stepping down - Mr Salmond said the SNP's loss of members was "catastrophic", but "more important is the reduction in credibility".
Nicola Sturgeon's chief adviser Liz Lloyd also announced on Friday that she would be stepping down from the role when the first minister leaves office.
She said it had been the "biggest honour of my life" to have worked with Ms Sturgeon but that she planned to pursue new opportunities outside politics.
Earlier in the week the Scottish Sun had reported Ms Lloyd was advising Mr Yousaf's campaign.
Murray Foote's former colleagues have been highlighting his integrity as they react to his departure from the SNP.
It was a surprise for many when the man who helped created the unionist "Vow" during the 2014 independence campaign joined the party.
But he's relished his task - although now it ends in tears.
In the resignation statement, he emphasises how "in good faith" he gave the inaccurate membership numbers provided by the party.
His former journalistic colleagues were furious at how they'd been treated and, it seems, so is he.
Mr Foote says this created a "serious impediment" to his role.
So who gave the figures to him? There are now big questions for SNP HQ and its chief executive, Peter Murrell.
As the leadership race continues, it's tearing through the SNP, wreaking havoc.
The SNP's membership hit a peak of 125,000 in 2019 as support for the party surged in the wake of the independence referendum but had dropped to 85,000 by the end of last year.
That suggests a drop of 12,000 inside a matter of months.
After the most recent membership figures were released, Kate Forbes' campaign manager, Michelle Thomson MSP, said she was pleased that "common sense has prevailed" - but that the "alarming drop in members shows that the party needs a change in direction".
Ash Regan's campaign linked the decline to the Scottish government's controversial gender recognition reforms while the party's president Mike Russell suggested cost of living pressures could offer an alternative explanation.
The third candidate in the contest, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, said it was "really important" the SNP did not lose any more members but said the best way to do this was to continue with the party's "progressive agenda".
Following Mr Foote's departure on Friday, Mr Yousaf tweeted that he would be sorely missed, and added: "Reform of our HQ operations has been a key part of my campaign. With fresh party leadership should come a fresh approach to our HQ operation." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64993032 |
Lord Ahmed: Peer's prison sentence cut by appeal court - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The Appeal Court says it took into account Nazir Ahmed was a child himself when he abused two children. | Sheffield & South Yorkshire | Ahmed, pictured at his sentencing in 2022, had challenged his original jail term
The Court of Appeal has cut the jail term given to former Labour peer Lord Ahmed of Rotherham for sexually abusing two children in the 1970s.
Ahmed was convicted, under his birth name Nazir Ahmed, of trying to rape a young girl and sexually assaulting a boy under 11.
He was jailed for five years and six months at Sheffield Crown Court in February 2022.
Three Appeal Court judges have reduced the term to two years and six months.
Lord Burnett, the Lord Chief Justice; Lord Justice Holroyde and Lord Justice William Davis concluded the original trial judge Mr Justice Lavender "fell into error" when passing sentence.
They said the fact that Ahmed was a child when he committed the offences had to be taken into account.
Their decision followed a hearing in London in January.
Ahmed had challenged Mr Justice Lavender's sentencing decision and the appeal judges made a ruling in his favour.
During his original trial, the court heard the abuse happened in Rotherham.
He had attempted to rape the girl on two occasions when he was aged about 16 or 17 and she was much younger.
The attack on the boy also happened during the same period.
Ahmed was found guilty of two counts of attempted rape against the girl and a serious sexual assault against the boy.
He had originally been given two years for each of the attempted rapes, to run concurrently, with a further three years and six months for assaulting the boy.
The judges said had he been sentenced shortly after the assault on the boy he would have been 14 and a child with no previous convictions.
They concluded "a custodial sentence of six months would probably have been regarded as a suitable penalty".
However, they made no criticism of the sentence imposed in relation to the attempted rapes which were offences by a teenager "against a very young victim".
The three judges said they had considered the legal issues relating to the "correct approach" when sentencing an adult for an offence committed when they were a child.
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Jodey Whiting: Court of Appeal grants new benefit death inquest - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Jodey Whiting died in February 2017 just days after her disability benefits were wrongfully stopped. | Tees | Joy Dove has campaigned for a fresh inquest into her daughter Jodey's death
The mother of a disabled woman who killed herself after her benefits were cut has won a legal battle for a new inquest into her daughter's death.
Jody Whiting, 42, from Stockton, died in February 2017 - days after her disability benefits were stopped by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
A coroner ruled her death was suicide, but her mother, Joy Dove, wants a new inquest to look at the DWP's impact.
She said she was "over the moon" with the Court of Appeal decision.
Three judges have ruled that a new inquest should take place.
Joy Dove said she was pleased with the court's decision
In a statement Mr Dove said she was "so pleased and grateful" to the court.
"We buried Jodey just over six years ago and finally my family and I have the chance of getting justice for Jodey," she said.
Ms Dove had challenged a ruling by two High Court judges in June, who had refused her request for a new inquest.
She took her fight to the Court of Appeal, where judges heard her case in January and concluded one was "desirable in the interests of justice".
Lady Justice Whipple, sitting with Lord Justice Lewis and Lord Justice William Davis, said the public had a "legitimate interest" in knowing whether Ms Whiting's death was connected with the abrupt stopping of her benefits.
Jodey Whiting had a history of chronic pain and mental health issues which left her unfit to work
The coroner at the original inquest, which lasted 37 minutes, recorded a verdict of suicide.
During the Appeal Court hearing, Ms Dove's lawyers argued the original inquest had not investigated "whether any acts or omissions of the DWP caused or contributed to Ms Whiting's death".
They said there was fresh evidence of "multiple, significant failings" by the DWP which had not been considered.
Ms Dove said she had always believed "the DWP wrongly stopping Jodey's benefits" caused her death.
"This is a victory not just for us but for all those families and others still on the receiving end of awful treatment by the DWP," she said.
"I hope the DWP learn from their tragic failings."
A government spokesperson said the DWP was "ready to assist the new coroner with their investigation" and could not comment on active legal proceedings.
In the ruling, Lady Justice Whipple said the public had a "legitimate interest" in knowing "if Jodey's death was connected with the abrupt cessation of benefits" by the DWP.
"The department deals with very many people who are vulnerable and dependent on benefits to survive," she said.
"The consequences of terminating benefit payments to such people should be examined in public."
The judge said it was also in the public interest that the coroner be given the opportunity to consider whether a prevention of future deaths report was warranted.
They may wish to hear from the DWP at the second inquest about what remedial steps have already been taken, she added.
Ms Whiting had received benefits for more than a decade due to serious, long-term physical and mental health issues.
In late 2016, when the DWP started a reassessment, she said she needed a home visit because she was housebound, had severe anxiety and was unable to walk more than a few steps.
Ms Dove's lawyers argued at the High Court in 2021 that this request was not properly considered before the DWP terminated her disability benefit when she did not attend a work capability assessment.
This led to Ms Whiting's housing benefit and council tax benefit also being stopped.
The decision to terminate Ms Whiting's benefits was overturned on 31 March 2017, weeks after her death.
The independent case examiner, which investigates complaints about the DWP, later found multiple breaches of department policy, significant errors by staff and several "missed opportunities" for the DWP to reconsider the claim.
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Menindee: Millions of dead fish wash up near Australian town - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | "Just imagine leaving a fish in your kitchen to rot" said one resident, describing the smell. | Australia | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Residents in a regional Australian town have woken to find millions of dead fish in their river.
The large-scale fish deaths were first reported on Friday morning in the New South Wales' (NSW) town of Menindee.
The state's river authority said it was a result of an ongoing heatwave affecting the Darling-Baaka river.
Locals say it is the largest fish death event to hit the town, which experienced another significant mass death of fish just three years ago.
In a Facebook post, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) said the heatwave put "further stress on a system that has experienced extreme conditions from wide-scale flooding".
Heatwaves have become more frequent, more intense, and last longer because of human-induced climate change. The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.
"There's about 30 kilometres of dead fish," local resident Graeme McCrabb told the BBC
Speaking to the BBC, Menindee resident Graeme McCrabb described the deaths as "surreal".
"It'll probably be a bit more confronting today," he said, as he warned that locals were anticipating that even more fish would die as the already decomposing fish sucked more oxygen from the water.
Around 500 people live in the town in far-west New South Wales. The Darling-Baaka river is a part of the Murray Darling Basin, Australia's largest river system.
The NSW DPI also said that the fish deaths were "distressing to the local community", a sentiment echoed by Mr McCrabb.
"You can just imagine leaving a fish in your kitchen to rot with all the doors shut and no air conditioner, and we've got millions of them."
The temperature in Menindee was expected to reach 41C on Saturday.
He added that locals in the regional town rely on the Darling-Baaka for water supplies, "we use the river water for washing and showering in so people won't be able to use that water for those basic needs again," he said.
"Over time those people won't be able to access that water for domestic use which is just shameful".
This week's fish deaths throws a light on the troubles facing the Murray Darling Basin. Drought and increased human use has impacted the health of the Murray Darling ecosystem.
The Murray Darling Basin authority said agriculture, industries and communities have used water from the river system which has resulted in less water flowing through the river.
It also said the Basin is prone to extreme weather events and has a highly variable climate that makes it vulnerable to both fires and droughts.
In 2012, a plan worth A$13bn (£8.45bn at the time) was implemented to try and stop the river from drying up and returning it to a healthier level.
The NSW DPI said it will work with federal agencies to respond to the latest incident, and to find the underlying causes of the deaths. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-64992726 |
Why are doctors demanding the biggest pay rise? - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | How junior medics have reached the brink of their biggest walkout, in a fight for a 35% hike. | Health | On Monday, thousands of junior doctors in England will start a 72-hour strike. They want a 35% pay rise. Yet doctors are among the highest paid in the public sector. So why do they have the biggest pay claim?
The origins of the walkout by British Medical Association members - the biggest by doctors in the history of the NHS - can be found in a series of discussions on social media platform Reddit in late 2021.
A collection of junior doctors were expressing their dissatisfaction about pay.
The numbers chatting online grew quickly and by January 2022 it had led to the formation of the campaign group Doctors Vote, with the aim of restoring pay to the pre-austerity days of 2008.
The group began spreading its message via social media - and, within months, its supporters had won 26 of the 69 voting seats on the BMA ruling council, and 38 of the 68 on its junior doctor committee.
Dr Vivek Trivedi and Dr Rob Laurenson stood for BMA election on a Doctors Vote platform
Two of those who stood on the Doctors Vote platform - Dr Rob Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi - became co-chairs of the committee.
"It was simply a group of doctors connecting up the dots," Dr Laurenson says. "We reflect the vast majority of doctors," he adds, pointing to the mandate from the wider BMA junior doctor membership - 77% voted and of those, 98% backed strike action.
Among some of the older BMA heads, though, there is a sense of disquiet at the new guard. One senior doctor who has now stood down from a leadership role says: "They're undoubtedly much more radical than we have seen before. But they haven't read the room - the pay claim makes them look silly."
Publicly, the BMA prefers not to talk about wanting a pay rise. Instead, it uses the term "pay restoration" - to reverse cuts of 26% since 2008. This is the amount pay has fallen once inflation is taken into account.
To rectify a cut of 26% requires a bigger percentage increase because the amount is lower. This is why the BMA is actually after a 35% increase - and it is a rise it is calling for to be paid immediately.
The argument is more complicated than the ones put forward by most other unions - and because of that it has raised eyebrows.
Firstly, no junior doctor has seen pay cut by 26% in that period. There are five core pay points in the junior doctor contract with each a springboard to the next. It means they move up the pay scale over time until they finish their training.
A junior doctor in 2008 may well be a consultant now, perhaps earning four times in cash terms what they were then.
Secondly, the 26% figure uses the retail price index (RPI) measure of inflation, which the Office for National Statistics says is a poor way to look at rising prices. Using the more favoured consumer price index measure, the cut is 16% - although the BMA defends its use of RPI as it takes into account housing costs.
"The drop in pay is also affected by the start-year chosen," Lucina Rolewicz, of the Nuffield Trust think tank, says. A more recent start date will show a smaller decline, as would going further back in the 2000s.
Another way of looking at pay is comparing it with wages across the economy by looking at where a job sits in terms of the lowest to highest earners.
The past decade has not been a boom time for wage growth in many fields, as austerity and the lack of economic growth has held back incomes.
Last year, the independent Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration Body looked at this. It found junior doctors had seen their pay, relative to others, fall slightly during the 2010s, but were still among the highest earners, with doctors fresh out of university immediately finding themselves in the top half of earners, while those at the end of training were just outside the top 10%.
Then, of course, career prospects have to be considered. Consultants earn well more than £100,000 on average, putting them in the top 2%. GP partners earn even more.
A pension of more than £60,000 a year in today's prices also awaits those reaching such positions.
But while the scale of the pay claim is new, dissatisfaction with working conditions and pay pre-date the rise of the Doctors Vote movement.
Studying medicine at university takes five years, meaning big debts for most. Dr Trivedi says £80,000 of student loans are often topped up by private debt.
On top of that, doctors have to pay for ongoing exams and professional membership fees. Their junior doctor training can see them having to make several moves across the country and with little control over the hours they work.
This lasts many years - junior doctors can commonly spend close to a decade in training.
It is clearly hard work. And with services getting increasingly stretched, it is a job that doctors say is leaving them "demoralised, angry and exhausted", Dr Trivedi says, adding: "Patient care is being compromised."
But while medicine is undoubtedly tough, it remains hugely attractive.
Junior doctor posts in the early years are nearly always filled - it is not until doctors begin to specialise later in their training that significant gaps emerge in some specialities such as end-of-life care and sexual health.
Looking at all doctor vacancy rates across the NHS around 6% of posts are unfilled - for nurses it is nearly twice that level.
Many argue there is still a shortage - with not enough training places or funded doctor posts in the NHS in the first place.
But the fact the problems appear more severe in other NHS roles is a key reason why the government does not seem to be in a hurry to prioritise doctors - formal pay talks to avert strikes have begun with unions representing the rest of the workforce
"If we have some money to give a pay rise to NHS staff," a source close to the negotiations says, "doctors are not at the front of the queue."
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If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-64907379 |
How the Scottish morning roll became a national treasure - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The collapse of a major Scottish producer highlights the breakfast staple's enduring popularity. | Scotland business | This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. "There's nothing more satisfying" - Baker Andrew Chisholm on making the 'perfect' Scottish morning roll
The sudden collapse earlier this month of Glasgow baking giant Morton's Rolls sent shockwaves across communities in the west of Scotland.
Consumers were faced with the loss of Morton's traditional crispy roll, a breakfast staple which had been sold in its millions every week for decades.
An online petition calling for Morton's Rolls to be saved attracted hundreds of signatures within days.
One petitioner described the rolls as "part of the identity of Scotland", while another called them "a national treasure".
The fate of Morton's was even raised in the Scottish Parliament, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon describing it as an "iconic Scottish brand" as she vowed to do everything possible to help reduce the impact of hundreds of job losses.
However the firm is due to restart production on Sunday, after the firm was bought out of administration by a consortium of investors.
So how did the humble morning roll draw such a reaction?
Scottish food researcher Peter Gilchrist argues that they are as vital to working-class food culture in the west of Scotland as a roast chicken dinner is to the English middle classes.
He puts their popularity in part down to a sense of nostalgia.
"Growing up in the 90s in a council flat in Paisley, Saturday morning was all about breakfast," he explains.
"My dad would head out early to queue for a dozen crispy rolls from the baker and pop next door to the butcher for bacon and square sausage. We would eat them with tomato sauce, butter and tea."
Peter, who is a food tourism ambassador for Scotland Food and Drink, adds: "There's a good chance that if your grandparents ate a floury bap with bacon and black pudding, that food tradition has been passed down to your parents and then to you.
"It is in variety we find a sort of identity as a family; our morning roll order is part of our working-class story."
The loss of Morton's Rolls forced Glasgow corner shops, newsagents, chippies and restaurants to scramble for alternatives from rival producers such as McGhees, which already sells more than three million rolls a week.
Scott Marwaha, who owns the Mayfield convenience store in Ruchill, says many of his regulars won't go for anything other than "a Morton's" because they've grown up with the taste.
Scott Marwaha says some customers went to great lengths to get hold of a Morton's roll
Some, he explains, went to extraordinary lengths to get hold of the roll.
"One customer regularly bought five or six dozen at a time to take over to his family in Ireland," he said.
"There's also a lady from Dumfries who would call me to ask if I could put some rolls aside when she came to visit her mother."
But Morton's is only part of the story.
The reality is that for many Scots across the nation, breakfast or lunch just wouldn't be the same without a morning roll, whether it is soft, well-fired (black crust) or crispy.
Some prefer well-fired rolls, which have a black crust
Third-generation baker Andrew Chisholm thinks one reason for its popularity is its versatility.
Andrew, who owns Lanarkshire-based chain Christie the Baker, explains: "The great thing about a morning roll is that you can put anything in it, sweet or savoury.
"A lot of people will stack it and will have black pudding, beans, bacon or whatever they want in it.
"We even sell rolls filled with a Scotch pie. It's popular.
"My own favourite is a nice bit of Scottish cheddar and strawberry jam. Epic."
Andrew also points out that Scots have quite different tastes, according to where they live.
"The roll we make in North Lanarkshire is typical of what you find in the west of Scotland but if you go east to Edinburgh, you'll probably find it's a bit sweeter and a bit softer - there's a wee bit more fat in it.
"As you go north into Dundee, you'll probably find a lot more flour on it. Again it will be a bit sweeter, with more fat.
"If you go all the way up to Aberdeen and the surrounding area, it splits into two products.
"There's the softie, which they just call a morning roll - and the rowie or buttery, as it would be known locally. It is akin more to somewhere between a Danish pastry and a croissant, but made in a Scottish style."
Butteries (left) and "softies" are popular in the north east of Scotland
Despite recent events at Morton's, there is no sign of the Scots losing their appetite for the morning roll.
Scottish Scran, a website that celebrates Scottish food, claims it receives more requests for morning roll recipes than any other type of food.
Sonja Bolger, who runs the site with husband Phil, says: "A lot of people in our Facebook group have either moved away or don't live near a bakery that sells morning rolls, so they want to be able to make them."
Baker Andrew perhaps epitomises the passion that many north of the border feel for the Scottish roll.
"To be doing this job every day and seeing the morning rolls coming out of the oven perfectly shaped, how you want them - thin crust on top, a nice aroma coming from them, and the flour to be perfectly distributed on top every day - there is nothing more satisfying," he says. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-64906163 |
Ukraine will remember who backed us - foreign minister - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Ukraine's foreign minister tells the BBC nations that don't back Ukraine will be held to account. | Europe | Ukraine's foreign minister spoke of his disappointment that the Pope is yet to visit Ukraine
Countries that "mistreated Ukraine" will be held to account after the war ends, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has warned.
In a BBC interview he said the choice every nation made following Russia's full-scale invasion will be "taken into account in building future relations".
He also warned delays of Western weapon deliveries would cost Ukrainian lives.
"If one delivery is postponed for one day, it means that someone is going to die on the frontline," he said.
In a wide-ranging interview, Mr Kuleba also discussed how he believes the war will end, the role of China in the war, and his disappointment that Pope Francis has yet to visit his country in war time.
Mr Kuleba spoke to the BBC in Ukraine's imposing, Soviet-era foreign ministry at the heart of Kyiv, now protected by sandbags and armed guards.
Western nations have shown strong unity in backing Ukraine so far
Although Ukraine has received military and economic support from Western powers since Russia's invasion, many countries in Africa, Asia and South America have stayed on the sidelines.
Some are historically sympathetic to Russia, some are concerned about the economic costs of the war, and others believe the West is prolonging the fighting unnecessarily.
But Mr Kuleba made clear that countries which failed to support Ukraine now - those, he said, which had "misbehaved in the course of this war and mistreated Ukraine", would pay a price in the future.
Ukraine may well be dependent on Western aid and military support in the medium to long term and so its diplomatic disapproval may not worry some countries. But in peacetime Ukraine's huge grain exports give it substantial economic leverage, particularly in parts of the developing world.
"If anyone in the world thinks that the way this or that country behaved - or treated Ukraine at the darkest moment of its history - will not be taken into account in building future relations, these people just don't know how diplomacy works," he said.
"War is a time when you have to make a choice. And every choice has been recorded."
Ukraine is using vast amounts of shells and ammunition to defend itself - and needs even more
Mr Kuleba said Western allies were not giving Ukraine military support fast enough because they had not been ready for a conflict on the same scale as World War One. And what he needed was artillery shells.
"We want partners to act faster," he said. "And if one delivery is postponed for one day, it means that someone is going to die on the front line.
"It means that someone who could have been still alive is going to die."
Nowhere has the demand for ammunition been greater than in the eastern city of Bakhmut where Ukrainian forces have been holding out for more than seven months against repeated Russian attempts to seize the city.
This, Mr Kuleba said, was "emotionally very challenging" because of the losses suffered.
But if Bakhmut fell, then other cities would be next: "So in order to save lives there… we have to fight in Bakhmut as long as we physically can."
Russia has lost many troops battling for Bakhmut, but Ukraine has also suffered high casualties defending it
There was no sign, he said, of Russia being willing to negotiate an end to the fighting but he added: "Every war ends at the negotiating table... But my goal as a foreign minister is to make sure that Ukraine reaches the table after a defining success on the battlefield."
And that involves building the strongest possible coalition of support, an alliance that he feels does not include the Pope. Mr Kuleba said it was not for him but for God to judge the Holy Father but, he said: "We deeply regret that the Pope has not found an opportunity to visit Ukraine since the beginning of the war."
China, too, has thus far resisted Ukraine's lobbying for a meeting between China's President Xi Jinping and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, even though Beijing confirmed on Friday that China's leader is to visit Moscow next week.
Mr Kuleba said his president was ready for a telephone conversation with Mr Xi and added: "I don't think China has reached the moment now… when it's ready to arm Russia."
The West worries China may start sending weaponry to Russia
As for the United States, some analysts have speculated support for Ukraine might reduce after next year's presidential elections. But Mr Kuleba said: "I think we can survive any Republican voice", and insisted "the biggest luxury that Ukraine enjoys in the United States is the bipartisan support in both Democratic and Republican camps".
As his country's top diplomat, Dmytro Kuleba remains quietly confident Ukraine can maintain the backing of the allies that count: the ones which provide tangible support.
And, he says, Ukraine has one crucial factor on its side: "Historically, Ukraine was unfairly under-appreciated, and I regret it took a bloodshed and a devastating war for the world to realise how cool we are.
"And we will always be cool. But it just took you too much time to realise that." | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64976079 |
Harrogate Turkish Baths bans nude bathing amid police investigation - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Swimwear is made compulsory at the baths in Harrogate after a "serious" incident, a spokesman said. | York & North Yorkshire | Swimwear must now be worn at all times, amid a police investigation
Naked bathing has been banned at Harrogate's famous Turkish Baths after an incident of inappropriate behaviour was reported to police.
The historic baths on Parliament Street holds single-sex sessions for men and women where swimwear is optional.
Harrogate Borough Council, which runs the baths, said swimwear must now be worn at all times until further notice.
North Yorkshire Police confirmed it was investigating an incident which took place earlier this month.
It said in a statement: "Police received a report of an incident of inappropriate behaviour at the Turkish Baths earlier this month.
"Enquiries are at an early stage and are ongoing."
Turkish baths were common in Victorian times, now only seven date back to the 19th Century
A council spokesman added: "Following a complaint at Turkish Baths Harrogate, an operational decision has been made that swimwear is now compulsory at all bathing sessions.
"The complaint related to an incident which, due to its serious nature, has been reported to the police and is currently being investigated.
"We have a duty of care to our customers and staff members, and in order for all single-sex sessions to operate in a safe environment, it has been decided that swimwear must be worn until further notice."
The Turkish Baths is housed in a Grade II-listed building, which has been described as "the most fully-restored" Turkish bath in Britain.
It opened in 1897 and has been managed by the council since the late 1990s.
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The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-64989826 |
First minister's residence Bute House to close for 'essential works' - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Nicola Sturgeon's successor will use temporary accommodation as Bute House shuts for 20 weeks. | Edinburgh, Fife & East Scotland | Bute House is an A-listed building owned by the National Trust for Scotland
The first minister's official residence is to be closed for nearly five months so essential repairs can take place.
Work on Bute House, at Charlotte Square in Edinburgh, will begin on 17 April and last for 20 weeks, with a scheduled completion date of 1 September.
Meetings of the Scottish cabinet will take place at St Andrew's House while the work is being carried out.
It means Nicola Sturgeon's successor as first minister will have temporary alternative accommodation in Edinburgh.
The SNP leader, who announced her resignation on 15 February, has one more week in office before her successor is announced on 27 March.
Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf are the three candidates competing to be the party's next leader and first minister.
As well as the first minister's official residence in the capital, Bute House is frequently used to hold press conferences, media briefings and cabinet meetings.
External and internal work will be carried out on the Georgian A-listed building, which is owned by the National Trust for Scotland.
Nicola Sturgeon's successor as first minister will have alternative accommodation in Edinburgh
In addition to stonework and roof repairs, windows will be refurbished and essential fire safety works carried out.
The repairs follow a survey carried out in August and September 2021, which identified work required to maintain the fabric of the building.
The Scottish government said the cost of the works, and any alternative accommodation for the first minister, would be published "proactively" once they are confirmed after the work is completed.
The main drawing room, with its grand chandelier, hosts VIP visits and media conferences | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-64988312 |
St Patrick's Day: The Paddys and Pats tackling Irish stereotypes - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | Portraits of people named Paddy, Pat, Patrick and Padraig go on display at New York Grand Central. | Northern Ireland | Award-winning architect Paddy Bradley is among those who feature in the portrait project
A photography exhibition capturing the stories of people named Paddy, Pat, Patrick and Padraig is being showcased in New York.
The portraits of 50 Irish men are being displayed outside Grand Central Station as part of the city's St Patrick's Day celebrations.
Dublin-based film-maker Ross O'Callaghan is behind the project that has been years in the making.
One of his main aims is to counter common Irish stereotypes.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. A photography project by a Dublin based filmmaker is capturing the stories of people named Paddy, Pat, Patrick or Padraig
Last week the longstanding US Comedy show Saturday Night Live attracted some criticism ahead of the Oscars for a sketch featuring impressions of Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.
It included jokes about Irish people's consumption of alcohol and portrayed the Irish accent as incomprehensible.
Speaking about his exhibition, Mr O'Callaghan said: "I wanted to tell the true story of the Irish male experience in contemporary Ireland.
"Through personal stories and lived history across several generations of Paddies, looking at how much has changed and the values have stayed the same."
The search for participants began in March 2021 but the ambition had always been to bring the exhibition to New York when it was completed.
A large-scale immersive experience of the portraits was launched on Broadway this week ahead of the exhibit opening.
Northern Ireland comedian Patrick Kielty described himself as "peak Paddy"
Examples of the audio-visual installation are also displayed on a giant digital billboard in Times Square.
The 50 portraits are now open to the public outside Grand Central Station, at Pershing Square.
Slaughtneil-based architect Paddy Bradley is among those who feature and he was the inspiration for the project.
He said when the artist first told him about the idea "he talked about the idea of different Paddies who have all done interesting things".
"I'm humbled that the idea came from my story," he continued.
Belfast boxer Paddy Barnes is proud of his name and his origin
"For me to say, 'I'm a Paddy from Ireland', I think it's one of the greatest things you can say," he added.
"We are a friendly people but we all strive to better ourselves."
The completed series of portraits feature several people from Northern Ireland, including Olympic boxer Paddy Barnes.
Comedian and TV presenter Patrick Kielty, from County Down, said it was a natural fit for him.
Paddy Smyth says he took part in the project to show that modern Ireland is diverse
"When I think about it I probably could say I'm peak Paddy," he said.
"I was called Patrick, went to school in St Patrick's Grammar in Downpatrick and it was another Paddy - Pat O'Hare, my teacher - who got me into performing."
Paddy Smyth is an Irish activist with cerebral palsy.
Paddy Bradley travelled to New York to see his portrait on display at Pershing Square Plaza
Commenting on his involvement, he said: "When you hear the word Paddy abroad you don't think of an Irish disability activist who's gay so I love Ross's vision for this project.
"I'm Paddy many things, and modern Ireland is diverse."
The exhibition will also be showcased in the New York Irish Centre in Queens from 12 to 19 April to coincide with the centre's events commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64913882 |
Testing offered over Orkney breast cancer gene - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | People on the island of Westray are to be offered testing for a gene variant which can lead to a higher cancer risk | NE Scotland, Orkney & Shetland | Alena, from Westray, says she would be keen to have the test for the gene
People on the Orkney island of Westray are to be offered testing to find out if they have a gene variant which can lead to a higher risk of breast cancer.
A landmark study found a specific mutation of the BRCA1 gene which could have begun with a single individual in Westray hundreds of years ago.
Researchers found that about one in 100 people with Orkney grandparents had the specific gene variant.
Most can trace their ancestry back to Westray, which has a population of 600.
Residents of the outer Orkney island met on Thursday night as the study was published to try to better understand the implication of its findings.
All adults with Westray grandparents, living in Westray, will be offered a genetic test for Orkney variant - BRCA1 V1736A.
There are many other BRCA gene variants which can leave women at a higher risk of ovarian and breast cancer but this is believed to be the first time a geographic ancestral link has been made within the UK.
Across the UK about 1 in 1,000 people have a BRCA1 mutation and women can get genetic testing if they know of a direct family connection to the gene or have a history of ovarian or breast cancer in their family.
On Westray, women welcomed the identification of the gene and were keen to get tested.
Marian Groat, who runs the runs the shop and café in Pierowall on Westray, said: "I think you would be silly not to take up the chance to find out."
The 51-year-old, whose grandmother died from breast cancer, said: "I have a daughter and I would be happy to have it explored as fully as I could.
"I think that when you are faced with a fact like that it can't be ignored. I don't think hiding away or head in the sand will help the matter."
Michelle says the sooner you find out something like that the better
The genetic screening is usually undertaken by swabbing the mouth for saliva. It can be self-administered.
Michelle, 52, from Westray, told the BBC: "I don't think the test is very difficult, it is completely painless, it does not cost anything, so I think why not?
"The sooner you find out something like that the better."
Her friend Alena said: "If you were to be carrying it then you can do things about it.
"I have one daughter so it would give the opportunity to have her tested if it were the case."
Options for those with the gene include risk-reducing surgery such as a mastectomy.
But the NHS advises awareness of changes to breasts, annual breast screenings and MRI scans to help detect breast cancer, while lifestyle changes like healthy eating and exercise can "sometimes reduce risk".
There is currently no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer.
While people on the island whose grandparents were from Westray will be tested, there will be people around the UK and the world who also carry the gene.
At a playgroup in the Orkney mainland town of Kirkwall, women said they would like to get tested for the gene.
Ursula Thomson said the higher risk was a bit scary
Ursula Thomson said: "If you hear your risks would be a bit higher it scares you a little bit, especially since its cancer.
"If there was a test I would take it."
Rachel Tait said her grandmother and her mother had both had breast cancer.
"With my own family history there obviously has been a scare," she said.
Rachel said her mother was tested years ago and told the cancer was not hereditary but she would like to be tested herself, especially as she has a young daughter of her own.
She said she thinks the test should be offered more widely.
"I can't understand why it would not be," she said.
Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said the study was hugely important and he would encourage women to come forward for breast cancer screening.
He said there was a good screening programme in place but he also wanted to get the message out for women to make sure they understoodthe signs and symptoms to look out for.
Mr Yousaf said extending the screening for the Orkney BRCA1 variant was something the Scottish government would consider.
NHS Grampian genetics clinic is running a helpline for queries about the gene variant linked to breast and ovarian cancer for those who have grandparents from Orkney. The number to call is 01224 553940. Email inquiries can be directed to [email protected]
GPs will not be able to assist with gene testing and any questions about this research and next steps should be directed to the helpline. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-64987498 |
Budget back to work plan 'to cost £70,000 per job' - BBC News | 2023-03-17T00:00:00 | https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews | The chancellor's schemes will only recruit small numbers at a high cost per job, a think tank forecasts. | Business | Budget plans to encourage people back to work will have limited impact and cost £70,000 a job, a think tank says.
The changes are expected to bring 110,000 back to work, which the Institute for Fiscal Studies said was "just a fraction" of the those who'd left work over the past two years.
The government will spend billions to boost labour supply via tax breaks on pensions and expanded free childcare.
It said the plans would help to grow the economy and raise living standards.
Paul Johnson, director of the IFS, said the government's forecaster had calculated the overall plan to boost workforce numbers will cost around £7bn a year and increase employment by around 110,000.
"That's a cost of nearly £70,000 per job," he says.
While the chancellor "might have some success" it was likely to be modest given the large number of people "lost from the workforce in the last couple of years", he added.
UK economic growth has flatlined in recent months and the economy is expected to shrink his year. About a quarter of people of working-age - around 10 million people - do not have jobs.
Persuading workers to work for longer is part of UK plans to boost growth, with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Wednesday announcement on tax and spending being dubbed the "Back to work Budget".
Mr Johnson said the impact of annual net immigration numbers - assumed at 245,000 - would be far more significant for boosting employment.
The government said its independent finances watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) had revised its outlook for economic growth upwards "by the largest amount ever in their forecasts" as a result of the Budget's measures.
A spokesman added: "[The OBR] also says extending 30 hours of free childcare to parents of nine months to two year olds... will lead to many more increasing their hours - helping to grow the economy and raise living standards for everyone."
The Budget also included measures to support disabled people who want to work, programmes to encourage retirees to take on jobs or apprenticeships, and changes to the rules around health-related benefits and universal credit.
On Wednesday, the OBR, noted that the impact of the back to work policies was uncertain, saying the final figure for the number of extra people in work could be half (or double) the main estimate of 110,000 workers.
That could, in turn, double or halve the cost-per-worker of the policy.
The OBR further estimate that extra workers will boost the size of the economy by 0.2% - equivalent to about £4.5bn, some of which the government will get back in extra taxes and a smaller benefits bill.
The pension tax changes, removing any limit to the amount that workers can accumulate in their pension savings over a lifetime before paying extra tax, have come in for particular criticism.
They are designed to encourage pension savers not to retire early - in particular senior doctors.
But the Resolution Foundation think tank, which focuses on low and middle income earners, described them as "poor value for money" and said they may not work as hoped.
Under the plans announced in Wednesday's Budget, the tax-free limit for pension savings during a lifetime will be abolished in April.
At present, people can save just over £1m before an extra tax charge is levied.
The annual allowance will remain in place, but will go up from £40,000 to £60,000, after being frozen for nine years. Those who are already drawing a pension, but want to save more will be able to put in £10,000 a year, up from £4,000.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt insisted the abolition of the lifetime allowance was the quickest and simplest way to solve issues with NHS doctors and consultants, who have been retiring early, reducing hours or turning down overtime for tax reasons.
But the Resolution Foundation said giving pension savers "very large wealth boosts will actually encourage some people to retire earlier than they otherwise would have done".
"It's a big victory for NHS consultants but poor value for money for Britain," said Torsten Bell, chief executive of the think tank.
Labour's shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the party would reverse the policy if it wins the next general election and replace it with one targeted at doctors rather than a "free-for-all for the wealthy few".
The move comes as the government is freezing general tax thresholds, which will drive up many people's tax bills.
The move is expected to raise more than £30bn by 2028, the bulk of this coming from taxes on employees' income.
It will also create 3.2 million new income taxpayers and 169,000 more will have to pay VAT. | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-your-money-64975682 |
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